Wynonna
“Country Music” will be a big deal round here
By Carolyn Evans
Get ready, East Tennessee: a slew of country music is headin’ this way! Whether you’re into country music hardcore or not, there are four things you need to know.
First, Ken Burns. He’s a famous documentarian who has created an 8-part, 16-hour series for PBS.
Second, country music matters to East Tennessee.
Third, the hoopla kicks off this month with special events in Bristol and Knoxville.
“The state of Tennessee plans to invest $1 million in an upcoming Ken Burns documentary on country music,” Memphis WBUR News reported in January. “[Tourist Development Commissioner ] Mark Ezell said the second payment of the $1 million total committed by the state is included in the Tennessee Department of Tourist Development’s upcoming budget proposal. Ezell called it an excellent deal for the state.”
WBUR said Burns will travel with state officials for a promotional tour with musical artists in March and that 40 million viewers are expected in the first showing of the series, which will include filming in Bristol, Knoxville, Memphis and Nashville.
“Country Music” is directed by Burns and produced by him and longtime collaborators Dayton Duncan and Julie Dunfey. The film will premiere on East Tennessee PBS on September 15, says Barbara Shipley, chief development/marketing officer for PBS in Knoxville. Fourth, Knoxville played a crucial role in the development of country music.
“Country Music” includes interviews with more than 100 people and includes 3200 photographs and never-seen-before photos of Jimmie Rodgers, Johnny Cash and others.
“We have this little saying around here that country music was born in Bristol, grew up in Knoxville and sold out in Nashville,” says the manager of WDVX radio, Tony Lawson. “The traditional ballad and fiddle tunes came over with the Scots-Irish who settled in the hills of the Southern Appalachians. Over the course of time, just like water coming down a hill, those songs came down the mountain and inspired country music.”
“Burns did Interviews with anybody, everybody and then some,” Shipley says. “It’s been about 10 years in the making. with archival footage that’s never been seen before including Johnny Cash. Country music tells these stories of heartbreak, growth – what doesn’t it touch?
The promotional Roadshow Bus Tour will travel through the East Tennessee PBS viewing area, beginning Sunday, March 24 in Bristol. Guests will enjoy a special sneak preview screening of clips from the film and discussion with Burns and other film producers at the Paramount Center for the Arts. Tickets for this event are available at www.paramountcenterforthearts.org.
On Monday, March 25, Burns will appear at 7:30 p.m. at Clayton Center for the Arts – Maryville College for a preview hosted by East Tennessee PBS. Along with clips from the documentary, a discussion panel with Ken Burns, Dayton Duncan, Julie Dunfey and special guest Ketch Secor, front man of Old Crow Medicine show will follow. Jim Clayton, founder of Clayton Homes, philanthropist, and country music enthusiast, will serve as moderator for this evening. Tickets for this event are available at https://www.claytonartscenter.com.
The Sleeping Beauty
The Sleeping Beauty features one of Peter Tchaikovsky’s most memorable - and recognizable - musical scores. The choreography exemplifies one of the favorite female lead roles coupled with beautiful ensemble work. This ballet is beautiful to look at and listen to, and consumable for every age. Kingsport Ballet’s production features a generous number of talented, award-winning guest artists, along with accomplished company members and students in the school. No need to leave East Tennessee to see a beautiful stage production - The Sleeping Beauty has it all - drama, passion, beauty, and of course evil spells to keep things interesting!
Kingsport Ballet is under the artistic direction of Valeria Sinyavskaya. It is funded for general operations by the Tennessee Arts Commission under an agreement with the General Assembly and the National Endowment for the Arts. Kingsport Ballet’s outreach programs are funded by Funds for At Risk Youth with the Tennessee Arts Commission and in part, by the City of Kingsport. For a full list of sponsoring businesses and individuals please visit: www.kingsportballet.org Get your tickets at www.kingsportballet.org or by calling 423-378-3967
Eastman’s Toy F Reid Auditorium Performance dates: Friday, April 12th 7pm • Saturday, April 13th 7pm • Sunday, April 14th 2:30 pm
Ashe County Arts Council welcomes the fourth annual Ola Belle Reed Song Writer’s Retreat
The Ashe County Arts Council welcomes the fourth annual Ola Belle Reed Song Writer’s Retreat to the Ashe Civic Center on April 12-14. Songwriter and musician Cathy Fink along with songwriters Claire Lynch, Sam Gleaves, Alice Gerrard and Marcy Marxer will lead a weekend of songwriting, making music, and celebrating the work of Ola Belle Reed.
