Award winning Appalachian storyteller Gary Neil Carden shares tales from growing up in the mountains of Western North Carolina that will amuse, educate, and move listeners who appreciate the art of the spoken word as delivered by a master.

At age 90, Gary Card continues to perform, publish, and share his heritage—determined to preserve culture before the magic of memory is lost. His deep connection to Sylva and the surrounding mountains, and his passion for its people, guide everything he does. That devotion has shaped his nonprofit work and, most recently, inspired his return to The Sylva Herald, a 100 year old independent newspaper, as a columnist—part of his effort to help strengthen the paper through new readership and subscriptions. Through his new campaign, #SaveOurStory, Carden calls on all generations to protect our newspapers and libraries—the keepers of memory and bridges between past and future. In an age when information races across the internet, local papers remain vital: they anchor us in place, preserve our voices, and give communities the stories that connect us.

Each day is a blank page—an open window to history and an opportunity to safeguard the voices that shaped our lives. Together, we can bridge generations and keep the story alive. Join Gary’s movement by supporting your local paper.

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Gary Neil Carden (b. 1935, Sylva, NC) is one of Appalachia’s most enduring voices. Raised by his grandparents and rooted in mountain traditions, he has spent a lifetime transforming hardship into an artistic legacy, emerging as both a local icon and cultural conservationist through the power of storytelling. With humor and resilience, he carries forward traditions and values forged through difficult lessons, revealing not only his literary genius but also his deep connection to Appalachian lore. His works include From the Brothers Grimm, Appalachian Bestiary, Mason Jars in the Flood, and his memoir, Stories I Lived to Tell.

Founder of the celebrated Appalachian variety show, The Liar’s Bench, and subject of Neal Hutcheson’s 2023 documentary Gary Carden: Storyteller, he has shared his work for more than 45 years while mentoring artists and championing Appalachian heritage. Recently, he returned to The Sylva Herald as a columnist, once again offering his sharp wit and reflections on culture, history, and community.

Honored with the North Carolina Award for Literature, an honorary doctorate from WCU, and a community-declared “Gary Carden Day,” he continues at 90 to perform, publish, and inspire.