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Big moves for Nantahala Brewing Craft beer company consolidates Bryson City locations
The Burger Bar on Ramseur Street.
BY GARRET K. WOODWARD S TAFF WRITER N ormally, when one hears the sounds of hammers and saws at 61 Depot Street in Bryson City, it signaled an expansion of the Nantahala Brewing’s original taproom and production facility. But, with an announcement last week, those sounds are of big change for the craft beer company.
“After nearly nine years of operating our taproom and production brewery on Depot Street in Bryson City, we have outgrown it,” Rowland said in a post on the brewery’s Facebook page on Feb. 17.
Nantahala will temporarily close its taproom while they prepare to consolidate all operations with the Burger Bar in the historic RC Cola Bottling Plant on nearby Ramseur Street. As well, there will be a “Leap Year Taproom Throwdown” on Saturday, Feb. 29, at the original brewery before it is permanently closed and operations head to the Burger Bar property.
“We expect you all to have lots of questions and we want everyone to know that this was a tough, but exciting, decision for us, and one that we’ve been considering over the past year,” Rowland went on to say in the Facebook post. “The memories we’ve made at our original location are too numerous to list, but the opportunity to move into a space where we can consolidate our resources and have plenty of room to grow were too great to ignore.”
The consolidation of the Bryson City locations is a direct result of a recent decision by Rowland and his wife, co-owner Jenn Huston, to sell a minority interest in the Nantahala Brewing brand to a Delaware-based private investment group. The couple still retains a controlling interest in the brewery, with the latest investment now a catalyst for future growth of the business.
“We’ve checked a lot of boxes and built a solid brand over the years that brought us to this moment,” Rowland said. “In a way, the changes we’re making and the new partners we’ve secured are going to help us return to our roots, while also growing our brand without the risks associated with continuing to build a large production facility in an area that doesn’t have all the resources to sustain it.”
The investment group also owns and operates several other brewing facilities around the United States, with Nantahala Brewing able to utilize those facilities to supply its existing distributors within the continued growth of the brand. Production of Nantahala Brewing’s craft beverages onsite in Bryson City will continue, but now within the historic RC Cola Bottling Plant (of which, the Burger Bar is attached to). “I’m looking forward to sharing my knowledge and experience with the other brands in
the investment group. These are brands that better represent some of the concepts we’ve explored at Nantahala,” Rowland said. “As a result of this new partnership, I’ve also been helping Rock Brothers Brewing in Tampa, Florida. It’s been exciting building new brands and collaboration beers between us and Rock Brothers with bands like The Infamous Stringdusters, all while finding ways to support some of Rock Brothers’ existing relationships with 311 and Umphrey’s McGee.”
— Joe Rowland, co-owner, Nantahala Brewing
Aside from the Burger Bar, Nantahala Brewing also owns and operates an outpost taproom and restaurant in downtown Sylva, a relatively new location that has now become a social hub in the community.
But, for now, Rowland and Huston are busy taking down a decade’s worth of memories in the Depot Street location — from craft beer medals to old concert posters, taproom barstools to stage equipment. All of which signals the end of one bountiful chapter and the beginning of an unknown, yet bright, transition in the unfolding story of this beloved mountain brewery.
“In the early days, I worked at the Nantahala Outdoor Center, while Joe packaged, sold and delivered beer, and we’d took turns bartending and managing the taproom at night — it’s just what we had to do to get this business off the ground,” Huston reminisced. “Back then, we got to know lots of people in the community and built relationships with families that visit year-after-year. We miss those simpler times and look forward to taking a step back so we can be more involved in the aspects of the business we love.”
In regard to the Depot Street location, the extensively renovated World War II-era building and property are currently up for sale. As of press time, CJ’s Grille, which resides independent of the brewery on the far end of the building, will still be open for business.
“We’re going to miss everything about this building. This has been our home for over 10 years. We raised a family in here and made a lot of friends, too, and now we’ve moving on,” Rowland said, gazing around the old taproom on Depot Street. “We’re excited for what the future holds, and also what Nantahala Brewing’s brand will mean for Bryson City as we expand further and farther out.”
a t a a y n r m - e - d e - k m s . e - e p s e - f - - s 0 t ” m e a s Some say you might go crazy, but then again it might make you go sane W alking up to the Civic Center (aka: Harrah’s Cherokee Center Asheville) this past Sunday evening, the building was buzzing wildly from a soldout crowd of thousands eager to see Sturgill Simpson and Tyler Childers take the stage. It’s crazy to think — though not surprising — that Simpson was playing venues the size of The Grey Eagle (400+ capacity) not that long ago, with Childers completely under the radar just a few years back playing clubs with more people onstage than in the audience.
Both Kentucky singer-songwriters came up through the same dive bar and café live music circuit, now holding court in huge arenas, backed by rollicking honky-tonk bands. Simpson also had a hand in breaking Childers into the mainstream by producing his acclaimed albums “Purgatory” and “Country Squire.”
Truth-be-told, Simpson and Childers are part of this latest generation of country singers — more so outlaws and outsiders — who are now considered the real deal nitty gritty rock stars of this current generation of music freaks and lovers. With other names like Colter Wall, Nikki Lane, Whitey Morgan, Margo Price, Corb Lund and so on, these performers are kicking down the doors of the Nashville music industry.
And yet, the more attention put on Simpson and Childers, the more elusive they’ve become. The venues continue to sellout, but few, if any, interviews are given to the media. Heck, neither is really even played on the radio, at least not on corporate-owned mainstream radio that is.
While sugary pop country (or “bro country”) still dominates the charts, there’s a swift undercurrent of “something new, something else” just beneath those calm waters currently navigated by the likes of Luke Bryan, Florida Georgia Line and Jason Aldean. But, notice there were no female acts mentioned in the previous paragraph. That itself is a huge elephant in the room of Nashville music executives and DJs, where female country acts are given measly scraps HOT PICKS 1 The 19-piece John Brown Big Band will perform at 7:30 p.m. Thursday, March 5, at the Bardo Arts Center on the campus of Western Carolina University. 2 Popular rock act The Captain Midnight Band will perform at 8:30 p.m. Thursday, March 5, in The Gem downstairs taproom at Boojum Brewing in Waynesville. 3 Lazy Hiker Brewing (Sylva) will host The Maggie Valley Band (Americana/indie) at 8 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 29. 4 Western Carolina University’s Mountain Heritage Center will host The Berea Bluegrass Ensemble at 7 p.m. Monday, March 2, and fiddler Andrew Finn Magill at 7 p.m. Thursday, March 5. 5 Frog Level Brewing (Waynesville) will host Heidi Holton (blues/folk) at 7 p.m. Friday, Feb. 28.
compared to their male counterparts feasting on the radio waves. It’s even been said behind closed doors (and in public forums) about how women are purposely kept out of radio station playlists.
