[piano intro] "Freight Train Blues" is funded in part by Come Hear NC.

A program of the North Carolina Department of Natural and Cultural Resources.

[gentle guitar music] ♪ ♪ Freight train, freight train ♪ - [Narrator] Welcome to the Annual Freight Train Blues Concert series celebrating the life and legacy of Piedmont Blues legend Elizabeth Libba Cotten.

Born in 1893 in Carrboro, North Carolina, some of Cotten's best known compositions reside in the canon of American music.

With noted covers by the Grateful Dead, Joan Baez and Doc Watson.

Today, her legacy is being discovered by a new generation of artists and performers.

This episode features Alexa Rose, born in the Alleghany Highlands of Virginia and raised in the tiny railroad town of Clifton Forge, Rose inherited the deep musical legacy of her surroundings.

NPR calls her an enchanting new Appalachian voice, like the soul child of Bob Dylan and Dolly Parton.

- [Elizabeth] Thank you so much.

[audience applauding] - All right, are you ready?

Hi everybody.

My name's Alexa Rose and I'm so glad to be back here at Freight Train Blues.

This is a song called "Haywood".

♪ Like a kettle in the dark ♪ ♪ I heard him playing in the park ♪ ♪ Where the tender magnolias grow ♪ ♪ Wasn't playing for a crown ♪ ♪ And he was not playing loud ♪ ♪ And I kept on walking home ♪ ♪ But it sure felt like a vision ♪ ♪ When he closed his eyes to see ♪ ♪ Gave me some kind of religion ♪ ♪ But there's no name for the thing ♪ ♪ Where the darkest hours bloom ♪ ♪ With a widow in the room ♪ ♪ Don't they blush like a woman ♪ ♪ The first time you saw her ♪ ♪ And your love has many colors ♪ ♪ Some do shine and some are duller ♪ ♪ There's no rush to paint them all ♪ ♪ 'Cause it sure feels like a vision ♪ ♪ If you close your eyes to see ♪ ♪ And it's some kind of religion ♪ ♪ But there's no name for the thing ♪ ♪ I'm waiting for a train ♪ ♪ That the railroad can't contain ♪ ♪ I am building a station of mortal and soul ♪ ♪ Though I don't know where it goes ♪ ♪ It ain't for me to suppose ♪ ♪ For it takes no earthly course ♪ ♪ It just keeps me on a vision ♪ ♪ Of a whistle's golden ring ♪ ♪ And it's some kind of religion ♪ ♪ But there's no name for the thing ♪ ♪ And it's some kind of religion ♪ ♪ But there's no name for the thing ♪ It's so good to be here on a beautiful spring day in North Carolina honoring the life and legacy of Libba Cotten.

I remember hearing her songs hen I was a young girl, her iconic song, "Freight Train" of course and the songs that followed me through all the seasons of my life.

And in the spirit of all those songs here's a song about freedom and feeling free, feeling good.

It's called "Big Sky".

♪ It was late at night ♪ ♪ Somewhere on the 113 ♪ ♪ Playing California stars ♪ ♪ Through your quarter tank of gasoline ♪ ♪ When you feel asleep ♪ ♪ In the back seat by your cousin ♪ ♪ And told me to drive till the sun comes up ♪ ♪ Keep going if it doesn't ♪ ♪ And I didn't mind ♪ ♪ I'd hardly ever left my hometown ♪ ♪ Never saw a road so wide ♪ ♪ Never had a top to put down ♪ ♪ Ain't it funny how ♪ ♪ You never know who's veil you're lifting ♪ ♪ Long before I knew the road you showed me ♪ ♪ I was drifting ♪ ♪ And that was the first time I felt free ♪ ♪ I might've been lucky ♪ ♪ Might've been the summer I was 23 ♪ ♪ Million cordoba stars in front of me ♪ ♪ If it was anything at all ♪ ♪ It's back in a broke down Valira ♪ ♪ Written on a bathroom stall ♪ ♪ It takes a big sky to feel small ♪ ♪ Do you ever ask ♪ ♪ What it is you're looking for ♪ ♪ Following a silver thread ♪ ♪ Up and down the corridor ♪ ♪ 'Cause I never felt ♪ ♪ Pieces of the heart I earned there ♪ ♪ I've been back 100 times ♪ ♪ But I don't really return there ♪ ♪ Something in the cool September wind ♪ ♪ Feeling both alone and in the company of a friend ♪ ♪ I never wanted that to end ♪ ♪ 'Cause that was the first time I felt free ♪ ♪ Might've been lucky ♪ ♪ Might've been the summer I was 23 ♪ ♪ Million cordoba stars in front of me ♪ ♪ If there was anything at all ♪ ♪ It's back in a broke down Valira ♪ ♪ Written on a bathroom stall ♪ ♪ It takes a big sky to feel small ♪ ♪ It was late at night ♪ ♪ Somewhere on the 113 ♪ ♪ Playing California stars ♪ ♪ Three quarter tank of gasoline ♪ Well, it's been quite a year.

