It's holiday baking season. In this edition of "Vital Voices," we learn all about the dried apple stack cake, a decades-old dessert popular in the Appalachian region.

We find out more about the life and times of the late Chet Atkins, with music historian Don Cusic, author of a new biography of the famous guitarist.

We look back on the life of perhaps the most influential guitarist of the 20th century, the late Chet Atkins, originally from Luttrell, Tennessee. Our guest is Atkins biographer Don Cusic.

With the holidays coming up, we look at traditional American cooking, as it was practiced in the 18th century. Our guest is North Carolina author Mary Bohlen, an authority on campfire cooking.

We look at the issue of emergency preparedness, particularly as it relates to Hurricane Helene and the devastation it caused in Western North Carolina. Our guest is reporter Laura Sullivan.

We delve into a new compilation of essays entitled Appalachian Epidemics: From Smallpox to COVID-19, with the book's co-editor, Dr. Chris White, from Marshall University.

Pumpkin folklore, pumpkin agriculture, and pumpkin symbolism are discussed by Dr. Cindy Ott, Associate Professor of History at the University of Delaware.

Join us for part two of our interview with Dr. Guy Consolmagno, S.J., Director of the Vatican Observatory in Rome.

A rebroadcast of our interview with Guy Consolmagno, Director of the Vatican Observatory in Rome.

We travel to Hiltons Memorial United Methodist Church in Scott County, Virginia, to witness the fall ritual of making apple butter, with members of the congregation.