East Nashvillian Issue 10 by The East Nashvillian

Vol. 2, Issue 4 March / April 2012

Stuart Duncan

Nashville Storm

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Publisher Lisa McCauley Editor Chuck Allen Associate Editor Daryl Sanders Design Director Jeff Stamper Contributing Writers Jaime Brousse Elizabeth Chauncey Susannah Felts Liz Jungers Hughes Robbie D. Jones Theresa Laurence Melanie Meadows Lynn Taylor Lori Whitbey Contributing Photographers Chuck Allen Donnie Beauchamp Stacie Huckeba Mandy Whitley Photography Advertising Contact: Lisa McCauley lisa@theeastnashvillian.com 615-582-4187

www.theeastnashvillian.com

© 2012 Kitchen Table Media, LLC The East Nashvillian is published bimonthly by Kitchen Table Media, LLC. No portion of this magazine may be reproduced without written permission from the Publisher. All rights reserved.

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E L B A T 9

S T N E T N O C OF

An East Nashville original With roots in East Nashville stretching back to the 1700s, Debie Cox has emerged as a unique authority on our city’s history By Melanie Meadows

12 17 21 27 28 31 33 35 37 41

Thoroughly Modern American A selected guide to historic homes in East Nashville, Part III By Lynn Taylor

Saturday Night Lights Nashville Storm ‘Just Win, Baby’ By Robbie D. Jones

Our daily bread The evolution of East Nashville’s Main Street By Theresa Laurence

Headlining the Goat Rodeo Stuart Duncan is living the life of a celebrated sideman By Lori Whitbey

Watch out Wall Street Todd Snider’s new song cycle to drop on March 6 By Daryl Sanders

Undeniable art How an East Nashville artist surmounted ALS to continue her artistic pursuits By Jaime Brousse

Color East Nashville green By Susannah Felts

The dark side of the East side A visit to Logue's Black Raven Emporium and Lone Wolf Body Art By Chuck Allen

The Farleys From Tent City to their own two feet By Liz Jungers Hughes

How Lola had a Merry Christmas By Elizabeth Chauncey

Cover photo by Stacie Huckeba

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www.theeastnashvillian.com

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E L B A T 9

S T N E T N O C OF

An East Nashville original With roots in East Nashville stretching back to the 1700s, Debie Cox has emerged as a unique authority on our city’s history By Melanie Meadows

12 17 21 27 28 31 33 35 37 41

Thoroughly Modern American A selected guide to historic homes in East Nashville, Part III By Lynn Taylor

Saturday Night Lights Nashville Storm ‘Just Win, Baby’ By Robbie D. Jones

Our daily bread The evolution of East Nashville’s Main Street By Theresa Laurence

Headlining the Goat Rodeo Stuart Duncan is living the life of a celebrated sideman By Lori Whitbey

Watch out Wall Street Todd Snider’s new song cycle to drop on March 6 By Daryl Sanders

Undeniable art How an East Nashville artist surmounted ALS to continue her artistic pursuits By Jaime Brousse

Color East Nashville green By Susannah Felts

The dark side of the East side A visit to Logue's Black Raven Emporium and Lone Wolf Body Art By Chuck Allen

The Farleys From Tent City to their own two feet By Liz Jungers Hughes

How Lola had a Merry Christmas By Elizabeth Chauncey

Cover photo by Stacie Huckeba

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LETTER FROM THE EDITOR , for one, absolutely adore the spring. Being the Aries that I am, I guess it’s only natural to consider it my time of the year. Life just feels different. It’s a time for renewal in both the inner and outer worlds; with winter’s reflections behind us we can start growing again. Sure, there have been times in my life when shutting the world out was necessary, but this isn’t

one of them. As a matter of fact, being the editor of this magazine has done wonders for pushing me back into the world. It has also reminded me of how fortunate I am to live in a place where, working together, we can create a community for ourselves that is peaceful, unique and self-sustaining. We can’t know where we’re going if we don’t know where we’ve been. Helping us along with the

historical perspective again this issue is Lynn Taylor and the conclusion of her three-part series on

the historic homes in our little ’hood. If you want to know who owned what when, or are in need of local period photographs on a particular subject, then Debie Cox is your girl. Melanie Meadows has our profile of the Metro archivist. Got a football jones? Not to worry, the Saturday night lights will be burning bright again at Stratford High when

our own Nashville Storm, the defending Semi Pro BCS national champions, take the field for the upcoming season. In honor of Earth Day, we are featuring local businesses involved with various aspects of sustainable living in “Color East Nashville Green.” And speaking of sustenance, our cover story this issue explores some of the local options we have for putting food on the table — yes, even without a Publix. Theresa Laurence hits the streets to uncover options we might not have known about, and digs into the whys and wherefores of big box grocery chains. We have no illusions about this calming the listserv debates and rants though. Jaime Brousse does a wonderful job profiling Erin Brady Worsham, a renowned local artist living with ALS. It’s the story of how a woman and her family triumphed over tragedy — and how the community came to together for them in their hour of need. Michael Farley, who has also benefited from the generosity of our community, has been a recognizable fixture on

CElEbraTE THE SEaSON OF rEbirTH Join us for any or all of our Easter services and activities!

the corner of 14th & Eastland for many a morning selling The Contributor. Master multi-instrumentalist and East Nashville family man Stuart Duncan has graced many a recording with his world-class licks, including his work not so long ago with Robert Plant and Alison Krause. Lori Whitbey gives us some insight into the life behind the killer chops of this Inglewood resident. And, finally, I got to hang out with my old friends Ben Dixon and Robert Logue for a piece about their new digs on Gallatin Road. Lone Wolf Body Art and Logue’s Black Raven Emporium have teamed up for what promises to be one happening place. Sit back, relax and enjoy.

Chuck Allen

PalM SUNDaY Sunday, april 1 10:30 a.m. Celebrating Christ’s entrance into Jerusalem with special music and Holy Communion.

MaUNDY THUrSDaY Thursday, april 5 6:00 p.m. This special service commemorates the last Supper through word and song, as well as Holy Communion.

HOPeast COMMUNiTY EGG HUNT Saturday, april 7 10 a.m. Games, crafts, face painting, snacks, a parade … and lots of prize-filled eggs mark this fun-filled family morning. The Easter bunny stopped by last year for photos, and rumor has it he will do so again!

EaSTEr SUNDaY Sunday, april 8 10:30 a.m. an East Nashville tradition for more than a century! Music from both children’s and adult choirs mark the celebration of Christ’s triumph over death.

chuck@the eastnashvillian.com

Serving East Nashville With Open Hearts, Open Minds & Open Doors For More Than 100 Years 1212 Holly Street, Nashville, TN (615) 227-3272 Visit us online at eastendumc.org or on Facebook at: http://on.fb.me/EEUMC

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historical perspective again this issue is Lynn Taylor and the conclusion of her three-part series on

CElEbraTE THE SEaSON OF rEbirTH Join us for any or all of our Easter services and activities!

Chuck Allen

PalM SUNDaY Sunday, april 1 10:30 a.m. Celebrating Christ’s entrance into Jerusalem with special music and Holy Communion.

MaUNDY THUrSDaY Thursday, april 5 6:00 p.m. This special service commemorates the last Supper through word and song, as well as Holy Communion.

EaSTEr SUNDaY Sunday, april 8 10:30 a.m. an East Nashville tradition for more than a century! Music from both children’s and adult choirs mark the celebration of Christ’s triumph over death.

chuck@the eastnashvillian.com

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L A e l l i IN v h s G Na I t s An Ea OR

above: Pat Steele, Cox's maternal grandfather, circa 1950.

With roots in East Nashville stretching back to the 1700s, Debie Cox has emerged as a

unique authority on our city’s history through her own research and work at Metro Archives By Melanie Meadows

f you pick up a Nashville or Tennessee history book published in the last 10 years, there is a good chance the name Deborah Oeser Cox will turn up in the acknowledgments — a testament to just how valuable the Metro Archives employee has become when it comes to preserving Nashville’s heritage. VIDEO PRODUCTION redboneentertainment.com 615.268.4422

jason@redboneentertainment.com

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“The past informs the present,” Cox says. “We often need to look to the past to answer questions that give meaning to our lives today. It’s like putting a puzzle together. You put it all together and it makes sense.” She has helped dozens of people track down important historic records and documents for a multitude of reasons — whether it’s researching a marriage license or discovering the history of their home through the public records. In her own words, Cox is “a historical records researcher of mostly Nashville-area, people, com-

munities, buildings and culture.” She isn’t afraid to challenge even the most enduring Nashville legends and get to the truth of the matter. “Debie is a real asset to our city and to her department,” Tim Walker, executive director of the Nashville Historical and Zoning Commission, says. “She knows the resources at the Metro Archives so thoroughly that you know if she has researched a subject, there’s very little probability you’ll find any additional information. I have great respect for her professionalism and ability, and she’s been a great help to our department over the years.” In a city where it can be difficult to find someone who was simply born here, a resident with Cox’s lineage is a rare treasure — she is a 10th-generation Nashvillian. Her ancestor Abel Gower was killed by Indians here in 1780, which means members of her family have been living in Nashville for more than 230 years. She counts some of Nashville’s early settlers among her ancestors, including pioneers Morris Shane and James Russell, both of whom received 640 acres of land for protecting the new settlement. Cox can even pinpoint her roots to East Nashville, which stretch back to before the Civil War. City directories show her great-great-grandfather

Debie Cox

Photo by Stacie Huckeba

left: Cox and her older sister in front of their house on Meridian circa 1955.

William S. Hunt was living in Edgefield around 1855-56. Her grandfather Pat Steele was born at 920 Shelby Ave. in 1892. The house where he was born was damaged in the East Nashville fire of 1916, but his father built a new house there that still stands. Her grandmother was born at 1305 Shelby and her mother was born at 227 Shelby, near where the Titans stadium is now. The youngest of three siblings, Cox grew up in what she calls “Northeast Nashville” on Meridian Street. The area where she grew up is known today as Cleveland Park. Her father Ernest Oeser Jr. worked for a paper mill. Her paternal grandfather was a butcher in the old market house on the public square. His shop, Oeser Meats, is featured on a mural at Opryland Hotel. Cox and her husband Jimmy both attended East High School and were married in the spring of 1969. While they were living on Fatherland Street, their daughter Tammy was born and Cox became a stayat-home mom. In 1983, she lost both of her parents to illness. In early 1984, she and Jimmy welcomed a second daughter, Amanda. Twelve years apart in age, the girls started kindergarten and college on the same day. When Amanda was 3, she was enrolled in a Mother’s Day Out program and Cox headed straight to Metro Archives to research her family history. She had been recording family stories for many years and was ready to dig into the record books. After learning of the need for volunteers, she signed up and started spending two days a week at the archives. “My mama was a storyteller, and she was a great listener,” Cox explains. “She told us stories that came from her parents, grandparents and greatgrandparents. They were all from Nashville. After

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L A e l l i IN v h s G Na I t s An Ea OR

above: Pat Steele, Cox's maternal grandfather, circa 1950.

With roots in East Nashville stretching back to the 1700s, Debie Cox has emerged as a

unique authority on our city’s history through her own research and work at Metro Archives By Melanie Meadows

jason@redboneentertainment.com

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Debie Cox

Photo by Stacie Huckeba

left: Cox and her older sister in front of their house on Meridian circa 1955.

