[piano intro] - [Announcer] Shaped by Sound is a co-production of PBS North Carolina and the Department of Natural and Cultural Resources.

The series is presented by Come Hear North Carolina.

- I'm James Mieczkowski, and this is Shaped by Sound.

If you were to take bluegrass from the Blue Ridge and combine it with the honky tonk of Tennessee, you might find yourself listening to the Asheville based group Town Mountain.

The band and their sound have evolved over the years, but at their core, they remain a group filled with blue collar grit and a deep love for their native Asheville.

Today On Shaped by Sound, performing within a set inspired by the streets of their hometown, and in conversation with me, this is Town Mountain.

[dramatic music] [country music] [country music continues] ♪ Trouble come rising, out on the city ♪ ♪ Paranoia on the street ♪ ♪ Out in the darkness, footsteps fallin' ♪ ♪ Just the watchman on his beat ♪ ♪ From the shine of Atlanta to the Ohio River ♪ ♪ Hear the cry out on the fray ♪ ♪ Ain't we dyin' for this livin', bustin' our backs ♪ ♪ All for a brakeman's wage ♪ ♪ High horse rider never been no friend ♪ ♪ Never been no friend at all ♪ ♪ Sooner than later, change gonna find ya ♪ ♪ See the cracks along the wall ♪ ♪ See the lines in the levee ♪ ♪ What's a poor country boy to do ♪ ♪ See the lines in the levee ♪ ♪ Muddy water pushing through ♪ ♪ See the lines in the levee ♪ ♪ What's a poor country boy to do ♪ ♪ See the lines in the levee ♪ ♪ Muddy water pushing through ♪ ♪ Won't you awake now from your wildwood slumber ♪ ♪ Now days for the dreaming are done ♪ ♪ Turn your eyes on the uncounted number ♪ ♪ Burn that fire for the sun ♪ ♪ Cast aside them thin dime burdens ♪ ♪ No more to carry that curse ♪ ♪ Ring it loud as the union bell ♪ ♪ Here we are man, do your worst ♪ ♪ You better run for shelter, 'fore you wash away ♪ ♪ 'Fore you wash away with the town ♪ ♪ Storms are churning, out on the delta ♪ ♪ And the rains they're pouring down ♪ ♪ See the lines in the levee ♪ ♪ What's a poor country boy to do ♪ ♪ See the lines in the levee ♪ ♪ Muddy water pushing through ♪ [country music continues] [country music continues] ♪ See the lines in the levee ♪ ♪ What's a poor country boy to do ♪ ♪ See the lines in the levee ♪ ♪ Muddy water pushing through ♪ ♪ See the lines in the levee ♪ ♪ Lines in the levee ♪ ♪ What's a poor country boy to do ♪ ♪ See the lines in the levee ♪ ♪ Muddy water pushing through ♪ [country music continues] [country music continues] - Robert and Phil here from Town Mountain, how y'all doing?

- Doing great, James, how are you?

- Great, thanks for being here.

Thanks for doing the show.

We're so excited to have you.

- [Robert] Thanks for having us.

- So I kinda wanna start off from the beginning.

Y'all are from North Carolina, is that right?

- Asheville.

- You're from Asheville, and Phil?

- Yeah, we make our home in Asheville.

Originally, I'm from Greenville, South Carolina.

- Cool, so very close.

- Very close.

But I've been in Asheville long enough to call it home now.

- Yeah, do you think that a certain place can influence the music that you're making specifically?

- Those hills are inspiring and you know, Doc Watson's not too far away and Earl Scruggs is not too far away and there's lots and lots of great musicians there who nobody's ever heard of, and it's all over.

You feel it and it certainly helps and it is inspiring to make music in those western North Carolina Hills.

So yeah, you could probably make it somewhere else, but it's real natural there.

- Maybe it gives you more, like, more of a reverence for the tradition a little bit, just knowing how you're kind of immersed in it.

- Speaking of that Western North Carolina scene, I wanted to talk to you a little bit about Helene, right?

And how so many people were affected by that.

Obviously the arts community drastically affected by that.

- We're feeling the effects of it.

We will feel the effects of it for some time, and now the town hitched its ride to the service industry in a lot of ways, and that's the big business at Asheville.

