Dogwood Arts Celebrates 70 Years of Knoxville’s Iconic Dogwood Trails
East Tennessee Children’s Hospital understands that time is precious, which is why our urgent care locations are open nights and weekends. Let our pediatric experts help your child get back to pillow fights and good times. Learn more at ETCH.com.
Covenant Health treats the most hearts in East Tennessee. With advanced tech & treatments, more convenient locations, and the most providers for the strongest personalized care, we get you back to everyday life faster.
Let Our Strength Be Yours.
Our favorite founding statesman/philosopher Benjamin Franklin counseled this: “Investment in knowledge pays the best interest.” Our annual Investment issue profiles several community leaders over the span of many decades dedicated to purpose-driven investments in Knoxville. We hope their personal stories inform, inspire, and challenge you to up your own game. We hope you are encouraged to invest more of yourself, your time, and your resources in the people, places, and projects that are meaningful to you.
Investment can involve doing something today that your future self will thank you for. PYA Waltman’s Director of Financial Planning Melissa Ballard, CFP®, explains how their core principles of values-based financial planning guide their work for their clients. Melissa also shares the deep satisfaction she finds in investing her time volunteering with the equine therapy program at Harmony Family Center.
Seventy years ago, three grand ladies of Knoxville’s Garden Club turned an ugly description of our city by a visiting journalist into the blooming success we now treasure as our historic Dogwood Arts Trails. Vicki Baumgartner, who manages the trails and gardens programs for Dogwood Arts, can give you a bazillion reasons to invest in the trails for generations of Knoxvillians and thousands of visitors for years to come.
Parenthood is all about investing, right? In Knoxville native Wesley Bennett’s case, it led to creating something he wished he had when his daughter was born, a literary tribute to the beloved hometown where he was raised, and a whole new entrepreneurial endeavor.
Our PYA Waltman partner, Eric Foster, CFP®, CPA offers real-life investment lessons in how to weather short-term downturns while maximizing the long-term potential of your money even in the face of unpredictable markets.
Learn more about our town’s musical history, dating back to the late 1790s and early 1800s. A free walking Music Guide from the Knoxville History Project showcases the downtown sites associated with songwriters, composers, and musicians performing every kind of musical genre.
Wise spending is part of wise investing. Our Partners work hard to help you do just that with the many premier services and products they provide. We appreciate you investing your time in finding out more about them through the pages of West Knoxville Lifestyle each month. Marc and I appreciate your readership and positive words of support for our efforts and our magazine. We love our community! Happy Spring!
MARC ROCHELSON AND AMY CAMPBELL
PUBLISHER
Marc Rochelson | marc.rochelson@citylifestyle.com
MANAGING EDITOR
Amy Campbell | amy.campbell@citylifestyle.com
CONTRIBUTING WRITERS
Patricia Storm Broyles, Paul James, Jack Neely, Amy Campbell, Eric Foster, CFP®, CPA
CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHERS
Shawn Poynter, Ben Finch, Dogwood Arts, Knoxville History Project, the Calvin M. McClung Historical Collection, Kristen Bright
CEO Steven Schowengerdt
COO Matthew Perry
CRO Jamie Pentz
CTO Ajay Krishnan
VP OF OPERATIONS Janeane Thompson
VP OF SALES Andrew Leaders
AD DESIGNER Zach Miller
LAYOUT DESIGNER Kelsi Southard
QUALITY CONTROL SPECIALIST Brandy Thomas
I n t r o d u c i n g D r o p s ! b y C i t y C a t e r i n g . W e o f f e r d e l i v e r y a n d p i c k - u p o p t i o n s t h a t w i l l b r i n g
e a s e t o a n y e v e n t . W i t h c o n v e n i e n t o n l i n e o r d e r i n g , w h e t h e r y o u a r e h a v i n g a t a i l g a t e ,
s h o w e r , p a r t y , c o r p o r a t e l u n c h , o r a n y t h i n g e l s e , w e h a v e t h e p e r f e c t s p r e a d f o r y o u .
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PYA
Do you ever look at something in your closet and think, “One day I’ll need that”, but then it sits there for years without being used?
One day I’ll wear that suit… One day I’ll need this purse… One day I’ll use this cake pan… One day I’ll ride my bike again… One day…
If you donate those “one days”, they can start making a difference today. Imagine all of the people that could be helped (and the space you could save) if you donated those gently-used items now instead of keeping them packed away.
This year, as you’re looking through your drawers, cupboards, closets, attic, basement, and other storage spaces, think about all of the “one days” that you could donate to start making a difference today.
We accept clothing, shoes, accessories, furniture, home goods, sporting goods, toys, books, movies, and so much more! By donating to KARM Stores, you are helping provide meals, shelter, job training, healthcare, love, and support to the homeless guests at Knox Area Rescue Ministries. Learn how your donations make a difference at karm.org.
Find a Donation Center near you at karmstores.com/locations
Can’t come to us? We offer FREE pickup of large donations. Visit karmstores.com/pickup to schedule a donation pickup.
We thought we would try something new. So, here’s a poem just for you!
As spring arrives and sunshine falls On the trees and bees and flowers all, I think it’s time for you and me To make sure we enjoy the spring.
As blossoms grow and leaves unfurl The birds will chirp and wind will twirl. The chimes will join their lovely song And you and I won’t need to long.
No more the days of snow and sleet But sunshine on your floors will beat So, cats can bask and dogs can sleep And neighbors from garages greet.
Although in Knoxville, you don’t know, You might still see a flash of snow. But spring is great, don’t you agree? (Aside from all the allergies).
