47 minute read
Access to public records within reach
BY SANDY HURLEY AND BILL MOSS GUEST COLUMNISTS
When the 2021 session of the General Assembly began, passage of legislation to advance public access to records of disciplinary actions taken by those employed by taxpayers in state and local government seemed like a longshot. Long a priority of North Carolina newspapers on behalf of the state’s citizens, improved access to public employee personnel records had been more aspirational than reality-based.
Fast-forward through nine months of public hearings at the state Capitol, careful tweaks that preserved the legislation’s purpose and procedural moves by Senate Republicans to nudge passage of the bill and the General Assembly stands on the verge of making the most important advance in the public’s right to know in recent history: the Government Transparency Act of 2021.
It’s historic because North Carolina state law has kept the public in the dark about state and local government personnel employee misconduct like almost no other state. Currently North Carolina is in the bottom five states in the country when it comes to the taxpayers’ right to see basic records of disciplinary actions taken against state and local government employees — everyone from public school teachers and administrators to law enforcement officers. Opening these records would hold state and local government more accountable by giving the taxpaying public a general description of the reasons for suspensions (with or without pay), transfers, demotions and terminations of public employees whose misconduct — from sexual molesting or assault of students by teachers to misuse of force by police officers — triggered the disciplinary action.
Legislative efforts have been under way for 25 years to make these records available, if for no other reason than to ensure confidence in government. And sure enough, the same groups that opposed this legislation from the outset — the state employees and public school teachers, and now the Teamsters union — have blocked passage.
It’s unknowable how many public employees and schoolteachers actually endorse their lobbyists’ effort to keep personnel files secret. Our guess is that the vast majority of them — hard-working employees dedicated to their jobs and their communities — do not oppose unlocking the work records of those who give their profession a black eye through criminal activity, reckless action or indolence.
Now at long last, with the North Carolina Senate’s passage of the latest effort to advance this vital part of the public’s right to know — in the form of House Bill 64 — the North Carolina House of Representatives has a chance to make history. It can finish the job on this legislation by adopting the bill as drafted. And with HB 64 scheduled to be heard in the House this week — for what could be final passage — we urge North Carolinians to contact their House member and ask them to support the legislation. The bill would finally give taxpayers access to the disciplinary records they deserve to see, a right of access that has inspired confidence in government and been enjoyed by citizens in 40 other states for decades.
North Carolina’s taxpayers, after all, are the ultimate hirers and funders of rank and file local and state employees, their supervisors and the supervisors’ supervisors. Those taxpayers have a right to know what went wrong when one of their employees is shown the door. (Sandy Hurley, president of the N.C. Press Association, is the Group Regional Publisher of
Mount Airy Media APG East TN/NC. Bill Moss, chair of the NCPA’s Legislative Committee, is editor and publisher of the Hendersonville Lightning.}
carrying the same amount of Delta in their noses, meaning that the unmasked, undistanced and vaccinated were spreading the Delta variant as much as the unmasked, undistanced and unvaccinated. But hardly anyone started wearing masks again, and the focus of the CDC and the vaccinated was instead on getting more people vaccinated, rather than on everyone masking up and distancing again. If the mask mandate had not been prematurely lifted, we might not be in the surge that we are in now.
But even if everyone in the U.S. had continued wearing masks and distancing as much as possible, and even if everyone in the U.S. who is eligible for the vaccine had gone through with it by now, there is still the issue that the world is a majority of poorer countries who have had little to no access to the vaccine, and seemingly will remain without enough access for far too long. This global pandemic points to much greater social issues than the carelessness of the unvaccinated who refuse to wear a mask, and the narrow-mindedness of the unmasked vaccinated who think they are not also spreading the virus. We as one of the wealthy nations of the world, who are able to secure enough vaccine doses for all of our people, and even booster shots coming soon, bear a responsibility for the spread of the virus among those who have little to no access due to the inappropriate distribution of wealth among nations — a result of hundreds of years of exploitation by the now monetarily rich nations of the world over the resource-rich but monetarily poor nations. To reduce the cause of the continuation of the pandemic to the behaviors of the unmasked and unvaccinated is short-sighted indeed.
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Darren Nicholson (left) and
Buddy Melton. Jeff Smith photo
Moxie and Mettle
Balsam Range on new album, flood relief show
BY GARRET K. WOODWARD ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT EDITOR
Situated on Pisgah Drive/N.C. 110 in the outskirts of downtown Canton is the WPTL studio, a Haywood County community radio station (101.7 FM/920 AM) featuring Appalachian music, high school sports and local news.
It’s Wednesday evening and, like clockwork, Tim Surrett and his nephew, Carter Ball, jump behind the microphone to launch another episode of “Papertown Roots Radio.” Broadcasting from 7 to 10 p.m. on Mondays and Wednesdays, the popular program hovers around 19,000 digital listeners during each installment.
Though the “Papertown Roots Radio” live stream is usually jovial back and forth banter between the duo and whoever is commenting from Facebook, tonight’s conversation focuses on the journalist from The Smoky Mountain News who entered the studio to interview Surrett — about the love of his native Papertown, the recent flood devastation hitting Haywood County, and his band’s new album, Balsam Range’s “Moxie and Mettle.”
“You know, there’s a song on the new record called ‘Grit and Grace.’ The lyric in it is, ‘I supplied the grit, God supplied the grace,’” said Surrett, the standup bassist for Balsam Range. “And, well, it’s sort of become the unofficial fight song for the Town of Canton — through the flood, through the pandemic, and everything else.”
Aside from the poignant nature of the melody when applied the current state of Haywood County and the world beyond our backyard, “Grit and Grace” was also another No. 1 bluegrass hit for Balsam Range, which has acquired more chart-topping songs than they can even keep track of.
“Grit and Grace” is also up for “Gospel Recording of the Year” at this week’s International Bluegrass Music Association (IBMA) award show, taking place Sept. 30 at the Duke Energy Center for the Performing Arts in Raleigh.