The Writer’s Retreat goals are to honor Ola Belle Reed as a songwriter, storyteller and humanist who used her craft and art to build community and love, to connect traditional music and story to contemporary songwriting that builds on that tradition, and to use Ola Belle’s songs and life as a springboard for teaching songwriting with intention.
A special part of the event will be Saturday night April 13 at 7:30 pm with 5 Songwriters in Concert. Join the Retreat Instructors in a evening of music! Concert is $16 adults and $5 students.
As a culminating event the Writer’s Retreat will have a showcase concert on Sunday, April 14 at the Ashe Arts Center at 2:00 pm. All seats are $10.00. The concert will feature the works of the Song Writer’s Retreat participants and instructors.
A native of Grassy Creek, North Carolina, Ola Belle Campbell Reed was a bluegrass and old-time musician and songwriter. Cathy and partner Marcy Marxer, spent many a visit and jam session with Ola Belle and Bud Reed, becoming close friends. Ola Belle gave the duo her song “Hopelessly In Love With You” to make the first recording. Though Ola Belle’s music is steeped in traditional Appalachian sounds, they loan themselves to other treatments. The Writer’s Retreat is open to songwriters of all genres and styles, and all accompaniment instruments.
Instructor Cathy Fink brings a wealth of experience in performing, teaching, and songwriting. Cathy Fink is a GRAMMY® Award winner and her song “Names,” an anthem for the AIDs Memorial Quilt, has been recorded by over 30 artists internationally and won a Mid Atlantic Songwriter’s Association Award. She is a Grand Prize Winner in the John Lennon Songwriting Contest.
Simply put, Alice Gerrard is a talent of legendary status. In a career spanning some 50 years, she has known, learned from, and performed with many of the old-time and bluegrass greats and has in turn earned
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Photos by Larry Souders and Kingsport Ballet
Greenville, Vonnre, Maryville tn
Thursday nights in July on the lawn of the Historic Dickson-Williams Mansion in the heart of downtown Greeneville, TN
Interested artists/bands please contact: Main Street Greeneville 423-639-7102 or email director@mainstreetgreeneville.org
n 1762, escorted and Stalking introducing III. The Cherokee received drawing Timberlake Cherokee 18th century ing the songs, and food.
“Memoirs” map entitled, Cherokee of the Cherokee lower Little sizes, populations documented. Cherokee his “Memoirs” reprinted That was a distance the last tion traveled will repeat we celebrate The Warriors members Cherokee travel to New Year’s
Oak Ridge Civic Music Association Presents Big Galut(e), Symphony & Chorus
Big Galut(e), Simcha Prize winner at the 2017 International Jewish Music Festival in Amsterdam, performs at Pollard Auditorium, Saturday, March 16, 2019, 7:30 PM. The fourth concert in ORCMA’s 2018–2019 Chamber Music Series, Chairperson Bill Schwenterly describes it as “one you’ll want to hear!”
“Big Galut(e) presents fascinating repertoire that includes Klezmer originals, tangos, Broadway, comical songs and more, with music by Gershwin, Shostakovich, Rossi, and Sasha Margolis’ Wallachian-Appalachian Scratchin’ -- a mashup of bluegrass, Klezmer and Roma sounds.” A 7:00 PM pre-concert talk is free with adult ticket purchase. Violinist and author Sasha Margolis speaks about his book, The Tsimbalist, 12:00 PM, at JCOR Beth El Center.
On Saturday, March 30, 2019, the Oak Ridge Symphony Orchestra & Chorus perform an exquisite program of musical responses to violence. Attendees will be in the first group of listeners to hear Lucas Richman’s regional premier of Symphony: This Will Be Our Reply, based on Leonard Bernstein’s speech “An Artist’s Response to Violence,” (used by permission of The Leonard Bernstein Office, Inc.).
Beethoven’s grand Symphony No. 3, Eroica, closes the concert.
