38 minute read
A&E
Another song, another mile A conversation with Steve Gorman
BY GARRET K. WOODWARD S TAFF WRITER I n any rock-n-roll band, the unsung hero is the drummer. With a soaring singer and whirlwind guitar solos, the person behind the kit is the anchor for the group — holding up the light at the end of the tunnel of a melody in motion.
Steve Gorman is one of those drummers. Cofounder of The Black Crowes, Gorman was part of arguably one of the biggest and most explosive rock acts in the history of American music. Forming the band with brothers Chris and Rich Robinson in Atlanta in 1984, the trio remained the core of the Crowes through the rollercoaster of multi-platinum success, rotating bandmates, mind-boggling collaborations, substance abuse and missed opportunities.
Though the Crowes broke up in 2002 (reforming in 2005) and 2015 (reforming in 2019), the numerous hit songs remain staples of radio airplay decades after being recorded — all within a modern era where sugary pop and hip-hop rules the charts.
The music of The Black Crowes is the music of this country and its people — of struggle and passion, of love and loss, and of the eternal search for truth and honesty in the darkest of circumstances.
And yet, a lot of that struggle and missed opportunity was at the hands of the Crowes themselves. Usually its own worst enemy, the group tended to blow itself up whenever a chance to break into another bountiful level presented itself. All of which is extensively documented in Gorman’s recent acclaimed memoir, Hard to Handle: The Life and Death of The Black Crowes. The book itself is a candid — often uncomfortable — account of what actually goes on behind the curtains in the mysterious realm of rock music. The release of the memoir also came just months before the Crowes announced a reunion tour — a showcase that doesn’t include Gorman or past members, just the Robinson brothers and a handful of hired musicians.
But, Gorman doesn’t let that deter him. At 54, he’s found his Zen zone, personally and professionally. Based out of Nashville these days, the focus is his family, all alongside hosting a successful sports radio show and currently touring with his own band, rising soul/rock outfit Trigger Hippy.
Smoky Mountain News: With forming Trigger Hippy, what were some of lessons learned that you pulled from the past? Steve Gorman: Well, there [are] countless lessons. There’s the whole idea of if I have a red flag about somebody, if I’m getting a vibe from somebody that there’s a little bit of a duality at play or if I don’t think they’re shooting straight on any level, [then] I’m not interested in going further with them. If there’s a need for drama, if there’s a tendency to self-sabotage, I’m just not going to get to a place in life with anybody on any level where that lasts very long.
Want to go?
Trigger Hippy will perform at 9 p.m. Friday, March 6, at The Grey Eagle in Asheville. The Rick Nelson Band will open the show. Tickets are $15 in advance, $18 day of show.
Prior to the show, Smoky Mountain New Arts & Entertainment Editor Garret K. Woodward will host a live audience Q&A with Steve Gorman at 6:30 p.m. Friday, March 6, at The Dweller taproom located at 10 North Market Street in Asheville.
The Q&A will cover Gorman’s new book, his life and career. Gorman will also be selling and signing his book onsite. The Q&A is free and open to the public. www.thegreyeagle.com.
SMN: I guess that’s one of the things when you get older — you realize how much you just don’t need the bullshit. SG: Trust me, that’s 100 percent what it is. And I said, I don’t have to think about that stuff. It’s weird, as I get older, I’ve gotten more patient in the big picture. But, I’m also much quicker to go, “Nope, that’s not worth pursuing.” [I’ve had] my quota for dysfunction and self-sabotage that was filled for literally decades — there’s no room in the cup for that anymore.
SMN: At this point in your life, does it feel good to know that you’ve transcended beyond the chaos? SG: Oh, sure. I mean, the chaos of the music machine [that] The Black Crowes were a part of — the truth is we had bigger fish to fry the whole time, and that was ourselves and each other. The Black Crowes did themselves in, without question. By the time our second album had wrapped and the tour ended, it took us literally four years to put ourselves in a place to be beyond all of that forever — and then we fucked it up.
SMN: But, as you approach 55, you still love what you do and [you seem] not to be jaded or turned off by it — to still have that passion. SG: Well, it helps that I was jaded and helps that I was turned off by it [back then]. And then, it really helped that I admitted those things because I know a lot of jaded people who say they’re not, and so they’re stuck.
