The Walker Center with Tabitha Hudler

On this episode of the Life in the Carolinas podcast, Carl sits down with Tabitha Hudler, Director of The Walker Center at Wilkes Community College. She celebrates the theater’s huge and intensely loyal customer base, demonstrated by the 4000 volunteers that show up every year for MerleFest, not to mention the high volume of patrons who have availed of The Walker Center’s Lifetime Patron and Season Ticket programs. This customer loyalty was, in part, directly responsible for the theater’s ability to thrive over the past two, turbulent years. Since the theater’s inception in 1984, there has been a lot of passion among folks in the rural community of Wilkesboro to develop a platform for the many talented local entertainers. Tabitha says, “Because of the passion and the dedication not just then, but all through the years—that is why we’re so successful.” Listen in as Carl and Tabitha go on to reflect on the importance of music and theater in any community and why a visit to The Walker Center to experience the best of Wilkesboro is absolutely worth it!

Om Podcasten

Welcome to the Life in the Carolinas Podcast. Our show features a blending of stories that are primarily based on the syndicated TV show, Carl White's Life in the Carolinas and newspaper columns written by Carl White. Like Carl often says, "It's never a bad time for a good story!" The podcast is hosted by Carl and features specials guests as they share the stories behind the stories. All too often we simply do not have enough time to share everything we would like during broadcast. This podcast will allow us the opportunity to share more information and allow our viewers and readers a chance to get to know our guests more intimately. The Carolinas offer some of the finest people, landscapes, and opportunities to explore. We have traveled to the high elevations for the Grandfather Mountain Highland Games which are considered to be among the best in the nation. We discovered the beauty of the brackish Waccamaw River and learned about the massive live oaks that predate the founding of America. In Gold Hill, NC we made a connection with the past and learned about the early days of gold mining in America. We were more than intrigued with a visit to the historic Wilcox Hotel in Aiken, SC and the stories of the Roosevelt Suite. Are the stories true? It's fun to think about the possibilities. Did you know Edgefield, SC was the home of ten South Carolina Governors and that the world-renowned Jazz musician Dizzy Gillespie was from Cheraw, SC? What about those mysterious Brown Mountain Lights in the North Carolina Mountains? They have kept people guessing for hundreds of years. Do you know what they are? The stories are abundant and only limited by how many tomorrows we have for their telling. Join us as we share our stories, traditions, charm, and southern hospitality.