Major funding is generously provided by Chuck & Nancy Coutant, the Feldman Family, UT-Battelle/ORNL, the Tennessee Arts Commission and WUOT FM 91.9.
Information and tickets are available at ORCMA.org, or 865-483-5569. Adult: $25. Young Adult: $10. Youth 18 & Under attend free.
Sip & Shop Event
Maryville location: March 21st – 6-8:30 Farragut location: March 28th – 6-8:30
March 26 - Tuesday
April 3 - Wednesday
April 20 - Saturday April 23 - Tuesday
April 13 - 14 - Weekend
April 9 - 10 - Tues - Thurs
April 16 - 18 - Tues - Thurs
April 27 - 28 - Weekend
SUMMER CAMPS
Schedule NOW for summer!
Scuba Ranger Kid Camp 8-12 years old June 11th - 15th
Kids Scuba Camp Certification 10-14 years old July 8 - 13
Want to scuba dive in the Bahamas?
The first step is Knoxville. At Ski Scuba Center at 2543 Sutherland Ave., Jimmie Wheeler can teach you how. He’s got plenty of practice, since he taught scuba diving for 10 years at the University of Tennessee and has decades of experience at Ski Scuba as an employee and owner.
With literally thousands of students under his belt — as well as 5,300 personal dives — the patient and soft-spoken Jimmie is the perfect instructor. The pay-off is huge.
“The Bahamas are like being in your own aquarium,” he says, “and Fiji has its own attractions. You see all the fish – grouper, tropical fish, sharks, barracudas, lobsters, crabs. Fiji’s a little different. Some of the fish are a little different color and there are more colorful coral and sponge formations there.
“There’s a kind of freedom in diving,” he says. “It’s a weightless environment. It’s kind of like you’re flying through the air or you’re in outer space.”
Jimmie got his start when his brother, Bobby, was getting married in Florida.
“He told me I needed to learn how to dive so we could go diving together,” he said. “One of the days before the wedding a bunch of us went diving off the coast. We saw a lot of tropical fish. My very first training dive we did at Norris Lake and the visibility was about two feet. My next dive was the ocean.
By Carolyn Evans
“My wife, Carolyn, also dives. She originally had taken a class from me at UT. That’s where we first met. We didn’t get married till 10 years later. She’s an avid diver. She’s my business partner, goes on all the trips and helps with classes.”
The Wheelers and former owner, Dion Keith, who has continued to work at the shop, make taking classes convenient.
“We have a program called Try Scuba,” he says. “It’s a three-hour session to get people in the pool using a mask and regulator to breathe underwater and experience what scuba’s about.”
The actual certifying process consists of four hours of home study — reading and watching videos. Then students return to the store to go over the material in a classroom setting. Pool training follows, with either two or four sessions for a total of seven to eight hours. Classroom and pool work can be completed over a weekend or during four evening classes. The last part of the process is five openwater training dives over a two-day period.
“We evaluate students on their comfort level and skills,” Jimmie says. “Once they’ve completed those, they get the little card showing they’re certified. From there, there are specialty classes to earn advanced ratings.”
For more information, call the store at 865-523-9177 or visit online at skiscuba.com.
2019 ANNUAL TRIPS call or view our website for details!
Annual West Palm Beach - June 27-July 1
Dominica - August 2-10
Bonaire- Fall Trip - September 14-21
Sat, March 23
Sat, March 16
10:30-11:30 Everything Mushrooms
Learn how to grow your own mushrooms in your backyard. Join us for an interesting, informative seminar led by Ryan Hurrman & Rachel Green of Everything Mushrooms and watch as they inoculate a log right here in the greenhouse!
10:30-11:30 Stanley’s Secrets to Success
Join our Stanley’s plant specialist as we divulge our secrets to the successful growth and establishment of all types of plants, trees, shrubs, perennials and annuals.
Sat, April 13
Sat, March 30
10:30-11:30 Vegetable Gardening 101
An introduction to growing your own vegetable garden, led by author and gardening aficionado John Tullock.
10:30-11:30 Seeding for Children Workshop
Get your children excited for gardening with this fun workshop led by Stanley’s tree and shrub manager Amber Houser and Lisa Stanley. For $10/child we will provide the trays, soil, seeds and markers for your and your child to take home.
