West Virginia is a unique place.  Lots of folks across the country forget that West Virginia was separated from Virginia in 1863 and that we are, in fact, a separate state.  I like to call my state West-by-God-Virginia and the other place either “East Virginia” or “the other Virginia”.  I guess folks in every state say that their people are the nicest or the most down-to-Earth of any state.  I’d say WV fits that bill too and who am I to say any different.  People are good here.  I love it here and I see so many of the best things in WV.  Like every state though, there is good and bad and folks outside of WV seem only to know about the bad stuff that happens here…we do suffer from some of the worst health issues, we have educational problems and our lots of folks see the world in such a different way than the rest of the country, and not always in a good way.  In spite of the problems of WV, there are several shining examples of what is great about WV.

We got the opportunity to visit a live recording of Mountain Stage, a popular and well-known broadcast on public radio.  Our capitol complex (yes Charleston is the capitol of WV, an independent state!)  is pretty amazing.  Mountain Stage is recorded in the Capitol theater in the WV Culture Center.  Since 1983, Mountain Stage has brought all sorts of music to the people of WV and Sunday night a few weeks ago, the four  of us got to be a part of that experience.  Our show will be broadcast in December so listen for our applause if you get a chance.  We clapped vigorously.

There are all sorts of musical styles at Mountain Stage and some/many seem to have absolutely nothing to do with WV or the mountains but each is unique and a real treat to hear live in a great venue.  I don’t always agree with everything that happens in our state and there are bad things for which we are noted, but Mountain Stage is one of those things that is a unique and wonderfully WV thing!