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Shaped by Sound, a new original music performance series produced by PBS North Carolina, has officially announced its launch for Thursday, February 6. The program spotlights North Carolina’s rich musical history and cultural impact, showcasing the state’s role as an influential catalyst in a diverse range of genres, including indie rock, RandB, alt-country, jazz, bluegrass, folk and hip-hop.

The premiere episode will feature a riveting full-band performance from acclaimed singer-songwriter Iron andamp; Wine. Accompanied by a bespoke visual display by shadow puppeteers from Emmy Award-winning collective Manual Cinema (Julia Miller and Lizi Breit), the episode also offers first-hand insight into Iron andamp; Wine’s songwriting process and more. “I like using words as a color palette,” explains Beam in the premiere episode’s interview segment with Shaped by Sound host and producer James Mieczkowski. Beam is currently on tour in support of his latest album, Light Verse, which was released in April on Sub Pop. 

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Watch a sneak peek of Iron andamp; Wine's episode of Shaped by Sound, featuring a performance of “All In Good Time” – originally a duet with Fiona Apple, and currently GRAMMY-nominated for Best American Roots Song – HERE: https://youtu.be/UYopuqwDkmI 

Additional artists to appear on Shaped by Sound this season will include Grammy-nominated jazz vocalist Nnenna Freelon and hip-hop prodigy Reuben Vincent, following the legacy of North Carolina’s musical greats across generations like Nina Simone and 9th Wonder (who discovered Vincent when he was just 13 years old). Other episodes of the series will feature pioneering folk musician and historian Alice Gerrard and indie-rock stalwarts Superchunk, whose founding of Merge Records played a pivotal role in the rise of North Carolina’s indie and alternative music scene.

Presented as a 13-part series, Shaped by Sound pairs breathtaking live studio performances by North Carolina artists with intimate conversations about their creative journeys. Each 30-minute episode offers an exclusive look at the artists and stories that have shaped the state’s dynamic music scene. The series will also be accompanied by a longer-form video podcast and a range of digital extras. Shaped by Sound will air on PBS North Carolina as well as stream on pbsnc.org, the free PBS app and YouTube. 

“North Carolina has a tremendously vibrant music scene,” says Mieczkowski (host/producer). “Music helps shape who we are as people and as a community. Through working on this series with such a diverse group of North Carolina musicians, I’ve come to understand we all can find common ground within sounds that offer a sense of place and belonging. We hope viewers are inspired by the series and the artists’ profound connections to our state and its culture.”

“This exciting program showcases our state’s incredibly talented musicians,” said Pamela B. Cashwell, Secretary of the N.C. Department of Natural and Cultural Resources. “Shaped by Sound enables viewers to discover some of our state’s top artists from the comfort of their home. We’re thrilled to help celebrate North Carolina music, one of our most treasured assets.”

Shaped by Sound is made possible through support from Come Hear NC, a program of the newly-established North Carolina Music Office within the N.C. Department of Natural and Cultural Resources. Launched by the state's Governor Roy Cooper in 2024, the N.C. Music Office aims to enhance economic development driven by creative economies in the state, while increasing awareness of North Carolina's vibrant music heritage, culture and education. With the initiative’s launch this past summer, North Carolina became one of the first four states in the nation to establish an official Music Office - as a means to advocate for musicians, music educators and industry professionals through the state. 

Listen to a special curated playlist of songs by all the NC musicians featured this season on Shaped by Sound HERE.

Broadcast Schedule:

New episodes of Shaped by Sound premiere Thursday nights at 9:30 PM on PBS NC through May 1. Visit pbsnc.org/schedule for the latest scheduling information.

Episode 1: Iron andamp; Wine

Premieres Thursday, February 6, 9:30 PM

Singer-songwriter Iron andamp; Wine (aka Sam Beam) has multiple Grammy nominations, and his songs have been included in numerous film, TV and commercial productions. Despite this exposure, he lives a quiet family life in NC. In this episode, he performs his introspective songs, including the Grammy-nominated “All in Good Time,” with a full band and shadow puppeteers from the collective Manual Cinema.

Episode 2: Sluice

Premieres Thursday, February 13, 9:30 PM

What happens when you open the floodgates to your emotions and channel them into music? Sluice’s Justin Morris and Avery Sullivan perform songs from their latest record, Radial Gate, named one of 2023’s best albums by The Guardian, as well as new unreleased tracks. They also discuss how their atmospheric music is inspired by the “beauty of living” and our deeply complex relationship with nature.

