The Loafer July 12th

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LIBERTY!

The saga of sycamore shoals

Volume 30 • Issue #32 Publisher Luci Tate

happenings

Editor Graphic Arts Director Don Sprinkle Cover Design Bill May

Distribution Jerry Hanger Teresa Hanger 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)

LIBERTY! Ths Saga Of Sycamore Shoals

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Call For Artists

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“The Legend Of Princess Mulan” @ Barter

7 Tyler Hughes @ Heartwood

Advertising Dave Carter Terry Patterson Beth Jinks-Ashbrook Patti Barr Sam Jones Shawn Hale Coco Enriquez Contributing Staff Jim Kelly Andy Ross Ken Silvers Mark Marquette Brian McManus Joshua Hicks Brian Bishop Daniel Worley Jason Worley

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LIttle Chicago Downtown Music & Arts Festival

10 Michelle Leigh @ Capone’s 11 Gus Moon Performs @ Northeast State

columns & reviews 10 The Casual Word - Looking Over Both Shoulders 18 Stargazer - Hercules A Hunk Of A Constellation 19 Skies This Week 20 Batteries Not Included - Go Go Gopher 21 Pop Life - The Legend Of Tarzan 22 The Trivial Traveler - The House Across The Street 23 Mountain Movers - The Don Campbell 24 Appalachian Wanderers - Trillium Gap Trail 27 Lock, Stock & Barrel - Assult Weapons Ban of 2016 Pt. 2 31 Kelly’s Place - Typing As An Art Form: The Saga Of Tim Youd

14 Jonesborough Contra Dance 25 Storytelling Live! Presents the Storycrafters 28 Things To Do 29 Pets Of The Week 30 Classifieds

music & fun 16

Spotlight - Great Music & Fun Times

26 Puzzle Page

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

BELOW 7

Friday, July 15th at Country Club Bar & Grill

theloaferonline.com | July 12, 2016 | 3

Come Out and Celebrate the 38th Season of

Liberty! The Saga of Sycamore Shoals

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ycamore Shoals State Historic Park in Elizabethton boasts a great deal of educational programming and an on-site museum detailing the region’s history, and in particular, it’s role in the establishment of the United States of America. That history comes to life with the Official Outdoor Drama of Tennessee, known as Liberty! The Saga of Sycamore Shoals! This engaging performance will be enjoying its 38th consecutive season this year.

Several nationally significant events occurred at Sycamore Shoals and the Watauga settlement. The Watauga Association, formed in 1772, was widely recognized as the first continental government that was “free and independent” of the British Crown. This designation was recognized by no less than President Theodore Roosevelt. It was designed by leaders to provide for law and order and the right of every free man to vote. Later, the area was annexed by North Carolina and became known as the Washington District, named in honor of General George Washington, who was leading the fight for American Independence at the time.

At this location, in 1775, The Transylvania Purchase was conducted at the Watauga “Old Fields” where Judge Richard Henderson and other speculators purchased 20 million acres of land from the Cherokee. This negotiation sparked a series of Cherokee attacks on the pioneers of the Watauga and surrounding settlements. Later the purchase was voided, with ample compensation for Henderson, by the states that gained authority over the land.

Liberty! is set in front of the full-scale replica of Fort Watauga, which was used to defend the settlement against attacks from a faction of the Cherokee, led by Chief Dragging Canoe, who opposed the sale. Ultimately, the settlement was successful in staving off the attack and siege of the fort.

These grounds also served as the gathering place for the Overmountain Men, who were an essential part of a broader militia that defeated Major Patrick Ferguson and his British force at the Battle of Kings Mountain in 1780. That event is often noted as a major turning point for the American Revolution.

