The Loafer April 14th

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Artist featured 19 Local in book about Self-Taught Art

Dukes Of Hazzard Stars to Host Pre-Race Concert

...plus so much more

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April 14, 2015 • The Loafer, Page 3

Volume 29 Issue #19

It’s Bristol, Baby!

What else ya need?

Publisher Luci Tate Editor Graphic Arts Director Don Sprinkle Office Manager Luci Tate Cover Design Bill May Advertising Dave Carter Elaine Farris Terry Patterson Lori Hughes Contributing Staff Jim Kelly Andy Ross Ken Silvers Mark Marquette Published by Pulse Publishing, LLC., P.O. Box 3238, Johnson City, TN 37602 Phone: 423/283-4324 FAX - 423/283-4369 www.theloaferonline.com info@theloaferonline.com e-mail: editorial@theloaferonline.com (editorial) adcopy@theloaferonline.com (advertising) All advertisements are accepted and published by the publisher upon the representation that the agency and/or advertiser is authorized to publish the entire contents and subject matter thereof.

The agency and/or advertiser will indemnify and save the publisher harmless from any loss of expense resulting from claims or suits based upon contents of any advertisement,including claims or suits for defamation, libel, right of privacy, plagiarism, and copyright infringement.

Founder: Bill Williams

in this issue ....

4 5 6 9 10 12 17 18 24 26 28 36

BMS Race Weekend Schedule Food City Race Night Returns Jeff Gordon’s Children Named Grand Marshalls Old Crow Medicine Show headlines AutoTrader’s Pre-Race Concert Scott Miller coming to Capitol Theatre Russian National Ballet performs at NPAC Volunteers needed to remove garlic mustard Abingdon’s Farmers Market Opening Day Hypnopalooza Returns Speedway Children’s Charties Lace up for 5K MerleFest.. Celebrating 28 years Old Oak Festival returns to Tusculum College

music & fun 22 40

Spotlight - Great Music & Fun Times Crossword & Sudoku

columns & reviews

30 Stargazer - “Jupiter: King of the Night” 31 Skies This Week 33 Batteries Not Included - “Where The Music Comes From” 34 Screen Sceens - “Fast & Furious 7” 35 The Trivial Traveler - “Tragedy in the Temple of Music” 39 Lock, Stock & Barrel - “Gunpowder and Smiles” 42 Kelly’s Place - “Google Body Maps and Big Red Buttons”

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WEEKEND SCHEDULE

THURSDAY, APRIL 16, 2015

12:30 pm 12:30 pm to 1:15 pm 1:30 pm to 2:00 pm 2:15 pm to 3:00 pm 5:00 pm

Spectator Gates Open (Gate 10 Only) PITLITE 125 NKNPS-E Practice PITLITE 125 NKNPS-ERookie Practice PITLITE 125 NKNS-E Final practice NKNS-E Qualifying (Two Laps, All Postions)

FRIDAY, APRIL 17, 2015 | FAN FRIDAY

**Hot Pass In Effect** (Entire Infield Area) All Day 12:00 pm Spectator Gates Open 12:00 pm to 1:25 pm FOOD CITY 500 NSCS Practice 1:30 pm to 2:25 pm NXS 300 Practice 3:00 pm to 4:25 pm NXS 300 Final Practice 4:00 pm to 9:00 pm FOOD CITY RACE NIGHT (Bristol Hospitality Village) 4:45 pm FAN FRIDAY NSCS Pole Qualifying 8:00 pm to 9:00 pm FOOD CITY RACE NIGHT 5K 9:30 pm to 11:00 pm Speedway Children’s Charities Rides

SATURDAY, APRIL 18, 2015 NXS 300 | NKNS-E PITLITE 125

**Hot Pass In Effect** (Entire Infield Area) All Day 8:30 am Spectator Gates Open 8:30 am to 9:25 am FOOD CITY 500 NSCS Practice 9:40 am NXS 300 Qualifying 11:30 am to 12:25 pm FOOD CITY 500 NSCS Final Practice 1:00 pm NXS 300 Driver Introductions 1:30 pm Start of the NXS 300 RACE 4:15 pm PITLITE 125 NKNS-E Drivers Introductions 4:30 pm START OF THE PITLITE 125 RACE (125 Laps, 66.63 Miles)

9:00 am 9:00 am to 10:45 am 11:00 am 11:00 am 11:20 am 12:30 pm 1:00 pm

SUNDAY, APRIL 19, 2015 NSCS FOOD CITY 500

Spectator Gates Open SuperPass and Track Walk *HOT PASS IN EFFECT* (Entire Infield Area) NSCS Driver & Crew Meeting (Victory Lane Building) AUTOTRADER.COM Pre-Race Concert FOOD CITY 500 NSCS Driver Introductions START OF THE FOOD CITY 500 NSCS RACE

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Food City Race Night Returns

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to Bristol Motor Speedway

As the area prepares for the onslaught of race fans and RV’s, the folks at Food City are gearing up for their annual Food City Race Night, which will return to Bristol Motor Speedway on Friday, April 17th.

The event paves the way for a weekend of action-packed Nationwide and Sprint Cup racing at one of NASCAR’s most popular venues. Fans can expect a great line-up of driver interactive sessions, along with show cars, simulators, souvenir trailers, entertainment and a smorgasbord of free food samples. Festivities will get underway at 4 p.m. and continue until 9 p.m. Admission is free of charge.

Food City has already received confirmations from several drivers and attractions. Among those already confirmed are: Kasey Kahne, Brad Keselowski, Cole Whitt,

Eric McClure, Joey Gase, Chris Lafferty, Morgan Shepherd, Cole Williams, Gray Gaulding, Danny Casteel, ARCA driver Blake Jones, UARA driver Brandon Rogers, Late Model drivers Harold Crook, Bobby Helton and Matthew Eads, Vintage driver Gary Potter, NASCAR Legends Brownie King, Paul Lewis, Travis Tiller, Larry Utsman and John Utsman, Kart drivers Brandon Morris and Dillon Hodge, Dirt track driver Jordon Horton, Supercross driver Kyle Cunningham and Modified driver Blake Terry.

Free food sampling will begin at 4 p.m. and continue while supplies last. Cody Shuler & Pine Mountain Railroad will take the stage from 4:15 until 5:00 p.m., followed by Jessica Nixon from 5:10 until 6:00 p.m. Welcome ceremonies will begin at 6:00 p.m., featuring MC Larry McReynolds as well

as a special presentation to Dale Earnhardt Jr. and announcements

by Richard Petty and Brad Keselowski. Driver interactive sessions will follow from 6:30 until 8:00 p.m. Tony Justice will perform live in concert from 8 to 9 p.m. The event will close with a special 9:00 p.m. fireworks show (weather permitting). This year’s media sponsors are Bristol Herald Courier and News Channel 11 in your corner.

For a complete listing of Food City Race Night attractions, visit Food City’s website at www.foodcity.com, where updates will be posted. Follow us on Twitter @ FoodCity#FoodCity500 #FCRaceNight. Please note that scheduling and driver appearances are subject to change and autographs are limited to time availability. Food City Race Night in Knoxville, TN is scheduled for Thursday, April 16th at the Knoxville Expo Center

from 4 p.m. until 8 p.m.

Food City is Bristol Motor Speedway’s longest running sponsor and the second longest in NASCAR motorsports. Headquartered in Abingdon, Virginia,

K-VA-T Food Stores (Food City’s parent company) operates 105 retail food outlets throughout the tri-state regions of Southeast Kentucky, Southwest Virginia and Northeast Tennessee.

For a complete listing of Food City’s Race Night attractions...

www.foodcity.com

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Jeff Gordon’s Children Named Grand Marshals for Food City 500 The children of four-time NASCAR Sprint Cup Series champion, Jeff Gordon have been named Grand Marshals for the April 19 Food City 500 at Bristol Motor Speedway. Ella (age 7) and Leo (age 4) will give the command to start the 24th running of the Food City 500.

“Over the years, Jeff Gordon has been a true friend to Food City and our region. He has been a loyal supporter of Food City Family Race Night and raised countless dollars in support of our local food banks through his partnership with AARP’s Drive to End Hunger,” said Steven C. Smith, Food City president and chief executive officer. “In appre-

ciation for his many contributions to our company and our region; and to commemorate his final season competing for a NASCAR Sprint Cup Series championship, we couldn’t think of more befitting Grand Marshals for our Food City 500 than Jeff’s children.”

His combined determination, hard work and decades of experience have achieved an unparalleled roster of victories, boasting 92 career NASCAR Sprint Cup Series victories and third on the all–time wins and pole award lists.

Gordon is a three-time Daytona 500 winner, five-time Brickyard 400 winner, three-time champion of The Sprint All-Star Challenge and four-time Food City 500 win-

ner - and the list goes on and on.

Food City is Bristol Motor Speedway’s longest running sponsor and the second longest in NASCAR motorsports. The Food City 500 gets under way at 1:00 p.m. on Sunday, April 19, 2015. Qualifying for the event takes place on Friday, April 17 at 4:45 p.m. The Drive to Stop Diabetes 300 is scheduled to begin at 1:30 p.m. on Saturday, April 18, followed by the PittLite 125 at 4:30 p.m.

Tickets are still available and may be purchased at www.bristoltix.com or by calling the BMS ticket office at 423-BRISTOL (2747865).

Ella Gordon (age 7) and Leo Gordon (age 4) will give the command to start the 24th running of the Food City 500.

Headquartered in Abingdon, Virginia, K-VA-T Food Stores (Food City’s parent company) operates 105 retail food outlets throughout the tri-state regions of Southeast Kentucky, Southwest Virginia and Northeast Tennessee.

Speedway Motorsports is a leading marketer and promoter of motorsports entertainment in the United States. The Company, through its subsidiaries, owns and operates the following premier facilities: Atlanta Motor Speedway, Bristol Motor Speedway, Charlotte Motor Speedway, Infineon Raceway, Kentucky Speedway, Las Vegas Motor Speedway, New Hampshire Motor Speedway and Texas Motor Speedway. The Company provides souvenir merchandising services through its SMI Properties subsidiaries; manufactures and distributes smaller-scale, modified racing cars and parts through its U.S. Legend Cars International subsidiary; and produces and broadcasts syndicated motorsports programming to radio stations nationwide through its Performance Racing Network subsidiary. The Company also equally-owns Motorsports Authentics, a joint venture formed with International Speedway Corporation to produce, market and sell licensed motorsports merchandise. For more information, visit the Company’s website at www.speedwaymotorsports.com.

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Austin Dillon at last years Ford Fan Friday

Carl Edwards, winner of last years Food City 500 at Bristol

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Old Crow Medicine Show, Two-Time Grammy Winner,

Headlines the AutoTrader Pre-Race Concert at Bristol Motor Speedway

Hot on the heels of collecting their second Grammy, Old Crow Medicine Show isn’t showing any signs of slowing down. In fact, when Old Crow visits Bristol Motor Speedway (BMS), the World’s Fastest Half-Mile, on April 19 for the AutoTrader Pre-Race Concert, race fans at the Food City 500 will witness what some call the greatest string band in the world with punk-rock swagger and an old school country sound.

The talented artists are best known for “Wagon Wheel,” a cocreation of sorts after a teenage Ketch Secor of Old Crow Medicine Show found a discarded song fragment off an old Bob Dylan bootleg recording. Darius Rucker made a pop-country version of “Wagon Wheel” in 2013 and took it to number one. That same year, Old Crow was asked to join country music’s most exclusive club: the Grand Ole Opry.

“Old Crow Medicine Show puts on one of the most electrifying performances I’ve ever seen,” said Jerry Caldwell, general manager for Bristol Motor Speedway. “I think they will ignite Bristol Motor Speedway’s passionate fans in a way that we’ve not seen in a long time.”