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my parents died, genealogy was a way to sort of honor my parents by finding out more about their parents and grandparents, so I can pass that knowledge on to my children and grandchildren. Cox’s volunteer work at the Archives eventually led to full-time employment there in 1999. After researching her own family, she expanded her work to include Middle Tennessee history. She frequently assists authors and other researchers in tracking down information — and she’s an expert at knowing exactly where to look. “Debie goes graciously out of her way to accommodate researchers, tolerating countless interruptions to her schedule,” Mike Slate, founder of the Nashville Historical Newsletter, says. “She is meticulous with historical facts, determined to consult the most original sources, and talented at separating the wheat from the historical chaff. In her writing, the last thing Debie wants is to mislead readers by presenting a questionable conclusion. She is an honest historian in a world where corner cutting is common.” “When helping someone, I often do too much research,” Cox says with a laugh. “Once I get started, I want to know, too. Working here is about learning something new every day. Sometimes about the past, sometimes about the present. “Every time the phone rings, it’s something different,” she continues. “You have to know your col-

Cox's paternal grandmother Ruth Oeser (left) and her great-grandmother Virginia Davis at their house on Pennock.

lection and know what you have. You must look in photograph collections, minute books from county court, etc. You have to be curious to do this. What’s so fun is every time I do something, I learn something new.” Most recently, Cox has been doing land research, working to determine a history of property ownership. She loves to research local communities and discover the source of the street names, developers of subdivisions and so on. She publishes stories, photos and all types of historic information about the area on her blog at nashvillehistory.blogspot.com. “East Nashville residents live, shop, attend church and go to school in historic buildings across

the community,” Cox says. “Learning about the history of the community ties today’s residents to those who built and used those buildings in the past. The more we know about who lived here, why they lived here and what they did here, the more connected we feel, and the more we see the need to preserve what they left behind.” Over the years, East Nashville and Inglewood have lost many historic buildings and homes. The Finn house at 931 Main St. and the Hadley home at 4601 Gallatin Pike are the most recent examples. The Finn house, built before 1860, was the one remaining example of the many antebellum mansions that once lined Main Street and Gallatin Pike. The Hadley house, a yellow brick Tudor built by Albert Hadley in 1929, was one of a few remaining examples of homes along Gallatin Pike that were constructed during the first half of the 20th century. “No one wants to live in the past and we can’t save everything,” Cox says. “But we can move into the future with an appreciation for what has come before and enjoy the homes and buildings that were left to our care.” Want to get involved in local historic preservation efforts? You can get more info here: Metro Historic and Historical Zoning Commissions (www.nashville. gov/mhc) and Inglewood Neighborhood Association (www.inglewoodrna.org).

Thank you East Nashville for being a part in helping us make a difference in 2011. SAVEd: Middle Tennessee families a total $125,247 IMPACTEd: 265 homes throughout Middle Tennessee POWEREd: 1,681 electric cars Help us make a BIGGER IMPACT in 2012.

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Cox's paternal grandmother Ruth Oeser (left) and her great-grandmother Virginia Davis at their house on Pennock.

FREEme

Give us a call, 615-876-5479, to help make an impact in your lives.

$150 Hsoult Con ode C MentionNASH T S A E

615 - 876 - 5 479 • E 3 i n n o v a t e . c o m • V i s i t u s o n F a c e b o o k

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Thoroughly Modern American

A selected guide to historic homes in East Nashville, Part III By Lynn Taylor

Photos by Stacie Huckeba Editor’s note — Lynn Taylor is a nationally recognized residential designer (www.taylormadeplans.com). This is the final installment of her series of articles highlighting the historic styles of homes in East Nashville.

1930–1950

Tudor:

• One- or 1 1/2-story

structures exterior walls, som etimes mixed with stucco on up per stories • Steep-pitched gable roofs with open raf ter tail overhangs • Large central chim neys (usually on the front of house) • Simple round-arch ed and/or board-ba tten front doors • Decorative half-tim bering in gable ends with stucco or brick in-between • First-floor ceiling height — anywhere from 8'-to-10' tall • Brick or stone on

• Stucco finish on ex

series highlighting the historic charm of 1401 Calvin Tudor

uctures

terior walls fs with little or no ov erhangs • Spanish-tile roof and parapets • Courtyards • First-floor ceiling height — anywhere from 8'-to-10' tall • Flat, low-pitch roo

and character. In the last of this three-part

specifically the Eclectic Movement houses of 1900-1940

n H o uses

One- or 1 1/2-story str

as well as historic houses, all full of history

character in homes dating from 1900 to Post-War period,

Spanish Mission :

ast Nashville has a diverse group of residents,

East Nashville, we explore the evolution of stye and

M oder n A merica

Minimal Tradit • Most are one- or 1

ional:

1/2-story structures

• Brick, lap siding — • Lacks decorative

wood, aluminum, or asbestos detailing

• Small front porch es, if any • Side-to-side main gable roofs • Low-to-moderate pitch roofs with no roof overhangs • Exterior finishes — brick, lap siding , or mix of both • First-floor ceiling height – anywhere from 8'-to-10' tall

Post-War: • Most are one-stor 1,000 square feet

y structures, many

around

• Exterior wall finish es with siding — wo od, aluminum, or asb estos • Side-to-side main gable roofs • Low-to-moderate pitch roofs with no overhangs • Very small front po rch, if any • No exterior detai ling • Sometimes a one-c ar garage attached • First-floor ceiling height – 8' tall

and the Modern American houses of 1930-1950. As explained in parts one and two, historic styles evolved over decades and were influenced by the events of our time. In the 1920s, we were moving into a much simpler “lifestyle” movement, leaving the Victorian era of opulence behind. In this issue, we look at two more styles of Eclectic movement, which started around 1900. The cottages of the English countryside influenced the Tudor style of the Eclectic movement. The opening of the Panama Canal in 1915 caused a sudden interest in all things Spanish, which led to the Spanish Eclectic style. The Little Hollywood neighborhood in East Nashville has the largest collection of Spanish Eclectic style homes. The late 1930s introduced the Modern American houses: Minimal Traditional and Post-War. The Great Depression and World War II strongly influenced this era. Minimal Traditional style was a transition between the Craftsman and Tudor, and the Post-War homes. The lack of detailing and roof overhangs is a huge characteristic of this time. The Minimal Traditional style was built before and after World War II. The Post-War homes were the first homes to be mass-produced. The demand for housing was very high after World War II, so developers began creating tracts of homes with the same house plans and exterior elevations. Home design has always been organic. Along the way, it is constantly gathering and incorporating unique elements, trends and the demands of our changing lifestyles. This guide will help identify the styles and period of many homes in East Nashville, but it is not absolute.

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1807 Lakehurst

Spanish Mission

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Thoroughly Modern American

A selected guide to historic homes in East Nashville, Part III By Lynn Taylor

1930–1950

Tudor:

• One- or 1 1/2-story

• Stucco finish on ex

series highlighting the historic charm of 1401 Calvin Tudor

uctures

terior walls fs with little or no ov erhangs • Spanish-tile roof and parapets • Courtyards • First-floor ceiling height — anywhere from 8'-to-10' tall • Flat, low-pitch roo

and character. In the last of this three-part

specifically the Eclectic Movement houses of 1900-1940

n H o uses

One- or 1 1/2-story str

as well as historic houses, all full of history

character in homes dating from 1900 to Post-War period,

Spanish Mission :

ast Nashville has a diverse group of residents,

East Nashville, we explore the evolution of stye and

M oder n A merica

Minimal Tradit • Most are one- or 1

ional:

1/2-story structures

• Brick, lap siding — • Lacks decorative

wood, aluminum, or asbestos detailing

Post-War: • Most are one-stor 1,000 square feet

y structures, many

around

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1807 Lakehurst

Spanish Mission

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Modern American Houses of

1930–1950 continued

1402 Calvin Tudor

1500 Stratton TUDOR

601 Rudolph Post war

The Post-War homes were the first homes to be massproduced. The demand for housing was very high after World War II, so developers began creating tracts of homes with the same house plans and exterior elevations.

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1409 Calvin Tudor

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1904 Oak Hill Minimal Traditional

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Modern American Houses of

1930–1950 continued

1402 Calvin Tudor

1500 Stratton TUDOR

601 Rudolph Post war

YEAR ROUND TAX SPECIALISTS

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• Year-round Tax Specialists 406 Bushnell

• e-file

Spanish Mission

• Corporation & LLC Setup • Payroll Services

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1409 Calvin Tudor

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1904 Oak Hill Minimal Traditional

1008-B Forrest Ave, Nashville TN 37206 615-227-5916 www.advancedtaxandincome.com

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EARTH DAY 1970 A few of us are old enough to recall the first Earth Day. It was prompted by pollution: toxics in our land, food and water, eagles dying off from DDT, the Cuyahoga River catching on fire. Since then, we cleaned up, enacted laws, created programs. We grew up.

EARTH DAY 1990 A generation later, the second Earth Day woke us up to how wasteful we are. We began to see the costs of waste, economic and environmental. We learned to reduce, reuse, and recycle. We still have room to improve, but Earth Day steered us onto a different, better path.

EARTH DAY 2012

Nashville Storm

‘Just Win, Baby’ N

By Robbie D. Jones

ashville is a football town. Sure we love hockey, basketball and baseball, too. But football is what

So here we are in the 21st century. We know what our challenge is — energy. Fossil fuels got us here, but it’s renewable energy that will power us into the future.

matters most. With the BCS champion

Enough solar energy shines on the Earth every minute to power us all for a year. The fuel is free, it won’t leak, spill or kill, and solar technology pays for itself over time.

settle into the long, dull offseason. Or is it?

Welcome to the future. Make it happen today.

Your neighborhood solar installer barking up the right tree

Nashville 37206

To learn more about solar energy: www.SundogSolarEnergy.com For a free site consultation: 650-0540 info@SundogSolarEnergy.com

: ts h g li Saturday night

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crowned and Super Bowl Sunday come and gone, it is time for most football fans to

In East Nashville, a second football season is just beginning as the Nashville Storm enter their 11th season of playing under the Saturday night lights. The Storm are a semiprofessional, minorleague team that plays their home games at Inglewood’s Stratford STEM Magnet High School. With a roster comprised of former high school and small college players, the Storm play not for riches, but for love of the game. Although the franchise has been playing in Music City since 2002 and are coming off back-to-back national championships, they are still unknown to the majority of Nashville sports fans. As the Nashville Scene noted last year, the Nashville Storm are “the winningest football team you’ve never heard of.” From 2002-2010, the Storm played in the 124team North American Football League (NAFL), winning the NAFL South championship in 2003, 2004 and 2006. The team reached the NAFL national championship game in 2006 and 2009 only to suffer heartbreaking losses. In 2010, however, the undefeated Storm beat teams from Michigan, Iowa, Illinois and New York by a mind-boggling

combined score of 53-4 en route to their first minor league national championship over the undefeated Bulldogs from Bellingham, Wash. In the title contest in Myrtle Beach, S.C., the Storm fell behind by 14 points, but lived up to their name and stormed back to win convincingly, 41-20. Last year, the Storm switched to the Premier South Football League (PSFL) with franchises in 18 markets throughout the Southeast, including Memphis, Birmingham and Jackson, Miss. After winning the PSFL crown over the Prichard Falcons 35-16, the team made it two national titles in a row by defeating the Warren County (Mo.) Cyclones of the Great Midwest Football League 18-13 in the Semi Pro BCS national championship game at Warrenton, Mo. In the Storm’s first decade of competition, they compiled a won-loss record of 124-20 for a staggering all-time winning percentage of 86.1 percent. That’s better than the winning percentages posted by traditional college football powers Oklahoma, Texas, USC, Florida, Alabama, Ohio State, LSU, Penn State or Auburn during the same period. “Nashville is a saturated sports market with many organizations, schools and teams looking for their place in the pecking order, so it’s difficult for them to get noticed,” Brent Dougherty, cohost of 3 Hour Lunch on 104.5 The Zone, says of the Storm. “However, that level of winning has to get your attention. To win games to that kind of degree is amazing. “The Storm provides guys with an opportunity to continue their dream and gives them a chance to do what they love to do, play football,” Dougherty

With 117 touchdown passes over the past three seasons, quarterback Phellepe Hall has led the Storm to back-to-back national championships.