There's no big plants, not, you know, that type of stuff, but there's a huge service industry.

And now people gotta get back over there, going on vacation to Asheville because the water ban is lifted and they can boil.

You don't have to boil water anymore and things like that, and people need to go back and start staying in the hotels that are there and going to eat at the restaurants and the service industry needs to get back up and running and back to business as usual, and Asheville is open for business, folks.

[country music] ♪ Dust in the meadow, smoke on the mountainside ♪ ♪ There's an air of desperation ♪ ♪ Comin' 'cross the great divide ♪ ♪ Thunder rollin', shakin' the valley down ♪ ♪ But it ain't the second comin' ♪ ♪ That's drummin' up that sound ♪ ♪ No, it's the train of broken dreams run on misery and woe ♪ ♪ Come to take the down trodden ♪ ♪ When they ain't got no place to go ♪ ♪ There'll be no mistakin' when you hear that whistle whine ♪ ♪ Left me with my chances in the ruination line ♪ [country music continues] ♪ Tell you brother I can't get no sleep ♪ ♪ There's heretics in the capitol and heroes on the street ♪ ♪ This corporate prison what for is my bail ♪ ♪ Well, it's $129 a barrel son, your freedom is for sale ♪ ♪ They give me excuses, and they give me their word ♪ ♪ And it's hard to give a damn ♪ ♪ When you're unemployed and uninsured ♪ ♪ Can't afford to pay no doctor, no ambulance ride ♪ ♪ Standing at the station in the ruination line ♪ [country music continues] [country music continues] [country music continues] [country music continues] [country music continues] ♪ Drive your mule, boy, up that field and back ♪ ♪ You gotta earn your keep here ♪ ♪ Make no doubt about that fact ♪ ♪ Ain't no time for stallin', no time for to wait ♪ ♪ No time for your lost soul ♪ ♪ To go and try and to find its place ♪ ♪ All I ever wanted was a little peace and quiet ♪ ♪ And a stash of my own, and a good girl to hold tight ♪ ♪ Now I'm broke, dry and dirty ♪ ♪ My good love passed me by ♪ ♪ And I feel I'm primed and ready for that ruination line ♪ ♪ So I'ma lay my head down on that rail ♪ [country music continues] ♪ And maybe she can ease my mind ♪ ♪ And I pray she moves me swiftly down that ruination line ♪ [country music continues] [country music continues] [country music continues] [country music continues] [country music continues] [country music continues] - We pride ourselves on writing original music.

Phil, Phil's a prolific writer, and our albums showcase our original songwriting, and I think as we grow, as we grew, you know, mature as a band, the writing started, we started writing tunes.

We're getting better at writing tunes that fit our style and play to our strengths.

- For me, I'm writing music, selfishly, that I'd want to hear, that I want to hear.

Like I just, like, I don't hear a lot of that.

These stories being told so much in the country music context, you know?

It's like more about dirt roads and tailgates and stuff and like, I don't know, just wanting to write about something real or at least real feelings, and maybe that's just something that I struggle with is trying to find my place in the world, and trying to survive doing what I do, and hoping some people can relate to that.

