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Annual Siege of Fort Watauga  at Sycamore Shoals State Historic Area 

May 19th and 20th

May 15, 2012Volume 26, Issue 23

On Saturday, May 19th and Sunday, May 20th, Sycamore Shoals State Historic Area will host living history re-enactors for the annual Siege of Fort Watauga. Over 150 Colonial, British, and Native re-enactors will converge at the re-created Fort Watauga at Sycamore Shoals to relive !"#$%&'($)"#*$+,#-./&0($1-(!$frontier was the land beyond the blue ridge.

At the outbreak of the American Revolutionary War in 1775, local area settlers aligned themselves with the colonies, whereas the Cherokee aligned them-selves with the British. The Watauga and Nolichucky settlers organized themselves into the Washington District and formed a Committee of Safety to purchase arms and ammunition. The Committee also oversaw the construction of various forts, including Fort Caswell (later called Fort Watauga) at Sycamore

Annual Siege of Fort Watauga at Sycamore Shoals State Historic Area

May 19th and 20th

Shoals.In July 1776, the Cherokee

invaded the Nolichucky, Holston, and Watauga settle-ments. Although the settlers were chased out of Carter’s Valley and the Nolichucky valley, the Holston settlers managed to thwart Drag-ging Canoe at the Battle of Island Flats at modern day Kingsport. Shortly thereafter, a Cherokee contingent of 300 led by Old Abraham of Chil-howee reached Fort Watauga.

200 Wataugans, led by John Carter, James Robert-son, and John Sevier, were well-prepared, having been warned of the invasion by local heroine Nancy Ward. The Cherokee laid siege to Fort Watauga for about two weeks before retreating. The following year, the Cherokee signed the Treaty of Long Island ceding the Sycamore Shoals area to the United States. The Siege of Fort Watauga is a live retelling of

the dramatic events of the Cherokee attack.

The event lasts from 10:00 am to 5:00 pm on Saturday, May 19th and 10:00 am to 3:00 pm on Sunday, May 20th. Step back in time as you visit the fort, militia camps, British encampment, and Native camp. Be im-mersed in 18th century fron-tier life as you witness daily aspects of colonial culture. Take advantage of colonial merchants selling period wares in “Sutler’s Row”. See the clash of two cultures as the attack on fort Watauga is recreated both days at 1:00 pm. Also, attend our auction of 18th century reproduc-tions at 2:30 on Saturday.

For more information on this and other exciting events at Sycamore Shoals please contact the park at 423-543-5808 or visit the park’s website at www.sycamoreshoalstn.org.

Colonial, British, and Native re­enactors will converge at the re­created Fort Watau­

!"#"$#%&'"()*+#%,)"-.#$)#*+-/0+#$,+#1"&.#2,+3#4(+*/'"5.#6*.$#7*)3$/+*##2".#$,+#-"31#beyond the blue ridge.  

Sam Lewis is anything but ordinary. From his no-mad childhood to his attention to detail, he and his music are traveled and versed. “Lewis takes simplic-ity from Willie Nelson, poetry from Bob Dylan, soul from Ray Charles, stage presence from Leon Russell, rich delivery from Van Morrison and combines them to create one authentic, solid message...” Fishbowl Records http://samlewistunes.com/

Border Bash Sam Lewis & Kenny Vaughn 

May 18th, 7 pm

Sam Lewis

Set in Historic Downtown Bristol, Border Bash continues on May 18, in the 800 block of State Street. The evening begins at 6.p.m. with children’s activities, crafters, and concessions. The event is 2-##3$45"#$1-(!$67-%#-$6&("$"#8%$9&'$:!";$)&($&$!-#,#*%7<($(<//#((=>$(&.%$?"-.(!.*&$68#@.*(;$AB#/<-tive Director of Believe in Bristol. “We were blessed with perfect weather and community support by having dinner, shopping and investing back in downtown, that’s what Border Bash is all about”.

May 18 at 7pm, live music with Kenny Vaughn & Sam Lewis. Kenny Vaughn is one of the most sought after ses-sion guitar players in Nashville. Vaughan penned all of the songs on his new release, “V”. He performs with Stuart ev-ery Monday night in Nashville fronting his own trio. http://www.kennyvaughan.net.

Kenny Vaughn

The event is hosted by Believe in Bristol, Birthplace of Country Music Alliance, and Bristol Rhythm & Roots Reunion. For more information, and to view the 2012 event sponsors, visit believeinbristol.org, birthplaceofcountry-music.org, or bristolrhythm.com or call(423) 573-2200 or (423) 573-4898.

The Loafer!

At long last and after many months of hard work, Theatre Bristol is opening the ArtSpace doors again for a unique theatrical experience. On May 18 Theatre Bristol will proudly be presenting three one-act plays written by the winning local authors of their 2011 Playwrights Contest. To cel-ebrate opening its performance doors again. The plays are Prom Tryouts by Rose Klix; The Serpents Curse by Roman White; and The Rockheimers by Dawn-Hunter Strobel. The three plays are a part of Theatre Bristol’s ongoing effort to recognize, foster and support local talent. The three plays are Prom Tryouts, The Rockheimers and The Serpent’s Curse.

Prom Tryouts, featuring performances by Ben Fitton, Katelyn Morrell, Brooke Smith, Nick Austin, Jonathan Cross, Audrey Scyphers, Will Walling and Camille Gray, is as entertaining as its title. Torn by who to take to the prom, the main character resorts to auditioning potential dates looking for Ms. Right. But is he overlooking the real girl of his dreams?

The Rockheimers, featuring performances by Audrey Scyphers, Will Walling, Ben Fitton, Camille Gray, Luke Grey, Brooke Smith, Rori Simmons, Callee-Scout Love and Audrey Chapman is an unusual tale about a most unusual family. Led by a father who is a professional dog-food taster, this family rides a roller coaster when crazy Uncle Joe shoots the neighbors cat, or so he thinks.

The Serpents Curse, features performances by Ben Fitton, Katelyn Morrell, Will Walling, Jonathan Cross and Nick Austin. Unfolding before you like only a murder mystery can, this play centers around a winged serpent statue about to be given to a local museum. Who dies? Who did it &*%$)"'C$$+*%$)"&!$D#/7,#($72$!"#$(!&!<#C$$?7,#$!7$5"#&!-#$6-.(!78$!7$1*%$7<!>

For more information about the Playwright Dinner Theatre at Theatre Bristol, please call 423-968-4977. Please don’t hesitate to leave a message as much work is being done to ready for this fantastic E-7%</!.7*>$FG$5./H#!($&!$!"#$%77-3$I-.%&'$9&'$JK$L$MNOP;$Q&!<-%&'$9&'$RP$L$MNOP$&*%$Q<*%&'$9&'$RJ$L$RNOP3

Theatre Bristol to Host Playwright Dinner Theatre

Jim Stowell is a one-man theater sensation and storyteller extraor-dinaire. He will perform as the next teller in resi-dence for Jonesborough’s E7E<8&-$Q!7-'!#88.*S$T.@#>$series.

Stowell is a new voice in the storytelling world; performing at the Nation-al Storytelling Festival last year. However, he is a longtime performer on the theater scene; story-telling has always been on his radar. “They were sort of parallel worlds here

Storyteller Jim Stowell Next Up for Storytelling Live!

in the Twin Cities”. “ I went to see them sometimes, and they came to see me some-times”.

He transitioned from theater to storytelling after sharing the stage with Kevin Kling, a Min-neapolis storyteller and frequent contributor to NPR.

Stowell often writes about his travels around the world. The shift from one-man shows to stories was a natural one.

“For me, it’s like going from writing novels to writ-

ing short stories. “I used to do these two-hour long plays. Now I do stories that last from 10 minutes to half an hour. They each have their own unique demands”. Stowell shares travel stories about Ire-land, Central America, and South America. And talks about his colorful boyhood in south Texas, just ten miles from the Mexican border, as well as the 15 years backpack-ing through California in the 60s and 70s.

These days, he leads a relatively settled life, dividing his time be-tween the Twin Cities, and northern Wisconsin, where he spends the summer months as a park ranger living in a historic lighthouse on Lake Su-perior.

Stowell performs daily matinees May 15 – 19,

Story continued next page

Bristol Rhythm & Roots Reunion makes Virginia Living Magazine’s Best of Virginia 2012 issue, placing third in the online reader’s poll as one of Southwest Virginia’s “Best Large Music Venues”. I87'%2#(!;$&*7!"#-$+218.&!#$U&-!*#-$&87*S$5"#$?-77H#%$V7&%N$W.-S.*.&0($X#-.!&S#$9<(./$5-&.8;$E8&/#%$1-(!3

“It’s a great honor because it was voted on by the public. “ (&'($6?9+Y6VVV$AB#/<!.@#$Z.-#/!7-$T#&"$Ross, “and we are thrilled for the folks at Floydfest. They shattered attendance records last year and always put on a quality event. We’re in great company here in Southwest Virginia! A sincere ‘thank you’ to everyone who voted”!

Folk Soul Revival and Susan Brown & Friends placed second and third among the issue’s “Best Local Bands”. At Bristol Rhythm 2011 Folk Soul Revival was voted “Favorite Virginia Band” by the folks at Virginia is for Lovers; both acts will perform at Bristol Rhythm 2012. Virginia Living’s Best of Virginia 2012 is out at newsstands, or can be purchased online.

Bristol Rhythm & Roots“Best of Virginia”

Tuesday- Saturday, 2 p.m. in the Mary B. Mar-tin Storytelling Hall in Jonesborough.

