Music In Osage And The Wakefields, Inside Appalachia

Podcast - Inside Appalachia Story Archives - West Virginia Public Broadcasting

During the Great Depression, the river town of Osage, West Virginia was a raucous, little place. It’s sleepier now, but music is keeping the magic alive.

Also, after six generations, the struggle to keep a family farm going can be rough.

And the Federal program 340B cuts the price of prescription drugs for people who most need them. So, why are attack ads falsely connecting it to border safety?

In This Episode

The Enduring Music of Osage

The Wakefields, The Saga Of Two Brothers And Six Generations

Truth And Lies About 340 B

Aristotle Jones (right) and choir member Shelley Riley (left) singing “Oh, Happy Day” at the monthly choir meeting. Clara Haizlett/West Virginia Public Broadcasting

The Enduring Music of Osage

Just across the Monongahela River from Morgantown is a small unincorporated community called Osage. Years ago, it was a bustling, industrial town with a thriving nightlife. Today, Osage isn’t quite so bustling, but the love of music endures among its residents. Folkways Reporter Clara Haizlett had this story.

Thad Wakefield stands in his family's field. The Wakefields have farmed for six generations, but it's becoming more difficult to continue. Cade Miller/Courtesy

The Wakefields –Two Brothers, Six Generations

The Wakefields have been farming in Pennsylvania for six generations, but the struggle to keep the family business going reached a breaking point when one brother decided to retire. Cade Miller, with the Penn State News lab, brought us this story.

The group went on to take credit for Blairs lost election. The group says that Blair failed his district (Senate District- 15) by protecting the federal 340B program. The 340B program is not taxpayer funded and is in no way related to immigration policy.
Screenshot of one of the "Stand For Us" Pac campaign ad.

Truth And Lies About 340 B

340B is a federal program that requires drug companies to provide medicine at discounted prices to pharmacies and hospitals serving vulnerable communities. But the program has been the target of a smear campaign that’s affected West Virginians. WVPB’s Briana Heaney explained.

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Our theme music is by Matt Jackfert. Other music this week was provided by John Blissard, Aristotle Jones and Brother Robert Jones, Larry Rader, John Inghram and Blue Dot Sessions. Bill Lynch is our producer. Zander Aloi is our associate producer. Our executive producer is Eric Douglas. Kelley Libby is our editor. Our audio mixer is Patrick Stephens. We had help this week from folkways editor Mallory Noe-Payne. You can find us on Instagram and Twitter @InAppalachia.

You can send us an email: [e-mail].

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Inside Appalachia is a production of West Virginia Public Broadcasting.