Be sure to Check our website for more exciting information and details to what’s happening inside of Stanley’s Greenhouse & Farms!
Spring Wildflower Pilgrimage
Great Smoky Mountains National Park
April 24-27, 2019 www.wildflowerpilgrimage.org
Four days of expert-led hikes in the most biodiverse park in the nation!
REGISTRATION OPENS MARCH 1 at 10AM EASTERN
More than 8650 people from 32 states, Canada and abroad came for the annual Spring Wildflower Pilgrimage in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park last year. This year’s springtime extravaganza is sure to be just as impressive.
Registration is now open for the April 24-27 event. Make your own pilgrimage to experience nature’s awakening from its winter slumber for yourself and participate in one of the oldest and largest events of its kind in the U.S.
The four-day event features about 200 different programs and each year “pilgrims” come to the Park to take expertguided hikes and tours and attend programs in one of the most biologically diverse areas in North America.
The programs are professionally guided by more than 120 professors, educators, professional biologists/ecologists, expert naturalists and Park staff who travel to the Park to volunteer their time.
Subjects include wildflowers and trees, mosses, fungi and lichens, birds, bear, boar, bats, owls, salamanders and snakes, aquatic and nocturnal insects. There are also presentations on cultural and natural history, photography of birds, wildflowers, and landscapes, nature journaling and sketching, citizen science engagement opportunities, nighttime stargazing from high elevations, hidden biodiversity in parasites, ecology, and invasive species and pavilion-based displays on various topics like vertebrate skeletal systems in the Park.
www.stanleysgreenhouse.com • 865-573-9591 • 3029 Davenport Rd.
5 Minutes from Downtown Knoxville across the river.
Left at 3rd red light next to Dunkin Donuts. First stop sign, take a right! Mon-Fri 8-5 • Sat 9-5 Sun 1-5
April is a special time in the Park as spring wildflowers blanket the mountains and colorful southern migratory birds arrive. Immerse yourself in the spring outburst and come to better understand biodiversity in the Southern Appalachian Mountains. For more information or to register, visit www.wildflowerpilgrimage.org or www.facebook.com/SpringWildflowerPilgrimage.
We Fight Not For Honor, Nor Riches, Nor Glory, But For Liberty And That Alone, Which No Honest Man Gives Up But With Life Itself
By Owen Haddock, Military Editor.
CWO4 David A. McCuistion USN, Ret. , Naval Science Instructor. Cocker County Navy JROTC
Chief Warrant Officer 4 David A. McCuistion USN, Ret. - Cocke County High School Navy JRO Chief Warrant McCuistion served on several Naval Amphibious Ships. He served in the “Brown Water” navy during Vietnam deadly year 1968. Not since the American Civil War, had the U.S. Navy fought a river war. His rise from the ranks is a notable achievement. His leadership now expresses itself in turning our championship Navy JROTC classes at Cocke County High
u Cocke County NJROTC 2018 Armed Champion Drill Team
At the Military Order of World Wars “Massing of the Colors” Chief Warrant Officer McCuistion said “Liberty, that ideal from the Holy Scriptures in which we are implored to stand fast in the “Liberty” wherein God has set you free and do not become encumbered in the yolk of bondage.
The Declaration of Arbroath of Scotland freedom, which the founders knew about when developing the United States of America that says, “For we fight not for honor, nor riches, nor glory, but for liberty and that alone, which no honest man gives up but with life itself.”
School in Newport, Tennessee.
Following retirement in 1992, he began teaching Naval Junior Reserve Officers Training Corps in high school. As a NJROTC Program Manager, he lead several units to Distinguished School, Honor Unit and Unit Achievement recognitions. Warrant Officer McCuistion holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Behavioral Science, Master of Art Degree in Organizational Leadership and Associate Degrees in Accounting and Business.
CWO4 David McCuistion presented the Military Order of World Wars Patrick Henry Award. Its top award and was recently appointed MOWW’s Deputy National Security Chair.
CWO4 McCuistion was presented MOWW’s top award and asked to serve with our National Security Committee due his success educating Navy JROTC students. He will be developing lessons for use across the country with JROTC units. He has a sound basic understanding of patriotism, and I thought of him today listening to a C-SPAN History lecture. The presenter said “individualism”, as commonly used, is destructive to the common welfare.
