Welcome to Twice 5 Miles Radio. I’m your host, James Navé.

In this episode, I speak with musician, educator, and LEAF Global Arts programming director Melissa McKinney, who shares the remarkable story of how music has shaped every corner of her life. From running a music school in West Virginia to starting over in Asheville, and her involvement with LEAF Global Art. Melissa’s journey is one of courage, reinvention, and the power of community.

We discuss her daughter’s band, The Change, and how their 2016 performance at LEAF led to a deep involvement with the organization.

Melissa reflects on the challenges of leaving a conservative environment, rediscovering her voice, and building new roots through music and mentorship.

She shares stories of Kinsey, a beloved student whose life and song, “Laugh, Love, Live,” continue to inspire children across Buncombe County—and Melissa’s creative path. We also explore what it means to “step into your power,” honor your voice and lead through authenticity.

Tune in for a moving conversation about creativity, healing, and living a life in tune with your deepest values.

Rooted in Rhythm with Melissa McKinney

Twice 5 Miles Radio is an hour-long interview show that digs beneath the surface with people with much to say and the courage to say.  The show's title (Twice 5 Miles) comes from lines in Samuel Taylor Coleridge's poem Kubla Khan. 

I am a poet, storyteller, educator, and manuscript coach with an MFA in Writing from Vermont College of Fine Arts. With over 20 years of experience, I’ve taught workshops on writing, creativity, and public speaking worldwide, drawing from a background that includes memorizing 600+ poems and performing poetic storytelling globally.

My latest book, 100 Days: A Poetic Memoir After Cancer, was published by 3: A Taos Press in May 2023. I’ve also co-authored How to Read for an Audience and Write What You Don’t Know: Ten Steps to Writing with Confidence, Energy, and Flow. Through The Imaginative Storm Writing Project, co-created with Allegra Huston, I guide writers to unlock their creativity and craft impactful, dynamic work.

As co-founder of The Artist’s Way Creativity Camp with Julia Cameron, I’ve taught creativity courses for over two decades. Julia describes me as “a quick, curious mind with a humanist eye for poetic detail and an important force for change.”

I’ve also served as director of The Taos Storytelling and Poetry Festivals and host Twice 5 Miles Radio, a podcast broadcast in Asheville and Taos and streamed on SoundCloud.

New tracks tagged #StartOverStrong