As well, Balsam Range is once again up for IBMA “Entertainer of the Year” (an award the quintet has won twice before) alongside the likes of marquee acts Billy Strings, Doyle Lawson & Quicksilver, The Del McCoury Band and The Po’ Ramblin’ Boys.
“We’ve all had our own bands and careers and done things, but the strength of the five of us [together over the last 15 years] is pretty amazing,” Surrett said. “We as a band have burned it so hard all these years — touring, recording and being away from home. But, then with the pandemic, we were able to spend time with our families. Now that we’re back playing? We’re in a real comfortable place because we know what to do — the fire has been kind of rekindled.”
A few days after WPTL broadcast, Balsam Range is backstage at MerleFest, the nation’s premier bluegrass and roots music festival some two hours north of Canton in Wilkesboro.
With around 80,000 attendees and dozens of acts over four days on the campus of Wilkes Community College, this year’s lineup included headliners Sturgill Simpson, Margo Price, Mavis Staples, Tedeschi Trucks Band, Sam Bush Band, Melissa Etheridge, Charley Crockett, Sierra Ferrell and Balsam Range.
Leaning back into the couch on the band’s luxury tour bus, Balsam Range mandolinist Darren Nicholson hasn’t taken a single day of this 15-year musical journey with his bandmates for granted.
“[Balsam Range banjoist] Marc [Pruett] told me years ago, ‘the key to being successful in the music world is don’t quit.’ And I know that may seem simple and cliché, but it’s the truth,” Nicholson said. “When you really care about something you’re passionate about — like a marriage or family relationship — you work through it, even when it’s uncomfortable. It’s that perseverance of setting a goal, sticking with it, working through stuff. For the last 15 years, Balsam Range has not always been easy — but, this is a family and we’ve worked hard to make this last.”
Later that evening, Balsam Range took to
Balsam Range flood relief benefit concert
Presented by Balsam Range, United Way of Haywood County, Town of Canton, Clyde Lions Club, Canton Lions Club and The Smoky Mountain News, “Grit & Grace: A Flood Relief Benefit for Haywood County” will take place from 6 to 9 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 2, at Sorrells Street Park in downtown Canton.
Hitting the stage will be acclaimed bluegrass group Balsam Range, with Americana sensation Amanda Anne Platt & The Honeycutters opening the show.
The show is free and open to the public, with a $20 suggested donation at the entrance. All proceeds from the evening will go to the United Way of Haywood County, which will provide disaster relief for flood victims.
Food trucks and craft beer will also be sold onsite. Bring your lawn chairs and your good attitudes for an unforgettable night of Appalachian music under the stars.
Monetary donations from local businesses, organizations and private citizens are currently being accepted. For more information, contact Garret K. Woodward, arts/music editor for The Smoky Mountain News at garret@smokymountainnews.com.
SEE MOXIE, PAGE 28
BY GARRET K. WOODWARD
Ode to ‘Grit & Grace,’ ode to coming together
Putting the truck into park, I hopped out of the Tacoma in front of the legendary WNCW studios on the campus of Isothermal Community College in Spindale. Last Wednesday. Late morning. The long haul down there from Waynesville.
Finishing up the remaining drops of my second cup of coffee, I knocked on the front door and wandered into the depths of WNCW. Hallways lined with thousands of CDs from seemingly every artist who has traversed this earth. Soundproof rooms for instudio live shows and broadcasts.
Shaking hands with WNCW senior producer Paul Foster, I sat down for another episode of the “Friday Feature of the Week.” Normally, Foster would have me to chat about the regional music scene or a recap of festival season, and so on.
But, last week, I found myself speaking at-length about the upcoming Balsam Range and Amanda Anne Platt & The Honeycutters gig, “Grit & Grace: A Flood Relief Benefit for Haywood County,” taking place Saturday, Oct. 2, at Sorrells Street Park in downtown Canton.
By the time The Honeycutters take the stage that night, it will have been just about a month and a half since the devastating flood waters from Tropical Storm Fred overtook several of our mountain communities on Aug. 17 — a wall of water forever scarring the physical and emotional landscape of Haywood County.
Taking to the microphone at WNCW, I spoke to Paul about what it was like to be on the ground in Cruso and Bethel in those first few days following the flood. The rivers and creeks had receded, but there was horrific damage in every direction.
Vehicles tossed around like Matchbox cars, now stuck in trees. Mobile homes pushed into the middle of U.S. 276. Massive boulders shifted down river or displaced into front yards and roads. Six perished in the floodwaters. Hundreds of families displaced. Countless lives destroyed.
And though it’s been several weeks with the flood in the rearview mirror of our thoughts, this story — the damage, the recovery effort, the people affected — isn’t
HOT PICKS
1Featuring Balsam Range and Amanda Anne Platt & The Honeycutters, “Grit & Grace: A Flood Relief Benefit for Haywood County” will take place from 6 to 9 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 2, at Sorrells Street Park in downtown Canton.
2A production of “The Diary of Anne Frank” will be presented at 7:30 p.m. Sept. 30, Oct. 1-2, 7-9 and at 2 p.m. Oct. 3 and 10 at the Haywood Arts Regional Theatre in Waynesville.
3The annual ColorFest will be held from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 2, in downtown Dillsboro.
4Smoky Mountain Center for the Performing Arts (Franklin) will host Crowder (Christian/indie) at 7:30 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 30.
5There will be a flood benefit for Haywood County residents from 10 a.m. to 11 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 2, at the Valley Tavern in Maggie Valley. going away for years to come, perhaps decades. U.S. 276 is up and running again. But, the cars are still in the trees, mobile homes on the side of the road, boulders in front yards, all as a thick layer of displaced mud is now caked and hardened across the once pristine farmland.
If anything, we’re only at the “end of the beginning,” in terms of “what now?” and “where to from here?” as questions many of us don’t have answers to at this juncture. Many families aren’t getting the help they need. Disaster relief, whether in manpower or in monetary aid, seems to only to be trickling in, with the unknown horizon still ahead of us moving forward.
And the first-hand stories. Endless personal accounts of what happened. I found myself constantly interviewing solemn faces and hopeful faces trying to make sense of “why bad things happen to good people,” each one thankful to have survived the night when the falling rain simply wouldn’t stop.