Many of us see “individualism” as important to diversity and political freedom. Today we have too many adopting cult like identities. Being part of a view frames their outlook rather than assessing a variety of ideas.
Owen S. Haddock
Burnsville, nc
The Burnsville TO-DO LIST
By Leah Hughes
As spring gets closer, visitors set their sights on vacationing in Western North Carolina. The Blue Ridge Mountain town of Burnsville promises a year full of new experiences. Whether you’re an outdoor enthusiast, collector of arts and crafts, music fan or history buff, this small town has an activity to suit your interest.
mStay where Elvis stayed The Nu Wray Inn has long been a fixture on Burnsville’s Town Square. Its guest list includes Elvis Presley, Thomas Wolfe, Mark Twain and Jimmy Carter.
mScale the highest point in the East
Mount Mitchell rises to 6,684 feet in elevation, making it the tallest peak east of the Mississippi River. The mountain is the centerpiece of Mount Mitchell State Park where visitors can tour a museum, hike the trails and take in an 80-mile view from the summit platform.
mAttend a star party
based on the folk ballad “Barbara Allen.”
mRide a mountain trail
Guests at The Buck House Inn on Bald Mountain Creek can take a guided UTV trail ride on the mountain. The 1904 inn is surrounded by 750 conserved acres, and the rushing creek can be heard from most spots in the house, as well as the wraparound porch.
mLearn how instruments are made
Mayland Earth to Sky Park and the Bare Dark Sky Observatory take part in North Carolina’s statewide Star Party on April 13. Stargaze through the Sam Scope, participate in astronomy-related activities, enjoy the onsite food truck and learn something new about the night sky.
mGo cycling
Due to its beautiful scenery and low population density, Burnsville and the surrounding Toe River Valley have become a destination for cyclists from all over the country. The Burnsville Metric on April 27 kicks off the spring and summer riding season. The ride includes a 60.7-mile loop, as well as a 43-mile option.
mSee a show
Parkway Playhouse opens its 73rd season in May. The playhouse is an extension of the traditional mountain talents of singing, dancing and storytelling. The 2019 main stage season has several local and regional connections. “Along About Sundown” features the music of Bascom Lamar Lunsford known as “the minstrel of Appalachia,” and “Dark of the Moon” is set in the Smoky Mountains and
The inaugural Mountain Acoustics Luthier Invitational takes place Memorial Day Weekend, May 24-26 in downtown Burnsville. Some of the most talented luthiers from across the region will exhibit their handcrafted instruments. Saturday night, guitar virtuoso Kaki King will perform a concert at Parkway Playhouse.
mCatch a Trout
The mountain streams in Western North Carolina are home to an abundance of trout. Southern Drifters Outfitters leads full- and half-day guided fishing trips. Participants can choose to float or wade.
mMeet a glassblower
The Toe River Valley is known for its collection or artists and craftsmen. The concentration of glassblowers is particularly impressive. Meet these talented individuals, and see and purchase their work, at two studio tours held in June and December.
mWatch an antique car and tractor parade
Each September, the Old Timey Fall Festival honors the past on Burnsville’s Town Square with a parade of antique cars and tractors, and heritage crafters demonstrating their talents. Exhibits include spinning, weaving, quilting, molasses making, corn shelling and more. This year’s event is Sept. 28.
For more information on these and other Burnsville attractions, go to www.YanceyChamber.com or call (828) 682-7413.
