19 minute read
Balsam Range gets back on stage
A&E Rivers, rains and runaway trains
Balsam Range is Darren Nicholson, (from left) Tim Surrett, Marc Pruett, Caleb Smith and Buddy Melton. (photo: David Simchock)
Tim Surrett of Balsam Range
BY GARRET K. WOODWARD ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT EDITOR
In its 14 years together, Haywood County’s own Balsam Range has risen into the upper echelon as one of the marquee acts in the national and international bluegrass scene — this once in a generation blend of songbird harmonies and lightning fast finger pickin’.
Dozens of No. 1 hit songs on the radio, with three more added to the list since the shutdown of the music industry last year (“Richest Man,” “Grit and Grace,” “Rivers, Rains and Runaway Trains”). Some 13 International Bluegrass Music Association (IBMA) awards in seemingly every category, including “Entertainer of the Year” (2014, 2018), “Album of the Year” (2013, 2017), “Song of the Year” (2011, 2015) and “Vocal Group of the Year” (2014, 2015).
And yet, the most impressive feat by the quintet remains the band itself. The same five members (a rarity in the music business), still the best of friends and bandmates. Each just as passionately and creatively driven today as that first impromptu kitchen jam session in Canton that caught melodic fire just about a decade and a half ago. kind of like learning to ride a bike again? Surreal?
Tim Surrett (bassist, Balsam Range): Yeah, especially the first one, down in Walhalla, South Carolina. When we walked out, we were nervous and excited. But, the crowd was just so happy to be out and going to a show. When we walked onstage, they just blew our heads off.
And it was just like that the whole night. It took [away] the fear, because all of us [backstage] were like, “Gosh, I hope I can remember the words [to the songs].” [Laughs]. It was a great load [that was] lifted — it’s just been really good.
SMN: Is there kind of a justification when you’re in that moment of why all the blood, sweat and tears are worth it, and why you love performing?
TS: There is for me. That hour and a half or two hours [onstage]? The little trip you take with that crowd, that bond? If you don’t love that, then I’m not sure what the payoff is? [On the way to Walhalla], I told the guys, “This will be one of two things. We’ll either say, ‘Lord have mercy, we’ve missed this’ or ‘Good Lord, why did we start this in the first place?’” [Laughs].
You know, it’s not easy [touring and performing]. Lack of sleep. Long travel. But, it’s all worth it. If you don’t have that love of those two hours [onstage], then I’m not sure what you’re doing. not just entertainment, it’s a healing force.
TS: Oh, absolutely. There was an old fellow I used to travel with [when I was in] The Kingsman Quartet. He said, “Boys, in our job, we don’t have the authority or the power to change the world, but our job is to make them forget their car payments that’s due Monday.” It’s definitely a much-needed diversion, something to take your mind off what’s going on [in your life and] in the world. legends. After 14 years, what is it that still keeps the band motivated and coming back to the creative waters?
TS: We still have the desire to make as good a body of music as we can. And the process is fun. Getting together at [lead singer/fiddler] Buddy [Melton’s] house and jamming out. The process of putting songs together, recording them — we enjoy that. The same thing that put us together in the first place is still there.
SMN: What does it mean to you that, after all these years, it’s still the same five guys up there onstage and in the studio?
TS: We may be the longest running [bluegrass] band with the same personnel, [at least] that I can think of anyway. And that’s amazing because it’s flirted with disaster numerous times for whatever reason. Every one of us has thought about doing something else or quitting — it’s not an easy existence.
But, especially in the last two or three years, it’s settled into a really good, long-lasting marriage or something like that. We’re very comfortable. Everybody knows what everybody else’s reactions are going to be to whatever happens. [These days], the travel is so much more fun. We pick the shows we want to play and the places we want to go. There’s a lot of laughing and carrying on. We’ve been together so long, we think of something that everybody remembers, like “that show we played on a flatbed trailer in somebody’s pasture,” you know?
It’s a lot of fun still, and that’s a big deal to
Want to go?
Balsam Range will once again hit the stage at 5 p.m. Sunday, April 25, at the Hazel Robinson Amphitheatre in the Montford Historic District of Asheville. Doors open at 4 p.m.