Thus, here I sit at my desk in the back of The Smoky Mountain News office. It’s Tuesday morning and we’re putting out this week’s paper. The benefit show is just four days away. And we’re nailing down the final details in ensuring a successful and safe event for our community — taking a moment to reflect on the past month and a half, and about our place in the grand scheme of things, come hell or high water.
I’m not going to lie, putting on this event has been quite the rabbit hole of who, what, where, when, why, and how. What started as a collaboration and pooling of resources between Balsam Range and this publication has spiraled into dozens of moving parts and numerous people involved in getting this Saturday’s festivities off the ground smoothly.
As of now, the bands are booked. The proper permits were filed weeks ago. Production stage is good to go. Food trucks and craft beer vendors have committed. First aid personnel secured. Dumpster and porto-potties donated. What’s left? Volunteers needed for trash pickup, but we should be just fine come Oct. 2.
It’s been a whirlwind experience figuring out the pieces of the puzzle for “Grit & Grace,” as it has been for a journalist covering the flood, not to mention just being a Haywood County resident as we all continue to help our neighbors in need (as they would surely do that same for us if the tables were turned).
So, what’s the hope for Saturday? Well, to not only raise funds for those in need, but to also celebrate why it is we call Haywood County home. Yes, we have an abundance of clean air, fresh water and lush vegetation. But, to me, our greatest resource is our people, who time and time again come together — as a guiding light and voice of reason in our darkest of hours.
I hope to see you (and you, too) out there at Sorrells Street Park this weekend. It’ll be one heck of a barnburner performance by some of the finest musicians in Southern Appalachia. It’s been a long month and a half, an even longer year and a half, truth be told. Let’s uplift one another in the presence of live music for a good cause.
Life is beautiful, grasp for it, y’all.
MOUNTAINEER FESTIVAL 10.2.2021
Join us for a day of arts, crafts, music, and more, all in celebration of Appalachian culture!
10 am to 5 pm Admission: $5 • Kids 5 & Under: Free Rabun County Civic Center Clayton, Georgia www.foxfire.org/events
Sept. 29-Oct. 5, 2021 Balsam Range on the Doc Watson Stage at MerleFest.
MOXIE, CONTINUED FROM 26 the massive Doc Watson Stage at MerleFest. In front of a raucous crowd of thousands, the ensemble rolled through its slew of number one hits from several beloved albums since its inception. The group also presented a handful of cuts for its recent, criticallyacclaimed release, “Moxie and Mettle.”
“To me, the words ‘moxie’ and ‘mettle’ means strength, perseverance and hope — that attitude of not giving up. It’s that fighting spirit of just keeping it going,” Nicholson said. “And it’s that tough mountain spirit, too, the kind of way I was raised. My parents were hardworking mountain people and they persevered through hard times — life keeps coming at you, you take the good with the bad. And, when things get tough, you lean into it.”
“When I think of ‘moxie,’ I think of experience, strength, resilience and common sense,” Surrett added. “It’s about getting the job done, with ‘mettle’ the strength and stability to bend to whatever — you bend, but you don’t break.”
Tucked behind a shopping plaza in Canton, and just a few blocks from the Evergreen Packaging paper mill, Balsam Range formed around Christmas 2006 in the Nicholson’s kitchen. Though it’s hard to imagine nowadays, some of the members of what became the band either didn’t know each or merely had crossed paths through other projects, shows and recording sessions.
Aside from Surrett, Nicholson and Pruett, also present was guitarist Caleb Smith and fiddler Buddy Melton. Some of them were born and bred in Haywood County. Some hailed from right over the Balsam Gap in Jackson County. All five musicians were longtime professionals in other groups (with Pruett even winning a Grammy in 1998 for his work with Ricky Skaggs), each with countless shows and innumerable miles under their belts.
“Marc and I had played on some records. Buddy and Caleb had played on some records, and they knew Darren,” Surrett reflected. “So, we meet up in Darren’s kitchen. We were just [playing through] the bluegrass songbook, but it was pretty powerful.”
The first jam session had proved bountiful. It also sparked a bright, vibrant flame of camaraderie and musicianship that still burns red hot some 15 years later. Following the holidays, plans were made to circle back in January 2007 and play together again — to see if the magic they serendipitously felt in that kitchen was legitimate and actually worth pursuing.
“Marc was offered this corporate gig in late January 2007 to play bluegrass at the Grove Park Inn (Asheville),” Surrett said. “So, we said we’d play it, not thinking it would be a big thing or whatever. But, it turned out to be the ‘John Boy and Billy Comedy Weekend.’ There were 2,500 people there — we got up [onstage] and just blew their heads off.”
From there, it was off to the races for Balsam Range. What started with weekend performance runs to community centers, regional festivals, town gatherings, neighborhood barbecues and charity events around Western North Carolina has morphed into extended tours up and down the Eastern Seaboard, with trips out to the Rocky Mountains and West Coast now occurring with increasing regularity.
And yet, the story of the growth of Balsam Range isn’t that simple or cut and dry. The road was long and arduous, and remains so in many aspects. Though the band can pretty much pick and choose its show commitments these days, four of the five members still have day jobs.
Besides his weekly WPTL duties, Surrett works long hours in a local government position and for Crossroads Recording Studios in Arden (also home to Balsam Range’s label, Mountain Home Records). Nicholson punches the clock during the holidays at the Boyd Christmas Tree Farm in Jonathan Creek and plays seemingly every “night off” in his solo project, the Darren Nicholson Band.
Melton runs a large farm in Crabtree and also works as an engineer for the N.C. Department of Environment and Natural Resources Public Water Supply Section. Smith is a renowned guitar luthier, one with a waiting list stretching way into the 2020s. Pruett recently retired from a decades-long career as the erosion control officer for Haywood County.
But, through it all, the band remains. Balsam Range is now a household name in the bluegrass and roots music scenes. There are too many hits and accolades to even list, with endless big names Balsam Range has collaborated and shared the stage with.
