Piney Woods Live – October 2014 by Piney Woods Live Magazine

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Live

October 2014

HOW IT ALL STARTED Watercolor Artist

MOLLIE JONES

GHOSTS OF THE PINEY WOODS

COLOR IN FREEDOM And More!

Jefferson

FALL EVENTS

OCT. 3-5....CITY WIDE RUMMAGE SALE

JEFFERSON FLEA MARKET

OCT. 4, 10 - 11, 17 - 18, 24 - 25 & 31.... RUNAWAY FRIGHT TRAIN

OCT. 10-12....BURN BENEFIT MOTORCYCLE RALLY-CONTINUING THE RIDE FOR BURN SURVIVORS

OCT. 11.... EGG FEST - GRILLIN’ ON THE BAYOU OCT. 17-19.... MARION COUNTY FAIR OCT. 17-19.... JEFFERSON FLEA MARKET OCT. 18.... TEXAS BIG FOOT CONFERENCE OCT. 19.... TASTE OF JEFFERSON OCT. 22.... CULPEPPER & MERIWEATHER CIRCUS OCT. 25.... ANTIQUE APPRAISAL FAIR OCT. 31 - NOV. 2.... JEFFERSON FLEA MARKET NOV. 1.... HISTORY, HAUNTS & LEGENDS NOV. 7 - 9....MEDIEVAL WINE FAIR NOV. 8....CASINO NIGHT TOYS FOR TOTS

SHOP • DINE • STAY • PLAY ONE OF A KIND SHOPS & ANTIQUE STORES GREAT RESTAURANTS EXQUISITE BED & BREAKFASTS & HOTELS NIGHTLIFE, LIVE MUSIC, THEATRE, MUSEUMS, CARRIAGE RIDES, BOAT RIDES, TRAIN RIDES, & TOURS GALORE

VISITJEFFERSONTEXAS.COM October 2014 - Page 2

PineyWoodsLive.com

CONTENTS

“Art is defined as a product of deliberately arranging elements in a way that appeals to the senses or emotions. Piney Woods Live is an expression of the community it serves.”

LE CHEVAL GARDENS

Take a walk down memory lane with Alisha DuVall Knox as her dreams of owning a magical entertainment venue transform from childhood dreams to a reality never thought imaginable.

7 ABOUT THE COVER... Alisha & Ronnie Knox are the proud new owners of not only the greatest publication ever known, Piney Woods Live, but Alisha is also the mastermind behind an exciting new venue coming to East Texas. Le Cheval Gardens is one of a kind, and we are so gratetful to have the new and unique venue coming soon!

Mollie Jones, Watercolor Artist

Ghosts of the Piney Woods

Zombie Apocalypse

by Jan Statman

by Crystal Davis

Forever Young

Oktoberfest

East Texas Pipe Organ Festival

Color in Freedom

BREW

Poet’s Corner

by Claudia Lowery

by Crystal Davis

by Jan Statman

by Claudia Lowery

Publishers Alisha & Ronnie Knox Publicist Andrea Baros Editor Tracy Evans Joni Guess Advertising Director Alisha DuVall Contributing Writers Randy Brown Crystal Davis Claudia Lowery Jan Statman Graphic Artists Andrea Baros Joni Guess Sales Alisha DuVall Andrea Baros

PineyWoodsLive.com by Jenny Lankford

www.facebook.com/PineyWoodsLive

The “B” Side of Music

Center Stage Cuisine

by Randy Brown

by Claudia Lowery

PineyWoodsLive.com

STA F F

by Crystal Davis

Cover Photo by Thomas Myers

PWL

Artist’s World by Jan Statman

23 Scene

903.853.0977 1200 W. Harrison Rd. Longview, TX 75604 October 2014 - Page 3

PUBLISHER’S

Piney Woods Live would like to extend our hand and say thank you! Thanks to all of our faithful advertisers and supporters throughout the years. You will continue to see Piney Woods Live grow, evolve and support the arts in East Texas and beyond. A special thanks to East Texas Music, as well as the TBone Walker Blues Fest, for their open arms and publicity for promoting Piney Woods Live. Follow us on Facebook and our website at pineywoodslive.com for all of the latest arts and entertainment information in East Texas.

~Piney Woods Live Staff~ October 2014 - Page 4

Hello East Texas! I’d like to introduce myself as the new publisher of Piney Woods Live. Deciding to purchase the magazine was very unexpected. The Lord truly works in mysterious ways. Back in the spring I approached Andrea Baros, Piney Woods Live Publicist, about considering our exciting new venue for the cover of her magazine. After learning about us, she delightfully agreed. My husband Ronnie and I were very excited about Le Cheval Gardens being featured on the cover with a feature story inside. Months later and on the day I was gown shopping for the cover photo in Dallas, Andrea called. I was headed to the register to purchase my perfect gown when she proceeded to tell me that there wasn’t going to be an October issue. The VERY issue that would feature our venue! I was confused. I asked her, “Is this the gentle way of telling me you don’t want to do our story anymore?” She made it clear that wasn’t the case. The magazine owner had sold another publication he owned and was just ready to retire. I started to panic. I had worked so hard on this project for so long and was counting on the publicity for advertising! What was I going to do? This just can’t be! All of this was coming out of my mouth while still on the phone with Andrea. I suddenly stopped my blabbing, and told Andrea, “Look, this is what we’re going to do. We’re going to pray about this. God tells us to worry about nothing and pray about everything.” She agreed; although, I felt she wasn’t relying on that solely to help her. I hung up the phone and started praying. “God, do you not want me to do this? Lord, help me understand what is going on. Help me find a way to overcome this. What can I do?” My prayers went on and on. Within minutes, the infamous ‘light bulb’ came on in my head! It was insane, but my eyes got big and I smiled. I will buy the magazine! What a ludicrous idea this was. What do I know about publishing a magazine?! I argued with myself, “Alisha, you’re creative and you can do this, you and God!” I began thinking more, “This is an answered prayer!” I pray every day for God to expand my territory, to reach others and plant seeds. This must be it! By this point, I was looking crazy to the sales girl in the big Dallas boutique. I called Andrea back and told her the plan, but I don’t think she really believed me. I was excited and laughing to myself when I purchased my dress and left. Driving down the Dallas freeway, I made phone calls looking for the information I needed to make this plan a reality. Mind you, I prayed in between every phone call and all the way back home to Longview. After many phone calls, a few meetings, and two weeks later, Ronnie and I are the new owners of Piney Woods Live. The rest of the story is yet to be told. We look forward to getting to know our advertisers and the East Texas community, and we know this is going to be a beautiful journey.

PineyWoodsLive.com

N E W

E X H I B I T S

Jack Ridley

Images from the Big Bend

BLACK

&WHITE

David Bates (b. 1952). Corny Dog, 1986. Lithograph, 27 ¼ x 21 in. Gift of Pepsi-Cola Company 1986.03.02

Earlie Hudnall, Jr.

Contemporary Texas

Selections from the Permanent Collection

through November 30, 2014

November 8– December 20 2 1 5 E . Ty l e r S t . L o n g v i e w, Te x a s 903.753.8103 w w w. L M FA . o r g PineyWoodsLive.com

Log on to www.tylermuseum.org for updated information about educational programming and special events.

Tyler Museum of Art

1300 South Mahon Avenue ● Tyler, Texas 75701 (903) 595-1001 ● www.tylermuseum.org October 2014 - Page 5

MOLLIE JONES Watercolor Artist by Jan Statman

ollie Jones does not remember exactly when she decided to become an artist because she has been an artist all her life. She says that one of her earliest memories dates back to a long ago Christmas. She was only a clever little four-year-old peeking around corners when she caught sight of Santa Claus placing an art easel under the tree at her grandmother’s house. She believes that little easel marked a deciding point in her life. She started to paint, and she has been an artist ever since. Although she has experimented with working in many other media, she always found herself returning to watercolor. She now describes herself as a watercolorist and a pen and ink artist. “Watercolor is a happy medium,” she said. “It can be thin or it can be thick. It can be loose and free or it can be tight and controlled. You can do anything you like. You have to know how to let the water work for you. The water is your friend. Once you get the hang of it and know how much water to use and how to use it, the water will work for you. You have to let it, and when you decide to relax and let the water work for you, you don’t need to do a whole lot else. It may sound strange at first, but you have to let the painting tell you what it wants you to do. I have worked in other media, but I always keep coming back to watercolor. That is where my heart is.” She spent more than 25 years traveling the country, taking her paintings on