Old Crow Medicine Show’s latest album, Remedy, features the Tennessee state flag on the cover, and won a Grammy at Sunday’s 57th annual award show. Remedy marked the highest Billboard debut in the band’s 18-year career and was praised by the press with coverage that included NPR Music, NPR Morning Edition, Garden & Gun, Wall Street Journal, USA Today, Huffington Post, The Associated Press and many more.

Old Crow Medicine Show also performed on CONAN, headlined their biggest tour ever and most recently was the subject of an ex-

tensive profile on CBS This Morning..

“We’re looking forward to playing our first concert at Bristol Motor Speedway and being in Bristol where country music was born,” said Ketch Secor. “I suspect it’s going to feel almost like a homecoming. I grew up in Virginia, lived in Boone, North Carolina and now call Tennessee home. It will be great to see some old friends and meet new ones.”

Tickets are currently available for race weekend by calling (855) 580-5525 or visiting BristolTix. com. While supplies last, Food City 500 ticket holders may add on a pre-race SuperPass and be stageside (on the track) for the concert featuring Old Crow Medicine Show. The SuperPass also includes a Track Walk and track access for Bristol’s wildly popular Food City 500 Driver Introductions.

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Songwriter Scott Miller Coming To Greenville’s Capitol Theatre “10 Unforgettable Moments from Cayamo (annual cruise). You realize how spoiled you are on the boat when the songwriters in the round features Patty Griffin, Buddy Miller, Scott Miller, Allison Moorer and Dar Williams. With each performer getting just three songs each, it was Scott Miller who surprisingly made the big-

gest impact on me and others in the crowd.” ~ Josh Jackson, Paste Magazine Singer songwriter and farmer Scott Miller has just been booked for a special solo, acoustic show on Friday, April 17th at The Capitol Theatre in Greeneville, 104 S. Main St. Music begins at 8 p.m. and is a 21 and over show. For more info on the show, the public can call 423-638-1300 or go to tickets ($22.00).

“These days, ... his solo shows highlight his story-telling -- in and between songs. But they still allow him to kick up the tempo from his extensive catalog of songs, like “Mary” (VRoys), “Ciderville Saturday Night”, “Drunk All Around This Town”, “Eight Miles a Gallon”, and “How Am I Ever Gonna Be Me?” from his most recent CD Big Big World.” ~ NoDepression.com The last two years have seen big changes for Miller who moved home to take over the family cattle farm and establish a new touring base from his hometown of Staunton, VA. During this time of transition and scaled down touring, Miller teamed up with oldtime fiddle maven Rayna Gellert adding another sonic layer to Miller’s newest cd, the Doug Lancioproduced Big Big World, F.A.Y.

Recordings.

Miller’s avid fans will realize that the title phrase points to the artist’s new musical horizons, stretching beyond any of his previous works and reflecting his significant growth as a songwriter.

“History is my jam”, states Miller.

“The story is already there and

all you need to do is find some connection with it and try to connect thatto the listener.”

“Scott Miller tells stories better than most novelists. His intuitive lyrics hide universal heartbreak behind humor. His empathy is unsurpassed.

He bestows dignity on dirt, elevates our pettiest concerns to poetry. He

makes himself and everyman when he is anything but. A single listen reveals how Miller is exceptional, with a delivery so piercing and true you hardly notice how thoroughly you’ve been shot through. See him sing live once, and you’ll never feel lonely again.” ~Allison Glock, Garden and Gun

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Stars of “The Dukes of Hazzard” to host AutoTrader Pre-Race Concert for Food City 500 Autotrader will bring Tom Wopat and John Schneider, stars of the new Autotrader TV commercials and the hit TV series The Dukes of Hazzard to Bristol Motor Speedway as hosts of the Autotrader Pre-Race Concert.

Two-time Grammy winners Old Crow Medicine Show will headline the Autotrader Pre-Race Concert for the Food City 500, Sunday, April 19. Guests at the Food City 500 will be entertained by the group some call the greatest string band in the world with punk-rock swagger and an old school country sound. The talented artists that are best known for “Wagon Wheel” will perform a 30-minute must-see show.

Prior to the Autotrader Pre-Race Concert, hosts Tom Wopat and John Schneider will make an ap-

Dukes of Hazzard stars Tom Wopat and John Schneider hosts the Autotrader Pre-Race Concert.

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pearance from 9:30 - 10:15 a.m. at the Autotrader display in the Fan Zone on the Speedway grounds.

The stars of The Dukes of Hazzard will also cheer on Joey Logano in the Team Penske No. 22 Autotrader Ford Fusion. Autotrader unveiled a special paint scheme showcasing their new logo on the No. 22 for the Food City 500.

Tickets are available for race weekend by calling (855) 580-5525 or visiting BristolTix.com. While supplies last, Food City 500 ticket holders may add on a Pre-Race SuperPass and be stage-side (on the track) for the concert featuring Old Crow Medicine Show. The SuperPass also includes a Track Walk and track access for Bristol’s wildly popular Food City 500 Driver Introductions.

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Russian National Ballet “Cinderella”

at Niswonger Performing Arts Center

Hailed as one of the most exquisite fairy tale ballets of all time, the Russian National Ballet presents “Cinderella” at Niswonger Performing Arts Center on Monday, April 20th at 7:30 PM. This unforgettable ballet will delight audiences of all ages as premier professional dancers from around the world bring this timeless classic to life.

“Cinderella” is the iconic tale of the virtuous servant girl who, with the help of her fairy godmother, is magically transformed and given the opportunity to attend the royal ball. This enchanting tale recounts how a glass slipper leads Cinderella into the arms of her Prince Charming. Despite the scorn of her wickedly jealous stepsisters, Cinderella radiates jubilance, winning the love of the Prince.

Originally performed in Moscow in 1945, this performance is filled with sumptuous costumes, lush scenery, comical stepsisters, and a malevolent stepmother. Featuring an exuberant score by Prokofiev, it is easy to see why ballet enthusiasts have loved this production for generations.

Committed to preserving and rejuvenating the timeless traditions of classical Russian ballet, The Russian National Ballet Theatre was founded in the late 1980’s. The company, then titled the Soviet National Ballet, was founded by and incorporated graduates from the Russian choreographic schools

of Moscow, St. Petersburg, and Perm. Today, the Russian National Ballet Theatre is its own institution, with over 50 dancers of singular instruction and vast experience.

In 1994, the legendary Bolshoi principal dancer Elena Radchenko was selected by Presidential decree to assume the first permanent artistic directorship of the company.

Ms. Radchenko is the founder of the Russian National Ballet Theatre, and she has focused the Company on upholding the Grand National tradition of the major Russian ballet works and developing new talents throughout Russia.

The Russian National Ballet performs “Cinderella” at Niswonger Performing Arts Center (NPAC) in historic downtown Greeneville, TN on Monday, April 20th at 7:30 PM. Tickets are $35 for orchestra level seating, $30 for mezzanine level seating, and $25 for balcony level seating. Tickets may be purchased online at www.npacgreeneville. com, in person at the NPAC box office, or by calling 423-638-1679.

NPAC offers online seat selection and no fee ticketing. The box office hours are Monday through Friday, 10 AM until 5 PM. The 1130 seat performing arts center is located adjacent to the campus of Greeneville High School in Greeneville, TN. For venue information, and to purchase tickets, please visit www.npacgreeneville.com.

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3rd Annual Hands and Feet 5K

A group of students at Milligan College will host the third annual Hands and Feet 5K fun run on Saturday, April 18, to raise money for the Hands and Feet Project, a nonprofit, Christian organization that helps orphaned and abandoned children of the world.

The race will be held on Milligan’s campus and is scheduled to start at 10:30 a.m. in the Milligan Village, residential halls located at the end of Frank Oakes Drive.

There will be a cookout after the race.

Registration is $15 before the day of the race, and the fee increases to

$20 on April 18. All proceeds from the race benefit the Hands and Feet Project, whose current focus is to build villages of homes for children and missionaries in Haiti.

“Whether you run or walk the 3.1 miles, this event is a great opportunity to get some exercise, spend some time with friends and support a wonderful cause,” said senior Brittany Shaffer, one of the organizers (and original creators) of the event.

In 2013, Milligan senior Alicen Simon found out about the Hands and Feet Project and was motivated to do something in her com-

munity to help. She got Shaffer and a group of friends together to plan the 5K and was overwhelmed with the great response from the college and community.

“I love that the Hands and Feet 5K is a student-initiated, studentled event,” said Kristal Dove, director of campus activities. “It represents the best of the servant hearts that exist within the Milligan community.”

Online registration is available at www.milligan.edu/handsandfeet. For more information, e-mail milliganhaf5k@milligan.edu.

ETSU at Kingsport Allandale to hold Spring Yard Sale

The Student Service Board of East Tennessee State University at Kingsport Allandale will hold its Spring Yard Sale on Friday, April 17, from 9 a.m.-3 p.m., in the parking lot at 1501 University Boulevard near Allandale Mansion.

The student organization invites members of the community to participate. Tables are available for a $10 fee to accommodate individuals who wish to sell items

or for commercial representatives who wish to promote businesses.

Donations of money, used books and miscellaneous items are welcome and can be dropped off at the ETSU at Kingsport Allandale main office Monday-Friday, from 8 a.m.-4:30 p.m.

Proceeds from the sale will benefit the Megan Smith Scholarship Fund.

A resident of Church Hill, Smith

Tickets to ‘Oklahoma!’

Musical Now On Sale

Tickets to the upcoming production of “Oklahoma!” by the Greeneville High School Choral Department are now on sale.

The Pulitzer Prize-winning Rodgers and Hammerstein’s musical will be performed at the Niswonger Performing Arts Center (NPAC) on Friday, April 17, at 7 p.m.; Saturday, April 18, at 2 and 7 p.m.; and Sunday, April 19, at 2 p.m. Tickets are reserved seating and cost $12 each. They are available at the NPAC box office Monday-Friday, 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Only cash or checks are accepted for this performance, and a limited number of tickets are available.

“This is our first-scale musical in more than 25 years, so we are very excited,’ Kathryn May, GHS Choir

was a 2008 graduate of Volunteer High School and had just completed her freshman year at ETSU at Kingsport Allandale at the time of her death in 2009.

The scholarship established in her memory has assisted six students so far.

For further information, contact the ETSU at Kingsport Allandale main office at 423-392-8000.

director, said. “We have a cast and crew of nearly 100 talented students, along with many generous adults who are helping with the acting, music and choreography.”

“Oklahoma!” is based on Lynn Riggs’ 1931 play, “Green Grow the Lilacs.” Set in Oklahoma Territory in 1906, the musical centers around the story of cowboy Curly McLain and his romance with farm girl Laurey Williams.

“From folk songs to square dances to a special ballet sequence, Oklahoma! is guaranteed to entertain and impress,” May said. “The musical really highlights the great talent we have at Greeneville High School.”

GHS Chorus is under the direction of May, who is assisted by Matthew Brickey, assistant director and choral assistant. For this production, stage manager is Erin Hensley Schultz, choregrapher is Kim Berry, and vocal coach is Cindy Sams.

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In An Ideal World

Film documents prison desegregation, transformation Filmmaker Noel Schwerin spent nearly 10 years in prison in Soledad, Calif. – not as an inmate, but to document their struggle. The result was a perspective on prison culture and hierarchies that few people outside correctional facilities ever see, much less understand.

Mary B. Martin School of the Arts at ETSU will present A Kind of Order (newly titled In An Ideal World) with filmmaker Schwerin as a part of the South Arts Southern Circuit Tour of Independent Filmmakers on Monday, April 20, at 7 p.m. in Ball Hall Auditorium.

The film is free and open to the public and will be followed by a Q&A and reception with producer/director Schwerin.

“A good story needs to be told,” Schwerin says. “People just need to trust others to tell it.”

It is for this reason, Schwerin decided to go deep inside a California prison to explore and honor the human drama at its core.