It’s a really good thing to wake up one day and say, “I don’t even want to play. I don’t even like playing music anymore. And I don’t even care about drums anymore.” I went through this for four years [and then came back to the drums].
My drumming is always and forever linked to my expression. I’m not following orders, so I’m not in a band where the guy goes, “Play it like this.” I don’t understand that way of drumming. So, if my emotional state is up or down, you’re going to hear it and feel it. And that’s how I play — there’s just no getting away from it.
What a way to ride, oh what a way to go I n March 2011, I was a 26- year-old freelance writer traveling down Interstate 87 in Upstate New York to one of Levon Helm’s Midnight Rambles. The legendary singer/drummer for The Band, Helm held these intimate concerts in his barnlike home, tucked away in the backwoods of the Catskill Mountains.
Initially, the performances were the ways and means to pay his medical bills as he recovered from a serious bout with throat cancer, which took away his golden voice for several years, replacing it with a gravely tone that remained until his passing in April 2012.
But, the shows became so popular and mythical, that Helm & Co. continued doing the weekly performances, all of which became part of a renaissance for Helm’s music and lore, as seen through the albums released near the end of his life (and Grammys won). For myself and millions of other music freaks, the music of The Band remains a cornerstone of our existence. No other band from either side of the Atlantic Ocean has had the organic growth and enduring impact that Helm, Robbie Robertson, Rick Danko, Richard Manuel and Garth Hudson radiated into the cosmos.
When you dive into the sounds of The Band, you’re immersing yourself in the blood, sweat and tears of the United States and Canada (the musicians hailed from both sides of the border). It’s a seamless, groundbreaking blend of rock, folk, blues and country music, created at a time when most rock music was about shock and awe, and not necessarily about revealing deeper truths within all of us.
Each song of The Band is a masterpiece, each album a melodic chapter in a long and HOT PICKS 1 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. 2 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. 3 There will be another installment of “Comedy Night” at 9 p.m. Friday, March 6, at Mad Anthony’s Taproom & Restaurant in Waynesville. 4 Popular alternative rock act Sister Hazel will perform at 7:30 p.m. Friday, March 6, at the Smoky Mountain Center for the Performing Arts in Franklin. 5 Rock/reggae act Positive Mental Attitude (PMA) will perform at 7:30 p.m. Saturday, March 7, at Nantahala Brewing’s Outpost taproom and restaurant in Sylva. f arduous history of each country, where you not only feel the timeless nature of the tunes in your bones, you also realize that nothing is the same, everything is the same in the grand scheme of things.
Hell, even George Harrison and Eric Clapton (among countless other rock giants) were in awe of what they heard from this rag-tag bunch living and recording in the basement of a pink house in rural Woodstock, New York, in the late 1960s and early 1970s. Later in life, Clapton even admitted that he wanted to ask The Band if he could join them from the ashes of Cream disbanding.
And there I was, in the spring of 2011, finally able to witness Helm live and in all his glory behind the drum kit. The evening and experience was eventually published by the Press-Republican, my local newspaper in Plattsburgh, New York, which paid pretty much peanuts for my music articles:
“The car tires squished through the mud of Helm’s backyard. Dozens of vehicles crammed onto the land. Anonymous faces cracked open cold microbrews. Cigarette smoke, exhaled in haste, drifted into the crisp, starry night. Burn barrels dotted the road to the home/studio. Laughter echoed into the distance. It is an awkward feeling trekking around the ambiance of a revered man only seen from afar, in films like ‘The Last Waltz’ or black and white photos. Helm has created a magical castle for himself and lovingly invites any to partake in his happiness. Walking into the basement entrance, I hear foot-stomps coming through the ceiling. The structure shakes. Muffled voices shout and cheer. It only means one thing — Levon has taken the stage.”
I walked out of the Ramble with a new sense of self, this deep and sincere connection to the mysteries of the universe, of humanity’s role and place in the organized chaos of daily life — the performance was that staggering, in purpose and in scope.