Case-in-point, this outlaw brigade of melodic pirates sails the high seas in an effort to make change — something tangible, with a flare of positivity and compassion. Amid a “take no prisoners” attitude, Simpson and Childers are leading a charge that was initially sparked by Jason Isbell several years ago (whose wife Amanda Shires fronts groundbreaking country super group The Highwomen featuring Brandi Carlile, Maren Morris and Natalie Hemby).
All of this banter and change circles back to the Simpson and Childers two-night run in Asheville. Sure, Childers might come across with an “aw, shucks” kind of sentiment in front of the microphone. But, don’t let that fool you. This is a musician chiseled from the hardscrabble ancient mountains of Southern Appalachia.
Childers is a Trojan horse in the music world, one aimed at shaking up the scene and making sure the spotlight isn’t on him so much as it should be on the urgent — often tragic — political and society issues at hand in his native Kentucky and beyond. It’s about using your artistic platform for good, and not greed.
And the same torpedo launch could be said about Simpson. Though Childers has somewhat maintained his signature look of an old baseball cap, plaid shirt and jeans, Simpson is conquering the big stage for all its worth.
Shirtless in a custom-tailored black suit with all sorts of embroidered cosmic cowboy images, Simpson strapped on his electric guitar and threw the audience into a fevered sense of self akin to the name of his latest album, “Sound & Fury.” For Simpson, it was a bare-knuckle brawl with the listener, his six-string Gibson snarling through the amplifiers on the verge of exploding.
What was witnessed within the Civic Center was not some sappy country showcase — it was a rock performance, through and through. The essence of rock-n-roll has always been about rebellion, the attitude that you can’t tell me what to do — I’m just going to what I want sonically, come hell or high water. Rock-n-roll is about giving the middle finger to authority and those holding something above you, just out of reach. And Simpson and Childers are holding up both middle fingers through poignant melodies that at their core are warm and embracing, but prickly and sharp at the edges.
Leaving the Civic Center, the stunned masses exited into the night with a sense of wonder and awe only found in the depths of sincere and meteoric performers. They say all great art is meant to create dialogue. Well, Simpson and Childers sure have a lot of folks talking.
Well done, fellas. Kudos. See y’all down that unforgiving road we continue to wander along, pushing ahead into the unknown day with our dreams held close, our love radiating into the heavens for all to immerse themselves in.
Life is beautiful, grasp for it, y’all.
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The Helping Hands of Haywood will host a fundraiser with a performance by The Remainders at 9 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 29, at UpCountry Brewing in Asheville.
The organization is completely run by volunteers. Its first goal is to raise money for a family in transitional housing to ease the burden of paying for utilities. They have partnered with EACH Initiative for this goal, they’ll provide the home for a family and we will pay utilities. Families that are provided with after-care are much less likely to return to homelessness.
Helping Hands aims to assist people experiencing homelessness, addiction, and mental health issues. They are dedicated to filling in the missing pieces that existing nonprofits and programs currently provide.
The organization has held a collaboration with West Side Shears to provide haircuts to the residents at Pathways and babysit children at Pathways on Thursday evenings so parents can attend a Bible study if they choose to. As well, Helping Hands has brought hygiene supplies to Pathways. Helping Hands believes working together with other people who care is the key to a functioning resource funnel, where people can go from experiencing homelessness to permanent housing.
For more information, email helpinghandsofhaywood@gmail.com or call 828.508.3420. Newsboys to play Franklin
Beloved Christian rock band Newsboys and special guests Mandisa will perform at 7:30 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 29, at the Smoky Mountain Center for the Performing Arts in Franklin. How many groups boast a discography with 17 albums and five gold records? And as they create and grow, things have only gotten better for Newsboys: 2010’s “Born Again” spawned three No. 1 radio hits, and 2012’s “God’s Not Dead” sold more than 300,000 copies.
A blend of tight pop, modern rock, and worship music, the music sparkles with intensity, passion, and melodic majesty from start to finish.
Tickets start at $28 per person. There will also be a special pre-show Q&A and VIP packages available. For more information, visit www.greatmountainmusic.com.
Singer-songwriter at The Strand
Americana/folk musician Meghan Hayes will perform at 7:30 p.m. Friday, Feb. 28, at The Strand at 38 Main in Waynesville.
Last year saw the release of the third record from East Nashville songwriter. Hard on the heels of a divorce from a 20-year marriage, the songs on “Seen Enough Leavers” are tough, sonically diverse and lyrically driven.
Sometimes folky, sometimes reaching into the realms of pop and rock but always grounded in the art of songwriting itself, this album is by far Hayes’s most ambitious recording to date.
Hayes reached out to her local community and invited some heavyweight guest musicians, including Audley Freed (Sheryl Crow), Derry DeBorja (Jason Isbell & The 400 Unit), and Mando Saenz into the studio to flesh out the sound. The result is a stunning look and listen into the heart and mind of one of the most promising songwriters working today.
Tickets are $10 per person. For more information and/or to purchase tickets, visit www.38main.com.
Ready for the John Brown Big Band?
A professional big band jazz ensemble led by John Brown, director of the Jazz Program and associate professor of the Practice of Music at Duke University, will perform at 7:30 p.m. Thursday, March 5, at the Bardo Arts Center on the campus of Western Carolina University.
Made up of 19 top musicians, the band specializes in performances of traditional compositions from the Great American Songbook and today’s cutting-edge arrangements.
Tickets for the John Brown Big Band are $15 for adults, $10 for faculty/staff/seniors 65+, and $5 for students. Find tickets and further information at arts.wcu.edu/johnbrownjazz. Tickets may also be reserved over the phone at 828.227.2479 or in person at the WCU Bardo Arts Center Box Office. The box office will also be open one hour prior to this performance.