All Covid-19 safety protocols will be followed and enforced. Tickets start at $25 per person for single seating pods. There are also VIP pods available, which includes special entry to the band’s sound check, among other amenities.
For more information, click on www.hazelrobinsonamphitheatre.com. For tickets, go to www.etix.com/ticket/p/5999305/ balsam-range-asheville-hazel-robinsonamphitheatre.
BY GARRET K. WOODWARD
Brian Power, aka: ‘Mr. P.’
(photo: Garret K. Woodward)
seemingly every corner of New York State. I think of stepping up to the starting line at the Carrier Dome in Syracuse, on a beach in Long Island, mountaintops in the Adirondacks, frozen cornfields in the Champlain Valley. Getting up at 3 a.m. on a Saturday morning to catch the team bus heading to a weekend invitational gathering in Albany, Saratoga, Malone, Saranac Lake, Burnt Hills, Guilderland, Lake Placid, etc.
At every race, Mr. P was right there, giving me last-minute advice and strategies before the starting gun went off, yelling for me from somewhere along the course to run harder, to chase the unknowns of the horizon in front of me, to sweat out the pain and reach the top of the hill for the eventual finish line. Mr. P was one hell of a coach and mentor, one whose encouragement will forever ring true in any of my career pursuits and life endeavors.
I also think of the thousands of students and athletes he cherished and motivated. Anyone who had him as a teacher or coach knows damn well he was one of those rare human beings you’ll never forget, who always believed in you and your abilities. Mr. P was always in your corner, come hell or high water. He has been as much of a fixture in my existence as anyone. And for that, I’m grateful for his love, support and friendship.
The image of him in this column, I took when I was in high school, as we were on the cross-country bus leaving some faraway invitational. That smile and wave were signature to his demeanor, his sincerity and kindness. His jokes were as dry as sawdust (retold happily a million times), his eyes often misty with pride and passion whenever he’d speak of the value of teamwork, of persistence, and of what it means to find out what you’re truly made of — on and off the track.
Last summer, when I was home in Plattsburgh, New York, I got to visit him one last time. We spent the afternoon together at the cabin on Chateaugay Lake, rehashing old running stories and hard-fought victories (one of his favorites being when I took down the conference’s top mile runner my senior year in the midst of a freezing rainstorm: he crossed the line at 4:47:9, myself by a nose at 4:47:8), retelling those terribly corny old jokes and just simply shooting the shit, as per usual.
I knew he was very sick at that time, his body and mind slowly failing him, a walker holding up a man who once had a Zeus-like stride in the midst of fierce competition. But, he never let on that things were bothering him. He was just happy to sit and talk about the good ole days with me. Before I said goodbye and hugged him farewell, it meant the world to tell him how much he influenced my life.
That said, I’ll be heading back to my native North Country in this week to attend the services and be a pallbearer. It is one of the true honors of my life to be asked to do so by Myrna. Much love and light to his family and all who knew him, for we now will carry on the torch of pride and passion that resided within the legacy of Mr. P.
I miss my friend, very much.
Life is beautiful, grasp for it, y’all.
Ode to Mr. P, ode to never sacrificing the gift
It is with an extremely heavy heart that I share the news of the passing last Friday morning of Brian Power (aka: “Mr. P”) after a long, debilitating illness.
In my life, Mr. P has always been there, this force of nature and humor that never ceased to make me smile and feel loved, and with eternal friendship. He and his wife, Myrna, have been best friends of my parents for decades. My mom even played matchmaker and introduced them to each other. And when I was little kid, Mr. P and Myrna got married on the side lawn of my childhood home, an old 1820 limestone farmhouse on the Canadian Border of Upstate New York.
Both he and my mother taught English in my high school, Northeastern Clinton Central School (Champlain, New York), their classrooms next to each other for most of their storied careers in education. Mr. P was my ninth-grade English teacher, one who sparked a lifelong love of literature and writing within me. I vividly remember when he would read from the classic novels and plays, dramatically jumping into the protagonist character in this riveting back and forth manner with the students reading along in sheer awe of his performance.
