| "The Appalachians - A land shaped by the people. A people shaped by the land."
Photos courtesy of www.sierraclub.org/appalachia/
A second and third parts of a three-part TV special "The Appalachians" will be shown on West Virginia Public TV on May 18 and 22.
The TV event, sponsored by the Sierra Club, is one that every West Virginian will want to watch. Tell your neighbors.
It documents the unique legacy, courage, character, arts and culture of the Appalachian people.
"The Appalachians" presents a dramatically human overview of the Appalachian United States. Following a historical chronology, the narrative thread features the colorful writings of both common people and larger-than-life figures.
Personal stories are told on camera by people whose families have lived in Appalachia for generations.
Along with comments from historians, the program features artists such as Johnny Cash (his last TV interview), Rosanne Cash, Ricky Skaggs, Loretta Lynn, Little Jimmy Dickens, Marty Stuart and a host of others who help tell this remarkable story through word and song.
Lots of West Virginians are featured, discussing life in the mountains.
Appalachia was America's first frontier. The pioneers brought their folkways and music from the old country. Mountain life was isolated and traditional culture was preserved. The old ballads and fiddle tunes were handed down through generations.
Appalachian mountain people are songwriters and storytellers. To tell their history, the producers use mountain songs as an integral part of the film. The lyrics tell the story of their lives, their emotions, their loves and their fears.
The story of Appalachia is about the struggle for and with the land. But through their struggles the people of Appalachia held on to their love of land and family.
Music continued to be an important part of their lives, and they adapted old, traditional ballads into songs that told the story of their lives in America â their triumphs and their sorrows.
Out of the culture and history, we will reveal the vivid unforgettable faces of the land and the people.
The Appalachians is a portrait framed with truth, passion, and respect for the Native Americans and the people who came to this land from Ireland, England, Scotland, Wales, Italy, Hungary, Poland, Africa, Mexico â and virtually every other part of the world.
The film is presented by Nashville Public Television and distributed by American Public Television to PBS stations.
Check for times of broadcast.
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