♪ Feels so strange ♪ ♪ Kicking around the town of my youth ♪ ♪ I was never gonna stay, always hated it in truth ♪ ♪ The faces in the street, how they hid behind ♪ ♪ Barroom smiles and the empty eyes ♪ ♪ Since then I ain't found much to hold on to ♪ ♪ Couple drink tickets and a smoke-filled room ♪ ♪ I'm doing the best with the circumstance ♪ ♪ And telling myself that with one more chance ♪ ♪ I could do things better ♪ ♪ But I just can't get my together long enough ♪ ♪ To keep from running 'round like a ragged dog ♪ ♪ They cast their doubts, I can still remember ♪ ♪ Gonna shout them down, man it's now or never more ♪ ♪ To make the same mistakes that I did back then ♪ ♪ Man, I'm playin' the part of the comeback kid ♪ [country music continues] [country music continues] ♪ Yeah, I rearrange ♪ ♪ The words on the page ♪ ♪ Just one more time ♪ ♪ Carving out a reason to fit the rhyme ♪ ♪ Hoping they might show you the shape I'm in ♪ ♪ Man, I'm tired and torn but then again ♪ ♪ Here I am in the crowd of the backstage door ♪ ♪ Pushing my way for an open floor ♪ ♪ When a shadowed hand called me to the side ♪ ♪ Says he's got a little something that I should try ♪ ♪ To put my mind at ease ♪ ♪ Just a little stem is all you need ♪ ♪ To take the edge off boy ♪ ♪ Now the walls around me they're starting to breathe ♪ ♪ Dig in my heels, ready my aim ♪ ♪ Bet my life on every last refrain ♪ ♪ Not sure that I could ever survive another hit ♪ ♪ Man I'm too far gone for a comeback kid ♪ [country music continues] [country music continues] ♪ My chest it pounds like a distant drum ♪ ♪ Give into the heat that fills your lungs ♪ ♪ And try to maintain ♪ ♪ Though you're feeling so unsteady, so unsure ♪ ♪ Reach down deep, can you feel the fire ♪ ♪ To sing another song for the uninspired part of us all ♪ ♪ That'll drag you down if you let it win ♪ ♪ Man, it's one more shot for the comeback kid ♪ [country music continues] ♪ Yeah, it's one more shot for the comeback kid ♪ [country music continues] ♪ One more shot for the comeback kid ♪ ♪ One more shot for the comeback kid ♪ ♪ Yeah, one more shot for the comeback kid ♪ ♪ One more shot for the comeback kid ♪ [country music continues] [country music continues] [country music continues] [country music continues] [country music continues] [country music continues] [country music continues] - When I write something, I write about something that's what I call a frying pan tune, you know?

Just a quick song that gets, you know, like you cook a t-bone steak in a skillet, really fast, you know, and hot.

- When do you know you've got that though?

- It hits me like a ton of bricks.

- So how does it happen?

So like, you get struck by lightning and then you just jump on your guitar and just get it out?

- Yeah.

- Do you think there's like songs just sort of like floating around in the ether and you just happen to just connect with you just like that?

- I think there are experiences that are, and I think that there are, you know, just kind of have to be hit over the head at the right time for it to take effect the way that, sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't.

♪ On in Alabama where you he learned to throw me cash ♪ ♪ When the bear wants titles ♪ ♪ Kinda thought he struck it rich ♪ ♪ Down in ol' 'Bama, dear Lord, losing his way ♪ ♪ Mama's love was helpful ♪ ♪ And Daddy's ran and made him straight ♪ ♪ Hopping trains and thumbing ♪ ♪ Lord, tried to find his plow ♪ ♪ No place to go, no place to stay ♪ ♪ Just living off the graph ♪ ♪ Moving and shaking ♪ ♪ Losing and faking ♪ ♪ Talking and drinking and big money making ♪ ♪ Well he rode in to Asheville town ♪ ♪ And they called him 'bout a plan ♪ ♪ Through the school of high learning ♪ ♪ Lord, now you know that's where he went ♪ ♪ He said well I ain't got no town ♪ ♪ But the school was such a bore ♪ ♪ Off to strike it rich, now weekly trips down to the shore ♪ ♪ Gas went up and he left town on a look around ♪ ♪ Searching for that big fish from way down ♪ ♪ Deep in the ground ♪ ♪ Moving and shaking ♪ ♪ Losing and faking ♪ ♪ Talking and drinking and big money making ♪ [country music continues] [country music continues] [country music continues] ♪ Wheeling and dealing at Searcy Arkansas ♪ ♪ He's off to strike it rich now ♪ ♪ He knows he's on a roll ♪ ♪ royalties and Wall Street ♪ ♪ Well they told him was the plan ♪ ♪ Feeling like easy street but still working for the man ♪ ♪ On the top shelf there ♪ ♪ Chivas is the brand ♪ ♪ If you strike it rich like me, son ♪ ♪ Go on and get one in your hand ♪ ♪ Moving and shaking ♪ ♪ Losing and faking ♪ ♪ Talking and drinking and big money making ♪ [country music continues] [country music continues] [country music continues] ♪ Rolling down the street ♪ ♪ With his pockets lined with jack ♪ ♪ Big smile on his face and a face a gold upon his back ♪ ♪ Heading to the tavern ♪ ♪ Lord, it ain't nothing but a short hop ♪ ♪ Life is good, ain't you, sitting at the top ♪ ♪ Moving and shaking ♪ ♪ Losing and faking ♪ ♪ Talking and drinking and big money making ♪ ♪ Moving and shaking ♪ ♪ Losing and faking ♪ ♪ Talking and drinking and big money making ♪ ♪ Talking and drinking and big ♪ ♪ Money making ♪ [country music continues] - How do you all believe you're shaped by sound?

