PBS North Carolina series celebrates the state's rich music culture

Driving the news: The first episode is already up, featuring a performance and interview with the Asheville rock band Wednesday. (You can stream that episode here.)

• Altogether, season 2 will have 13 episodes, featuring bands and artists like Winston-Salem native Ben Folds, Durham's Hiss Golden Messenger and Charlotte native Anthony Hamilton.

Zoom in: The show's second episode of the season will air on Feb. 12, featuring the Raleigh band The Connells.

• Shaped by Sound is notable for the deeply personalized sets that PBS crafts for every artist, each featuring art and themes of their choosing.
• James Mieczkowski, the producer of Shaped by Sound, conducts interviews about each of the artists' connections to the state between song performances.

State of play: Mieczkowski said he feels grateful that PBS North Carolina is still able to invest in Shaped by Sound, when it is facing reduced contributions from the Corporation for Public Broadcasting.

• PBS North Carolina has had to make job cuts because of that. Shaped by Sound is notably produced with financial contributions from the N.C. Department of Natural and Cultural Resources,

• The goal, Mieczkowski said, is to represent all the thriving forms of music that exist in this state, from bluegrass in the mountains to jazz in Durham or rock music in Asheville and R&B from Charlotte.

What they're saying: "I think we need to be representing and being a voice for our communities" on television and online, where Shaped by Sound also streams, Mieczkowski said.

• "I think that's incredibly important, especially as we live in this age now of rapid and wild and sometimes scary information coming to us from all angles."