This play covers these critical developments as well as demonstrating the life of pioneers in a frontier settlement. Moreover, it gives faces to the names we see on many of our street signs and other local area designations. For example, we meet John Sevier, who went on to become the first Governor of Tennessee. We are also introduced to John Carter, and his son Landon, both of whom are reflected in the full name of the Carter Mansion, the oldest frame house in the state. It’s preserved by the Park and the associated Friends of Sycamore Shoals group, and open to tours each year from late May through mid-August, Wednesdays through Sundays at 2 pm, or by appointment. Landon also lent his last name to Carter County.

The amazing strength and skills of the local pioneer women are far from neglected in the drama. Another character is Mary Patton, who learned the art of manufacturing gun powder from her father. Her assistance was crucial in the defense of the settlement during the siege.

Moreover, she supplied the Overmountain Men with a minimum of 500 pounds of gunpowder for their foray into North Carolina.

We also encounter Catherine “Bonnie Kate” Sherrill, a lively lass who was caught outside the fort during the siege attack, and was rescued by Sevier, whom she later married. While Tiptonville was the original name of Elizabethton, as part of the State of Franklin, it was later renamed for Landon’s wife, Elizabeth MacLin Carter, who also appears in the drama.

This is only a partial list of fascinating local contributors to regional and national history,

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and putting the play on is quite an undertaking. It features professional lighting and sound, a well-maintained amphitheater, as well as an all-volunteer cast of nearly 100 local actors in speaking and extra roles.

Liberty runs Thursdays-Saturdays, July 14 - 16, 21 – 23, and 28 - 30, 2016 in the Fort Watauga Amphitheater at Sycamore Shoals State Historic Park in Elizabethton, TN (use 1651 West Elk Avenue for GPS purposes). And, all of this is provided to local residents and area visitors at a most reasonable price.

General admission tickets range from Free for children under 5, to $5 for students 6 to 17 years, $10 for seniors 55 and up, and $12 for adults.

Tickets can be purchased online at www.TheLibertyDrama.com or at the door.

First Night tickets to the opening show on Thursday, July 14th are only $8 for adults and seniors and $5.00 for students.

Veterans Night is on Thursday, July 22nd, where Veterans are formally thanked for their service during the show, and also with free admission for them and a guest.

A Dinner Theater also runs most nights of the play, where for $25 (with seniors/student discounts), one can enjoy an all-you-can-eat, sit-down meal cooked by a prominent local chef, and be regaled with tales of the site prior to the show. The price of the ticket includes your meal and admission to the show. The Dinner Theater requires advanced reservations made at the website listed above, or by calling 423-543-5808.

You are also invited to visit and ‘like’ their Facebook pages at: www.facebook.com/ LibertyTheSaga/ and www.facebook.com/FriendsOfSycamoreShoalsStateHistoricArea/ Likewise, everyone is encouraged to become a member of the Friends of Sycamore Shoals group to help support the Liberty drama, as well as a host of other educational park activities, such as classes in gardening, sewing, Scottish Heavy Athletics, and basketry, to name but a few. The park also plays host to annual Celtic and Native American Festivals, as well as militia reenactments presented by the Washington County Regiment of North Carolina Militia.

Don’t be one of the many who say “I’ve heard about it, but never gone.” And, if you’ve seen it, you’re most welcome to come again. Support your local history educators and preservationists; come learn about our history in a fun and entertaining context, and spread the word. We’ll see you at the Old Fields!

Sycamore Shoals State Historic Park 1651 W. Elk Avenue Elizabethton, TN 37643 423-543-5808 www.sycamoreshoalstn.org www.tnstateparks.com/parks/about/sycamore-shoals www.FriendsOfSycamoreShoals.org www.washingtoncountyregiment.wordpress.com www.facebook.com/sycamoreshoals www.facebook.com/LibertyTheSaga www.facebook.com/FriendsofSycamoreShoalsStateHistoricArea

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Call for Artists – Journeys of Women

n appreciation of the role of women artists in East Tennessee, The Women’s Fund of East Tennessee in conjunction with Jonesborough’s Mary B. Martin Program for the Arts is hosting its fourth Journeys of Women Art Exhibit to honor women artists in Northeast Tennessee. The exhibition is juried and will open to the public September 9 through September 17.