But that’s the lesson, don’t you see? That even in the midst of spring As good things come, so will some bad. Yet in it all, you can be glad.
So, embrace the change with open arms And don’t forget your entourage. Join friends and family, and live well In good and bad, life can be swell.
And if you liked our poetry
Perhaps you’ll like new hair – come see! So, visit rosstheboss.com And we’ll make sure your hair’s the bomb.
Clayton Center for the Arts presents "Where the Butterflies Go" on April 8, 7 p.m. as part of the South Arts Film Series, funded by the South Arts and National Endowment for the Arts. A comedic nature documentary by Fraser Jones, a fumbling filmmaker travels 3,000 miles asking North Americans how to save the endangered monarch butterfly, and ourselves, from extinction. Lambert Recital Hall. $10 admission. Visit ClaytonArtsCenter.com
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Indulge in a Five-Course Long Table Dinner on the patio of Vida, featuring a selection of exquisite dishes, each carefully paired with delightful wine flavors. At the conclusion of dinner, you will have the chance to craft your own bouquet, featuring a variety of foliage that will beautifully complement your floral arrangement. This event takes place April 10 Vida 6:30 PM. For tickets and more information: SpacesInTheCity.com/hostedevents
The annual Bourbon & Bowties Gala takes place on April 11, benefiting Rocky Top Veterans Foundation. Exclusive VIP Hour 5-6 p.m. featuring a bourbon tasting (age 21+ only). The main event 6-9 p.m. features hors d’oeuvres, a cash bar, and silent and live auctions to support essential programs and resources for veterans and their families. SkyView at Broadway Social, 101 East Broadway Ave., Maryville. RockyTopVets.org/events/2025-bourbon-and-bowties/ Scan to read more
The Knoxville Summit 2025 will be held April 24 at the brand-new Covenant Health Park, offering a unique and impactful lineup of leaders from the sports and business community. This is an exclusive event that only has room for 250 attendees. Speakers at The Knoxville Leadership Summit include Clay Travis, Randy Boyd, Inky Johnson, Tamika Catchings, and Mark Pancratz. Limited seating is available. Ticket packages and information: KnoxvilleSummit.com
The Guild of the Knoxville Museum of Art presents Artists on Location 2025, an art show and sale April 26, 5:30-9 p.m. at the Knoxville Museum of Art. Artists on Location promotes the museum’s connection to the local and regional art community and provides both new and seasoned collectors a rare opportunity to buy original paintings of Knoxville and East Tennessee. Pictured is featured Artist Bill Farnsworth. For more information: KnoxArt.org
Harmony's 13th Annual Mudder's Day Madness Mud Run takes place May 10. The 5K course spans Montvale’s muddiest trails over 30 obstacles. Ages 8 and up can race on their own or with a team. Costumes encouraged! A family friendly, untimed Fun Run ages 4 and up includes trail running, field running, and obstacles. Vendors, food trucks, refreshments, and music onsite. Harmony’s premier event supporting family programs and therapeutic services. 4901 Montvale Road, Maryville. Visit: HarmonyFamilyCenter.org/events/mudrun/
ARTICLE BY PATRICIA STORM BROYLES
PHOTOGRAPHY BY SHAWN POYNTER AND BEN FINCH
Director of Financial Planning Melissa Ballard, CFP®, became one of PYA Waltman Capital’s owners last year. She joined the firm out of college during the 2008 financial crisis. They weren’t hiring, but President Bill Waltman took a chance on her, in part, once she shared her why.
“I wanted to help people make wise decisions with their money,” Melissa explains. “Growing up, I witnessed the negative impact financial strain had on some friends’ families. My draw to the financial industry was more about relationships and helping people live with more fulfillment and peace in their financial life … to not be stressed, so families could stay together and be happy.”
A mission that would also draw Melissa to volunteer with Harmony Family Center.
“UNDERSTANDING
Values-based financial planning is much more than numbers on the page. We think when it comes to making decisions, we’re logical, but we’re not. Acknowledging that is important to our process – to know our clients and help them through the emotional and behavioral piece of it. We ask thoughtful questions to understand their why. (What keeps them up at night? What are they excited about, afraid of? What was modeled for them as children? Good habits, bad habits?) It’s amazing what you learn when people feel heard and valued. Even with a logical decision, if it’s emotionally charged, if there’s some past trauma or difficulty, that can impact their decision. Many layers can affect our clients’ ability to decide. I explain to our young team members you can craft financial advice that by the book looks great, but if we have done our job and know them well, and we know this is not going to be easy for them to implement, we must adjust our approach to help them take that step forward. That is where real change, real growth, and real peace can happen.
Our clients come to trust us, understanding we have their best interests at heart, that we know what they are trying to accomplish. Many times, clients will share things they’ve not shared with family or friends. That’s a very privileged, trusted position we don’t take lightly.
We provide a high-touch, concierge level of service. We’re a great fit for clients going through life transitions–women who have lost their spouse, or are going through divorce and not sure where to turn or who to trust. Financial guidance during transitions because of the financial impact is critical and typically turns into long-term relationships.
Another emotional transition impacting finances is retirement. They’ve been pouring themselves into work and saving, but suddenly there’s a shift to just pulling funds. Or, perhaps they’ve sold a business and are not sure what’s next. Or, they’ve managed their money for forty years, but feel the stakes are higher now, plus they want time for grandkids and travel.
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PYA
Director
The same passion for happier, more peaceful families drew Melissa to volunteer with Harmony Family Center, where she became board chair in 2023, serving until Spring 2025.