Photo Coutesy: John Elsegood
Fresh Seasonal Salads Refreshing Smoothies & Frappes
Scratch made Cupcakes
109 Robertson Street
Historic Bed and Breakfast “The Terrell House”for sale as business or large residence. Renovated Keepers Area on Main floor include kitchen, Master on main and bath with full walk-in closet 7 Bedrooms 8 Bathrooms (6 suites on upper level with private sitting area and full baths in each) Income documentation of over 75,000 in income last year. Priced at a low $670,000, It will pay for itself soon after purchase. 3802 Square Ft . In town Limits on large lot. MLS #3465703
Donna Y. Banks ED.S., LPC RESIDENTIAL BROKER, LRE
(828) 284-0509
donnabanks@beverly-hanks.com
341 Shepard Way
“Work of Art” 2 Story 4 Bedroom
3.5 Bath Dual Masters on both Main and Lower Levels Garages for 4 cars 4857 Square feet 1.37 Acres right in Township of Burnsville Priceless Views. $699,900 MLS # 3407811
312 Robertson Street Townhome
2 Story with Basement 2146 Square Ft
3 Bedroom 3 Bath $199,000
In Town Limits of Burnsville MLS # 3465442
Something calendar is the 16-18. This addition to refreshments wrapping on all Saturday, families come And everyone at time of short drive Gift Shop and picturesque them out on
The Crazy Daisy Thrift Boutique helps support the programs of the Family Violence Coalition of Yancey County, Inc., so every time you donate clothing or household items to the store or make a purchase you are helping the FVC’s domestic violence and sexual assault programs. The FVC is a private, non-profit that has served victims of both domestic violence and rape/sexual assault in Yancey County, N.C. since 1995. In addition to an emergency shelter for victims of domestic violence and/or sexual assault and their children, the FVC also provides a 24/7 crisis line, medical and legal advocacy, peer counseling, crisis intervention, referrals and information, multiple support groups, limited transportation and financial assistance, as well as outreach education/awareness. Stopping violence in our communities start with all of us. The store phone is: (828) 682-1186 and the 24-hour crisis line for the FVC is (828) 682-0056. Mailing address: P.O. Box 602, Burnsville, N.C. 28714.
My dad was in the US Air Force and from 1954 to 1958 we were stationed in England. My mother was an avid antique collector and when we returned to the States, she had hundreds of antiques. Among them were these four Stained Glass windows with protective plate glass the same size. They were from the 1890’s or before. They are 96”x 32” and still in the original frames ready to be installed anywhere They would look wonderful in a church or mansion.
They have been in my family for over 60 years. When my parents passed away, they were passed to me. I have them in my shop in Spruce Pine along with a few more antiques we brought back to the States. Call for more information and then come see them. Just
newland & mars hill, nc
The Marvelous Wonderettes
The Southern Appalachian Repertory Theatre (SART) presents The Marvelous Wonderettes, March 7-17 in historic Owen Theatre, on the campus of Mars Hill University, 44 College Street, Mars Hill, NC 28754. Performances will run 2 weeks, Thursday- Saturday at 7:30, and matinees on both Saturdays and Sunday at 2:30. Tickets are $34 (premium seating), $29 (standard seating), and $18 (students and children). Additionally, we offer a deeply discounted group rate of $20 (groups of 10 or more). Tickets can be purchased via the SART website: sartplays.com, or by calling the SART box office: 828.689.1232.
The pop doesn’t stop in this smash hit cotton-candy colored, pop musical blast from the past!! A high school prom in 1958 and a 10-year reunion in 1968 provide the backdrop for some of the biggest hits of both decades, performed by an irrepressible quartet of young women.
The Marvelous Wonderettes takes you to the 1958 Springfield High School prom where we meet the Wonderettes – Betty Jean (Shannon Dionne), Cindy Lou (Kathleen Watson), Missy (Chelsey Mirheli), and Suzy (Natalie Brouwer Wilson), four girls with hopes and dreams as big as their crinoline skirts and voices to match!
In act two, the Wonderettes reunite to take the stage and perform at their ten-year reunion. We learn about the highs and lows the girls have experienced in the past decade and are charmed to find that no matter what life throws their way, they will conquer it together. Along the way, the
audience is treated to the girls performing such classic ‘50s and ‘60s songs as “Lollipop,” “Dream Lover,” “Mister Sandman,” “Son of a Preacher Man,” “Hold Me, Thrill Me, Kiss Me,” “It’’s My Party” and over 20 more chart-topping hits of the era.
SART was founded in 1975 and is celebrating its 45th anniversary. Since the beginning, SART’s primary mission has been to cultivate quality, professional theatre for the WNC region. Musicals, both big and small, have delighted our audiences, and the magic of theatre has provoked both company members and patrons alike.