Tickets are on sale now, and reservations are recommended. Tickets for all performances are FJR$27-$&%<8!(3$FJJ$27-$(#-niors, students, and chil-dren under 18. Audience members can receive a 10 percent discount on same-day dining at The Creekside Restaurant, The Dining Room, or

Jim Stowell continued Main Street Café by show-ing their ticket stub.

The Teller-in-Residence series (aka Storytelling T.@#>[$.($&$(#&(7*&8$E-7-gram that invites a new storyteller to Jonesborough each week in the summer and fall. A detailed schedule of the 2012 season is available at www.storytellingcenter.

net.Season passes offer nearly 50 percent savings are available for a limited time while supplies last. The Center is open 10 a.m. – 5 p.m., Monday through Q&!<-%&'3$Q!7-'!#88.*S$T.@#>$

For information or a group reservation, call (800) 952-8392 ext. 222, 423) 913-1276.

May 10, 2012 “All the world’s a stage.” A new, adventurous children’s theatre production comes to the Tri-Cities.

This is LampLight The-&!-#0($12!"$(#&(7*&8$E-7-duction for Children’s Theatre. This year’s production is called, “All God’s Children.”

Join our musical gang as we travel to all seven continents learning about their different cultures and Christian traditions.

The scripture comes to life through music, dance, and truths shared by some eccentric char-acters from around the world. Come and meet colorful Abayomi &Pumba (Africa), tropi-cal Iara, the “Water Lady” (South America), and Boomer and Blunder from down under (Aus-tralia). Princess Bao,

and Shangri & La (Asia) bring a pleasant sur-prise to the stage with a special appearance of the China Angels. The Oasis Players share how our language and cultures began with the Tower of Babel. They will also educate us about the great white continent of Antarctica.

Of course, our favorites will return once more. Shadie Sadie the Syca-

more Tree will represent North America and Tick-er the Clock will show <($&-7<*%$A<-7E#3$5".($multi-cultural voyage will educate students and present wonderful truths from God’s word through energetic songs and stories from the scriptures. Our talented Adventure Team will be on hand to guide and entertain us on an unfor-S#!!&D8#$2<*\188#%$!-.E3$A@#*$!"7<S"$)#$8.@#$.*$a great big world, we are all of one blood. We have a responsibility to share Christ and to those who do not know Him regardless of our differ-ences.

Performances of “All God’s Children” will be Friday May 18 at 7:00 p.m., Saturday, May 19 at 2:00 p.m. & 7:00 p.m. and Sunday, May 20 at 3:00 p.m. Doors open one hour prior to perfor-mances.

A suggested donation for each performance is F]3$$+$87@#$722#-.*S$).88$be taken at each produc-tion to help support the ministry. The LampLight D7B$721/#$&!$:RO\O:K\7610, Monday through Friday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

For a complete theatre schedule for 2012 www.lamplighttheatre.com. LampLight Theatre is located at 441 Horton Highway, Fall Branch, TN.

Lamplight Theatre brings to life All God’s Children

Lamplight Theatre stage sceen 

Blood, Sweat and Tears Niswonger Performing Arts Center

May 19th

See Blood, Sweat and Tears at the Niswonger Performing Arts Center Saturday, May 19, 7:30 p.m. during Iris Festival week-end. “One of the greatest horn bands in the history of popular music, BS&T’s alumni roster reads like a Who’s Who of the world’s greatest jazz and rock musicians”. Ac-cording to Darrell Bryan, AB#/<!.@#$Z.-#/!7-$72$!"#$Niswonger Performing Arts Center, The band started in Greenwich Village, New York and has world-wide &//8&.,;$D#/7,.*S$!"#$1-(!$.*$,&*'$/&!#S7-.#(N$1-(!$band to tour behind the ^-7*$?<-!&.*;$1-(!$D&*%$!7$have three hit singles from !"#$(&,#$-#/7-%;$&*%$1-(!$band to combine rock with jazz. BS&T earned multiple gold albums, 10 Grammy nominations and won three Grammy Awards, including the most prestigious of them all, Album of the Year. Hits include “You’ve Made Me So Very Happy,” “Spinning Wheel,” “And When I Die,” “God Bless The Child,” and many more.

BS&T cares about local communities. In 2005 after hurricane Katrina devas-tated New Orleans, BS&T donated money to replace musical instruments and invited the high school marching band to join them

on stage to jam. A night the kids and very proud parents will never forget.

Current members of BS&T include Teddy Mulet, from Puerto Rico, who plays several instruments; Glenn McClel-land, since 1987; Jason Paige, vocalist, who sings 100’s of jingles; Ken Gioffre, saxophonist; Gary Foote, bass chair for 21 years; Steve Jankowski, musical direc-tor and trumpet player; Jens Wendelboe, trombone; Andrea

Valentini, drums for 11 years; and Dave Gellis, lead guitarist and vocalist, since 1985.

For ticketing informa-tion, call the NPAC Box _21/#$&!$:RO\MOK\JMG`$a_E#*$from 11:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Monday through Friday). NPAC is located adjacent to Greeneville High School at 212 Tusculum Blvd. in Greeneville, Tennessee. For other information, visit www.greenevillenpac.com.

Blood Sweat and Tears on Tour 2012

The AG Wrappers will present 5XA$X_UA$:;$&$277!-&/#$&*%$)#88*#(($)&8H$!7$D#*#1!$!"#$American Cancer Society, on Saturday May 19 in Greeneville TN. Beginning at 8:04 AM, run-ners will complete a 4-mile route while walkers complete 4K, or about 2.5 miles. Both courses begin and end on the campus of Tusculum College.

“As in last year’s inaugu-ral event, the routes showcase the beautiful Greene County countryside,” said Jon Reynolds, event co-director. “This year we are excited to unveil up-dated courses: participants will /7,E8#!#$!"#$1*&8$(#/!.7*$.*(.%#$the Tusculum College Indoor Practice Facility, a 44,400 square 277!$2<88'\#*/87(#%$(7//#-$1#8%3=$The running course is certi-1#%$D'$bQ+$5-&/H$c$I.#8%;$&*%$electronic chip timing will be provided by the State of Franklin Track Club.$+2!#-$/-7((.*S$!"#$1*.("$,.%\

1#8%;$)&8H#-($&*%$-<**#-($).88$enjoy snacks, music, an art show, the awards celebration, and door prizes.

Original art awards will be granted to the Top Overall fe-male and male runners, winners of the Master and Grandmasters divisions, and to the top three female and male winners in each age category. Student artists Lydia Cole, Jillian Hopland, and Kay Kennedy created this year’s awards.$A@#*!$7-S&*.d#-($"&@#$

planned the activities with the help of local law enforcement. “We are pleased to be working again with American Greet-ings and Tusculum College to

ensure everyone’s safety,” said Danny Greene, Tusculum Chief of Police. “Tusculum is a great community and perfect for this type of event.”$U7-!.7*($72$A-).*$X.S"-

way and Shiloh Road will be restricted or temporarily closed on the morning of May 19, and motorists are asked to use cau-tion if traveling in the area.

Mail-in and online registra-tion is discounted through

May 11. For online registration through May 17, go to The-X_UA:3/7,3$^*\E#-(7*$-#S.(!-&-tion will be available on May 18 from 3-7 PM at American Greetings, 101 American Road in Afton, and at the event begin-ning at 7:04 AM in the starting line area.

Based at American Greetings, the AG Wrappers Relay For Life !#&,$"&($-&.(#%$7@#-$FJJ];PPP$27-$!"#$1S"!$&S&.*(!$/&*/#-3$4e#0-#$

excited to offer this opportunity for healthy activity again this year. We invite everyone to come run, walk, and help to eliminate cancer as a major health issue,” said Karen Lane, co-captain of the team.

For more information visit 5"#X_UA:3/7,;$#,&.8$,7-#.*-27L5"#X_UA:3/7,;$7-$/&88$a:RO[$636-2141.

!""#$%&'()*'++,'--)*%+.)#")/','0#)12'$3&%,)4%,&'$)5"&3'#6

Local restaurant, Biggie’s Restaurant is helping the American Cancer Society with their mission to save lives &*%$/-#&!#$&$)7-8%$).!"$,7-#$D.-!"%&'($D'$"#8E.*S$E#7E8#$(!&'$)#88$&*%$S#!$)#88;$D'$1*%.*S$/<-#($&*%$D'$1S"!.*S$D&/H3$5"-7<S"$(<EE7-!$72$!"#$V#8&'$I7-$T.2#$72$f.*S(E7-!;$5"#$/.!.d#*($&*%$D<(.*#((#($72$!"#$5-.$?.!.#($are helping our Society do just that. One such business, Biggie’s Restaurant & Raw Bar, will be giving patrons )"7$%7*&!#$FJP$7-$,7-#$!7$!"#$+?Q$V#8&'$27-$T.2#$&$,&!/".*S$6.SS.#0($S.2!$/&-%3$5"#'$).88$&8(7$D#$(#88.*S$8<,.*&-.#($.*$"7*7-$72$!"7(#$/<--#*!8'$1S"!.*S$/&*/#-$&*%$.*$,#,7-'$72$!"7(#$)"7(#$8.@#($"&@#$D##*$87(!$!7$cancer. There will also be an upcoming Cornhole Tournament at Biggies to raise additional funds for the cause. X78(!7*$Z.(!-.D<!7-($).88$D#$%7*&!.*S$!7$!"#$!#&,$c$(E7*(7-.*S$!"#$#@#*!3$I7887)$6.SS.#0($7*$I&/#D77H$L$6.S-gies Tennessee for all the details. V#8&'$I7-$T.2#$.($&$/7,,<*.!'\D&(#%;$@78<*!##-\%-.@#*$#@#*!$%#%./&!#%$!7$!"#$1S"!$&S&.*(!$/&*/#-3$5"#$2<*%($

raised in this drive will support the American Cancer Society’s goal of helping people get well by being there for cancer patients and their loved ones as they go through the cancer journey. The 2012 ACS Relay For Life of Kingsport will be held on June 1st in Downtown Kingsport on Broad and Main Streets, beginning at 6pm. The evening includes the Survivor Victory Lap for cancer survivors, the Bluegrass on Broad concert, a candle light-.*S$8<,.*&-.&$/#-#,7*'$!7$"7*7-$&*%$-#,#,D#-$!"7(#$!"&!$1S"!$/&*/#-3$

Call 423-282-7004 or visit www.relayforlife.org/kingsporttn for information on how to form a team, sponsor or volunteer for the event. For additional information on the American Cancer Society, call 1-800-227-2345 or visit cancer.org.