He was also my cross-country and track coach from seventh to twelfth grade, sparking my lifelong love of running — all while learning the meaning of goals and hard work, which can lead to successes beyond your wildest dreams, just so long as you never take your eye off the prize.
One of Mr. P heroes was the late American distance runner Steve Prefontaine, whose words echoed continuously throughout my extensive middle/high school running career (and now adulthood): “To give anything less than your best is to sacrifice the gift.” Mr. P would constantly mention that quote, deeply-felt sentiments now etched onto the walls of my body, mind and soul.
In essence, I wouldn’t be who I am today without Mr. P in my life. I spent countless Christmas dinners at his farmhouse, summer barbecues and boat rides at the cabin on Chateaugay Lake (in the heart of the endless natural splendor of the Adirondack Mountains), spring break trips to visit my folks, he and Myrna on Tybee Island, Georgia, and so on.
And all of those races, hundreds and hundreds of cross-country and track races in
FACES OF HAYWOOD
“I am appreciative of our partnership with the Haywood County Chamber of Commerce. They have been extremely supportive in promoting and assisting with our community events in the past, such as our annual Back to School Backpack
School Supply Drive. In addition, the many networking and educational events throughout the year help us stay connected and informed of opportunities here in the county. The
Haywood County Chamber of Commerce plays an instrumental role in making this county a great place to both work and live!”
Chad McMahon, AGENT
97 Lee Street, Waynesville www.chadlmcmahon.com (828)452-0567
Chad McMahon, Kelly McFalls, Kim King, Hope Surrett
Anna Victoria.
Victoria to play Lazy Hiker
Singer-songwriter Anna Victoria will perform at 8 p.m. Friday, April 30, at Lazy Hiker Brewing in Sylva.
The performance is free and open to the public. To learn more about Anna Victoria, go to www.facebook.com/annavictoriamusic. www.lazyhikerbrewing.com.
Hustle Souls album release party
Popular Western North Carolina funk/rock act Hustle Souls will celebrate the release of its new album “Daydream Motel” with a socially-distanced, seated concert at 8 p.m. Friday, April 30, at The Grey Eagle in Asheville.
“Daydream Motel” is a genre-jumping mashup of new school second line funk and old school vintage soul, with nods to the jamband and roots worlds.
Admission is $15 per person. You can purchase tickets by going to www.thegreyeagle.com and clicking on the “Calendar” tab.
For more information on Hustle Souls, visit www.hustlesouls.com.
The Booth Brothers.
Renowned Southern Gospel act The Booth Brothers will perform at 3 p.m. Sunday, April 25, at the Smoky Mountain Center of the Performing Arts in Franklin.
Ronnie, Michael, and Paul, collectively known as The Booth Brothers, have been acknowledged as one of the finest in the business, receiving many awards over the years, including “Song of the Year,” “Album of the Year,” “Trio of the Year,” “Male Group of the Year,” “Best Live Performers,” “Artist of the Year,” and others.
Admission is $25 per person. To purchase tickets or for more information, please contact the theatre box office at 828.524.1598. The box office is also open for walk-up ticket purchases from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday. Seating is limited and is general admission.
All ticket holders will be expected to follow social distancing guidelines. Masks will be required at all times until seated. For more information about special safety precautions, go to www.greatmountainmusic.com.
• Balsam Falls Brewing (Sylva) will host an open mic from 8 to 10 p.m. every Thursday.
Free and open to the public. www.balsamfallsbrewing.com.
• Boojum Brewing (Waynesville) will host
Smooth Goose at 9 p.m. April 24 in the downstairs taproom (aka: “The Gem”). Free and open to the public. 828.246.0350 or www.boojumbrewing.com.
• The Classic Wineseller (Waynesville) will host James Hammel (singer-songwriter) April 29. All shows begin at 6:30 p.m.
Reservations required. 828.452.6000 or www.classicwineseller.com.
• Elevated Mountain Distilling Company will host semi-regular live music on the weekends. Free and open to the public. www.elevatedmountain.com. Elysium Park Band April 30. All shows begin at 6 p.m. unless otherwise noted. Free and open to the public. www.froglevelbrewing.com.