SART is the fortunate recipient of the new James Thomas Black Box Theatre located in Day Hall, a new box office also in Day Hall, a new lobby, handicap accessible facilities, and a renovated main stage in historical Owen Theatre. These beautiful facilities allow SART to create truely fantastic theatre. We look forward to seeing you at SART as we raise the curtain for our 45th season.
The Crooked Road Offers Professional Development Workshop
Abingdon, Virginia – Wondering how to promote yourself as a new or emerging musical artist? Come spend the day with some of the region’s premier musicians, marketing professionals, and booking agents. Professional Workshop for Musicians will be held on Saturday, March 16th from 10:30 am - 4:00 pm at Heartwood In Abingdon, VA. There is no cost for attending the workshop, but space is limited, so musicians are encouraged to submit their applications quickly.
Professional Development Workshop for Musicians will serve 24 musicians from Southwest Virginia, ages 12 and older, who are in the beginning to intermediate stages of their careers. The goals of this workshop are to heighten awareness of the importance of professionalism in self-representation for musicians, and to help participants develop skills that will benefit their careers as musicians. Workshop topics include: Becoming a Professional Musician, Being Your
Own Booking Agent, Writing an Effective Bio, Captivating an Audience, and Internet Marketing. Presenters will include: Sammy Shelor (Lonesome River Band); Richard Rose (Barter Theatre); Josh Trivett (Moonstruck Management); Katie Hoffman (Appalworks); and Kris Truelsen (Bill & the Belles).
Media Contact: Jack Hinshelwood, The Crooked Road, Virginia's Website:www.thecrookedroad.org
"The Crooked Road" is Virginia's Heritage Music Trail, a 330-mile driving route through the Appalachian Mountains Virginia. From the eastern slopes of the Blue Ridge to the Coalfield region of Virginia, the trail connects eight venues with a thriving network of jams, festivals, and concerts in the communities along the way.
America's music was invented here. It has been made for hundreds of years in the southern Appalachian mountain Virginia. The songs and tunes of the region told the stories of early pioneer life, of immigrant experiences, and tribulations. The influences which are felt in the music come from many traditions. The ballads of the early Scots-Irish British Isles are evident, as are their instruments, such as the fiddle. The blues and work songs of laborers of evident, along with instruments such as the banjo. The mountain dulcimer and the autoharp have connections European ancestry, while the ukulele and the guitar were popular parlor instruments.
To apply, musicians must submit an essay of 200 words or less outlining their personal experience and telling why they would like to participate.
Major Venues of The Crooked Road
Please include the workshop title; your name; age; school (if applicable); mailing address; email address; and telephone number at the top of the essay. You can send them by email to admin@thecrookedroad.org, or mail to: The Crooked Road, One Heartwood Circle, Abingdon, VA 24210.
Participants will be selected based on application merit as well as musical experience and enthusiasm. Review of applications will continue until spaces are filled.
On the eastern end of The Crooked Road, hugging the eastern slopes of the Blue Ridge Mountains, is the official Ridge Folklife: the Blue Ridge Institute & Museum at Ferrum College. Heading westward along The Crooked Floyd, VA, home of the Floyd Country Store and the Friday Night Jamboree. Near Galax, VA, in Grayson and Blue Ridge Music Center, located on the scenic Blue Ridge Parkway at Milepost 213. Just down the road in Theater, home to rousing bluegrass and old time musical performances every Friday night Blue Ridge WBRF, reaching five states. Galax is also the home of Moose Lodge #733 and the Old Fiddlers Convention, such convention in the world. The area's rich musical heritage has earned Galax its status as the "World's Capital Mountain Music."
Driving west out of Galax on Highway 58 you'll arrive at Heartwood, Southwest Virginia's Artisan Gateway and Road, in Abingdon, VA. Heartwood connects visitors along The Crooked Road to regional artisan studios, music scenic attractions, and more. A few miles south is the official "Birthplace of Country Music": Bristol, VA/TN. Birthplace of County Music Alliance, where country music devotees continue a tradition that began with Ralph sessions of 1927 – The Big Bang of Country Music. Just north of Bristol in Hiltons is The Carter Family Fold, music and dancing has taken place every Saturday night since 1974. As U.S. 23 passes through the communities Counties, you'll make your way to the Country Cabin, located at the Appalachian Traditions village outside Norton. western end boasts the Ralph Stanley Museum and Traditional Mountain Music Center in Clintwood, Virginia.