American Cancer Society  Relay For Life

Kingsport Helps People Get Well to Create a World With Less Cancer, More Birthdays

!""#$%&'()*'++,'--)*%+.)#")/','0#)12'$3&%,)4%,&'$)5"&3'#6

“State Street is known for its train station and the ‘Downtown Train’ however, after the concert on May 24th our train will not be thought of in the same way again for a long time” said Darlene Cole, Venue Manager for the City of Bristol.

“No one can weave a story into a song like Rod Stewart and although we aren’t able to bring Rod to downtown Bristol, we do have the next best thing. Not only will songs like Down-town Train be performed, but other great hits such as Maggie May, Hot Legs, Tonight’s the Night, and Do You Think I’m Sexy”. Tribute Series Begins at Downtown Center and Rob Caudill will be headlin-ing a super concert.

Caudill is a perfect Rod Stewart impersonator, with

Tribute Series Begins at Bristol Downtown Center May 24, Tribute to Rod Stewart

spiky blonde hair and a plethora of stage clothes. This singer has carved out a career recreating Rod Stewart. People stop him in airports to ask for an autograph. And when he struts on stage, people scream themselves hoarse. Caudill kicks out soccer balls into the audi-ence and spins mic stands in a high energy show while he belts out Rod’s greatest hits, it is a must-see show for all ages. Caudill has worked with the world famous Legends in Concert out of Las Vegas for 16 years and performs independently all over the world.

“!"#$%"&'$(%$)"#$*+%)$(,$&-+$popular tribute concert series. This series began last year and was a huge success,” reported Terrie Talbert, Director of

Community Relations for the city. “We are encouraging everyone to come out early to get a seat.F rom what we have seen on video, he is an amazing performer and is backed by a fantastic four piece band”.

The concert is free to the public. The Full Moon Jam Concert and Tribute series runs May -September on Tuesday and Thursday eve-nings beginning at 7:00 P.M. The concerts are hosted at 810 State Street in the Down-town Center and are spon-sored by the City of Bristol Tennessee, Wells Fargo Bank, BristolHerald Courier, and Charter Media.For more information contact Darlene Cole, Venue Manager at 423-764-4171 or %/78#LD-.(!78!*37-S3

Sycamore Shoals State  Historic Area 

75th Anniversary

Sycamore Shoals Fife & Drum Corps--Saturdays 11:00 am. The Fife & Drum Corps performs at historical events, dedications, and parades. Ages 13 & up. Musical experience is welcome but not

necessary; just come with a willingness to learn. Lessons are free of charge, just call and let us know '7<0-#$/7,.*S>

Primitive Tin Punching in the Country Tradition Instructor: Doug Ledbetter Saturday, May 5, 10 am g$*77*3$?7(!N$$FJ]3PP$.*/8<%#($!.*$&*%$E&!!#-*3$9.*N]Y9&BNJ]3$+%<8!($_*8'3$^*$!"#$/7<*!-'$!-&%.!.7*$72$!"#$#&-8'$+,#-./&*$E.#$(&2#0($72$A&(!$5#**#((##;$'7<$).88$/-#&!#$&$JR$B$J]=$%#(.S*$2-7,$E&!!#-*($!&H#*$

from antique pie safe’s of this region. You will also learn how to collect,age, cut tin, and make patterns. 6-.*S$&$"&,,#-;$&$,#%.<,$!7$(,&88$h&!$(/-#)%-.@#-$&*%$U".88.E($"#&%$(/-#)%-.@#-3

The Liberty Spinners--Tuesday, May 8 (2nd Tuesday of the Month) 9:30 am – 1 pm. This gathering of (E.**#-($&*%$1D#-$&-!.(!($.($7E#*$!7$&*'7*#$.*!#-#(!#%$.*$!"#$&-!$72$(E.**.*S3$$i7.*$<($&!$`NOP$&,$7*$!"#$

2nd Tuesday of each month (except December).

Bird Walk with the Lee & Lois Herndon TOS Chapter--Saturday, May 12, 8:00 a.m. Meet other bird-ers and naturalists at Sycamore Shoals for a morning of birding during the migratory season.

Carter County Expo. Presented by Carter County/Elizabethton S.A.L.T. Council. Saturday, May 12, 9:30 am – 1:00 pm. This expo is designed to reduce crime and victimization of older persons. Special

programs include presentations about identity theft, medicare fraud, elder abuse, and synthetic drugs. +$/7,E8#!#$(/"#%<8#$72$!"#$ABE7$.($&@&.8&D8#$.*$!"#$Q'/&,7-#$Q"7&8($W.(.!7-$?#*!#-3

Colonial Kids at Fort Watauga Friday, May 18. All are invited to attend this all-day event for kids ages

8-12. Join the Washington County Militia for a taste of 18th century life: black powder muskets, old-time games, marching drills, tomahawk throwing, Dutch-oven cooking, and a host of other colonial

&/!.@.!.#(3$$+%,.((.7*$.($2-##$D<!$(E&/#$.($8.,.!#%3$$V#(#-@&!.7*($_*8'>

18th Annual Siege at Fort Watauga. Saturday & Sunday, May 19 & May 20. Step back to a vibrant and dangerous time…America declares Independence in the summer of 1776, and people beyond the mountains build forts, stock powder, and sharpen hatchets for the oncoming war. Walk among local 8#S#*%(j!"#$@.@&/.7<($67**.#$f&!#;$,'(!#-.7<($_8%$+D-&,;$%.S*.1#%$?783$?&-!#-;$&*%$%&-.*S$i7"*$

Sevier—for a glimpse of life on this “dark and bloody ground.” Colonial, native, and British re-enac-tors share their past through talks, mini-dramas, and demonstrations of 18th century life. Battle re-

enactments both days. Shape Note Singing - Led by Don Wiley. Sunday, May 20th (3rd Sunday of each 97*!"[$RNPP$E,$g$:NPP$E,$Q.*S$!"#$("&E#(>$$^*$!".($#&-8'$,<(./&8$!-&%.!.7*;$4("&E#(=$-#E-#(#*!#%$#&/"$note of the do-re-mi scale. Although many Appalachian frontiersmen could not read, they achieved D#&<!.2<8$27<-\E&-!$"&-,7*.#($!"-7<S"$!".($(.,E8.1#%$,#!"7%$72$8#&-*.*S$,<(./3$$e#$.*@.!#$'7<$!7$k7.*$

“The Old Fields Singers” for an experience you will not forget.

Workshop: Atlatl and Spear Instructor: Ken Dykes.$Q&!<-%&';$9&'$RM;$JP&,$g$:E,$?7(!N$FO]$a.*/8<%#($supplies) Limit:10/Minimum: 2. Make a spear and a spear-thrower, a hunting tool used by primitive

cultures worldwide. Adults only please. Materials are provided to make an atlatl and one dart. Bring a wood working knife and dress for the weather. Class will be outside behind the picnic area.

Old Time Music Jam Art Lang Sunday, May 27th, 1:30 pm – 4 pm. Bring an acoustic instrument, your (.*S.*S$@7./#;$7-$'7<-$%&*/.*S$2##!>$a*7$!&E($E8#&(#[$$5".($&2!#-*77*$D-.*S($!7S#!"#-$,<(./.&*($72$&88$levels as they share traditional Appalachian tunes. Old-time musicians of all instruments and skill 8#@#8($&-#$)#8/7,#$!7$E8&'>$$5".($S-7<E$,##!($7*$!"#$:!"$Q<*%&'$72$!"#$,7*!";$i&*<&-'$!"-7<S"$9&'$

and September through November.

I7-$,7-#$.*27-,&!.7*$7-$!7$-#S.(!#-$27-$)7-H("7E(;$/7*!&/!$Q'/&,7-#$Q"7&8($Q!&!#$X.(!7-./$+-#&3$A8.d&-bethton, TN 37643. (423) 543-5808. Visitors Center Hours: 8:00 AM – 4:30 PM Monday through Satur-

day 1:00 PM – 4:30 PM Sunday. Our Visitors Center is closed on most State holidays. Park grounds are open from dawn until dusk.

May 2012 Events

The Historic Jonesborough Dance Society welcomes Asheville band “Spring Chickens” and caller Noah Grunzweig to the next contra

On Sunday, May 20, 2012 at the Historic Jonesborough Visitors Center, 117 Boone Street. There will be a class for beginners at 2:00pm followed by the dance from 2:30-5:30pm. There will be a waltz break at 4:00pm at which time Klondike Bars will be offered to all comers. +%,.((.7*$!7$!"#$%&*/#$.($FG;$F]$27-$XiZQ$,#,D#-($&*%$F]$27-$(!<%#*!($or watchers.

