My buddies in Unspoken Tradition released their newest album Myths We Tell Our Young earlier this year. There was one track in particular that stood out to me. Though it was not slated to be a single, I asked the writer of the song—UT’s mandolin player Ty Gilpin--if they would be willing to let me create a music video for “Cold Mountain Town.” There’s a mutual feeling between us that we live in a time where Appalachian culture as well as the character of Asheville is at a crossroads. As a lifelong resident of this area, I’ve seen an evolution from a sleepy mountain town transform to a tourist mecca of the southeast, with a new brewery or boutique hotel at every corner. I felt inspired to express our past and present with “Cold Mountain Town” as the soundtrack.
I’d like to thank the North Carolina Room at Pack Library for the historical footage and Zillicoah Beer Company for allowing us to shoot at their brewery.