- Music has definitely made me who I am, like a lot of my core memories are around music growing up.

It just made me feel whole.

I don't know how else to say it.

You know, I just always had this connection with music.

It goes to this deep emotion that I don't think anything else can touch.

It's the only thing that I really love to do.

- What what about you, Robert?

- Music has become my life.

I've given my life to music and all that comes with it.

I didn't grow up in a family that played every instrument in the book or you know, it wasn't like that as much as it was just always in some sort of choir group, and there was always music playing.

Now I'm singing songs to my pregnant wife, to our child in her belly.

It has shaped what I've chosen to do as an adult, and I assume as long as I still have fire in the belly that I will want to continue traveling the road and playing music.

It'll only work as long as I do have fire in the belly, because you can't fake it in this business.

I believe that wholeheartedly.

♪ When you see me out tonight tearing up the promenade ♪ ♪ People stop and step aside so I can move along ♪ ♪ Is it just because they're friendly ♪ ♪ Or the fact that I am gone ♪ ♪ Stepping over lines of the paths they travel on ♪ ♪ Living on the high side ♪ ♪ Lord, you better keep it on the low down ♪ ♪ Really get to feeling just right ♪ ♪ Son, I think I better go and sit down ♪ [country music] ♪ Do you reckon that they notice ♪ ♪ Do you think that they believe ♪ ♪ I've been gettin' into meanness ♪ ♪ On the dark end of the street ♪ ♪ Do my eyes tell my condition ♪ ♪ Does my breath show where I've been ♪ ♪ Am I talking any louder ♪ ♪ Than the company that I'm in ♪ ♪ Living on the high side ♪ ♪ Better keep it on the low down ♪ ♪ Well, I get to feeling just right ♪ ♪ I think I'll have to go and sit down ♪ [country music continues] [country music continues] [country music continues] ♪ Sweating like a preacher in the presence of the Lord ♪ ♪ Shaking like a leaf in the middle of a storm ♪ ♪ Jawin' my bone trying to make you see ♪ ♪ And I wouldn't much fret if my friends was all here ♪ ♪ The people in the corner, they're starting to stare ♪ ♪ They're having a ball poking fun at me ♪ ♪ Living on the high side ♪ ♪ Better keep it on the low down ♪ ♪ Well, I get to feeling just right ♪ ♪ I think I'll have to go and sit down ♪ ♪ Living on the high side ♪ [country music continues] ♪ Well you better straighten up and act right ♪ ♪ Keep it on the low down ♪ [country music continues] [country music continues] [country music continues] - [James] Thanks for joining us on Shape by Sound.

If you'd like to hear more of our discussion from today, you can find it over on our website at pbsnc.org/ShapedbySound.

Or you can find 'em on our PBS North Carolina YouTube channel.

♪ Alabama where he loved to throw 'em cash ♪ ♪ When the bear wants titles ♪ ♪ Kinda thought he struck it rich ♪ ♪ Down in ol' 'Bama, Lord, losin' his way ♪ ♪ Mama's love was helpful ♪ ♪ And Daddy's ran and made him straight ♪ ♪ Hopping trains and thumbing ♪ ♪ Boy tryna find his plow ♪ ♪ No place to go, no place to stay ♪ ♪ Just living off the graph ♪ ♪ Moving and shaking ♪ ♪ Losing and faking ♪ ♪ Talking and drinking and big money making ♪ - [Announcer] Shaped by Sound is a co-production of PBS North Carolina and the Department of Natural and Cultural Resources.

The series is presented by Come Hear North Carolina.