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EARTH DAY 2012

Nashville Storm

‘Just Win, Baby’ N

By Robbie D. Jones

ashville is a football town. Sure we love hockey, basketball and baseball, too. But football is what

So here we are in the 21st century. We know what our challenge is — energy. Fossil fuels got us here, but it’s renewable energy that will power us into the future.

matters most. With the BCS champion

Enough solar energy shines on the Earth every minute to power us all for a year. The fuel is free, it won’t leak, spill or kill, and solar technology pays for itself over time.

settle into the long, dull offseason. Or is it?

Welcome to the future. Make it happen today.

Your neighborhood solar installer barking up the right tree

Nashville 37206

To learn more about solar energy: www.SundogSolarEnergy.com For a free site consultation: 650-0540 info@SundogSolarEnergy.com

: ts h g li Saturday night

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crowned and Super Bowl Sunday come and gone, it is time for most football fans to

With 117 touchdown passes over the past three seasons, quarterback Phellepe Hall has led the Storm to back-to-back national championships.

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Storm cornerback DeQuinn Watford makes a touchdownsaving interception in the end zone.

the Nashville Storm are

the winningest football team

you’ve never heard of continues. “I’m sure most of these guys are trying to balance, work, family and football, which makes the winning percentage and the championships even more impressive.” From 2002-2007, the Storm were coached by Patrick Abernathy, who was replaced due to health reasons by his assistant Charles Hunter, who’s been with the team since day one. During his tenure as head coach, Abernathy had a won-loss record of 6312. Since taking over, Hunter has gone 58-7. Hunter was an All-OVC tight end at TSU, where he played from 1989-1992. Recently, he hired four new assistant coaches, who are paid a small salary funded by revenues from ticket sales, concessions, merchandise and sponsorships. The players get free tickets for family and friends, uniforms, chartered buses to away games and swag. Otherwise they pay their own way. Home games at Stratford attract on average about 650 fans, although team management is hoping to boost that to 1,000 fans this year. “The atmosphere is electric, because we prioritize having a loud, noisy crowd of home fans that give us a legitimate home-field advantage,” team

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president Bill Caldwell explains. “We usually order 500-1,000 purple cowbells, clappers and horns that we pass out to fans at our games. We also have two cheerleading squads — one adult and one elementary-school age girls — and they’re very good at getting the crowd into the game.” Known as the “Purple Reign,” the Storm play all their home games at Stratford’s 2,500-seat Buster Boguskie Field, named in 1985 for the late Harold “Buster” Boguskie who served as Inglewood’s representative on the Metro Council from 1963-1995. Played on Saturday nights under the lights, the family-friendly home games feature a kid zone, halftime performances by local marching bands, and the Nashville Storm cheerleaders and dance squad, whose members have gone on to become cheerleaders for the Tennessee Titans, Nashville Predators, Indiana Pacers and Memphis Grizzlies. “One thing that’s very consistent about us is that music is a major component of what we do on game night,” said Caldwell. “We’ve got DJ Leslie Pope in our press box at every game spinning tunes in addition to our PA announcer.” Tickets are $10 or free for anyone under 15, so

there’s no need to hire a babysitter. There are also multi-game discount packages. Concession prices can’t be beat and include half-pound, charbroiled Angus cheeseburgers for $3.25, chips or buttered popcorn for $1, candy bars or Goo Goo Clusters for $1, and bottled water or soft drinks for $1. “We do new things to enhance the game experience for fans every year — our goal is always to give our fans a top-level, 10-buck, 3-hour entertainment event that’s fun for the grownups and fun for the kids,” Caldwell says. “In 2011, we put together a deal with an outfit called Xtreme Parties to have a couple of inflatables at every home game for the kids to play on and added cotton candy and snow cones to what we normally sell in concessions, and those additions were well-received by our fans.” The Storm place a high priority on being a supporter of the East Nashville community. “Not only have we been directly involved in most area civic activities and festivals as volunteers, but we have our own pencil foundation which raises money and supplies to benefit Metro public elementary schools,” Caldwell notes. “We believe our investment in our community where we play football has as much importance as our won-loss record.” Most of the Nashville Storm’s players are former high school standouts and small college football players who played ball at places like MTSU, Austin Peay, Cumberland, Shaw, Arkansas-Pine Bluff, Missouri Southern, Furman, UT-Martin, Mississippi Valley, and Central Arkansas. But the Storm are dominated by former TSU players, including quarterback Phellepe Hall. “Our roster turnover is about 40 percent every year as some older players retire and as several others are signed by professional teams,” Caldwell says. “The rookie class is always made up of highquality football players and I don’t expect that to change. We expect to be a national championship contender again.” The 2012 schedule is still being finalized with games planned against their fiercest rivals – the Rocket City Titans of Huntsville, Ala., and the Memphis Panthers. “One thing we do every year is a college-style ‘spring game’ which is a free event,” Caldwell says. “It’s an intersquad offense versus defense game that we’ll play on April 7 that gives our fans a first look at all the candidates for playing time.” The first regular season game will be April 28 and a rematch of the 2011 national championship game against the Warren County Cyclones of Missouri will be held in Nashville either May 12 or May 19. Check the website (www.nashvillestormonline.com) for more details. So if you are a football fanatic suffering from withdrawal pains, you soon can get a regular fix under the Saturday night lights in East Nashville.

• Organic Gardening • Year ‘Round Gardening • Composting

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TNAD1.indd 1

Hands-on activities and demonstrations

Affordable art at yard sale prices

Meet our talented instructors

Sign-up for classes

Preview our summer programs

All ages welcome!

1/24/12 12:11 PM

615.383.4848 • COMMUNITY@WATKINS.EDU

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Storm cornerback DeQuinn Watford makes a touchdownsaving interception in the end zone.

the Nashville Storm are

the winningest football team

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• Organic Gardening • Year ‘Round Gardening • Composting

Please join us for our FREE gardening classes!

Saturdays @ 3pm March 10 th March 24 th April 14 th April 22 nd April 28 th May 5 th

TNAD1.indd 1

Hands-on activities and demonstrations

Affordable art at yard sale prices

Meet our talented instructors

Sign-up for classes

Preview our summer programs

All ages welcome!

1/24/12 12:11 PM

615.383.4848 • COMMUNITY@WATKINS.EDU

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By Theresa Laurence Photos by Stacie Huckeba

t’s Saturday morning, one of the busiest times of the week for grocery stores, and a splendid cross-section of East Nashville is

on display: the health-conscious young mother wrangling children and organic produce into an overflowing cart; the hipster listlessly swinging his basket, filled with just enough food to keep from starving; the grandparents who look like they are getting ready to host the motherof-all family reunions, dragging two carts

shiny, happy new store du jour, perhaps a Publix, that beacon of hope for foodies everywhere. Eastwood Neighbors neighborhood association president Brett Withers scratches his head when he ponders why the grocery store debate always seems to boil down to Eastland Kroger versus Publix. “I find this fixation interesting,” he says with a laugh. Withers, who lives within walking distance of the erstwhile site Publix had targeted — on Gallatin Road between Greenwood and Sharpe, is a regular Eastland Kroger shopper. “It meets my needs,” he says. But for those dissatisfied with the big box grocery options in the neighborhood, he sagely points out that “if you’re creative you might be able to find what you’re looking for in the neighborhood rather than going to a larger store across town.” And if you step out from behind the listserv screen for a moment, you can see for yourself that the grocery options and food purveyors in the neighborhood are as diverse as the people who live here.

Take it to the manager The Eastland Kroger, warts and all, is the default go-to for many in the neighborhood. It offers a respectable selection of food staples, including nearly an entire aisle of packaged organic products. When compared to the Publix, yes, the store clearly falls short. But compare it to, for example, the Piggly Wiggly/CB/H.G. Hill market on Riverside Drive, and it looks like an oasis in the proverbial food desert. But it’s got some issues, ones that even store manager Eddie Ward acknowledges. “I know our reputation is not the best,” the impeccably polite and eager-to-please Ward says. “I know we have some opportunities here —especially in the perishable department.” Since Ward moved over to the Eastland Kroger from the now-shuttered Dickerson Road location six months ago, he has made some concrete and noticeable changes. When he arrived, there was no

I know our reputation is not the best

packed with meat, buns, chips and cases upon cases of Big K cola. Welcome to Eastland Kroger, the well-worn bastion of food in the heart of neighborhood. Often treated with no more respect than threeday-old meatloaf, the Eastland Kroger suffers much ridicule from its neighbors, especially on the infamous East Nashville listerv. Over the last few years, the message board has been an incubator for spirited discussions and virtual shouting matches over grocery store options in the neighborhood. It’s where people go to swear off Kroger forever, or defend its honor, or clue in others to the Asian food market on Gallatin Road. It’s where people passionately argue whether or not you live in a food desert. It’s also where people go to garner support for the

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By Theresa Laurence Photos by Stacie Huckeba

t’s Saturday morning, one of the busiest times of the week for grocery stores, and a splendid cross-section of East Nashville is

I know our reputation is not the best

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It’s where people go to swear off Kroger forever, or defend its honor, or clue in others to the Asian food market on Gallatin Road

designated produce manager; now there is. He also has a new assistant manager in the meat department and is confident with his team of employees. The store recently installed bike racks at customers’ request, and is working hard to keep the store, even the bathrooms, cleaner. The biggest complaint Ward hears from customers is that the store doesn’t carry particular specialty items. “We’ve pretty much maxed out the space we have in these four walls,” Ward says of the store, which is one of the smallest Krogers in Nashville. If you ask nicely though, Ward will order your favorite, hard-to-find item by the case load. “I do special orders for several customers,” he says. Ward stands ready to listen to customers and encourages feedback. “I’m usually here and I’ll listen to any and all suggestions,” he says. Of course it’s not up to the manager to order up an entire store makeover or expansion, but he can pass that desire along to his corporate superiors.

Publix speculation persists Even with Ward’s admirable efforts, the store cannot transform overnight from an aging, urban supermarket into a serene, suburban shopping experience. Eastland Kroger shoppers must remain evervigilant about checking the expiration dates on all dairy and meat products. And they must look elsewhere if they’re seeking some better mood lighting. Inglewood resident Danielle Romero, for one, willingly treks to another part of town every week to

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do her grocery shopping. The Publix in Goodlettsville is her choice, and although “it’s not close, it’s worth it to me,” she says. “It’s so immaculate, clean and friendly.” Romero, like many East Nashville residents, was disappointed when Publix yanked its plans for a neighborhood store. The Publix saga included much back and forth between neighborhood activists, members of the Metro Planning Department, real estate developers and Publix officials. In the end, a possible Publix location on Gallatin Road fell through without a definitive explanation, leaving the neighborhood to wonder exactly why. “There has been much speculation by many people, ranging from insufficient demographics to support the store to the Gallatin Road SP zoning,” says Chad Grout, a commercial real estate agent.