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art circuits and exhibiting them in various large art festivals and other venues. “I was successfully on the art circuits. I was doing the large festivals until I finally got tired of traveling. While on the circuits, I met many wonderful artists and grew to love most media out there, but now I concentrate strictly on watercolor.” Jones also describes herself as being basically a studio painter. This means she prefers to paint in the comfort and controlled environment of her studio. She will decide on a subject, set up a still life composition and take a series of reference photographs. “I don’t usually paint with much difference from my reference photos, since, as I said, I’m basically a studio painter,” she explained. “My main passion seems to be painting glass and crystal and large focus florals.” She is happy to say she is now able to devote full time to her paintings and her art interests. “I am fortunate enough to be able to live and work on our farm outside of Tyler, where we enjoy all the pleasures of small farm life. We have cats, dogs, birds, chickens, flowers and a wonderful vegetable garden,” she said. “These are the good things of life.” Her advice to beginning watercolor artists is simple, “Always use the best brushes and the best paints and the best papers you can get.” This makes excellent sense, since poor quality brushes will shed hair onto the painting, poor quality paints will not react comfortably to the brush strokes and poor quality papers will not be able to hold the paints. Too many

artists have had the experience of painting something absolutely wonderful, only to discover that since they did not use the best materials, the paper buckled or the paint faded. Of course, even the best materials will not assure the artist of creating a great painting, but they will prevent the disappointment of seeing a first rate work ruined by second rate materials. Since watercolor paint will become dry with time, Jones is careful to explain that dried paint can easily be reconstituted with just a spray of water. “You can reconstitute the older dried paint on your palette and it will perform just as though it was just squeezed from a brand new tube,” Jones advised. “But you can also add new paint. I can reconstitute dried paint, I always have.” Jones likes to work wet on dry. This means she waits for an area to be completely dry before she goes back to work on it again. “I paint wet on dry so I can move my paints around easily,” she says. “If you go back in and paint over an area when it is still wet, you are going to turn it into mud.” She does not concentrate on one item but works in every part of the subject while she is painting. “I work all over the painting. I go in and do a part here, and then I go in and do a part there,” she explained. “I love to leave the white space of the paper showing because I can go back in and change it when I am ready. When you can see the white of the paper, you can always go back and add more paint.” Her major requirement in a painting is the color red. She has

a bit of red in everything she paints, even if it is a painting of a silver teapot. “If I don’t have red in a painting, I don’t like to do it,” she admitted. She is careful to offer a warning to other artists because it is all too easy for people to become discouraged after seeing their artwork outside the studio or in an exhibit. This is perfectly normal. “Artists are never totally satisfied with our art,” she said. “We always say, ‘I can always do better. I can always see things I could have done differently.’ How you see it is the way you painted it. You don’t need to change it. Just do it differently the next time.” Mollie Jones is a member of Painting Friends, as well as a number of other professional art organizations in different areas of the country. She says she benefits from attending watercolor workshops given by visiting artists, and by doing so she keeps her vision fresh. She is always learning new ideas and new techniques. She also teaches professional watercolor workshops across the country. Some of her outstanding watercolor demonstrations may be seen on the Painting Friends ChanMollie Jones nel of YouTube.

PineyWoodsLive.com

OF THE

PINEY WOODS E

ast Texas grows cooler in late October as darkness comes earlier with each passing day. When darkness comes, the wind howls around the corners of the house, rushing through tall pines and whispering strange, soft messages in our ears. East Texas is the last rich acre of the old South, filled with stories and legends of lost spirits. It would be best to remember that these are Texas spirits. They might like to walk at night, but they lived in the hot East Texas sunshine, so they might just be inclined to walk right up to you in broad daylight to shake your hand. New owners have come and gone from the old Ginocchio Hotel in Marshall. Eager new owners have hoped to restore the large, impressive building where Washington Street meets the railroad tracks. It was built as a railroad hotel at the hub of the line in the 1890s. Its comfortable rooms and vast dining parlors welcomed travelers who were moving from the east to the west, from the north to the south and points beyond. Proprietor G.A. Ginocchio had even built himself a hidden balcony where he liked to stand to observe the activities of his employees and his guests below without being seen. When he wasn’t attending to business, he was often playing fan-tan with his friends as liveried porters stood by to observe the activities of his employees and his guests below. A hopeful new owner was determined to restore the palatial old place. Two Marshall workmen stopped and glanced back up the hill, enjoying the inspiring view between the railroad station and the Harrison County Courthouse, all bright and gleaming in the morning sun. When they carefully opened the glass front doors, they were surprised to hear the rich, full sound of gentlemanly laughter. For no particular reason, the lower floor was briefly lit by brilliant light, just as it had been in the days when trains came rolling by. Stunned by the light, they couldn’t quite make out the shadows that dashed past

PineyWoodsLive.com

by Jan Statman

them toward the kitchen. They pursued the racing footsteps down a narrow hall into a cobwebbed corridor, stopping only at a locked and bolted door. Once, long ago, a well known dramatic troupe was staying at the hotel. A local man insulted a pretty, young actress. Two of the actors, Ben Porter and Maurice Barrymore of the famed theatrical Barrymore family, quickly came to the girl’s defense. The local man simply raised his pistol and shot Porter dead. His lifeless body was carried into the hotel’s elegant lobby. Since that time the historic hotel has been known for its mysteries. Lights turn themselves on and off. Sealed doors are heard to slam. Footsteps pace closed hallways. Voices are heard on empty stairways. Could the spirit, or the many different spirits of the Ginocchio Hotel, be Ben Porter? Or is it a traveling man from Chicago or New York, still waiting to clear accounts? Is it the little girl who was taken ill and never got back on the train? Could it be G.A. Ginocchio himself? Is it a pigeon high in the rafters? Or is it only the wind whistling through the vastness of the empty building? The well-groomed woman paused for a moment before the tall brick house on South Main Street in Henderson. It was a quiet afternoon as she stepped across the wide front porch and opened the front door. She climbed the stairs to her bedroom. Her shoes made crisp clicking noises against the polished hardwood floors. A volunteer was on duty at the Howard-Dickson House, which is now a historic museum. She watched as the woman entered the building. She, too, climbed the stairs, but she knew she would find the bedroom empty. It was simply Mrs. Howard coming home. Mrs. Howard was a prominent citizen during Henderson’s early days. She was a handsome and a sincerely proper woman in the manner of her early years in Richmond, Virginia. Her home was built of handmade brick in a style that

was appropriate to Virginia in the 1850s. It became a center of social life in Henderson. Piano music filled its rooms and happiness its halls, but tragedy struck without warning. Her two grown sons were in the basement kitchen when shots rang out. One son staggered up to the doorway of his mother’s bedroom before he fell dead in a pool of blood. His brother, shocked by what might have been a fatal accident, bolted from the house and did not stop until he passed the county line. Dark rumors shadowed the community and hinted of murder. The grieving mother’s health soon failed. She reluctantly left her beloved home. The house was sold. It was a rooming house for a time and then it became vacant. The empty years took their toll. The high roof leaked. The porch sagged. Chimneys became overgrown. Vagrants broke in and caused all sorts of damage. Neighbors spoke of strange lights in the empty windows of the empty rooms. From time to time a well-dressed woman in white was seen to climb the crumbling stairs and move sadly through the broken doors. People shuddered as they drove past the place. Eventually the decaying house was acquired as a house museum by the Rusk County Heritage Society. Restoration was accomplished by true grit and elbow grease; although, no manner of work could ever remove the bloodstain on the upstairs bedroom floor. The strange lights were seen more and more often in the rooms where restoration had progressed. Chairs moved mysteriously across rooms to more desirable locations. When a sudden rainstorm threatened to dampen the redecorated museum, the windows simply shut themselves. “Mrs. Howard likes our work,” association volunteers joked to each other with nervous smiles. A luncheon was held to honor the Heritage Association at the completion of the restoration project. Guests were counted and places at the table were laid. Somehow, there was an extra place on the wide oak table. The volunteers recounted. Still an extra place! What

had become of the smiling woman in the white dress? Surely she was a charter member? Everyone agreed they had seen her in the house before. Eunice Andrews was the “Belle of Karnak.” Her father, Milton Andrews, had built the 2-story, 10 room colonnaded mansion 2-1/2 miles southwest of the city of Karnak in 1854 before the War Between the States. Called The Brick House, it is so cheerful that stories of sadness seem remote and out of place. The weeping bride of Karnak would disagree. A comfortable looking rocking chair sits near the hearth in the big square front bedroom upstairs. Lady Bird Johnson grew up in The Brick House, and this is where Miss Eunice is said to appear. She is a beautiful, young girl of 19 with long, flowing blond hair. Dressed in a satin and lace wedding dress ornamented with tiny pearls, she seats herself in the rocking chair and wrings her dainty white hands. This was Karnack during its glorified steamboat days, and she was clearly the prettiest girl in the county. A dashing sweetheart won her hand, and her father gave them his blessing. The wedding guests were invited. The wedding breakfast was prepared. The minister was ready to unite the two in the morning. On the eve of her marriage, Miss Eunice was awakened by a violent thunderstorm. She sat and warmed herself before the fire, perhaps dreaming dreams of future happiness when a bolt of lightning shot down the chimney to claim her life. How fragile is beauty! How fleeting is happiness! The bride was buried in her wedding dress. Musicians who were called to play the wedding march now played a funeral dirge. It is no wonder that the Bride of Karnak weeps. Every theater has a “ghost light.” This is the light that remains lit on the stage day and night when the theater is dark. Theaters have many superstitions, and this one holds. Never turn off the ghost light. It is necessary to keep from

