Wednesday Trivia Question

What NC band performed Will You Return? which was used as the theme song for A CHEF’S LIFE?

A CHEF’S LIFE was a documentary style cooking show featuring Vivian Howard, head chef at the Chef & The Farmer restaurant in Kinston, North Carolina. It ran for five seasons (plus one series finale special) from 2013 to 2018. The series was a Peabody, Emmy and James Beard Foundation winner and is a fan favorite for North Carolina viewers.

The song “Will You Return?” is used as the theme to the program and that tune was recorded by a North Carolina musical group and featured on their 2007 album. The recording act has been active for a few decades and produces music in genres described as folk, folk rock, indie folk, bluegrass and Americana. It also has ties to PBS North Carolina.

So who was it? What group gave us “Will You Return?” – the song used as the theme song to A CHEF’S LIFE?

Monday Montage

What’s happening, what’s on and what’s interesting this week …

Ric Burns presents a landmark two-part documentary chronicling the life and work of the great 14th century Florentine poet, Dante Alighieri. Explore the inner world and legacy of his incomparable literary creation on DANTE: INFERNO TO PARADISE – beginning tonight at 9 on PBS NC.

Alan Cumming (Masterpiece Mystery) talks to the New Yorker about aging, cabaret and Shakespeare.

Go behind the scenes of an annual bluegrass and roots music festival that attracts thousands to the North Carolina foothills. See how a garden fundraiser evolved into a four-day festival on MY NAME IS MERLE – Thursday at 10pm on PBS NC.

Hey, It’s Photo Friday!

A few years back, we ran a show called ON THE ROAD WITH CHATHAM RABBITS. It was a local series and … well, here’s the write-up in our database:

Husband and wife bluegrass duo Sarah and Austin McCombie of Chatham Rabbits go on the road to follow their dreams of making it in music. The limited documentary series ON THE ROAD WITH CHATHAM RABBITS follows Sarah and Austin’s journey as they tend to their small farm, craft new songs, and navigate the highs and lows of touring and the often-unpredictable life of a musician.

I know some folks really liked the program so I thought I’d share this sticker I found a while back. I don’t know if it was created specifically to promote the series of whether it’s band merch that we acquired because of the series. Either way, it’s a neat design.

Wednesday Trivia Question

Who hosted the special THIS TIME EACH YEAR?

PBS North Carolina has, in its decades of operation, produced hundreds of programs. Some were ongoing series and some were one-offs. Many became local classics and got encore presentations and repeats for years after the initial broadcast. Others came and went without much of a noise. One of the perennials was a special called THIS TIME EACH YEAR which first aired in 1986 and reran multiple times over the decades since (a 2016 airing seems to have been its last). Ultimately it was a celebration of the festivals, fairs and gatherings that occur annually in North Carolina.

Here’s part of a description with an important detail left out: Native Americans dancing the eagle dance, kilted Scots playing bagpipes, farmers hollering, children clogging–all North Carolina activities, all rich in history, and all part of THIS TIME EACH YEAR, an hour special. THIS TIME EACH YEAR is colorful. It’s fun. It’s as easy-going as host [name withheld], the popular North Carolina balladeer. But it’s something more. It’s an affectionate look at old, strong ties between North Carolina’s festivals and the sturdy heritage of her people.

Some of the festivals featured were the Highland Games at Grandfather Mountain, the Hollerin’ Contest at Spivey’s Corners and the State Fair in Raleigh, all of which are shining examples of the type of annual traditions focused on in this special. As you can imagine if you’ve never seen it, the show appealed to North Carolinians of all ages and across all cultures and interests. That’s why it received repeat broadcasts for nearly 30 years!

Still, the question remains: who was the host? There’s an obvious hint in the description but I’ll tell you the host is a North Carolina singer-songwriter and musician whose music blends rock, folk, pop, country and bluegrass. He released records and toured for decades (unfortunately ill health has sidelined him in recent years) and I remember we even broadcast a concert performance of his in the early 1980s so you may have seen that if you’re a loooong-time viewer.

So who is it? Who hosted the 1986 special THIS TIME EACH YEAR?

Monday Montage

What’s happening, what’s on and what’s interesting this week …

Explore Australian animal life as we journey Down Under to THE MAGICAL LAND OF OZ – Wednesday night at 10 on UNC-TV.

Hugh Laurie (Jeeves and Wooster) is set to star in a new BBC thriller about a UK politician that may draw parallels to real life. Roadkill will be written by acclaimed playwright and screenwriter David Hare (Page Eight).