One of Grout’s clients is H.G. Hill Realty, the owner of the property that was being considered by Publix, but he did not represent them during any of their conversations with the Florida-based supermarket chain. “No reason was given to H.G. Hill Realty by Publix as to why they didn’t want to proceed, so unfortunately the neighborhood doesn’t get the answer everyone seems to be looking for.” Whether it was zoning issues, insufficient demographics or a combination of these and other factors that ultimately led to the demise of the Publix bid, there will likely continue to be East Nashvillians clamoring for a more upscale grocery in the neighborhood into the future. Other local residents are perfectly content with the available options and dismiss the Publix effort as an unnecessary sideshow. “Does East Nashville need a Publix?” asks neighborhood resident Sara Perry, a frequent listserv contributor. “Absolutely not. The options in this neighborhood are staggering when one considers how much poverty still exists here. There are a lot more people in East Nashville who would be excited about a new Save-A-Lot, but they don’t read the listserv. She has a point. Along a two-mile stretch of Gallatin Road, there are four major grocery stores, including two Krogers, a Walmart Neighborhood Market, and the Aldi. With its recent facelift which added a new sushi bar and a much-expanded organic section, the Inglewood Kroger, especially, is looking quite spiffy these days. There are two other stores in the neighborhood worth noting: The Turnip Truck in the Five Points area and the Madison-Inglewood Market on Gallatin Road just before the intersection with Briley Parkway. The neighborhood’s natural foods market, The Turnip Truck carries at least some of the specialty items absent from the shelves of the larger stores, as well as organic produce and fresh-made deli items, bread and soups. The unassuming exterior of the Madison-Inglewood Market offers no clue to the store’s eclectic offerings, which include bulk Blue Mountain coffee, bulk nuts and one of the best selections of fresh peppers in Nashville.

into areas of the city with little or no access to fresh, healthy food, has stepped in to fill the void. “We don’t go to any location that hasn’t been designated as a food desert,” Nashville Mobile Market spokeswoman Ashley Kimery says. A “food desert,” a relatively new, and somewhat controversial, term, is defined by NMM as “a district with little or no access to foods needed to maintain a healthy diet.” In an urban food desert like the Cayce Homes, the area is generally densely populated, but residents lack access to healthy food because of financial and/ or transportation constraints. The Nashville Mobile Market seeks to eliminate barriers by bringing the grocery store to the customer. “We try to be as much like a normal grocery as possible,” says Jake Martin, NMM’s finance director who was manning the trailer parked in the Martha O’Bryan Center on a recent Saturday afternoon. The most common food staples like bread, milk, canned vegetables, apples and sweet potatoes are on display with both NMM prices and Kroger prices displayed so customers can feel they are getting a fair deal. The Nashville Mobile Market accepts all forms of payment, including food stamps. As Martin and his NMM coworkers stand in front of their mobile grocery and watch more than a few potential customers walk right past them, it is disappointing. They really want people to want this. They want there to be a line out the door. But for the first half of the NMM two-hour shift,

not a single customer makes a purchase. One young boy rides his bicycle into the trailer, asks how much two bananas cost, more out of curiosity it seems than actual interest in the fruit, then turns around and rides away. No matter. All hope is not lost on this venture, just temporarily deflated. The boy saw the food that was offered, joked around with the NMM team, and for today, maybe that is enough. “We’re always trying to build trust with our customers,” Martin explains. The Martha O’Bryan Center is one of the newest stops for the Mobile Market. It has only been there through the late fall and winter months, so organizers are optimistic that more customers will emerge in the spring and summer. All potential NMM stops need at least 50 signatures from community members before they will become part of the route, and Martha O’Bryan fulfilled that requirement, says Kimery. “We definitely don’t want to remove ourselves without trying a lot of options,” she says. There is another NMM stop close by at the Edgefield Manor apartment building on Shelby. This location, which includes many senior citizens living on a fixed income, has been operating longer and has built up a stronger customer base, Kimery adds.

Niche markets For discriminating shoppers with a little extra disposable income, the options are more plentiful. Porter Road Butcher, a new boutique meat pur-

veyor on Gallatin Road, and Eat Well Market, a new shop on Riverside Drive offering take-away meals and garden-fresh produce, are hoping to take advantage of the neighborhood’s hunger for highquality food products. Porter Road Butcher co-owners Chris Carter and James Piesker are doing their part to reverse the trend of the I-want-everything-in-one-place-rightnow mentality. “Why not bring it back to where it used to be — the bakery, the butcher shop, the fish monger,” Piesker says. His take on all this Publix chatter? “Publix is just a cleaner Kroger, there’s no difference. It still serves industrial meat, even if they put a butcher behind the counter.” Porter Road Butcher certainly does not serve “industrial meat.” Piesker and Carter use only animals raised on nearby farms they have visited personally. “We don’t require our farmers to have any special certification,” Piesker says. “We know it’s good — we’ve seen it with our own eyes.” The duo also visits the slaughterhouses where the animals are killed; they do the rest of the processing in their shop. “Most people don’t want to do that,” Piesker says, an understatement if there ever was one. “But we’ve done it and you can trust us.” With all this careful consideration given to the animals, which are treated like animals from start to finish, not merely like a commodity, Porter Road Butcher’s prices are higher than Kroger. But not shockingly so. Whole chickens are $4.50 a pound

The residents of this pocket of the neighborhood (James Cayce Homes) which could rightly be called a “food desert,” are the ones that should be demanding a decent grocery store.

Food deserts

Just a few miles away from all these stores, however, sits a boarded-up CB market, the latest bricks-and-mortar grocery to pull out of the Shelby Avenue location across the street from the James Cayce Homes. The residents of this pocket of the neighborhood, which could rightly be called a “food desert,” are the ones that should be demanding a decent grocery store. The problem is many of them simply aren’t. The Nashville Mobile Market, an entrepreneurial venture launched last year by Vanderbilt University medical students to bring wholesome food

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It’s where people go to swear off Kroger forever, or defend its honor, or clue in others to the Asian food market on Gallatin Road

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Niche markets For discriminating shoppers with a little extra disposable income, the options are more plentiful. Porter Road Butcher, a new boutique meat pur-

The residents of this pocket of the neighborhood (James Cayce Homes) which could rightly be called a “food desert,” are the ones that should be demanding a decent grocery store.

Food deserts

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Road. A major new grocery is not the only thing that would do that, but it’s a natural magnet for other small business development, he says. According to Davis, residents of East Nashville have long known that the neighborhood is a great place to do business, but for outside corporations “who rely primarily on census data and demographics, to entice them to come over here and invest, takes a little more work.” But, he adds, he and the other East Nashville council members are all ready to “work hard and share the story of East Nashville

Why not bring it back to where it used to be — the bakery, the butcher shop, the fish monger.

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‘Starting fires’ on Gallatin Road That “inferior food” might quickly be remedied if there was a new kid on the block, speculates District 7 Councilman Anthony Davis. Davis is quick to praise the “top notch” Inglewood Kroger, but is confident that if a new Publix or equivalent grocery store opened in East Nashville, “it would spur the Eastland Kroger to remodel and step it up.” Davis, who owns a small graphic design firm located on Gallatin Road, is very interested in stepping up the redevelopment of this neighborhood thoroughfare. He and his fellow East-side council representatives, Peter Westerholm from District 6 and Scott Davis from District 5, are all interested in “starting fires” of development along Gallatin

and get people to buy into it.” With a new Publix store in the works for Donelson, and possibly for Music Row, talks of an Eastside location are off the table for the moment, but rumors will continue to pop up as long as the desire for another grocery option remains. East Nashville resident and food blogger Debbie Barnett is one of those holding out hope for her favorite store to open in East Nashville. She regularly drives to the Nashville West Publix store, but says, she would really rather see a Trader Joe’s in the neighborhood. “I love the idea of a TJ’s in East Nashville,” she says. Not only will all the nutty-crunchy folk love their selection, but some of our low-income neighbors would be able to afford some healthy, organic options — possibly for the first time.” Hmmm. So, maybe Trader Joe’s is the perfect fit for the neighborhood? Let the debate continue.

Photo by Chuck Allen

and most in-house-made sausages are $9 a pound. “We can stay competitive because we utilize the whole, entire animal,” Piesker says. The Porter Road Butcher shop also houses the Bloomy Rind artisanal cheese shop. Eggs and milk, as well as a few prepared foods, are also available. Meanwhile, across the neighborhood, Cristy Powell is busy transforming the former location of the Foxy Baking Company and D’s Q into her dream shop — Eat Well Market. Powell, who works as a caterer and event planner, and occasionally as a personal chef, is ready to bring her brand of healthy, thrifty, comforting food to the masses. Like the Porter Road butchers, she sees her shop as “limited, in the way an old fashioned mercantile is limited — you can’t get everything every time,” she says. Granted, her space is tiny, so selection is limited. But when the weather really warms up, she foresees bins of garden fresh produce and outdoor tables beckoning to people cruising down Riverside Drive. Powell, who grew up in her family’s Cajun restaurant in Louisiana, plans to offer chef-made entrees like red beans and rice that will feed a family of four for $10. Her motivation is simple. “I think people should be able to eat well and affordably,” she says. . Whenever possible, Powell will use local and organic ingredients, and says her low overhead and commitment to using vendors from all over Tennessee without a middleman will help keep prices low. She believes the big box grocery model is inefficient and requires a markup that her customers won’t see. “It pains me to pay those premiums for inferior food,” she says.

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Why not bring it back to where it used to be — the bakery, the butcher shop, the fish monger.

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Photo by Chuck Allen

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”When I First moved to Nashvil

le,

I was interested in other genr of music, but got into countr

By Lori Whitbey t sounds like any typical Thursday in the life of a mom or dad living in Inglewood: Pick up the kids from school, eat dinner and then finish

the day performing at the Schermerhorn Symphony

Center.

Admittedly

the

performance part is where the comparison comes to a screeching stop for most parents, but it is just another day in the life of renowned multi-instrumentalist Stuart Duncan.

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On this particular Thursday, the first one in February, Duncan was scheduled to play with innovative banjoist Alison Brown, who was appearing with the Nashville Symphony Orchestra in a performance headlined by the legendary trumpeter Doc Severinsen. Ironically, Duncan’s friendship with Brown goes back to when they were both preteens. You’ve probably been listening to Stuart Duncan for nearly as long. Somewhere in your CD collection or iPod, you will likely find the melodious strains of Duncan’s Grammy-winning fiddle, adding texture and instrumental licks to recordings by Alan Jackson, George Strait, Marty Stuart, T Bone Burnett and Elvis Costello. Elvis Costello? That’s right; don’t pigeonhole a fiddler — not this one anyway. With roots in Southern California, Duncan is not your typical down-home country fiddler. The son of a career Marine, Duncan was born in Virginia, but spent most of his childhood at Camp Pendle-

ton in San Diego county. He grew up listening to California’s progressive radio and living with his music-inspired parents, which sparked his lifelong relationship with music. “As a teenager, I fell asleep listening to KKGO, a jazz station, that must have subconsciously wired my brain to different styles of music,” Duncan confesses. “I listened to swing, jazz and blues, which really wasn’t cool music for a teenager living in California.” As a result, he is an enthusiastic lover of jazz and has played with the Hot Club of Nashville, a gypsy jazz outfit which includes Richard Smith, Charlie Chadwick and Pat Bergeson. But it wasn’t jazz, of course, which brought Duncan to Nashville — it was bluegrass. He joined the Nashville Bluegrass Band in 1985, a group that has won two Grammies, as well as multiple IBMA (International Bluegrass Music Association) and SPBMA (Society for the Preservation of Bluegrass Music of America) awards. NBB is still together and regularly tours the country. Between tours, he works as a session musician. “When I first moved to Nashville, I was interested in other genres of music, but got into country for economic reasons,” Duncan explains. His friend Jerry Douglas was asked if he knew of a fiddle player, and that referral began his long history of working as a sideman to some of the biggest names in country music. By the early 1990s, Stuart was working with a literal Who’s Who, including Ricky Skaggs, Emmylou Harris, Alan Jackson, Dolly Parton, Ronnie Milsap, Patty Loveless, Trisha Yearwood, Marty Stuart, George Strait and George Jones. He learned from his biggest influence, Byron Berline, how to lend his acoustic voice so it would fit into various musical genres. “Byron was a fiddler player from Oklahoma who played with Bill Photo courtesy of Sony Masterworks

Photo by Stacie Huckeba

for economic reasons”

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”When I First moved to Nashvil

le,

I was interested in other genr of music, but got into countr

By Lori Whitbey t sounds like any typical Thursday in the life of a mom or dad living in Inglewood: Pick up the kids from school, eat dinner and then finish

the day performing at the Schermerhorn Symphony

Center.