falling when entering the darkened auditorium. It is necessary for finding the lights, the props, and the way around the set from front stage to the back. At the Henderson Civic Theatre, the ghost light is more nearly necessary to keep Daphne, the resident theater ghost, happy. The old theater building in downtown Henderson dates back to the 1880s when it was the local opera house. A century later, the Henderson Civic Theatre began restoration on the handsome old building. One of their productions, Blithe Spirit, brought out the high spirits of the building’s mischievous ghost. Much to the astonishment of the actors, she simply appeared onstage and walked among them during the play’s Act I séance scene, causing many missed cues and fluffed lines. They immediately named her Daphne, after one of the characters in the play. She is rather pretty, and she has been seen by many, if not most, of the actors and members of productions during rehearsals and staging. She makes her presence known by turning spotlights on and off, by whispering loudly during quiet scenes, following theater people up and down the backstage stairs, hiding props, and occasionally tapping theater-goers on the shoulder. Daphne often appears during dress rehearsals. When she appears, the cast and crew know the play will be well-received; so they are always looking for her, and they are willing to welcome her. Since she is more mischievous than frightening, she has become the theater’s unofficial mascot. They have even named their annual award The Daphne in her honor. In late October when the full moon casts long, white shadows through the pines, East Texans look cautiously over their shoulders. Is that truly the whisper of the wind you hear? Is that glancing image in the mirror merely a shadow? Why does the dog growl at empty air? Does that uneasy sense of someone standing right behind you fade only when you turn away? Is that only a tree branch scratching at the window?

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by Crystal Davis

A Zombie Apocalypse is set to strike Longview Oct. 25, 9 a.m. at McWhorter Park, beginning at 1000 Toler Road. Although no Mayan calendar or Nostradamus foresaw it coming, zombies of all shapes and sizes will hit the pavement in a “Rising out of the Thicket Zombie 5K Fun Run/Walk,” sponsored by The City of Longview’s Partners in Prevention to benefit the Coalition for a Drug-Free Youth. Participants can choose from a variety of characters such as a Survivor, Running Dead, or the Zombie Dead End Crew, and pre-registration is available online

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at pip.longviewtexas. gov/5k-zombie-funrun-0, or registration at the event will start at 8 a.m. that day. For runners/walkers, the registration fee is $35 and for the Zombies, or chasers, the registration fee is $25. Participants will receive an official Zombie t-shirt and water bottle. The event proceeds benefit the community through the strong drug-free prevention efforts by the Coalition whose contributions include the annual Red Ribbon Week at local schools. As a Survivor, you’ll run the bloody obstacle course trying to avoid Zombies along the way. The Running Dead will run the route and attempt obstacles in a zombie fashion. Many people who sign up for these parts often like to run in teams. Finally, there’s the Zombie Dead End Crew that will be stationed along the course to “feed” on Survivors. NaTusha Howard, the project coordinator of the event on behalf of Coalition for a Drug-Free Youth, said everyone is

encouraged to participate in this family fun event, and there will be an identifying marker placed on any participant who doesn’t want to be chased by Zombies. There will be an area marked off to “zombify” or add some undead makeup to participants. “We’re hoping to see some Zombie cats and dogs this year,” said Howard. “Give brains or blood,” the website said, referencing Carter Blood Care’s attendance for anyone willing to donate. However, if one would like to contribute in another way, there will also be a canned food drive for “surviving the Zombie Apocalypse” by Longview Community Ministries. “We had a great turnout last year,” said Howard, who is hoping to have upward of 100 participants this year. Last year the event was also held at McWhorter Park, and even the “Boo Crew” from Doc Wilkes House of Horrors turned out to help with the zombifica-

tion process. This is the third year for the Zombie 5K Fun Run/Walk event which gains more attention annually, doubling the amount of participants from the first year to last. “The purpose is to support the activities of Coalition for a Drug-Free Youth,” Howard said. There will be police on site during the event to help participants safely cross the street, and everyone will be invited to attend the Longview Fire Department block party afterward. For more information, contact NaTusha Howard at nhoward@longviewtexas. gov, or call 903.239.5503.

PineyWoodsLive.com

by Randy Brown

LAST OF THE PROTEST SINGERS He’s the last of the protest singers Selling truth and commitment He don’t get much work these days He’s billed as a novelty act Harry Chapin has always been one of my heroes, and he certainly wasn’t your typical “rock star.” Born Harry Forster Chapin (Dec. 7, 1942 – July 16, 1981), he was an American singer-songwriter best known for his folk rock songs, including “Taxi,” “W*O*L*D,” “Sniper,” “Flowers Are Red,” and the No. 1 hit “Cat’s in the Cradle.” Chapin was also a dedicated humanitarian who fought to end world hunger; he was a key participant in the creation of the Presidential Commission on World Hunger in 1977. In 1987, Chapin was posthumously awarded the Congressional Gold Medal for his humanitarian work. He didn’t have the greatest voice, but he kept on going no matter what. He died suddenly in 1986 in a car accident. This month’s song is from a posthumously produced album of the same name. I was recently asked to do a couple of Harry’s songs at the Art of Peace Concert in Tyler in Sept. I had never heard this particular song before preparing to perform it. I found this song rung true with me and inspired this month’s column about protest songs, or as I like to think of them, songs of conscience. So, when was the last time you took a chance at a show or you played a song that you were afraid might upset folks. No, I don’t mean profanity (though I am not against it, if it gets a point across) but to stand up straight and say, or sing, what you believe in your heart of hearts in a full speed ahead, damn the torpedoes way. Could you throw caution to the wind and sing what you believe, speaking your truth politically, religiously, socially or philosophically with your head held high? Believe me, it can be tougher than it sounds. First of all, as artists we want to be liked. So, taking that kind of chance goes against our deeply ingrained need to be loved. Yet, taking such a chance can also cement your fans forever. Do you want to be popular but a fake? If so, you should walk on egg shells, spoon feeding your audience exactly what you “think” they want to hear. Pull all the punches and be what I call a PineyWoodsLive.com

“tapioca artist;” one that nobody really hates but that no one has a strong opinion about. These days music is mostly about business; at least many folks view it that way. Most artists are afraid to get too political or edgy for fear of a backlash to the pocket book. A perfect example of this is the now famous comment Natalie Manes of the Dixie Chicks made to George Bush in London. It makes no difference if you agree or disagree with what was said. The fact is the results can devastate a career not based on your right to opinion, the rightness or wrongness of what you have to say, but strictly on how the public (your fans and potential fans) perceive it. As artists we all fear that kind of situation to some extent, but many artists in the past have been willing to take the leap to do what they believe to be good and right, regardless of the outcome. Protest songs have all but become a lost art. Once upon a time, songwriters wrote about what bothered them in the world, and some even got on the radio with it. Think of the Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young (CSN&Y) song “Ohio,” which is about the Kent State killings. It got radio airplay, albeit on the self-proclaimed “underground” stations of their day, but it still got airplay. Would that happen today? I honestly don’t think so. In our politically correct, black & white, digital business world of today, it could never happen. Radio stations have turned into bastions of nothing at all except shallow, uninspired music engineered not to offend a listeners sensibilities and to sell whatever products they happen to be hawking at that moment in time. Genres have been cut so thin that the chance of hearing something shocking to you (other than sexual innuendo) are almost zero. Most radio stations are owned by three or for large companies who, for fear of losing revenue, refuse to play anything that even smells vaguely controversial. But, dear readers, we aren’t big businesses, and we can do what we damn well please. Of course, if you choose to support or decry a cause, faction or group, expect to catch some heat. But if your art cannot state your truth, then what good is it?