The mission of the Women’s Fund is to serve as a catalyst to transform the lives of low-income women and girls in East Tennessee. The organization has been able to award more than $240,000 in the three years in which they have existed as a granting organization. In Northeast Tennessee, they have made grants to Tusculum College (2014, 2015), Red Legacy in Elizabethton (2014, 2015), and the Boys and Girls Club in Elizabethton/Carter County (2015). In addition to these grants, seven grants have been made to exemplary organizations providing programs for women and girls that serve all 25 counties in East Tennessee.

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Entries for the exhibition must be original works and not copied from copyrighted or published art or photographs. Qualified original work may include a variation of original work. Paintings and varied mediums, photographs, ceramics, wood, sculptures and other mixed media are accepted. Artists who submit entries must be women and at least 18 years of age. All entries must be original works completed within the last two years and not have been exhibited previously at the McKinney Center. The maximum allowed size is 60” x 60” in any direction including frame or stand. Weight is not to exceed 50 lbs. Two dimensional works must be suitably prepared for hanging. Framed work must have screw eyes and wire. Textiles and other unframed works must be suitably prepared for hanging. Three dimensional work must be suitable for hanging or setting on a pedestal.

Women artists are invited to submit up to two pieces of art (both for sale). Artists can find the prospectus and entry form online at: http://www.jonesboroughtn.org/index.php/compo-

nent/k2/152 Deadline for entries is August 1, 2016.

For more information, email Theresa Hammons at theresah@jonesborougtn.org or call 423-753-0562.

bristol brewery celebrates first birthday

ristol Brewery began serving locally made brews July 17, 2015! Happy to be Downtown Bristol’s FIRST brewery and celebrating our FIRST Birthday!!

The brewery was founded with the passion to make great beer. Our goal has been to provide a beer for everyone, whether you’re a novice or a beer aficionado and we are overjoyed by the support we have received.

We are thrilled to be celebrating our first year of brewing great beer in downtown Bristol, Va. We have been blessed by the support of our great customers, friends and family. Since becoming the first brewery located in downtown Bristol we have grown to offer our beer in both Tennessee and Virginia in over 60 restaurants and bars. We will continue to grow as we start our second year.

To celebrate our first “birthday” we want to invite everyone to a huge blowout complete with three bands, two food trucks, and

the unveiling of our brand new beer! Join us on Saturday, July 16th to celebrate! This birthday is a celebration of our customers just as much as a celebration of the brewery!

Thanks again for your support - without you we wouldn’t be here! Cheers!

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THREE-TIME GRAMMY NOMINEE,

DAVE EGGAR BRINGS

“THE LEGEND OF PRINCESS MULAN”

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TO BARTER THEATRE

hree-time Grammy nominee Dave Eggar and five-time World Champion Martial Artist James Luk present the legendary tale of warrior princess Mulan for one-night-only at Barter Theatre on Sunday, July 24 at 7:30 PM. All tickets for this special family event are $20 for adults and $10 for youth.

In his only Abingdon performance this summer, Dave Eggar and his band will provide a soundtrack spanning The Dave Eggar Band and James Luk dressed the genres of classical, Broadas the Chinese dragon. way, and rock while martial arts champions, Junior Olympians, and Chinese ballet dancers take the audience on a journey through time to discover the thrilling tale of Mulan, who disguised herself and took her father’s place in the Imperial Army. The woman warrior was known as a fierce martial artist and recognized for her skill with swords.

Proceeds from this special show benefit Barter Theatre’s Annual Fund for Artistic Excellence, which serves to help keep the theatre running and accessible to the public. Allison Mays, Barter Theatre’s Director of Corporate and Government Relations, said, “The annual fund is essential to the success of Barter. We are so proud to have an artist of Dave Eggar’s caliber supporting Barter Theatre and our mission to make world-class theatre accessible to our region.” Barter Theatre, the nation’s longest running professional theatre, rarely schedules outside acts or productions, but given the chance to work with an artist like Eggar, Mays said, “We couldn’t pass this up. We are thrilled to have him.”