In terms of the IBMAs, the group has taken home “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), aside from several individual honors with Melton named “Male Vocalist of the Year” (2014, 2018) and Surrett “Bass Player of the Year” (2018). F
And with “Moxie and Mettle” currently ruling the airwaves, Balsam Range has now turned its focus to its upcoming fundraiser. Dubbed “Grit & Grace: A Flood Relief Benefit for Haywood County,” the concert will be held from 6 to 9 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 2, at Sorrells Street Park in Canton. Rapidly rising Americana act Amanda Anne Platt & The Honeycutters will kick off the show.
A free event (with a $20 suggested donation) to bring together the community for an evening of uplifting live music, all proceeds from the gig will go to the United Way of Haywood County. The funds will assist in disaster relief from last month’s devastating flood waters from Tropical Storm Fred that deeply affected and displaced hundreds of families in Canton, Cruso, Bethel and Clyde.
“Immediately after the flood happened, people just started showing up and coming together to help each other out,” Surrett said. “When something like this happens, you don’t ask questions. You just grab a shovel, you know? And I love that about this community.”
A native of Canton, Surrett is no stranger to the power of Mother Nature and floodwaters overtaking his hometown throughout the decades. With this last disaster, Surrett’s nephew and “Papertown Roots Radio” cohost, 19-year-old Carter Ball, lost his family’s home to the floodwaters that raged across Old Asheville Highway just east of downtown Canton.
Though the WPTL studio was untouched by the recent flood, the building is within vicinity of complete destruction. Less than a mile west of where Surrett and Ball broadcast each week is downtown Canton, less than five miles south is Jukebox Junction where Bethel transitions into Cruso (the epicenter of the devastation) — all of which was under a wall of water (some 20 feet high in some locations) just a month and a half ago.
“Balsam Range has always been about giving back to the community,” Surrett said. “And this ‘Grit & Grace’ flood benefit show may be the most important one we’ve ever done.”
Exiting the tour bus at MerleFest, Nicholson heads for the Doc Watson Stage and readies himself for sound check in the hours leading up the band’s appearance. He grabs his trusty mandolin, checks his in-ear monitors and takes his position onstage, but not before being posed one more question.
When asked about what he and the rest of Balsam Range still love about bluegrass, that “high, lonesome” sound and what it represents to not only the band, but also to the folks full of “moxie” and “mettle” in Haywood County and greater Western North Carolina, a slight grin emerges across Nicholson’s face.
“Everything we’re doing is roots music. When you think about The Beatles, Elvis Presley, Chuck Berry, Stevie Ray Vaughn, Marty Stuart, Ricky Skaggs, people like that — it all goes back to early blues and gospel, which became bluegrass,” Nicholson said. “And even though you can make a new version of it and slick it up, it still has this thread of authenticity that you can’t get away from. This music is so deeply rooted in the ancient tones — it’s in your soul, man.”
arts & entertainment
Victoria to play Innovation
Singer-songwriter Anna Victoria will perform at 2 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 10, at the Innovation Station in Dillsboro.
The performance is free and open to the public. To learn more about Anna Victoria, go to www.facebook.com/annavictoriamusic.
For more information and a complete schedule of events at the brewery, click on www.innovation-brewing.com.
Anna Victoria.
Want to learn the dulcimer?
The Pic’ & Play Mountain Dulcimer Players will be resuming in-person jam sessions at the St. John’s Episcopal Church basement fellowship hall in Sylva.
The group welcomes all beginners and experienced dulcimer players, including mountain (lap) dulcimer and hammered dulcimer players. Songs played include traditional mountain tunes, hymns, and more modern music. The group meets at 1:30 p.m. on the second and fourth Saturday of every month in the basement of St. John’s.
Pic’ & Play has been playing together since 1995. The more experienced members welcome new players, help them navigate their instruments, and guide them through some of the basics of tuning, strumming, and playing.
The mountain dulcimer, also known as a fretted dulcimer or a lap dulcimer, is a uniquely American instrument. It evolved from the German scheitholz sometime in the early 1800s in Appalachia and was largely known only in this region until popularized more broadly in the 1950s.
For more information, call Kathy Jaqua at 828.349.3930 or Don Selzer at 828.293.0074.
Reggae, rock at Lazy Hiker
Jackson County rock/reggae act Positive Mental Attitude (PMA) will perform at 8 p.m. Friday, Oct. 1, at Lazy Hiker Brewing 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.boojumbrewing.com or www.facebook.com/pmamusic.
Positive Mental Attitude.
Bryson City community jam
A community jam will be held from 6 to 7:30 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 7, at the Marianna Black Library in Bryson City.
Anyone with a guitar, banjo, mandolin, fiddle, dulcimer, anything unplugged, are invited to join. Singers are also welcomed to join in or you can just stop by and listen. The jam is facilitated by Larry Barnett of the Sawmill Creek Porch Band.
The community jams offer a chance for musicians of all ages and levels of ability to share music they have learned over the years or learn old-time mountain songs. The music jams are offered to the public each first and third Thursday of the month — year-round.
This program received support from the North Carolina Arts Council, an agency funded by the State of North Carolina and the National Endowment of the Arts. 828.488.3030.
The Bardo Arts Center (BAC) Performance Hall will open the fall 2021 season with a brand-new production, “Seeing Sound: A Musical Journey of Water and Light,” which will be presented at 7:30 p.m. Oct. 14-15 at Western Carolina University in Cullowhee.
This unique immersive experience offers an answer to the question: if we could see sound, what would we see? “Seeing Sound” is an original BAC production that synthesizes live music across genres into light. Each note creates its own color that will be registered by an LED that first shines its light into water, allowing the rippling reflections of color to project into the space.
“Seeing Sound” is a collaboration across the different departments in Belcher College, along with members of the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians (EBCI), who are coming together to celebrate the miracle of water as interpreted through music and light. The production is also pulling technical resources from the WCU School of Stage and Screen, artists from the WCU School of Art and Design, and musicians/composers from the WCU School of Music.