Episode 3: Superchunk

Premieres Thursday, February 20, 9:30 PM

What’s more punk rock than believing and investing in yourself? The Triangle-based indie rock band Superchunk harnesses the frenetic energy they’ve developed over decades of touring in a performance for the ages. They also discuss how their DIY mentality generated the iconic label Merge Records and share what it’s like to see both young and old fans sing their hearts out to their songs.

Episode 4: Nnenna Freelon

Premieres Thursday, February 27, 9:30 PM

Jazz legend Nnenna Freelon has seven Grammy nominations and has performed in the most prestigious venues on the planet. But for the first time in her 40-year career, she’s releasing an album of original songs. In this episode, she performs her new material and discusses how experimenting with music besides jazz standards allowed her to get “underneath the skin.”

Episode 5: Sonny Miles

Premieres Thursday, March 6, 9:30 PM

Gospel, soul, jazz, RandB and hip-hop—there isn’t much that lives outside the musical universe of Winston-Salem native Sonny Miles. In 2019, one of his musical collaborations caught the ear of President Barack Obama, who included the song on his popular playlist. In this episode, Sonny discusses Afrofuturism, being inspired by the sounds of his Nana’s house and what it’s like to be “in the pocket.”

Episode 6: Alice Gerrard

Premieres Thursday, March 13, 9:30 PM

For 80 years, Alice 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, she’s a Grammy nominee and a musical legend. Alice is joined on stage by Rebecca Branson Jones (pedal steel), Reed Stutz (mandolin) and Tatiana Hargreaves (fiddle).

Episode 7: Mipso

Premieres Thursday, March 20, 9:30 PM

On the surface, the quartet Mipso may seem like a traditional folk-bluegrass band with its exquisite harmonies, melodies and instrumentation. Zoom in, however, and you’ll also hear layers of modern sounds and influences. In this episode, band members Jacob Sharp and Joseph Terrell discuss coming back to NC to play together, crafting a live record and the Japanese origin of the band’s unique name.

Episode 8: Blue Cactus

Premieres Thursday, March 27, 9:30 PM

The cosmic country of Blue Cactus’ Steph Stewart and Mario Arnez has been likened to artists as diverse as Fleetwood Mac, Bobbie Gentry and David Bowie. Playing with a full band, they deliver a dreamy performance that will keep your head in the clouds. Plus, they share their fascination with Western wear, their appreciation for “Weird Al” Yankovic and why it’s important to look for silver linings.

Episode 9: Shirlette Ammons

Premieres Thursday, April 3, 9:30 PM

Shirlette Ammons is a Peabody Award-winning producer, poet and hip-hop artist based in Durham, NC. On her latest album, Spectacles, she blends aspects of her eastern North Carolina roots with her love for her Triangle-based community to explore the concept of spectacle: how we see, what we see and how we’re seen. Shirlette is joined on stage by a full band and Raleigh’s own Rissi Palmer.

Episode 10: Town Mountain

Premieres Thursday, April 10, 9:30 PM

More Asheville than Nashville, this country-rock outfit combines bluegrass with honky-tonk to create a rollicking sound all its own. The band’s Phil Barker and Robert Greer discuss the Asheville music scene in the wake of Hurricane Helene, “working man’s vintage” and “frying pan tunes” and the evolution of their distinctive style.

Episode 11: Blue Footed Boobies

Premieres Thursday, April 17, 9:30 PM

Strap in, folks—the Blue Footed Boobies are ready to rock. The Wilmington duo brings their raw and bombastic guitars and drums to the Shaped by Sound stage. They also discuss the electric feeling of a live show, van conversations and the importance of being in a band with your best friend.

Episode 12: Fancy Gap

Premieres Thursday, April 24, 9:30 PM

The indie duo Fancy Gap, a new musical collaboration by Raleigh natives Stuart McLamb (of The Love Language) and Charles Crossingham, aims for pure pop-rock bliss. They bring their lush and expansive songs to the Shaped by Sound stage. Plus, they discuss the Golden Age of Radio, how music can create a sense of place and how creating well-crafted songs is like making a juicy cheeseburger.

Episode 13: Reuben Vincent

Premieres Thursday, May 1, 9:30 PM

Charlotte-based rapper Reuben Vincent started with a laptop and a dream. That dream became a reality when he was discovered by legendary hip-hop producer 9th Wonder at the age of 13. Reuben brings his thought-provoking lyricism to the Shaped by Sound stage and discusses his family’s Liberian heritage, the hip-hop renaissance in the Queen City and what it’s like to work with 9th Wonder.