And I’ll never forget that signature smile adorning Helm’s face that night: “Howling into the heavens, Helm has a grin ear-to-ear when ‘Ophelia’ kicks in. The entire barn gyrates and sings together like a church revival on the Louisiana bayou. Guitarist Larry Campbell throws bare-knuckle licks. Pounding the keys with a thunderous fury, pianist Brian Mitchell looks Helm directly in the eye as the two belted out the lyrics. The night was over, but the memories had been set in motion.”
The Ramble and all that incredible music came flooding back to me last Sunday when I went to the Fine Arts Theater in Asheville to watch the new documentary, “Once Were Brothers: Robbie Robertson and The Band.” To see old interviews with Levon recorded in his Woodstock home, to hear all those mesmerizing songs and watch the story of the group unfold, well, it put tears in my eyes and chills throughout my body.
For a rambler like myself, the open road has always felt more like home than wherever it was may be that I’ve hung my hat or left my belongings. Hop into the old pickup truck, put it into drive and crank The Band on the stereo — for it is in that moment alone that all is well, all is aligned in the starry night of your intent.
Life is beautiful, grasp for it, y’all.
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arts & entertainment 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.
Steve Sutton.
March 4-10, 2020 Smoky Mountain News 26 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. “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.
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-annual-steve-sutton-memorial-concert.
The Cold Mountain Music Festival is proud to announce the lineup for its fourth annual event happening June 5-6 at the picturesque Lake Logan Conference Center in Canton.
Grammy-winning newgrass pioneer Sam Bush Band will headline the weekend-long retreat, with additional appearances by fastrising alt-country sensation Charley Crockett, West Coast folk-rock outfit Blitzen Trapper, critically acclaimed troubadour Amythyst Kiah, regional rock powerhouse Futurebirds, Americana/indie singer-songwriter sensation Sierra Ferrell, and more.
With less than half a decade of programming under its belt, Cold Mountain Music Festival has
Blitzen Trapper. (photo credit: Tyler Kohlhoff.)
already been recognized as one of the Southeast’s best goldmines for live music, outdoor recreation, and family-oriented activities.
Located just outside of Asheville in one of Western North Carolina’s most pristine stretches of land, Cold Mountain utilizes the vibrant Pisgah National Forest as its playground and encourages exploration throughout the two-day immersive experience.
At the heart of the festival site is the glistening Lake Logan, which boasts plenty of swimming, paddle-boarding, and fishing. Paired with performances by some of live music’s leading forces on the scene and plenty of kid-friendly offerings, the upcoming Cold Mountain Music Festival will offer the trifecta of rustic summer experiences.
In addition to heavy-hitting ensembles from the national frontlines, Friday night’s bill will shine a light on the region’s abundant local talent, welcoming an all-star cast of bands to the stage.
With highlights including the celebrated Amanda Anne Platt & The Honeycutters, Pierce Edens, Joe Lasher, and Camp Henry (which calls Lake Logan home) alum Noah Proudfoot & The Botanicals, attendees will enjoy a curated dose of entertainment with a community thread tying it all together.
Having started as an effort to raise awareness for Camp Henry and the Episcopal Diocese of Western North Carolina, Cold Mountain Music Festival continues to support the mission of inclusivity and engage participants from all backgrounds.
Weekend passes are on sale now on the Cold Mountain Music website. General admission passes are available for $75, and youth passes for those aged 12-17 can be purchased for $40 apiece. Overnight camping spots and catered breakfast meal tickets are also available for $75 (per site) and $12-$15 (per person), respectively. Group discounts may be applied for parties of 15 or more. Enter the code “DioWNC” at checkout to purchase each pass (minimum 15) for $60 each. Cold Mountain Music Festival is presented by Ingles Markets, with partners iHeartMedia and Haywood County Tourism Development Authority.
www.coldmountainmusic.org.
Reggae, rock at Nantahala
Jackson County rock/reggae act Positive Mental Attitude (PMA) will perform at 7:30 p.m. Saturday, March 7, at Nantahala Brewing’s Outpost taproom and restaurant in Sylva.