In addition to the evening performance on Thursday, March 5, local elementary schools are invited to attend the 10 a.m. Friday, March 6, educational performance. This special educational performance is supported by the Jackson County Arts Council and is free and open to any K-5 grade classrooms and homeschool groups. Student audiences will have the chance to learn about the instruments on stage, the history of jazz, and experience this dynamic 19-piece band. More information about the educational performance at arts.wcu.edu/learninglive.
Mountain Heritage Center concerts
Western Carolina University’s Mountain Heritage Center will host two old-time and bluegrass performances the first week of March.
The Berea Bluegrass Ensemble will perform Monday, March 2, while fiddler Andrew Finn Magill takes the stage on Thursday, March 5.
Both shows begin at 7 p.m. and will take place in the recital hall of the Coulter Building. WCU’s School of Music is co-sponsoring the shows. The performances are free and open to the public.
The Berea Bluegrass Ensemble is made up of students who, during their time at the liberal arts work college, show off their singing and picking skills in exchange for course credit and the opportunity to make lifelong friends and share their music with audiences around the world.
Their concerts are a blend of traditional bluegrass and mountain music with contemporary influences.
Magill has six albums to his credit and is known for playing fiddle tunes steeped in traditional Irish, Brazilian choro, jazz and oldtime, bluegrass and swing fiddle music.
Fascinated by the connections between the fiddling traditions of Ireland and Scotland and the “musical cousins” of oldtime and bluegrass, Magill created a musical program that explores the connections between these styles through fiddle tunes. This presentation is part of his larger commitment to music education.
For more information, call the Mountain Heritage Center at 828.227.7129 or visit mhc.wcu.edu.
Steve Sutton Memorial Concert
There will be a special concert in memory of late banjo great Steve Sutton from 3 to 8 p.m. Sunday, March 8, in the Queen Auditorium at the Folkmoot Friendship Center in Waynesville.
Performers include the Darren Nicholson Band, Crowe Brothers, Mark Bumgarner, Marc Pruett, Hazel Creek, Bill Kaman, Mike Hunter, Malcolm Holcombe, and the Whitewater Bluegrass Co.
The concert is an opportunity for his many friends to raise money for the International Bluegrass Music Association trust fund and for a scholarship in his name for music students at Waynesville’s Tuscola High School.
A longtime member of the Darren Nicholson Band and Whitewater Bluegrass Company, Sutton was 60 years old when he passed away in his sleep on May 13, 2017, one day shy of his 61st birthday.
“I basically owe my musical career to him,” said mandolinist Darren Nicholson of International Bluegrass Music Association “Entertainer of the Year” bluegrass act Balsam Range, who was Sutton’s best friend and longtime collaborator. “He got me my first professional job, which led to all the relationships that are still relevant in my current career. Steve believed in me so much that he took me to Strains of Music in Waynesville and paid cash for a Gibson mandolin. Steve was kind to everyone he met and helped countless people — he just had a good heart.”
A Grammy-nominated, multiple IBMA award-winner himself, Sutton graduated from Tuscola High School in Waynesville. Upon graduation, he was simultaneously offered gigs with the “Godfather of Bluegrass” Bill Monroe and bluegrass legend Jimmy Martin.
“But, Jimmy offered me something like $10 more a week, so I took it,” Sutton chuckled in a 2015 interview with The Smoky Mountain News.
In 1974, Sutton joined Martin on the road, kicking off a career that took him across the globe, ultimately gracing the Grand Ole Opry stage numerous times. Sutton also had stints with Alecia Nugent and Rhonda Vincent. And through his lifelong pursuit of bluegrass and mountain music, Sutton also remembered where it all began, alongside banjo great and Bluegrass Hall of Famer Raymond Fairchild.
“[Steve’s] talent and free-flowing sense of humor constantly fed that professional effort to the highest levels,” said Marc Pruett, Grammy-winning banjoist of Balsam Range. “Steve was a valued, respected member of a heritage-schooled, living culture. He was ‘the real deal,’ and his warm smile and larger-than-life talent leaves a void in our mountains that can’t be filled.”
Tickets to the performance are $35 in advance. Dinner is ticketed separately for $12 and begins at 6 p.m. More information about tickets can be obtained by calling 828.452.2997.
To purchase tickets online, visit www.showclix.com/event/second-annualsteve-sutton-memorial-concert.
• Andrews Brewing Company (Andrews) will host the “Lounge Series” at its Calaboose location with Brother! Feb. 28, Feather Feb. 29, Scott Stambaugh 4 p.m. March 1, Paul Edelman March 6, Blue Revue March 7 and Chris Blaylock 4 p.m. March 8. All shows are free and begin at 6 p.m. unless otherwise noted. www.andrewsbrewing.com. ALSO:
• BearWaters Brewing (Canton) will host Aubrey Eisenman & The Clydes 6:30 p.m. March 14 and Darren Nicholson Band 7 p.m. March 20. www.bwbrewing.com or 828.237.4200.
• Blue Ridge Beer Hub (Waynesville) will host an acoustic jam with Main St. NoTones from 6 to 9 p.m. Feb. 27 and March 5. Free and open to the public. www.blueridgebeerhub.com.
• Boojum Brewing Company (Waynesville) will host a bluegrass open mic every Wednesday, an all-genres open mic every Thursday, DJ Point Five 9:30 p.m. Feb. 29, Captain Midnight Band (rock/jam) 8:30 p.m. March 5 and Isaiah Breedlove & The Old Pines (Americana) March 7. All shows begin at 9 p.m. unless otherwise noted. www.boojumbrewing.com.
• Elevated Mountain Distilling Company (Maggie Valley) will host AcousticEnvy March 14. All shows begin at 7 p.m. 828.944.0766 or www.elevatedmountain.com.
• Frog Level Brewing (Waynesville) will host Heidi Holton (blues/folk) Feb. 28, ‘Round the Fire & Friends (Americana/jam) 8 p.m. Feb. 29, Zach Meadows March 6 and The Mixx March 7. All shows begin at 7 p.m. unless otherwise noted. Free and open to the public. www.froglevelbrewing.com.
• Innovation Brewing (Sylva) will have an Open Mic night Feb. 26 and March 4, and a jazz night with the Kittle/Collings Duo Feb. 27 and March 6. All events are free and begin at 8 p.m. unless otherwise noted. www.innovation-brewing.com.