• Lazy Hiker Brewing (Franklin) will host
Carey Deal April 24 and Natti Love Joys (roots/reggae) May 1. All shows begin at 8 p.m. unless otherwise noted. Free and open to the public. www.lazyhikerbrewing.com.
• Lazy Hiker Brewing (Sylva) will host Kid Billy (Billy Litz from Hustle Souls) April 23 and
Anna Victoria (singer-songwriter) April 30.
All shows begin at 8 p.m. unless otherwise noted. Free and open to the public. www.lazyhikerbrewing.com.
• Nantahala Brewing (Sylva) will host Marshall
Ballew April 23 and Pony Express April 24. All shows begin at 8 p.m. Free and open to the public. www.nantahalabrewing.com. April 24 and The UpBeats May 1. All shows begin at 8 p.m. Free and open to the public.
• Valley Tavern (Maggie Valley) will host semiregular live music on the weekends. 828.926.7440 or www.valley-tavern.com.
• Water’n Hole Bar & Grill (Waynesville) will host semi-regular live music on the weekends. 828.456.4750 or www.facebook.com/waternhole.bar.
• “Dillsboro After Five” will take place from 3:30 to 6:30 p.m Wednesday, April 28, in downtown Dillsboro. Start with a visit to the
Jackson County Farmers Market located in the Innovation Station parking lot. Stay for dinner and take advantage of late-hour shopping. www.mountainlovers.com.
• A special wine pairing dinner featuring
Opolo Vineyards will be held at 6:30 p.m.
Thursday, April 22, at The Classic Wineseller in Waynesville. Cost is $65 all-inclusive. To
RSVP, call 828.452.6000. www.classicwineseller.com.
ALSO:
Leigh Forrester Haywood Arts director retires
Leigh Forrester, who served as executive director of the Haywood County Arts Council (HCAC) for four years has announced her retirement, effective May 31.
About the transition, Forrester explained, “I am honored to have served as the Executive Director of the Haywood County Arts Council and with retirement I hope to have more time with family and friends and the time to travel.”
During her tenure, Forrester helped establish new events, including the Smoky Mountains Bluegrass Festival, as well as resurrecting January Jazz, the Haywood County Studio Tour, and creating stronger partnerships with other area arts organizations, nonprofits and educational institutions.
“I look forward to seeing the HCAC continue to thrive under new leadership, and I know that it will continue to be a strong supporter of the arts in our county,” Forrester said.
• There will be a free wine tasting from 6 to 8 p.m. every Thursday and 2 to 5 p.m every
Saturday at The Wine Bar & Cellar in Sylva. 828.631.3075.
• The “Uncorked: Wine & Rail Pairing
Experience” will be held from 10:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. on select dates at the Great Smoky
Mountains Railroad in Bryson City. Full service all-adult first class car. Wine pairings with a meal, and more. For more information and/or to register, call 800.872.4681 or click on www.gsmr.com.
• “Paint-N-Pour” will be held from 7 to 9 p.m. Wednesday, April 21, at Balsam Falls
Brewing in Sylva. Cost is $20 per person.
All materials provided. RSVP at Balsam
Falls Brewing’s Facebook page. For more information, click on www.balsamfallsbrewing.com.
Karen Covington-Yow.
After an opening weekend with sold out audiences, the Haywood Arts Regional Theatre in Waynesville continues to bring live theater back to Western North Carolina with “Love, Linda: The Life of Mrs. Cole Porter.”
Performance dates will be 7:30 p.m. April 22-24, 29-30 and May 1, and 2 p.m. April 25 and May 2. With socially distanced seating and CDC protocols in place, audiences can enjoy this incredible onewoman musical from the comfort of their party’s own seating pod.
This award winning show had a successful run in Asheville, in 2019 and met with rave reviews. “Love, Linda” recounts the life story of Linda Lee Thomas, the southern belle who was the driving force behind the career of her legendary composer husband, Cole Porter.
Beautiful compositions weave the music of Cole Porter into a compelling, glamorous, and complex story of this unconventional relationship. Karen Covington-Yow’s gorgeous voice sores over audiences as she portrays Linda Porter in this unforgettable tale.