Unfortunately, music is viewed by many people these days as merely just another path to riches much like sports. The truth is 99.9% of artists go almost nowhere, and we will go nowhere if we don’t stand out. Plus, if you don’t speak out about things that bother you, what kind of person are you? I don’t care what it is, take a stand, make some noise. Heck, even piss a few people off. Who really knows who you are until you take a stand. I, for one, want to know what an artist stands for. If I agree, I will listen further. If I disagree, I may still listen. If I strongly disagree, I may still listen or I may turn you off. Believe it or not, that is a good thing. Not everyone is going to like you, and by stating your real honest views, you have helped to define your audience. The audience gleaned by taking a stand on your belief or opinions will be more apt to buy product and come to your shows because they are in your “club.” When it comes to artists, clubs are great because there are those in the club and those who aren’t. Exclusivity has cachet and may even pull others into the fold simply by peer pressure. Does everybody love your music? Count your fans, your true fans, not your mom, dad, grandmother and assorted close friends and family. Those folks don’t count; they love everything you do regardless of how good it is. They love you; therefore, they love your art, whatever it may be. Now consider the rest of our fans, the ones who buy seats, CDs and merchandise when we play. The ones who show up and know all the words and sing along. Now think about those folks and try to figure out the thread that binds them to you. I would guess it is how you present yourself, who you are as a person, as well as what you stand for. They love your music, but chances are they love you as well. You owe those folks a lot. They are your bread and butter, your core audience. Does everyone that hears you love you? “Well, of course not, silly. No one loves everything” would be the most common answer to that question. My point exactly.

Written by Harry Chapin from the album The Last Protest Singer.

What audiences really want is you, the real you. Audiences can smell honesty and sincerity a mile away. That is what makes audiences into fans, to see and hear the real you. That is the secret to longevity in this business. However, these days music is mostly about money, business and holy bottom line. Yes, that is certainly important. But saying what you think and believe is important. Like I said, folks can inherently sense your sincerity. You can’t fool folks about your sincerity as hard as you try. I really don’t care what you sing about. Your views and beliefs are your own. I am not espousing any agenda, left, right or middle. Write from wherever you find yourself philosophically. I am simply saying let your audience know who you really are. Do not hide it. Share your truth, your fears, your joys and all the other stuff too. Not everyone will love it, but those that do will become the best fans you ever had. In addition, by making a stand for your beliefs, you will sleep better too. How can you go wrong there? So, write a protest song about whatever is going on in the world that bothers you. Sing it, record it, let it become your mantra. Listeners will know who you are and what you stand for. I promise you won’t be the last protest singer. We songwriters come from a long, long line of dreamers, movers and shakers. See what you can shake up. You never know. So, there you have it, another chunk of time wasted while I babble on about the music business. As always, thank you for reading, and your comments and suggestions are appreciated. Send them to randy@brownrandy.com. See you next month. Randy Brown is an award-winning, East Texasbased singer/songwriter and self-proclaimed “performing philosopher” bent on deciphering the intersection of spirit, faith and science with a sense of wonder and whimsy in smartly clever folk/Americana-style songs and stories. He writes this column as much for himself as anyone else. He loves to tell folks not to worry about what others think while he continues to worry about it all the time. October 2014 - Page 9

by Claudia Lowery t’s a landmark year for this Baby Boomer because on Oct. 4, I’ll turn 62 and a little social security will come my way. Growing up in the ‘60s, I never saw that coming. We just thought we’d stay forever young, and after reflecting on that, I think there’s a bit of truth in the idea. The hippie generation was privy to the internal poetic thoughts and musical genius that was shared with all of us via AM radio and later the new, improved FM. I give Bob Dylan credit for turning me into a writer at age 14 when first hearing the words to “Gates of Eden,” the flip side to “Like a Rolling Stone.” His words haunted my thoughts, and pushed me to spill my guts on paper. It’s been my catharsis ever since. Growing up in a conservative, Baptist family, my parents didn’t know quite what to make of their flower child. Dad awakened us every Sunday to a music-filled home of either Benny Goodman, Broadway musicals, or the Harmonicats. Actually, it was some great music, so when I began filling my bedroom with The Beatles, Peter, Paul & Mary, Jimi Hendrix, Jefferson Airplane, and Dylan, I think he “allowed” a little freedom of expression since his love of music was being passed on; although, this was just not his cup of tea. I’ll never forget the time “Why Don’t We Do It In the Road” from The Beatles’ White album was playing; my bedroom door flung open and my mother created quite a scene over that song. I guess I won because I still have the album. To this generation, that would seem pretty tame, but back then it was shocking. We all have our separate realities and mine involved a few memorable concerts that still bring joy and a bit of puffed up pride, especially when conversing with some younger musicians of today. I saw Buffalo Springfield at Memorial Audito-

October 2014 - Page 10

rium in Dallas. General admission tickets were about $5. My friends and I stood on folding chairs to get the best view. After the show, I got Stephen Stills’ autograph. I thought I’d achieved a miracle to make that happen. A couple of years later they returned as an opener with Strawberry Alarm Clock (“Incense and Peppermint”) for the main act, who was The Beach Boys. I didn’t think they were very cool, so I ditched them to hang around outside and watch for Buffalo Springfield. Earlier that day, my friends and I had taken the bus to the Dallas Cabana Hotel where they were staying and somehow managed to find Neil Young’s room. He invited all six of us in. We just stood around his bed staring and smiling while he lay stretched out, propped up on one elbow and staring back. I can’t make this stuff up. When he left and walked to the elevator, I followed directly behind him thinking, “He sure is tall and thin.” His widely-striped, hip hugging, bell bottom pants are forever burned into my brain. We also met Richie Furay, Stephen Stills, and drummer Dewey Martin. They were very young and still tolerant of groupies, so they did not shut us down immediately. They were kind to say the least. Folk singers like Peter, Paul & Mary were on the forefront of the civil rights movement and were known for tight harmonies and thought provoking songs like Dylan’s “Blowin’ In the Wind.” My dad took me twice to see PP&M, which was like a seal of approval. Two other times I went to SMU’s McFarlin Auditorium for concerts featuring Canned Heat and Jefferson Airplane (pre-Starship). Paul Revere and the Raiders were a teenage pop music dream with the boyish, toothy Phil “Fang” Volk and the sexy Mark Lindsay

with his long ponytail streaming from his revolution-style hat. A friend reached out to touch that ponytail, and he didn’t appreciate it much. She didn’t care. Maturing into my 20s, I saw Linda Ronstadt a couple of times and ZZ Top at least three times. The first ZZ Top concert had me sleeping out all night in front of El Chico’s at the Six Flags Mall to be first in line for tickets. I was pregnant with my son, and my young husband and I were crazy. However, we got decent seats and I still have the memory. The second time was at Tarrant County Convention Center in Fort Worth. It was New Year’s Eve. At midnight, they released hundreds of balloons from the ceiling, and someone shot off Roman candles INSIDE the building as we all cheered and watched. It was a miracle we survived, but a young girl ten rows in front of us was not so lucky. She got too drunk, threw up, and then her coat caught on fire. Ah, youth. I never saw The Beatles all together as a few of my friends did, but years later I saw George Harrison with Ravi Shankar and more recently Paul McCartney. It was one of the best concerts I’ve ever attended, and my adult son treated me to it. I saw other legends over the years, but nothing topped the night I saw Jimi Hendrix at the State Fair Music Hall in Dallas. I rolled my long straight hair with pink sponge rollers, and when it was combed out, I wore a mass of frizzed out hair that would’ve made Janis Joplin envious. My outfit was a dark, paisley printed jumpsuit with bell bottoms. My friends all met at the home of a drummer named Tim, and his parents drove us and were supportive. Tim always had strawberry incense burning in his room while Cream blasted on

the stereo. My seats for the concert were next to my best friend, a musician named Mike. I had a major crush on him. Although I remember seeing Jimi in concert, including setting his guitar on fire, I mostly remember being happy just sitting next to Mike sharing the experience. He’s still living the dream currently playing in a band. Today I write on the memories I made growing up, and last month I made more memories when I attended the TBone Walker Blues Fest with my son. Young musicians like Tyler Lenius wowed young and old alike, and legends like Rick Derringer shared their talent with a new generation. What I love about music is the way it can connect yesterday to today, and what I listened to in 1968 is still being revered in local clubs and festivals. I’m not that 15-year-old girl anymore who stood gaga in her chair to hear Stephen Stills sing “For What It’s Worth” or the 22-year-old pregnant newlywed sleeping on wet grass at the mall for ZZ Top tickets. But I am a rounder, older version of that youthful person who cut her teeth on stacks of wax falling noisily down onto the turntable, falling asleep to the sound of The Byrds singing “So You Want to Be a Rock & Roll Star,” dreaming I might just be one ... forever young. PineyWoodsLive.com