• Innovation Station (Dillsboro) will host The Lip Sync Battle Feb. 28. All events are free and begin at 7 p.m. unless otherwise noted. www.innovation-brewing.com.
• Isis Music Hall (West Asheville) will The CarLeans (Americana/folk) 7 p.m. Feb. 26, Rich Nelson Band (pop/rock) 8:30 p.m. Feb. 26, Tui (blues/folk) 7 p.m. Feb. 27, “Americana Rising” showcase 8:30 p.m. Feb. 27, Heather Pierson Trio (folk/acoustic) 7 p.m. Feb. 28, Lucy Kaplansky (folk) 8:30 p.m. Feb. 28, Bike Love (pop/rock) 7 p.m. Feb. 29, Gurf Morlix (Americana) 6 p.m. March 1, Greenville Jazz Collective Big Band w/Tish Oney 7:30 p.m. March 1, Tuesday Bluegrass Sessions w/Ken Chapple & Another Country 7:30 p.m. March 3, Tom Rush & Matt Nakoa (Americana/folk) 8:30 p.m. March 4 and Nefesh Mountain (Americana/folk) 7 p.m. March 4. For more information about the performances and/or to purchase tickets, click on www.isisasheville.com.
• Lazy Hiker Brewing (Franklin) will host an open mic night at 6:30 p.m. every Thursday, Dirty Dave & The Pony Express Feb. 28 and The Log Noggins 8 p.m. Feb. 28. All shows begin at 7 p.m. unless otherwise noted. For more information and a complete schedule of events, click on www.lazyhikerbrewing.com.
• Lazy Hiker Brewing (Sylva) will host Natti Love Joys “Bob Marley Celebration” Feb. 28 and The Maggie Valley Band (Americana/indie) Feb. 29. All shows are at 8 p.m. For more information and a complete schedule of events, click on www.lazyhikerbrewing.com.
• Mountain Layers Brewing (Bryson City) will host the “Stone Soup” open mic night every Tuesday, Andrew Chastain (singer-songwriter) Feb. 28 and Frank & Allie Lee (Americana/old-time) Feb. 29. All shows are free and begin at 7 p.m. www.mountainlayersbrewingcompany.com.
• Nantahala Brewing (Sylva) will host Arnold Hill Feb. 28 and Sugar Lime Blue March 6. All shows begin at 7:30 p.m. unless otherwise noted. Free and open to the public. www.nantahalabrewing.com. arts & entertainment
• Orchard Coffee (Waynesville) will host Chris Staples 7:30 p.m. March 21. For more information and/or to purchase tickets, call 828.246.9264 or visit www.orchardcoffeeroasters.com.
• Pub 319 (Waynesville) will host an open mic night from 8 to 11 p.m. every Wednesday. Free and open to the public. www.pub319socialhouse.com.
• Rathskeller Coffee Haus & Pub (Franklin) will host Scott Stambaugh Feb. 28, Nate Hadley Feb. 29, Dave Patterson March 6 and Sweet Charity March 7. Shows begin at 8 p.m. Free and open to the public. www.rathskellerfranklin.com.
February 26-March 3, 2020 • Salty Dog’s (Maggie Valley) will have Karaoke with Jason Wyatt at 8:30 p.m. on Tuesdays and Fridays, Mile High (classic rock) 8 p.m. Wednesdays and Saturdays, and a Trivia w/Kelsey Jo 8 p.m. Thursdays. • Satulah Mountain Brewing (Highlands) will host “Hoppy Hour” and an open mic at 6 p.m. on Thursdays and live music on Friday evenings. 828.482.9794 or www.satulahmountainbrewing.com. • Snowbird Mountains Brewing (Andrews) will host Heidi Holton (blues/folk) 7 p.m. Feb. 29. Free and open to the public. 678.410.3035 or www .snowbirdmountainsbrewery.com. • The Strand at 38 Main (Waynesville) will host an “Open Mic” night from 7 to 9 p.m. on Saturdays and Meghan Hayes (singersongwriter) 7:30 p.m. Feb. 28 (admission is $10). 828.283.0079 or www.38main.com.
• The Ugly Dog Pub (Cashiers) will host Bluegrass Thursdays w/Benny Queen at 6:30 p.m. 828.743.3000.
• The Ugly Dog Pub (Highlands) will host Bluegrass w/Nitrograss Wednesdays at 7 p.m. 828.526.8364.
• The Water’n Hole Bar & Grill (Waynesville) will host an “Open Mic Night” on Mondays, karaoke on Thursdays and semi-regular music on Fridays and Saturdays. All events at 9:30 p.m. unless otherwise noted. 828.456.4750. Smoky Mountain News
February 26-March 3, 2020 arts & entertainment Historical presentation in Bryson City
“Cherokee Cultural Sites in Swain County” is the title of the presentation by TJ Holland for the next meeting of the Swain County Genealogical and Historical Society. The meeting will be held at 6:30 p.m. Thursday, March 5, at the Swain County Regional Business Education and Training Center in Bryson City.
While places like Kituwah are well known, there are many, perhaps lesser known, locations throughout the Swain County that are important to Cherokee history.
In addition to historical significance, there are many locations connected to traditional Cherokee stories located within the county. These story sites and the lessons that they teach are central to Cherokee Culture.
Holland is the Cultural Resources Supervisor for the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians. A tribal member of the Snowbird Community, Holland works as a tribal historian and oversees the future Junaluska Memorial Site and Museum, which will be in Robbinsville.
Holland is on various boards including the tribe’s Cultural Institutional Review Board for research, the NC Trail of Tears Association, the Center for Native Health, and is a consulting scholar for the Center for Native American and Indigenous Research at the American Philosophical Society. He also holds a Bachelors’ Degree in Fine Arts from Western Carolina University.
Conversation and refreshments will follow the presentation. This is free and open to the public. WNC Civil War Roundtable
The Western NC Civil War Roundtable is pleased to welcome Douglas Waller on Monday, March 9, at The Waynesville Inn Golf Resort and Spa.
The evening’s agenda begins at 5 p.m. with a meet and greet dinner at the Tap Room within The Waynesville Inn Golf Resort and Spa. Dinner will be followed with a social at 6:30 p.m. The meeting and free presentation will commence at 7 p.m. in the Mountaineer room on the second floor of The Waynesville Inn.
