What Dreamers Do
Hi, I’m Carla Gover, an Appalachian musician, flatfoot dancer, mama, and DREAMER from Kentucky. I'm on a mission to share fierce love, good humor, and inspiration to help you live a life of creative freedom. I decided to start the What Dreamers Do Podcast to help answer the question: How can we use our gifts and talents to build a better world, and have fun along the way? You’ll also find musings about Appalachia as well as interesting conversations with songwriters, poets, dancers, educators, world-changers, social justice warriors, and other people like you who are working to make a difference using their art, their skills, or just the way they live their lives. On every episode, you’ll hear ideas, conversations, and actionable items to help you unlock your creativity and live your purpose. Grab a mason jar full of sweet tea (or something a little stronger) and pull up a chair, cause it’s time to get YOUR dream on!
What Dreamers Do
Appalachian Artivism: An Interview with Sam Gleaves Part 1
Our interview guest for this week is multi-instrumentalist, songwriter, singer, and Appalachian Music Professor Sam Gleaves, who was born and raised in Wytheville, Virginia. Rooted in Appalachian sounds, Gleaves’ songwriting sings of contemporary rural life and social issues. In 2015, Gleaves collaborated with Grammy-winning producer Cathy Fink and released a debut record of original songs, titled “Ain’t We Brothers,” which has been featured by The Guardian, National Public Radio, and No Depression. A passionate teaching artist, Gleaves has shared Appalachian traditions at numerous music camps, colleges, universities, and public schools. He currently serves as a traditional music instructor and director of the Bluegrass Ensemble at Berea College.
In our chat this week, we discuss how Sam got started as a young musician growing up in the hills of Appalachia, the mentors who encouraged him, and his various influences from pop icons to local legends.
Sam also opens up about how impostor syndrome shows up for him, how he started adding original songs to his repertoire of traditional music, the mentors who made a difference in his life, and why he considers himself an "artivist" rather than an "activist."
We get to hear his original tune "Ain't We Brothers", accompanied by West Virginia legend Tim O'Brien, chronicling the story of a gay coal miner and his plea for simple dignity and acceptance.
Artists/Links mentioned in show:
Sam Gleaves Website
Sam Gleaves on Facebook
Forked Deer as fiddled by Roger Cooper
Kentucky Author Silas House
Kentucky Author Jason Kyle Howard
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