A child prodigy, Eggar started playing cello at age three and by age seven was singing and acting on Broadway. At 15, he debuted at Carnegie Hall and was the youngest winner of the Artists International competition. Since entering adulthood, Eggar has earned degrees from Harvard and Juilliard, performed and recorded with numerous artists including Madonna, Jennifer Lopez, Tony Bennett, Taylor Swift, Train, and Paul Simon. He is a three-time Grammy nominee and has composed for films like “War Story” (recently featured at the Sundance Film Festival) and “Beasts of the Southern Wild.” Dave is the recipient of the Sony Records Elevated Standards prize for accomplishments in the field of classical music, and was decorated by TIME magazine, ASCAP, and the National Endowment for the Arts. He has appeared on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno, Ellen, the Superbowl, and the Today Show. If you’ve heard the cello opening to Coldplay’s hit “Viva La Vida,” you’ve heard renowned cellist and composer Dave Eggar. In fact, if you’ve heard cello on the radio at all, you’ve probably heard Eggar’s work.

James Luk began traditional Shotokan Karate training at the young age of six. Over the last twenty years of continuous Karate training, Luk has achieved the rank of Yon-Dan (4th Degree Black Belt) and is a five-time World Champion in Karate. In addition to Karate, Luk has been dedicated to the traditional arts of Peking opera, Chinese acrobatics, and Chinese folk dance.

“Dave Eggar Band: The Legend of Princess Mulan” is made possible by the sponsorship of PennStuart, Holston Medical Group and Capo’s Music Store. Barter Theatre is funded in part by the National Endowment for the Arts and the Virginia Commission for the Arts. To purchase tickets, visit bartertheatre.com or call 276-628-3991.

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festival

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Tyler Hughes

Featured at Heartwood

he Crooked Road: Virginia’s Heritage Music Trail presents Tyler Hughes in concert on Thursday, July 14th from 6:30 to 8:00 p.m. at Heartwood in Abingdon, VA. This youth music concert is part of The Crooked Road Music Series at Heartwood.

Tyler Hughes is a musician, storyteller, square dance caller, and educator from the Central Appalachians. Based in Big Stone Gap, Virginia, Tyler is no stranger to the roots of old time, bluegrass, and country music that thrives in the Photo by southern highlands. Since age Kristen Bearfield twelve, he has been performing close to home and across the east coast. Tyler graduated from East Tennessee State University with a bachelor’s degree in Bluegrass, Old Time, and Country Music Studies. He performs not only as a solo artist, but also with the Empty Bottle String Band from Johnson City, Tennessee.

Tyler has appeared on PBS’ Song of the Mountains, NPR’s Mountain Stage, at Jazz at the Lincoln Center, and at the historic Carter Family Fold in Hiltons, Virginia.

The Crooked Road Music Series takes place each Thursday at Heartwood. The series features youth artists each 2nd Thursday and showcases venues of The Crooked Road region each 4th Thursday. These events, along with open jams on the 1st, 3rd, (and 5th) Thursdays showcase Southwest Virginia performers. The Crooked Road Music Series is sponsored by Heartwood, Virginia Commission for the Arts and the National Endowment for the Arts.

Heartwood: Southwest Virginia’s Artisan Gateway is located off I-81 at Exit 14 in Abingdon, VA, and features food, music, and craft of Southwest Virginia. Admission to the concert is free and donations will be accepted for Crooked Road Traditional Music Education Program (TMEP).

More information can be found at The Crooked Road website, www.thecrookedroad.org, and at www.heartwoodvirginia.org. For additional information, please call (276) 492-2409 or email: info@thecrookedroad.org.