Schwerin’s feature documentary A

Kind of Order (In An Ideal World) follows three men – a warden, a white separatist and a black exgangbanger – for seven years inside the Correctional Training Facility in Soledad, Calif., as they strive to move beyond the stark reality of America’s locked-down racial order. Challenged by a novel anti-violence program and a U.S. Supreme Court order, their struggles reveal the hope and hidden risks of transformative change.

“The media is reporting plenty regarding the increasing rates of mass incarceration within our state and federal prisons, and many are calling for change of different types,” says Anita DeAngelis, director of Mary B. Martin School of the Arts. “However, there are often hidden risks with change, and A Kind of Order will allow us to discuss a change impacting the racial order of one California prison.”

The screening is also a part of ETSU’s Civility Week activities and the “Think. Live. Respect.”

series, sponsored by ETSU’s Division of Student Affairs. The series is intended to spark thought and conversation all across campus this spring.

Researched for 10 and shot over seven years with unlimited access, the film is an immersive story told firsthand, without outside experts or narration. “No one has ever been granted access into the prison as long as we were,” Schwerin says.

The white warden at ease with authority, the separatist Mafioso and the black gangbanger come from different worlds. Each came into the system very young, learned the convict/cop “codes” from their groups, and over three decades gained power and influence in prison.

All three men have spent their entire adult lives in prison, sharing a culture that has, in just that time, institutionalized the Ameri-

Ideal World .......

Continued on page 16

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World Permiere Science Fiction Staged at Barter Stage II “The Starving,” a never-beforeseen tale of food shortages and generational oppositions, will begin playing at Barter Stage II on April 21. It was the critic’s selection of Barter’s 2013 Appalachian Festival of Plays and Playwrights, and is part of Barter’s Shaping of America Series.

“The Starving” imagines a world where massive food shortages push people to make extreme choices, pitting generations against each other for survival.

In the not-so-distant future, the young have risen up against the old. Two representatives, Marion and Murphy, have been chosen to negotiate the future of all society. With the fate of all humanity resting on their shoulders, Marion and Murphy look for answers to the greatest of questions. Discover who will triumph and if winning is even an option.

Barter’s Shaping of America Series began in 2011, and produces one play per year focusing on where America came from and where it is headed. In the year

production, said, “I believe ‘The Starving’ is one of the most relevant plays we’ve offered in our Shaping of America Series. It offers us a chance to imagine the future and think about how we might make it better.”

Emelie Faith Thompson, Michael Poisson and Emily Grove will appear in “The Starving.”

David L. Williams, the author of “The Starving,” has written more than 25 plays and musicals, four of which were selected for the New York International Fringe Festival. “Williams’ work has been produced throughout the country,” says Piper, “We are thrilled to debut this talented playwright’s original work.”

“The Starving” will begin showThe young and the old struggle against each other for bread they both need. ing on Barter’s Stage II on April 21, 2026, when the program will com- is today. for a limited run ending on May 9. plete, it will mark the 250th an“The Starving” is made possible “The Starving” is the first play niversary of the founding of The in the Shaping of America Series by corporate sponsor Big Weenie United States. “The Starving,” is to look forward in the future of Productions. The Barter Theatre the fourth play to be produced America rather than looking to the is funded in part by the Virginia as part of this series, which is de- past for answers.

Commission for the Arts and the signed to create a 15-play volume Nicholas Piper, director of this National Endowment for the Arts. of work describing who America

Track Facts • Richard Petty holds the record at BMS for most top 10 finishes with a total of 37.

• Richard Petty and Darrell Waltrip are tied for the record at BMS for most top five finishes with 26 each.

• Kyle Busch leads all Nationwide Series drivers in wins at BMS with six.

• The most lead changes occurred at BMS in the 1991 Valleydale 500 when Rusty Wallace won the race after 40 lead changes.

• Johnny Allen crossed the finish line first in the inaugural BMS race, but he was driving in relief of Jack Smith, who gets credit for Bristol’s first victory.

• Kyle Busch leads all Camping World Truck Series drivers in wins at BMS with four.

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Ideal World ......

Continued from page 14 can racial landscape in ways that we are only beginning to understand, and that may prove very difficult to undo.

“In an Ideal World is heroic filmmaking …” says Joan Petersilia, Adelbert H. Sweet professor of law at Stanford Law School. “In an Ideal World is rich, insightful and occasionally heartbreaking.

This is a must-see film for anyone who cares about prison reform, prisoner re-entry and racial tensions in America. It is a film I will not soon forget.”

The film tells the stories of many of the inmates, not from the outside in, but from inside their world. “We’re all prisoners,” says inmate Ernest Kirkwood. “We all done broke the law. You know, this guy over here is no different than me. When the man says, ‘Stand up!’ for the 5 o’clock count, he means him just like me. I don’t care if you’re black, white, Mexican, whatever.”

“It goes back to that only the strong survive,” says Soledad inmate John Piccirillo.

The men learn how to navigate prison’s complex, violent and deeply entrenched, racially di-

vided culture, but now find themselves on the cusp of potentially radical change. “It is a uniquely human endeavor,” Schwerin says.

Schwerin has written, produced and directed award-winning films, including two national PBS primetime specials: Bloodlines and A Question of Genes. Bloodlines was used by the U.S. Senate, National Association of Women Judges and Federal Judicial Center, winning top honors at the National Association of Science Writers and the Association of Women in Communications. The two-hour A Question of Genes won a special citation in CPB’s Report on Public Broadcasting and The Needs of Minority and Diverse Audiences, and is excerpted at San Jose’s Tech Museum of Innovation and the American Museum of Natural History in New York.

For more information about the film, visit www.idealworldfilm. org.

The Southern Circuit Tour of Independent Filmmakers is a program of South Arts. Southern Circuit screenings are funded in part by a grant from South Arts in partnership with the National Endowment for the Arts. South Arts, founded in 1975, is a nonprofit regional arts organization building on the South’s unique heritage

and enhancing the public value of the arts. Their work responds to the arts environment and cultural trends with a regional perspective through an annual portfolio of activities designed to address the role of the arts in impacting the issues important to our region, and linking the South with the nation and the world through arts.

For information about the film, film series or the ETSU Mary B. Martin School of the Arts, call 423439-TKTS (8587) or visit www. etsu.edu/martin. Please “Like” ETSU Mary B. Martin School of the Arts on Facebook and follow it on Twitter and Instagram @ArtsAtETSU.

Great American Cleanup waste collection event set for April 18 As citizens begin spring cleaning, they are reminded that the City’s annual Great American Cleanup event will take place from 9 a.m. until 1 p.m. on Saturday, April 18. Metals, waste and other household items not normally collected by City crews will be accepted. Prohibited items include: air conditioners, hazardous materials, paint, televisions, tires and CRT monitors. Loads should not exceed pickup truck size.

Collection sites will be: the corner of Legion Street and State of Franklin Road; and Freedom Hall Parking Lot I (near the vocational school).

For more information, please call Solid Waste Services at (423)975-2792.

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Volunteers needed to remove invasive garlic mustard in the Highlands of Roan Southern Appalachian Highlands Conservancy hosts event in honor of Earth Day

In honor of Earth Day, SAHC is partnering with Roan Mountain State Park, the Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation and AmeriCorps Project Conserve to remove invasive garlic mustard sprouts from the Park and heavily trafficked routes around Carver’s Gap on Saturday, April 18.

“When beautiful native wildflowers start sprouting in spring, destructive invasive species like garlic mustard tag right along,” said SAHC AmeriCorps Stewardship Associate Andrea Thompson.

“Plucking out the pesky invaders when they’re young and tender isn’t hard work, but it does take a lot of hands.”

SAHC is recruiting volunteers from both Tennessee and North Carolina to help with this ambitious project. The early shoots are not difficult to pull, but do require widespread effort.

“Garlic mustard is a major threat to native wildlife and ecosystem integrity because it outcompetes native plants by monopolizing resources such as sunlight and water,” continued Thompson. “Removing garlic mustard from thoroughfares such as Roan Mountain State Park and public roadsides is crucial to controlling the establishment and spread of this invasive species. Eradicating garlic mustard is basically simple, but it takes time and persistence.”

Volunteers will meet at Roan

Mountain State Park at 9:30 am, then divide into groups and disperse across the Park and along public roadsides to work. Participants will break for lunch from 12:00 - 1:00 pm, with garlic mustard pesto provided as an appetizer. After 1:00 pm, volunteers have the option to continue working until 2:30 pm or join an AmeriCorps educational opportunity and moderate 3-4 mile hike along the Appalachian Trail.

To sign up as a volunteer, please contact Andrea Thompson, SAHC AmeriCorps Stewardship Associate at andrea@appalachian.org or (828) 253-0095 ext 212.

About Southern Appalachian Highlands Conservancy: The mission of the Southern Appalachian Highlands Conservancy (a land trust) is to conserve the unique plant and animal habitat, clean water, farmland and scenic beauty of the mountains of North Carolina and Tennessee for the benefit of present and future generations. SAHC was founded in 1974 and has protected over 68,000 acres across ten counties in Western North Carolina and East Tennessee, from the Highlands of Roan to the edge of the Great Smoky Mountains National Forest. SAHC regularly offers outreach experiences and guided hikes to connect people with protected properties.

For more information, visit www. appalachian.org

Page 18, The Loafer • April 14, 2015

The Abingdon Farmers Market Celebrate Opening Day with Free Activities, Giveaways and More!

The Abingdon Farmers Market will kick off its regular season Saturday, April 18th, from 8am to 1pm. The market is located on the corner of Remsburg Dr. and Cummings Street in Abingdon, VA. There will be a variety of events taking place: market bucks giveaways, food sampling, cooking demonstrations, and other food educational activities to celebrate the beginning of a new Farmers Market season. There will also be over 50 vendors from local farms and artisans, selling their goods and promoting fresh, local food throughout the community.

This will be the official beginning to the 2015 market season that will continue through Thanksgiving with hours of operation on Saturday mornings from 8am- 1pm and Tuesday afternoons from 3pm-6pm.

To celebrate the kickoff, the first 30 guests to visit the Abing-

don Farmers Market will receive a free gift. Plus, the Abingdon Farmers Market version of eye-spy will get started at 8am and last until the last market buck is awarded.

There will be AFM logos hidden throughout the pavilion. Each customer who finds a logo and reports this finding to the Market Manager Booth, in the center of the pavilion, will receive a $5 market buck to be used at any vendor stand located on the pavilion.

On the lawn there will be a chef demo booth where customers can sample food that Chef Nathan Breeding, of Southern Culture Farm to Table Food Service, has prepared with locally grown ingredients. There will also be a food safety booth, for all customers to learn a bit more about food safety at home, and meet the region’s “Food Safety Specialist,” Dottie Havlik. She will also be available to conduct nutrition guides for

anyone who is interested.

Families will find plenty to do on the 18th, because in coordination with the Opening Day of the Abingdon Farmers Market, the Town of Abingdon will be celebrating Earth Day just across the street, on the grounds of the Fields-Penn 1860 House. The Earth Day celebration will include kids activities, giveaways, demonstrations and more.

Summer market hours are Saturdays, 8am-1pm & Tuesdays, 3pm-6pm, through November.

There are several new events planned for this season, including a Strawberry Festival, Tomato Festival, and “SquashtoberFest” in October, along with other events to celebrate the bounty of locally produced foods and goods. They expect a full season, over 50 fulltime vendors, offering a wide variety of local meats, eggs, cheeses, vegetables, fruits, wines, prepared

foods, art & crafts and even a couple food trucks. Now you can find even more of your everyday needs at the Abingdon Farmers Market.

For more information, contact Market Manager Haley Stewart at

(276)-698-1434 or abingdonmarket@gmail.com. You can also visit the market website at www.abingdonfarmersmarket.com or follow them on Facebook, Instagram or Twitter.

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Local Artist Eric Cunningham featured in book about Self-Taught Art

Eric Cunningham of Bristol, Tenn., is one of 32 artists featured in the recently published book “When the Spirit Speaks: SelfTaught Art of the South” by Margaret Day Allen.

