Épisodes

  • The Kirkland Bushwhackers

    The Kirkland Bushwhackers
    Mar 7 2026
    This week, we tell a story from the lawless mountain border between western North Carolina and east Tennessee during the Civil War. As great battles raged elsewhere, outlaws and deserters came to the mountains to hide, to rob and to turn old trails and creek crossings into killing grounds.

    At the center of this story is John Jackson Kirkland and his gang, whose violence touched soldiers, civilians, rivals, and even their own kin. This is a story of a war without sides, and justice that never came.

    If you’ve not done so already, subscribe to the Stories podcast wherever you get your podcasts, so you don’t miss any upcoming episodes. Consider becoming a supporter of the podcast and get extra content along with an ad-free feed of our stories!

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    19 min
  • Appalachia's Blues Brothers: Stick and Brownie McGhee

    Appalachia's Blues Brothers: Stick and Brownie McGhee
    Feb 28 2026
    This week, Steve and Rod tell the story of Granville “Stick” McGhee and Walter “Brownie” McGhee, two brothers from East Tennessee whose music helped shape American blues and early rock ’n’ roll. Born in Knoxville, the McGhee brothers took the music they heard growing up and used it to launch themselves onto the national stage.

    Be sure to subscribe to the Stories podcast wherever you get your favorite podcasts. Consider becoming a supporter of the podcast and get extra content along with an ad-free feed of our stories!

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    15 min
  • Off To See the King: The 1730 Cherokee Mission to London

    Off To See the King: The 1730 Cherokee Mission to London
    Feb 21 2026
    In 1730, seven Cherokee leaders traveled from their Appalachian home to the heart of London. Hand-picked by a Scottish adventurer named Alexander Cumming, they were presented to King George II as "Kings" of a new empire. Today we tell the story of that voyage and how these Native Americans navigated their way through the streets of the city at the center of the British Empire, all while securing an alliance on their own terms.

    It’s another one of the Stories of Appalachia.

    If you like our stories of Appalachian history and folklore, be sure to subscribe to our podcast on your favorite podcast app, and leave us a comment, too. You can also help support the Stories podcast by becoming a supporter at spreaker.com. There you'll find extra content and an ad-free version of the podcast!

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    19 min
  • The Cursed Rails of the Big Bull Tunnel

    The Cursed Rails of the Big Bull Tunnel
    Feb 14 2026
    The Big Bull Tunnel in Wise County, Virginia looks like any other railroad tunnel, just a simple cut through a hillside. Looks, though, can be deceiving, as the tunnel’s history is packed with accidents, strange noises, deaths, and a chilling encounter that turned a routine inspection into a bit of Appalachian folklore. In this episode, Steve and Rod tell the story of the tunnel’s difficult construction, the tragedies that followed, and the story that convinced railroad officials something inside the mountain was best avoided.

    If you like our Stories of Appalachia, be sure to subscribe and share the podcast with friends who love Appalachian history and folklore. If you want to help us continue telling these stories, consider becoming a supporter of the podcast at Spreaker, where you'll get an ad-free feed of the podcast, plus extras like supporter-only episodes!

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    24 min
  • The Dark Shadows of Blue Ridge, Georgia

    The Dark Shadows of Blue Ridge, Georgia
    Feb 7 2026
    Today we tell not one but two stories, both involving the same community in Fannin County, Georgia.

    In 1864 two men, brothers-in-law Elisha Stanley and Evan Hughes, became the victims of a gang of violent bushwhackers who terrorized the area during the Civil War, leaving their families to pick up the pieces. Forty years later, in 1906, the Tilley Bend massacre occurred in the same area, causing a local woman, Elizabeth Bradley, known as a "Granny Woman" and healer, to place a curse on the community, in the process creating what may be the most well-known bit of Appalachian folklore in that part of Georgia.

    If you enjoy our stories, be sure to subscribe to our podcast on your favorite podcast app. If you'd like an ad-free version of the podcast and other extras, like unreleased episodes and other content, go to our podcast host, Spreaker, and become a supporter of the Stories podcast!

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    16 min
  • Outlaws of the High Country: The Story of the Eller Gang

    Outlaws of the High Country: The Story of the Eller Gang
    Jan 31 2026
    This week Rod and Steve tell the story of a gang of robbers who cast a long shadow over Ashe County, North Carolina in the unsettled years after the Civil War. One by one they fell, until only Linville Eller remained. He, too, met his fate in 1890 after a massive manhunt.

    This is the story of the Eller Gang, led by brothers Linville and Henry Eller, the North Carolina high country’s most notorious 19th-century outlaws, another one of the Stories of Appalachia.

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    14 min
  • When a Final Wish Became a Circus: The Story of the Sunshine Woman

    When a Final Wish Became a Circus: The Story of the Sunshine Woman
    Jan 24 2026
    This week’s story is the bizarre true tale of Leila Davidson Hansell, known as "The Sunshine Woman," and the controversy surrounding her final resting place in Hendersonville, NC.

    Leila's final wish upon her death in 1915 was to be buried above ground in a unique mausoleum topped with 147 squares of prism glass, designed to let the sun shine down on her remains. For over two decades, her glass-topped tomb became a must-see tourist attraction, fueled by a 1926 newspaper article that confirmed the skeleton could, indeed, be seen through the glass, contrary to the designer’s adamant denials.

    Don't miss a single one of our Stories of Appalachia! Subscribe to the Stories podcast wherever you get your podcasts. Consider becoming a supporter on Spreaker, too. You’ll get bonus episodes and an ad-free version of the podcast!

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    16 min
  • The Tennessee Moonshiner the Law Couldn’t Hold: The Story of Hut Amerine

    The Tennessee Moonshiner the Law Couldn’t Hold: The Story of Hut Amerine
    Jan 17 2026
    Born in Blount County, Hut Amerine grew into one of East Tennessee’s most notorious moonshiners. After the Civil War, federal whiskey taxes ignited a bitter conflict between mountain distillers and revenue agents. Accused in the fatal shooting of a federal officer, Amerine became the target of an intense manhunt, spoke publicly in his own defense, escaped jail twice, and ultimately vanished. It’s a true Appalachian outlaw story, another one of the Stories of Appalachia.

    If you’ve not done so already, be sure to subscribe to the Stories podcast on your favorite podcast app.

    For those of you who’d like an ad-free experience, come over to Spreaker and become a supporter of the channel. You’ll get unreleased content, previews of upcoming episodes and our podcasts, ad free.
    Here's the link: Spreaker Supporters' Club

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    23 min