Lakeside Concert Series to feature Bakersfield Band Thursday Winged Deer Park’s Lakeside Concert Series will showcase the talents of the Bakersfield Band on Thursday (July 14). Bakersfield brings a taste of Texas to our area, playing honky-tonk and country music as authentic as sawdust on a dance hall floor.

Lead singer Kermit Monk’s vocals harken the era when country ruled the air waves, and he also plays a gritty, twangy electric guitar. With David Martin on vocals and steel guitar, Jim Price bringing in the harmony and electric bass, and Bob Cordell keeping time on the drums, Bakersfield Band puts on a great live show with blue collar American music.

This concert takes place from 7-9 p.m., and admission is free. Bring your lawn chairs, picnic basket, and your dancing shoes. Concessions are also available on grounds. Winged Deer Park’s lakefront Goulding Amphitheatre is located off Carroll Creek Road. For more information, call (423)283-5815 or email jcparksinfo@johnsoncitytn.org.

This year’s Lakeside Concert Series is sponsored by Bristol Broadcasting, DOTHERT Recording Studio, Johnson City Parks and Recreation, and the News and Neighbor.

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SUMMER TRAIN EXCURSION

f you’re experiencing the Summer Doldrums, we have the cure for you – getting out of the house and taking a great train ride! Escape the Dog Days of Summer with a cool, refreshing and scenic train trip through the mountains of the Southern Appalachian region. On Saturday, August 13th, 2016, the Watauga Valley Railroad Historical Society & Museum will sponsor its “Summer 2016 Excursion” – a train ride on the Great Smoky Mountains Railroad through the majestic Smoky Mountains and the beautiful countryside of Western North Carolina. The train follows the route of the former Southern Railway’s Murphy Branch line, established in 1891, with its five percent grade, many bridges, and the beautiful whitewater Nantahala Gorge. Much of the route hugs the banks of the Little Tennessee and Nantahala Rivers and crosses Fontana Lake Trestle, standing 100 feet above the lake and spanning 780 feet. After crossing the lake, the train will enter the breathtaking Nantahala Gorge – a natural wonder. Passengers can choose to ride in comfort in Coach Class, Crown Class or First Class. Ticket prices for adult Coach Class seats are $83 and $69 for children (2 to 12 years).

Adult Crown Class seats are $96 and $79 for children (2 to 12 years). First Class seats $152 for adults over 21.

The trip will begin in the parking lot of the Liberty Bell Middle School in Johnson City, TN, where passengers will board a motor coach departing 9:15 a.m.

Upon arriving Bryson City, NC, passengers will have time to shop, snack, and visit the Smoky Mountain Train Museum before boarding the excursion train at 1:45 p.m. for the 4.5- hour roundtrip to the Nantahala Gorge and return. There will be a layover at the Gorge for sightseeing. Expected arrival back to Johnson City is 8:30 p.m.

To order tickets (and lunch for Coach and Crown Classes, if desired), send your

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check or money order along with the number of tickets, the class of car you choose and lunch choices to Summer 2016 Excursions, Watauga Valley RHS&M, P. O. Box 432, Johnson City, TN,37605-0432. A printable ticket / lunch order form is available by going to our web site at www.wataugavalleynrhs.org and clicking on the “Excursions” link. Please specify if you will accept an alternate class of service if your choice is sold out; you will be refunded the difference. Money will be refunded if you do not wish an alternate service.

For questions about the trip, visit our web site at www.wataugavalleynrsh. org; phone (423) 753-5797; email wataugavalley@embarqmail.com; or write us at Watauga Valley RHS&M, P. O. Box 432, Johnson City, TN 37605-0432.

