Folk artist Abe Partridge, spurred by the Covid lockdowns, pursued Signs Following songs for six long years.

These songs (which mention the handling of serpents and consumption of deadly poisons) have been performed for decades by the "serpent handlers" of the Appalachians.

At a music festival in Kentucky, Abe Partridge – along with podcasting buddy Ferrill Gibbs – attempt to document these songs live, using a professional recording engineer. (Ryan Engelberger, Chase Park Transduction. Athens, GA.)

The service opens with Sister Dootsie Rose. Then, a five-member band – led by co-pastors Andrew and Taylor Hamblin – takes the stage.

The serpent-handling group of veteran musicians perform decades-old songs before an audience of more than 200 festival goers.

Abe's effort to record undocumented music becomes something greater. A public act of worship, captured pristinely by a group of professionals, gives the secular audience a glimpse of a faith as devout as they come.

Visit A.A.R.T. (the Alabama Astronaut Radio Transmission) for a 10-episode podcast following Abe into the world of undocumented folk art...

Dalton Mills, narrator of Marked for Life, also shares the same hometown of Middlesboro, KY, with Cody and the Coots family.

In this episode, he offers a "crater's-eye" view of the unique town, sharing his perspective on the serpent handlers and how actually they are perceived by the people of east Kentucky.

Want to hear more about this subject? We have a podcast called Alabama Astronaut at alabamaastronaut.com detailing the recording session that Cody described in Episode 30 of Marked for Life, "The Ballad of Ol' Lemonhead."

Thanks for listening!

Cody mounts a defense for the people of the faith.

Even with years of sinning copiously, he noticed many of the faithful remained steadfast and pure, particularly one man from Alabama who lived his faith to perfection: watching no TV, "doctoring" for nothing, and clean shaven. He also had no Facebook, too.

Some of the revered believers, however, reports Cody – the ones who performed all the signs – were actually full of the devil all along.

"Not everything that shines is gold," he concludes about the serpent handlers.