Mountain Laurels: Women of Appalachia

About Mountain Laurels: Women of Appalachia

Celebrating the incredible lives of notable Appalachian women who have shaped our region, and our country. mountainlaurels.substack.com (https://mountainlaurels.substack.com?utm_medium=podcast)

Publisher

Mountain Laurels Media

Category

history · society & culture

Language

en

Explicit

No

First episode

16 Jan 2025

Latest episode

8 Oct 2026

Latest episodes

22 episodes in the feed.

1. 

   8 Oct 2026

   Wanda

   MOUNTAIN LAURELS MEDIA INSTAGRAM (https://www.instagram.com/mountainlaurelsmedia/) MOUNTAIN LAURELS MEDIA SUBSTACK (https://mountainlaurels.substack.com/) SUPPORT MOUNTAIN LAURELS (https://appalachianky.fcsuite.com/erp/donate/create/fund?funit_id=5818) Happy October everyone. I know I can’t be the only one excited that it’s finally fall in the mountains. Don’t get me wrong, I love most of what summer has to offer, including the wonderful bounty I was able to produce in the garden this summer, but I’m tired of mosquitoes and sweating in places unseemly. Of course, the colder weather presents new challenges, like the two mice my cats have been chasing around my house, but at least they seem to be having a good time… The fall also means it’s time for this podcast to crank into high gear again, and I’m so excited to be starting season 3 off with an episode focused on Barbara Loden, a writer, director, and actress from the mountains of Western North Carolina. Barbara starred in films such as WILD RIVER and SPLENDOR IN THE GRASS, both directed by her husband Elia Kazan, as well as several Broadway productions, like The Highest Tree (opposite Robert Redford) and Arthur Miller’s After the Fall, for which she won a Tony Award. Barbara’s most notable work is the 1970 film WANDA, which she wrote, directed, and starred in. Set in the coalfields of western PA, the film follows the main character, Wanda, as she drifts through life a bit aimlessly and finds herself as an accomplice in a bank robbery gone wrong. I’m going to admit this is not a perfect, or maybe even good, synopsis, but I’m being intentionally vague because I think it’s a film everyone should watch. If you’re wondering why you may not have heard of Barbara or the film WANDA in your Appalachian studies class, there’s reason for that, and Lora Smith, who joins me for this episode, is on a mission to reclaim Barbara as an Appalachian artist. I hope you enjoy this conversation, and if you haven’t seen WANDA, no worries. There are no big spoilers in this episode, but hopefully after listening, you’ll be eager to watch. You can find WANDA streaming via the Criterion Collection app, and it also happens to be on HBO MAX right now! Thank you to Hayden Miles, who created the music for this episode. I’ll be back in two weeks with a new episode! Until then, I hope you stay warm and enjoy the beautiful foliage the mountains have to offer this time of year. Talk soon! Get full access to Mountain Laurels: Women of Appalachia at mountainlaurels.substack.com/subscribe (https://mountainlaurels.substack.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_4)

2. 

   5 Sept 2026

   Sacred Memories: A Dolly Parton Tribute

   A tribute to Appalachia’s matriarch, Dolly Parton. Thank you so much to everyone who wrote in or sent a voice memo for this episode. I’m so sorry we didn’t have time to get to all of them. Other tributes to Dolly you should read: Dolly Parton embodied the best parts of Appalachia (https://www.salon.com/2026/08/26/dolly-parton-embodied-the-best-parts-of-appalachia/) from Jason Kyle Howard Dolly Parton seemed like she’d live forever, but she poignantly reminded us that nothing lasts (https://www.ms.now/opinion/dolly-parton-charity-legacy) from Willie Carver Loving Dolly Was Easy. Understanding Her Was Hard. (https://www.nytimes.com/2026/08/27/opinion/dolly-parton-appalachia-legacy.html) from Tressie Mcmillan Cottom Cover Art: Hayden Miles 9 to 5 remix: Hayden Miles Get full access to Mountain Laurels: Women of Appalachia at mountainlaurels.substack.com/subscribe (https://mountainlaurels.substack.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_4)

3. 

   14 May 2026

   The Bookhorse Women

   thanks to emily for joining me this episode! The Appalachian Spirit (https://www.theappalachianspirit.com/) Mountain Laurels Substack (https://mountainlaurels.substack.com/) Get full access to Mountain Laurels: Women of Appalachia at mountainlaurels.substack.com/subscribe (https://mountainlaurels.substack.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_4)

Who has been a guest on Mountain Laurels: Women of Appalachia

Names identified in recent episode analyses. Showing up to five guests.

• Katie Myers
• Willa Johnson
• Mandi Sheffel Fugate
• Hayden Miles

Reach and audience

Public platform figures. Ratings count people who left a rating, not total listeners.

Apple Podcasts (US)

5.0 / 5

10 ratings

Spotify

5.0 / 5

8 ratings

Podcast Authority Score: 10 / 100

A composite of feed quality, social presence, YouTube performance and engagement. Read the methodology.

Quality

6

Social presence

0

YouTube

0

Engagement

32

Contact Mountain Laurels: Women of Appalachia

Guest appearances

Does not typically book guests

Based on episode analysis; this does not confirm that the show is currently accepting guests.