Waller will be speaking on Abraham Lincoln’s Spies. He will tell the story of the dangerous espionage and covert operations during the Civil War.
He will feature four important Union agents and spy ring leaders: Allan Pinkerton, whose detective agency had already brought him fame nationwide; Lafayette Baker, who ran counter-espionage operations in Washington for the War Department; George Sharpe, a New York lawyer, who spied for generals Joseph Hooker, George Meade, and Ulysses S. Grant; and Elizabeth Van Lew, who ran a Union espionage ring in Richmond.
Behind these secret agents was Abraham Lincoln, who became an avid consumer of intelligence and a ruthless aficionado of covert action. The phone tapping, human collection and aerial snooping seen today can be traced back to the Civil War.
Waller holds a B.A. in English from Wake Forest University, as well as an M.A. in Urban Administration from the University of North Carolina at Charlotte. He is a former correspondent for Newsweek and Time, where he covered the CIA, Pentagon, State Department, White House, and Congress.
Waller is the author of several bestselling books, including Wild Bill Donovan: The Spymaster Who Created the OSS and Modern American Espionage; The Commandos: The Inside Story of America’s Secret Soldiers; and Disciples: The World War II Missions of the CIA Directors Who Fought for Wild Bill Donovan. His latest book is Lincoln’s Spies: Their Secret War to Save the Nation.
The Civil War Roundtable’s schedule will continue on Tuesday, April 14, with Dr. Judkin Browning who will focus on the impact of the war on the Northern and Southern home front. Michael Hardy returns on Monday, May 11, to discuss Stuart’s Tar Heels. Thomas Thibeault will speak about Robert Smalls on Monday, June 8.
More information can be found at www.wnccwrt.com.
There is an open call currently underway for artisans, vendors and environmentally-themed booths at the 23rd annual Greening Up the Mountains, which will be held from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday, April 25, in downtown Sylva.
Celebrating the new spring in the mountains, the festival has become a beloved regional event. The festival typically enjoys crowds upward of 12,000 attendees and has 175 vendor booth spaces. In addition to arts, crafts, and food vendors, attendees can enjoy a 5K run, youth talent contest, beverage arts featuring local craft breweries and live music throughout the day.
Applications can be downloaded at www.greeningupthemountains.com and will be accepted through March 15.
For more information, email greeningupthemountains@gmail.com.
Waynesville historic speaker series
Presented by The Town of Waynesville Historic Preservation Commission, the fifth annual “Haywood Ramblings” will once again take place this spring.
A speaker series on the historic resources and rich cultural heritage of Waynesville and Haywood County, the events will be held from 4 to 5 p.m. on the first Thursday of the month at the Town Hall in Waynesville. • Thursday, March 5: “The Mountaineer: History in the Moment,” presented by Kathy Ross. Unlike history books, newspapers record events from an immediate perspective, with no take-backs once they are published. This talk will take a look at some of The Mountaineer’s most spectacular, peculiar, and even painful stories of the past century. Free and open to the public. In case of snow, the event will be automatically rescheduled for the second Thursday of the month.
Open call for volunteers
The historic Shelton House in Waynesville is currently in need of volunteers for an array of upcoming events.
Alongside help for events, the organization is also seeking a docent, gift shop attendee, data entry person, landscaper, handyperson, and other positions.
Upcoming main events include the Blue Ridge Heritage Festival June 19-21, Shelton House Halloween “Haunting on the Hill” Oct. 27-31 and Shelton House “Tinsel Trail & Appalachian Christmas.”
www.sheltonhouse.org or 828.452.1551.
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Nantahala Brewing ‘Oyster Roast’
There will be a special “Oyster Roast” gathering from 4 to 10 p.m. Saturday, March 7, at Nantahala Brewing’s Taproom & Burger Bar in Bryson City.
Shake off that cabin fever and come out for an all you can eat oyster roast. Order in advance online for $15 (plus transaction fees). Day of tickets are $25. As well, there will be craft beer, wine and cocktails available. To purchase tickets, visit www.nantahalabrewing.com.
Paid for by The Committee to Elect Rich Cassady
• There will be a “Chili Cookoff” hosted by the Haywood Waterways Association from 6 to 9 p.m. Saturday, March 7, at Elevated Mountain Distilling Company in Maggie
Valley. Entry fee is $35. Pre-sale chili eater tickets are $15 or $20 at the door. Live music by Bona Fide. Tap takeover by 7 Clans Brewing. For more information, email caitlinw.hwa@gmail.com or call 828.476.4667 (ext. 12). ALSO:
• The “Food & Wine Pairing” with guest Chef Elisabeth McCutcheon will be held at 7 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 29, at The Classic Wineseller in Waynesville. Five wines and food pairings. Cost is $60 all-inclusive. Reservations are required, please call 828.452.6000.
• A free wine tasting will be held from 6 to 8 p.m. Feb. 27 and March 5, and 2 to 5 p.m. Feb. 29 and March 7 at The Wine Bar & Cellar in Sylva. 828.631.3075.
• Free cooking demonstrations will be held from 5 to 7 p.m. on Saturdays at Country Traditions in Dillsboro. Watch the demonstrations, eat samples and taste house wines for $3 a glass. All recipes posted online. www.countrytraditionsnc.com. February 26-March 3, 2020
arts & entertainment Folk School offers ‘Local Standby’ program Western North Carolina residents are now eligible for half-off tuition for all 2020 classes at John C. Campbell Folk School in Brasstown.
The Local Standby program provides full and part-time residents 50 percent off any full-tuition course on a space-available, standby basis. Students can participate in an array of week-long and weekend classes including blacksmithing, pottery, jewelry, woodworking, and cooking.
Nineteen counties are eligible for the Local Standby program, including Cherokee, Clay, Buncombe, Henderson, Macon, Jackson, Swain, Madison, Graham, and Transylvania counties in North Carolina including the Qualla Boundary; Fannin, Gilmer, Rabun, Towns, and Union counties in Georgia; and Polk and Monroe county in Tennessee.
In its 95th year, John C. Campbell Folk School is expanding on a newly finalized strategic plan to strengthen local community relations and enhance programming to diversify its student base. Created with the help of instructors, students, and local communities, the plan also includes improvements to infrastructure, development of staff and resident artists, and continued financial strength.