“Our music is full of inspiration from these mountains. Water, mountain landscapes, nature, trails. They all take part in the inspiration process for us. We are proud to call Sylva home and our sound could not be what it is without this town,” said guitarist Miller Watson. “It’s also really cool to see the similarities in bluegrass music and reggae and how they took shape from the development of African banjo. It’s also nice to bring a touch of reggae to these mountains.”
Free and open to the public. www.nantahalabrewing.com or www.facebook.com/pmamusic.
Mountain Heritage Center concert
Fiddler Andrew Finn Magill will take the stage at 7 p.m. Thursday, March 5, in the recital hall of the Coulter Building at Western Carolina University.
Andrew Finn Magill.
WCU’s School of Music is co-sponsoring the show. The performance is free and open to the public.
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.
Gypsy & Me return to The Strand
Celebrated Americana/folk duo Gypsy & Me will hit the stage at 7:30 p.m. Friday, March 6, in The Loft listening room at The Strand at 38 Main in Waynesville. Howl in the Valley will open the performance.
The duo has recently released their third album, “Get Busy Livin’.” With thoughtful lyrics and melodic harmonies, they continue to touch the hearts of audiences everywhere.
Tickets are $7 per person. You can purchase tickets at the door or online at www.38main.com.
Captain Midnight Band at Boojum Brewing
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. Internationally-ignored superstar, Captain Midnight is the world’s only known purveyor of “Waterbed Rock & Roll.”
The show is free and open to the public. For more information, visit www.captainmidnightband.com.
• Andrews Brewing Company (Andrews) will host the “Lounge Series” at its Calaboose location with Paul Edelman March 6, Blue Revue March 7, Chris Blaylock 4 p.m. March 8, Kevin Smith March 12, Rags & Riches March 14 and Wyatt Espalin 4 p.m. March 15. All shows are free and begin at 6 p.m. unless otherwise noted. www.andrewsbrewing.com.
• 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. March 5 and 12. 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, Captain Midnight Band (rock/jam) 8:30 p.m. March 5, Isaiah Breedlove & The Old Pines (Americana) March 7 and Gold Rose (Americana/indie) “St. Patrick’s Day Celebration” March 14. All shows begin at 9 p.m. unless otherwise noted. www.boojumbrewing.com. ALSO:
• 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 Zach Meadows March 6, The Mixx March 7, The Valley Authority March 14 and Chris Campbell 4 p.m. March 15. 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 March 4 and 11, and a jazz night with the Kittle/Collings Duo March 6 and 13. All events are free and begin at 8 p.m. unless otherwise noted. www.innovation-brewing.com. • Innovation Station (Dillsboro) will host Liz & AJ Nance (Americana/folk) March 21. All events are free and begin at 7 p.m. unless otherwise noted. www.innovation-brewing.com.
• Isis Music Hall (West Asheville) will host Nefesh Mountain (Americana/folk) 7 p.m. March 4, Tom Rush & Matt Nakoa (Americana/folk) 8:30 p.m. March 4, Piper & Carson (Americana/folk) 7 p.m. March 5, Steff Mahan (Americana/country) 7 p.m. March 6, Bad Girls & The Aliens of Soul Dance Party 8:30 p.m. March 6, Brooks Williams (Americana/blues) 7 p.m. March 7, Che Apalache (bluegrass/world) 8:30 p.m. March 7, Rebecca Loebe (folk/pop) 6 p.m. March 8, The Jeremiahs (Celtic/folk) 7:30 p.m. March 8, Tuesday Bluegrass Sessions w/Jackson Grimm Band 7:30 p.m. March 10 and Arkansauce (bluegrass/Americana) 8:30 p.m. March 11. www.isisasheville.com.
• Lazy Hiker Brewing (Franklin) will host an open mic night at 6:30 p.m. every Thursday, Scrawny Johnny March 13, Mama Danger March 14 and Gopher Broke 8 p.m. March 17. All shows begin at 7 p.m. unless otherwise noted. www.lazyhikerbrewing.com.
• Lazy Hiker Brewing (Sylva) will host Sirsy March 20 and Buffalo Wabs & The Price Hill Hustle March 21. All shows are at 8 p.m. www.lazyhikerbrewing.com.
• Legends Sports Grill (Maggie Valley) will host music semi-regularly on weekends. 828.926.9464 or www.facebook.com/ legendssportsgrillmaggievalley.