Admittedly

the

performance part is where the comparison comes to a screeching stop for most parents, but it is just another day in the life of renowned multi-instrumentalist Stuart Duncan.

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Photo by Stacie Huckeba

for economic reasons”

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Todd Snider’s new song cycle to drop on March 6

n his new full-length record, East Nashville’s

ambassador to the world Todd Snider is a

one-man Occupy Wall Street movement.

Photo by Stacie Huckeba

Due to drop on March 6 via Snider’s own Aimless Records label, Agnostic Hymns & Stoner Fables features “a lot of story songs,” a majority of which deal with the world’s economic disparities from various points of view. “I worked for a long time on the songs, for about three years, and I felt like they were all done when I went in,” Snider tells The East Nashvillian. “I went in with about 14 and came out with 10.” The set includes nine originals and a cover of Jimmy Buffett’s “West Nashville Grand Ballroom Gown,” which the artist says “just fit with all the other songs.” After recording two albums with all-world producer Don Was — 2009’s The Excitement Plan and a forthcoming Jerry Jeff Walker tribute record scheduled for release in late April, Snider coproduced Agnostic Hymns & Stoner Fables with Eric McConnell at McConnell’s East Nashville studio, where he also recorded East Nashville Skyline and Peace Queer. “It doesn’t sound like any of my other records,” he says. “This record doesn’t come from good times. I wanted to sound the way I feel, which sometimes means sounding like a broken soul.” The self-described “hippie folk singer” is accompanied on the album by Paul Griffith on drums, Amanda Shires on violin and vocals, Chad Staley of Great American Taxi on keyboards and McConnell on bass. On this his 10th studio release, for the first time Snider handles all the guitar work, playing electric on most of the tracks to great effect. “It’s a real sloppy mess, actually; I can’t imagine anyone enjoying it, but it was a lot of fun,” Snider says of his guitar work in typical self-deprecating fashion. But it is the interplay between his guitar and harmonica and Shires’s violin that sets the tone of the record which is already drawing comparisons to Bob Dylan’s Desire because of its similar blending of instruments. Griffith and McConnell will join Snider on a tour in support of Agnostic Hymns & Stoner Fables that will hit more than 40 cities beginning on March 7 with an appearance in Philadelphia at World Cafe Live. They will headline Nashville’s Ryman Auditorium on June 2. — Daryl Sanders

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Monroe before moving to California in the late 1960s,” he says. Berline went from bluegrass to country rock, joining The Flying Burrito Brothers, a band started by former members of The Byrds, Gram Parsons and Chris Hillman. “When Byron wasn’t on the road, he was a session musician in LA. He had a gift for playing old-time fiddle music, but he also had a great voice for contemporary sounding music. He taught me that a fiddle player could add instrumentals to modern sounds.” Duncan is a virtuoso, on both fiddle and banjo, but in the past five years, he’s been especially influenced by the pedal steel guitar recordings from the 1950s and 1960s. “The kind of harmony and instrumentals I enjoy was obscure; it wasn’t on the radio then,” he says. “You have to dig deep into the archives of music and turn to the B-side of those 45s.” The session players who originally created what Duncan considers the rich heritage of the 1950s are an inspiration to work with. He considers himself very lucky whenever he is called to work with the legendary session musicians of that era. “I always let them know I listen to them, and admire their work,” he says. “I can tell it means a great deal for them to hear that. I also ask a lot of questions. There’s usually a true gem of advice.” Duncan became an East Nashvillian back in 1985 when he found an upstairs apartment on Riverside Drive. “In the early 1980s, I came to Nashville to play at the Station Inn with a band that I was in, Lost Highway,” he recalls. “Afterward there was a pickin’ party in East Nashville and I remember driving near Shelby Park thinking I would never find my way back downtown again. Two years later, when I moved to Nashville, I ended up in that same house, renting the upstairs apartment. I drove that route, from the Station Inn and back, many, many times over those years. “I moved from East Nashville just about the time it was getting interesting,” he continues. “There’s so much to do now, with res-

taurants and shops, and there’s a great variety of people. It just gets better every day.” Today he lives in North Inglewood with his wife Deita and their three children, ages 21, 16 and 14. The two youngest attend the Nashville School of the Arts. A couple of years ago, the children attended Eastwood Academy and the family is very active with the Eastwood Christian Church. “We could have moved anywhere, but we’re so glad we stayed in the area,” he said. Duncan has a small music room in their house filled with various acoustic instruments he has picked up in his travels around the globe. “I need to clean it out, there’s hardly room for me to play in there,” he says. But Duncan may never find the time to organize his instruments. “There’s no downtime in my life. I work every day.” When he’s not touring with the Nashville Bluegrass Band, he’s in a recording studio somewhere, answering the call as a session musician. One such call led to Duncan breaking out of the bluegrass and county genres to play with Alison Krause and Robert Plant. He spent several months touring the U.S. and Europe in support of their rock-inspired collaboration. His latest adventure started with a phone call from longtime friend and classical bassist Edgar Meyer. Meyer and mandolinist Chris Thile had an idea for a project, one that turned into the incredible Goat Rodeo Sessions, a revolutionary concert with Meyer, Thile, Duncan and Yo-Yo Ma, the classically trained, award-winning cellist. They came together for a live concert in Boston, which was broadcast live in sold-out theaters around the country, including a theater in Nashville. So where did they get the name “goat rodeo?” According to the album’s promotional materials, the term means a “chaotic situation,” a reference to the unusual and challenging aspects of blending classical music and bluegrass. Of the project, Yo-Yo Ma has said, "If there were forks in the road and each time there was a fork, the right decision was made, then you get to a goat rodeo.”

“The kind of harmony and instrumentals I enjoy was obscure; it wasn’t on the radio then.”

We’ve got what you need! *Special Orders Welcome.

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Peete Financial Services 615.902.6122

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Todd Snider’s new song cycle to drop on March 6

n his new full-length record, East Nashville’s

ambassador to the world Todd Snider is a

one-man Occupy Wall Street movement.

Photo by Stacie Huckeba

. C OM

“The kind of harmony and instrumentals I enjoy was obscure; it wasn’t on the radio then.”

We’ve got what you need! *Special Orders Welcome.

From capacitors to IC’s, we have components in stock.

Photo by Stacie Huckeba

Watch out Wall Street:

Get it Fixed Right! Amplifiers, Turntables, T.V.s, Antique Radios, Reel to Reels and more.

ElectronicAdapters DBA

Radio Shack

(615)227-5441 3249 Gallatin Pike Nashville TN, 37216

On Your Side

Auto. Home. Life.

Peete Financial Services 615.902.6122

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Art

U n d e nia bl e

How an East Nashville woman surmounted ALS to continue her artistic pursuits By Jaime Brousse

Photos by Stacie Huckeba

rin Brady Worsham is a renowned

artist who has produced more

than 80 works. She is the mother of

a teenage boy. She likes to meditate, watch old movies, and keep up with friends on Facebook. And she does it all while barely moving a muscle. Worsham has amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, also known as ALS or Lou Gehrig’s Disease, a neurodegenerative disease that requires her to use a wheelchair, breathe through a ventilator and receive around the clock care. Even though she can feel everything, she can’t move anything. That is, except her eyebrows. It turns out, that is all she needs. A small round sensor attached to her forehead picks up each tiny movement and translates it through a computer program. Each time she raises an eyebrow, it moves the cursor on the screen to form words, or just as importantly for Worsham, virtual brush strokes. “When my device is plugged into the computer, I can do anything anyone else can do with a computer,” she says via email. Speech is difficult for her — she can slowly form some words, and the electronic voice program (made familiar by British physicist and ALSsurvivor Stephen Hawking) is painstaking and slow. In 1980, the Western Kentucky Universitytrained stage actress met Curry Worsham, a fellow

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actor. The couple married in 1987, and soon after, they settled in a house in East Nashville’s Renraw neighborhood, where they still reside. Inside the house, triumphant photographs of her performing in various plays line one hallway. In the kitchen and bedroom hang the evidence of her training at the Watkins Art Institute — still-life watercolors and stitched cloth-based art are neatly framed. They were done before the illness. One freezing February night, Curry recalls a vacation the couple took to England in 1994 when Erin started having foot pain. They bought her a new pair of shoes, but it didn’t do the trick. Soon after they returned home, she started having trouble walking. In just a matter of months, a doctor diagnosed her with ALS and gave her three years to live. She was 36 years old. On that day her life changed drastically. So did her art. Erin learned to take Microsoft Paint to a whole new level. Her work is metaphorical, sometimes evoking a fairy tale or superhero, other times taken from a scene in real life: a close up of a face or animals in nature; a man on a magic carpet or a turtle on a mountain. Some pieces include titles which are legible in the border, such as “Supermind” and “No More Idle Hands.” Worsham says you never know when an idea will hit. “For me, it’s usually something funny,” she explains. “I’ll think of a title and the image will come, or I’ll think of the image and the title will come. If just the thought of something can move me or make me laugh, I know it’s a good idea.” Her works are all colorful, somehow managing to walk the tightrope of whimsy even when the themes are poignant. Over the years, people started taking notice. Vanderbilt University sponsored her first one-woman show in 2003. The pieces toured the U.S., even going on display inside the Russell Rotunda of the U.S. Senate in Washington, D.C. In 2007, a second show opened at the Tennessee Arts Commission. The piece “Go Fast” depicts Erin strapped into a sled, being led down a snowy slope by a begoggled skier, which is based on a true story. Curry talks about her dream to go down the mountain finally being realized — but just as they reached the top, her ventilator started beeping a low-

“When my device is plugged into the computer, I can do anything anyone else can do with a computer...”

These two samples of Worsham's art — "Head Turner" (above) and "Homebody" (below) — illustrate her whimsical, colorful style.

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Art

U n d e nia bl e

How an East Nashville woman surmounted ALS to continue her artistic pursuits By Jaime Brousse

Photos by Stacie Huckeba

rin Brady Worsham is a renowned

artist who has produced more

than 80 works. She is the mother of

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“When my device is plugged into the computer, I can do anything anyone else can do with a computer...”

These two samples of Worsham's art — "Head Turner" (above) and "Homebody" (below) — illustrate her whimsical, colorful style.