All students interested must request a “Local Standby” discount at the time of registration and will be confirmed 14 days before the class start date. Students must present a valid driver’s license, voter registration card, or tax bill showing their local address.
For more detail on class information and descriptions, visit www.folkschool.org or call the registration office at 800.FOLK.SCHOOL. Founded in 1925, John C. Campbell Folk School is a not-for-profit 501(c)(3) organization offering adults over 850 week-long and
weekend classes year-round in traditional and contemporary craft, music, and dance.
The Folk School is a Historic District and a landmark on the National Registry of Historic Places. Through values of joy, kindness, and stewardship in a non-competitive environment, the Folk School hopes to transform lives and bring others together for experiences in learning that spark their self-discovery.
February 26-March 3, 2020 Smoky Mountain News 30 HCAC ‘ArtShare’ returns This year marks the eighth year of the ArtShare exhibit at the Haywood County Arts Council in Waynesville. ArtShare runs from March 6-28.
ArtShare is a showing of fine works of art which have been donated to or consigned with the HCAC. The HCAC welcomes pieces from collectors that may be downsizing, changing décor, or who wish to consign estate items to benefit the arts in this community. ArtShare was born out of a desire to allow collectors to be able to pass on art for someone else to enjoy.
The HCAC will accept donations or consigned items in the gallery on March 2 or 3. Inventory sheets are due no later than Feb. 26. Even if collectors have participated in the past, we encourage them to participate again. Artists may participate by sharing their own work, but only if donating.
If you have questions, call the HCAC at 828.452.0593. For more information about donating, including show contracts and inventory lists, visit www.haywoodarts.org. Want to learn blacksmithing? The “Forging Experience” classes will be held from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday, March 7, at the Jackson County Green Energy Park in Dillsboro. Cost is $80 per onehour time slot or $40 per 30-minute time slot. Onehour time slots will make either a high-carbon boot knife and a railroad spike blade. Thirty-minute time slots will make either a Mjolnir Rune pendant or a magic wand.
No experience necessary. Walk-ins are welcome, but space is limited. Payment is due at registration. Ages 13-18 may participate with a parent/guardian present. Dress in cotton clothing (no polyester), wear closed toed shoes and long pants.
To register for a class, call 828.631.0271. For more information, visit www.jcgep.org.
WCU Juried Undergraduate exhibition, reception
The reception for the 52nd annual Juried Undergraduate exhibition will be held from 5 to 7 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 27, in the Fine Art Museum Star Atrium in the Bardo Arts Center on the campus of Western Carolina University.
Currently being showcased, the exhibition is one of the longest-running Catamount art traditions.
For emerging artists, this exhibition is an extraordinary opportunity to share their artwork with a larger public and to enhance their skills in presenting artwork in a professional gallery setting.
Their work is reviewed by an outside art professional who has the challenge of making selections from the many talented students who submit an application.
This year, the exhibition is juried by Tracey Morgan, owner of Tracey Morgan Gallery in Asheville. For more information, visit bardoartscenter.wcu.edu.
Exhibit looks at Latino life in North Carolina
Western Carolina University’s Mountain Heritage Center will host an exhibit by Pulitzer Prize-winning photojournalist José Galvez on Latino life in North Carolina in the museum’s secondfloor gallery at Hunter Library.
The center’s first bilingual exhibit, “Al Norte al Norte” will be on display through Friday, April 10. Admission is free.
The 51 black-and-white photos are from a 10-year project to capture images of daily life of Latinos living in North Carolina, from business owners to farmers at work, multi-generations of families at home and at church, and other candid moments.
Galvez will visit campus, with details pending, in early April in conjunction with WCU’s second annual Southeastern Latinx Student Leadership Conference. In addition to participating in the conference, he will visit WCU classes, lead tours of the exhibit and present public programs.
According to the 2010 U.S. Census, 8.4 percent of the state’s population is Latino. Galvez was part of a team at the Los Angeles Times newspaper that was awarded the 1984 Pulitzer Prize for a series on Latino life in southern California. He’s collaborated with writers such as Luis Alberto Urrea and Patricia Martin, and published a book about his childhood, titled Shine Boy. His current work focuses on Latino communities of the South, naturalization ceremonies and documenting the many communities he visits each year.
“Al Norte al Norte” received support from the Z. Smith Reynolds Foundation, with additional funding from the N.C. Humanities Council and the North Carolina Museum of History Associates. The traveling exhibit at WCU is made possible by the North Carolina Arts Council and the university.
The Mountain Heritage Center gallery is open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Monday through Friday. For more information, call the museum at 828.227.7129.
Tribute to Cherokee artist
An exhibit honoring Cherokee artist John Daniel (Dee) Smith Sr. is currently being showcased at the Qualla Co-Op, which is located 645 Tsali Boulevard in Cherokee.
The exhibit is a collection of Smith’s watercolors and paintings, which is curated by Dr. R. Michael Abram. The gallery showing will run through March 31. A reception with refreshments will be held from 5 to 8 p.m. Friday, Feb. 28, at the Qualla Co-Op.
For more information, call 828.497.3103.
James Lyle will be offering a “Sequential Art Class Series” beginning on March 7 and running through May 23 at the Haywood County Arts Council in Waynesville.
In this session, the class will participate in a group exercise dealing with the process of creating a “superhero” (or any other type of character in any media, really).
The group will spend time providing ideas for a collectively created character and along the way learn a bit about comic book history as well as the process of brainstorming ideas. Students will want to bring along their own sketchpads, pencils, etc. to allow them to write down notes as well as create additional secondary characters as this process tends to bubble over into many ideas that cannot be used in the collective character design.
Make your reservation and pre-payment today. Class fee is $20 for HCAC members or $25 for non-members. Cash and Checks made payable to James Lyle. Call 828.452.0593 for more information. www.haywoodarts.org.
The “Affrilachian Artist Travelling Studio” exhibit will run through Feb. 29 at the Haywood County Arts Council in Waynesville.
The showcase is designed to invite dialogue about the presence and experience of people of color in our region. The exhibition features four African-American artists and selected work which celebrates the land or the lived experiences of Western North Carolina and the Appalachian region.
Marie T. Cochran, founding curator of the Affrilachian Artist Project will present the work in a diverse array of media and styles from folk art to contemporary art. Cochran is featured in the book Southern Women, produced by the editors of Garden & Gun magazine. Her artwork is included in the exhibition Appalachia NOW at the Asheville Art Museum.