This book introduces the reader to self-taught artists in the Southeastern United States. Some have already come to the attention of collectors and scholars. Many

others have been unrecognized outside of their immediate neighborhoods. What they all have in common is an unquenchable desire to make art.

The author, Margaret Day Allen, is a communications professional living in North Carolina.

She worked as assistant news editor of the Bristol Herald-Courier in the mid-1980s.

She said: “This book was a labor of love that took about six years to complete. My husband and I had been collecting this type of art and had gotten to know a number of the artists. Although this type of art, sometimes called folk art or outsider art, is gaining in popularity and recognition, many of the artists were not well known outside of their home communities.

I hope this book will make more people aware of self-taught art and the extraordinary people who make it.”

She added: “The first time I saw Eric Cunningham’s art, I realized it was something that spoke to many people’s feelings about life in the South. Eric, who jokingly refers to his work as ‘white trash folk art,’ puts his own, unique spin on subjects including moonshining, country music, professional wrestling, and the religious practice of snake handling. Although he

may treat the subject in a humorous way, he is always respectful of these Southern traditions, which he feels are threatened by modern mass culture.”

Artist, Eric Cunningham is flattered to be included in this cultural document.

“I feel very honored to be featured as an artist in the book When The Spirit Speaks Self Taught Art Of The South. The book is filled with many talented self-taught artists who work in different mediums. I also hope that when people read the book that they may be exposed and/or express an interest in this alternative form of art,” he said.

“Born and raised in Appalachia I have always been a fan of the southern inspired themes, the people, the heritage, the customs, and the weirdness that makes our area unique. I am a fan of folk art and consider the art of Howard Finster

to be my greatest influence. I developed my own style of art that is a cross of Americana/Folk/ and Pop that I call Appalachian Disasterpieces,” he added.

“When the Spirit Speaks: SelfTaught Art of the South,” may be purchased online from amazon. com, bn.com (Barnes & Noble online), and from many independent bookstores

Page 20, The Loafer • April 14, 2015

The 39 Steps Mixes Comedy and Hitchcock

Patrick Barlow’s stage adaptation of Alfred Hitchcock’s The 39 Steps mixes slapstick comedy with the suspense and adrenaline of a dramatic spy thriller. Jonesborough Repertory Theatre takes on the production for a limited time: April 9 – 19.

Based on the 1935 suspense thriller movie, The Thirty-Nine Steps by Alfred Hitchcock, the stage production opens on a man in London who tries to help a counter-espionage agent prevent an organization of spies called “The 39 Steps” from stealing top secret information. When the agent is killed and the main character stands accused of the mur-

der, he goes on the run to save himself and stop the spy ring.

The stage adaptation of Hitchcock’s 1935 film takes an unexpectedly comedic twist as JRT’s four talented actors assume every character from master-spy to farmer. “The quartet switches between roles right before your eyes,” the show’s director Heather Knudtsen said. “They assemble bridges out of ladders and train cars out of trunks, giving The 39 Steps an energetic spontaneity.”

“Beautiful, mysterious woman pursued by gunmen. Sounds like a spy story,” lead character Richard Hannay says in a scene from the play. You’ll see a blonde heroine,

dramatic lighting and most excitingly the suspense Hitchcock is known for.

“The sinister spies plotting the demise of old England and the mad chase along the side of a speeding locomotive will be familiar to fans of the original story of The 39 Steps,” Knudsten said.

“But the play is fully reworked in an almost Vaudevillian style.

When I say film noir and slapstick in the same sentence, I usually get funny looks. But as unimaginable as it may seem, these two flavors come together in a fresh and engaging way in The 39 Steps.”

The busy cast of four at JRT takes on up to 30 combined roles in The 39 Steps. The cast includes recent Singin’ In The Rain leads, Lucas Schmidt as Richard Hannay and Kylie Green as Annabella, Margaret and Pamela. They are joined by dynamic duo Derek Smithpeters and Austin Wingate.

The show is directed by Heather Knudtsen, who most recently

brought A Christmas Story to the JRT stage.

“Plays like The 39 Steps are living proof that the human imagination knows no bounds,” Knudtsen said. “If we do our job correctly, you will want to imagine the intricate details of the story with us.

And the result of that is an experience that no ready-made story on a screen can offer. This of course, is a truth well known in the storytelling town of Jonesborough.”

The 39 Steps has graced both Broadway and London’s West End, where it is still currently running. In 2008 it received, among others, the Tony award for Best

Play. In 2007 it received the Drama Desk award for Best Comedy.

The show will open on April 9 and run through April 19 with shows at 7:30 p.m. Thursday through Saturday, and matinee performances at 2 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday. Tickets are now available for $15 general admission, $13 for seniors and students, with group discounts available for 15 or more for $10. Jonesborough Repertory Theatre is located at 125 1/2 Main St., Jonesborough, next to the Historic Eureka Inn. To purchase tickets, or for more information, visit jonesboroughtheatre. com or call 423-753-1010.

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Page 22, The Loafer • April 14, 2015

Spotlight D TUESDAY - April 14

SOUTHERN REBELLION

OLD SCHOOL REVUE

JASON LLOYD & FRIENDS

BILLY CRAWFORD BAND

LEGACY - 5:30 pm

at Biggie’s Clam Bar

THE MATCHSELLERS ERSKIN ANAVITARTE at Acoustic Coffeehouse

WEDNESDAY - April 15 JOY TRUSKOWSKI

(Multi - instrumental loop pedal) at The Harvest Table Restuarant

JASON “THE COMEBACK KID” EDWARDS TAIL LIGHT REBELLION at Acoustic Coffeehouse

THURSDAY - April 16

7pm at Sonny’s Marina & Cafe at Bone Fire Smokehouse

MARK LARKINS

SOUTHERN REBELLION -7:30 pm BENNY WILSON BAND - 9:00 pm

SOUTHERN SOUND

COLD CREEK w/ BIG DON

at Triple B Brewery

(Classic Country & Southern Rock) at Silver Spur

SCOTT MILLER at Capitol Theatre

ELIJAH FEELGOOD at Biggie’s Clam Bar

SOUTHERN COUNTRYMEN BAND (Country)

at The Outdoorsman

ACOUSTIFRIED (Country)

at Country Club Bar & Grill

NIGHTSHIFT

JAZZ

(Country, Southern Rock, Oldies) 7:30pm at Family Barn

JEFF SHAYNE

at Triple B Brewery

at Wellington’s - Carnegie Hotel 7pm at Sonny’s Cafe

7pm at David Thompson’s Produce

MARK LARKINS

at Earhart Campground

at Country Club Bar & Grill

BILLY CRAWFORD at Holiday Inn (Exit 7)

SOUTHERN COUNTRYMEN BAND (Country)

at Buffalo Ruritan 7pm

MISSING PARSONS REPORT at Bone Fire Smokehouse

HOPE GRIFFIN THESE ARE THE ANGLES DUSTIN TOLLEY at Acoustic Coffeehouse

RAILWAY EXPRESS at Triple B Brewery

BONEYARD REJECTS

MARK LARKINS

BONEYARD REJECTS

CIRCUS MUTT

SATURDAY - April 18

SUNDAY - April 19

STEPHEN EVANS SKYE STEELE HOUSE OF BOOGIE

CATFISH FRYE BAND

at Sonny’s Marina & Cafe 4-8pm

at Uncorked

at Bone Fire Smokehouse

at The Acoustic Coffeehouse

FRIDAY - April 17 CATFISH FRYE BAND (Rockin’ Boogie Blues) 8pm at Quaker Steak & Lube

DAN DEEL - 5:30pm ARBELLA JONES - 7:30pm BENTON BLOUNT - 9:30 pm at Earhart Campground

ADRIENNE MACK-DAVIS AMY ALLEN at Acoustic Coffeehouse

at Rush Street

(Rockin’ Boogie Blues) 9pm at Biggie’s Clam Bar

JUKE BOX BOYS

at Rush Street

JOSH ARNOLD KACEY SMITH

10am at Earhart Campground

7pm at Sonny’s Marina & Cafe

MARSHALL BALLEW

at Carter Family Fold

KYLE ADEM THE GRAVEYARD JAW

FOLK SOUL REVIVAL REBECCA LEE DANIELS - 7pm NONE TO DONE - 8 pm

at Bone Fire Smokehouse

at Acoustic Coffeehouse

KRYSS DULA & FRIENDS - 9pm

MONDAY - April 20

at The Willow Tree Coffeehouse & Music Room

JOEY RUSSELL DOUG SMITH & WAYFARING STRANGER

at Sleepy Owl Brewery

OPEN MIC

DAISI RAIN - 10pm THIS MOUNTAIN - 11pm STONECASTER

at Bristol’s Pickin’ Porch at Acoustic Coffeehouse

11 E Sports Bar 5580 Blue Springs Prkwy Greenville 423/ 525-1292 Abingdon Moose Lodge 15605 Porterfield Hwy Abgindon VA 276/628-2756 Acoustic Coffeehouse 415 W Walnut St. Johnson City 423/434.9872 Biggies Clam Bar 417 W Stone Dr Kingsport 423/765-9633 Bone Fire Smokehouse at the Hardware 260 W Main St Abingdon Va 276/623-0037 Bristol’s Pickin’ Porch 620 State St Bristol 423/573-2262 Buffalo Ruritan 200 Willowbrook Dr. Bluff City 423/391-7382 Capitol Theatre Greeneville TN Carter Family Fold 3449 A. P. Carter Hwy Hiltons Va 276/594-0676 Chick – Fil-A 2103 W Market St Johnson City 423/ 232-2880 Country Club Bar & Grill 3080 W State St Bristol 423/844-0400 David Thompson’s Produce 251 Highway 107 Jonesborough 423/913-8123 Earhart Campground Bristol TN 423/764-4406 Elizabethton Moose Lodge 288 Lovers Lane Elizabethton 423/542-5454 Family Barn Hansonville VA Friends of Kgt Senior Center 1200 E Center St Kingsport The Harvest Table Restaurant 13180 Meadowview Sq Meadowview Va 276/944-5140 Holiday Inn (Exit 7) 3005 Linden Dr Bristol Va 265/466-4100

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April 14, 2015 • The Loafer, Page 23

Directory Marker “2’ Grill at Lakeview Marina Kingsport Moose Lodge 15605 Porterfield Hwy Abingdon, VA 276/ 628-2756 Old South 601 Spring St Johnson City 423/929-3663 O’Mainnin’s Pub 712 State St Bristol 423/844-0049 The Outdoorsman 4535 Highway 11W Kingsport Quaker Steak & Lube Bristol Renaissance Center 1200 E Center St Kingsport 423/392-8415 Rush Street 1229 E Stone Dr Kingsport 423/247-3184 Show Palace 14364 Lee Hwy Bristol Va 276/494-6610 Silver Spur Gate City VA Sleepy Owl Brewry 151 E. Main St. Kingsport 423/390-8476 Sonny’s Marina & Café 109 One St. Gray TN 423/283-4014 Stone Drive Eagles 926 E Stone Drive Kingsport 423/2456-6148 Triple B Brewery 935 Wilcox Ct. #105 Kingsport 423/963-3609 Uncorked Kingsport TN Wellington’s Restaurant Carnegie Hotel 1216 W State of Franklin Rd, JC 423/979-6400 The Willow Tree Coffeehouse & Music Room 216 E Main St Johnson City Woodstone Deli 3500 Fort Henry Dr Kingsport 423/245-5424

Hope Griffin The Acoustic Coffeehouse Saturday, April 18th | 8pm

Singer-songwriter Kyle Adem The Acoustic Coffee House Sunday, April 19th | 8 PM

“Kyle Adem is an eclectic singer/songwriter from Knoxville, TN. His sound borrows from the vast vernacular of folk, indie-pop and Americana in order to create a truly compelling and personal narrative in the vein of visionary artists the likes of Tom Waits, , Bright Eyes, Bob Dylan or Johnny Cash, just to name a few.