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Worsham works on a new piece of art — a painting of an owl – using her custom computer rig.

battery warning. It was a fast ride down. In another picture, “Blessing,” a child sleeps contently. The Worshams tried for several years to have a baby, with no luck. Coincidentally, within days of receiving her ALS diagnosis — given to them by their now-former doctor as an imminent death sentence — Erin conceived. Their son Daniel is now 16 years old. Rather than buckle under the stress of a lifethreatening disease, the couple’s marriage has thrived. The pair shares a common interest in poli-

tics and current events. “Not only do I love my husband, I like him,” Worsham says. “I respect his opinion. I have seen ALS destroy many marriages. A lot of spouses simply cannot take it. Curry hasn’t gone anywhere and he’s made the very best out of a bad situation.” Her latest painting, “Homebody,” depicts a family’s typical summer day: her son mows the lawn, Curry tends the garden, the Americana scene revolving around a large yellow house — their house — with Erin’s face emerging from the second story, looking over it all. The roof over their heads is not something the Worshams take for granted. Like many families, they’ve had their share of financial struggles — recently exacerbated by the historic flooding of May 2010. First their basement flooded, then Curry learned many of the vending machines he owned at Opry Mills were destroyed. They soon fell behind on their mortgage payments. Just as they neared the brink, the family received “an incredible outpouring of support” from the

community. Their situation attracted the attention of local media, and the state and federal government stepped in with funding to save the mortgage. Local business Clinard Home Improvement chose the family for an exterior home makeover, complete with a new roof, a fresh coat of paint and updated wheelchair ramps. On this cold February night, the home is warm and inviting, and Worsham is in her chair, cuddled in a blanket up to the computer. The ventilator beeps softly, her eyebrows twitching slightly. A new picture of an owl she’s working on takes shape on the screen. Each of the compositions can take anywhere from 60 to 300 hours to complete, but they’re worth it. “It is very, very satisfying to look at a finished piece,” Worsham says. “Sometimes I think about how one day I’ll be gone, but my art will remain to show I was here. “None of us knows what the future holds, let alone the next five minutes. I live each day just like everyone else. I am inspired by my love of my family and my love of my work.” And her work can inspire the world. You can find more information about the art of Erin Brady Worsham online, at StudioEastNashville. com/art or on the artist’s Facebook page.

nourishment for outdoor plants, Senn says. Check out Worm’s Way’s variety of free gardening and composting workshops, held every other Saturday at 3 p.m. For more info: wormsway.com.

Gary Wolf (right), coowner of Sundog Solar, and Dr. Ron Luplow, one of the owners of Dickson Medical Associates, inspect the solar array on the roof of the DMA building before the final panel is installed.

Color East Nashville

Green By Susannah Felts

hen it comes to local businesses, East-siders are a fiercely devoted

bunch. We’re also an earth-friendly crowd — whether that means collecting runoff in a backyard rain barrel or kicking back on an upcycled love seat.

LANDSCAPE

solu+ ons

organic garden maintenance • environmental landscape design & installation • landscape renovation & clean-up • residential master planning • raingardens • native planting

8525009 landscapeTN.com

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The upshot is in the last several years, our ’hood has sprouted a bunch of businesses that, while all over the map in the goods and services they offer, fit neatly under the “green” umbrella. We’ve got boutiques showcasing repurposed furniture and jewelry, loads of vintage and secondhand (read: recycled) clothiers, organics for head to toe, and more. In honor of Earth Day which is coming up on April 22, here’s the quick lowdown on just a few of East Nashville’s green offerings.

Green thumbs

• Druid Tree Service — Nurturing Nashville’s trees for more than 30 years, Druid Tree Service — whose owners are longtime East Nashvillians — recently opened an office on Main Street. One of only four tree-care companies in Nashville to meet the Tree Care Industry Associations’s certification standards, Druid offers soil moisture products for healthier trees and care for ornamental trees and shrubs in addition to tree removal, stump grinding, and the like. Their approach includes using compost beneath trees to “replicate their natural system,” building mineral-rich soil to boost health and immunity. Druid also recycles all wood fiber and repurposes wood and chips. For more info: druidtree.com. • Landscape Solutions — This residential

landscape design and installation outfit is in its third season of bringing native plants, rain gardens and other sustainable outdoor improvements to the yards of East Nashville and beyond. They can also transform even a modest patch of lawn — or weeds, as the case may be — into a certified wildlife habit, via a program offered by the National Wildlife Foundation. Expect either co-owner Jeffery Orkin, who has an MBA with a concentration in sustainability, or his partner Cliff Jones to get their hands dirty onsite. “We’re hands-on from the beginning to the end,” Orkin says. Initial design consulations are free. For more info: landscapetn.com. • Maples and Bloom Landscape and Organic Lawn Care — So you don’t know a Tennessee coneflower from a snow cone, but you do know what you like — landscape designer Micah Puncochar can work with that. He likes to identify a client’s personal style and tailor a design to it, keeping in mind, too, how much work a client wants to put into their outdoor haven over time. (If the answer is “little to none,” Puncochar also offers maintenance services using strictly organic products.) Hardscaping — patios, stone paths, and the like — is one of Maples and Bloom’s specialties (note the metamorphosis of unsightly concrete pad to backyard patio on the Maples and Bloom blog). For more info: maplesandbloom.com. • Worm’s Way — “We’re primarily an indoor gardening center,” explains Richard Senn, assistant manager at the East Nashville Worm’s Way (one of six stores in six states). The store stocks everything an indoor-plant enthusiast’s heart desires, including grow lights and tents, various soil mixes, and hydroponic systems. And as the name indicates, this is the perfect place to get started with vermicomposting — composting using worms. Part science experiment, part earth-friendly waste management, it’s “an alternative to throwing garbage away,” while producing gourmet

Green threads

How better to flaunt a passion for recycling than to rock some vintage fashion? Nashville certainly makes it easy, as the city has attracted buzz as a mecca for vintage fashion in recent years. The East side is steadily earning its own distinction as a secondhand-threads destination, thanks to several boutiques that have made the creative reuse scene in the past few years. • Goodbuy Girls — An East-side favorite since 2010, co-owners Tanya Montana Coe and Kimberly Davison handpick vintage wear and designer resale from retailers and brands like Forever 21, Anthropologie and Free People. Then there is their fabulous, ever-changing selection of boots and local, handmade jewelry, drawing devoted “GGs” from near and far. For more info: goodbuygirlsnashville.com. • The Hip Zipper — Think of The Hip Zipper as the quirky grand dame of our vintage scene, wellknown for its steady supply of vintage lovelies for men and women — everything from winter coats and hats to swimwear and dainties. For more info: hipzipper.com. • High Class Hillbilly — New kid in town High Class Hillbilly brings the stage-worthy wardrobe artistry of local country singer-songwriter Nikki Lane and her bandmate Carey Kotsionis to Five Points. For more info: highclasshillbilly.com. • Thrifty Threads — Don’t call them a thrift store. Thrifty Threads in Riverside Village is a consignment shop, carrying only top-notch-condition women’s clothing from brands like 9 West, Liz Claiborne and BCBG, plus select vintage items. Look for the foxy “Vintage Lady” mural on McGavock. For more info: thriftythreadsladiesconsignment.blogspot.com.

Green bodies

• Studio Green — The spring-green walls of this sleek, sunny salon and spa are just the start — everything within, right down to the cleaning supplies and business cards, is eco-friendly. In particular, the hair, makeup and skincare product lines here are 98-to100-percent organic and vegan, a blessing for clients with allergies to typical ammonia-based dyes or other topical ingredients. “We’re the only fully organic and vegan salon in all of Tennessee,” says Jeffrey Gensemer, a longtime East-sider who opened Studio Green with Jesse Bourne in late 2010. Gensemer exhaustively researched the product lines he uses in the salon and you won’t find them at any other retailers in Nashville. For more info: studiogreeneast.com.

Green homes

• E3 Innovate — Old and new homes alike are often surprisingly “leaky,” translating to draftiness,

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Worsham works on a new piece of art — a painting of an owl – using her custom computer rig.

nourishment for outdoor plants, Senn says. Check out Worm’s Way’s variety of free gardening and composting workshops, held every other Saturday at 3 p.m. For more info: wormsway.com.

Color East Nashville

Green By Susannah Felts

hen it comes to local businesses, East-siders are a fiercely devoted

bunch. We’re also an earth-friendly crowd — whether that means collecting runoff in a backyard rain barrel or kicking back on an upcycled love seat.

LANDSCAPE

solu+ ons

organic garden maintenance • environmental landscape design & installation • landscape renovation & clean-up • residential master planning • raingardens • native planting

8525009 landscapeTN.com

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Green thumbs

Green threads

Green bodies

Green homes

• E3 Innovate — Old and new homes alike are often surprisingly “leaky,” translating to draftiness,

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Ben Dixon and Robert Logue hanging in the Cult

high utility bills and potentially poor air quality. That’s where E3 Innovate comes in. “We increase the energy efficiency, comfort and air quality of existing homes, starting by testing the leakage of the home and pinpointing what needs to be done,” owner Eric Daugherty says. “Everything’s done in-house; we don’t parcel anything out.” Although not officially headquartered in East Nashville, E3 Innovate nevertheless has a large presence in the neighborhood. Their fixes typically achieve a 50-percent reduction in duct leakage and a 30-percent reduction in the draftiness of the home. “Almost every house in Tennessee needs this service,” Daugherty says. For more info: e3innovate.com. • The Green Wagon — A one-of-a-kind, onestop shop for local and sustainable products, the Green Wagon wants to “make sustainable living convenient” for its customers—and in the process, support sustainable growth in the East Nashville community it calls home. While they stock everything from locally made, eco-friendly soaps and makeup, to toys, jewelry and Olive & Sinclair chocolate, the Green Wagon has charmed the neighborhood with block parties, workshops, community days and other events through which donations are collected for local nonprofits. “We try to incorporate as many aspects of sustainability into one good time as we can,” says Johnny Shields, who owns the shop with his wife Tara. For more info: greenwagonnashville.com.

• Integrated Solar Controls — Another local figure on the renewable energy scene, Integrated Solar Controls began offering solar systems in 2009, tapping what company founder Roger Sanders and his business partner Billy Gibson realized was a growth market with few players in Tennessee. They also provide energy management and efficiency controls to businesses throughout the state. (The Sumner County courthouse and Rutherford County schools have been “smartened up” by these guys.) While solar energy can seem out of reach for many homeowners, Gibson notes that system parts costs are dropping as more manufacturers produce them. “The more people do it, the more affordable it gets,” he says. For more info: icontrolsolar.com • OMG — Old Made Good made its Riverside Village debut just over a year ago, filling a bright blue bungalow with a truly unique mix of creatively upcycled furnishings, handmade jewelry and sassy decorative items, locally made skincare products and candles, vintage clothing and more. Crafty gals Kate Mills and Ashley Sheehan are savvy promoters, keeping their Facebook followers entertained daily with witty, no-hold-barred personal dispatches and quips, plus enticing peeks at their latest vintage finds. “Our strange brand of humor has grown and flourished in this neighborhood,and we truly believe no one would embrace us like East Nashville has,” Mills says. For more info: oldmadegood.com

• Shonna Sexton Studio — “I love to keep things out of the landfill,” says Shonna Sexton, an interior designer who encourages her clients to both repurpose old furnishings and opt for environmentally friendly solutions when renovating or redecorating. Sexton knows how to turn trash into treasure. For example, she likes to take the sort of old brass chandeliers everyone is pitching, give them a rewiring and a colorful coat of paint, and voila: stairwell transformation. “I cluster several in different colors, put them on a dimmer and it looks like an art installation,” she says. In business since 2007, Sexton also teaches interior design courses at Watkins College of Art, Design & Film. For more info: shonnasextonstudio.com. • Sundog Solar — Solar energy is one solution to a common problem in East Nashville’s older, notso-energy-efficient homes: outrageous monthly power bills. It’s not ideal for everyone’s property, but “if you really want it, there are things you can do,” says Jane Parkey, who founded Sundog Solar in 2010 with Gary Wolf, a licensed electrical contractor with many years of experience in solar installation. Sundog Solar first gauges a resident’s energy usage, then designs a solar system specific to his or her needs, which can bring an energy bill to zero (not to mention the federal tax credit incentive). It’s even possible to make money with solar, Parkey explains, because Tennessee Valley Authority will pay for energy produced but not used. For more info: sundogsolarenergy.com.