The railroad has become a favorite of film producers over the years. The train wreck scene in the 1993 movie “The Fugitive,” starring Harrison Ford and Tommy Lee Jones, was filmed in Dillsboro along the Great Smoky Mountain Railroad. The wreckage of the set can still be viewed on the outbound train excursion from Dillsboro. The Great Smoky Mountain Railroad also was used in the filming of the 1996 comedy “My Fellow Americans,” starring Jack Lemmon and James Gardner, when they stumble on to a charter train full of UNC-Chapel Hill Fans headed for the NCAA Final Four. Train scenes in the 1998 movie “Forces of Nature,” starring Ben Affleck and Sandra Bullock, also were filmed on the Great Smoky Mountains Railroad.

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LITTLE CHICAGO DOWNTOWN MUSIC & ARTS FESTIVAL TO DEBUT IN DOWNTOWN JOHNSON CITY

ith much anticipation of a new and exciting downtown festival, The Johnson City Downtown Merchants Association (JCDMA) will debut its first annual Little Chicago Downtown Music and Arts Festival in the streets of downtown Johnson City on August 12-13, 2016 from 11am-11pm each day. This will be a FREE festival for the public with something for everyone to enjoy.

The JCDMA is a newly formed association of approximately 30 downtown merchant members. JCDMA president Travis Woodall said “the merchant’s association was formed to give downtown businesses a conduit for promoting the downtown corridor and to give the merchants a voice regarding decisions that impact them.”

Building on our region’s rich heritage in music, arts and food, the Little Chicago Downtown Arts & Music Festival is a great opportunity to bring the community together by filling the streets, celebrating what makes our downtown awesome!

We encourage everyone to stop in and shop at many of the wonderful downtown businesses while strolling through and enjoying the festive atmosphere.

This year’s music lineup will host some of the biggest and best regional bands and artists from the Tri-Cities and surrounding areas on two stages flanking both ends of the festival. Local buskers will also be stationed throughout the streets for an eclectic spin on the festivities.

Featured areas of our festival will include local artisans in our arts and crafts area to browse and shop, a wonderful food court area with local food vendors and downtown restaurants, a kid’s play zone, and activities such as a roller derby

and car show. The Umoja Unity 5K Race will be held on Friday evening in conjunction with our festival for those who want to enjoy the sound of music on their run or walk.

The support of so many individuals, businesses and local government have been crucial in the development of this festival. The City of Johnson City has been a great partner in providing us with public safety, services and emergency personnel to make this event such a success.

For more information on the Little Chicago Downtown Music & Arts Festival, please visit us at www.littlechicagofestival.com, and keep engaged with us through social media via Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and Snapchat.

A preview of the 2016 UMOJA Festival “Jammin in the Park” , a preview of the 2016 UMOJA Festival will be on Saturday July 16, 2016 in Founders Park in Johnson City, TN. Some of the things we will be having is DJ, Latin Dance Demonstration, inflatable blow-ups, corn hole, tug of war, soccer, cards, bingo, food, drinks, and a large screen previewing the bands playing at the UMOJA festival.

theloaferonline.com | July 12, 2016 | 9

the casual word

Michelle Leigh @ capone’s

By Langley Shazor

Follow Langley on FB & Youtube at TheCasualword

Looking Over Both Shoulders

“I think, therefore I am “ The body is the mind Where the mind goes, the body follows suit Capable of great accomplishments Capable of grave evils In this space Battles rage on Perpetual tug of war Constantly standing at the fork Where will you go?

The road less traveled by?

It’s easy to slip when it’s heel to toe But do you stop walking?

Strengthen your core That you may stand upright And move in your purpose (C) Langley Shazor 6/28/16

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U Ready to Rock.... R U Ready to roll?? S.R.V must have known something we didn’t. Bakersville, N.C. native Miss Michelle Leigh is bringing her “Powerful Stuff” to Capone’s, Saturday July, 16th @ 10PM. 2015 Female Southern Rock Vocalist of the year, is making a stop in Johnson City, TN. Born and raised not far from here, Michelle realized early in life, what she wanted to do. Sing, meet people, make friends and a name for herself. Recently in an interview, she talked about “NOT” pursuing her dream earlier in life. She looks back as to why she didn’t head to Nashville, just after college maybe even high school!!! “She” stated! If I had gone to Nashville, I would probably “NOT” be where I am today.

