Nancy Roberts has often been described to as the "First Lady of American Folklore" and the title is well deserved. Throughout her decades-long career, Roberts documented supernatural experiences and interviewed hundreds of people about their recollections of encounters with the supernatural. This nationally renowned writer began her undertaking in this ghostly realm as a freelance writer for the Charlotte Observer. Encouraged by Carl Sandburg, who enjoyed her stories and articles, Roberts wrote her first book in 1958. Aptly called a "custodian of the twilight zone" by Southern Living magazine, Roberts based her suspenseful stories on interviews and her rich knowledge of American folklore. Her stories were always rooted in history, which earned her a certificate of commendation from the American Association of State and Local History for her books on the Carolinas and Appalachia.

Pull up a chair or gather 'round the campfire and get ready for creepy tales of ghostly hauntings, eerie happenings, and other strange occurrences from times past! Appalachia folklore traditions are kept alive in these expert retellings by master storyteller S.E. Schlosser and through artist Paul G. Hoffman's evocative illustrations. You'll meet ghosts and witches, hear things that go bump in the night, and feel an icy wind on the back of your neck on a warm summer evening. The stories in this entertaining and compelling collection will have you looking over your shoulder again and again.

The Old South comes to supernatural life in this classic collection of chilling tales from the “custodian of the twilight zone” (Southern Living). Nancy Roberts, known as the “First Lady of American Folklore,” is a topnotch storyteller and one of the few who both write and tell their own stories. For more than two decades, Ms. Roberts has documented ghost stories and interviewed hundreds of people throughout the United States. A nationally known author of twenty-three books, Ms. Roberts began her career with a series of ghost stories written for The Charlotte Observer. Carl Sandburg sent her word that her stories were good, suggesting “they should be a book.” Since then her books have won her a certificate of commendation from the American Association for State and Local History and a nomination for the Great Western Writer’s Spur Award. The Haunted South includes tales about . . . An angel sighting in the North Carolina mountains A poltergeist occurrence that drew trainloads of spectators to Jessup, Georgia A ghostly warning in Atlanta presaging a major plane crash A North Carolina tavern where unsuspecting travelers were murdered An omen of death brought by South Carolina’s “Gray Lady” The apparition of an Alabama Railroad Robin Hood A ghost ship off North Carolina’s Outer Banks Praise for Nancy Roberts “Ghost hunter/author Nancy Roberts has put together as shivery a selection of other worldly tales as you’re likely to find anywhere . . . And whether you believe in ghosts or not, these tales are guaranteed to give you a chill, especially before you go into a dark room alone.” —Southern Living

The swelling interest in popular music studies has far outpaced the outlets for publication. Country music, with its all-too-familiar stereotypes, has been particularly slow to gain scholarly acceptance. With the Country Music Annual, scholars, students, and even fans now have a outlet for the dissemination of research and ideas. Each volume of this new yearbook is devoted to all aspects of country music and is the only forum for series studies of the subject. Specific topics include old-time music, western swing, bluegrass, honky-tonk music, Cajun, instrumental music, Nashville sound era, new traditionalism, country rock, alternative country, Americana, modern folk, and contemporary Nashville, as well as biographical studies and interdisciplinary approaches to music, geography, gender, class, race, media, and culture. This inaugural edition defines country music in a broad sense and reflects the marvelous complexities of what has often been called a simple cultural form. The articles look at old-time music, Western swing, honky-tonk, Bluegrass, Cajun, country rock, and the many other incarnations country music has taken. Contributors explore country music in Hollywood and Nashville, humor, country's complex relationship with religion, music careers, sound mixing, and teaching country music in the classroom. Analysis of music, lyrics, and aesthetics stand alongside discussions of Minnie Pearl, Tennessee Ernie Ford, Dolly Parton, Loretta Lynn, Emmylou Harris, Shania Twain, and many more artists. Advisory Board: Bill C. Malone, Nolan Porterfield, Jimmie Rogers, Curtis Ellison, William K. McNeil, Wayne W. Daniel, Joli Jensen.

Now back in print from the New York Times bestselling author of The Last Girls. It was in 1833 or '34 that Moses Bailey brought young Kate Malone down to Cold Spring Holler to be his wife. But Moses, wanting to become a preacher like his daddy was, left Kate time and again to look after the kids while he went out in search of a sign from God. Though he warned them about the evils of playing the fiddle, a kind of music he likened to the devil's own laughter, it passed the time for his bride and children, and soon became not just a way of life for the Baileys, but a curse that would last for generations.

The eastern side of the Smokies abounds with spooky tales, like the story of a Shadow Woman who appeared to a farmer each morning and evening to beg for a cup of milk. Skinned Tom is another East Tennessee haunt, though his is a sinister tale that warns the unfaithful to steer clear of local lover’s lanes for their illicit trysting. From the farmer who finds a Cavern of Skulls to a moonshiner who makes a deal with a water demon; and the Half Shaved ghost seeking vengeance to the first (and only) meeting of the Asheville Ghost Club, the Great Smoky Mountains and its foothills abound with spooky tales. My favorites are in this collection.