• Mountain Layers Brewing (Bryson City) will host the “Stone Soup” open mic night every Tuesday, Shayler’s Kitchen March 6, Somebody’s Child March 7, Heidi Holton (blues/folk) March 13 and Wyatt Espalin March 14. Shows are free and begin at 7 p.m. www.mountainlayersbrewingcompany.com.
• Nantahala Brewing (Sylva) will host Sugar Lime Blue March 6, Positive Mental Attitude (rock/reggae) March 7, Humps & The Blackouts March 13 and Chris Pressley w/Arnold Hill March 14. All shows begin at
Sister Hazel.
Franklin welcomes Sister Hazel
Popular alternative rock act Sister Hazel will perform at 7:30 p.m. Friday, March 6, at the Smoky Mountain Center for the Performing Arts in Franklin.
The group is comprised of five gifted, seasoned musicians whose well-spring of natural talent has been called “one of the Top 100 Most Influential Independent Performers of the last 15 years” by Performing Songwriter Magazine.
The song “All for You” topped the adult alternative charts during the summer of 1997 and the success propelled their album to platinum status. In their first showing on the country music charts they made a strong debut with “Lighter In The Dark” at No. 4 on Billboard’s Top Country Albums chart.
Tickets start at $22 per person. www.greatmountainmusic.com.
7:30 p.m. unless otherwise noted. Free and open to the public. www.nantahalabrewing.com.
• 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. • Rathskeller Coffee Haus & Pub (Franklin) will host Dave Patterson March 6 and Sweet Charity March 7. Shows begin at 8 p.m. Free and open to the public. www.rathskellerfranklin.com.
• 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. arts & entertainment
• 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 a St. Patrick’s Day Party 2 p.m. March 14. 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, George Jackson 7 p.m. March 5, Gypsy & Me w/Howl in the Valley 7:30 p.m. March 6, The Moon and You 7:30 p.m. March 13 and EmiSunshine 7:30 p.m. March 14. For information and/or to purchase tickets, call 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. and The Paper Crowns 9:30 p.m. March 7. 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. March 4-10, 2020
• 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. • Whiteside Brewing (Cashiers) will host semi-regular music on the weekends. Free and open to the public. 828.743.6000 or www .whitesidebrewing.com.
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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.
Conversation and refreshments will follow the presentation. This is free and open to the public.
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. 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.
The Western NC Civil War Roundtable will host 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.
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. www.nantahalabrewing.com.
• 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:
• A free wine tasting will be held from 6 to 8 p.m. March 5 and 12, and 2 to 5 p.m. March 7 and 14 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.
On the stage
There will be another installment of “Comedy Night” at 9 p.m. Friday, March 6, at Mad Anthony’s Taproom & Restaurant in Waynesville.
Comedians include acclaimed stand-up Cary Goff, as well as Chesney Goodson and Ryan Cox. Hosted by Cory Thompson. Goff is a writer/comedian out of Asheville and has performed around the Southeast. He’s showcased in the Laugh Your Asheville Off Festival, been a finalist in the Port City Comedy Competition and a semi-finalist in the Carolina’s Funniest Stand-Up Comic Competition.
Goff has enjoyed performing with comedians such as Joe DeRosa, Rory Scovel, Joe Zimmerman, Doug Stanhope, Tom Segura and Jarrod Harris, among others. He also writes satire for the Asheville Disclaimer in the alt-weekly Mountain Xpress as well as The Simpleton Review.
Admission is $5 at the door. Ages 18 and over permitted. For more information, call 828.246.9249.
• KIDS at HART, the youth drama program at the Haywood Arts Regional Theatre in Waynesville, will present “Mary Poppins Jr.” at 2 p.m. March 7-8, 14-15. Tickets are $15 for adults and $8 for students. Reservations may be made by calling the HART Theatre at 828.456.6322 or visiting www.harttheatre.org.