Adem’s earnest and evocative blend of lyricism is a big part of his music: The storytelling approach is emotional, yet highly relatable, as showcased on his latest EP, Beautiful Dreamer. Songs such as “Goodnight, July” transcend the folk footprint and dive into experimental sounds with a dream-pop flavour: such details highlight Kyle’s willingness to set the bar higher and bring a sense of authenticity and realness to the music.”

Page 24, The Loafer • April 14, 2015

Hypnopalooza returns to Northeast State April 16

The Melting Pot Celebrating 25 Years The Melting Pot, an outreach to the downtown community at Munsey Memorial United Methodist Church, will celebrate 25 years of ministry on Sunday, April 19th, 2:00-4:00. There will be free outdoor American folk, classic rock, and blues entertainment.

Two musicians – Mick Kyte and Dustin Tolley – will each bring favorite cover songs as well as new

originals. The Melting Pot, which was born after the 1989 Christmas Eve fire at the John Sevier Center, is a seven-day-a-week place of helping neighbors with meals and friendship. It is located at the corner of Roan and Water Streets in the heart of downtown Johnson City. All are welcome! www. munsey.org

How does he do it? Only hypnotist and mentalist Rich Aimes knows!

Aimes returns to Northeast State with his mesmerizing “Hypnopalooza!” show on April 16.

Aimes will give a free performance at noon and again 7 p.m. in the Wellmont Regional Center for the Performing Arts on the Blountville campus, adjacent to Tri-Cities Regional Airport.

Aimes makes audience members the stars of the show by putting them into funny situations as hypnotic subjects. The performance sheds some light on the power of suggestion and influence that can be exerted on the human thought with the right prompting.

Aimes’ dramatic flair and uncanny mentalist abilities has won over audiences across the country.

Aimes is a board certified hypnotist with the National Board of Hypnotist Education and Certification (NBHEC) and studied psychology and theater as an un-

dergraduate. As a student of hypnosis, he trained in Los Angeles and Florida with some of the top hypnotists in the country. Marielle, his wife and stage partner, is also a board certified hypnotist with NBHEC. The couple has wowed colleges, corporate clients, state fairs, and theme parks with his uncanny mental abilities.

This is the perfect event for relieving end-of-semester strains and stresses, and you are invited to bring your students, family, friends, and colleagues. Students of psychology, performing arts, and speech should especially enjoy this program (as well as anyone who needs a relaxing “escape”).

Aimes’ performances are being sponsored by the Northeast State Cultural Activities Committee.

The performance is free and open to the public. For more information, contact 423.279.7669 or e-mail jpkelly@NortheastState.edu.

MORE Track Facts • In August of 2010, Kyle Busch made NASCAR history by sweeping the Sprint Cup, Nationwide and Camping World Truck Series’ events at BMS. It was the first time a driver had won all three events at the same track in the same week/weekend.

• Darrell Waltrip leads all drivers in the win category at BMS with 12 victories. Tied for second with nine wins each is Dale Earnhardt, Rusty Wallace and Cale Yarborough. Jeff Gordon and Kurt Busch are the current drivers with the most wins with five apiece.

• The only father-son combinations to have competed in and won Sprint Cup races at BMS are Ned and Dale Jarrett, Bobby and Davey Allison and Dale and Dale Earnhardt Jr. • Elliott Sadler’s victory in 2001 Food City 500 was the first for Bristol victory for Stuart, Va.’s, famed Wood Brothers team.

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Page 26, The Loafer • April 14, 2015

Speedway Children’s Charties Laces Up for New Spring 5K Race

to return, especially on the 50-year an honor.” anniversary of my 1965 VolunTo reserve seat or a table for teer 500 win,” said NASCAR Hall the Speedway Children’s Charities of Famer, Ned Jarrett. “I’m also (SCC) annual dinner, presented extremely pleased to be there in by Tele-Optics, contact the Brissupport of Speedway Children’s tol SCC office at (423) 989-6975 or the Food City Race Night activi- Charities Bristol chapter. The Jar- email betsy@bristolmotorspeedties. Registration is only $25 and rett family has always been sup- way.com. Additional event inforcan be submitted at www.bristol. portive of all children’s charities. mation can be found at www.brisspeedwaycharities.org.

My son Glenn and I welcome the tol.speedwaycharities.org on the “We are thrilled to give fans opportunity to assist Speedway events tab. and supporters of Speedway Chil- Children’s Charities, it is indeed dren’s Charities this new springtime opportunity to run at Bristol Motor Speedway,” said Claudia Byrd, executive director of Bristol • Bristol Motor Speedway was estabished in 1961.

Speedway Children’s Charities. • BMS Track Dimensions: “The 5K race along with the an- 0.533-mile concrete oval known as the “World’s Fasest Half Mile” nual dinner hosted by two racing - Concrete racing surface is 40-feet wide. legends will kick off an amazing - Straightaways are 650-feet long. spring race weekend.”

• NASCAR stands for “National Associatin of Stock Car Auto Racing” On Thursday, April 16, at 6:30 • The creation of NASCAR is credited to bootleggers, who began modip.m., Speedway Children’s Chari- fying their cars to outrun the police. ties annual dinner, presented by • The first NASCAR race was held in Feb. of 1948 on the beach of DayTele-Optics, will be hosted by tona, Florida.

NASCAR Hall of Fame inductee • NASCAR is the larget spectator sport in America.

Ned Jarrett and his oldest son, for- • NASCAR race cars use a 4-speed transmission. mer driver and now pit reporter, • NASCAR uses an unleaded, ethanol fuel blend.

Glenn Jarrett. The dinner will be • Nitrogen is used in the tires rather than air because it has a more conheld at the Bruton Smith Building sistent rate of expansion and contraction. in the third floor banquet room.

• NASCAR drivers can experience 3 Gs of force against their bodies, “Bristol has always been one of comparable to the forces pressing down on shuttle astronauts at liftoff. my favorite places, so I’m pleased • Drivers can lose up to 10 pounds of fluid during a race through sweat.

FAST FACTS

Since 1961, racing at Bristol Motor Speedway has been focused on speed, agility and the strongest will survive.

Those same traits apply as Speedway Children’s Charities and Academy Sports + Outdoors invite friends to lace up Friday, April 17, at 8 p.m. for a 5K race, the first in a three-race series.

“As we look forward to opening our first store in Johnson City we are excited to partner with the Bristol Chapter of Speedway Children’s Charities for the Spring 5k

Race,” said Tammi Hysell, Academy Sports + Outdoors’ senior director of promotions. “This event is a phenomenal way to establish our relationship with the community and support active-minded families in the Tri-Cities.”

Runners and walkers will take in the sights and sounds of Bristol Motor Speedway during the Food City 500 race weekend. The route will include a tour through the campgrounds, a lap around the Last Great Colosseum and cross the finish line near the entrance to

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BMS Facility Map & Seating Chart

April 14, 2015 • The Loafer, Page 27

Page 28, The Loafer • April 14, 2015

MerleFest Celebrating 28 Years

MerleFest, presented by Window World and slated for April 23-26, celebrates its 28th year. The four-day event, an annual homecoming of musicians and music fans, takes place on the campus of Wilkes Community College in Wilkesboro, North Carolina.

MerleFest offers a genre-crossing mix of traditional and contemporary roots music, a music blend that legendary roots musician Doc Watson named “traditional plus.”

It brings together the very best of bluegrass, contemporary acoustic, blues, folk, old-time, Cajun, jazz, country, Celtic, Americana, rock and singer-songwriter music.

Over 80 artists will perform on 13 stages, including Dwight Yoakam, The Avett Brothers, The Marshall Tucker Band, Robert Earl Keen, Lee Ann Womack, Trampled By Turtles and many more.

“This year MerleFest is pleased to welcome back Hot Rize, last seen at MerleFest in 2003. And this will mark the first MerleFest appearance for Grammy Awardwinning The Earls of Leicester,” said Ted Hagaman, festival director. “Béla Fleck and Abigail Washburn’s 2015 appearance is also creating a lot of buzz. It seems our fans are really excited about this year’s complete lineup. They always get excited to see Sam Bush, Peter Rowan, Jim Lauderdale, David Holt, The Kruger Brothers, the Nashville Bluegrass Band and others who performed with Doc Watson.

“Of course, we will continue to honor and memorialize Doc, who helped found this festival.

Through his guidance and artistic creativity, MerleFest has grown into a world-class festival. MerleFest will always honor the memory and contributions of Doc and his son Merle,” added Hagaman.

“As always, we take pride in the diversity presented in this year’s lineup. That is a credit to Doc Watson, who always believed that all genres of music should be celebrated.”

The willingness of some performers to step outside their traditional musical comfort zone is what festival organizers consider one of the things that adds the “plus” to the trademark description as being “traditional plus.”

This year, MerleFest is featuring some new additions to its programing.

“MerleFest has gotten a reputation for creating special music, moments and memories with the unique collaborations and spontaneous jams that occur over the course of the four days of the festival,” said Steve Johnson, artist relations manager for the festival.

“Doc Watson started a lot of these collaborations at the festival years ago, and it’s great to see artists continue that tradition today. This year is no different as we continue some long-standing sets and have added new ones.”

One such feature is the Doc Watson Guitar Tribute, a one-time-only as-

sembly of music’s top guitar players in performance together, led

by Jack Lawrence and featuring David Holt, T. Michael Coleman, The South Carolina Broadcasters, Roy Book Binder, Tim Stafford (Blue Highway), Bill Mize, Stephen Mougin, Uwe Kruger, Adam Lawrence and Jacob Burleson. The event, created specifically for MerleFest 2015, will be part of Satur-

planned. These include Americana artist and fan favorite Jim Lauderdale with North Mississippi Allstars on Friday, The Del McCoury Band’s playing the songs of Woodie Guthrie on Friday, the “Sunset Jam” with The Kruger Brothers and special guests on Friday, and “Lucid Dreamer,” by The Kruger Brothers and the Kontras Quartet on Sunday,” said Johnson. “And so many of the special collaborations that have become part of MerleFest legend weren’t planned; they came together mere minutes before the artists hit the stage!”

Midnight Jam is the Saturday after-hours hootenanny that has produced artistic collaborations and one-of-a-kind superstar jams that have become legendary in the festival’s history. This year’s Jam is presented in partnership with The Bluegrass Situation and hosted by The Steel Wheels.

Another unique jam session is the annual Hillside Album Hour – where a revered or iconic album is performed live from start to finish – which had its official start in 2008, when festival favorites The Waybacks were asked to host a

day’s Watson Stage schedule.

Other unique jams featured at MerleFest include the Midnight Jam, Hillside Album Hour and spontaneous collaborations that take place on stages around the festival.

“MerleFest fans already know about some of this year’s special ‘MerleFest moments’ we have

Saturday afternoon jam at the Hillside Stage, and performed “Led Zeppelin II.” Since that time, the Hillside Album Hour has showcased the Rolling Stones’ “Sticky Fingers,” the Beatles’ “Abbey Road,” the Allman Brothers’ “Eat a Peach,” “Are You Experienced” by Jimi Hendrix, “Before the Flood”

by Bob Dylan and The Band, and

last year’s album, Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young’s landmark 1970 album “Déjà Vu.” Over the years, the Waybacks have also recruited the talents of such performers as Emmylou Harris, Sam Bush, Rob Ickes, John Cowan, Jerry Douglas, Jim Lauderdale, Elvis Costello, Joan Osborne, Susan Tedeschi and many others. Joan Osborne returns as the special guest lead singer for this year’s Hillside Album Hour.

Each year, the crowds for this event have grown substantially; the hillside is packed with thousands of delighted music fans who gather to find out what album will be featured, always a closely held secret until the show begins.

Finalists in the Chris Austin Songwriting Contest compete on Friday to determine who will win first place and some great surprises, including the opportunity to record a song with Pinecastle Records. The culmination of the contest is Friday evening when contest chairperson Jim Lauderdale announces the winners, and the songwriters perform the winning entries on the Cabin Stage at 8:00 p.m.

