This page serves as a visual and written timeline of The Resonance Sessions project, guiding you through the story of the storm and it’s impact on our community, to the creation of a resilient, heartfelt music series.

The project filmed and recorded 35 performances from local Western North Carolina artists in the stairwell of the Old Marshall Jail after Hurricane Helene flooded the building. It was and still is a community art space and gathering spot.

In the bones of this building we made art.

With help, we hope to spread this project far and wide to raise money and awareness to the critical relief needed in our area. We aim to do this through the creation of a vinyl record, promotion of the filmed performances, and through a digital album on Bandcamp.

Thanks for taking the time to explore this project!

On the night of September 27th, 2024, winds and rain roared through Western North Carolina as Hurricane Helene arrived with unforeseen force. Marshall, North Carolina, an artist's haven in the mountains, watched as the river broke over the railway and started running its way through town. These early swells quickly grew into a relentless surge, and the river rose like a beast awakening from a century-long slumber. By dawn, the town was swallowed in murky waves, the water curling through streets, sweeping through doorways, shattering windows, and consuming whole buildings. The Old Marshall Jail stood strong with the flood gauge mounted to the side of the building. It kept a watchful eye on the flood level as the water ripped through it from floor to ceiling - 27 feet - higher than ever recorded. While some structures were washed away entirely, the rest now stand as empty shells. Today the town of Marshall is rebuilding, but the journey will be long.

Shelia Kay Adams

A Note From Film Director Aaron Stone

Ten days after the flood, I came down into the town of Marshall. I needed to hear from my friends there, to see them and hold them. I brought a small film kit along and began documenting what I saw. I interviewed business owners and volunteers who had been working tirelessly to clean up, pouring their energy into reshaping both the physical space and their own resolve to rebuild this magical town they call home. They spoke of their harrowing experiences during the storm, the grief they felt and still carry, and the deep, powerful drive to rise up again. It didn’t take long for the town’s energy to transform, shifting to a spirit of productivity, as if recreating the timeless story of a phoenix emerging from the ashes.

As I filmed, my good friend Donna Ray Norton came up behind me and wrapped me in the warmest hug. She was with Sheila Kay Adams, the matriarch of Madison County’s traditional music. We walked together into the Old Marshall Jail with the owner Josh Copus. Inside, they each sat down for an interview, then sang a ballad, their voices reverberating through the hollowed shell of what the building once was. The power in their singing spilled out, slowly cleansing the space of the heavy, lingering presence left by the flood. I sat there, tears in my eyes, witnessing the way art could heal our hearts and renew the spirit of the place. It was as if we had been living in black and white, and now, color was slowly returning.

That experience was life-altering. It sparked the idea of bringing musicians into this space to record an album and to film each live performance. And so, the The Resonance Sessions were born.

The Sessions

The Resonance Sessions is a powerful collection of live recordings featuring 35 regional musicians, captured in the weathered shell of the Old Marshall Jail. Our producer, local musician Clay White, assembled and scheduled an amazing cast of musicians to come in and record over the span of 4 days. Born from the shared experience of surviving a devastating storm, these sessions hold a heartfelt intimacy as each artist, deeply rooted in Western North Carolina, brings forth a raw, local perspective on resilience through their music. The performances echo with an emotional intensity, a collective outpouring from musicians bound not only by location but also by the storm that tested and strengthened their community.

Each session was captured live in the recently cleaned out stairwell of the Old Jail. The audio from each performance reverberates through the space in a hauntingly beautiful way. Room mics captured the jail’s natural acoustics as well as the ambient sounds of Marshall. The rumble of tractors and passing military convoys layered a heavy sense of place into each track.

Filming these heartfelt performances was essential to fully capture the spirit of The Resonance Sessions. It demonstrates the raw energy of each performance—the resilience, the pain, and the hope shared by the community—becomes palpable.

Pre-Order on Bandcamp

The Resonance Sessions is released for pre-order as a triple vinyl album, a digital album, an exclusive set of VinylKey albums, and a beautiful series of live performance videos.
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  • Tyler Ramsey - Avey Tare - Scott McMicken and THE EVER-EXPANDING - River Whyless - Zack Kardon - Natalie Jane Hill - Twain - Henry Toland - The Dead Tongues - David Wimbish & The Collection - Slow Runner - Of the Stars - Pierce Edens - Joshua Carpenter - Sheila Kay Adams - Julie Odell - Slow Packer - The High Divers - Floating Action - William Ritter - Judy Rhodes - Sarah "Songbird" Burkey - Melanie Rice - Donna Ray Norton - Branson Raines - Hilary Rose Scheel - Rising Appalachia - Bridger Dunnagan - Casey Driessen - Soft Talk - Becca Leigh - Night Walks - Infinitikiss - Alice Bradley - Sparrow Smith

  • Production Company: Parkway Studios (Aaron Stone, Caroline Aylward, Bridger Dunnagan)

    Music Coordinator: Clay White of Friendship Valley Productions

    Produced by: Caroline Aylward, Molly Nagel Driessen, and Anna Pearson

    Executive Producer and Vinyl Coordination: Gar Ragland at Citizen Vinyl

    Audio Engineers: Bridger Dunnagan (Parkway Studios) & Luke Mitchell (Out There Recording Studio)

    Mix Engineer: Bridger Dunnagan

    Directed, Filmed and Edited by: Aaron Stone

    Sessions Location: Old Marshall Jail Hotel, Owned By Josh Copus

    Mastering: Mike Westbrook (Material Mastering)

    Lacquer Cutting: Jeff Powell (Take Out Vinyl)

    Behind The Scenes Photos and Video: John DuPre

    Drone Footage: Colby Sexton (West Ashe Creative)

    Album Cover and Liner Photography: Jack Flame Sorokin

    Graphic Design and Art Direction: Logan Hall (Logarhythm Creative)

    Project Support: Blackwing, Virginia Sargeant Reynolds Foundation, and Vinylkey

    Public Relations: All Eyes Media

  • Parkway Studios would like to thank all of those who generously donated their time and energy to the creation of this project - including the organizations that sponsored its production. This incredible community of collaborators made it all possible. We would also like to extend a special thank you to all of the artists who participated in The Resonance Sessions. Thank you for sharing a piece of your grieving heart. To the ballad singers, thank you for sharing your traditions. The music and stories that get passed down from generation to generation inspire us all. Additionally, we would like to thank Josh Copus for opening the doors to your battered building and letting us fill the space with art.