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Story and photos by Chuck Allen

escribing his new business, Logue’s Black Raven Emporium on Gallatin Road, Robert Logue

says, “It’s an idea factory.” Logue has joined forces with two other idea men — Ben Dixon of Lone Wolf Tattoo and Robert Slendorn of Cult Fiction Underground — to form a collective which distills seemingly disparate elements down to a unified essence. Call it alchemy, if you will.

The convention connection

As a 9-to-5 guy at a Brentwood record label, Logue got his mojo working by selling art at horror movie conventions. “I didn’t play in bands anymore, so it was a way to travel and hang out with the freaks,” the former member of both Royal Court of China and The Shakers remembers. His acquaintance with tattoo artist Ben Dixon traces back to the Nashville rock scene of yore, but he explains, “Ben and I really became friends through seeing one another at the conventions. I began photographing Ben’s wife, Stacey, when she started her modeling career, and we’ve all been friends ever since.” Logue also developed his friendship with convention promoter and film collector Robert Slendorn at the conventions as well. “Bob went to a lot more than I did. It was his living,” Logue says. Their connection grew through their mutual love of all things strange, weird and horror-show like.

What to do?

Don’t Miss An Exciting Day of Music, Art, Food and Fashion out on the East Park Lawn

Sponsored by:

Fiction Underground Theater.

The Dark Sideof the

Tattoos ...

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Having been in the business for almost two decades, Dixon wanted the East Nashville location to be different. “With our shop over here, we really wanted something that was a little more one-on-one with the artist, you know — intimate,” he explains. “It’s more of a custom shop. You don’t walk in and find designs all over the walls like traditional tattoo shops. I mean, we’ve got our shop on Broadway, and it’s big and it has great traffic, but it does lose some of the one-on-one intimacy with the artist.

“This shop is designed to be relaxed and laid back, and I think that’s what we captured,” he continues. “It really fits with the whole vibe of what Robert’s doing. It’s just comfortable. You really just want to come by and hang out.”

... and horror movies

The Full Moon Tattoo & Horror Festival is coming up on Easter weekend, April 6-8, at the downtown convention center. “There’s our show, which is huge, and then in another part of the convention center is an Anime convention, so it should be the center of weird that weekend,” Dixon says with a laugh. The convention will feature around 60 shops with over 100 tattoo artists, as well as celebrity guests. As of this writing, the latest confirmed booking is that of legendary KISS guitarist Ace Frehley. Dixon also has four feature films in the can, the latest of which, Old Habits Die Hard, stars Stacey. His love of moviemaking was another element that made sharing a building with Logue so enticing. “As an independent filmmaker, having a place like this is critical,” he says. “We Ben at work on a new masterpiece. have 40 seats in an intimate setting. The

whole reason for making a movie is so people can get out and see it.” They have applied for a beer permit, which Logue hopes will play out before the end of March. With parking at the rear of the building and its own entrance, the theater also has a roomy lounge area with furnishings that would be right at home in a Gothic mansion. Known as Cult Fiction Underground, movie nights will be the purview of Slendorn, an avid fan of the cult movie genre, and a respected collector of rare and out-of-print films. “He loves these films, and has a huge collection,” Logue says. The plan is to have double features on Friday and Saturday nights, with the possibility of matinees in the future. They are also hoping to make the theater available to independent filmmakers who wish to premiere their movies, but are unable to afford The Belcourt or Green HIlls Stadium 16. “The folks at The Belcourt have already told us they can refer filmmakers to us who would otherwise go unseen in the Nashville area,” Dixon says. Hanging out with Logue and Dixon, you get the feeling that the idea factory is starting to roll. “There’s no one else doing anything like this in Nashville,” Logue says. “Where better to do it than in East Nashville?”

www.platinumsaloneast.com find us on facebook & myspace

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churches and Open Table Nashville, Tent City had a shower house, portable toilets and meals which were delivered four days a week. As a self-governed, peaceful community, Tent City attracted the attention of the documentary filmmakers who captured the flood of May 2010,

The Farleys: from Tent City to their own two feet By Liz Jungers Hughes

Photo by Stacie Huckeba

his spring, The Oprah Winfrey Network’s monthly documentary film club will shine a light on homelessness in Nashville with the premiere of Tent City USA, a documentary by Gabriel Byrne focusing on a self-governed community of homeless people who are displaced by the flood of May 2010. The film features a couple familiar to many East Nashville residents, Michael “Bama” Farley and his wife Stacey, who often can be seen selling The Contributor at the corner of 14th Street and Eastland.

As for many homeless people living through the recession, it was not some unthinkable catastrophe, but a series of everyday-life events that landed the Farleys on the streets. Stacey, 36, married young and spent 16 years as a stay-at-home mother of three, never gaining any type of workplace experience. Following the deaths of her parents and a traumatic divorce, Stacey felt desperate for a change — even if it meant heading out into the world with almost nothing. Stacey soon left Kentucky with her second husband Bama, now 23, an Alabama native and Crimson Tide fanatic. Turned away from a shelter in Cincinnati, the Farleys decided to try their luck in Nashville. Shortly after arriving, their car broke down—for good—and they were faced with life on the street for the first time in their lives. That was the summer of 2008. “The scariest part is knowing that everything you own is on your back,” Stacey says. “If you lose what’s on your back you lose everything.” What they did have was a tent, and they soon learned of a place called Tent City, where a community of over 100 homeless people camped under the I-65 bridge at the edge of the Cumberland River. Thanks to donations and outreach by local

homeless as an alternative to panhandling, The Contributor starts new vendors with some training and 15 free papers. Papers cost vendors 25 cents thereafter, who sell them for $1 each and keep all the profits. Though their income is small, sometimes as little as $14 a day, it has allowed the Farleys to find a series of temporary lodgings., to regularly send money home to Stacey’s children and grandson, and earn her medical assistant degree. Selling the paper has also helped Stacey and Bama become a part of the East Nashville community. “When a car pulls up and the back window rolls down, and a little girl is sitting in the back and she just wants to give my husband a high five and tell him to have a good day, that touches my heart,” Stacey says. One day last year, East Nashville residents Roy and Wendy Poston stopped to invite the Farleys to church. “I wanted to go,” Bama says, “but I told them we would have to work on Sunday to make the $35 for our motel room that night.” The family offered to pay for their room that night, allowing the Farleys to take the day off for church. The Postons offered more than fellowship to Bama and Stacey; they soon rented an apartment for the couple, the first real home they have had in nearly four years. With home comes a long-awaited sense of security and stability, allowing the Farleys to hope for a better life. They talk about moving to the country someday, and look forward to the airing of Tent City USA this spring. Lacking a high school diploma and feeling

“The scariest part is knowing that everything you own is on your back,” Stacey says. “If you lose what’s on your back you lose everything.” the ensuing displacement of its residents, and the unprecedented election of a member of the homeless community to the Metropolitan Homelessness Commission. Stacey Farley was elected by her peers, vetted by the mayor and began serving on the commission in July of 2010. Working with leaders from the Metro Council, Social Services and the business community, Stacey has had a chance to be heard on issues facing Nashville’s homeless population, even though she has felt unable to improve conditions in any meaningful way. “They gave out 39 housing vouchers to the homeless in Tent City after the flood,” she says, “but there were no wrap-around services. I predicted that all 39 would be back on the streets in a year, and they were.” More case management, in Stacey’s opinion, would be the single best way to help the homeless in Nashville. Since living in Tent City, Stacey and Bama have been relying on The Contributor as their main source of income. Sold by the homeless and formerly

discouraged, Bama has given up searching for work in construction or food services, while Stacey continues her frustrating job search as a medical assistant with education, but no experience. “We’ve seen it from both sides,” Stacey says. “We had everything, we lost everything, now we’re getting back on our two feet.” Editor’s note — After the deadline for this story, Michael Farley was arrested on a bench warrant issued in Tuscaloosa County, Alabama. “They found me through Facebook,” he explains. “It was a five-yearold charge that happened when I was 17.” The arrest took place at 6:30 a.m. on Valentine’s Day morning. “I’d told my customers I would wear all pink for Valentine’s Day, so when they booked me down in Alabama everybody was making fun of me,” he says with a grin — and chagrin. He was released on bond on Feb. 17, the judge having shown some sympathy to his plight — he missed his first court date because the mail didn’t find him. His new court date is set for May 22, but he and his wife were evicted from their apartment. “We’re back living at a hotel, so it’s hard.” he says.

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... and horror movies

www.platinumsaloneast.com find us on facebook & myspace

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The Farleys: from Tent City to their own two feet By Liz Jungers Hughes

Photo by Stacie Huckeba

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market place

to be a part of Marketplace Call Lisa at 615-582-4187 or email: lisa@theeastnashvillian.com

Melissa lundgren Realtor,CRS,ABR,ePro,EcoBroker direct/text/vm 615 405-4784 melissa@MelissaLundgren.com www.MelissaLundgren.com Your east nashville Homes specialist!

Pick a winning team for your next move!!! Award winning Real Estate Specialists

“The Bretz Team” Cheryl and George

Keller Williams Realty George Cell: 615-428-8758 Cheryl Cell: 615-969-5475 Office: 615-822-8585 www.movingtonashvilletn.com www.cherylbretz.com

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market place

to be a part of Marketplace Call Lisa at 615-582-4187 or email: lisa@theeastnashvillian.com

Melissa lundgren Realtor,CRS,ABR,ePro,EcoBroker direct/text/vm 615 405-4784 melissa@MelissaLundgren.com www.MelissaLundgren.com Your east nashville Homes specialist!

Pick a winning team for your next move!!! Award winning Real Estate Specialists

“The Bretz Team” Cheryl and George

Keller Williams Realty George Cell: 615-428-8758 Cheryl Cell: 615-969-5475 Office: 615-822-8585 www.movingtonashvilletn.com www.cherylbretz.com

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With persistence and patience, Chris Doyle won Lola's trust.

market place

I have never done that. If anyone wants to help, I would love that!

From: East CAN Sent: Dec. 20, 2011 To: Chris Chris, Thanks so much. I’m copying Camp Chaos just so

How Lola

had a Merry Christmas By Elizabeth Chauncey

Photos by Mandy Whitley Photography

he following exchange of emails chronicles the rescue of a homeless dog named Lola by Chris Doyle last December.