Friday also offers the Doc and Merle Watson Performing Arts Showcase, hosted by Joe Smothers and Bob Hill of Frosty Morn.

The series is intended as a diverse,

eclectic sampling of local and regional talent, allowing festivalgoers to see the artists in a more intimate setting.

“The idea behind the showcase is to give local and regional talent an opportunity to perform at MerleF-

MerleFest .......

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MerleFest ......

Continued from previous page est,” said Johnson. “Doc was always willing to help support ‘up and coming’ and regional talent.

Many of the artists who will be performing are successful in their own right already; this will allow festival-goers to see these artists in a more intimate setting. The music will be diverse and should provide the listener with a very eclectic sampling.”

“The ‘Memories of Doc and Merle’ set was suggested by musician T. Michael Coleman, long associated with his work as bass player for both the Seldom Scene and with Doc and Merle Watson,” said Johnson. “Each year at the festival Doc used to hold a similar set in memory of his son Merle; 2015 will be the second year that this set will allow many of Doc’s musical friends to share memories about their times with both Doc and Merle.”

Coleman said, “I feel that since Merle, Doc and Doc’s beloved wife RosaLee have left us, I need - and want - to take up the mantle of reminding people about the music, influence and lives of the Watson family. They have meant so much to my family and me, far more than the music I shared with them. I was in a unique position with Doc and Merle and feel very lucky to have had that opportunity; I would like to convey that from where I sat in their history.

“I want to remind the tens of thousands of people that attend the festival that the heart and soul of this gathering in the foothills of North Carolina still flows down from Deep Gap. All the musicians involved with this informal set had a personal relationship with Doc and Merle and carry that connection, both musically and personally, to every audience they performed for around the world.

“It will be very spontaneous and fun, because that’s the way the music happened with Doc, Merle and me,” Coleman added. “We never rehearsed; we would just play whatever song came to mind with no set list – ever.”

The Dance Tent is the place where the energy never dies.

Donna the Buffalo always draws a “herd” of fans to the Opening Night Dance. And in what is becoming a “must-do” event is

Scythian’s lively performance at the Friday Night Dance. Bayou Diesel’s Saturday Night Dance will warm up the night owls planning to attend the Midnight Jam. In addition to world class music, MerleFest presents various workshops, a children’s area called the Little Pickers Family Area with Andy May’s Acoustic Kids Showcases, a Songwriters Coffeehouse, Heritage Crafts, and unique shopping experiences from over 100 vendors in the Shoppes at MerleFest. The popular and ever-so-lively Pickin’ Place is open throughout the festival for anyone to sit and

jam with other musicians. There truly is something for everyone at MerleFest.

As always, there are no hidden fees or surcharges on MerleFest tickets. Free parking is available, and children 12 years of age and younger are admitted free to the festival when accompanied by an adult with paid admission.

Ticket purchases may be made on the web at www.MerleFest.org or by calling 1-800-343-7857. With more than 80 acts performing on 13 stages during the course of the event, MerleFest promises nonstop excitement for everyone.

Page 30, The Loafer • April 14, 2015

Jupiter: King of the Night

Imagine you’re holding a big, fat cantaloupe in your left hand, and between the fingers of your right hand, a green grape.

The cantaloupe is Jupiter and the grape is Earth in comparison sizes—88,800 miles in diameter vs.

7,920 miles.

Jupiter is Big. So big that it almost became a star orbiting our Sun. That wouldn’t be so odd, since two-thirds of all the stars we see have one or multiple stars as orbiting companions.

Jupiter is also so big that everything in our Solar System could comfortably fit inside it. And that’s everything—seven other planets and their 60-plus moons, thousands of asteroids, millions of comets and a dozen “dwarf planets” like Pluto.

The next clear night, go outside at 10 p.m., face south and look up. There he is, the Roman mythological King Jupiter. He’s the brightest “star” in the entire sky at magnitude minus -2 (a logarithmic scale where each number is 2.5 times brighter or fainter than the next). The exception is planet Venus, much brighter at minus -4 mag. when seen above the western horizon this Spring 2015 evenings (that’s 2.5 x 2.5 = 6.25 x 2.5 = 15.625 times brighter than Jupiter!)

The bright light from Jupiter is golden, reflected sunlight off the planet’s cloud tops. The light has traveled 800 million miles back to our eyes. That light-trip takes an hour to make across the void of space between Jupiter and Earth.

Ironically, the “star” that most

ancient cultures called the king of the gods is the biggest planet.

The ancient astronomers had no telescopes to know this when they named the bright and golden wandering “star” thousands of years ago.

Venus is always brighter than Jupiter. But it is blazing white, like purity, or a goddess, and dancing back and forth over the year between the low east and west horizons. To the ancients, this brilliant planet was always personified as a woman. Venus is setting around 9:30 pm these 2015 Spring evenings, a stunning sight against the horizon backdrop of nature and civilization.

Mars is the only other planet to rival Jupiter in brightness going from an average “star” to extremely bright every two years. And, being noticeably red, antiquity has always associated this planet with blood, war and warlords.

Saturn, also golden in hue but never as bright as Jupiter, offers a good queen for the celestial skies.

Now in the claws of Scorpius in the early morning skies, the ringed world will be an evening telescope target this Summer.

So, it is quite logical that the brightest, golden “star” in the sky be named after the regal Jupiter, or Zeus or whatever king there is imagined.

Jupiter also takes 12 years to circle the heavens once, essentially visiting each of the 12 houses of the Zodiac for a full year.

So there are lots of reasons to attract our attention to Jupiter.

This year Jupiter spends the season to the right of the mane of Leo the Lion—a backward question mark of stars dotted by a bright yellow star, Regulus, the regal one.

There is no surface to Jupiter; at least astronomers don’t think so.

The super-cold clouds tops of hydrogen, ammonia and other gases are minus -240 below zero. But as one goes toward the center of this massive world, the temperature rises. There is a temperate zone of comfortable 30-100 F. degrees hundreds of miles below the cloud tops. And there is possibly an exotic core of metallic hydrogen, impossible to duplicate on Earth.

This spinning core of near plasma gases create a horrendous magnetic field that powers electrons to heat up the outer space millions of miles around Jupiter to thousands of degrees above zero.

The dynamics of the cloud tops have been observed for centuries.

Bands of browns and yellows streak the “surface,” changing like colored oils on water. Whipping around the Jupiter glove at thousands of miles an hour, it only takes 10 hours for an object to make one complete rotation. The most famous object in the clouds is the Great Red Spot, a cyclone that is three times the size of Earth and has been seen for more than 300 years. It is a great puzzle what sustains this Jovian weather feature for so many centuries. And, it is easily seen in even the cheapest backyard telescope.

The gravitational power of Jupiter is unmatched by anything in the Solar System besides the Sun. Jupiter is the second gravitational influence on the Solar System, the Sun first. And don’t forget the third big celestial body out there, Saturn, about two-thirds the size of Jupiter.

Jupiter’s gravity captures or slings around anything that comes near it—asteroids, meteoroids and comets.

It has around 65 moons--three larger than Mercury--but most of them cosmic debris under 20 miles wide. And Jupiter has a small ring not detected from Earth, but look-

ing like a hula hoop to spacecraft.

We can’t see the ring from Earth, but we can see the four largest Moons in any telescope—they are also visible in binoculars held steady. They move from side to side as the night progresses, crossing in front and behind the planet.

Discovered in 1610 by Galileo, the “Galilean Moons” are Io, Europa, Ganymede and Callisto. And each is an alien world of their own; Io covered with active sulfur volcanoes and the three others icy worlds with possible subterranean water.

In 1993, the world’s astronomers watched with chins dropped for months as Comet ShoemakerLevy 9 was first torn apart by Jupiter’s cosmic forces, then 21 pieces slammed into the supercold and super-active cloud tops that enshroud the planet. Black scars from the comet’s incineration rotated around the planet for a month.

In a way, the gravity of Saturn and Jupiter deflect or destroy a lot of comets and asteroids that are headed for the inner Solar System, aka, Earth!

Today, thanks to the NASA Galileo spacecraft which orbited the planet for seven years, we know a lot about Jupiter and its mini-solar system of moons. Finally, astronomers have begun understand the complex influence of Jupiter on the whole solar system.

A new NASA spacecraft called JUNO is heading to Jupiter for orbit insertion in July 2016. JUNO will be the ninth spacecraft to visit Jupiter, and the second to orbit.

This robotic emissary from Earth will probe deeply into Jupiter’s atmosphere with special equipment to look for a solid core and try to understand the dynamics of the complex cloud system.

And the more we understand about giant Jupiter, the better can comprehend the how, when and why of our amazing Solar System.

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April 14, 2015 • The Loafer, Page 31

Celestial events in the skies for the week of Apr. 14 - Apr. 20, 2015 as compiled for The Loafer by Mark D. Marquette.

The evening sky is rapidly changing with the bright constellations of Winter dropping below the western horizon one-by-one.

And with the Moon out of the evening skies, it’s the last time to see the glory of Orion, Taurus, Gemini and Auriga. The two brightest planets, Jupiter and Venus, dominate the early evening, while Saturn occupies the realm of the morning skies.

Tues. April 14

Directly south at 10 pm is Sirius, the brightest star in the sky. Venus at a magnitude of minus -4 is setting in the west and Jupiter, minus -2 mag., is high overhead.

They are obviously much brighter than the brightest star, minus -1.8 mag. Sirius, which is setting in the southwest.

Wed. April 15

Sirius is the “Dog Star” because it is in Canis Major, the Big Dog, and a constellation that looks like the stick figure of a man. In the summer time it is near the Sun in the daytime sky and ancient astronomers thought its brightness added heat to the Earth. Thus the saying the “dog days of Summer,” referring to Sirius adding extra heat—which it definitely does not.

Thurs. April 16 Orion, Taurus and Gemini are saying goodbye quickly, as Leo the Lion chases them away directly overhead. We begin to see the first signs of Summer—Hercules

Fri. April 17

On this 1970 date in space history, America’s Apollo 13 aborted moon mission safely landed in the Pacific Ocean after a near-fatal four day emergency ordeal. The rescue mission of the three astronauts is aptly portrayed in the Hollywood movie “Apollo 13.”

The world watched closely as an exploded oxygen tank on the way to the Moon put the crew in mortal danger and tested NASA space engineers with their biggest challenge ever.

Sat. April 18

Springtime is Big Dipper time—

just look to the north to see this all-time favorite star pattern. Its two outside bowl stars are the “pointers” that guide a person to the North Star, Polaris. Follow the handle curve to bright star Arcturus in Bootes, and continue the arc to blue-white Spica in Virgo.

cabin during reentry killed the cosmonauts, quietly suffocating them as their spaceship landed safely. The ashes of the spaceman are interred in the Kremlin Wall.

Mon. April 20

Early morning risers at around 4 am will see the Summer skies, feaSun. April 19 turing planet Saturn in the south On this 1971 date in space his- looking like part of the upper tory, the Soviet Union launched claw of Scorpius the Scorpion. The the world’s first space station, Milky Way is high overhead in the called Salyut 1. It was occupied hours before sunrise—awaiting for 28 days by the three man crew any insomniacs! of Soyuz 11. But an air leak in the

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Where The Music Comes From

Let’s talk about music for a little while. Specifically, I want to talk about the increasing number of streaming services out there, all of which claim to have the master plan to fix the problems of streaming music. Tidal was launched a few weeks ago, the newest streaming service, though this one is owned by Jay Z. In the press announcement on launch day, Tidal claimed to have a whole slew of artists on board as part owners or supervisors or something. It was a wide net of folk too, but I was most surprised to see Jack White, the music industry’s own Willy Wonka there. White, with all of his whimsical vinyl novelties, made it rather interesting to see him at the launch for a streaming service (not to mention to odd picture of Jack

White seated next to Daft Punk).