All seats are $20 general admission. Doors open 30 minutes prior to the performance.
To make your reservation, call the HART Box office at 828.456.6322 at any time and simply leave your name, phone number, the number of tickets you would like held and the performance date on the recording. A HART staff member will return your call to confirm your reservation.
Reservations can now be made by calling the box office or by going online to www.harttheatre.org.
Starring Pasquale LaCorte as George Burns, “Say Goodnight, Gracie” will be held over for more performances following a high demand for tickets. The production will hit the stage at 7:30 p.m. May 7-8 and 14-15, and 2 p.m. May 9 and 16 at the Haywood Arts Regional Theatre in Waynesville.
The production is being staged in the Fangmeyer Theater, with CDC protocols in place. The flat floor of the theater makes it possible for patrons to be in pods spaced six feet apart.
Patrons will be asked to wear masks unless they are eating or drinking items from the concession area, and distancing will be practiced throughout the facility. HART has created a special Covid Safety Video to give patrons a sample of what attending the show will be like. To view it, simply go to www.harttheatre.com.
All seats are $20 general admission. Door opens 30 minutes prior to the performance.
To make reservations call the HART Box office at 828.456.6322 at any time and simply leave your name, phone number, the number of tickets you would like held and the performance date on the recording.
lydia see, ‘Whitewashing.’
MFA thesis showcase at WCU
The Master of Fine Arts Thesis Exhibition is currently on display at Western Carolina University in Cullowhee.
Showcasing work in a variety of media and surveys a range of conceptual themes and creative approaches within contemporary art practice, the exhibition features four MFA candidates from the WCU School of Art and Design: Perry Houlditch, Mo Kessler, lydia see, and Lex Turnbull.
The MFA program from the WCU School of Art & Design is an inter-disciplinary studio art program and creative research environment where ideas are given form. Through close association with faculty, visiting artists, scholars, and their peers, students develop a contextual and historical awareness of their practice focusing on exploration, creative research, and art making.
In this year’s MFA thesis exhibition, the four exhibiting artists offer a range of conceptual approaches and mediums.
Learn more about each of the exhibiting artists, explore the interactive 360° tour once available, and make a reservation to visit the WCU Fine Art Museum in person, all at arts.wcu.edu/mfathesis2021.
In addition, stay tuned on the WCU Fine Art Museum Facebook page for a series of interviews with each of the artists. This exhibition will be on display through May 7.
The museum is open from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Tuesday through Friday (and Thursday until 7 p.m.)
On the street
Mountain Heritage Day returns
Mountain Heritage Day, the festival of cultural traditions presented by Western Carolina University in Cullowhee, is again being planned as a live, in-person event on Saturday, Sept. 25.
The annual community celebration on campus regularly draws thousands to enjoy music, dance, food, and arts and crafts, but was cancelled in 2020 because of the COVID-19 pandemic. Instead, a performance by Summer Brooke and the Mountain Faith Band and a series of digital programs were viewed via university livestreams.
With an announcement March 11 that WCU would resume “close to” normal operations for the fall semester, Mountain Heritage Day was included in campus events and activities being reset.
The festival will adhere to its Catamounts Care protocols and the governor’s guidelines that are in place at the time of the event, organizers said. While still in the early stages of planning, there is an expectation of bluegrass, old-time and traditional music performances throughout the day, a morning 5K race (organized by students in WCU’s sport management program), chainsaw competitions, the classic car show and popular tractor rides, along with storytelling and sing-alongs.
The Mountain Heritage Awards, presented by WCU’s Mountain Heritage Center, also are on tap to honor an individual and an organization for contributions to or playing a prominent role in research, preservation and curation of Southern Appalachian history, culture and folklore.
The festival started as Founders’ Day on Oct. 26, 1974, at the inauguration ceremony of WCU Chancellor H.F. Robinson and became known as Mountain Heritage Day the following year. The event has been named one of the “Top 20 Festivals” in the Southeast by the Southeast Tourism Society and is known for family activities, with free admission and free parking.
For more information, updates and links for vendors, go to www.mountainheritageday.com.