Food, Beverages and Music by Crystal Davis Parents Anonymous of Tyler is hosting their fourth annual Oktoberfest event this year on Oct. 25, 7 p.m., at K.E. Bushman’s Event Center in Bullard. Tickets will be $80 per person and proceeds benefit Parents Anonymous of Tyler, an organization known for its contributions to the families of the community. Admission can be purchased online at www.parents anonymousoktoberfest.com. This year’s event will feature over 40 brews, ales, lagers, Pilsners and seasonal beer from around the world, as well as wine and non-alcoholic craft beverages, like Abita Root Beer and Henry Weinhard sodas. In addition, there will be catered food and live music from the Grammy award-winning band Brave Combo out of Denton. Well-known distributors like GG Distributing, Ben E. Keith Beverage Distributing and R&K Distributing will be providing the beers for tasting, among which are several Oktoberfest, Pecan, and even gluten-free varieties. There will also be a chance drawing and silent auction with the total of prizes valuing over $10,000. The chance drawing even includes diamond jewelry donated by Cole & Co., valued at $3000. Tickets for the drawing

can be purchased online as well, with one ticket for $25 or five tickets for $100. According to their website, “One of the most important aspects of Oktoberfest is that it supports the work of Parents Anonymous to strengthen families, end the tragic cycle of child abuse, support the potential of teenagers and ensure that all family members are thriving and equipped for success.” Parents Anonymous of Tyler was founded in 1984 by the Smith County Medical Society Alliance and focuses on family education, with a range of clients experiencing difficulties like custody issues, abuse issues, and out of control children and teens who are struggling with destructive behaviors, as well as teen moms. This organization provided service to over 1500 parents, children and youth seeking help in 2013. By doing this, PA believes it helps reduce the crime rate, strengthen families, reduce school dropouts, breaks the cycle of child abuse, improves job performance, reduces the pressure on the judicial system, and decreases tax payer liability and reliance on other social service organizations. If you or someone you know needs help with parenting, please call the Parents Anonymous office at 903597-1831.

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October 2014 - Page 11

how i O

n my fifth birthday in 1987, I received the best birthday present ever – a cute, dapple grey Shetland pony. At that time, I could not have told you if it was a mare or gelding. My favorite show was My Little Pony, so I named him Pony Tails.

October 2014 - Page 12

The memories I have of the pony are few. I remember getting tossed off once near a puddle of water. I also remember being in the house, only in my undies, and my mother yelling, “If you want your damn picture taken with the pony, come on!” I don’t know what the urgency was about, but I do remember the words. I also have the proof. As I look back through a box of childhood pictures, I see a photo of a 5-year-old little girl with long, blonde hair and only her undies on, sitting bareback on a cute, dapple grey pony. I don’t remember much after that, except feeding my french fries to the pony and his pasture mate cows. Somewhere along the way the pony was sold, but we kept the kid saddle, and I got good at posting in a saddle cinched over a tree limb. It was a very fun, very imaginative life I lived. The years went by, and on every birthday when I blew out the candles, the only thing I wished for was a big horse to call my own. That is, until I got big enough to throw life size fits. The saying “The squeaky wheel gets the grease” rings true. By the time I was 12 years old, I finally talked my mom into getting me my birthday wish. She told me about a bay horse she found for only $525. I went crazy with excitement. It would not have mattered to PineyWoodsLive.com

it all started me if the horse was blind or hairless, I had to have him! He turned out to be a young, barely broken bay gelding. I tried naming him Donté, but somehow Bubba stuck when my Papaw talked about him. I remember the first night I had him, I slept on the high end of our tall, stone wall porch with Bubba below the porch and tied up close to me. Bubba turned out to be wild as a March hare, throwing me every chance he got. He eventually became a pasture pet, and I graduated to a National Show Horse colt. And so, my extreme love of the equine continued. By the time I was 17, I was training my own horse, teaching him to ride and developing my equestrian skills. Ideas began dancing in my head. “What if I did this as a career? How could I make horse business fun? This might really work!” My ideas started small, and every day I added to them. I wrote my ideas down. I read books: horse books, business books, marketing ... you name it. I was educating myself. A few years went by, and I felt I had finally made my plan. I would purchase some land, do some improvements, and get my business off the ground. Sadly, my efforts went to waste on my first try. I grew up in a Christian home with kind Christian parents. I remember being saved when I was 6 years old and had learned how PineyWoodsLive.com

to pray. Sometimes adult children stray from their upbringing and walk a crooked path. I couldn’t understand why things weren’t going as smoothly as they should. I knew I was working myself to death to make a way, but still, I was disappointed. Then one day, many years and tears later, I woke up a bit smarter. I started thinking about God and how I knew if I would just rely on Him and talk to Him, things would be better, or at least, I would have less meltdowns and realize He had a plan for my life. I started praying a little every day. I knew how to do it, but I knew it would take practice. A year went by, and before I knew it, I was praying while driving down the road and talking with God every chance I got. I started seeing changes in my attitude. I knew that if what I wanted didn’t happen, God had other things in mind, and I was okay with that. Today, my life-size dreams are coming true. Le Cheval Gardens will be home to the most whimsical country venue in East Texas! It will be open to the public for after dinner entertainment with your special someone, the perfect place for marriage proposals and stunning photography opportunities. You will be able to bring your whole family for fun wagon rides as you’re pulled by

by Alisha DuVall Knox Photo by Thomas Myers

draft horses alongside exotic wildlife and flowering gardens! We will host theatrical Halloween hayrides, witnessing the Headless Horseman chase Ichabod Crane, and Christmas in the Country with thousands of lights through the trails. It will be a fairy tale no doubt; redefining East Texas nightlife and entertainment. Join us Nov. 8 in celebration at Masquerade in the Meadow. You are cordially invited to an evening of mystery and romance under the stars! We are creating an atmosphere you will surely find fascinating! This enchanting night will include Swedish fire torches, string music, champagne toasting, professional photography and memories to last a lifetime. The ‘AFTER PARTY’ will light up the night with performances by Jaden Farnsworth and Little Texas, a ribbon cutting ceremony and fireworks! Limited V.I.P. ticket holders will enjoy extras such as optional valet parking, specialty drinks, V.I.P. lounge seating, photos and special gifts. This will surely be the grandest party you attend this year! For tickets, call 903-241-2902 or you can go to our website at LeChevalGardens. com. Picture on Right: Grants Gazelle, Romantic Carriage Rides, Fallow Deer, Blackbuck Antelope

October 2014 - Page 13

East Texas Pipe Organ Festival

by Jan Statman

The six day 2014 East Texas Pipe Organ Festival is scheduled for Nov. 9 through 14 this year. The festival began when Lorenz Maycher, resident organist-choirmaster at First Presbyterian Church of Kilgore, received an email from a complete stranger asking if he would consider having an East Texas Pipe Organ Festival featuring some of the remarkable instruments in this area that were designed by internationally honored musician Roy Perry.

Ora & Jimmy Williams Kilgore’s Roy Perry was organist-choirmaster at the First Presbyterian Church in Kilgore for 40 years from 1932 to 1972. Although he was not physically a large man, he had a larger-than-life personality. He was thoughtful and generous with a splendid wit, and he was widely sought after to speak at national venues, presenting lectures and papers at church conferences and music clubs across the country. He was a brilliant organist and composer, and he was also an organ builder. Lorenz Maycher, who has an impressive national reputation including more than 50 recitals at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City, thought it would indeed be a good idea to establish a pipe organ festival. He says the rest is history. As always, this year’s festival continues to celebrate Roy Perry’s rare genius. He designed and tonally finished the area’s remarkable Aeolian-Skinner pipe organs. The festival features landmark Aeolian-Skinner pipe organs in Kilgore, Longview, Shreveport, Tyler and Nacogdoches. Concerts will October 2014 - Page 14

be heard at the First Presbyterian Church, Kilgore; St. Luke’s United Methodist Church, Kilgore; First Baptist Church, Longview, St. Mark’s Episcopal Cathedral, Shreveport, La., and others. “Thanks to Mr. Perry and the Crim family, the First Presbyterian Church in Kilgore houses one of the greatest pipe organs in America, the 1949 Aeolian-Skinner, Op. 1173,” Maycher said. “The Crim family bought the original Pilcher pipe organ. They paid for the subsequent rebuilds by Moller and AeolianSkinner and continue to enrich all our lives through their quiet generosity and devotion to their church. If it had not been for them, there would be no Roy Perry Aeolian-Skinners anywhere. This is really their festival as much as it is Roy Perry’s. They changed the face of history. We are forever in their debt.” The fourth annual festival will bring nationally famous organists and guest speakers to the area, including David Baskeyfield, George Bozeman, Charles Callahan, Casey Cantwell, The Chenaults, Mark Dwyer, Richard Elliott, Jeremy Filsell, Jean Guillou, Stephen Hartman, Michael Kleinschmidt, Christopher Lynch, Larry Palmer, Walt Strony, and William Teague. Concert Organist Frederick Swann, who was the featured organist at the Crystal Cathedral, will be this year’s guest of honor. He will play at St. Mark’s Cathedral in Shreveport. Guest harpist Stephen Hartman will be joining organist Charles Callahan for a program of music for harp and organ. Perry was born in Indian Bayou, a small community that is situated near Lake Charles, La. His early gift for music led him to earn his living by playing in churches, temples and movie theaters. In 1932, he was earning a living by not only playing for the Episcopal Church, but he was also playing for a movie theater in Lufkin. This was at a time when the Oil Boom was going strong in East Texas.

