Bonus Episode: Alabama Astronaut Live!

02/02/23 • 24 min

This episode attempts to recreate the warmth surrounding Abe’s artist reception, "With Signs Following, featuring dozens of Abe's paintings that depict characters from the serpent handling faith. Many events described in Alabama Astronaut came alive to the soundtrack of Abe’s field recordings.

Abe's art exhibit is viewable at the Alabama Contemporary Art Center until May 20th. For more information, go here!

Abe's art exhibit is viewable at the Alabama Contemporary Art Center until May 20th. For more information, go here!

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Alabama Astronaut Bonus Episode: The Art Show!

The artist's reception on January 21st:

Alabama Contemporary Art Center

301 Conti Street

Mobile, Alabama 36602

"Abe Partridge is a touring musician and artist from Mobile, AL; fundamentally a storyteller who fuses a heady mix of backwoods baptismal and back alley punk rock. His background as a baptist preacher who experienced a crisis/conversion of faith allows him to travel roads less traveled. For the last two years Partridge has made regular visits and embedded himself in several communities of Appalachian religious snake-handlers. After much time spent, he was given permission to document his experiences; the music, rituals, and stories that called to him. This is an exhibition of new work exploring those experiences, made in direct collaboration with this community.

OPENING RECEPTION

January 21 @ 6 PM"

Next Episode

Foreword: The Glenn Summerford Case (by Alabama Astronaut)

Over the years, Abe Partridge and Ferrill Gibbs have maintained a steady appetite for hunting down songs of the serpent handling people.

New information – courtesy of a serpent handling preacher from Gray, Kentucky – diverted the fellows to an interesting trail.

Abe Partridge, songwriting artist turned prolific documentarian; and Ferrill Gibbs, Murrow Award-winning podcast producer, peel back the "big stinking onion" to see what lies beneath.

Meanwhile, imprisoned serpent handling believer Glenn Summerford still serves a 99 year sentence. Any day now, a fresh parole hearing comes.

Abe and Ferrill's journey began in 2020, with a podcast called Alabama Astronaut. (To start at the beginning, go there.) In 2024, they released a memoir of serpent handling believer Cody Coots, Marked for Life. It's a deep dive podcast into the mind of one serpent handling believer.

Music by Kenosha Kid.
Special thanks to freelance journalist Beth Braden.