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'Shaped by Sound' features folk pioneer Alice Gerrard

Shaped by Sound features Alice Gerrard Thursday night on PBS North Carolina.

By Lightning Reports, Published: March 10, 2025

Asheville bluegrass artists will be spotlighted on upcoming episodes of Shaped by Sound, a new original music performance series produced by PBS North Carolina.

At 9:30 p.m. Thursday, March 13, Shaped by Sound will spotlight bluegrass legend and Grammy nominee Alice Gerrard, a pioneer in the American folk and bluegrass genres since the 1950s and, who still at 90, continues to influence generations of musicians through her playing and songwriting. During the March 13 episode, Gerrard will share stories from her decades of experience. 

For 80 years, Gerrard has studied, played and preserved American folk music, influencing countless musicians, including Emmylou Harris and Rhiannon Giddens. In addition to being one of the foremost historians of the genre, Gerrard is a Grammy nominee and a musical legend. She is joined on stage by Rebecca Branson Jones (pedal steel), Reed Stutz (mandolin) and Tatiana Hargreaves (fiddle).

On April 10, the show will feature Town Mountain showing off the distinctive style that blends country-rock, bluegrass and honky-tonk. The band’s energetic live performances and ability to push the boundaries of traditional bluegrass sounds has built them a strong reputation and made them a staple in the modern Americana and bluegrass music scenes. 
 

Presented as thirteen 30-minute episodes, Shaped by Sound weaves a visually stunning live studio performance by an NC artist or band with an intimate conversation about their creative journey. The series, which premiered Feb. 6, is accompanied by a longer-form video podcast and a host of digital extras.

“North Carolina has a tremendously vibrant music scene,” said host and producer James Mieczkowski. “PBS North Carolina is thrilled to provide a platform for these exceptional artists to share their music and stories with audiences across the state. Collaborating with them to bring their vision to life right here in our studios has been a privilege.”