“The Crim family was a member of the Presbyterian Church in Kilgore. They had been given the new church building downtown and they bought a new pipe organ for the church, but sadly, they had nobody who knew how to play it,” Maycher explained. “As it happened, they also owned a series of theaters in East Texas. Knox Lamb of Kilgore ran the theaters for them. He and Liggett Crim were talking about what a shame it was that they had installed this beautiful pipe organ, and it was silent because they had nobody to play it. Mr. Lamb said, ‘Well, you have one of the finest organists anywhere playing for your movie theater in Lufkin.’” So, on the spur of the moment, the two of them drove down to Lufkin and found Roy Perry at home, asleep in his bed. They woke him up and took him to the theater to hear him play, but as it happened, they forgot to bring the key to the theater with them. Mr. Lamb just kicked the theater door in. Roy Perry played and was hired on the spot. It was a perfect marriage of ability and generosity. The Crim’s took him in and thought of him as a member of the family. They paid for his formal education and they continued to enhance the pipe organ that was in the church. Although, by 1935, there were so many oil wells on the church property that the building became structurally unsound and had to be replaced. The Crims again were generous in the donation of present modern gothic building, which they built in a different location. The pipe organ was moved to the new building with the understanding that it would be rebuilt. The AeolianSkinner pipe organ company of Boston Roy Perry was the premier pipe organ building company in the country from 1930 to the early 1970s. “Aeolian-Skinner

set the standard,” Maycher said. “Their pipe organs have such a distinctive sound there is nothing else like it. Each country really has its own musical language. Their philosophy was that they wanted to build a pipe organ in this country that could not only play American music but could play all music of all literature of all periods, so it is called the ‘American Classic Organ.’ “The instruments at the First Baptist Church in Longview and at the first Presbyterian Church in Kilgore are only one opus number away from each other, but they are totally different,” Maycher said. “The thing about pipe organs is they have to be tailor made to fit into the building in which they will be played. To begin building a pipe organ they first go into the building and decide what the scale of the instrument is to be. The pipe organ at the First Baptist Church in Longview would be ear splitting in the First Presbyterian Church of Kilgore which is a much smaller building. The Longview building is over two hundred feet long and extremely tall, and the sound is as clear at the front of the room as it is in the back. It is amazing how they were able to accomplish that. That is because each is tailor made for the building in which it is going to ‘speak.’ “The pipe organ in Kilgore was built in 1949. The AeolianSkinner company in Boston built the pipes to Mr. Perry’s s p e c i f ic at ion s . While the ‘voicing’ was done in Boston, the tonal finishing had to be done on site. Mr. Harrison, the president of Aeolian-Skinner, said he could ship the organ, but he could not install it. Mr. Perry said he had his own organ people from New Orleans. They were the Williams family, T.J. and PineyWoodsLive.com

First Presbyterian Church, Kilgore Sally Williams, their young son Jimmy and his wife Nora, who was eighteen or nineteen years old at the time. Nora did all the wiring and all the electrical work. Jimmy did all the wind-ing.” While the two words are similar, it does not refer to winding. It is wind-ing or making the wind go through the pipes perfectly. Mr. T.J. Williams did the finishing up at the pipes with his knife while Mr. Perry sat at the console and made sure each sound was perfect. The pipe organ is the largest musical instrument in the world. It has the most volume. It also has the greatest range. It can go from a whisper up to louder than a full symphony orchestra. The organ in Longview has 87 stops, or ranks. A stop is a set of pipes. There is one pipe for every key on the keyboard. If you pull out one knob that says ‘trumpet,’ you are not just pulling out one pipe, you are pulling out 61 to 73 pipes. The organ at Kilgore has 1,171 pipes. It has four keyboard tiers and more than 5,000 pipes ranging from one to 32 feet long. “They have to be there,” Maycher insisted. “You use them all, but, of course, you don’t use them all together at the same time. It’s like a good chef has all the ingredients in his kitchen, but you wouldn’t use the same ingredients for chicken and spaghetti that you would use for apple pie. Still, you want to have them all there so that when you get ready to use them, they are available.

Organ at First Presbyterian Church, Kilgore PineyWoodsLive.com

“The reason we have so many fine instruments here in East Texas is because of the many times Mr. Harrison of AeolianSkinner came down on the train to inspect the work at First Presbyterian in Kilgore while it was being finished,” he explained. Mr. Williams said, “My company could not have done a better job in putting this together.” He asked the Williams family and Mr. Perry, “Would you consider putting in our next organ, which will be at the First Baptist Church in Longview?” When they had finally finished the pipe organ at the First Baptist Church in Longview, Mr. Williams was walking through the organ and said, “Would somebody please go downstairs and turn the organ on?” Jimmy Williams said, “Mr. Harrison, it is on.” This was the finest complement the Williams family had ever had in their career because there is so much air that is always flowing through the organ that you can almost always hear wind leaking from somewhere, but this organ was so perfect there was no wind leaking at all. After the First Baptist Church in Longview, they were asked to be AeolianSkinner’s representatives in the area. In 1951, they agreed to be the company’s representatives for Texas, Mississippi, Louisiana, Tennessee and Oklahoma and continued to do so until l959. “Roy Perry liked to call himself Perryola,” Maycher smiled. “That is why he liked to nickname the pipe organs he finished ‘Perry-olas.’ There are seven or eight PerryOlas remaining in Dallas, a dozen or so in Houston, two in New Orleans and a few others in Paris, Texas, and Oklahoma City. Georgetown has one at the University, and there is one at the National Cathedral in Washington DC, as well as others in various places in the United States.” The East Texas Pipe Organ Festival has grown and flourished. During the first year, 50 people came into the area as guests and joined the local audiences as part of the festival. The second and third years there were 105 people, and this year will be even larger. “People come here from all parts of the U.S. Some come specifically to hear the legendary pipe organ at the First Presbyterian Church in Kilgore. Others come to hear the full series of concerts, as well as to enjoy the lectures and papers. Of course,

we pay tribute to Roy Perry’s days as a movie house organist,” Maycher said. “We do a silent movie every year, plus play the organ music to go with it. This year’s movie is one of Buster Keaton’s, and we have a theater organist who can play the proper theater music.” The concerts are free and open to the public. Those who are coming from other parts of the country may obtain a festival package, which includes meals, a gala event, and transportation to and from all concerts. For more information, call (903) 987-0317 or go to the festival website at www.easttexaspipe organfestival.com.

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October 2014 - Page 15

By Claudia Lowery

THE TEXAS TEA ROOM

o pinky fingers delicately extended. No bone china cups and saucers. And no frilly lace curtains. The Texas Tea Room is not what you might expect of a tearoom. Located on the square in Carthage, it is in the sturdy historic 1903 First National Bank building that has been “repurposed” for today. The third floor houses the Panola County Heritage Museum. The first floor opened for the Texas Tea Room in 1983. It has opened its doors to area residents and become a local favorite but has also been a host to tourists and celebrities from all over the world. The massive original safe, an odd spherical eyeball-like structure, still stands as an unmovable sentinel in the foyer of the building. To the back of the main dining room the bank vault is an impenetrable fortress that now holds storage and an office. The walls are so thick; it would be a great place to weather a severe storm. But all this unique history and nostalgia is not why I visited. A recommendation from a local came with the suggestion to “try the shrimp and grits.” Now I love good shrimp, but grits not with breakfast? I was cautious and curious at the same time. We started with crab cakes that were well-seasoned and lightly crispy on the outside, and served with a perfect horseradish rémoulade on the side. Our server, Quintarious Graves, was so friendly and helpful answering all our questions. We were also greeted by the manager on duty, Debbie. She took time with us and gave me a tour before our food arrived, proudly showing the second floor banquet space that comfortably seats up to 65 guests for wedding showers, reunions, meetings and birthday parties. My guest ordered the Black Pepper Whiskey Beef Medallions with smashed potatoes and blistered green beans. I ordered East Texas Shrimp and Grits. Mark’s medallions were beautifully cooked to tender perfection. The tearoom concept is reinvented when men can be comfortable with a menu offering food cooked with whiskey and vegetables and are smashed or blistered. His plate was full one minute and clean the next. And then ... there was the shrimp and grits. The large shrimp was wrapped in bacon and grilled, served resting on top of a big bowl of grits. So, what’s the big deal about these grits anyway? One bite in and I was convinced … a humble food originally meant to be livestock feed can be elevated to a seat near heaven. When Debbie passed by, I had to ask, “What in the world makes these grits so good?” I should have known her answer would contain words like heavy cream and real butter. I almost stayed on the grits to the exclusion of the shrimp! We sampled other menu items like chicken salad three ways, soups, and pimiento cheese, and all were delicious. My dessert, a slice of buttermilk

October 2014 - Page 16

pie, was savored later in the day, and halfway through I began planning another trip to have more ... of everything! The Texas Tea Room is owned by a Carthage native, Lauren Phillips. Lauren worked in her family’s large garden which taught her about food and where it comes from. From seed to table, her respect and insight regarding food and cooking grew. Her large family worked, prayed and ate together. After graduating from Carthage High in 2002 she received a degree in Industrial Distribution from Texas A&M. Her career led her to Florida and N. Carolina. After moving to Houston she decided to attend culinary school at The Art Institute, gradually working her way back to her roots after graduating and working in the food industry in several different cuisines. Returning to Carthage she took what people love and brought her experience and creativity to the tearoom kitchen. With help from her mother, Diane Phillips, her friend and pastry chef, Katherine Buck, and aunt Leann Marshall, they created what is today one of the most unforgettable dining experiences in East Texas.

