Drenched In Place:
Curated by : Rising Appalachia
With Crucial Help From: Julian Dryer, Matthew Fritz, Andy Fyfe, Ashleigh Taylor, Alex Diez
Mastered By: Jason Richmond
Artwork by: Leah Song and Drew Douglass De Porter

"I have a deep history with these mountains dating back to when I turned one year old in Swannanoa for fiddle camp with my family. Since then, these mountains have been a home, a respite from tour, a muse, a hideaway, and a building block of beginning a family and carving my own route. When Helene hit, I was home just north of Asheville right by a creek that flooded over 20 times its size like some sort of unhinged wildebeest trampling all in sight. My son and I watched the creek rise from our bathroom window while my partner tried his best to help a neighbor dig trenches around their home to keep the water at bay. In the face of such power and might, we felt incredibly small and vulnerable. Maybe that is a lesson humanity needs, but it is despairing and catastrophic nonetheless. I'll never forget walking out of our neighborhood with my son on my back that day, seeing the destroyed roads and houses by foot because our road was blocked. This beautiful, resilient, climate safe mountain town was ravaged by winds and waters we never thought possible. People lost entire businesses, homes, livelihoods, family members. We could cry tears to fill an ocean.

What I know from studying myth and environment and the merging of the two is that the land can know more than we do. It can hold stories, secrets and knowledge we humans can only hope to tap into, build our lives around. Maybe these waters came for a reason, maybe not. But we are here as witnesses to what was before and what will come after, some with poetry and pens and others with chainsaws and tractors. In putting together this compilation, we finally had a moment to come out of first defense mode and into creative mode…. connecting the dots via the music of many friends and family across the country. All of these artists are comrades we have worked with and admire for their musicality. What better way to come together than a relief album of songs for the people. We named this collection ‘Drenched In Place’ to honor the deep connection to home/place that so many Appalachian people have here in the mountains. With 100 percent of proceeds going to BeLoved, Nanostead, and Riverlink, our aim is to raise $20,000 to give to these incredible nonprofits who have been on the ground working to help since day one of the storm. There is a longhaul still to get this region back on its feet.

We put a lot of work into the curation of instrumentals, songs to sing to, and dance tracks to move the spirit and are incredibly grateful to each musician who contributed. I truly hope you enjoy this collection, send it to friends, play it for the holidays, and let it wash over you in whatever place you stand.

Music is the great healer.

May it do just that."

-Chloe


“Steeped in the heavy weight and potent communion that often comes with tragedy, we here on the grounds of Western North Carolina are reminded time and time again of the power of song. We gather this body of work as an offering, for the long, long walk towards recovery that lies ahead of us…and for every tender moment of grace found in the day to day connections on the ground. Thankyou to everyone who carried this story in their hearts, or has taken a step alongside us.
This musical collection is for all of you.
Appalachia Strong.
Drenched in Place"

-Leah



Thank-yous

Western North Carolina and all its good people, Kyle Nucilli, Ivory Daniel, Hunter Rentz, the NanoStead crew, BeLoved Asheville, Amy, Adrianne, and Poncho, Lydia Violet, all our incredible musical friends and contributors, Leah Concialdi, Echo Mountain. The Salvage Station crew. Scarekrow. Jan and Andy Smith. The Atlanta contra dance community. Jennifer Pickering and the Leaf Community. Marshall High Studios, Josh Copis and the Old Marshall Jail. Delacey Ault. And every single artist who has added this voice to this beautiful collection. THANKYOU endlessly for your presence and aid to our homes.