“Understanding behavioral finance, the brain, how someone makes decisions … drew me to Harmony, whose innovative therapies help heal childhood trauma. I first got involved volunteering with my mom in their equine therapy program at Montvale. There’s a component of severe childhood trauma that relates to arrested brain development, impacting maturity later in life as well. One of many Harmony programs, therapeutic camps give these foster and adopted children the opportunity to have fun, positive, healing camp experiences discovering the joy of grooming and riding a horse. For example, the rocking motion of riding a horse for a child who wasn’t rocked or nurtured is a healing therapy for the brain. Harmony’s mission, So All May Live Their Best Lives, emerged from asking the better question, not What’s wrong with you? but What happened to you? If they can understand their story and underlying issues, and identify where brain development was halted, they have tools and therapies that can impact lives at all ages.” Harmonyfamilycenter.org
Young professionals, focused on beginning careers and just starting to accumulate, seek us out. It’s the first time they’ve made real money and want to make smart financial decisions, but don’t have time to do it themselves. Many of our clients are capable of researching and making decisions, but just don’t want to. They do want a trusted, watchful eye over it. It’s worth it to them to delegate to an expert.
I’ve had the privilege over 16 years to grow under Bill Waltman’s leadership and learn what it looks like to take excellent care of the families we serve as clients and model servant-leadership for our team. I’m so grateful the existing owners felt I’ve provided value and wanted to give me a voice at the table, to speak into the process of caring for our clients and team. What we’ve found worked well was to hire recent graduates, many of them transplants, from a financial planning program to mentor and train. We’re proud to bring bright, young talent to our city, individuals of high character who match our firm’s core values – excellence, trust, gratitude, and growth. We approach client work as a team with multiple professionals, so I can step back for a bit with this new baby [due this month] which gives our young professionals the opportunity to step up and grow. A friend of mine says it’s impossible to find a true balance for working moms. It’s a rhythm. Be mindful, intentional, and present where you are, and get comfortable with the rhythm, keeping it all in perspective. It’s a blessing to support our culture, care for our people, and nurture their professional and personal growth while helping our clients live with greater financial peace. Visit pyawaltman.com
PYA Waltman Capital, LLC (“PYAW”) is an investment adviser registered with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. Registration does not imply a certain level of skill or training. More information about PYAW’s investment advisory services can be found in its Form ADV Part 2, which is available upon request. PYA-25-17
Financial Planning
Investment Management
Retirement Plan Consulting
The most important part of any journey is planning. One small misstep can set you off course, affect your balance, or end your trip completely. At PYA Waltman, we understand the value of continual planning and course corrections depending upon the conditions. That’s why we’ve built an in-house team of experts, to be alongside you on your journey, rowing in the same direction.
ARTICLE BY PATRICIA STORM BROYLES
PHOTOGRAPHY BY SHAWN POYNTER, DOGWOOD ARTS, KRISTEN BRIGHT
Dogwood Arts Keeps Historic Dogwood Trails Blooming on Its 70th Anniversary
If you’re new in town, now that April is here, you may soon make a turn up into a Knoxville neighborhood to follow the thick pink lines painted right in the middle of the street. You can join the motorcade meandering through one of more than 90 miles of historic Dogwood Trails throughout 13 of Knoxville’s more established neighborhoods, blooming with the glorious colors of an East Tennessee spring.
“The first Dogwood trail was established in 1955 and this year we’re celebrating 70 years of the trails. These blooming trails are open the entire month of April every year and are synonymous with spring in Knoxville,” says Dogwood Arts Trails and Gardens Program Manager Vicki Baumgartner.
“Within six years, so many visitors were coming to drive the beautiful dogwood trails, the Chamber of Commerce and Junior league came together in support of a celebration to share the culture of our area with dogwood tourists when they were in town. Thus, the first Dogwood Arts Festival was introduced."
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“Running continuously since 1961, the Dogwood Arts Festival is the recipient of many arts’ tourism awards, most recently Voted No. 3 Best Art Festival in the Country according to USA Today's Readers Poll 2024.
“A half-century after the trails opened, some trees were being lost to development, decline, age, and disease,” Vicki continues. A dogwood tree’s average lifespan is 25-30 years in an urban setting and up to 70 in a native setting. Bazillion Blooms started in 2009 as a three-year initiative to educate the community about the need to continue planting dogwood trees to keep our
trails thriving. We wanted to help our community understand if we don’t keep replenishing trees, we’ll wake up one day and the Dogwood Trails won’t be quite what they used to be. By that point, it’s too late to plant to make an immediate impact since the trees need time to grow. So, Bazillion Blooms has become a campaign of planting for the future.
“Fifteen years later and 16,000+ new dogwood trees planted, Bazillion Blooms has been so successful it is now a permanent program.”
“Bazillion Blooms started in 2009 as a three-year initiative to educate the community about the need to continue planting dogwood trees to keep our trails blooming.”
HOW CAN YOU BLOOM?
Dogwood Arts makes the critical mission to Keep Knoxville Blooming easy with this annual tree-planting initiative.
“We take orders throughout the year and in the fall, the dogwoods are dug and shipped from a local grower in Middle Tennessee. We process and then distribute the trees from our office during the first week of December. Typically, the year’s orders bring in around 2,000 dogwoods,” Vicki adds.
Three online purchase options make it convenient for everyone to take part in Bazillion Blooms.
1. Donate a tree in honor, memory, or celebration of someone special anytime during the year and Dogwood Arts staff will send a commemorative notecard with your personal message.