Synesthesia is a condition in which individuals often experience stimulation in multiple senses when an experience is meant to only stimulate one. For example, often individuals say they can “see music as colors” when they hear it.
This idea sparked an incredible process that led to “Seeing Sound: A Musical Journey of Water and Light,” where all audiences will have the opportunity to truly see music transformed into color before their eyes. The production will feature a wide variety of musicians across a spectrum of genres, offering something for almost anyone to enjoy.
Find tickets and further information at arts.wcu.edu/seeingsound. The BAC Box Office can be reached at 828.227.2479 and will reopen with ticket sales at 10 a.m. Oct. 1. Masks are mandatory at all Western Carolina University in-person events, which include Bardo Arts Center.
Valley Tavern flood benefit
There will be a flood benefit for Haywood County residents from 10 a.m. to 11 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 2, at the Valley Tavern in Maggie Valley.
Sponsored by WPTL 101.7 and the Valley Tavern, there will be live music from Keil Nathan Smith, Neighbors Band, Wayne Buckner & Shooting Creek, Olde Tyme Pickers, Scoundrel’s Lounge, American Maid, and Outlaw Whiskey. A silent auction will also take place.
All proceeds will go to local pastors to provide direct aid to those impacted by Tropical Storm Fred in Cruso, Canton, Bethel and Clyde.
• Balsam Falls Brewing (Sylva) will host an open mic from 8 to 10 p.m. every Thursday. Free and open to the public. 828.631.1987 or www.balsamfallsbrewing.com. • Boojum Brewing (Waynesville) will host karaoke at 8:30 p.m. on Wednesdays, trivia at 7 p.m. on Thursdays and Life Like Water Oct. 1. All shows begin at 9 p.m. unless otherwise noted. Free and open to the public. 828.246.0350 or www.boojumbrewing.com. • The Classic Wineseller (Waynesville) will host Jay Brown (guitar/vocals) Oct. 2 and Sheila Gordon (piano/vocals) Oct. 9. All shows begin at 7 p.m. Limited seating. Reservations required. 828.452.6000 or www.classicwineseller.com. • Cowee School Arts & Heritage Center will host semi-regular live music on the weekends. 828.369.4080 or www.coweeschool.org. • Currahee Brewing (Franklin) will host semi-regular live music on the weekends. 828.634.0078 or www.curraheebrew.com. • Elevated Mountain Distilling Company will host an Open Mic Night 7 to 9 p.m. on Wednesdays and semiregular live music on the weekends. Free and open to the public. 828.734.1084 or www.elevatedmountain.com. • Friday Night Live (Highlands) will be held at the Town Square from 6 to 8:30 p.m. with Curtis Blackwell Oct. 1 and Frank & Allie (Americana/folk) Oct. 8. Free and open to the public. www.highlandschamber.org. • Frog Level Brewing (Waynesville) will host Krave Amiko Oct. 1, The Knotty G’s Oct. 2, Jacob’s Wall 2 p.m. Oct. 2, Nick Colavito Oct. 8, Woolybooger Oct. 9 and Syrrup 2 p.m. Oct. 10. All shows begin at 6 p.m. unless otherwise noted. Free and open to the public. 828.454.5664 or www.froglevelbrewing.com. • Innovation Station (Dillsboro) will host Anna Victoria (singer-songwriter) Oct. 10. All events are free and begin at 2 p.m. unless otherwise noted. www.innovationbrewing.com. • Innovation Brewing (Sylva) will host semi-regular live music on the weekends. Free and open to the public. www.innovation-brewing.com. • Lazy Hiker Brewing (Franklin) will host an Oktoberfest celebration 8 p.m. Oct. 2 and Yard Karaoke 7 p.m. Oct. 8. All shows begin at 8 p.m. unless otherwise noted. Free and open to the public. 828.349.2337 or www.lazyhikerbrewing.com. • Lazy Hiker Brewing (Sylva) will host PMA (reggae/soul) Oct. 1. All shows begin at 8 p.m. unless otherwise noted. Free and open to the public. 828.349.2337 or www.lazyhikerbrewing.com. • Mountain Layers Brewing (Bryson City) will host Jacob’s Well Oct. 2. All shows begin
at 6 p.m. unless otherwise noted. Free and open to the public. 828.538.0115 or www.mtnlayersbeer.com. • Nantahala Brewing (Sylva) will host Heart of Pine (Americana) 7 p.m. Oct. 2. 828.641.9797 or www.nantahalabrewing.com. • Orchard Coffee (Waynesville) will host Corey Kilganon & Lazuli Vane (Americana/indie) 8 p.m. Sept. 29 ($15 at the door). Advance tickets are available at the shop. 828.246.9264 or www.orchardcoffeeroasters.com. • “Pickin’ on the Square” (Franklin) will host live music Oct. 2 and 8. All shows start at 7 p.m. Free and open to the public. Located on Main Street. www.franklin-chamber.com. • Rathskeller Coffee Haus & Pub (Franklin) will host semi-regular live music on the weekends. Shows begin at 8 p.m. Free and open to the public. www.rathskellerfranklin.com. • Satulah Mountain Brewing (Highlands) will host semi-regular live music on the weekends. 828.482.9794 or www.satulahmountainbrewing.com ALSO: • Saturdays On Pine (Highlands) will be held at the Kelsey-Hutchinson Park from 6 to 8:30 p.m. with The Bill Mattocks Blues Quartet Oct. 2 and Nitrograss (bluegrass/Americana) Oct. 9. Free and open to the public. www.highlandschamber.org. • Smoky Mountain Center for the Performing Arts (Franklin) will host Crowder (Christian/indie) at 7:30 p.m. Sept. 30. Tickets start at $25, with priority seating available. For more information and to purchase tickets, click on www.smokymountainarts.com. • Southern Porch (Canton) will host semiregular live music on the weekends. 828.492.8009 or www.southern-porch.com. • The Ugly Dog Pub (Cashiers) will host semi-regular live music on the weekends. 828.743.3000 or www.theuglydogpub.com. • The Ugly Dog Pub (Highlands) will host semi-regular live music on the weekends. 828.526.8364 or www.theuglydogpub.com. • Unplugged Pub (Bryson City) will host semi-regular live music on the weekends. All shows begin at 8 p.m. Free and open to the public. 828.538.2488. • Valley Tavern (Maggie Valley) will host semi-regular live music on the weekends. 828.926.7440 or www.valley-tavern.com. • Water’n Hole Bar & Grill (Waynesville) will host karaoke on Thursday nights and an Oktoberfest celebration 8 p.m. Oct. 9. 828.456.4750 or www.facebook.com/waternhole.bar. • Whiteside Brewing (Cashiers) will host semi-regular live music on the weekends. 828.743.6000 or www.whitesidebrewing.com.