• 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:
written by Ingles Dietitian Leah McGrath Ingles Nutrition Notes
QUESTION: My doctor has said that I need to buy low-sodium or no salt added food. What should I be looking for? ANSWER: Typically “low sodium” refers to items that have 140mg/ of sodium per serving or less. This means you will need to check the nutrition facts panel of packaged and canned items. Here is information from the American Heart Association on labeling language: https://www.heart.org/en/healthy-living/healthy-eating/eatsmart/nutrition-basics/food-packaging-claims A “no salt added” product would usually be identified on the front of the packaging or by checking ingredients. For some good general information on finding low(er) sodium products check out this information: https://health.gov/myhealthfinder/topics/ health-conditions/heart-health/lower-some odium-foods-shopping-list TIPS: • Some “sneaky” sources of sodium that often people don’t think about are: sliced breads, prepared pastries like cupcakes and muffins, cookie and cake mixes, cereals and condiments. • One way to reduce sodium from canned vegetables is to rinse the canned vegetables in a colander under running water. That will get rid of about 40% of the sodium you see listed on the label. • Look for salt-free herbal seasonings or seasonings that have less salt as a way of flavoring your foods.
Leah McGrath, RDN, LDN Ingles Market Corporate Dietitian @InglesDietitian Leah McGrath - Dietitian 800.334.4936 Ingles Markets… caring about your health March 4-10, 2020
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 one-hour time slot or $40 per 30-minute time slot. One-hour 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.
Celebrate St Patrick’s Day early from noon to 4 p.m. Saturday, March 14, on Main Street in Waynesville.
The Galleries of Haywood County have enlisted shops and restaurants to offer “Lucky Specials” and “Wee Irish” treats — look for the flags and balloons to locate participating merchants.
Find and meet Waynesville’s Leprechaun and his lady to collect a green necklace. And enter to win the “Rainbow’s End Pot of Gold” with a 50/50 drawing to be held at 4 p.m.
Prizes will be awarded up to $500 each (as the pot allows), as well as special gifts from participating merchants. Just $5/ticket or $10 for three tickets, on sale until 3 p.m. that day. Each entry also gets a golden coin necklace.
Purchase tickets at these Galleries of Haywood County on Main Street: Cedar Hill Studio, Haywood Arts Council, Jeweler’s Workbench, Metzger’s Burl Wood Gallery, T Pennington Art Gallery, and Twigs and Leaves Gallery.
Participants for the drawing must be 18 to win, but do not need to present to win. Winners will be posted in the galleries and online at www.haywoodarts.org/gallerieshc. Proceeds from the drawing will go to support more Galleries of Haywood County community events.
Innovation ‘Pottery & Pints’
There will be a “Pottery & Pints: Free Play” class held by Viva Arts Studios from 6:30 to 8 p.m. Thursday, March 12, at the Innovation Station in Dillsboro.
This is your chance to let your imagination rule as you mold, sculpt and create anything you want. Cost is $30 per person.
For more information and/or to register for the workshop, go to Facebook, search “Viva Arts Studio” and click on the “Events” tab for the ticket link.
The Viva Arts Studio in Sylva currently offers several weekly and monthly pottery and painting classes alongside other artisan mediums.
For a full calendar of classes and more information on the studio, visit www.vivaartsschool.com, call 828.506.6067 or simply take a gander at the full schedule posted on the large garage door of the studio at 456 West Main Street.
Challenge 30 DAYS of MINDFULNESS
Are you ready to see how much closer you can get to being the best version of yourself within 30 days? Kicking off March 11th, commit to a 30 day challenge of practicing YOGA + MINDFULNESS!
See website for more details! WaynesvilleYogaCenter.com
Do you want to be a part of a family-owned and locally operated business that has served the area for over 65 years? Earning the trust of our customers, employees and community is what drives us to be better. Taylor Ford is proud to be a fast-paced, high-energy, forwardthinking company that is looking for experienced professionals with all of the same attributes! AUTO SALES CONSULTANT
The Western Carolina University Fine Art Museum at Bardo Arts Center is presenting a range of photography, glasswork, and vitreography on display from now through May 1. • “Time and Again: Glass Works by Kit Paulson and SaraBeth Post”
Funded in part by the Art Alliance for Contemporary Glass, the exhibition brings together two Penland-based artists whose works explore ideas about time, history, memory, and the antique.
