Middle of Everywhere

The River and the Rousters

By Ariel Lavery,

Austin Carter

Published June 20, 2025 at 1:38 PM CDT

What things does a paddlewheel steamboat bring to your mind? Is a “roustabout” one of them? They may not be so familiar but there is a treasury of music surrounding the Black men and women who worked on steamboats in the last two centuries.

Rivers and the Stories that Lie Beneath the Surface

Ariel Lavery

Ariel grew up in and became disenchanted with suburbia early on. Since childhood, she yearned for rural farm life and has now made a chance landing in rural Murray, KY. She holds a BFA and MFA in Studio Art.“ I am driven to collect the stories and histories of rural folk, the people who , in some ways, have the most immediate connection to our history as a country. ” -Ariel

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Austin Carter

Austin Carter is a Murray State grad and has been involved with WKMS since he was in high school. Over the years he has been a producer for WKMS and has hosted several music shows, but now calls Morning Edition his home each weekday morning.

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