“For example, if you wanted to donate a dogwood for someone’s birthday, hop online to purchase and then we would send the notecard on the date you desire,” Vicki says. “When all the trees come into our offices in December, that tree would then be donated to our historic Dogwood Trails.”
2. You can choose to donate trees through Bazillion Blooms because you enjoy and care about the trails and want to ensure their beauty for future generations. Dogwood Arts trail chairmen take all the donated trees back to the trail communities where they are planted along the trails.
3. You can also purchase dogwood trees to pick up and plant yourself to enhance the landscaping of your own yard. Those trees are available at the Dogwood Arts office to be picked up that same week in December.
Dogwood trees are the perfect gift to give and to get for East Tennesseans–native to the area, easier to grow, disease-resistant, and available in pink or white. They bloom in the spring, provide summer shade and nectar to pollinators including bees and spring azure butterflies, turn crimson in the fall, and provide winter berries for wildlife, including 35 species of birds.
Vicki encourages people throughout Knoxville and East Tennessee to get involved in the springtime celebration, handed down from another generation for us to enjoy. In 1947, after a visiting journalist disparaged Knoxville, writing an unflattering description of the town, three of Knoxville’s great ladies and leaders of the Knoxville Garden Club, Betsy Creekmore, Martha Ashe, and Betsy Goodson, decided to prove him wrong by showcasing the natural beauty of their beloved hometown. And the trails were born.
“We met recently with Mrs. Creekmore, Sr.’s daughter, who shared fabulous stories about her mother’s passion for the Dogwood Trails,” Vicki recounts. “She remembers her mother making them stand in the parking lot at their church in Sequoyah Hills after services, to make sure the cars leaving the parking lot took the correct turn to put them on a Dogwood Trail. They had put a traffic counter on it and were determined to report to the city how many cars were driving the trails. Mrs. Creekmore’s vision and tenacity have now brought 70 years of beauty to Knoxville residents and its many visitors.”
Millions of cars and bazillions of blooms later, what began as a neighborhood beautification project has blossomed into one of the most celebrated cultural events in Knoxville and one of the longest-running nonprofit organizations in our region. Treat your family to the trails and featured gardens this April and catch this year’s Dogwood Arts Festival on the Performance Lawn at World’s Fair Park, April 25-27. Learn more about the 20+ annual programs that are part of Knoxville’s beloved tradition of the celebration of our beautiful community.
Ready to dig in and help grow Bazillion Blooms? Visit Dogwoodarts.com/bazillionblooms
Listen to John Coykendall on the topic of starting a spring garden and planning for tomato sandwiches. Season 12, Episode 9
Find the podcast at Tennessee Farm Table.com or your favorite app. Listen by radio from three non-commercial Tennessee radio stations.
Saturday 9:00 a.m. WDVX, Knoxville Thursdays 9:00 p.m. WUTC Chattanooga Sunday 1:00 p.m. Radio Bristol, Bristol VA/TN
Amy Campbell, Founder, Producer
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ARTICLE BY ERIC FOSTER, CFP®, CPA PHOTOGRAPHY BY BEN FINCH
I entered the investment business around the turn of the century. The economy was headed for a recession fueled in part by excess speculation around this new thing called the internet. I have been taught ever since at the “school of hard knocks” offered to any investor by the market itself. I thought I would share a couple of observations and lessons from my schooling.
Lesson No. 1: The future is hard to predict. People are just bad at predicting the future. Just today I saw a headline that said, “Fed officials see higher risks of inflation.” Yes, the same Fed officials that completely missed the inflation risks of 2021 and 2022. Now, I’m not suggesting that you shouldn’t have opinions about the future and there can’t be value in trying to see what new opportunities are available. But predicting when and where they will occur gets tricky and
your risk of being wrong skyrockets. When someone tells you in great detail what will happen in the future, accept their advice with a very large grain of salt.
Lesson No. 2: If your advisor tells you to invest by “avoiding the volatility of the stock market,” you should ask some hard questions. You shouldn’t invest money that you need in the near future due to lesson #1 above. If you do, you take a risk that your timing will be poor. The flip side is also true. The longer your timeframe, the odds of a successful investing outcome rise significantly.
When someone focuses too much on volatility, they miss the whole point of investing. Investors who buy stocks get paid an “equity premium” for dealing with the uncertainty and volatility of the market. In a capitalistic economy that is heavily incentivized, good companies are lethal at solving problems.
Wall Street has created many products that offer to suppress volatility. We call them things like “market neutral funds” and “long/short funds”. The annual trailing return on the Vanguard Market Neutral Fund (VMNFX) over a 10-year period is 3.22%1, whereas the Diamond Hill Long/Short Fund (DIAMX) has returned 5.89%1 annually. Over the same timeframe, the S&P 500 (SPY) earned 13.24%1 on average. Which fund was down the most in 2022 (the most recent negative market year)? The S&P 500 of course! It dropped by 18%1 in 2022, far more than the volatility suppressor funds. But unless I needed to spend that money, did that short-term drop in value actually matter? Probably not. If you started with $10,000 invested in each of the above funds, you’d end up with $13,749 in the Vanguard market neutral, $17,355 in the Diamond Hill long/short, and $33,969 in the S&P 500 option. Over the last 10 years for sure, volatility pays! This would only magnify over a longer period of time.
We strive to help clients build portfolios to weather short-term downturns while maximizing the long-term potential of their money. We embrace the volatility. It’s what gives you the ability to far outperform the fancy sounding tools of Wall Street. When you hear less volatility, think less returns too.
1 All data sourced from Morningstar as of 2/19/2025.
The opinions expressed are those of PYAW’s Investment Team. The opinions referenced are as of the date of publication and are subject to change due to changes in the market or economic conditions and may not necessarily come to pass. Forward looking statements cannot be guaranteed. This material is for informational use only and should not be considered investment advice. The information discussed herein is not a recommendation to buy or sell a particular security or to invest in any particular sector. The Standard & Poor's 500 Index, widely referred to as the S&P 500, tracks the performance of 500 widely held large-cap US stocks in the industrial, transportation, utility, and financial sectors. Indexes are unmanaged, do not incur management fees, costs, or expenses and cannot be invested indirectly.
PYA Waltman Capital, LLC (“PYAW”) is an investment adviser registered with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. Registration does not imply a certain level of skill or training. More information about PYAW’s investment advisory services can be found in its Form ADV Part 2, which is available upon request. PYA-25-18
ARTICLE BY PAUL JAMES | PHOTOGRAPHY BY KNOXVILLE HISTORY PROJECT, SHAWN POYNTER, AND THE CALVIN M. MCCLUNG HISTORICAL COLLECTION
With the publication of a new educational booklet from the Knoxville History Project, it’s a good time to take a look at the fascinating history of music here in Knoxville.
Designed to increase awareness and appreciation for the city’s rich musical heritage, Knoxville: A walking Music Guide is a free, 44-page booklet emphasizing the sites, predominantly downtown, associated with songwriters, composers and musicians well-known enough to be recognizable by the American music-listening public. The guide also introduces the Knoxvillecentric work of these writers and musicians and helps enhance the city’s cultural appeal.
In its very early days as the first capital of Tennessee in the late 1790s and early 1800s, Knoxville boasted several publishing houses; by the 1830s some were printing sheet music. Spurred by the coming of the railroad, and along with it a wave of immigrants, many from Germany, musical events began to emerge, often with a German both before and after the Civil War.
One notable German immigrant who arrived from Leipzig in 1867 was Gustavus Knabe, a horn player with Felix Mendelssohn’s band. Knabe soon founded the Knoxville Philharmonic Society, which performed in small auditoriums which are all long gone. The grand Staub’s Opera House, built by Swiss-born Peter Staub (a two-time Knoxville mayor), opened on Gay Street in 1872 and was long regarded as a genuine wonder of Knoxville and lasted as a venue for about 80 years. In the 1880s it began hosting weeklong “May Festivals” that attracted not only locals, but also brought in hundreds of visitors to the city by train. In 1883, the audience were treated to an impromptu performance at Staub’s by “Knights of the Bow,”17 fiddlers, which may be the first “country-music” type of performance in the area, decades before the genre became recognized.
Across from Staub’s was the Lamar House, originally built in 1817, which began hosting concerts as early as the 1840s, as well as musical parades, dances on St. Patrick’s Day, and masquerade balls. Author Frances Hodgson Burnett fondly remembered a ball when she lived here as a young girl in the 1870s. CONTINUED >
By the early 1900s, blind musicians like Charlie Oaks, George Reneau, and the duo Mac and Bob began playing for nickels and dimes on the streets of Knoxville. Charlie Oaks was particularly renowned for singing and performing his own sad laments, one based on the “New Market Train Wreck” of 1904. At least 56 people were killed in that tragedy that involved the head-on collision of two trains carrying numerous Knoxvillians. Another of Oaks’ songs was a tribute to politician and prosecuting attorney, William Jennings Bryan, involved in the Scopes Monkey Trial in Dayton, Tenn., in 1925. Jennings never came to Knoxville except when the train carrying his coffin stopped here for an hour, but within weeks, Oaks recorded a version of his song in a New York studio.
These street performers, or “Bluesy balladeers” as Jack Neely describes them, also included Harry “Haywire Mac” McClintock, famous for his song “Big Rock Candy Mountain,” and banjo-picking Uncle Dave Macon. Musicians also often performed on Market Square and at what became known as the “Street Musicians’ Corner,” by the old Customs House where the Weather Kiosk by the East Tennessee History Center is today on Clinch Avenue at Market.
In addition to these venues and locations, the music guide features descriptions of less obvious downtown sites, including St. John’s Episcopal Cathedral where in 1906 Gustavus Knabe’s own funeral was accompanied by music from his own
compositions. At the First Baptist Church on Main Street, built there in the early 1920s, originally featured a radio antenna on its steeple to broadcast religious music on its own radio station, WFBC. Later, one of its young members first performed there – future opera star Mary Costa.
The Bijou Theatre opened in 1909 opposite Staub’s on Gay Street. At the time it was the only venue in town open to Black people, though they had to sit in the second balcony, unless it was a rare all-Black event like the all-Black cast of the Broadway musical, Shuffle Along, which came here in 1924. By 1928, just two blocks up from the Bijou, the Tennessee Theatre opened as a grand “motion picture palace.” Each night, the show opened with the in-house organist playing the “Mighty Wurlitzer” (the same bright red organ played at the Tennessee today) and a performance by a house band and a vaudeville-style show featuring live music. Despite the Depression, several high profile acts performed at the Tennessee Theatre in the mid-1930s, including risqué singer and dancer Fifi D’Orsay, and Ziegfeld’s Follies with Fannie
Brice. The latter was a sold out show plus extra tickets for standing as well, thus exceeding the theater’s usual capacity.
The year after the Tennessee Theatre opened, a diverse cadre of talented musicians recorded songs for the Brunswick/ Vocalion record label in the lobby of the St. James Hotel on Wall Avenue. In retrospect, these recordings, now available in a box set, The Knoxville Sessions, and a convenient single-disc compilation, Satan is Busy in Knoxville, highlight the tremendous talents who were writing and performing here in the early 20th Century. Several of these musicians, including The Tennessee Chocolate Drops featuring fiddler Howard Armstrong, singer Leola Manning, and jazz bandleader Maynard Baird, are now regarded as some of the city’s greatest musical legends.
The nonprofit Knoxville History Project tells the city’s stories, focusing on those that have not been previously told and those that connect the city to the world. Donations to support the work of the Knoxville History Project, an educational nonprofit, are always welcomed and appreciated. Learn more at KnoxvilleHistoryProject.org
Knoxville: A walking Music Guide is available for free at the following locations: Visit Knoxville, east Tennessee History Center, and Union Ave Books. Funding for the guide has been provided by the Aslan Foundation, a grant from HumanitiesTennessee and the National Endowment for the Humanities, Downtown Knoxville Alliance, Visit Knoxville, Union Ave Books, and City Council 202 Funds. An online version can be found on KHP’s website.
ARTICLE BY WESLEY BENNETT AND AMY CAMPBELL ILLUSTRATIONS BY FINN DEAN
Fatherhood birthed a new creative venture for Knoxville native Wesley Bennett. In tribute to his hometown and hours of storytelling for his daughter, Vivi, Wesley wrote his first children’s book. “The Kitty of Knoxville” showcases beloved landmarks that make Knoxville special, like Ayres Hall, Neyland Stadium, the Sunsphere, the Strong Alley murals, Zoo Knoxville, the Tennessee River and more. Wesley collaborated with award-winning children’s illustrator Finn Dean to bring the story to life.
Q. Tell us about your background and your love for Knoxville. I was born and raised in West Knoxville. My Dad was a philosophy professor at U.T. for over 30 years. My parents took me to the World's Fair when I was 4 years old. I have great memories of growing up in the 1980s: birthdays at Showbiz Pizza Place, swimming at the Faculty Club pool on Neyland, and drinking cherry cokes at Long’s Drug Store off Kingston Pike. I have spent time in Boston, Ohio and Georgia. Those other places had their charm, but something, whether it was the kindness of the people, or the pull of the mountains and the river, always drew me back here.
Q. What gave you the idea for the book?
When we had our daughter Vivi, I think it made us more creative people. You feel the need to take them to interesting places, constantly read, and then come up with engaging games and characters. As a 4 to 5-year-old, Vivi was always writing her own books and drawing, and it reawakened my creative side. We live downtown and instead of walking around a traditional neighborhood, we see Market Square, the Sunsphere and Gay Street on a regular basis.
A trip out of town where we discovered the book "Goodnight Memphis," led me down a rabbit hole of these styles of local books, that say goodnight to all of the big landmarks of the town. Knoxville didn't have one, and we improved upon this model by adding in Dr. Seuss rhymes and the Kitty character, inspired by our two cats, Stella and Penelope.
Q. Can you speak to the importance of a book written for children about Knoxville?
"The Kitty of Knoxville" is the book I wish I had when our daughter was born. Sometimes if something doesn't exist, it will never exist unless you make it yourself. There are things about Knoxville that kids should know. Why are we called “The Scruffy City” or “The Marble City?” Why are University of Tennessee's sports teams called “The Volunteers?” Children should know who Dolly Parton and Peyton Manning are, and why the Sunsphere was built. The book is a fun way to learn and to appreciate our history.
Q. Your book is beautifully illustrated. How did you choose which Knoxville landmarks to include?
You lead with the iconic structures like the Sunsphere and Neyland Stadium, and work your way down the list until you run out of room. Obviously you can’t include everything, but we really tried to. What we couldn't fit in the main story, we tried to put in either the Knoxville map section, or the endpapers, where we included the Civic Coliseum, Old City Hall and Chilhowee Park. Another aspect is preserving memories of how things used to be. In the last few years, the Sunsphere went from being green to blue, the JFG sign was taken down (that was on the south side of the Gay Street Bridge), and the downtown trolleys were discontinued. Even if Knoxville College and the Patrick Sullivan building change over time, I wanted to show them how they originally appeared.
“‘The Kitty of Knoxville’ is a book I wish I had when our daughter was born.”
“When we had our daughter Vivi, I think it made us more creative people. You feel the need to take them to interesting places, constantly read, and then come up with engaging games and characters.”
Q. Is there a question you wish I had asked but didn’t?
What’s been interesting is how things have changed for me after writing the book. Before I just thought of myself as an author, but now I feel like I’m the CEO of a very, very tiny corporation. I am in charge of media relations, marketing, sales, and book distribution. I have also been developing my skills as a speaker when I go to elementary schools for readings and presentations.
Visit KittyofKnoxville.com to purchase online or find local retailers.
Spring is here! We compiled a list of flowers that - depending on your planting zone - can be planted in the season.
Plumbago
Has beautiful dark blue or white flowers on a large shrub of 3 to 5 feet. This tends to freeze down in winter and comes back from roots in the spring.
Hibiscus
The tropical variety will not survive the winters so move those pots inside. The plant can get up to 5 feet tall and there are many different colors and varieties. The perennial varieties will freeze to the ground but come back in the spring. The variety Moy Grande is known as the dinner plate hibiscus. The Texas star hibiscus has beautiful flowers in red or white.
These colorful plants can be planted in baskets and pots, not in water-logged or low areas where water might collect. They will grow best when given enough space to spread out, and should be planted in an area that will allow them a minimum of 5-6 hours of sunlight every day. Colors include orange, pink, purple, white, red, tangerine and fuschia to name a few.
This is great in baskets for trailing leaves with lots of colors. The bees love it!
This 3 to 4-foot bush is a must for monarch lovers. Monarchs feed on the leaves before making their cocoons. It has beautiful orange and yellow flowers.
ARTICLE BY LORI HAWKINS
This is a great hot weather plant that comes in many colors and varieties. Trailing varieties only get about 1 foot tall but can get 3 to 4 feet wide. There are bush varieties that get 4 feet tall and dwarf bushes only get about 2 feet tall. It comes in yellows, purples, reds, oranges, pinks, fuchsia, and many others.
This fuzzy light blue flower is a butterfly favorite.
This is another bee and butterfly favorite that grows about 10 to 12 inches tall. There is a graffiti variety in different colors that works in beds or pots.
This plant comes in upright or trailing varieties. There are many colors to choose from: lavender, white with a red center, peach, white and red, pink to strawberry.
There are many varieties of sage. The Texas sage is a shrub that has beautiful lavender flowers - a favorite for bees. They usually bloom around the time it rains. Henry Duelberg variety is a smaller bush 18 to 20 inches tall with blue stalks of blooms. Russian Sage is a tall silver lacey foliage with light blue flower spikes and grows to 4 feet tall. Deer tend to stay away from most of the sages.
This plant makes a large bush of red or pink flowers. It has low water needs once established and can tolerate drought conditions and hot temperatures. Prune back plant in winter if it gets too leggy.
These need more water than most other plants and come in many colors. They are valued for their vibrant colors, abundant blooms, and tolerance for shade.
With lush multicolored leaves, many larger than the palm of your hand, caladiums have become one of the most popular foliage plants for shady or semi-shady gardens—with many recent introductions being sun tolerant.
A SELECTION OF UPCOMING LOCAL EVENTS
APRIL 4TH
The Sword in the Stone at the Knoxville Children’s Theatre
New Location! 747 World’s Fair Park Drive (formerly the historic Foundry) | 7:30 PM
Enjoy the FIRST production at Knoxville Children’s Theatre new home, formerly the historic Foundry on World’s Fair Park Drive. Growing up in the court of his guardian Sir Ector, young Arthur plays at sword fighting, and dreams of becoming a great knight. When wizard Merlin arrives, Arthur starts an education that will alter his destiny and forever change England. April 4-20. Evening and matinee performances. Tickets: KnoxvilleChildrensTheatre.com/tc-events/
APRIL 5TH
2025 Covenant Health Knoxville Marathon
Downtown Knoxville | 7:30 AM
Join us for the 2025 Covenant Health Knoxville Marathon with something for everyone (even a Virtual Option). Sat., April 5: 5:30 p.m. Covenant Kids Run; 7 p.m. Covenant Health 5K. Sun., April 6: 7:27 a.m. Wheelchair and Handcycle Participant Start. 7:30 a.m. Marathon, Half Marathon, 2 Person Relay and 4-Person Relay Start. All races start on Clinch Avenue Bridge and finish in World’s Fair Park. RunSignUp.com/Race/TN/Knoxville/KnoxvilleMarathon
APRIL 12TH
Knoxville Opera Company Rossini Festival
Downtown Knoxville | 10:00 AM
KOC’s Rossini Festival is the annual International Street Fair celebrating the global impact on the music, food, art, and culture of East Tennessee. At this two-day family-oriented festival, the public is treated to non-stop entertainment on four outdoor stages showcasing opera, classical, jazz, gospel, ethnic music, ballet, modern, and ethnic dance April 12-13. Food vendors and 75+ artisans. Y FunZone for children. Free admission. Knoxvilleopera.org/rossini-festival/
APRIL 15TH
Knoxville Jazz Orchestra's Silver Anniversary Celebration
Bijou Theatre | 8:00 PM
After a quarter century of backing up some of the jazz world’s greatest artists, this event will put the spotlight on the musicians who have dedicated themselves to making the KJO a success. It will also highlight some of the young local talent lighting the way to the future. KnoxBijou.org/events/knoxville-jazz-orchestra-2024-2025/
APRIL 16TH
Clarence Brown Theater | 7:30 PM
This ill-fated play-within-a-play of “The Murder at Haversham Manor” is set on the opening night of the Cornley Drama Society’s newest production. The troupe’s whodunit has everything you never want in a show: falling props, collapsing scenery, an unconscious leading lady, a corpse that can’t play dead, and actors who trip over everything … including their lines. “The funniest play Broadway has ever seen!” For tickets, ClarenceBrownTheatre.com/shows/the-play-that-goes-wrong/
APRIL 17TH
River & Rail Theatre, 111 State Street | 7:30 PM
Set in South Philadelphia in March 1959, this musical showcases one of Billie Holiday’s last performances before her death later that year. Interwoven with stories about her life, this one-woman musical features local artists. Director: Drew Drake Cast: Shinnerrie Jackson as Billie Holiday. Shawn Turner as Jimmy Powers April 17-May 4. RiverAndRailTheatre.com/our-season/
GET IN TOUCH AT CITYLIFESTYLE.COM/WESTKNOXVILLE
APRIL 19TH
An Evening with David Sedaris
Bijou Theatre | 7:30 PM
David Sedaris is one of America’s pre-eminent humor writers. Nominated for five Grammy Awards for Best Spoken Word and Best Comedy Album. Beloved for his personal essays and short stories, David Sedaris is the author of the New York Times best-sellers such as “Barrel Fever,” “Holidays on Ice,” “ Naked,” “Me Talk Pretty One Day,” “Dress Your Family in Corduroy and Denim,” among others. KnoxBijou.org/bijou-events
APRIL 24TH
Symphony Orchestra MoxCar
Tennessee Theatre | 7:30 PM
Fate unfolds in the Knoxville Symphony’s April program with conductor Aram Demirjian presenting Carl Orff’s masterpiece “Carmina Burana,” featuring the Knoxville Choral Society and Knoxville Symphony Youth Choir, and Carlos Simon’s emotional “Fate Now Conquers” and Samuel Barber’s Symphony No. 1 in One Movement. Ashley Fabian, soprano, Andrew Skoog, tenor, and Alex Desocio, baritone. April 24 and 25. TennesseeTheatre.com
APRIL 25TH
World's Fair Park | 10:00 AM
Established in 1961, the Dogwood Arts Festival is one of the most celebrated cultural events in Knoxville! The festival is held on the beautifully redesigned Performance Lawn at World’s Fair Park and features over 100 fine art vendors, live music, entertainment, children's activities, food & beverage vendors, and more. April 25-27 Fri. and Sat.10 a.m–7 p.m.Sun.10 a.m.–5 p.m. DogwoodArts.com/dogwoodartsfestival
APRIL 29TH
Farragut West Knox Chamber of Commerce Ribbon Cutting
200 Brooklawn St. 37934 | 4:00 PM
Farragut West Knox Chamber of Commerce Ribbon Cutting
Join The Farragut Chamber of Commerce as they welcome Anchor 934 Apartment Homes to the community! April 29, 4–5 p.m. 200 Brooklawn St. 37934. Please arrive by 3:45 p.m. as remarks begin promptly at 4 p.m. followed by the ribbon cutting. More information: FarragutChamber. ChamberMaster.com/eventregistration/register/11737
MAY 2ND
Outlandish Adventure Festival
Ijams Nature Center | 9:00 AM
The Outlandish Adventure Festival May 2-3 at Ijams Nature Center is two days of thrills, spectacles, music and outdoor fun. Slacklining over the quarry, kayaking freestyle stunts, biking, hiking, climbing, paddleboarding, yoga and bird watching, live music and fire dancers, kids activities and more. Food vendors all day. Profits help support outdoor resources in the Knoxville community. OutLandIshaf.org
MAY 22ND
Marble Hall at Lakeshore Park | 6:00 PM
Dining for Joy will be an unforgettable evening of connection with fellow music enthusiasts to support tuition-free music education for kids in need at the Joy of Music School. Enjoy a buffet-style dinner prepared by local chefs from Real Good Kitchen, spring-themed cocktails and mocktails, and the soulful sounds of Smooth Sailor. Special Performance by Joy of Music School Students. Tickets and more information: JoyofMusicSchool.Kindful.com/e/dining-for-joy-2025
NEW Covenant Health Park
Knoxville Old City | April 24
Four Levels of ticket packages. General Admission 170 Seats. VIP 65 seats. Platinum 25 seats. Elite 15 seats. VIP, Platinum and Elite attendees have the opportunity to spend more time with our available speakers, other VIP, Platinum, and Elite attendees and surprise special guests. Seating is limited.
Ticket packages: Knoxvillesummit.com Questions? info@knoxvillesummit.com
Knoxville Summit 2025 is an exclusive event–limited to 250 attendees–where leaders and high achievers come to be educated, encouraged and empowered to enhance their performance and impact. Knoxville Summit distinguishes itself from other leadership conferences by offering a unique, impactful lineup of leaders from the sports and business community.
Clay Travis – Outkick/Writer/Lawyer/Radio and Television Host
Inky Johnson – American Motivational Speaker/Former UT Football Player
Randy Boyd – President of the University of Tennessee/ Founder Radio Systems Corporation/Boyd Sports / TnAchieves
Tamika Catchings – Four-Time Gold Medalist/Former Lady Vol/Indiana Fever VP of Basketball Operations
Mark Pancratz – Northwestern Mutual: Axiom Wealth Management Founder/Wealth Management Advisor
James VanderSteeg – CEO of Covenant Health/One of Becker’s “Nonprofit Hospital and Health System CEOs to Know”
Patricia Bible – Owner, CEO & President of KaTom Restaurant Supply INC/Community Leader
Get an exclusive peek behind the scenes of everything they’ve built, including what worked and what didn’t, so you can benefit from their experiences and apply their proven strategies to your own journey. Learn strategies to enhance leadership ability, build relationships with like-minded individuals, and hear inspiring success stories and innovative ideas to make a larger impact and achieve greater success.
MORNING SESSION
• 7:00-8:00 a.m. – VIP Workout
• 9:00 a.m. – Welcome
• 9:10 a.m. – CLAY TRAVIS
• 10:00 a.m. – CEO / LEADERSHIP PANEL
• 11:00 a.m. – INKY JOHNSON
• 12:00 p.m. – VIP Lunch
AFTERNOON SESSION
• 1:00 p.m. – Welcome
• 1:10 p.m. – TAMIKA CATCHINGS
• 2:10 p.m. – CEO / LEADERSHIP PANEL
• 3:10 p.m. – RANDY BOYD
• 4:00 p.m. – VIP SOCIAL HOUR: Bourbon Tasting
• 5:30 p.m. – VIP / PLATINUM DINNER
• 8:00 p.m. – Closing Ceremony
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