Alabama Astronaut

Abe Partridge & Ferrill Gibbs
  • 4.9 (184)
  • DOCUMENTARY
  • WEEKLY SERIES
Alabama Astronaut

Alabama Astronaut is a podcast featuring Alabama songwriter & artist Abe Partridge. Abe discovers a set of undocumented songs in the hills of the Appalachians, and believes they are undocumented because of the subject matter: lyrics that speak of the consumption of poison, and the handling of venomous snakes. These are the songs of the serpent handlers. To capture their music, Abe must first capture the hearts and the minds of the people who wrote it...and in the process, they capture his.

Episodes

  1. Foreword

    EPISODE 1

    Foreword

    In the spirit of John and Alan Lomax, Abe Partridge embarks upon a quest to capture the undocumented songs of the serpent handlers.

    27 min
  2. "Brush Arbor"

    EPISODE 2

    "Brush Arbor"

    Abe meets serpent handling preacher Jamie Coots on a chance encounter in 2006, while pastoring a church in Middlesboro, Ky. Years later, while touring in Oregon, Abe hears a song by Alabama songwriter Will Stewart called "Brush Arbor" which sparks Abe's interest in the serpent handling faith.

    37 min
  3. "It's Alright With Me, Lord, if It's Alright With You"

    EPISODE 3

    "It's Alright With Me, Lord, if It's Alright With You"

    Abe visits the home of fourth-generation serpent handler Cody Coots, along with Cody's wife, Cassy, to capture generations-old songs from the duo's live performances on his Sony handheld recorder.

    38 min
  4. "Little David, Play On Your Harp!"

    EPISODE 4

    "Little David, Play On Your Harp!"

    Abe visits legendary serpent-handling church "Old Rockhouse Holiness" in Section, Alabama – a church that once inspired author Dennis Covington to write a popular book, Salvation on Sand Mountain.

    1 hr
  5. "Preach the Word, Preacher Man!"

    EPISODE 5

    "Preach the Word, Preacher Man!"

    Abe visits the home of Pastor Jimmy Morrow, in Cocke County, Tennessee, to learn about serpent handling, and to ask Jimmy and his wife Pam if they might sing songs into his handheld recorder.

    54 min
  6. "Jesus Made the World"

    EPISODE 6

    "Jesus Made the World"

    Abe and host Ferrill Gibbs meet in person in Birmingham, Alabama, to transport a load of recording equipment to Middlesboro, Kentucky, where they will make a studio album of Cody and Cassy Coots singing songs of their faith.

    58 min
  7. "Jesus On My Mind"

    EPISODE 7

    "Jesus On My Mind"

    Abe and Ferrill meet a New Yorker named Tony Feyer, an artist whose history intertwines with the most legendary serpent-handling church of all time: Church of the Lord Jesus in Jolo, West Virginia. Tony surprises Ferrill and Abe with bombshell information: legendary music documentarian Alan Lomax knew about the powerful serpent-handling music.

    1h 4m
  8. "All Over Me" Part 1

    EPISODE 8

    "All Over Me" Part 1

    Ferrill arranges a meeting with Abe and "Salvation on Sand Mountain" author Dennis Covington, in Lubbock, Texas. Abe composes questions for Dennis Covington, not least of which is: "Did you apologize to the congregation of Old Rockhouse Holiness Church? And if so, why?"

    54 min
  9. "All Over Me" Part 2

    EPISODE 9

    "All Over Me" Part 2

    Abe continues to visit the churches of Bro. Jimmy Morrow and Andrew Hamblin. At Jimmy Morrow's church, Abe and his wife Cathy sing at a church service. Andrew Hamblin is invited by Abe to Nashville, to accompany Abe on a song.

    1h 7m
  10. Bonus Episode 1

    EPISODE 10 BONUS

    Bonus Episode 1

    Abe shares the podcast with his subjects, and one sends him back a humbling text.

    15 min
  11. Bonus Episode: Alabama Astronaut Live!

    EPISODE 11 BONUS

    Bonus Episode: Alabama Astronaut Live!

    This was a live show recorded at the Alabama Contemporary Art Center on January 21, 2023. It features a tearful Abe Partridge, introduced by curator Elizabeth Elliott, narrator Elizabeth Gibbs, and host Ferrill Gibbs. Abe describes his experience of finding Jamie Coots in Middlesboro, Kentucky, and all the wonders to follow. Also in this episode: the first live performance of “Carson Springs,” a song Abe wrote that referenced preacher Jimmy Morrow. Pastor Morrow passed away two days after this recording.

    25 min
  • 11 Episodes

4.9
out of 5
184 Ratings

About

Alabama Astronaut is a podcast featuring Alabama songwriter & artist Abe Partridge. Abe discovers a set of undocumented songs in the hills of the Appalachians, and believes they are undocumented because of the subject matter: lyrics that speak of the consumption of poison, and the handling of venomous snakes. These are the songs of the serpent handlers. To capture their music, Abe must first capture the hearts and the minds of the people who wrote it...and in the process, they capture his.

Information

  • Creator
    Abe Partridge & Ferrill Gibbs
  • Years Active
    2K
  • Episodes
    11
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © 2022
  • Show Website
    Alabama Astronaut

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