I think we can all relate to that.

And over the summer, I wrote this song.

It's called "Human" and it's just about being human, you know?

Sometimes we try to talk about songs and we just miss the mark 'cause everything you need to know is in the song.

But I think one thing maybe we can all relate on is that feeling of wanting to hug people, wanting to reach out and be reached out to and find community and not being able to do those things.

So this is a song for that feeling.

And if you feel that way, just know you're not alone.

♪ I want to go downtown ♪ ♪ And look some stranger in the face ♪ ♪ I want to be myself again ♪ ♪ Remember why I love this place ♪ ♪ I want to wake up now ♪ ♪ And squeeze the living from this day ♪ ♪ I want to believe truly ♪ ♪ Everything's gonna be okay ♪ ♪ But I'm only human now ♪ ♪ I'm as vacant as a drum ♪ ♪ Won't you tell me I'm allowed ♪ ♪ To be overcome ♪ ♪ I want to feel clean ♪ ♪ Shiny and new ♪ ♪ I want to wash myself away ♪ ♪ Till I'm just a mirror before you ♪ ♪ I want the glossy sheen ♪ ♪ Of a new leaf in the rain ♪ ♪ I want a solid color ♪ ♪ That the seasons never change ♪ ♪ But I'm only human now ♪ ♪ I'm as vacant as a drum ♪ ♪ Won't you tell me I'm allowed ♪ ♪ To be overcome ♪ ♪ I'm running through your love ♪ ♪ Like a petal in the sand ♪ ♪ Pretending that it's water ♪ ♪ 'Cause I want to be an easy woman ♪ ♪ I want to take a swim ♪ ♪ In some frozen channel ♪ ♪ To remember I was dying ♪ ♪ When I washed up gratefully over you ♪ ♪ But I'm only human now ♪ ♪ I'm as vacant as a drum ♪ ♪ Won't you tell me I'm allowed ♪ ♪ To be overcome ♪ ♪ I want to make it clear ♪ ♪ You don't have to speak up to be heard ♪ ♪ Sometimes it's even louder ♪ ♪ To find some quiet in a word ♪ ♪ Don't let 'em change you, kid ♪ ♪ That's what somebody said to me ♪ ♪ But you know, it gets harder ♪ ♪ To hear myself over all this humanity ♪ ♪ And I'm only human now ♪ ♪ I'm as vacant as a drum ♪ ♪ Won't you tell me I'm allowed ♪ ♪ To be overcome ♪ ♪ To be overcome ♪ ♪ To be overcome ♪ I just want to give a quick shout out to Music Maker.

They're such a wonderful organization and throughout the pandemic and long before the pandemic they've been helping preserve and celebrate wonderful artists, making sure they get the care that they need, and also helping these amazing roots musicians get back out on the road and play concerts and just want to encourage everybody to continue supporting them for the wonderful work that they do.

Playing a lot of new songs today and it feels so good to play new songs and this is really the first time in a long time I've gotten together with someone and played music in this capacity.

So it feels so good to share all this new music with you and this is Matt Phillips, by the way, over here on the electric guitar and the pedal steel and he's absolutely wonderful.

Thank you for joining us, Matt.

I'm gonna play a song off my last record now and this is called "Medicine for Living".

You good?

All right.