This Sunday dance will be open to all up and coming callers led by Noah Grunzweig. “Occasionally, we open up to those who are in the process of learning to call contra dances” offers David Wiley, event or-ganizer. “Noah has attended many workshops and dance caller camps and has gained valuable experience which has made him a new caller in demand around the region” adds Wiley. The microphone will be open to all those at any experience level to call a dance.

The beginner’s workshop gives !"#$#BE#-.#*/#%$%&*/#-($&*%$1-(!$timers a chance to warm up together. The caller explains many of the calls such as balance and swing, star left and star right, ladies chain across, Do-si-do, courtesy turn, allemande and hey for four. Many of these calls would be familiar to anyone who has square danced.

The contra dance employs a longwise set and allows couples to progress up and down the line to dance with all other couples. It’s a group dance where everyone in the longwise set interacts with everyone else during the song which lasts any-where from seven to ten minutes.

The Spring Chickens known mostly for their hard driving rhythmic old time repertoire will crossover to add contra dance tunes for our dance. The Spring Chickens are lead by regional potters Rob and Beth Mangum from Weaverville, NC. 7*$1%%8#$&*%$S<.!&-3$5"#$-#,&.*.*S$members of their group are McLean Bissell on bass, Art Schuster on man-dolin and Ben Harvey on banjo.

A@#*!$7-S&*.d#-;$Z&@.%$e.8#';$believes that our dance commu-nity, which is open to all comers, is growing both in size but more importantly in dance skill. “Our last dance had over 150 dancers, but the dancing was excellent.” adds Wiley. “We are getting dancers from all over !"#$-#S.7*$D#/&<(#$72$7<-$%&*/#$h77-$and because we are a very friendly and welcoming group”.

“We combine traditional live music and dances that anyone can do” adds Wiley. The dances are held two times per month in the Historic Jonesborough Visitors Center. All the dances are taught by the caller. You don’t have to bring a partner. The dances are smoke and alcohol free.

There will be no family dance on this date.

For more information, contact David Wiley, event organizer at 423-534-8879 or visit www.historicjones-boroughdancesociety.org or Historic Jonesborough Dance Society on I+?A6__f3

Spring Chickens and contra!

Help Women’s Applachia

Recovery HouseSunday, May 21Carnegie Hotel

On May 21, a group of dedicated women in business will host Rock N Red for Recovery ~ A Red Carpet Gala fundraising event to establish a much-needed Oxford Recovery House for women in Johnson City. The event will take place from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m., at the Carnegie Hotel, on 1216 W. State of Franklin Road Johnson City, TN 37604.

Oxford House™ was established to provide post-treatment transitional housing for recovering alcoholics and addicts. Numbering in the thousands across the country, these houses

offer a safe environment to lay the foundation for a sober life. They are always self-run, and self-supported by their occu-pants. Oxford House Appalachia )7<8%$D#$!"#$1-(!$72$.!($H.*%$in Johnson City. Although there are several existing facilities .*$!"#$&-#&$27-$,#*;$!"#-#$&-#$*7*#$(E#/.1/&88'$27-$)7,#*$)"7$/7,E8#!#$!-#&!,#*!3$+$87/&8$"7<(#$)7<8%$188$&$!-#,#*%7<($need, providing sober living space and an opportunity for women to regain their

independence. The goal of the May 21 event is to raise funds, collect cash

donations, and household items for a summer 2012 opening. The evening will include a fashion show, silent auction, local vendors, Summer Beauty Trends, a presentation of “Recovery Monologues”,$%77-$E-.d#($&*%$,7-#>$5"#$i&*#$Q/&--lett’s, a local ensemble, will perform. The target is to raise &EE-7B.,&!#8'$F:;PPP\F];PPP$!7$/7@#-$(!&-!\<E$/7(!(3$5"#$#@#*!$is free.

Angelee Murray is the event sponsor. She is dedicated to paying it forward and helping women; “Born and raised in Ap-palachia, I am honored and humbled to be a small part in helping The Oxford House come to fruition. In both my personal and professional lives, I am very passionate about empowering women with the tools )"#.$,##/$)&$0#$%-11#%%2-34$5$2##3$1&,*/#,)$)"6)$!"#$782&+/$9&-%#$is the exact success tool that women in our community need after exiting their rehabilitation treatment. This type of after-care tool will empower women to go from good to great, from powerless to power-ful and from a victim of this disease to a victor over addiction and/or alcoholism”.

The Rock N Red fashion show will include unique designs .*/8<%.*SN$V<2h#($67<!.l<#;$W#*<($c$I<-$Q&(('e-&E(;$?7*S7$Bags & Robot Rags and Faces by Ren with Ren Allen. Fash-ion Show support sponsors include Keith Dixon Photogra-phy, Fatheree Photography and videography with Sam Mays freshpunch. Appalachian Social Advancement Project will host local artisans and entrepreneur vendors with a portion of sales !7$D#*#1!$!"#$+EE&8&/".&$X7<(#3$5"#$@#*%7-($.*/8<%#N$m77%$Fork Farms, Stella & Dot Jewelry, Bella Luna Soaps, Dolly Dolly Oxenfree, Shakti in the Mountains and more. Community and A%</&!.7*&8$@#*%7-($).88$D#$7*$(.!#$!7$E-7@.%#$-#(7<-/#$.*27--mation on services that are available to women in recovery.

Teen Coffee Night, Jonesborough LibraryMonday, May 21 @ 6:30 p.m. or

Gray Library Tuesday, May 22 @ 6:30 p.m.

All teens, grade 6 and up, are invited to join us for a Teen Coffee Night on Monday, May 21, 6:30 p.m. at the Jonesborough Library or Tuesday, May 22, 6:30 p.m. at the Gray Library.5##*($).88$D#$&D8#$!7$/"77(#$2-7,$&*$&((7-!,#*!$72$h&@7-#%$/-#&,#-($&*%$!7EE.*S($27-$!"#.-$/722##n$/77H.#($&*%$

doughnuts will also be provided. They can join in a conversation on current topics or play a game while they enjoy their coffee.

This program is free and open to all local teens. Space is limited and registration is required. To register, please call the Jonesborough Library at 753-1800 or the Gray Library at 477-1550.

!"#$%&'(&")*$+)',$-.'Days May 18‐20

Get ready for a free night of Americana at the town of Wise’s Big Glades Commu-nity Square amphitheater on May 19, 8 p.m. with My New Favorites, based out of Johnson City.

The band describes itself with this recipe: “Take a pound of songwriting. Add a cup &2$$*//3#$$6,/$$6$$:(,1"$$&2$$136%%(163$$;(&3(,4$$<)(+$$(,$$6$$:(6,&$$'()"$$/6%"#%$$&2$$$611&+/(&,4$$="&:$$with rhythm guitar and slice with banjo. Roll out on top of a big bass sound. Garnish with southern vocals and spicy harmonies. Cook until hot, hot, hot.” They’ll be followed by headliners.

If Birds Could Fly, based in Big Stone Gap, Va. Founded in 2010 by vocalist Brittany Ashley and guitar-ist Andrew Carter, the band now features bassist Casey Cockram and drummer/per-cussionist Andrew Sergent.

The band is gearing up for the nationwide release its 1-(!$$&8D<,;$$Ghosts in June.

Be sure to bring a lawn chair or a blanket to spread on the grass for this night of music under the stars. The concert is part of a summer-long series of free music events at Big Glades Community Square, located in the heart of downtown Wise. In addition to the concerts, the Town also plans regular free outdoor movies throughout the summer. Visit www.townofwise.net for information on upcoming evnts in Wise.

If Birds Could Fly My New Favorites  

Big Glades May 19, 8pm

Barter Theatre recently announced the chance to win a luxury trip to New York City plus F];PPP$/&("$.*$&$1-(!\#@#-$6.S$+EE8#$V&2h#3$5./H#!($&-#$FJ]P$&*%$&-#$&@&.8&D8#$&!$6&-!#-$5"#&-tre and select vendors in the Tri-Cities, whilesupplies last.

“Only 1000 tickets will be sold. Two winners will be drawn and each winner can select a guest to travel with them. The odds are really in your favor,” said Lori Hester, director of E&!-7*$(#-@./#(3$+88$E-7/##%($2-7,$-&2h#$!./H#!$(&8#($).88$S7$!7$6&-!#-$5"#&!-#;$&$]PJa/[$O$*7*\E-71!$7-S&*.d&!.7*3$_*$!7E$72$F];PPP$/&(";$).**#-($).88$-#/#.@#$&$o#)$p7-H$?.!'$8<B<-'$@&/&!.7*$.*/8<%.*S$

1-(!\/8&((;$-7<*%$!-.E$&.-2&-#$27-$#&/"$).**#-$&*%$!"#.-$S<#(!;$8.,7$!-&*(2#-$!7$&*%$2-7,$!"#$airports, a three-night stay at The New York Palace, a luxury hotel in Midtown Manhattan and two Broadway tickets to the show of their choice.$45"#$).**#-$/&*$(E#*%$!"#$F];PPP$"7)#@#-$!"#'$)&*!3$b(#$.!$!7$S7$("7EE.*S$7*$I.2!"$

Avenue, buy tickets to a sporting event, save the money or use it to plan another vacation; there are so many possibilities,” said Hester.

“Barter is a strong foundation for arts in our region and is essential to the health of 7<-$/7,,<*.!';=$(&.%$T&<-#*$9<(./H;$&%@&*/#,#*!$721/#-$27-$6&-!#-$5"#&!-#3$45".($.($&*$excellent opportunity to win a once in a lifetime experience and alsosupport an invaluable regional asset, Barter Theatre.”