Before I talk more about streaming services and record buying and artist support—which is really what this is all about—let me take a moment to give you an idea of my view point, where I’m coming from, and how I buy and listen to my music. For long time readers of my column, you know that I have pontificated often about how great records are, there may be some of that here, but that’s not really what I want to focus on. My love of records is well known at this point. Let’s talk first about the fact that I have some of the most eclectic taste in music of anyone you’re likely to meet. It runs the gamut from Frank Sinatra to Frank Zappa. 1930s swing music to newest indie releases from last year.

I pay for the vast majority of the music I listen to, and when I say “vast majority” I’m talking around 95%. The other 5%? It’s the radio.

For years I had a subscription to satellite radio, but I gave that up last year as I found myself listening to more and more internet radio stations. Some of those are web streams of actual terrestrial radio stations, others are specialized web only stations, some based at terrestrial radio stations. The two of these I listen to the most are ones based at FM radio stations.

The Jonathan Channel, based at NYC’s public radio hub WNYC, is a 24/7 stream of standards and jazz, with a heavy dose of Sinatra.

My favorite, if you made me pick one, is WFMU’s Rock ‘N Soul Itchiban. Another 24/7 stream,

based out of New Jersey’s infamous freeform radio station WFMU. Itchiban, which is Japanese for “best” or “number one,” is a blend of obscure ‘50s-’60s rock, soul, pop, country and other music, played off of records, mixed in with vintage radio spots for soda pop, car oil, monster movies, air checks of Djs from the past, and all kinds of stuff. I love it so much I have donated money to them. The only one I have spent no money on, is Songza, the brilliant Pandora alternative with curated playlists.

Everything else, I pay for.

Let’s break down that 95% I pay for. 90% is all music that I have bought, either CDs or records, records that came with a download code for an MP3 of the album, or music I have bought directly from iTunes. This is my preferred way, honestly, as I know that above all I am actually supporting the artists that make the music I love. I also love going to record stores, flipping through CDs and Records, finding something I’ve been wanting to get forever, or sometimes finding that one title that I have never heard of, but looks so intriguing I just have to buy it.

Speaking of, Record Store Day is this coming Saturday (the 18th), make sure you go out and support a local record store. You’re not just doing it for the music, you’re supporting a small business that your neighbor has. We need more small businesses in this country, so go do some good and get some great music while you’re at it, OK? This leaves us with 5% I’ve not talked about, and is what ties in to the launch of Tidal, not to mention Spotify, and Beats Music, and all these other crazy new things.

Streaming services, which have changed things dramatically. To be perfectly honest, I still feel a little weird about streaming services.

I still feel weird about them, yet for over a year I have paid $10 a month for a Beats Music account— which, by the way, is about to be relaunched in some super new form thing from Apple this summer. If you have a Beats account and wish to find me on there, the username is the same as my twitter handle, @ThatAndyRoss.

On one hand, streaming services are a music lovers dream, access to millions of songs right at your fingertips. Not to mention

to a great way to listen to all your guilty pleasures without having them out in the open for others to see. Why do I use Beats over the giant above all of these Spotify? A couple of reasons, Beats is the first streaming service that actually seemed like the people running it gave a damn. The level of human curation, even to the most obscure playlists are all pretty solid. I also like that Beats—supposedly— gives artists a higher royalty rate than Spotify.

That is the rub, if I’m going to use a streaming service, I want to make sure that it gives the artists a fair share for their music.

Streaming will never pay the same amount that an album sale will, and that’s why sometimes I’ll add a band to my Beats Music library, in order to check out their record, then I’ll turn around and buy a copy of it. But I don’t want to use a streaming service if it doesn’t want to give an artist fair compensation. Now I realize you may be sitting there thinking that Taylor Swift doesn’t need any more money, and you’d be right.

However, the artists I’m really worried about here, are the small guys. The small bands on independent labels trying their best to get their music out there, who have poured years of hard work into their efforts. They deserve to get paid. Maybe Tidal, with it’s everyone who is anyone showing up to be all “get this if you care” hoopla can change that. Streaming isn’t going away, and I hope record stores aren’t either. I hope there will be a place I can go and talk with other music lovers about this and that.

The idea way that a streaming service should work would be as a way to share things you love with others, while giving the artists you love what they deserve for their work. It will be interesting to see how this all plays out over the coming months. I know some won’t give up their free Spotify accounts, but I’ve never understood how some can only own a handful of albums and be content with that. My love for music is in my soul and in my blood. It’s a deep affair that shall never end as long as I’m alive on this planet. Music makes us all human, so the last thing we need to do is take the human out of it. See you next week.

Page 34, The Loafer • April 14, 2015

In Theaters Now

Box Office Top 10 Home (2015)

“Fast & Furious 7” It’s hard to believe the first “Fast & Furious” film was released in 2001. Flash forward to 2015, with the latest film in the series, “Fast & Furious 7” currently playing in theaters. Fans of the series are no doubt glad to see the series back, but in a bittersweet way. Co-star Paul Walker, as fans know, was killed in a tragic accident in 2013, and the current film was only half completed at the time of his death.

The film was delayed to allow for re-writes and for Paul’s brothers Caleb and Cody to be used as his stand-in to compete his remaining scenes. The filmmakers did a wonderful job in presenting Walker throughout the film, and I was never really able to tell when he was CGI. In addition to Walker, the regular gang is back, including the following: Vin Diesel as Dom, Dwayne Johnson as Luke Hobbs, Michelle Rodriguez as Letty, Tyrese Gibson as Roman, Chris Bridges as Tej, and Jordana Brewster as Mia. In the “Furious” timeline, the current film mostly takes place after “Tokyo Drift”.

The plot features bad guy Deckard Shaw (Jason Statham) on a mission to take vengeance against Dom and his crew after the gang defeated his brother Owen. There are other side plots involving kidnapping, Brian (Walker) attempting to adapt to a normal life with his wife and son, and Dom attempting to help Letty regain her memory, of which she lost after a horrible car accident. Of course most fans attend these movies to see cars and vehicles of all types drive FAST. The other appeal is the chemistry and camaraderie among

from a twisted tech genius.

Oh, an alien on the run from his own people, lands on Earth Do You Believe? (2015) and makes friends with the When a pastor is shaken by the adventurous Tip, who is on a visible faith of a street-corner quest of her own. preacher, he is reminded that true belief always requires acGet Hard (2015) tion. His response ignites a When millionaire James King journey that impacts everyone is nailed for fraud and bound it touches in ways that only for San Quentin, he turns to God could orchestrate.

Darnell Lewis to prep him to go behind bars.

Run All Night (2015)

Insurgent (2015)

Beatrice Prior must confront her inner demons and continue her fight against a powerful alliance which threatens to tear her society apart with the help from others on her side.

Cinderella (2015)

When her father unexpectedly passes away, young Ella finds herself at the mercy of her cruel stepmother and her daughters.

Never one to give up hope, Ella’s fortunes begin to change after meeting a dashing stranger.

It Follows (2014)

Mobster and hit man Jimmy Conlon has one night to figure out where his loyalties lie: with his estranged son, Mike, whose life is in danger, or his longtime best friend, mob boss Shawn Maguire, who wants Mike to pay for the death of his own son.

The Second Best Exotic Marigold Hotel (2015)

As the Best Exotic Marigold Hotel has only a single remaining vacancy - posing a rooming predicament for two fresh arrivals - Sonny pursues his expansionist dream of opening a second hotel.

A young woman is followed The Gunman (2015) by an unknown supernatural A sniper on a mercenary assasforce after getting involved in sination team, kills the minisa sexual confrontation. ter of mines of the Congo. Terrier’s successful kill shot forces Kingsman: him into hiding. Returning to The Secret Service (2014) the Congo years later, he beA spy organization recruits an comes the target of a hit squad unrefined, but promising street himself. kid into the agency’s ultracompetitive training program, Source: imdb.com just as a global threat emerges the films cast, making Walker’s death even more heartbreaking.

Not only did Walker and Diesel do great work together onscreen, they were close friends offscreen. Thus, among all the flash and bombast (cars driving off a plane!), Walker’s presence has the most impact in the film. As I was watching all the excitement on the

screen, I just kept thinking how this was Walker’s final screen appearance, and how the filmmakers would handle his character at the conclusion of the film. The writers did a brilliant job with Walker’s Brian in the film, and the ending was perfect, heartwarming, and sad. The film also had a wonderful mix of action, humor, and drama,

providing a wonderful salute to Walker. The onscreen chemistry between Diesel and Walker will be missed by fans of the series, so I’m glad this film provides a forever statement to their bond and friendship, and you may just shed a tear or two at the end. “Furious 7” has been breaking box office

records for the month of April, which is yet another fitting salute to the actor who left us too soon.

(Rated PG-13) A

Rated: PG-13

A

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Tragedy in the Temple of Music

Quick, name all of the United States Presidents who were assassinated while in office. That’s right, there’s Lincoln, Kennedy, and...maybe one or two more? Indeed, like trying to come up with the name of any city in France not

ing on since May of that year, and the President’s visit was to be the event’s highlight.

By all accounts, the visit was going well enough. The President had given a speech that was well received, and he seemed to be en-

terest in the Presidency and Presidential trivia in particular,so when I passed through Buffalo earlier this year on a family vacation to Niagara Falls, I made a point to visit the site where this tragic event took place.

What I found was a simple marker located in the median of a quiet street. There’s no museum honoring the event like the ones at Ford’s Theater and Dealey Plaza, but it’s a nice enough memorial. See, the Temple of Music was never intended to be a per-

named Paris, many Americans can’t identify those Presidents that don’t appear on money.

However, just 36 years after Abraham Lincoln was killed and 15 years after President Garfield also lost his life at the hands of an assassin, America’s 25th President, William McKinley, met his end in similar fashion. It was September of 1901, and McKinley was just a few months into his second term, when he arrived in Buffalo, New York to attend the Pan-American Exposition. The exposition, much like a World’s Fair, had been go-

joying himself among the many attractions and exhibits when the unthinkable happened. While greeting patrons in the exposition’s Temple of Music - a fancy name for what was essentially a concert hall - the President was approached by a young anarchist named Leon Czolgosz and shot twice before his security detail could react. McKinley would hold on for eight days before succumbing to his wounds. For his effort, Czolgosz went to the electric chair not long after.

Now, I’ve always had a keen in-

manent structure. Like most of the buildings constructed for the exposition, it was demolished soon after the event’s conclusion and eventually the whole area was repurposed as a suburb. However, many artifacts from the exposition and the assassination of President McKinley, including the gun used

by Czolgosz can be found at the Buffalo History Museum.

And, for what it’s worth, you can find McKinley’s likeness on U.S. currency after all - provided you can get your hands on a $500 bill.

Page 36, The Loafer • April 14, 2015

Old Oak Festival Returns to Tusculum College April 17-19

The Old Oak Festival will feature a variety of craft vendors along with musical entertainment, theater, art exhibits, poetry readings and activities for children of all ages.

The arts and music festival will span across three days and will feature something for everyone, including crafts, music, art, theater, storytelling and area authors, as well as gallery and museum exhibits.

“I would describe this year’s Old Oak Festival to be bigger and better than last year,” said David Price, director of music at Tusculum College and festival coordinator. “There will be arts on every level and something to interest everyone.”

In addition to artist vendors and music performances throughout the day on Friday and Saturday, there will be three performances during the festival of “5X10,” presented by Tusculum students under the direction of Wayne Thomas, the interim dean of the arts and sciences, Frank Mengel, arts outreach technical director and instructor, and Brian Ricker, arts outreach and assistant.

Performances will be held in the Behan Arena Theatre in the Annie Hogan Byrd Fine Arts Center.

Show times are Friday and Saturday at 7 p.m. and Sunday at 2 p.m The college’s Allison Gallery will be open throughout the weekend, featuring a faculty and family spotlight exhibition by Deborah Bryan.

“We are expecting a wide variety of artists, including painters, craftsmen and sculptors, whose work will be available for purchase. Arts will include pottery, woodcrafts and folk art,” said Price. Demonstrations will also be conducted on pottery, blacksmithing and cooking.