T is for Texas ... and Tea Room

make for a really nice day trip. Slow down your busy pace and relax with a big bowl of grits. You’ll know for certain that someone cares a lot about what you eat and wants you to finish with a piece of buttermilk pie. The opinions expressed here were based on the writer’s personal experience. Please be sure to visit and form your own opinion.

If you go:

100 East Sabine St., Carthage, Tx 75633 903-693-8689 Lunch & Dinner, Sun.-Mon. 11 a.m. - 2 p.m. Tuesday- Saturday 11 a.m. - 9 p.m. Visit their website at www.thetexastearoom.com

So, what’s the big deal about these grits anyway? Talking with Lauren I got a real sense of communitydriven purpose from her. “I want to help the downtown, historic square area of Carthage have new life. The community really wants it too, and so, that is what we are working toward.” For a young person to go out into the world and return with experience and dedication to her hometown’s renewal is praiseworthy. Continuing on this path should lead her to every success. The menu is full of reasonably priced sandwiches, salad, wraps, burgers and house specialties like Grilled Creole Salmon, Angus Ribeye, Hawaiian Double-Cut Pork Chops and more. It was recommended that if you want to eat lunch Monday through Friday, it gets packed, so come early or late if you want to get a good seat. I visited on Saturday and there were available seats. The décor is funky, nostalgic fun with abstract art created by local art students with cups and saucers attached perpendicular to the floor. An eclectic mix of chairs, memorabilia, and artwork creates a relaxed space for anyone to enjoy. Carthage is home to the Texas County Music Hall of Fame and the Tex Ritter Museum, which, combined with a lunch or dinner at the Texas Tea Room, could

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October 2014 - Page 17

COLOR

m o d e e r F

by Claudia Lowery

Jubilation by Joseph Holston

ithin each community there lies hidden gems defying small town expectations. Some might believe culture should be reserved for larger, more urban cities. However, within Marshall, a treasure chest full of exquisite art awaits those seeking to nurture a soul hungering for visual feasts.

Righteous Rejoicing by Joseph Holston October 2014 - Page 18

PineyWoodsLive.com

The Michelson Museum of Art was established in 1985 for the special purpose of accepting and caring for the life work of Russian-American artist Leo Michelson (1887 - 1978). Since then, the museum has expanded to include the Gloria and Bernard Kronenberg Collection of early 20th century American Art and the Ramona and Jay Ward Collection of African Masks and Chinese Opera Puppets. The permanent collections are rotated periodically to give visitors a renewed experience. Three galleries exhibit art from these collections, as well as hosting traveling exhibitions approximately every few months. Beginning Sept. 9 through Oct. 25, the newest exhibition arrives. Color in Freedom consists of four movements that track the flow of events in the lives of those who traveled along the Underground Railroad. Created by painter and printmaker Joseph Holston, he is best known for his use of vivid color, abstracted forms and expressive lines. He states, “Lines play a very important part in my art. I want the art to speak to the viewer and for the viewer’s response to become part of the art. Ideally, viewers will become so interwoven in the art that the line between where the viewer ends and the art begins no longer exists.” His abstract style draws from the cubist tradition, perfecting the ability to communicate his subjects’ emotions. Viewers quickly understand the love and sensation shared between his figures. The slightest disarrangement of hands, raised eyebrows, and tilted heads depicts the bravery and dreams of the men and women rendered by Holston – his forms reflecting an appreciation for musical composition.* The first movement, The Unknown World, depicts the dichotomy between the old and new, using strong juxtaposition of warm colors against somber and muted tones, depicting despair, loss and the harsh adjustment to the unknown life that awaits the enslaved.* The second movement, Living in Bondage, opens with Dawn of Despair, as the slaves awaken not simply to the dawn of a new day, but to an entirely new world where Joseph Holston, the artist, calls on his trademark use of line, form, and color to convey a wide range of emotions.* Next is the third movement, Journey of Escape. For most slaves, freedom was imaginable but not achievable. For tens of thousands, the promise of freedom

was strong enough to overcome doubts and fears, and action became the only answer. The body of work in this movement harnesses and channels the energy of that action and celebrates those who risked everything for freedom. There is forward motion in the trees, the roads, in the crackling fire in the woods of House of Refuge. Even the devastation of lynching in Property Loss is incapable of slowing the steady, deliberate roll toward freedom. The furtive promise of safety offered by the house in Freedom Stop is another example of Holston’s ability to use light in a way that can have many literal interpretations, but that ultimately maintains the role as a beacon of hope in an environment of uncertainty.* The fourth movement, Color in Freedom, an exhilarating explosion of color, signals both the end of the journey toward freedom and the beginning of a life in freedom. It is the visual counterpart of a resounding and triumphal musical climax. Holston’s pointed use of musicians and musical instruments in Magnificent Melody and Rhythm of Renewal and dancing in Jubilation and Righteous Rejoicing, firmly grounds the works of this segment in the realm of celebratory music. However, even as these works convey joyful sound and motion, there remains a somber dignity in the figures of the segment’s first work, Freedom Realized, and the last piece in the segment and the entire series, Responsibility of Freedom. These works echo past accomplishments and forecast future achievements, each requiring courage and fierce determination of spirit.* Joseph Holston’s cubist-abstractionist style has evolved over a fine arts career spanning more than 35 years. A critically acclaimed artist, he has exhibited at the Smithsonian’s Anacostia Museum, Washington, DC; the Reginald F. Lewis Museum of African American History and Culture, Baltimore; the African-American Museum of Philadelphia; the Southern Alleghenies Museum of Art, Pennsylvania; the Arts Program Gallery at the University of Maryland University College; the Visual Arts Center of Northwest Florida; the Fort Worth Museum of Fine Art; the DuSable Museum, Chicago; the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill; North Carolina A&T State University; Delaware State University; the APEX Museum, Atlanta; and the Butler Institute of American Art in Youngstown, Ohio.*

Holston has also exhibited, been a guest lecturer, and artist-in-residence at numerous universities throughout the United States. Works by Joseph Holston are included in numerous museums, institutions, and private collections. Among these are the permanent collection of the Yale University Art Gallery, the Lyndon B. Johnson Library at the University of Texas, DePauw University, Howard University, the University of Maryland University College, the David C. Driskell Center at the University of Maryland in College Park, the Baltimore Museum of Art and many more.*

*Derived from information provided by the Michelson Museum of Art.

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The public is invited to an opening reception at the museum on Thursday, Sept. 11, from 4:30 - 6:30 p.m. Regular museum hours are Tues.-Fri. 10 a.m. - 4 p.m. and Sat. 1 p.m. - 4 p.m. The museum is located at 216 North Bolivar (one block south of Hwy. 80) in Marshall. For more information, please call 903-935-9480.

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October 2014 - Page 19

by JANSTATMAN

he first school bell is always the time for new beginnings: new classes, new teachers, new classmates, new friends. That brand new backpack has not yet grown heavy, and those new school shoes are hardly scuffed. Teachers have worked hard to brighten their classrooms with cheerful and educational displays. Enthusiasm gleams in every face, and the spirit of learning shines with the brilliance of the sun. Yet there is one loan specter that hangs like Demosthenes’ sword, dampening enthusiasm and sending its long shadow through rooms and hallways.