Hester added, “We have had some people go in half with a friend to purchase a ticket, FG]$#&/";$&*%$7!"#-($&-#$E<-/"&(.*S$!)7$7-$,7-#$!./H#!($!7$.*/-#&(#$!"#.-$/"&*/#(3=$$$+$E<D8./$%-&).*S$).88$D#$"#8%$7*$+<S<(!$:;$RPJR;$&!$J$E,$7*$U7-!#-1#8%$Ql<&-#;$&/-7(($

from Barter Theatre. Purchasers do not need to be present to win. “If you’ve never had the opportunity to go to New York City, here’s a chance to go, and you will be supporting a unique arts organization that enriches lives everyday in this region,” said Hester.$I7-$,7-#$.*27-,&!.7*$7*$!"#$!-.E$!7$o#)$p7-H$?.!'$&*%$F];PPP$/&("$E-.d#;$/&88$

276.628.3991 or visit BarterTheatre.com for complete rules and regulations.

Win NYC trip from Barter

Johnson City Parks and Recreation along with Friends of Nature will host Buffalo Mountain Park Days May 18-20. This three-day outdoor adventure will feature some of the &-#&0($,7(!$#BE#-.#*/#%;$#*!"<(.&(!./$&*%$,7!.@&!#%$#BE#-!(3$?7(!$.($FJP$27-$&88$!"-##$%&'(3

Participants are asked to bring a sack lunch (drinks will be provided) a hat, wear sturdy shoes, and pack a daypack for a little outdoor fun.

May 18 8:30 p.m. Larry McDaniels, park naturalist, Steele Creek Park. McDaniels will lead an owl prowl through the woods to listen to the hoots, wails and shrieks of owls.

May 19 8:30-9:45 a.m. Dale Ledford, assis-tant biology professor, Virginia Highlands. The Southern Appalachians are a premier habitat for salamanders. Learn about these fascinating creatures.

May 19 10-11:15 a.m. Dr. Tim McDowell, bota-*'$E-72#((7-;$A5Qb3$$_D(#-@#$&*%$8#&-*$&D7<!$!"#$@&-.#!'$72$).8%h7)#-(3

May 19 12:45-2 p.m. Bob Wittemore, retired lead geologist, and Jeremy Stout, Steele Creek Park Nature Center director

Learn how the story of Buffalo Mountain Park began more than 250 million years ago, when fault thrusting of the earth’s crust shoved huge blocks skyward, forming the Appalachian Mountain chain.

May 19 2:15-3:30 p.m. Kathy Landy, TVA and Boone Watershed

Landy will cover the aquatic insect population, their importance and habitat needs.

May 20 10 a.m. Brad Jones, park naturalist, Johnson City Parks and Recreation A leisurely morning hike to Huckleberry Knob and Lady Slipper Loop will give you time to appreciate the beauty and sounds of nature.

!"#$%&'(&")*$+)',$-.'Days May 18‐20

Photo above: Topological map

of Buffalo Mtn. Park

The more we know about Mars, more mystery the Red Planet is as fact replaces imagination.

After a dozen highly suc-cessful space probes over 40 years have built upon each other’s dis-coveries, planetary scientists stand &!$&$/-7((-7&%($72$1*%.*S$#@.%#*/#$of life.

Heading to Mars at 12,000 mph .($&$/7,E&/!$/&-\(.d#%$-7@#-$721-cially called the Mars Science Labo-ratory that will make an attempt at an amazing tethered landing next to a mountain and its once water-drenched base. The six-wheeled robot is named Curiosity, and it will hopefully satisfy the main question that has puzzled man for ages: Is there life somewhere else?

Launched on Nov. 26, 2011 from the Florida Space Coast, the land-ing date is August 6th when the giant over named Curiosity will hopefully perform a risky, pinpoint landing in a spot that has been on (/.#*!.(!(0$-&%&-$27-$'#&-(3$$6<!$1-(!;$Curiosity has to soar into the Mar-tian atmosphere, and slowed by blazing friction, hopefully execute a series of maneuvers that will scrub off most of its interplanetary speed. During the three minutes before touchdown, the spacecraft slows its descent with a parachute, and then uses retro rockets mounted around the rim of an upper stage. In the 1*&8$(#/7*%(;$!"#$<EE#-$(!&S#$&/!($as a sky crane, lowering the upright rover on a tether to the surface.

At 10 feet and 2,000 pounds, Cu-riosity is about twice as long and 1@#$!.,#($&($"#&@'$&($o+Q+0($!).*$9&-($ABE87-&!.7*$V7@#-(;$QE.-.!$and Opportunity, launched in 2003. It inherited many design elements from them, including six-wheel drive, a rocker-bogie suspension system and cameras mounted on a mast to help the mission’s team on A&-!"$(#8#/!$#BE87-&!.7*$!&-S#!($&*%$driving routes.

($-/'+/'(&-0'(1/*0-1'*2$)'34$5+)$6&)Unlike earlier rovers, Curiosity

carries equipment to gather samples of rocks and soil, process them and distribute them to onboard test chambers inside for analysis.

Come Aug. 6th the latest Mars ,.((.7*$2-7,$A&-!"$).88$D#$&*$&,&d-ing engineering feat, or a technical failure. And there is no forgiveness factor during the entire three-minute event from 12,000 miles per hour to zero. If successful, Curiosity is equipped with a small laboratory and complex sensors to look for life. Not since the 1976 missions of two Viking landers has a Mars space E-7D#$D##*$(E#/.1/&88'$%#(.S*#%$!7$search for life. The unique tethered landing allows for Mars scientists to reach the most likely places that might have spawned some kind of Martian life. But the unique engineering is extremely danger-ous, yet the rewards could be great. Powered by a nuclear reactor, Curi-osity will have plenty of energy and not be tied down to the solar panels used by NASA’s previous three rovers—Spirit, Opportunity and the toy-sized Sojourner of 1997.

NASA still has two orbiters around Mars—Mars Odyssey and Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter. Com-bined, they have chosen the target landing site for Curiosity.

The interplanetary bull’s-eye is beside a mountain nearly the size 72$A&-!"0($9!3$A@#-#(!;$&*%$.!$("7)($(.S*($72$h7).*S$)&!#-$722$.!($(.%#(3$Chemical analysis from orbit of the landing site shows it was once drenched in water. Curiosity will determine if the area could have supported microbial life, and look for signs of fossils or traces of an-cient organic activity.

Mars scientist will be holding their breath when Aug. 6th arrives and Curiosity makes its plunge to the surface of an alien world. Since the 1960s, about a third of the 40 or so Mars probes from American and

Russia have been successful. What have we learned about

Mars so far? Plenty. Billions of years ago Mars was wet with seas, active with dozens of belching, gigantic volcanoes, and had a much thicker atmosphere.

Today, the water has disap-peared, the volcanoes appear to be dormant, and the atmosphere is so thin that dangerous cosmic rays and radiation from the Sun has sterilized the surface.

And, it’s cold on Mars. Ant-arctica cold. The mysteries about Mars have changed as each new spacecraft adds knowledge that tantalizes planetary scientists.

Some of the pieces that have '#!$!7$D#$1!$.*$!"#$9&-!.&*$E<dd8#$are: Why is Mars lopsided? One hemisphere is among the smoothest in the Solar System, while the other is side has enormous volcanoes and pockmarked with craters.

Why is there so much methane in the atmosphere and where did it come from? Methane is a by-prod-uct out gassed by living organisms and lasts about 300 years.

Mars..Story continued Where is the water? The thin atmosphere can’t support water on the surface, but !"#-#$.($#@.%#*/#$72$)&!#-$h7)($in recent years down the sides of craters and canyons.Z.%$8.2#$7*$A&-!"$7-.S.*&!#$7*$

Mars? The controversy over a Martian meteorite found at the Ant-arctic is whether it contains fossils of once living microbes lends the possibilities that living organisms can be blasted from one world to another.

These questions and more might be answered by robotic pioneers like Curiosity. But they may take the ultimate explorers—humans—to solve.

($-/'+/'(&-0'(1/*0-1'*2$)'34$5+)$6&)

Mars Science Laboratory Curiosity landing site 

Gale Crater

Celestial events in the skies for the week of May 15-21,

2012, as compiled for The Loafer by Mark D. Marquette.

As darkness grips the Spring landscape around 9:30 pm, directly overhead to the south is Leo the Lion, de-

noted by two bright “stars,” yellowish Regulus, and to its left, red Mars. In the southeast skies is the indistinct, yet sprawling constellation Virgo the Virgin, again with two

bright “stars” side-by-side: left is planet Saturn and right is slightly brighter star Spica. On

Monday evening, a partial eclipse of the Sun will be enjoyed to some extent by Americans west of the Missis-sippi River, while over China the Moon will pass in front

of the Sun but not completely cover our favorite star.

Tues. May 15The Big Dipper is easy

to see in the north, its bowl upside down and dumping its imaginary contents on

the landscape.

Wed. May 16Follow the curve of the

Big Dipper’s handle to a bright orangish star, Arc-turus, at the base of the

constellation Bootes, which looks like a kite or ice cream

cone. Bootes is a mytho-logical herder of bears.

Thurs. May 17The Big Dipper’s han-

dle “arcs to Arcturus and speeds on to Spica” the

brightest star in Virgo the Virgin in the southeast.

But there is another bright “star” beside Spica, the

planet Saturn.