East CAN was able to help with moral support, as well as the financing, transport and follow up for the dog’s vetting. We have been able to help with socialization and securing a new forever home. Doyle’s adventure with Lola is just one example of what is being done by responsible, resourceful and compassionate animal lovers throughout the neighborhood. In this case, one person put their actions behind their intentions and actually saved a life last Christmas Eve. To: East CAN Date: Dec. 15, 2011

d e s i g n s t u d i o llc interior design project management business furniture

From: Chris Here are the pics of the little dog that was dumped in Shelby Park. The first time I saw her she was with three other dogs, which seem to have disappeared. She does enjoy the company of other dogs. I have been feeding her daily for a little over a week and she has gone from running from me to eating out of my hand — in a pretty short period of time. Last night, she kept following me to my car. When I got back out, I even got a tail wag, so I know she is connecting. She seems to be gentle and shy. She licks the cat food off of my fingers and has a very gentle mouth. She is young — perhaps about a year old. Her teeth are bright white. I have named her Lola and will keep working on finding her some help. If you could put her on your intake list, I would really appreciate it. I will continue to visit her daily and I am sure she will get more and more comfortable

nfusiondesignstudio.com kvance@nfusiondesignstudio.com

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From: Chris Sent: Dec. 17, 2011 To: East CAN I just wanted to let you know I am still here and helping. I will plan to feed the girl in between jobs today. I wish she would get in my car. I will let you know if she does.

they are in the “neighborhood know,” and Big Fluffy Dogs in case they have a spot open first. Also sending to our East CAN inbox will post her plight on our Facebook in case anyone is interested in taking her on as their foster project. I’ll put it on the listserv, too, since so many people have seen her down there and have contacted us about her. East CAN cannot commit to taking her on without an approved foster home and a personality evaluation, but if someone is willing to be responsible for her, we can immediately help with food, crate, dog house and basic vetting. Elizabeth

From: Chris

Thanks for everything,

Sent: Dec. 22, 2011

Chris

To: East CAN I want to give you a little update on Lola. I went to

From: East CAN Sent: Dec. 18, 2011

feed her yesterday and got a full body wag and smile

To: Chris

when I called her. I hung out for 40 minutes or so and

Do you think she’ll allow you to slip a loose leash

she decided she wanted me to pet her and play a bit. She

around her neck? We’ve taken other dogs out of the park

is such a sweet girl and very shy. I was able to pet her all

and not always successfully acclimated them into home

over and several times she rolled over on her back for me

life. She might not be adoptable pet material without a lot

to rub her belly. She started doing little sprints of excite-

of work and potentially expensive professional training.

ment. She follows me and follows my car when I leave.

Just be prepared, you might be saving her from a slow painful death in park but not necessarily saving her life. It’s one of the harshest realities we’ve had to deal with. But it’s still better than her staying there. When you think she’s ready and a spot is opened for her to be put safely for decompression and evaluation, we’ll see if we can get someone to help or give you some tools to help. I’ll see about getting some soft food from our stash.

It kills me to leave her. I MUST get her out of the park somehow. Someone said she has been in the park for about three months. Animal control goes through their daily looking for stray dogs. It is probably only a matter of time before they get her. I have been telling everyone about her and lots of people are putting her pics on Facebook. I am sending

Elizabeth

this your way in hopes of increasing her odds for adop-

From: Chris

tion. I will continue putting out the word and will let you

Sent: Dec. 19, 2011 To: East CAN Okay, it is a harsh reality. I will help however I can. She may soon let me slip a leash around her. I have been able

know if someone steps forward. Thank you for everything, Chris

to get a quick pet in here and there. I just need to have a

On Christmas Eve, I got a call that Chris was

place to take her. It is possible she may eventually jump

able to lure Lola into the car the night before,

in my car — not sure. She seems to want the help, poor

but was unable to get her out of the car. I met

girl. Even if she is not able to acclimate to home life, she

Chris at her house after work and was able to

deserves some kindness for however long she can have it. Thanks, Chris

with me. If I can find a foster, I will let you know. Unfortu-

From: Chris

nately, I do not have room at my place.

To:East CAN

Thank you so very much for all you do!

Date: Dec. 20, 2011

Chris

Is there a trick to catching her when that time comes?

coach her through getting Lola out of the car and into her yard, then into the house. Since then, there has been no looking back for Chris or Lola.

. C OM

With persistence and patience, Chris Doyle won Lola's trust.

market place

I have never done that. If anyone wants to help, I would love that!

From: East CAN Sent: Dec. 20, 2011 To: Chris Chris, Thanks so much. I’m copying Camp Chaos just so

How Lola

had a Merry Christmas By Elizabeth Chauncey

Photos by Mandy Whitley Photography

he following exchange of emails chronicles the rescue of a homeless dog named Lola by Chris Doyle last December.

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. C OM

From: Chris

Thanks for everything,

Sent: Dec. 22, 2011

Chris

To: East CAN I want to give you a little update on Lola. I went to

From: East CAN Sent: Dec. 18, 2011

feed her yesterday and got a full body wag and smile

To: Chris

when I called her. I hung out for 40 minutes or so and

Do you think she’ll allow you to slip a loose leash

she decided she wanted me to pet her and play a bit. She

around her neck? We’ve taken other dogs out of the park

is such a sweet girl and very shy. I was able to pet her all

and not always successfully acclimated them into home

over and several times she rolled over on her back for me

life. She might not be adoptable pet material without a lot

to rub her belly. She started doing little sprints of excite-

of work and potentially expensive professional training.

ment. She follows me and follows my car when I leave.

Elizabeth

this your way in hopes of increasing her odds for adop-

From: Chris

tion. I will continue putting out the word and will let you

Sent: Dec. 19, 2011 To: East CAN Okay, it is a harsh reality. I will help however I can. She may soon let me slip a leash around her. I have been able

know if someone steps forward. Thank you for everything, Chris

to get a quick pet in here and there. I just need to have a

On Christmas Eve, I got a call that Chris was

place to take her. It is possible she may eventually jump

able to lure Lola into the car the night before,

in my car — not sure. She seems to want the help, poor

but was unable to get her out of the car. I met

girl. Even if she is not able to acclimate to home life, she

Chris at her house after work and was able to

deserves some kindness for however long she can have it. Thanks, Chris

with me. If I can find a foster, I will let you know. Unfortu-

From: Chris

nately, I do not have room at my place.

To:East CAN

Thank you so very much for all you do!

Date: Dec. 20, 2011

Chris

Is there a trick to catching her when that time comes?

coach her through getting Lola out of the car and into her yard, then into the house. Since then, there has been no looking back for Chris or Lola.

. C OM

From: Chris Sent: Dec. 26, 2011 To: East CAN Hi there, I hope you are having a wonderful holiday. :) Lola is doing great. She has not had any accidents in the house, although today she will

work, so I can definitely use whatever support is available. Stormy has set up an appointment at the Humane Society to have her spayed. Do they do a good job with skit-

From: Chris Sent: Dec. 30, 2011 To: East CAN

tish doggies? I want the experience to be as [stress-free]

It all sounds great! I am so relieved. I want nothing

as possible — she has been through so much. Perhaps

but the best for this special girl. I can’t wait for you to

you might guide me in getting her there. I am thinking

see how far she has come already. So many people have

a crate would be best, since she freezes on a leash, espe-

been rooting for her in our neighborhood. I would love

cially when she is scared.

for those people who you trust to be part of her new life.

I must get to work here. In the meantime, I will try not to fall too deeply in love with her … if that is possible!

I promised her that the “bad days” were over — and I meant it. I know she will not always be in my care, but I

Thanks for everything,

want [her] to know she is adored and loved forever, with

room for 10 hours while

From: Chris

the best of care.

I am at work — ugh —

Sent: Dec. 28, 2011

and then go back in

To: East CAN

have to stay in the back

We hope to see you soon! Chris and Lola

there while I am at Dog

Hi, Lola is doing great! I think she was born an ex-

Spot in the evening. I

traordinary dog. Is it possible to go through East Can for

At the time of this writing, Lola had had a

will do my best. I have to remind myself she is safe and

her socialization, vetting and adoption? I don’t know how

successful first introduction to a potential new

out of the park. She could not be sweeter and I would love

this normally works, but I would like to be gentle and not rush her, given what she has been through. Would it be

family and was scheduled to meet the fam-

to keep her if I was not having so many of my own challenges. ... I currently can’t manage three dogs (and four

possible for her to be spayed through East Can? Maybe I

cats) on my own. ...

am being overly protective, but I would love for all of this

Do you have friends that might be willing to come by so

to unfold somewhat organically. She seems very com-

she can start getting used to other people? I have to go out

fortable at my place and I can keep her there until she

of town for work on Jan. 17 and will be back late on Jan. 19. I

finds a super special home. Thank you for sending your

have to be sure someone can get her in and outside during

friends my way. I will welcome all of them to become her

that time. She may need some time to get used to others. ...

friends too. I feel like she is a child of our neighborhood

It probably needs to be a seasoned rescue person. January

and we are all in this together. I just happened to be

and February are a couple of the busiest months for me at

lucky that she decided to trust me. Thank you!

ily’s dog and cat to see how they all got along. Lola still takes a little while to warm up to new people, but I’m sure it won’t be long before she finds her forever home. Elizabeth Chauncey is the founder of East CAN (East Nashville Community Action Network). She has three dogs and runs a staging business called Spaces by Chauncey (www.spacesbychauncey.vpweb.com).

Where Nashville Comes to Remember! The New Look of Nashville’s Landmark

Exclusive Private Estates Available at our Landmark Location

Old Hickor

y Blvd

Cremation Niches

Gallatin Road

way

Dickers

on Road

Spring Hill Cemetery

nd River

Cumberla

Briley Parkway

Grand Ole Opry

Ellingto n Park

As Seen in the Robb Report 5110 Galltain Road , Nashville, TN 37216 • 615-865-1101 www.springhillfh.com

. C OM

From: Chris Sent: Dec. 26, 2011 To: East CAN Hi there, I hope you are having a wonderful holiday. :) Lola is doing great. She has not had any accidents in the house, although today she will

work, so I can definitely use whatever support is available. Stormy has set up an appointment at the Humane Society to have her spayed. Do they do a good job with skit-

From: Chris Sent: Dec. 30, 2011 To: East CAN

tish doggies? I want the experience to be as [stress-free]

It all sounds great! I am so relieved. I want nothing

as possible — she has been through so much. Perhaps

but the best for this special girl. I can’t wait for you to

you might guide me in getting her there. I am thinking

see how far she has come already. So many people have

a crate would be best, since she freezes on a leash, espe-

been rooting for her in our neighborhood. I would love

cially when she is scared.

for those people who you trust to be part of her new life.

I must get to work here. In the meantime, I will try not to fall too deeply in love with her … if that is possible!

I promised her that the “bad days” were over — and I meant it. I know she will not always be in my care, but I

Thanks for everything,

want [her] to know she is adored and loved forever, with

room for 10 hours while

From: Chris

the best of care.

I am at work — ugh —

Sent: Dec. 28, 2011

and then go back in

To: East CAN

have to stay in the back

We hope to see you soon! Chris and Lola

there while I am at Dog

Hi, Lola is doing great! I think she was born an ex-

Spot in the evening. I

traordinary dog. Is it possible to go through East Can for

At the time of this writing, Lola had had a

will do my best. I have to remind myself she is safe and

her socialization, vetting and adoption? I don’t know how

successful first introduction to a potential new

out of the park. She could not be sweeter and I would love

this normally works, but I would like to be gentle and not rush her, given what she has been through. Would it be

family and was scheduled to meet the fam-

to keep her if I was not having so many of my own challenges. ... I currently can’t manage three dogs (and four

possible for her to be spayed through East Can? Maybe I

cats) on my own. ...

am being overly protective, but I would love for all of this

Do you have friends that might be willing to come by so

to unfold somewhat organically. She seems very com-

she can start getting used to other people? I have to go out

fortable at my place and I can keep her there until she

of town for work on Jan. 17 and will be back late on Jan. 19. I

finds a super special home. Thank you for sending your

have to be sure someone can get her in and outside during

friends my way. I will welcome all of them to become her

that time. She may need some time to get used to others. ...

friends too. I feel like she is a child of our neighborhood

It probably needs to be a seasoned rescue person. January

and we are all in this together. I just happened to be

and February are a couple of the busiest months for me at

lucky that she decided to trust me. Thank you!

Where Nashville Comes to Remember! The New Look of Nashville’s Landmark

Exclusive Private Estates Available at our Landmark Location

Old Hickor

y Blvd

Cremation Niches

Gallatin Road

way

Dickers

on Road

Spring Hill Cemetery

nd River

Cumberla

Briley Parkway

Grand Ole Opry

Ellingto n Park

As Seen in the Robb Report 5110 Galltain Road , Nashville, TN 37216 • 615-865-1101 www.springhillfh.com

. C OM