Today’s Song of the Day post is a little bittersweet. It’s a great song but comes with unfortunate ties to a region so devastated by Hurricane Helene. The song is titled “Appalachia” and is about life living in that region of the country around the beautiful Appalachian mountains and the many towns along that path. This rings oh so true… “And for those of us who daily struggle…daily struggle with the past. The best medicine is the gospel and a whiskey glass”. I figured the song, the band, and this post were relevant due to the many struggles of the residents right now, particularly in North Carolina and Tennessee especially. It was a beautiful song off the The Hotshot Freight Train’s 2012 epic full length titled “Get Low” which released through Future Destination Records. A few former members came from a band I worked with named Joey’s Loss and a few members now comprise the punk rock band, Small Wars who are on the label Fair Vaux. There is an urgent need for support, both physical and monetary. Please see all the links to organizations actively assisting in recovery efforts, below. Thanks to Joshua Tipton of The Hotshot Freight Train/Small Wars/Joey’s Loss for helping me with finding some of the orgs below and for just being an all around nice guy. Listen to the song “Appalachia” and another classic, “Mountain to Nowhere” as well as the “Get Low” album by The Hotshot Freight Train, below this post.
Organizations Assisting in Hurricane Helene Disaster Relief for East/South East Regions of the U.S.
The Red Cross is currently accepting donations directly for Hurricane Helene relief support right here.
Salvation Army Hurricane Helene Relief
BeLoved Asheville
Appalachia Service Project
Mutual Aid Disaster Relief
East Tennessee Hurricane Helene Flood Relief
North Carolina Disaster Relief Fund
Samaritan’s Purse
I found another site located in Western North Carolina with plenty of links.
Appalachia
Born in the shadows of the mountains and the forests full of trees.
Shaped by the depths of the valleys, the rivers, and the streams.
Hardened by the rock and the cold clay in the ground.
Here in Appalachia it takes a while to come around.
This is where the Bible and the cross are as visible as the sun.
Yet endless debt and addiction have our children on the run.
And for those of us who daily struggle…daily struggle with the past.
The best medicine is the gospel and a whiskey glass.
But I want you to know that I wouldn’t have it any other way.
As long as I go, I can still find my way along these roads.
This is where I belong. Appalachia may be led astray, but it can never be completely wrong.
Here in Appalachia we’re still haunted by the ghosts of the Civil War.
The whole nation believes, yeah, they all believe we’ve got a long way to go.
God knows. God knows. God knows we’ve tried.
But in Appalachia, just like anywhere else, it’s a struggle to survive.
But I want you to know that I wouldn’t have it any other way.
As long as I go, I can still find my way along these roads.
This is where I belong. Appalachia may be led astray, but it can never be completely wrong.
And for those of us who daily struggle…daily struggle with the past.
The best medicine is the gospel and a whiskey glass.
But I want you to know that I wouldn’t have it any other way.
As long as I go, I can still find my way along these roads.
This is where I belong. Appalachia may be led astray, but it can never be completely wrong.