Fri. May 18Saturn is less than 5 de-

grees from Spica, and even

MAY 20, 1‐4PM HISTORIC TREE STREETS 

OPEN HOUSEMay is National Historic Preservation Month. Sunday, May 20, from

1pm to 4pm, the Historic Tree Streets neighborhood is opening the home 72$A8.d&D#!"$&*%$V7D#-!$6<*!.*S;$JPPM$Q7<!")#(!$+@#*<#;$i7"*(7*$?.!';$TN. We welcome you to tour their home which is located across the street from Historic Veterans Park and South Side School. This brick Four Square style, built in 1914, has been lovingly maintained and tastefully updated. Music from that era will be featured in rooms recreated to suit the style of the time. Ken Harrison, our neighborhood historian, will display interesting artifacts representing the early 1900s. Visitors who at-tend dressed in period clothing will be eligible for a door prize. Refresh-ments will be served on the side porch. There is a self guided walking tour brochure of the neighborhood available. There is no cost for this event. Sponsored by the Southside Neighborhood Organization. Visit us at www.treestreets.us.

Skies This Week

the least expensive telescope will show a hint of the fa-

mous rings.

Sat. May 19Between Leo and Bootes is

a small group of faint stars that are the only constel-lation named after a real

person: Queen Berenice of AS'E!3$$?7,&$6#-#*./#($

means “the hair of Beren-ice,” and the legend is she cut off her hair and offered it to the gods for the safe return from battle of her "<(D&*%;$U!78,#'$A<#--

getes.

The Two Man Gentlemen Band

Irreverent songwriters, expert instrumentalists, former street-performers, and consummate showmen, The Two Man Gentle-men Band have been barnstorm-ing from coast to coast for half a decade, developing a reputation as a must-see live act on the roots and retro music circuits. A tenor guitar and string bass duo in the tradition of the great Slim & Slam, The Gents have affection for pre-

war American Jazz and Western Swing. The contemporary feel of their lyrics and the hilarious, often ridiculous, improvised banter that peppers their live shows combine with the music for a thoroughly modern ruckus. “It’s as if the Smoth-ers Brothers were young today, wore better suits, and wrote hot jazz songs about drinking”. To make their latest album, Two at a Time, (Available March 20th on Bean-Tone Records) The Gentlemen employed an extreme contrast of modern and old-fashioned techniques. They funded the project with an online fan-fundraising campaign via Kickstarter. Then they switched the computers off for good and proceeded to record, design, and package the album without the use

of any digital technology. The Gents recorded live to

monophonic analog tape in Pasadena, CA using exclusively 1940s and 50s microphones and equipment. Manning the tape machine was Wally Hersom, seasoned operator and former bass player for rockabilly legend Big Sandy & His Fly-Rite Boys. Free of any digital effects, edits, or band aids, the result is a vibrant, honest document of a pair of musicians. There are mistakes, imperfections, and a bit of tape hiss, but it is The Gentlemen’s energy,

To package the CD and LP editions, The Gents turned to Stumptown Printers Portland, OR. Using hand-set lettering, a refrigerator sized linotype machine (one of the few in the country

(!.88$.*$7E#-&!.7*[;$%&-H-77,$18,$prints, and an offset printing press. If someone goes to the trouble of purchasing a physical CD or LP, The Gentlemen believe, it ought to come in a container worth holding on to.

Andy Bean, singer, tenor guitarist & banjoist, and principal songwriter for the band, has developed a knack for writing “smart, funny, sharp-rhyming songs that put them in the company of classics like Louis Jordon and Louis Prima.” (Boston Phoenix) His ten

originals on Two at a Time continue in that vein. Foods, beverages, and generally having a good time are the dominant themes. “Please Don’t Water it Down” describes "7)$%.21/<8!$.!$/&*$D#$!7$1*%$&$)#88$made drink when the only bar open in town is a chain res-taurant. “Pork Chops, Cheese & Crackers,” and “Tikka Masala” cleverly blend cui-sine and love. “Pool Party” well, who doesn’t like a pool party?

Acknowledging their increasing debt to early jazz and western swing, two obscure tunes learned from Jack Guthrie and Lil Hardin Armstrong, round out the record.

The Gents limit themselves to two instruments: Bean’s 4-string electric tenor guitar, played through a vintage 1937 Gibson am-E8.1#-;$&*%$I<88#-$?7*%7*0($<E-.S"!$bass. Audiences are consistently amazed that The Gents can raise

May 17 - 620 State, 620 State St., Bristol, TN - 9 p.m.

In time for Memorial Day, the Blue Moon Din-ner Theatre in downtown Johnson City presents the poignant comedy, The First

Baptist of Ivy Gap, running every Friday and Saturday, including a Sunday mati-nee, through June 3.

First Baptist of Ivy Gap is an award-winning play focusing on six women who gather at a church in the small Tennessee town of Ivy Gap to roll dressings and organize care packages for the troops serving overseas. A&/"$8&%'$"&($&$(E#/.&8$

reason for committing every Tuesday and Thurs-day in service to their country. With humor and pathos, these six very dif-2#-#*!$)7,#*$1*%$/7,27-!;$forgiveness and redemption in each other.

“This play is perfect for the upcoming Memorial Day holiday as we all gather to remember those who have %61+(*1#/$%&$>-1"$2&+$)"(%$country,” (&.%$%.-#/!7-$A%$Breese. ?@&-A33$/#*,()#3.$want to bring tissues for this powerful performance”.

The First Baptist of

Ivy Gap, written by Ron

Osborne, is the winner of the 2002 Barter Theatre’s Appa-lachian Festival of Plays and playwrights. The six ladies of Ivy Gap are played by local Blue Moon performers Kate Thomas Denson, Debra Shoun, Laura Berry, Linda Wakely, Colleen Dunne and Marianne Steffey. Set design is by Brandon Jones.

The dinner menu begins with “Sweet Salvation,” an assortment of fresh, seasonal fruit swimming in a light, sweet syrup. “Backyard Bird,” a boneless chicken breast smothered in a sweet and tangy barbeque sauce grilled to perfection, is the main course. It is served with country bacon green beans, creamy mashed potatoes, a warm buttermilk biscuit and a pat of butter. For dessert, the Blue Moon will serve “What a Peach,” a warm peach cobbler topped with a generous dollop of Vanilla Bean ice cream and a drizzle of caramel. Menu upgrades 2#&!<-.*S$18#!$,.S*7*;$S-.88#%$salmon or chicken cordon bleu are available at an ad-ditional cost. A vegetarian option is offered to patrons at no additional cost. A 24-hour

advance notice is required for menu upgrades, special re-quests and vegetarian dishes.

General admission ticket prices for the three-course, candlelit dinner and show are F:O3G`$!&B$.*/8<%#%3$5./H#!($for the show and dessert 7*8'$&-#$FJ`3``$E8<($!&B$&*%$("7)\7*8'$!./H#!($&-#$FJM3:`$plus tax. Group discounts are available for parties of 10 or more. As an extra bonus and to show appreciation to those who have made the ultimate (&/-.1/#$27-$!"#$*&!.7*;$!"#$Blue Moon is offering special discounts to military ser-vicemen and women with a military ID.

Doors open at 6 p.m. with dinner service beginning at 6:30. The curtain goes up at 7:30. For the Sunday perfor-mance, doors open at 1 p.m., dinner service begins at 1:30 and the curtain rises at 2:30. The Blue Moon does not serve alcohol; patrons are welcome to bring their own. Glasses, chillers and openers will be supplied at no additional cost.

For more information or to make reservations, call 232-1350 or bluemoondinnert-heare.com.

Blue Moon Presents Heavenly Comedy

Photo by Sam Mays

When it comes to comics, I have always been a DC guy. When it comes to movies, I am a fan of GOOD movies based

on comic book characters. Over the years, there have

been hits and misses when it comes to “comic book” movies,

so let’s hope the summer of 2012 will see movies based on comic book characters prove to be worth the hype. With that (&.%;$^$)#*!$!7$(##$!"#$*#)$18,$The Avengers (based on charac-ters from Marvel Comics) not as a fan of the characters, but a movie fan hoping to see a good E7E/7-*$h./H3$

The Avengers“Earth’s Mighest Heroes” 

Poster by Genultra.com

All Hail the Avengers!

In preparation for the release 72$!".($,#S&\18,;$,7@.#($featuring the characters of Thor, Iron Man, Hulk, and Captain America were released in previous years, and were box 721/#$".!(3$^$(&)$&88$!"#$&27-#-,#*!.7*#%$18,(;$&*%$#*k7'#%$them all. 5"#$18,$D#S.*($).!"$5"7-0($

(Chris Hemsworth) wayward brother Loki (Tom Hiddles-ton) meeting with a group of hideous aliens known as the Chitauri. The leader of the aliens convinces Loki if he will give the aliens the Tesseract, a powerful energy source of unknown potential, he will give Loki and army with which he /&*$&!!&/H$A&-!"3$9#&*)".8#;$7*$A&-!";$!"#$5#((#-&/!$.($D#-ing used in experiments, and suddenly activates and opens a portal which allows Loki to -#&/"$A&-!";$!7$-#!-.#@#$!"#$/7@-eted power source. Of course we all know what is waiting for Loki, not only his brother, but the other heroes as well.