It is “The Test.” Simply mention those two words, “The Test,” and watch faces fall as an icy chill creeps up every spine. The weight of those two words echoes like some prehistoric terror. “The Test.” No need to say which test. Everybody knows which test. Beware the power of “The TEST.” When schools are increasingly pushed to master the skills on performance tests, other skills are shoved to the side. Budget crunching in the shadow of looming performance tests can make good arts programs look like luxuries, and let’s be honest, who can afford luxuries these days? Those subjects which do not appear on the allimportant mandatory tests are either abandoned or they are quietly neglect-

ed. Arts education has been slipping as the result of tight budgets combined with a growing list of mandates and the desperate sense that the arts are not as essential as those subjects that will appear on “The Test.” Certain politicians huff and puff and insist that schools have to cut out all “frills,” proudly announcing they should stick with the “basics,” meaning basically only those things which must be passed on “The Test.” This is a mistake on so many levels. The “basics” are just what they say they are, they are basic. Those subjects are, in fact, the vital building blocks on which education can start to happen - the foundations for learning geography, history, science, mathematics, languages, art, music, drama and literature. Art, music, literature and libraries are not “frills.” Their special magic encourages our future scientists and mathematicians to be able to compete with wel l-educated people from other countries. More than that, art has a special value of its own. Art and music programs are necessary in young children’s lives. Research

“Art is the Queen of all sciences communicating knowledge to all the generations of the world.” Leonardo Da Vinci October 2014 - Page 20

shows that the arts are critical to early childhood development. They influence learning, as well as creativity and imagination. The arts actually improve test scores on other subjects such as math and science. It is widely recognized that when students are exposed to the arts and involved in arts classes, their experiences can help to raise scores on standardized tests, even when those subjects do not actually appear on “The Test.” Skills developed in art education often transfer to other areas of life and class work. Most subjects are based on facts, and they have answers that are correct or they are incorrect. Arts education offers more than one way to solve problems by using a variety of approaches. This teaches analytical and critical thinking skills. These skills are important in all kinds of subjects, from science to writing. Art also teaches spatial reasoning skills, which play an important role in math and on IQ tests, so students who master the arts could see a boost in math performance and IQ scores. Art can boost critical thinking skills. These skills can help children develop novel approaches to problems. This can be a valuable help to the STEM kids, who are going to spend their time in sciences, technology, engineering and math. “If they’re worried about their test scores and want a way to get them higher, they need to give kids more arts, not less,” said Tom Horne, Arizona’s state superintendent of public instruction. PineyWoodsLive.com

“To encourage literature and the arts is a duty which every good citizen owes to his country.” George Washington Award winning artist

Jan Statman’s paintings

are owned by museums in

The Developing Reading Education with Arts Methods program provides art education to elementary school students. Texas third graders who participated in the program in 2011 increased their reading scores on standardized tests by an average of 87 points. “Art education gives students an important creative outlet and can serve a critical role in boosting intelligence and academic performance,” according to research compiled by the National Assembly of State Arts Agencies. There are 47 states that have artseducation mandates, 48 have arts-education standards, and 40 have arts requirements for high school graduation, according to the 2007-08 AEP state policy database. But wait a minute, let’s hold up here. All these nice quotes and all the statistics from well-meaning educators who want to tell us how much the arts are going to help boost scores on “The Test” are flat out missing the point. These wonderful arguments are doomed to failure. The problem is that if they think the only thing the arts are doing is boosting test scores in reading and arithmetic, why bother with arts? If the only reason to have art is to improve math, why not just have more math? No! While it is true that art education does improve thinking, spatial understanding and problem solving, and that classes in painting, dance and music improve pupils’ math and reading skills while they also boost standardized test scores, what we need to do is to recognize the arts for their own sake. PineyWoodsLive.com

The arts have fundamental value for their own essential reasons. The arts are not a “frill.” Their special magic encourages our future scientists and mathematicians. Art is a basic part of education. The arts have a way of sticking with you. If we don’t have art classes in schools, how else will students ever find out about art forms? How else will they ever learn to appreciate those things which make an education possible? You may not remember the day you finally learned the multiplication tables, but you will always remember the day you were Paul Revere in the elementary school play. You will always remember your orchestra concerts. You will always remember how the brush moved the paint around the paper. You will never forget the big mosaic mural your class built. While we are quoting very smart people on the subject of education, here are a few very smart people who had a thing or two to say about art: “Art for art’s sake? I should think so, and more so than ever at the present time. It is the one orderly product which our middling race has produced. It is the cry of a thousand sentinels, the echo from a thousand labyrinths, it is the lighthouse which cannot be hidden. It is the best evidence we can have of our dignity.” – E.M. Forster “Art is the Queen of all sciences communicating knowledge to all the generations of the world.” – Leonardo Da Vinci “The aim of art is to represent not the outward appearance of things, but their inward significance.” – Aristotle

“To encourage literature and the arts is a duty which every good citizen owes to his country.” – George Washington Music and art light up the spirit. Educating its children is the most important way for a civilization to survive. We need to take care of today so tomorrow can happen.

Italy and Spain and by art collections across the USA. This month her paintings

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Exhibit at Salon Verve, 121 E. Erwin Street in Tyler or

see her paintings on Facebook at Artist’s Studio of Jan

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rom the same event management teams that produce Red River Revel and Mudbug Madness, there is a newer festivity in its fifth year and gaining more successful momentum annually. BREW, a craft beer and local food exhibit will be held on Oct. 18 from 2-6 p.m. in Festival Plaza of downtown Shreveport. A craft brew, or microbrew, is beer made in smaller quantities compared to corporate breweries, and it focuses on making beer as an art form versus mass production in many regards. “There will be almost every kind of beer made in Louisiana at BREW,” said Melanie Bacon, Executive Director for Downtown Shreveport Unlimited. “You can expect to see more home brewers at this year’s event.” The event features over 100 beers, many of which aren’t available on store shelves, and various craft beers which are available in retail stores at a slightly more expensive cost. “The brewers themselves put so much into it,” Bacon said. She believes this is an opportunity for beer connoisseurs everywhere to get an opportunity to try new brews and talk to the people making them. Advanced tickets are only available online at www.shreveportbrew.com and are $60 a person for anyone 21 and up. If the event does not sell out, there will be tickets available at the gate; however, the event sold out a week beforehand last year. In addition to many home brewers, Shreveport’s two recently established local

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by Crystal Davis breweries, Great Raft Brewing and Red River Brewing, will be in attendance, as well as popular favorites carried by Glaziers Distributing and Eagle Distributing. Live music and big screen TVs featuring football will be present to provide entertainment to festival goers. Not to mention, food from local eateries and franchises like Rhino Coffee, Raising Cane’s and Bistro To Go will be offering catered eats as well. “Great Raft had not yet opened, so their booth was a highlight last year. I’ve been a fan of their beer ever since BREW,” said Mark Cheveallier, a local beer enthusiast whose been practicing the craft of home brewing for the past few years. “Also, there were lots of home brews there for tasting. That was really my favorite part.” Despite BREW happening in a month saturated with cultural festivities going on in every corner of the Piney Woods, there really is no relation to the Oktoberfest effort other than a genuine appreciation and love of beer. One craft brewer, Tyler Area Pints & Suds, even comes from across the state line to represent East Texas’ love for this artisan pastime. “It’s about a beer culture,” said Bacon, “teaching people the different types.” For community enthusiasts there is much pride taken from local brewing. There is even a class, The Spiegelau Beer

Connoisseur Tasting Seminar, being held prior to the event that day, 12:30-1:30 p.m., in Riverview Hall for $30 a person. Guests learn firsthand about how color, clarity, aroma, temperature and effervescence are all dramatically enhanced with Spiegelau glasses versus the standard beer glass and even get a gift set of four Spiegelau glasses. “Commercial craft brewers have to go for something that will be viable on the market while home brewers tend to do whatever they please. I tasted at least 10 of the forty-something they had last year and all were very well done. Last year was my first time at BREW, but I doubt I miss it again,” Cheveallier said.

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In case you missed it, scenes from events in East Texas! 1

“New Dreams” by Jenny Lankford Honey Hill Studio, Marshall

A rose is beginning to bloom, 1 - Tyler Lenius & Claudia Lowery at T-Bone Walker Blues Fest 2 - Chris Cain at T-Bone Walker Blues Fest - photo by Claudia Lowery 3 - Eric Gales at T-Bone Walker Blues Fest - photo by Claudia Lowery 4 - Jaden Farnsworth at the ETX Music Awards - photo by Crystal Davis 5 - Wes Jeans at the ETX Music Awards - photo by Crystal Davis 6 - Tyler Lenius & Wes Jeans at the ETX Music Awards - photo by Crystal Davis 7 - Julia Beers at the ETX Music Awards - photo by Crystal Davis 8 - Jaden Farnsworth and Alisha DuVall at the ETX Music Awards - photo by Crystal Davis 9 - Psychedelic Radio at OS2 Pub in Marshall - photo by Claudia Lowery 10 - Nancy Canson & Percy Hall at OS2 Pub in Marshall - photo by Claudia Lowery 11 - Grady Lee & Robert ‘BlindDog’ Cook with Monday Night Pickers at Telegraph Park in Marshall 12 - Monday Night Pickers at Telegraph Park in Marshall PineyWoodsLive.com

where one has died away; and so it goes when one dream dies; new dreams soon take its place. October 2014 - Page 23