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arts & entertainment
The Cowee School Arts & Heritage Center in Franklin is currently seeking applications for “Artist Support Grants” for 2021–2022. The deadline to apply is Sept. 30.
These grants support artists in all disciplines with funding for projects that will have a significant impact on the advancement of their professional artistic careers.
The “Artist Support Grant” program is managed through a partnership with local arts councils to serve artists in Clay, Cherokee, Graham, Jackson, Macon and Swain counties. Funding is provided by the North Carolina Arts Council.
Artists at any stage of their careers, emerging or established, are eligible to apply for grants in all disciplines, such as visual art and craft, traditional art forms, music composition, film/video, literature and playwriting, and choreography and dance.
Types of fundable projects include the creation of new work, purchase of equipment and materials, and professional development workshops.
Complete funding guidelines and applications are available online at www.coweeschool.org. Grant awards generally range from $500-$1,000. Applications must be received by Sept. 30. This year, they will also offer an online application.
Informational workshops for interested artists will be offered online and in person. Visit www.coweeschool.org for updated workshop dates and times. For more information, contact Laura Brooks at maconheritagecenter@gmail.com or 828.369.4080.
Want to paint, sip craft beer?
The “WNC Paint Night” will return to local breweries in Haywood, Jackson and Swain counties.
With step-by-step instructions, you will paint yourself a one-of-a-kind masterpiece. This is pure fun to do while you sip on something tasty at the brewery.
Events will be held at the following locations: Mountain Layers Brewing (Bryson City) from 6 to 8 p.m. Oct. 14, Nov. 11 and Dec. 9; and Balsam Falls Brewing (Sylva) from 6 to 8 p.m. Sept. 29, Oct. 27, Nov. 17 and Dec. 22; BearWaters Brewing (Canton) from 6 to 8 p.m. Sept. 30, Nov. 12 and Dec. 23.
Space is limited. Reserve your seat by texting Robin Arramae at 828.400.9560. To learn more, visit the Facebook page @paintwnc or Instagram @wnc_paint_events.
Sept. 29-Oct. 5, 2021 Macon photography display
Artist Kelly Lay is currently displaying her “Macro Photography Message in Prisms” at the Macon County Public Library in Franklin. The library is open from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Thursday and 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Friday and Saturday. Free and open to the public.
Open call for artist grants
The Haywood County Arts Council (HCAC) and regional partners, including the Asheville Area Arts Council, Transylvania Community Arts Council, the Tryon Fine Arts Center, the Arts Council of Henderson County, and the Rutherford County Arts Council, call upon artists served by their organizations to apply to the Artist Support Grant, which closes on Sept. 30.
Counties served by this regional consortium are Buncombe, Haywood, Henderson, Polk, Rutherford, and Transylvania, also called Region 17.
The Artist Support Grant was created in 2020 to support individual artists during the pandemic and is quickly becoming a staple for local artists.
Region 17 took in 126 applications in 2020 and awarded over $30,000 in grant funds to 32 individuals.
“Artist mediums spanned the gamut including painters, potters, jewelers, musicians, and authors,” noted Morgan Beryl, HCAC executive director.
This year, the grant process and funding range is updated. Instead of creating a separate application, Region 17 opted into North Carolina Arts Council’s GoSmart! system which is an online application portal.
Additionally, Region 17 decided to increase the funding amount available to $2,000 rather than the 2020 cap of $1,000. There is no artist match required per this year’s grant guidelines, so Region 17 partners hope that with this increased range they can really help artists bring a project to fruition without burdening them with needing to match a higher amount.
For more information on the grant and how to apply, click on www.haywoodarts.org.
Presented by the Haywood County Arts Council (HCAC), the exhibit “Bear, Elk, Trout — Oh My!” will run Oct. 1-30 at the HCAC in downtown Waynesville.
HCAC artist members were tasked with exploring the diversity and abundance of Western North Carolina’s unique ecosystem through the wildlife that calls it home.
The variability in elevation, climate, soils and geology in the Southern Appalachian region accounts for at least 80 species of amphibians and reptiles, 175 species of terrestrial birds, 65 species of mammals and at least 25,000 species of invertebrates.
The exhibit will include local animals of all kinds, in a variety of mediums from photography to sculpture. Each piece will include a brief paragraph which discusses the animal’s special habitat, elevation where it can be found, food sources, or why it is unique to the WNC area.
“This exhibit really meets all three prongs of HCAC’s mission, which is to promote artists, art education, and innovation in art,” said Morgan Beryl, HCAC’s executive director.
Appropriately, the exhibit is sponsored by Appalachian Wildlife Refuge, a local nonprofit saving orphaned and injured wildlife.
HCAC and Appalachian Wildlife Refuge are partnering to put on an interactive opening reception on Friday, Oct. 1. Starting at 5 p.m. the Appalachian Wildlife Refuge will have box turtle ambassadors on display for gallery goers to get a close-up look.
Gallery goers who would like to support the wild ones are challenged to bring an easy to pick up item to donate that will help care for the wildlife in need. A complete wish list can be found on the refuge’s website: www.appalachianwild.org/wishlist.
A work by Wendy Cordwell.