Before his presence is realized by Thor, Loki is able to retrieve the Tesseract, and get one of the future avengers, Hawkeye (Jer-

emy Renner), under his control. In response to Loki, Nick Fury

(Samuel L. Jackson) activates the “Avengers Initiative”, and gathers Black Widow (Scarlett Johansson), Thor, Captain Amer-./&$a?"-.($A@&*([;$^-7*$9&*$(Robert Downey, Jr.), and Hulk (Mark Ruffalo) to battle Loki and retrieve the Tesseract and their fellow Avenger, Hawkeye. _2$/7<-(#;$!".($D#.*S$!"#$1-(!$

4+@#*S#-(=$18,;$!"#$/"&-&/!#-($&-#$,##!.*S$27-$!"#$1-(!$!.,#;$and they don’t exactly gel in the beginning. In other words, their egos are as large as their biceps. Tony Stark/Iron Man, really doesn’t work well with others, and always wants to tell the oth-#-($)"&!$!7$%73$^*$2&/!;$!"#$1-(!$meeting between Iron Man and 5"7-$.($&$1S"!$27-$!"#$&S#(;$).!"$Captain America joining in later. 5"#$!-.7$1*&88'$D-#&H$.!$<E$&2!#-$1*&88'$-#&8.d.*S$T7H.$.($!"#$-#&8$enemy. After a showdown with Loki, Thor’s villainous adopted brother is captured and taken !7$5"#$+@#*S#-($h'.*S$&.-/-&2!$/&--.#-a>[;$/&88#%$!"#$X#8./&--.#-;$until he can be shipped back to Thor’s home planet of Asgard. Holding Loki hostage proves

futile, and the wannabe king escapes, and manages, with the "#8E$72$(7,#$A&-!"8.*S($<*%#-$his control, to bring in an alien army to attack via the portal, again opened using the Tesser-act. The attack has The Aveng-ers in full attack mode, and the battle is exciting to behold.

I really enjoyed the interac-tion between the main charac-ters, and the well written script allows them plenty of time to hurl insults at one another while working together. It’s almost like kids playing Cowboys and Indians, but with a whole E8&*#!($#B.(!#*/#$&!$(!&H#3$A&/"$character is given plenty of screen time of his/her own, with even newcomers Black Widow and Hawkeye getting their share of the spotlight. All the actors, especially Downey, are in top form, and really appear to be enjoying themselves. The one surprise was Hiddleston, who nearly stole every scene he was in as Loki, with his creepy smile and unfortunate hair style. With &$-#E7-!#%$D<%S#!$72$FRRP$,.8-lion (nearly making that amount .*$.!($1-(!$)##H#*%$72$-#8#&(#[;$you can see the money on the

screen, and get plenty of bang for your bucks. Combining an exciting script, with great acting and wonderful special effects, how could “The Avengers” pos-sibly be anything but the success

it is. e".8#$^$).88$*7!$(&'$!"#$18,$

is one of the best movies ever made, it’s certainly one of the D#(!$/7,./$D77H$18,($#@#-$made.

ANDYROSS**batteries not included

It was the cold early dawn of a Monday morning, I was in my kitchen looking at my cof-fee maker and wondering why it wasn’t working—turns out I hadn’t plugged it in—I desper-ately needed coffee. As I stood there, zombie like, watching the dark elixir of life fall into the carafe, my phone rang.

It was my dear old friend Da-vid, I answered and he enthu-(.&(!./&88'$(&.%;$4m77%$o#)(>$^0@#$)7*$&$/7*!#(!=>$4_";$!"&!0($S-#&!>$e"&!$H.*%$72$/7*!#(!C=$^$asked. “I had to run to Lowe’s to buy light bulbs, and it turns out I was their 10,000 customer, and I won a hundred pounds of E7!!.*S$(7.8=>$

I should point out some-thing. Neither David, nor myself, have any real experi-ence is gardening, outside of a parental unit telling us in our formative years, to water something in the yard. Thus I was a little surprised when David suggested we do some landscaping around his house the upcoming weekend. Friday night, we both stood in his ga-rage, admiring bag after bag of potting soil that had just been delivered. “Very nice, what do

we do with it?” I asked. “No Clue” was the response. $$$$Z&@.%0($*7!$,</"$27-$h7)-

ers, but he had a garden box out in his backyard, and thought it might be nice to plant a small garden. We made a quick trip to Lowe’s and got seeds for egg-plant and squash. As it seems they weren’t going to be much trouble in terms of the growing. We also bought a few tiny pots 27-$&$E7-/"$"#-D$S&-%#*3$A@#*$with that small need, David had more potting soil than he knew what to do with, however, I %.(/7<-&S#%$".,$2-7,$188.*S$&$bean bag with it.

He had all the tools we

would need. It seems when he bought his house his grand-mother gave him “The Junior Greenthumber’s First Garden-ing Kit”. We started to work, following the guide booklet from the kit, pouring out soil, -&H.*S$.!$&-7<*%;$&*%$1S<-.*S$out where the light would hit best. We read about checking moisture levels and making sure not to over water, while compensating for the heat of the day. We followed all the steps, and took pride that we 1*.("#%;$(!.88$"&@.*S$*7$/8<#$as what to do with all the left over pounds of potting soil.

“I’ve got an idea” David

said. “What if we took the extra soil, made a huge mound in the backyard, and then took turns standing on it while singing “This Is My Country”? I looked at David; he looked %7)*$&!$!"#$h77-;$!"#*$877H#%$up and said “I didn’t say it was &$m__Z$.%#&=>$e.!"7<!$&$(E&/#$to park his car, we took each bag and moved it along side of !"#$S&-&S#3$e"#*$)#$1*.("#%;$we found we stacked the bags in a fashion that resembled a couch. Naturally, we sat down and tried out our soil couch.

“This is nice, uncomfort-able, but nice”. David nodded in agreement, and because we

were exhausted, we continued to sit on the potting couch for almost half an hour. Overtime the potting soil was given out to friends and family. Tommy and Jessica were never quite pleased that twenty pounds of potting soil was their wedding gift, but they understood. The garden was not quite the rich bounty David had hoped for; it produced only two eggplants, and three carrots. Bags of potting soil hung around his garage for years. He still had 10 bags left when he moved to Texas. They now rest in my garage.

See you next week.

Follow me on Twitter @ThatAndyRoss.

One Hundred Pounds of Potting Soil

It’s a classic “local boy makes good” story.

Bryan Sutton, raised in Bun-combe County, has enjoyed a career of great success by any measure as a guitarist who has garnered multiple Grammy awards and recorded with the likes of Dolly Parton, Norah Jones and Doc Watson.

Most notably, Sutton spent four years as a member of Ricky Skagg’s band, Kentucky Thunder, during a time when Skaggs reentered the bluegrass scene after a successful stint in mainstream country music.

May 20, Sutton will come home to western North Carolina to perform in an event called “Herit-&S#$?7,#($X7,#=$!7$D#*#1!$!"#$Southern Appalachian Archives at Mars Hill College.

And - if that weren?t enough - he’s bringing a few friends:q$i#--'$Z7<S8&(;$7*#$72$!"#$

world’s most renowned Dobro players, is a 12-time Grammy Award winner, and was the Coun-try Music Association’s Musician of the Year in 2002, 2005, & 2007; q$5.,$_06-.#*$)7*$&$m-&,,'$

Award in 2005 for Best Traditional Folk Album. The International Bluegrass Music Association named him Male Vocalist of the Year in 1993 and 2006, and in 1990 named ".($D&*%;$X7!$V.d#;$A*!#-!&.*#-$72$the Year.q$?&(#'$Z-.#((#*0($&$m-&,,'\

*7,.*&!#%$1%%8#$E8&'#-$)"7$"&($gained world-wide attention for his famous red shoes and signature #*#-S#!./$E#-/<((.@#$1%%8.*S$(!'8#3$q$Z#**.($?-7</"$.($/7*(.%#-#%$

one of the nation’s foremost up-right bass players, recording and performing with Dolly Parton, Johnny and June Carter Cash, A,,'$T7<$X&--.(;$A8@.($?7(!#887;$V&*%'$5-&@.(;$Q!#@#$A&-8#;$&*%$many others.

Heritage Comes Home will take place in Moore Auditorium on the campus of Mars Hill College, May 20, at 7 p.m. General admission !./H#!($&-#$FOP$#&/"3$U&!-7*$!./H#!(;$which include special seating and admission to a private reception ).!"$!"#$E#-27-,#-(;$&-#$FJPP$#&/"3$To purchase tickets, contact the Madison County Arts Council at KRK\M:`\JOPJ;$7-$&!.*27L,&%.(7*-countyarts.com.

June 1st will mark the one year anniversary of “Unique Antiques” grand opening. In the past year, Robert and Patsy Peterson have had the opportunity to meet so many new friends visiting their store, making the past year truly memorable. In celebration of “Unique Antiques” one year an-niversary, we invite you to our 1-(!$&**<&8$9&'2#(!$Q&8#$c$?-&2!$Show. We will have local vendors showcasing handcrafted items, and we are offering 15% off all our furniture (antique, retro, new). Mayfest will begin on Friday, May 18th from 9:30 a.m. – 5:30 p.m., and continue on Saturday, May 19th from 9:30 a.m. – 5:30. Refreshments will be provided, live music, and door prize draw-ings throughout both days. Come join in our celebration at “Unique Antiques”, 201 Colonial Heights Road, Kingsport, TN 37663. If you have any questions please call us at (423)726-2600. Ample park-.*S$E-7@.%#%>>$

Unique Antiques First Anniversary

EVENT SCHEDULE

12:00 Food Vendors will be Set-Up – Come have lunch D#27-#$!"#$2#(!.@&8$(!&-!(>$

1:00 Festival kick-off ONPP$?-&2!$6##-$5&(!.*S$A@#*!$D#S.*($

1:00-6:30 BBQ tasting and People’s Choice voting 1:00-9:00 Kids’ Station

1:00-9:00 Food vendors and merchandise tent 7:45 People’s Choice BBQ Awards Announcement

KNPP$?-&2!$6##-$5&(!.*S$A@#*!$#*%($JPNPP$A*%$72$2#(!.@&8$

It’s a classic “local boy makes good” story.