Featured artists in this show are: LaKeisha Blount, Rahkie Mateen, Trey Miles, and the late Victoria Casey-McDonald. The artists represent a range of ages. Some are local residents and others are alumni of Western Carolina University.
Gallery hours are 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday. As well, the closing reception will be from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 29, at HCAC. www.haywoodarts.org.
• “Make Your Own Pint Glass” from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday, March 7, at the Jackson County Green Energy Park in Dillsboro. Cost is $65 per time slot. Each time slot is about 35 minutes and participants will make one pint glass. No experience necessary. Payment due at registration. To register, call 828.631.0271. www.jcgep.org. Instructor will be Betina Morgan. Open to all artists, at any stage of development, and in the medium of your choice. Cost is $25 per class. There will also be a Youth Art Class from 4:15 to 5:15 p.m. on Wednesdays. Cost is $15 per class. Contact Morgan at 828.550.6190 or email bmk.morgan@yahoo.com.
Buffalo Creek Vacations is a proud member of the Chamber of Commerce family. We are a family-owned and operated log-home vacation rental business situated on a Bison ranch in Haywood County. The Chamber has assisted us in connecting with other local family-owned and niche businesses to form partnerships that add to the growth and profitably for both firms. The Chamber has help us to promote our brand and special events, which has increased booking rates and repeat customers. We are excited to continue our relationship with the Chamber and grow our family alongside the Haywood County business community.
Buffalo Creek Vacations FROM LEFT TO RIGHT: CHERYL & JEFF HILLIS, LISA & TIMOTHY C LACKETT, HARRIET & HAROLD CLACKETT, MAGGIE & J OSHUA CLACKETT, HOLLY & JACOB CLACKETT
828.456.3021 HaywoodChamber.com
• The Macon County Art Association will present a special workshop with Betsey Sloan teaching a class making sheep out of gourds from 1 to 3 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 29, at the Uptown Gallery in Franklin. 828.349.4607 or www.franklinuptowngallery.com.
• Stonehouse Pottery (Waynesville) will be doing an Open Studio Tour and Sale the first Sunday of each month to help support our local nonprofits. Each month highlights a different artist and that artist chooses his or her nonprofit. Stonehouse Pottery and the artist then give a portion of the proceeds as a donation to that nonprofit.
• The Weekly Open Studio art classes will be held from 2 to 4 p.m. on Wednesdays at the Haywood County Arts Council in Waynesville, • The Museum of the Cherokee Indian’s exhibit, “People of the Clay: Contemporary Cherokee Potters,” features more than 60 potters from the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians and Cherokee Nation, and more than one hundred works from 1900 to the present. The exhibit will run through April. ALSO:
• A “Beginner Step-By-Step” adult painting class will be held at 6:30 p.m. on Thursdays at Frog Level Brewing in Waynesville. There is also a class at 6:30 p.m. on the last Wednesday of the month at Balsam Fall Brewing in Sylva. Cost is $25 with all supplies provided. For more information or to RSVP, contact Robin Arramae at 828.400.9560 or wncpaintevents@gmail.com.
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The Highlands Performing Arts Center will present the Highlands PAC Youth Theater production of “A Ghostly Slumber Party” at 10 a.m. Feb. 27-28 for the schools performances and again at 3 p.m. Feb. 29 and March 1 for the general public.
The show includes “The Slumber Party” scenes by Luke Osteen, excerpts from “The Raven” by Edgar Allan Poe, “The Highwayman” by Alfred Noyes and “The Troll” by T.H. White.
This show is built around a girls’ sleepover. Let’s just say that the girls may have unrolled their sleeping bags somewhere in the heart of “The Twilight Zone.” It’s one act (no intermission) and will run about an hour long.
The cost is free for both students and adults to attend any and all the shows — school shows and public shows. Tickets are available online at www.highlandsperformingarts.com or at the door.
828.246.9135 haywoodhabitat.org
ready for spring?
Sometimes it's a little better to travel than to arrive
— Robert M. Pirsig, Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance
The Winter Studio Season continues with the two one-act comedies “Lone Star” and “Laundry & Bourbon” at the Haywood Arts Regional Theatre in Waynesville. Performances will be held at 7:30 p.m. Feb. 28-29 and 2 p.m. March 1.
When the two plays are presented together they are often billed as “1959 Pink Thunderbird Convertible.” Set in rural Texas in the 1970s, the two comedies have been audience favorites for decades, but audiences should be warned the plays do contain adult language and subject matter.
For “Laundry & Bourbon” the setting is the front porch of Roy and Elizabeth’s home in Maynard, Texas, on a hot summer afternoon. Elizabeth and her friend Hattie are whiling away the time folding laundry, watching TV, sipping bourbon and Coke, and gossiping about the many open secrets which are so much a part of small-town life. They are joined by the self-righteous Amy Lee who, among other tidbits, can’t resist blurting out that Roy has been seen around town with another woman.
“Lone Star” takes place in the cluttered backyard of a small-town Texas bar. Roy, a brawny, macho type who had once been a local high-school hero, is back in town after a hitch in Vietnam and trying to reestablish his position in the community. Joined by his younger brother, Ray (who worships him), Roy sets about consuming a case of beer while regaling Ray with tales of his military and amorous exploits.
To make a reservation, call the HART Box Office at 828.456.6322 anytime and simply leave your name, the number of tickets you need and the performance you wish to attend. Seating is general admission, but reservations are recommended. www.harttheatre.org.
Presented by the Kiwanis Club of Waynesville, the second annual “Cabaret Variety Show” will be held at 6 p.m. Sunday, March 1, at the Haywood Arts Regional Theatre in Waynesville.
Enjoy a fun evening of family entertainment with singing and dancing by several performers from Haywood County and greater Western North Carolina.
Attendees will have an opportunity to participate in a silent action and 50/50 raffle. Admission is $20 for adults and $10 for children/students. Reserve your tickets by emailing boxoffice@harttheatre.org or calling 828.456.6322.
All proceeds will go to support Kiwanis Club grants to schools and organizations serving Haywood County’s children and youth.