Throughout the weekend on stage, the festival will present the sounds of the region, with a wide variety of music from bluegrass to jazz to local vocalists and musicians.

Both the President Andrew Johnson Museum and Library and the Doak House Museum will be open to visitors during the festival and will have special activities

planned for adults and children from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Friday, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturday and 1-4 p.m. on Sunday.

The Doak House Museum will sponsor a batik workshop during the three days of the festival. Participants will learn how to make stunning designs on natural fiber cloth using the wax-resist dyeing method. Reservations and advance deposits are required. The workshop will be held in the heart of the festival on the main campus. Reservation and deposit are required. Contact Leah Walker at 423-636-8554 or lwalker@tusculum.edu for reservations and more information.

Fiddlin’ Carson Peter’s Band and the Old Time Travelers, a duo from Chattanooga Tennessee, will perform on the Doak House lawn on the Saturday of the festival.

Picnic tables are available to the public to bring a lunch, tour the museum and hear great bluegrass and old-time music. Performance times will be announced at a later date.

For the length of the festival only, the museum will open its collections storage to display never before exhibited Appalachian chairs and other furnishings, titled “Sittin’ Pretty: Selections from the Doak House Furniture Collection.” Admission is free and donations are appreciated.

The President Andrew Johnson Museum and Library will sponsor a 19th Century Toys and Games booth in the children’s area. Come

and play with traditional folk toys and make-and-take your very own toy as a souvenir.

From 9 a.m. until 5 p.m., the President Andrew Johnson Museum and Library will feature the “Reaper: Nettie Fowler McCormick and the Machine that Built Tusculum College” exhibit.

This exhibit explores the changes wrought by the mechanical harvest and explores the context through which Mrs. McCormick viewed her philanthropic mission.”

The festival will feature children’s activities on Saturday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. and again on Sunday from noon to 5 p.m. There will be storytelling performances on stage and around the festival grounds.

The Walnut Ridge llamas, previous favorites of the festival, will visit the Tusculum College campus over the weekend.

Food selection will include festival favorites, such as homemade strawberry shortcake, Philly cheese steak, and Mennonite doughnuts. Music and food will be available until 9 p.m. on Friday and Saturday and until 4 p.m. on Sunday.

There is no fee to attend the festival. Art vendor hours will be Friday from noon until 6 p.m., Saturday from 9 a.m. until 6 p.m. and Sunday from 10 a.m. until 4 p.m.

For more information, contact Price at 423-636-7303.

Coolers and alcohol are prohibited during the festival.

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Gunpowder and Smiles

I remember like yesterday the first time I fired a gun. It was my dad’s Ithaca Model 600 over and under 12 gauge shotgun. I must have been about 13 years old, and I remember the sheer weight of the thing was tremendous. Lastly I remember the kick of it, nearly knocking me over when I pulled the trigger. Although it frightened me, it was a bonding experience I shared with my father that I wouldn’t trade for anything.

Soon after I turned 16 years old I fell in love with a Savage Mark II .22 caliber boltaction rifle. As soon as I saw it in my local gun shop I knew I wanted it. Of course I couldn’t buy it myself so I talked my uncle into buying it for me. The walnut stock felt natural in my hands, like an extension of my own body. I took it up on the mountain behind our house and shot that rifle every day.

Ammunition was far more plentiful, and far less expensive than today. I would easily shoot 250 rounds a day, some days I would shoot over 500. That rifle and I spent more time together than any of my friends. On my 18th birthday I bought myself a Savage Mark II semi-automatic rifle. My ammunition consumption nearly tripled, then I bought my first shotgun, an H&R 20 gauge single shot.

I started spending most of my time on my

cousin’s land and would easily burn through 500 rounds of .22 and 100 rounds of 20 gauge a day.

Times were good, this was of course prior to the economic recession, and the arms scare that made guns and ammo nearly impossible to get. When I turned 21 I started shooting pistols in addition to my rifles and shotguns. My first pistol was a Colt 1911a1, which was fun to shoot, but even then .45 ammunition was expensive. So I bought a Ruger p89 9mm that I absolutely loved.

Eventually upgrading to a Glock 19 that I carried for over a year.

The truth is I love to shoot, having put over 70,000 rounds down range. Nothing compares to the feeling of seeing rounds hit a target. With competitive shooting comes the added thrill of pitting your skill against the skill others. When I was 26 I decided to go to Pistol Instructor School, in order to qualify I had to score 90% twice on a 10 inch (25.4cm) diameter target at 15 yards. There was really only one choice when it came to which gun to use, a Ruger MKIII .22 Bull Barrel. I trained for weeks, and scored 95%.

All this to say some of my greatest memories I had a gun in my hand, and I wouldn’t trade them for anything.

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Jonesborough Contra Dance!

The Historic Jonesborough Dance Society will hold a contra dance on Saturday April 18, 2015 at the Jonesborough Visitors Center, 117 Boone Street. Guest performers are Laurie Fisher and Steve Trisman from Asheville.

Their band is called Windmill.

David Winston will be calling the dance.

Admission is $7, $5 for HJDS members and $5 for full time students. A class for newcomer contra dancers will run from 7:00-7:30pm followed by the contra dance from 7:30-10:30pm.

Laurie Fisher is a popular musician, dance caller and music teach-

er. She plays fiddle, keyboard, guitar and bass and has performed and called in Jonesborough on many occasions most recently with her band “BOOM CHUCK”.

Joining Laurie Fisher is fiddler/ violinist Steve Trisman from Asheville. Trisman is an accomplished musician who plays with Asheville bands, One Leg Up, Bayou Diesel, Jupiter Coyote and many others.

Trisman is moving over from the electric sound to more acoustic to play contra dance music.

David Winston, senior software engineer for IBM, lives in Asheville. He started contra dancing in 2000 in the Washington, D.C.

area where he met his wife Juliette. His first calling workshop in 2003 was led by Tom Hinds who recently called our dance on June 1st. David strives to connect with all levels of dancers through his clear teaching and steady calling. He is always willing to help new dancers learn basic skills, feel comfortable, and enjoy the contra dancing experience. Their 11-year old daughter, Genevieve, is an excellent contra dancer. The Winstons are definitely a contra dancing family.

Contra dancing is a traditional form of American folk dance that evolved from the long ways country dances popular in English society centuries ago. Contra dance communities now thrive all over the country. There are websites that can direct you to contra dances in most states. The modern contra dances provide dancers of all ages and experience levels with the opportunity to smile, move, connect, flirt and create an evening of dance nirvana with each other. No previous dance experience is necessary. No fancy footwork is required. If you can walk and count to eight, you can contra dance!

Contra dances are community events. At almost any contra you will find people of all ages and all dance skill levels, from young to old, beginner to expert. Contra dancers form a very open and welcoming group of people. You can come alone or with others since it is a tradition to dance with a variety of partners throughout the night. It is perfectly acceptable for either a man or a woman to ask someone to dance. It’s a great way to make friends with someone they haven’t met before. You will find contra dancing a great way to make new friends.

Come as you are; wear soft flexible shoes for dancing. Come to dance or just to listen. No partner is necessary. All dances are taught.

For more information on Saturday’s dance or any upcoming events, please call David Wiley at 423-534-8879 or visit www.historicjonesboroughdancesociety. org. Or Historic Jonesborough Dance Society on FACEBOOK.

Page 42, The Loafer • April 14, 2015

Google Body Maps and Big Red Buttons

Remember “Fantastic Voyage,” a very popular and somewhat bizarre 1966 movie? If not, you can catch up in a few seconds by checking it out on IMDB. This little gem was directed by Richard Fleischer, who also helmed “Soylent Green,” “See No Evil” (one of my favorite creepy movies),“The Boston Strangler,” and Disney’s “20,000 Leagues Under The Sea.” The plot is pretty simple and straightforward: A diplomat becomes

the victim of an assassination attempt, and in order to save his life a team of doctors sends a experimental submarine, shrunken to microscopic size, into his blood stream. Along for the ride are a motley and also shrunken crew of medical experts including Stephen Boyd, Raquel Welch, and Donald Pleasence. Needless to say, viewers of this little cult classic get to watch in amazement as the tiny sub navigates its way through

the human body, passing through such landmarks as the stomach, liver, bowels, and esophagus. Keep in mind this movie was made before the advent of CGI, so the special effects and gooey scenery are pretty lame by today’s standards.

In spite of this unavoidable shortcoming, however, the results are much better than what we get in most anatomy classes.

Here we are, nearly fifty years later, and the folks at Google are

getting set to update Fleischer’s movie by embarking on an ambitious journey to Google-Map our bodies. Only they won’t be using any super-shrunken submarines.

Now that Google Maps are everywhere, capturing streetviews of nearly every nook and cranny on earth, it only makes sense that our bodies would be the next logical frontier for Google mapping.

According to recent news feeds— I am using the one from Science Alert, written by Fiona MacDonald, as my source—“[We] have the ability to go from the whole body down to how the cells are getting their nutrition and how this is all connected.” According to Melissa Tate, a biomedical engineer, “This could open the door to as yet unknown new therapies and preventions.” Sounds a little like the opening statement from “Star Trek,” doesn’t it?

The pioneers of this project are a group of engineers from Australia’s University of New South Wales, and they are using Google mapping algorithms to take the journey inside our bodies. Apparently, this mapping technology will allow Tate’s “team to do research that previously would have taken 25 years in the space of just a few weeks.” Google mapping will initially be employed to take a journey inside the human hip to discover ways to create healthier joints. Once this is accomplished, other projects are in the works including neurological research “to explore the neural pathways and connections in the brains of mice, and other body parts will quickly follow.” It appears that no part of our bodies will be off limits to this anatomical Google mapping. And who knows how many mice will have to be sacrificed before all this takes place?

As with any new technological application, we are left to wonder where all this might be going. Of course, one place it might be going is into the realm of social media. We can imagine a day in the not too distant future when we can post various pictures of our innards on our Facebook, Instagram, and Pinterest accounts. We can tweet pictures of our kidneys, lungs, and semicircular canals.

And we can certainly imagine a whole new spate of reality TV shows that feature bachelorettes choosing their new mates by

matching faces with detailed Google-mapped body parts. And we can look forward to taking our friends and acquaintances on dazzling little tours of our innermost biological pathways. Just think how thrilling it will be to display a “streetview” of our pancreas. Is it difficult to imagine a personal Body Part App on your new Apple Watch? “Fantastic Voyage” quickly pales by comparison.

As you contemplate what your new Google Body Map might look like, I invite you to take a look at another gadget that might prove very useful, although in a less dramatic way than body mapping.

Named “bt.tn (for “button”), this device is exactly what you think it might be. It’s a big red button housed in a white wi-fi and Bluetooth-equipped receptacle. In a recent press release, this button is described as a “new gadget that can be programmed to do a single task with a single action: the press of the button.” This oversized red button can be programmed to do any single task, such as turning on a TV, accessing a Facebook account, checking email, or retrieving a Dropbox folder. And, yes, it can turn on household appliances, provided everything is connected wirelessly or through Bluetooth.

And all this (actually, only one “this”) can be yours for a mere $75.00. The Finnish designers of this big red button believe mobile technology, as wonderful as it is, is making our lives far too complicated. Their bt.tn can simplify things—maybe even oversimplify things. As the press release states, “There can be a fine line between the oversimplified and the too complex, but the former keeps our minds from exploding.

When in doubt, we might want to opt for dummy-proof.” But then what happens when we have need for another button or several dozen buttons? Things start getting much more complicated from here, so I will stop before your mind explodes.

See you next week with more wonders from the world of pop culture. If only I had a big red button that could be used to send my column to our editor each week, life would be much simpler.

As always, I welcome your suggestions. Just send me a note, using my new Loafer email address indicated above.

www.theloaferonline.com

April 14, 2015 • The Loafer, Page 43

Page 44, The Loafer • April 14, 2015