Affiliated Partners of The Crooked Road
Major Venues of The Crooked Road are dozens of jams, festivals, and concerts that along the Trail. Regular weekly jam sessions are held all along The Crooked Road, and annual events such Rhythm & Roots Reunion are attended by music lovers from all over the world.
by L. Frank Baum, with music and lyrics by Harold Arlen and E. Y. Harburg
worldwide respect for her own important contributions to the music. Alice is particularly known for her groundbreaking collaboration with Appalachian singer Hazel Dickens during the 1960s and ’70s. The duo produced four classic LPs (recently reissued by Rounder on CD) and influenced scores of young women singers — even The Judds acknowledge Hazel and Alice as an important early inspiration. A tireless advocate of traditional music, Alice has won numerous honors, including an International Bluegrass Music Association (IBMA) Distinguished Achievement Award, a Virginia Arts Commission Award, the North Carolina Folklore Society’s Tommy Jarrell Award, and an Indy Award. In 2017 Alice was inducted into the IBMA Hall of Fame along with Hazel Dickens.
“The Writer’s Retreat is open to songwriters of all genres and styles, and all accompaniment instruments.”
Sam Gleaves has been playing traditional music since childhood. By his late teens, Sam was writing his own songs in traditional Appalachian style, focused on social justice. His first album, “Ain’t We Brothers” included like-minded artists who recognized Sam’s talent-Tim O’Brien, Janis Ian and Laurie Lewis. Add to that fan club the Appalachian author Lee Smith who wrote this after hearing “Ain’t We Brothers”: “Courageous as hell and country to the bone -- Amazingly talented Sam Gleaves, the best young songwriter around…”
Marcy Marxer has been musical partners with Cathy Fink for over 35 years. Their superb harmonies are backed by instrumental virtuosity on the guitar, ve-string banjo, ukulele, mandolin, cello-banjo, and many other instruments. An eclectic folk festival on their own terms, their repertoire ranges from classic country to western swing, gypsy jazz to bluegrass, and old-time string band to contemporary folk including some original gems. Their versatility is best described as “well rounded Americana”.
Long recognized and praised as a creative force in acoustic music, Claire Lynch is a pioneer who continually pushes the boundaries of the bluegrass genre. Her career has been decorated with many accolades including three GRAMMY® nominations, six International Bluegrass Music Association awards and the prestigious United States Artists Walker Fellowship. Her own songwriting is complemented by her love of other great writers. Claire’s most recent recording, the GRAMMY® nominated “North By South”, highlights top Canadian songwriters. DigitalJournal.com listed Claire as “One of the 10 Best Angelic Voices of Our Time”. She shared that honor with such luminaries as Judy Collins, Alison Krauss, Sarah McLachlan, Martina McBride, Dolly Parton and Emmylou Harris.
For more information about the showcase concert or the Ola Belle Reed Song Writer’s Retreat contact the Ashe County Arts Council at 336.846-2787.
TAPROOTS OF TENNESSEE Historic Sites and Timeless Recipes
LYNNE DRYSDALE PATTERSON / $24.95
ROOTS MUSIC IN AMERICA
Collected Writings of Joe Wilson
EDITED BY FRED BARTENSTEIN / $29.95
FOLK MUSIC IN OVERDRIVE
A Primer on Traditional Country and Bluegrass Artists
IVAN M. TRIBE / $29.95
SOUTHERN APPALACHIAN FARM COOKING
A Memoir of Food and Family
ROBERT G. NETHERLAND / $29.95
THE STORY OF THE DULCIMER
Second Edition
RALPH LEE SMITH / $24.95
LUCKY JOE’S NAMESAKE
The Extraordinary Life and Observations of Joe Wilson
EDITED BY FRED BARTENSTEIN / $29.95
WAYLON: A BIOGRAPHY
Second Edition with a new Afterword by Travis Stimeling R. SERGE DENISOFF / $34.95
POWERHOUSE FOR GOD
Speech, Chant, and Song in an Appalachian Baptist Church Second Edition
JEFF TODD TITON / $39.95