To enhance the experience and stay within the animal theme, old-time mountain music act Possum on a Whale will perform from 5:30 to 6:30 p.m. Finally, HCAC will be raffling off two general admission tickets to the upcoming Smoky Mountains Bluegrass Festival, which is planned for Saturday, Oct. 23, at the Maggie Valley Festival Grounds. For a $5 donation, you get the chance to win two tickets to the festival (a $70 value). A demonstration for the exhibit is also planned with Wendy Cordwell from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 16, at the HCAC. Cordwell, a participating HCAC artist member, will demonstrate a torn paper painting technique. For more information, go to www.haywoodarts.org.
Featuring over 50 works of art in a variety of media by over 30 Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians (EBCI) and Cherokee Nation artists, “A Living Language: Cherokee Syllabary and Contemporary Art” is an exhibit currently being showcased at the Museum of the Cherokee Indian in Cherokee.
The exhibition highlights the use of the written Cherokee language, a syllabary developed by Cherokee innovator Sequoyah (circa 1776–1843). Cherokee syllabary is frequently found in the work of Cherokee artists as a compositional element or the subject matter of the work itself.
Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians artists include Joshua Adams, Jody Lipscomb Bradley, Nathan Bush, Kane Crowe, John Henry Gloyne, Shan Goshorn, Luzene Hill, Christy Long, Louise Bigmeat Maney, Christopher McCoy, Tara McCoy, Joel Queen, Sean Ross, Jakeli Swimmer, Rhiannon Skye Tafoya, Mary Thompson, Stan Tooni Jr., Alica Wildcatt, and Fred Wilnoty.
Cherokee Nation artists include Roy Boney Jr., Jeff Edwards, Joseph Erb, Raychel Foster, Kenny Glass, Camilla McGinty, Jessica Mehta, America Meredith, Jane Osti, Lisa Rutherford, Janet L. Smith, Jennifer Thiessen, and Jennie Wilson.
Established in 1948, the Museum of the Cherokee Indian is one of the longest operating tribal museums. Recognized for its innovative storytelling, the Museum features exhibits, artwork, and hands-on technology that brings over 15,000 years of Cherokee history to life.
The exhibition will be on view at the Museum of the Cherokee Indian in Cherokee through Oct. 31. Learn more by visiting www.mci.org.
‘Flood’ by Beth Lo.
Bardo Arts Center exhibit
The Western Carolina University (WCU) Fine Art Museum in Cullowhee is currently presenting the “Contemporary Clay 2021” exhibit, which will be on view through Dec. 10.
Back for its next iteration, “Contemporary Clay 2021” gathers artists from a variety of backgrounds who push boundaries on topics including race, culture, sexuality, gender, and class.
Guest-curated by Heather Mae Erickson, associate professor of ceramics at WCU, “Contemporary Clay 2021” surveys the everexpanding field of American-made ceramics. The exhibition encourages viewers to consider the concepts, processes, and context of clay in contemporary art.
The special event series, “Conversations in Contemporary Clay,” features various presenters that are leaders in the ceramics field. Launching the series at noon Thursday, Sept. 30, is the zoom talk, “Clay is Hot,” with Angelik Vizcarrondo-Laboy, essayist for the “Contemporary Clay 2021” exhibition catalogue.
Vizcarrondo-Laboy is a New York and Los Angeles-based curator, writer, and arts administrator of contemporary art and craft, focusing on ceramics.
Her current research investigates the “aesthetic of optimism” and the subversive power of humor, cuteness, and leisure as tools of protest. Amplifying the voices of BIPOC artists is central to her practice. She serves as Assistant Curator at the Museum of Arts and Design (MAD), New York.
Next up for “Conversations in Contemporary Clay” are two zoom panel discussions from exhibiting artists and industry trailblazers occurring from noon to 2:30 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 6, followed by an inperson reception and gallery talk on from 5 to 7 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 7, at the Bardo Arts Center.
More information about the series, exhibiting artists, and the exhibition can be found at arts.wcu.edu/contemporaryclay. A full schedule of events and related zoom links will soon be available at the website above.
The exhibition and series of special events are free and open to the public.
Regular museum hours are 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Tuesday through Friday and until 7 p.m. Thursday. For information, call 828.227.ARTS. Masks are required inside all WCU buildings, including Bardo Arts Center. • To elevate the Dillsboro experience for the month of October, local businesses will be celebrating with “Dillsboro’s Downhome
Harvest.” The community is inviting artisans to set up a booth in front of businesses from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Thursday, Friday and Saturday. The Great Smoky Railroad will be arriving daily at 1:15 p.m. There will be “walking scarecrows,” face painting, trick-or-treating, and more. If interested, contact Connie Hogan at chogan4196@gmail.com. • The “Jefferson Pinder: Selections from the Inertia Cycle” exhibit is currently on display at the Bardo Arts Center at
Western Carolina University. Pinder focuses on themes of labor and endurance in his video art practice with metaphoric references to African American identity, history, and experience. Regular museum hours are 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Tuesday through Friday and until 7 p.m. Thursday.
For information, call 828.227.ARTS or visit arts.wcu.edu/jeffersonpinder. • An art contest (ages five years and up) will be held through Oct. 14 at the
Marianna Black library in Bryson City. A fun night complete with face painting for children and other activities will also take place during the “Gallery Night” event
from 5 to 7 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 19. The theme of the contest is “It’s a Beautiful World.” To register for the contest, pick up an application on Monday, Sept. 13, at the library. ALSO: • The “Thursday Painters” group will be held from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Thursdays at The Uptown Gallery in Franklin. Free and open to the public. All skill levels and mediums are welcome. Participants are responsible for their own project and a bag lunch. For more information, call The Uptown Gallery at 828.349.4607 or contact Pat Mennenger at pm14034@yahoo.com. See more about Macon County Art Association at www.franklinuptowngallery.com and like, follow and share the Uptown Gallery on Facebook. • The Haywood County Arts Council’s “Art Works @ The Library,” a collaborative program between the Haywood County Public Library system and the HCAC, is currently showcasing works by artist Cayce Moyer at the Canton Library. Working in traditional and mixed media, Moyer blends the worlds of high-brow and low-brow work. Classically trained at Savannah College of Art and Design, her portfolio includes drawing, painting, sculpture, illustration, graphic design, murals, and set prop painting for theatre and TV.