In many of their works, objects from the past are remade and reimagined in glass, creating a bridge between past and present. • “Curious Terrain: WNC From the Air” This new exhibition features aerial photographs that explore the relationship between humans and the WNC landscape. Taken by Alex S. MacLean, a renowned artist and pilot with over 45 years of experience photographing the land from the bird’s eye perspective of an airplane, these newly commissioned images focus on the seven westernmost counties of North Carolina.
“The Curious Terrain: WNC From the Air” reception will take place from 5 to 7 p.m. March 19, with a gallery talk from Alex S. MacLean at 5:45 p.m. This exhibition is supported by a grant from The Community Foundation of Western North Carolina.
A work by Alex S. MacLean.
• “Claire Van Vliet: Stone and Sky” This new exhibition highlights landscape prints by Claire Van Vliet, a renowned printmaker and book artist. Between 1993 and 2010, Van Vliet completed several residencies at Harvey Littleton Studios in Spruce Pine, North Carolina, where she experimented with the medium of vitreography, a form of printmaking that uses a glass plate to produce a printed image.
Fascinated by rocks of all kinds, Van Vliet produced detailed images of rock formations from around the world, including Wind Cave in New Mexico, Kilclooney More in Ireland, and the Moeraki Coast in New Zealand.
This exhibition brings together a selection of these vitreographs, drawn from the WCU Fine Art Museum’s Permanent Collection, and provides a glimpse into the artist’s creative process.
The exhibition includes a rare opportunity to view one of the original glass plates used in the vitreograph printing process.
The museum exhibitions and receptions are free and open to the public with free parking on site. Regular hours are Tuesday through Friday, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. and Thursdays until 7 p.m.
For information, visit arts.wcu.edu/museum or call 828.227.ARTS.
Glass class in Dillsboro
The “Make Your Own Pint Glass” class will be offered from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday, March 7, at the Jackson County Green Energy Park in Dillsboro.
In the class, participants will create a custom pint glass under the direction of local glass artist Cole Johnson. The glass class takes about 35 to 40 minutes per time slot. Participants will make one pint glass within the time slot.
Johnson is a sought-after instructor at both the Green Energy Park and the NC Glass Center in Asheville and has introduced hundreds of people to the art of glassblowing.
No experience is required for any of the classes, and youth 13 and older are welcome to attend with a parent present. Walk-ins are welcome, but reservations are strongly suggested, as these classes tend to fill up quickly. Cost is $65 per time slot. Payment due at registration. There is a 10 percent discount offered to Jackson County residents.
To reserve a class spot, contact the Green Energy Park at 828.631.0271 or email info@jcgep.org. For more information, visit www.jcgep.org.
What We're Looking For: Our growing Sales department is looking for ambitious and self-motivated people to join our team. Automotive experience is preferred. If you are looking for an opportunity to grow and develop your career, apply here!
Contact Dean Howell at 828-452-5111 and/or email your resume to rdhowell1@yahoo.com
The next Creating Community Workshop will be held at 10:30 a.m. Saturday, March 14, in the Atrium of the Jackson County Public Library in Sylva.
Come and enjoy making Zentangle magic. Master this absorbing, relaxing and creative art form. No drawing experience is required. The Zentangle Method is an easy-to-learn, relaxing, and fun way to create beautiful images by drawing structured patterns. They call these patterns tangles. Create tangles with combinations of dots, lines, simple curves, S-curves and orbs.
These simple shapes are the “Elemental Strokes” in all Zentangle art. These patterns are drawn on small pieces of paper called “tiles.” They call them tiles because you can assemble them into mosaics.
Instructor Helen Vance has worked in landscaping, graphic design and marketing, and dabbled in various textile arts. She particularly enjoys traditional rug hooking.
This program is free of charge. The workshop is limited to 10 participants. Call the library to register at 828.586.2016. This event is co-sponsored by the Friends of the Jackson County Public Library.
The Jackson County Public Library is a member of Fontana Regional Library (www.fontanalib.org).
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.
Reserve a spot 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.
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.
For more information, call 828.497.3103.
• 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, 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.
• 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.
• 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 on paint dates and/or to RSVP, contact Robin Arramae at 828.400.9560 or wncpaintevents@gmail.com.