Bryan Sutton, raised in Bun-combe County, has enjoyed a career of great success by any measure as a guitarist who has garnered multiple Grammy awards and recorded with the likes of Dolly Parton, Norah Jones and Doc Watson.

Most notably, Sutton spent four years as a member of Ricky Skagg’s band, Kentucky Thunder, during a time when Skaggs reentered the bluegrass scene after a successful stint in mainstream country music.

May 20, Sutton will come home to western North Carolina to perform in an event called “Herit-&S#$?7,#($X7,#=$!7$D#*#1!$!"#$Southern Appalachian Archives at Mars Hill College.

And - if that weren?t enough - he’s bringing a few friends:q$i#--'$Z7<S8&(;$7*#$72$!"#$

world’s most renowned Dobro players, is a 12-time Grammy Award winner, and was the Coun-try Music Association’s Musician of the Year in 2002, 2005, & 2007; q$5.,$_06-.#*$)7*$&$m-&,,'$

Award in 2005 for Best Traditional Folk Album. The International Bluegrass Music Association named him Male Vocalist of the Year in 1993 and 2006, and in 1990 named ".($D&*%;$X7!$V.d#;$A*!#-!&.*#-$72$the Year.q$?&(#'$Z-.#((#*0($&$m-&,,'\

*7,.*&!#%$1%%8#$E8&'#-$)"7$"&($gained world-wide attention for his famous red shoes and signature #*#-S#!./$E#-/<((.@#$1%%8.*S$(!'8#3$q$Z#**.($?-7</"$.($/7*(.%#-#%$

one of the nation’s foremost up-right bass players, recording and performing with Dolly Parton, Johnny and June Carter Cash, A,,'$T7<$X&--.(;$A8@.($?7(!#887;$V&*%'$5-&@.(;$Q!#@#$A&-8#;$&*%$many others.

Heritage Comes Home will take place in Moore Auditorium on the campus of Mars Hill College, May 20, at 7 p.m. General admission !./H#!($&-#$FOP$#&/"3$U&!-7*$!./H#!(;$which include special seating and admission to a private reception ).!"$!"#$E#-27-,#-(;$&-#$FJPP$#&/"3$To purchase tickets, contact the Madison County Arts Council at KRK\M:`\JOPJ;$7-$&!.*27L,&%.(7*-countyarts.com.

Sutton returns to Mars Hill

Tales of Hans Christian Andersen

comes to stage with City Youth Ballet

The delight of children’s stories, from The Ugly Duckling to Thumbelina takes center stage May 26 at 2 p.m. when the City Youth Ballet of Johnson City presents Tales of Hans Christian Andersen.

The production, set for Seeger Chapel on the Milligan College campus, includes dancers from the CYB’s senior and junior companies plus its ballet school. They will tell the tales by the beloved Danish author using ballet set to both classi-cal music and more well-known pieces such as Danny Kaye’s 1952 rendition of Thumbelina.

“Ballet is a powerful way to tell stories that we all love,” said Susan Pace-White, artistic director of the City Youth Ballet.

“With this production, the audience can enjoy those stories while also seeing them interpreted with ballet.”

Among the pieces will be The Ugly Duckling, The Little Mermaid, The Little Match Girl, and Thumbelina.

Dancers will perform in front of a gigantic story book. Some of the chore-ography for the production comes from Pittman Corry and Karen Conrad of the American Ballet Theatre.m#*#-&8$&%,.((.7*$.($F]$&!$!"#$%77-$

with doors opening 30 minutes before the performance. For more information call 423-434-2195 or visit www.cityyouthbal-let.org.

Some Late Night Thoughts about Dick Clark and The Band

The recent and much-dis-cussed deaths of Dick Clark and Levon Helm give me occasion to -#h#/!$7*$!"#$/7*@78<!#%$*&!<-#$of American popular music.

As I write this, I am rewatch-ing (for the umpteenth time) Martin Scorsese’s 1978 recording of The Band’s last will and testa-ment, The Last Waltz, delivered at San Francisco’s Winterland Ballroom on Thanksgiving night 1976 (our nation’s bicentennial year, appropriately enough).

Often hailed as the best pop ,<(./$18,$#@#-$,&%#;$!".($2&-#-well celebration, featuring a cast of stellar performers, is a primer on the history of the genre, now made more bittersweet D'$!"#$1*&8$%#E&-!<-#($72$Helm, Rick Danko, and Rich-ard Manuel.

Levon Helm and Dick Clark died only one day apart (April 18 and April 19) and their two careers form bookends to the history of American pop music. And ^$D#8.#@#$.!0($(.S*.1/&*!$!"&!$The Band never appeared on American Bandstand.

This is no doubt a good thing, because I doubt the band members would have consented to Clark’s demand that they lip-sync The Weight or The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down. Besides, their music, while having a good beat, is generally not all that easy to dance to.A@#-$(.*/#$.!($7-.S.*($).!"$Q!#-

phen Foster and minstrel music in the 1840s, American popular music has been primarily a com-mercial enterprise fused with creativity. Foster’s music fed the growing demand for sheet music, and songs like I Dream Of Jeanie With The Light Brown Hair, Beautiful Dreamer, and Old Folks At Home became the prototypes for what would eventual evolve into Rock ‘n’ Roll one hundred years later. In between these two developments, Americans were D-7<S"!$!7$!"#$%&*/#$h77-$D'$&$host of performers and genres, from Dixieland and big band swing to country, hip-hop and bebop.

Although every culture has expressed itself in music, only in the modern era has pop music become entwined with com-mercial enterprises. Performers and songwriters become cogs in a complex music-making

machine created and supported by technology, advertising, and entrepreneurs. And in front of this machine stands the Impresa-rio - the huckster, the promoter, !"#$/7*1%#*/#$,&*3$^*!#-#(!-ingly enough, the impresario didn’t have to be a musician, or even a lover of music. His or her role was simply to sell the E-7%</!3$A*!#-$Z./H$?8&-H;$)"7;$*#B!$!7$A%$Q<88.@&*;$,.S"!$D#$!"#$greatest of American pop music impresarios.

Dick Clark, depending on whom you talk to, is either the savior or the snake oil salesman of pop music. No matter where you stand on the issue of his exact role, however, you have to admit that American Bandstand was a force to be reckoned with.

Yes, Clark did homogenize rock ‘n’ roll, therefore making it more palpable to the parents of the sons and daughters who were writhing to the beat, but he also gave performers a national audience and broadened our awareness of the faces behind the music.

When I was in middle and high school, American Band-

stand was a Saturday afternoon ritual, and I remember vividly the day, during the summer of J`MG;$)"#*$^$1-(!$"#&-%$U-7/78$Harum’s A Whiter Shade Of Pale. It’s still inexplicable to me how this Bach-inspired anthem found its way onto Clark’s playlist.

Of course, the band never “performed” on the show and none of their other songs made it

!7$?8&-H0($%&*/#$h77-3$?8&-H$)&($fond of saying that the purpose of American Bandstand was to E-7,7!#$".($/&-##-$1-(!$&*%$!"#$music second - or perhaps third, given the fact that companies like Clearasil were extremely lucra-tive to Dick Clark Productions.

While several pop acts, most notably Paul Revere And The Raiders (who were showcased on a popular mid-60s Clark show called Where The Action Is), were prominently featured on Bandstand and had their careers created or destroyed by Clark’s powerful executive muscle, other groups like The Band stood totally outside Clark orbit and !"#-#27-#$%#1*#%$&$*#)$%.-#/!.7*$for American music.

Only a couple of years after I

heard A Whiter Shade Of Pale on American Bandstand I bought an album with a most ambitious title, The Band. I remember being both inspired and dumbfounded when my phonograph needle !7</"#%$%7)*$7*$!"#$1-(!$/<!;$Up On Cripple Creek. I had some-"7)$,.((#%$!"#.-$1-(!$/7,,#--cial album, Music From Big Pink and therefore became acquainted with their signature tune, The

Weight, only after I had absorbed the treasures residing on Side A and Side B of their self-titled second album. I was hooked and am still indebted to The Band for showing me that pop music can

indeed cast a very wide net &*%$*##%*0!$D#$27-/#\1!!#%$into tidy little genres.

I often wonder if Dick Clark ever listened to the "&-%\!7\%#1*#$,<(./$/-#-ated by Levon Helm and his group. And I wonder what they might have said to each other if they found themselves in the same room. Somehow I imagine the conversation would have been short and maybe not so sweet. As far as I can determine the two never met.

Of course, there was much more to Levon Helm than his long-ago role as drummer and lead vocalist for The Band. We should be grateful that he continued

!7$,&H#$,<(./$&*%$%#1*#$!"#$American experience long after that Thanksgiving evening in 1976. And maybe we should also agree with Monte Dutton, who wrote in a recent blog, “Helm may have had my heart, but cer-tainly Clark held my respect.”

But, it is also true that the 4)7-8%$1*&88'$E&((#%$?8&-H$D';$but Helm was hip till the very end.” While music needs its impresarios and its promoters, these hucksters would have nothing to promote without the musicians. I know, it’s a circu-lar argument—American pop music wouldn’t exist without the symbiotic relationship between impresario and performer. Of course, we need our Dick Clarks as much as need our Levon Helms. But, at the end of the day, when I’m listening to my favorite Helm tune, The Shape I’m In, I don’t much care whether I can dance to it.

See you next week.