• A production of “Hamlet” will be held at 7:30 p.m. Friday, March 6, in the Studio Theater at the Bardo Arts Center on the campus of Western Carolina University. A retelling of William Shakespeare’s classic tragedy, the play depicts Prince Hamlet’s descent into madness as he seeks his revenge against his uncle, Claudius, who has murdered Hamlet’s father in order to seize his throne and marry Hamlet’s mother. www.wcu.edu. ALSO:
• The “Western Carolina Comedy Showcase” will be held at 8 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 27, in The Gem downstairs taproom at Boojum Brewing in Waynesville. Beth Fronczak will host live performances by Clinton Ricks, Rowan Young and Brad Sativa. Admission is $5 at the door. Ages 21 and up. www.boojumbrewing.com.
Rest in peace, Mary Higgins Clark
She died at the age of 92 in January 2020 in Naples, Florida. Renowned for her beauty when young, she worked as a secretary and an airlines stewardess, married and had five children, and was a devout Christian. Those who personally knew her describe her as generous, kind, warmhearted, and fun.
She was also one of the most popular suspense novelists of the last half century. Mary Higgins Clark wrote 51 such novels, all of which were best-sellers. In the United States alone, her books have sold more than 100 million copies. After weak sales from a debut novel about the life of George Washington, Clark turned to the genre for which she seemed destined and wrote Where Are The Children? That suspense novel was an immediate hit, and she struck gold in every book she wrote after that one.
Long ago, I read several of Clark’s novels, but for whatever reason never returned to her stories. When I learned that she had died, I decided to see what I was missing and picked up her latest book, Kiss The Girls And Make Them Cry (Simon & Schuster, 2019, 385 pages).
The story opens when investigative journalist Gina Kane tries to discover the identity of a “CRyan,” who has sent her an email claiming that something “terrible” had happened to her while working at REL, a major television news network. When Kane finally manages to identify and run to ground “CRyan,” she discovers Cathy Ryan has died in a boating accident in Aruba, possibly under suspicious circumstances.
We then meet an attorney, Michael Carter, who works for Human Resources at REL. Several young female employees approach Carter to accuse one of the network’s most popular broadcasters of sexual misconduct. Sensing an opportunity for personal gain, Writer Jeff Minick
Carter contacts Richard Sherman, the company’s CEO, and convinces Sherman that he can buy the women’s silence by offering them large amounts of cash. He hopes to worm his
Gina Kane soon finds herself embroiled in the investigation and eventually in a fight for her life.
To say more would be to reveal too much of the plot and spoil the story. Suffice it to say that Kiss The Girls And Make Them Cry reminded me of what I knew so long ago: Mary Higgins Clark could keep the reader turning the pages.
Here are a few stylistic reasons for that success.
Clark wastes no words in her writing. She keeps descriptions, particularly of place, to a minimum. Here, for example, is the barebones description of Gina Kane’s apartment:
way into Sherman’s good graces, and make a killing on the stock market when REL goes public.
But the killing comes not from Wall Street. Another young woman dies in suspicious circumstances. An accountant goes missing. And “Gina’s apartment was on 82nd Street and West End Avenue. Her mother and father had given it to her after they retired and moved to Florida. Spacious, with two bedrooms and a decent-sized kitchen, it was the envy of her friends, many of whom were crammed into tiny one-bedrooms and studios.”
Conversation drives the action. Again, we find no extraneous words. When the characters speak to one another in Kiss The Girls And Make Them Cry, their dialogue is always
pushing the storyline forward.
In all good suspense fiction, the author tries to end each chapter in such a way that it practically demands the reader begin the next chapter. Clarke was a master of this cliff-hanger technique.
And unlike some characters in other suspense novels — Lee Child’s Jack Reacher comes to mind — Gina Kane has few eccentricities. We sympathize with her as she struggles to make a decision regarding her boyfriend, Ted, who wants to marry her. Meanwhile, her widowed father is dating a woman whom Gina suspects is taking advantage of him. And like any good writer of suspense, Clark leaves readers up in the air as to how these relationships will turn out until the very end of the novel.
In other words, Gina is authentic, someone we might know, a neighbor or a friend. In their obituary of Clark, the New York Times sub-header is “She became a world-renowned author writing about ‘nice people whose lives are invaded.’”
Given the news regarding sexual misconduct and harassment coming out of Hollywood and the federal government, and the response of the Me Too Movement, the topic of Kiss The Girls And Make Them Cry is timely. The situation in the novel comes straight out of today’s headlines.
Finally, Clark understood her readers. On her home page, maryhigginsclark.com, her editor, the well-known Michael Korda, offered some remarks on their long friendship and then pays Clark this tribute: “Nobody ever bonded more completely with her readers than Mary did; she understood them as if they were members of her own family. She was always absolutely sure of what they wanted to read — and perhaps, more important, what they didn’t want to read — and yet she managed to surprise them with every book.” For many years, Mary Higgins Clark deservedly wore the accolade “Queen of Suspense.”
Rest in peace, Your Majesty.
(Jeff Minick is a writer and teacher. minick0301@gmail.com.)
Local nature writer publishes first book
Brannen Basham, Sylva Herald weekly nature writer and contributor to Smoky Mountain Living magazine, has released a compilation of 60 different nature-based topics in A Guide to the Wonderful World Around Us: Notes on Nature. A note from the introduction states, “This guide is a collection of notes on nature covering flora, fauna, and the fantastic wonders of the world around us. There are some special highlights of the Southeastern United States, and even more specifically, of the region where I currently call home in the mountains of Western North Carolina.”
The book can be found at local retailers including City Lights Bookstore in Sylva and Blue Ridge Books in Waynesville. City Lights Bookstore will host an event for the book, featuring a reading, native bee talk and Q&A at 3 p.m. Saturday, March 28. Another event will be held at 2 p.m. Saturday, April 18, at Blue Ridge Books, which will include a reading, along with a native plant talk and Q&A.
The book is also available online on Amazon and Etsy, along with an audiobook available on Audible. For further information on A Guide to the Wonderful World Around Us or to learn more about Spriggly’s Beescaping, visit sprigglys.com or follow along on Facebook or Instagram.
• Monthly Poetry Reading at Panacea Coffeehouse in Waynesville. Last Saturdays every month at 2 p.m. Bring your poetry, essays and writings to share. Be sure to order drinks and snacks and tip the staff of Panacea. For more information, contact Morella Poe at poevampyre@gmail.com. ALSO:
