- NEXT ON NORTH CAROLINA WEEKEND, JOIN US FROM THE KINSTON MUSIC PARK.

AS WE CELEBRATE MUSIC ACROSS OUR STATE.

WE'LL VISIT A HISTORIC TUBA COLLECTION IN DURHAM, PAY HOMAGE TO GOSPEL LEGEND JAMES EASTER, AND GET SAUCY WITH SOME SALSA.

COMING UP NEXT.

- [ANNOUNCER] FUNDING FOR NORTH CAROLINA WEEKEND, IS PROVIDED IN PART BY, VISIT NC.

DEDICATED TO HIGHLIGHTING OUR STATE'S NATURAL SCENIC BEAUTY, UNIQUE HISTORY, AND DIVERSE CULTURAL ATTRACTIONS.

FROM THE BLUE RIDGE AND THE GREAT SMOKY MOUNTAINS, ACROSS THE PIEDMONT, TO 300 MILES OF BARRIER ISLAND BEACHES.

YOU'RE INVITED TO EXPERIENCE ALL THE ADVENTURE AND CHARM OUR STATE HAS TO OFFER.

[UPBEAT MUSIC PLAYING] - HI EVERYONE, WELCOME TO NORTH CAROLINA WEEKEND, I'M DEBORAH HOLT NOEL.

AND THIS WEEK WE'RE CELEBRATING MUSIC ACROSS OUR STATE.

TODAY, I'M EXPLORING THE KINSTON MUSIC PARK, A CELEBRATION OF AFRICAN AMERICAN MUSICAL HERITAGE, LOCATED IN THE SUGAR HILL DISTRICT.

ONCE A VIBRANT HUB OF BLACK MUSIC VENUES, WHERE MUSICIANS LIKE DUKE ELLINGTON, AND LOUIS ARMSTRONG PLAYED.

THE PARK CELEBRATES JAZZ, GOSPEL, R AND B, AND MORE.

WE'LL EXPLORE THE PARK MORE THROUGHOUT THE SHOW, BUT FIRST LET'S HEAD TO DURHAM, WHERE YOU FIND THE LARGEST, PRIVATE TUBA COLLECTION PERHAPS IN THE COUNTRY.

[TUBA PLAYING] - I'M VINCENT SIMONETTI, MOST PEOPLE CALL ME VINCE.

- MY NAME IS ETHEL SIMONETTI.

AND RIGHT NOW WE ARE HERE AT THE VINCENT AND ETHEL HISTORIC TUBA COLLECTION.

- IT'S THE ONLY MUSEUM IN THE WORLD THAT WE KNOW OF, THAT ONLY FEATURES MEMBERS OF THE TUBA FAMILY.

WE HAVE ALMOST 350 INSTRUMENTS, THROUGHOUT THE FIVE ROOMS OF THE BUILDING.

- WE HAVE MANY EXAMPLES OF INSTRUMENTS THAT ARE ONE OF A KIND, THE ONLY ONE LEFT.

WE ARE SEVERAL COLLECTIONS TOGETHER HERE.

- I WAS A PROFESSIONAL MUSICIAN.

I WENT TO SCHOOL IN NEW YORK CITY, AT THE MANHATTAN SCHOOL OF MUSIC IN THE SIXTIES.

AND I AUDITIONED IN 1967, IN NEW YORK CITY, TO PLAY WITH THE NORTH CAROLINA SYMPHONY AS PRINCIPAL TUBA.

DURING THE DAY WHEN WE WERE DOING NOTHING, 'CAUSE THE PERFORMANCES WERE ALL IN THE EVENING, I WOULD USE MY TIME TO GO TO DIFFERENT MUSIC STORES, TO LOOK FOR UNUSUAL OLDER INSTRUMENTS.

THE FIRST INSTRUMENT THAT I EVER COLLECTED, WAS DURING THAT TIME.

I STAYED WITH THE ORCHESTRA FOR EIGHT SEASONS.

FROM 1967, TILL 1975.

- VINCE WOULD BE IN THE NEWSPAPER SOMETIMES, BECAUSE HE CONDUCTED THE LOCAL SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA.

WE HAD BOTH BEEN IN DIFFERENT ENSEMBLES LOCALLY, AND WE ENDED UP IN THE SAME CHURCH CHOIR.

- WHEN I SAW ETHEL, I KNEW I'D SEEN SOMEONE SPECIAL.

AND WHEN I DISCOVERED SHE LIKE CLASSICAL MUSIC, THAT'S QUITE RARE THESE DAYS.

- I GUESS THE REST IS HISTORY.

[TUBA TUNE PLAYING] - SO HERE WE HAVE ONE OF THE LARGEST, SAXOPHONES IN THE COLLECTION.

SEE THE BELL IS HERE, IT'S BEEN TAKEN OFF.

THAT'S CONSIDERED A LARGE VALVE, IT'S A REMOVABLE BELL.

SO THEY CALL THIS THEIR JUMBO MODEL, WHICH WAY WITH THE LARGE END POINT.

IT'S BACKWARDS.

THE MAJORITY OF THE COLLECTION, WE OBTAINED DURING OUR TIME WITH THE TUBA EXCHANGE, THAT WE STARTED IN 1984, AND WE OPERATED IT UNTIL 2011.

THE MISSION FOR THE TUBA EXCHANGE, WAS TO PROVIDE THE BEST INSTRUMENTS, FOR MAINLY SCHOOL AROUND THE COUNTRY.

AT AFFORDABLE PRICES.

DURING THOSE 27 YEARS, PEOPLE WOULD BRING IN INSTRUMENTS TO A SELL OR TRADE.

SOME OF THEM WERE SO UNUSUAL, I JUST COULDN'T SELL 'EM.

SO I WOULD EITHER PAY FOR THEM OUTRIGHT, OR TRADE THEM AN INSTRUMENT.

THEN I KEPT THEM.

THAT'S VERY HEAVY, ETHEL.

HE WEIGHS OVER 50 POUNDS, I'M SURE.

WE HAD SOLD THE TUBER EXCHANGE BUSINESS, TO ANOTHER COUPLE IN 2011.

THEY HAD MADE THE COMMITMENT TO MOVE OUT OF THIS BUILDING.

AND WHEN THEY MOVED OUT OF THIS BUILDING, WE DECIDED THAT WE WOULD OPEN IT UP TO THE PUBLIC, BECAUSE HAD THIS UNIQUE COLLECTION.

WE HAD A GRAND OPENING IN 2016.

- THE INSTRUMENTS THAT WE HAVE HERE, ARE REALLY THE FRUITS OF THOSE BUSINESS EXPERIENCES, AND JUST THE PRECIOUS INSTRUMENTS THAT WE WANTED TO KEEP, AS OUR OWN COLLECTION TO SHARE WITH THE PUBLIC.

- OUR VISITORS COME FROM ALL OVER.

THEY COME FROM EUROPE, THEY COME FROM DURHAM, THEY COME FROM ALL OVER THE COUNTRY.

AND SOME OF THEM SAY, "WELL I LIVE CLOSE BY, AND I'VE BEEN DRIVING PAST THERE FOR YEARS, AND WONDERED WHAT IT WAS."

WHEN THEY COME, I OPEN THE DOOR, AND I SAY, "WELCOME TO THE VINCENT AND ETHEL SIMONETTI HISTORIC TUBA COLLECTION."

AND THEN, I WOULD TAKE THEM TO ALL FIVE DIFFERENT ROOMS, I ASK THEM QUESTIONS ABOUT INSTRUMENTS, AND TRY TO GET THEM INVOLVED IN THE TOUR, WHICH TAKES ALMOST AN HOUR AND A HALF.

- MANY TIMES PEOPLE COME HERE, WITH A PARTICULAR THING IN MIND.

THAT THEY WANT TO EITHER PHOTOGRAPH, OR SEE UP CLOSE, OR CONSULT WITH VINCE ABOUT.

- HERE WE HAVE THE OLDEST INSTRUMENT IN OUR COLLECTION, OF ALMOST 350 INSTRUMENTS.

IT DOESN'T LOOK LIKE A TUBA, IT DOESN'T LOOK LIKE ANYTHING.

IT'S CALLED A SERPENT.

AND I LOVE TO SAY, "DON'T GET TOO CLOSE, BECAUSE IT IS A SERPENT."

AND IT'S ACTUALLY MADE OUT OF WOOD, NOT BRASS.

BUT BECAUSE IT HAS A MOUTHPIECE THAT YOU BOW INTO AND VIBRATE YOUR LIPS, IT'S TECHNICALLY CONSIDERED A BRASS INSTRUMENT.

DURING THE CIVIL WAR, THE MUSICIANS WERE CONSIDERED MORE EXPENDABLE THAN THE TROOPS.

SO THEY PUT THE BANDS IN FRONT OF THE TROOPS, AND IN ORDER FOR THEM TO HEAR THE MUSICIANS, THEY MADE THE INSTRUMENTS BLOWING BACKWARDS.

- ABOUT 15 YEARS AGO, WE WERE RECOGNIZED BY THE STATE OF NORTH CAROLINA, AS A HISTORIC AND CULTURAL DESTINATION.

THEY RECOGNIZED THAT WHAT WE HAVE DONE, HAS VALUE AND INTEREST.

SO WE ARE VERY PLEASED TO BE A A HYBRID MUSEUM, AND ALSO COLLECTION.

- THE VINCENT AND ETHEL SEMINARY HISTORIC TUBA MUSEUM, IS LOCATED AT 1825 CHAPEL HILL ROAD IN DURHAM.

AND IT'S OPEN FOR VIEWING TO THE PUBLIC, BY APPOINTMENT ONLY.

WITH SUGGESTED DONATION EVERY TUESDAY AND THURSDAY, FROM 3:00 PM TO 6:00 PM.

IF YOU'RE INTERESTED IN VISITING OR BOOKING A TOUR, YOU CAN EMAIL, CALL, OR TEXT VINCENT, AT [919] 599-3791, WITH YOUR REQUESTED VISIT DATE, TIME, AND NUMBER OF VISITORS.

LEARN MORE ON THEIR WEBSITE, @SEMINARY TUBA COLLECTION.COM.

I'M STANDING IN FRONT OF THE MAIN ATTRACTION OF THIS PARK.

A HUGE SCULPTURE WITH HISTORICAL PHOTOGRAPHS AND ARTWORK, THAT PAID TRIBUTE TO KINGSTON'S AFRICAN AMERICAN MUSICAL HERITAGE.

ANOTHER RICH MUSIC TRADITION IN OUR STATE, IS GOSPEL MUSIC.

SO WE RECENTLY SENT JOHN AND THERESA LISKEY TO MOUNT AIRY, WHERE THEY MET LEGENDARY GOSPEL ARTIST JAMES EASTER, AT HIS FAMOUS MAYBERRY MUSIC CENTER.

UNFORTUNATELY RECENTLY MR. EASTER PASSED AWAY.

SO WE SHARE THIS STORY IN HIS MEMORY.

[GUITAR PLAYING] - MY NAME IS JAMES EASTER, AND I'M THE OWNER OF THE MAYBERRY MUSIC CENTER.

WE'VE BEEN HERE ABOUT ROUGHLY 25 YEARS.

[BAND PLAYING BLUEGRASS] - LOCATED IN DOWNTOWN MOUNT AIRY, THE MUSIC STORE IS KNOWN FOR ITS DOWN HOME MUSIC JAMS.

COME IN PICK WITH THE LEGENDARY GOSPEL SINGER, JAMES EASTER.

- ELVIS PRESLEY HAD JUST COME OUT, AND THEY WERE INTERVIEWING HIM IN NEW YORK CITY.

AND ASKED HIM WHAT HE LIKED OFF RECORDS.

WHAT DO YOU LISTENING TO OFF RECORDS?

HE SAID, "WELL, THERE'S A LITTLE GROUP IN NORTH CAROLINA RIGHT NOW, CALLED THE EASTER BROTHERS.

AND I'VE GOT THEIR FIRST SINGLE, AND THAT'S MY FAVORITE NUMBER."

AND THE FIRST CONNECTION WE HAD WAS KING RECORDS IN CINCINNATI, OHIO.

THAT WAS THE BIGGEST COUNTRY MUSIC LABEL.

WHERE GEORGE JONES, PASTOR CLOWNS, PEOPLE LIKE THAT, YOU KNOW, IT WAS ON THAT LABEL.

THE PRESIDENT OF THAT COMPANY HEARD US SAYING A SONG, HE CALLED IN HIS OFFICE, AND SAID, "I'LL PUT YOU ON TOP."

HE SAID, "I'VE BEEN LOOKING FOR A HARMONY, THREE BROTHER HARMONY, THAT YOU'VE GOT PLAYING THE INSTRUMENTS YOU'RE PLAN."

RUSS PLAYED THE BANJO, AND ED PLAYED THE MAND AND I PLAYED THE GUITAR.

- THAT RECORD COMPANY OFFERED THEM A MAJOR CONTRACT, BUT IT WAS TO SING COUNTRY MUSIC.

THE THREE BROTHERS, HAD SOMETHING ELSE IN MIND.

- IF YOU'LL SING LOVE SONGS, WE TOLD HIM IT WERE ALREADY SINGING.

THE GREATEST LOVE SONG THAT YOU COULD SING.

AND THAT'S ABOUT WHO ELSE DIED FOR YOU.

AND HE SAID, "YOU KNOW WHAT?

I AGREE WITH Y'ALL, BUT THEY SAID, THAT'S NOT WHAT THE WHERE THE MONEY'S AT.

THAT'S NOT WHERE THE FAME'S AT.

THAT'S NOT WHAT THE WORLD WANTS."

WE SAID, "WE KNEW THAT BEFORE WE MADE THIS DECISION.

GOD SAVED US, AND WE'RE GONNA STICK TO GOSPEL MUSIC WHATEVER IT TAKES, DO WHATEVER YOU CAN FOR IT."

- THE EASTER BROTHERS, THEY HAVE THREE DOVE AWARDS, AND THAT'S THE HIGHEST AWARDS YOU CAN GET IN GOSPEL MUSIC.

- THEY'RE KNOWN ALL OVER THE WORLD, WE FLIP BEHIND YOU ALL, BUT DOVE AWARDS AND STUFF THAT TAKE LONG, TAKE YEARS.

THEY DIDN'T GET THE RECOGNITION, THAT THE COUNTRY WESTERN ARTISTS DID.

BUT 'CAUSE THEY ONLY DONE GOSPEL.

- TO HELP SPREAD HIS GOSPEL MINISTRY IN THE LATE NINETIES, JAMES DECIDED TO OPEN A MUSIC STORE, IN HIS HOMETOWN OF MOUNT AIRY.

[INSTRUMENTS PLAYING] - THERE'S A LOT OF GOOD THINGS HAPPEN IN HERE, WE PLAY A LOT OF MUSIC, THERE'S A LOT OF MINISTRY DONE IN HERE.

A LOT OF PEOPLE, YOU KNOW, COME HERE LOOKING FOR JAMES.

THEY KNOW THIS IS WHERE THEY'LL FIND HIM.

- I'VE PLAYED IN BUNCHES AND BUNCHES, OF PLACES I'VE PLAYED SINCE I WAS SIX YEARS OLD.

AND THESE MUSIC STORES LIKE THIS, ARE GETTING FEWER AND FEWER- SOMETIMES THERE'S PLACES, YOU CAN'T EVEN TRY OUT BEFORE YOU BUY.

HERE YOU CAN TRY OUT, AND SING SONGS, AND JUST A GREAT PLACE TO COME.

IF YOU DON'T KNOW HOW TO PLAY AN INSTRUMENT, THEN SIGN UP FOR A LESSON.

LEARN A FEW NOTES, THEN JUMP IN, AND HANG ON.

[ BOY SINGING] - BUT YOU COME IN HERE YOU FEEL WELCOME, FROM THE TIME YOU STEP IN THE DOOR.

- IT'S JUST GOOD TO FELLOWSHIP, AND GET EVERYBODY IN HERE TOGETHER, AND LIKE I SAID, IT'S JAMES LITTLE CHURCH.

AND SO WE TALK ABOUT JESUS IN HERE.

- SOME PEOPLE STILL COME TO TOWN, AND DON'T REALIZE THAT THE EASTER BROTHERS, WERE BORN AND RAISED HERE.

AND THEY'LL COME IN HERE, AND SPEND A BIG PART OF THE DAY IN HERE WITH US, AND WE'LL PICK AND AND WE'LL JAM SOME FOR 'EM, AND THEY'LL TELL US, THEY'LL SAY THIS WAS "OUR FAVORITE PART OF THE WHOLE TRIP."

AND THAT, OF COURSE, THAT MAKES OUR DAY.

[PEOPLE LAUGHING] - MAYBERRY'S MUSIC CENTER, IS AT ONE 117 NORTH MAIN STREET, IN MOUNT AIRY.

AND IT'S OPEN MONDAY THROUGH SATURDAY.

FOR MORE INFORMATION, GIVE THEM A CALL AT [336] 786-4713, OR VISIT THEM ONLINE @MAYBERRYSMUSICCENTER.COM THIS IS THE KINSTON MUSIC WALL OF FAME.

YOU KNOW, NORTH CAROLINA IS THE BIRTHPLACE, OF MANY PROLIFIC MUSICIANS, COMPOSERS, AND ARTISTS.

WHO HAVE CONTRIBUTED SIGNIFICANTLY TO THE MUSIC INDUSTRY.

ANOTHER GREAT MUSIC DESTINATION, IS IN KANNAPOLIS.

WHERE YOU'LL FIND THE NORTH CAROLINA MUSIC HALL OF FAME.

- THIS IS OUR WALL OF FAME, REPRESENTING AT EACH INDUCTIVE, THAT WE HAVE INDUCTED SO FAR.

- WELL, THERE'S SOME VERY FAMOUS NAMES ON THAT WALL.

- AND REPRESENTING ALL GENRES OF MUSIC.

- [JULIA] YOU CAN'T ENTER HERE WITHOUT KNOWING A LITTLE BIT, ABOUT MIKE CURB.

HIS NAME WILL BE FAMILIAR TO MANY OF OUR AUDIENCE, MUSICIAN, RECORD PRODUCER, FOUNDER OF CURB RECORDS, AND OVER 300 SONG HITS.

THE MIKE CURB CONGREGATION, TV AND FILM SCORE WRITER OF OVER 180 SONGS.

NASCAR, AND MOTORSPORT SPONSOR, PAST LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR OF CALIFORNIA.

THE BENEFACTOR OF THIS MUSEUM, IS A LEGEND IN HIS OWN RIGHT.

- YEAH, I GOT A CALL FROM THIS KID NAMED MIKE CURB, ASKING ME, "EDDIE, WHY DOESN'T NORTH CAROLINA, HAVE A A MUSIC HALL OF FAME?

YOU WERE ORIGINALLY FROM NORTH CAROLINA, WEREN'T YOU?"

EDWARD WILEY RAY, RECORD COMPANY EXECUTIVE, RECORD PRETTY PRODUCER, SONGWRITER, AUTHOR, AND US PRESIDENTIAL APPOINTEE UNDER RONALD REAGAN, TO THE COPYRIGHT ROYALTY TRIBUNAL.

EDDIE HAS WORKED WITH MORE FAMOUS MUSICIANS FROM THE FORTIES, THROUGH THE SEVENTIES, FROM CALIFORNIA TO MEMPHIS, AND WE HAVE TIME TO LIST.

- MOST STATES ONLY HAVE TWO OR THREE MAJOR GENRES, OF MUSIC THAT COMES FROM THAT STATE.

BUT HERE, I DISCOVERED WAS EVERYTHING.

THERE WAS BLUE GRASS, THAT WAS COUNTRY, BLACK GOSPEL, WHITE GOSPEL.

IT'S UNBELIEVABLE THE DIFFERENT GENRES MUSIC, WITH SOME SENSATIONAL ARTISTS FROM IT.

- IT'S LIKE WALKING DOWN MEMORY LANE.

WITH APPROXIMATELY 50 EXHIBITS ON DISPLAY, AND ANOTHER 50 IN THE WINGS.

THERE'S ALWAYS A NEW FAMOUS ARTIST TO LISTEN TO, AND LEARN ABOUT.

- VISITORS WHEN THEY VISIT OUR MUSEUM, CAN SCAN THE BARCODES, ON THE EXHIBITS WITH THEIR SMARTPHONES, AND IT WILL IMMEDIATELY GIVE THEM BIO INFORMATION AND MUSIC SAMPLES.

["FOREVER AND EVER AMEN"] - [NARRATOR] RANDY TRAVIS WAS BORN RANDY BRUCE TREYWICK, ON MAY 4TH, 1959.

- I THINK THAT A LOT OF THE ARTISTS, THEY GET THEIR STARTS HERE.

YOU KNOW, THEY GROW UP SINGING IN CHURCHES.

A LOT OF 'EM THAT'S WHERE THEIR ROOTS ARE FROM.

THEY BEGIN IN CHURCH, AND THEN THEY EXPERIMENT WITH MORE TYPES OF MUSIC.

AND THEN UNFORTUNATELY, THERE WASN'T A MUSIC INDUSTRY BASED HERE IN NORTH CAROLINA, SO THEY DID HAVE TO MOVE OUT OF THE STATE, SUCH AS NASHVILLE AND MEMPHIS OR NEW YORK, TO GET THEIR A CAREER STARTED.

WE HAVE INTERACTIVE TOUCH SCREENS, ON THE WALLS HERE AT THE MUSEUM, WHERE VISITORS CAN LISTEN TO MUSIC SAMPLES.

[BACKGROUND MUSIC PLAYING] SO DURING YOUR VISIT HERE, TO THE NORTH CAROLINA MUSIC HALL OF FAME, YOU NEVER KNOW, YOU MAY RUN INTO ONE OF OUR INDUCTEES HERE.

FOR EXAMPLE, YESTERDAY DAVID HOLT STOPPED IN, AND DROPPED OFF HIS MEMORABILIA FOR HIS NEW EXHIBIT.

- SO STOP BY OFTEN, AND ENJOY THE INCREDIBLE MUSIC COLLECTION, OF NORTH CAROLINA ARTISTS.

FOR NORTH CAROLINA WEEKEND, I'M JULIA CARPENTER.

- THE NORTH CAROLINA MUSIC HALL OF FAME, IS AT 600 DALE EARNHARDT BOULEVARD IN KANNAPOLIS, AND IT'S OPEN MONDAY THROUGH FRIDAY.

FOR MORE INFORMATION, GIVE THEM CALL AT [704]934-2330, OR GO ONLINE TO NORTHCAROLINAMUSICHALLOFFAME.ORG - MAMBO, BACHATA, MENRENGUE, PERHAPS YOU'VE HEARD, OF SOME OF THESE LATIN AMERICAN, GENRES OF MUSIC THAT ARE CELEBRATED ALL ACROSS OUR STATE.

AND PERHAPS THE MOST POPULAR IS SALSA.

NOW CONSIDERED BY MANY, THE VERY BEST SALSA AND TROPICAL MUSICAL SINGER, HERE IN NORTH CAROLINA, RICARDO DIGUEZ, HAS BEEN ENTERTAINING AUDIENCES, FOR MORE THAN 20 YEARS.

LET'S FIND OUT MORE ABOUT HIS FASCINATING STORY, IN THIS, "MY HOME, NC SPECIAL."

[SOFT MUSIC PLAYING] - I LOVE MUSIC AND I LOVE TO SING.

MY NAME IS RICARDO DIGUEZ, AND MY HOME IS RALEIGH, NORTH CAROLINA.

[SALSA MUSIC PLAYING] GETTING ALL THIS RHYTHMS COLLECTED IN ONE PIECE OF MUSIC IS AMAZING.

THE EXPERIENCE IS AMAZING, IS SOMETHING THAT RUNS THROUGH MY VEINS, IS ALMOST LIKE INSTEAD OF MY HEART BEATING, IS THE CLUB WHO'S DOING IT.

[SALSA BEATS PLAYING] - SO, I AM SALSA EL SOY.

[LAUGHS] I WAS BORN IN VENEZUELA, MY DAD IS FROM TRINIDAD, AND MY MOTHER IS FROM PUERTO RICO.

AND THEY GOT MARRIED, AND THERE HE GOES, I'M BORN IN VENEZUELA IN 1969.

[SPEAKS IN FOREIGN LANGUAGE] WHAT AM I?

WHAT IS MY NATIONALITY?

AND SHE GOES, "WELL, RICARDO, YOU'RE BORN IN VENEZUELA THEREFORE, YOU ARE VENEZUELA.

BUT YOU KNOW WHAT?

YOUR DAD IS FROM TRINIDAD, THEREFORE, YOU ARE ALSO TRINIDADIAN.

BUT I AM FROM PUERTO RICO, [SPEAKS SPANISH] YOU'RE GONNA STILL EAT, YOU KNOW, ALL THESE DELICIOUS THINGS THAT I DO, THEREFORE, YOU ARE ALSO PUERTO RICAN.

BUT I WANT YOU TO KNOW, THAT YOU ARE A CITIZEN OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA.

SO I'M HERE JUST BECAUSE OF HER, AND I APPRECIATE WHAT SHE DID FOR ME.

[SPEAKS FOREIGN LANGUAGE] AND I WANT A PRIZE.

BUT THEN AFTER THAT, MY MOTHER ENCOURAGED ME KEEP SINGING.

"RICARDO, WHY DON'T YOU SING A SONG?"

AND THEN AFTER THAT, I LEARN A FEW INSTRUMENTS HERE AND THERE.

[SPEAKS IN FOREIGN LANGUAGE] UNITED STATES, COAST GUARD.

[CONTINUES IN SPANISH] THERE IS A SONG CALLED EL CANTANTE BY HECTOR LAVOE, WRITTEN BY RUBéN BLADES, AND THAT SONG IS ACTUALLY TRUE.

PEOPLE DON'T KNOW THAT BEHIND THE STAGE, WE HAVE PROBLEMS, WE HAVE LIFE, WE HAVE THINGS THAT THEY DON'T KNOW.

IN ORDER FOR YOU TO OVERCOME, ANY TYPE OF A STORM, OR SITUATION, OR PROBLEMS THAT YOU HAVE IN LIFE, YOU NEED TO THINK POSITIVE, SMILE, IT'S NOT THE END OF THE WORLD.

YOU KNOW, YOU NEED TO BE GRATEFUL TO GOD THAT YOU ARE ALIVE.

ONE OF THE REASONS WHY I THINK, THAT PEOPLE ENJOY IS THE BAND, IS BECAUSE I'M ALWAYS SMILING, AND WITH A GOOD SENSE OF HUMOR.

YOU ALWAYS NEED TO HAVE A GOOD SENSE OF HUMOR, OTHERWISE IT IS NOT WORTH LIVING.

YOU KNOW, LIKE SABROSO LA MEHOR, I DON'T WANNA CRY, I JUST WANNA HAVE FUN AND LET'S LIVE LIFE.

THAT'S WHAT I'M TRYING TO TRANSMIT, YOU KNOW, POSITIVE ENERGY.

- TO FIND OUT WHEN RICARDO DIGUEZ, AND THE TROPIC ORCHESTRA WILL BE IN YOUR AREA, FOLLOW HIM ON FACEBOOK.

THAT'S IT FOR TONIGHT'S SHOW.

WE'VE HAD A GREAT TIME EXPLORING THE KINGSTON MUSIC PARK.

AND WE URGE YOU TO SUPPORT LOCAL MUSIC AND MUSICIANS, DURING THE SPECIAL TIME OF NEED.

AND IF YOU'VE MISSED ANYTHING ON TODAY'S SHOW, JUST REMEMBER, YOU CAN ALWAYS WATCH US AGAIN ONLINE.

AT PBS, NC.ORG HAVE A GREAT NORTH CAROLINA WEEKEND EVERYONE.

[SOFT MUSIC PLAYING] ♪ - [ANNOUNCER] FUNDING FOR NORTH CAROLINA WEEKEND, IS PROVIDED IN PART BY VISIT NC.

DEDICATED TO HIGHLIGHTING OUR STATE'S NATURAL SCENIC BEAUTY, UNIQUE HISTORY, AND DIVERSE CULTURAL ATTRACTIONS.

FROM THE BLUE RIDGE, AND THE GREAT SMOKY MOUNTAINS, ACROSS THE PIEDMONT, TO 300 MILES OF BARRIER ISLAND BEACHES.

YOU'RE INVITED TO EXPERIENCE ALL THE ADVENTURE AND CHARM OUR STATE HAS TO OFFER.