[gentle guitar music] ♪ Can I ask you a question ♪ ♪ I know you don't want to hear ♪ ♪ But I'm the heirloom at the mercy of the auctioneer ♪ ♪ There's a crack in the finish ♪ ♪ But it's easy to miss ♪ ♪ Are you really gonna love me ♪ ♪ When it ain't like this ♪ ♪ I want to live in the country ♪ ♪ And let my hair go curly ♪ ♪ I swear one of these days ♪ ♪ I'm gonna wake up early ♪ ♪ To the bird in the window ♪ ♪ Singing to you and me ♪ ♪ While the turn table spins such jubilee ♪ ♪ Such jubilee ♪ ♪ Dancing with your honey wine ♪ ♪ And I wonder how long you'll be mine ♪ ♪ Such jubilee ♪ ♪ Makes you want to sing along ♪ ♪ Me, I'm waiting on the end of a real good song ♪ ♪ How I wish I were humble ♪ ♪ How I wish I could wait ♪ ♪ How I wish I could go back to the golden state ♪ ♪ How I wish I were kinder ♪ ♪ How I wish I were patient ♪ ♪ Like the love in the songs on the gospel station ♪ ♪ Such jubilee ♪ ♪ On the road to honeydew ♪ ♪ Ain't a soul for miles but me and you ♪ ♪ Such jubilee ♪ ♪ Made you want to sing along ♪ ♪ Me I'm waiting on the end of a real good song ♪ ♪ And you don't impress me ♪ ♪ As the settling kind ♪ ♪ But you're hanging your wash up next to mine ♪ ♪ And you like to undress me ♪ ♪ While the cornbread is cooking ♪ ♪ And you told me once you were tired of looking out ♪ ♪ Such jubilee ♪ ♪ Dancing with your honey wine ♪ ♪ And I wonder how long you'll be mine ♪ ♪ Such jubilee ♪ ♪ In the love that I am giving ♪ ♪ Like medicine for the disease of living ♪ ♪ Like medicine for the disease ♪ ♪ Of living ♪ All right, everybody.

Thank you so much for tuning in to Freight Train Blues.

My name is Alexa Rose and this is Matt Phillips and it's just been a real joy to share these songs with you today and we're gonna leave you with one called "Diamonds".

One, two, three, four.

[gentle guitar music] ♪ I don't remember ♪ ♪ What it felt like loving you ♪ ♪ It's just an old bone ♪ ♪ That I buried in the back of my mind knowing ♪ ♪ The pains you aren't allowed to see ♪ ♪ You should be swimming ♪ ♪ More than you need ♪ ♪ Late bloomer ♪ ♪ All your pretty colors bled ♪ ♪ Onto a hand me down couch ♪ ♪ In a fever dream I had ♪ ♪ It ain't my business ♪ ♪ To pull the weights out of your hand ♪ ♪ I got to attend ♪ ♪ My own garden bed ♪ ♪ But if you're wondering what I did with all my pain ♪ ♪ I sat quietly and listened to the Mississippi rain ♪ ♪ And I talked to the past ♪ ♪ Like an old friend ♪ ♪ And I walked with a truth that I found ♪ ♪ Till the thorns in my palm turned to diamonds ♪ ♪ Enough to go around ♪ ♪ Well, you grew up ♪ ♪ Just like any other kid ♪ ♪ In a southern town ♪ ♪ Morning prayers and evening poison ♪ ♪ And the wolf tongue ♪ ♪ Of a kettle's cooking lid ♪ ♪ You said, I can't find any music in that noise ♪ ♪ And I think you're dancing alone with a bottle of wine ♪ ♪ And I wish you would open a window up in summertime ♪ ♪ And talk to the past ♪ ♪ Like an old friend ♪ ♪ And walk with the truth that you found ♪ ♪ May the thorns in your palm turn to diamonds ♪ ♪ Don't treat yourself unkind ♪ ♪ Used to watch the sun sink below our happy valley ♪ ♪ Wondering if my joy was still up in the sky ♪ ♪ I can hear the phone ring ♪ ♪ But I can't seem to answer ♪ ♪ I just watch the clouds roll by ♪ ♪ I just watch the clouds roll by ♪ [gentle guitar music] ♪ Oh freight train, freight train, down the line ♪ ♪ Freight train, freight train, down the line ♪ ♪ Please don't tell me what train I'm on ♪ ♪ Don't know what route I'm goin' ♪ ♪ Please don't tell what train I'm on ♪ ♪ Don't know what route I'm going ♪ Freight train.

[singer laughs] "Freight Train Blues" is funded in part by Come Hear NC.

A program of the North Carolina Department of Natural and Cultural Resources.