Smoky Mountain Arts Festival
The third annual Smoky Mountain Arts Festival will be held from noon to 6 p.m. Oct. 9, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Oct. 10 and 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Oct. 11 under the big tent behind Gallery Zella in Bryson City.
There will also be a free reception from 7 to 9 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 10. This art expo and art competition will feature paintings, photography, jewelry and pottery by the best local artistic talent in the Great Smoky Mountains alongside internationally renowned artists.
In addition, a dozen emerging community artists will showcase their artwork from the Swain Arts Center. Visitors are encouraged to browse and vote for the “People’s Choice” award in four categories. Live music will also be provided by Frank & Allie and Joseph Camuglia.
The event is rain or shine. Free and open to the public. For more information, go to www.greatsmokies.com and click on the “Events” tab.
On the table
• The “BBQ & Brews Dinner Train’’ will be held from 7 to 9 p.m. on select dates at the Great
Smoky Mountains Railroad in Bryson City. Full service all-adult first class car. Craft beer pairings with a meal, and more. For more information and/or to register, call 800.872.4681 or click on www.gsmr.com. • “Dillsboro After Five” will take place from 3:30 to 6:30 p.m. on Wednesdays 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. • 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.
Bringing her immortal words to the big stage, a production of “The Diary of Anne Frank” will be presented at 7:30 p.m. Sept. 30, Oct. 1-2, 7-9 and at 2 p.m. Oct. 3 and 10 at the Haywood Arts Regional Theatre in Waynesville.
“In spite of everything I still believe that people are really good at heart.” These simple words written by a 13-year-old girl in the height of World War II have become an essential part of how we remember one of the darkest times in human history. “The Diary of Anne Frank” illuminates the coming-of-age of a passionate, funny, and complex girl in the face of religious persecution.
“Anne’s story leaves the audience with a lot of hope in a time when people are maybe feeling very hopeless,” said director Julie Kinter. “Anne is unbeaten by what’s going on in the world outside of the annex. She has nightmares, she knows her friends have been taken and died, but she finds in herself a resilience and a purpose in spite of it all.”
Frank’s true personality is fleshed out in this adaptation written by Frances Goodrich and Albert Hackett, which took unedited diary entries to show the true hope and spirit of Anne Frank. “The Diary of Anne Frank” has a little bit of everything with really funny moments, beautiful and sweet moments, and some dark times as well.
“If I could have the audience take away one thing from this play, it would be that finding that empathy and compassion for another person, despite our differences, is the key to mankind surviving,” Kinter said.
HART requires all patrons to wear a mask while at the theatre. Tickets are available by visiting www.harttheatre.org or by calling the HART box office at 828.456.6322 from 1 to 5 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday. This show is suitable for all ages.
On the street
Dracula hits the big stage
The Mountainside Theatre in Cherokee will host the world premiere of “Dracula: The Failings of Men,” written by debut playwright Benedetto Robinson.
The production is an original work by Havoc Movement Company, which will be joining the Cherokee Historical Association for the fall season.
The show features a cast packed with live-stunt powerhouses as well as aerial effects that have been designed to bring the vampires to (supernatural) life.
The story begins as a ghost ship washes ashore near London in 1897 and an ancient evil goes searching for blood. “Dracula” is an action-horror reimagining of the classic Bram Stoker novel as an immersive show.
The audience will literally walk alongside Ada Van Helsing as she battles against the darkness in this high-action adaptation. Masks will be required for all attendees.
Performances will run from Oct 1-31. Tickets are $30 or $20 for enrolled members. VIP Experiences are available for an extra $20. A special performance for the press will occur on Sept. 30.
For more information and/or to purchase tickets, go to www.cherokeehistorical.org/dracula.
Want to learn theatre?
This fall, there will be a slew of theatre classes offered by the HART Arts Academy through Nov. 3 at the Haywood Arts Regional Theatre in Waynesville.
Adult classes include directing, beginner tap, and musical theatre vocals. Kids classes include a widerange of dancing, acting, singing, directing, and improvisational courses.
Learn more about these opportunities and sign up for classes by visiting www.harttheatre.org, clicking on the “Kids at Hart” tab and scrolling to “Classes & Camps” page. Masks and social distancing will be required for all courses.
ColorFest returns to Dillsboro
Artisan crafter David Ammons.
The annual ColorFest will be held from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 2, in downtown Dillsboro.
Come spend the day in a walk-about mountain town filled with color and history. Enjoy a day of fun, food, live music, artisan demonstrations, entertainment and shopping.
Over 40 artisans will be displaying authentic Cherokee art, pottery, jewelry, photography, loom beading, handmade soaps, many kinds of needle work, Christmas ornaments, pinecone wreaths, candles, rustic furniture, chair caning, baskets and much more.
For more information, click on www.dillsboronc.info. • The “Haunted School” will be held from 7 p.m. to midnight Oct. 1-2, 8-9, 15-16, 22-23 and 2931 at the Fines Creek Community Center. Admission is $10 per person. Must be age 13 and up to enter without an adult. The Haywood County government has issued a required mask mandate while inside all county buildings as of Aug. 2, so all visitors must wear ALSO: a mask. If you don’t have one, one will be provided for you. There will also be temperature checks on both you and our monsters to ensure your safety. Social distancing may add time to your wait, so please be prepared and patient. All proceeds support local scholarship funding and community needs. For more information, go to www.facebook.com/nchauntedschool. • Mountain Makers Craft Market will be held from noon to 4 p.m. the first Sunday of each month at 308 North Haywood Street in downtown Waynesville. Over two dozen artisans selling handmade and vintage goods. Special events will be held when scheduled. www.mountainmakersmarket.com. • Farmer’s Market (with artisans) will be held from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Fridays and Saturdays through October at 117 Island Street in Bryson City. Stop by the old barn by the river for local, homegrown produce, as well as baked goods, jellies and preserves, authentic crafts, and more.
Food truck, picnic tables and a strolling musician. Leashed pets are welcome. Outdoor event.
Current Covid-19 safety protocols will be followed and enforced. 828.488.7857.
