By Sydney Smith

Rowan Public Library

SALISBURY — Podcasts are all the rage these days. Whether you listen to your favorite podcasts to hear the news, learn more about an interesting topic, or get a good dose of entertainment, you’re likely already plugged into the podcasting world with millions of other Americans also enjoying them.

If you’re looking to add a new local option to your usual listening rotation, get ready for the release of Rowan Public Library’s very own podcast, Come Gather ’Round Good People, produced and hosted by David Lamanno.

Lamanno, a longtime musician and RPL circulation services employee, is extending his passion for North Carolina folk music into the podcasting world.

Each episode he creates will be a 10-15 minute gem highlighting the history behind a North Carolina-specific folk song with a sample of the song performed by him and Kim Dinkins, another musically gifted RPL staffer.

Lamanno and Dinkins will combine beautiful instrumentation and soulful singing to the delight of folk music lovers and history lovers alike.

The first episode of Come Gather ’Round Good People will focus specifically on the controversy surrounding the authorship of the song, “The Wreck of the Old Southern 97.”

The first episode of Come Gather ’Round Good People is scheduled to release at 9 a.m. on Friday, Oct. 29. Interested listeners of all ages can enjoy this family-friendly informational podcast for free via RPL’s SoundCloud channel at bit.ly/RPLSoundCloud.

New episodes are scheduled to drop at the end of each month during RPL’s standard programming seasons.

To learn more about the podcast, contact Lamanno at David.Lamanno@rowancountync.gov or call 704-216-7840 for more details.

Sydney Smith, the East Branch supervisor of the Rowan Public Library