Life’s tuff in Nashvegas. You can burnout way to soon. You can even meet, the wrong people who will tell you, your great but, more than likely they’re really looking out for #1 themselves. So I waited to take my shot. “Well” it seem’s to have been the right thing to do. Michelle is a nominee for (3) three different awards this year. Female vocalist of the year, Song of the year and Entertainer of the year!!!!, at the Josie Awards Presentation on Sept. 18th in Nashville. The votes are in, with her chance to win.. Johnson City or any other city, doesn’t need to wait.

Come see Michelle @ Capone’s, with special guest from Kingsport, TN Soul Swagger. Soul Swagger will take the stage @ 10PM with a set of rock, rock & roll. Michelle & The Boyz take the stage @ 11PM. Tix $5.00 in advance and at the door. Bringing it own home to TN, NC, VA and beyond.

Gus Moon

performs at Northeast State

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he Gus Moon musical experience represents equal parts genius, charisma, and humility with beautifully crafted songs in a rich melodic style.

Gus Moon is the two-man band of Anthony Mullis and Dennis Furr who began playing music together in a coffeehouse in Indiana.

Gus Moon performs at Northeast State Community College on July 14 at the Wellmont Regional Center for the Performing Arts Theater on the Blountville campus, next to Tri-Cities Regional Airport. The band’s performance is part of the College’s “Hot Nights, Cool Music” summer concert series. Admission is free and open to the public. The performance begins at 7:00 p.m. Doors open at 6:30 p.m.

The performance celebrates Northeast State’s 50th Anniversary.

Mullis is a tremendous singer/songwriter whose voice embodies the characters and place of his songs. With two full length albums and two EPs under their belt, Gus Moon is currently on tour with a much-anticipated stop at Northeast State.

The duo toured throughout the Southeast this spring visiting Nashville, Charleston, S.C., Athens, Ga., and Elizabethtown, Ky., among other stops. They have released the albums Worn Out Shoes and Gentle Now along with two EPs, Splendid Noise and their newest work, I Know Enough to Know Better, which was released earlier this year.

A Gus Moon show is as much a séance as it is a musical experience. The Moon sound melds personal experience, troubled characters, and often more-troubling narratives into many of the songs. Mullis becomes the persona of the songs, like an actor might embody a role. His voice is a channel where several voices erupt, recalling the brokenness of their bad loves and the triumphs of their picking up the shards. Other songs are much more topically bright, but there’s always some sort of balance in the songs between the darkness and the light. There is just enough polish to know it’s been taken care of; just enough scratch to know it’s seen its share of heartache.

The concert is open to the public and sponsored by the College’s Cultural Activities Committee. For more information, contact 423.279.7669.

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Special concert by carlene carter

riday, July 15th, 2016, at 7:30 p.m., the Carter Family Fold in Hiltons, Virginia, will present a special concert by Carlene Carter. This long-awaited and exciting Carter Girl Homecoming has been in the works for several months, but could only be officially announced today. Admission to the concert is $15 for adults, $5 for children 6 to 11, under age 6 free – but discouraged. Doors open at 6 p.m. Tickets will be sold at the door and seating is first-come, first-serve with no advance ticket sales. Carlene’s concert will be solo. She’ll be playing guitar, autoharp, and the piano. While her concert will not be a typical Carter Fold performance, it’s been far too long since she has performed at the Fold. During her extremely full and busy life, she has been unable to spend much time in Virginia at her mother’s birth place at the foot of Clinch Mountain. Carlene is the daughter of June Carter Cash and Carl Smith. Her stepfather, and the man she called Dad, was none other than Johnny Cash. Maybelle Carter was her grandmother, and her great aunt and uncle were Sara and A.P. Carter. That’s an impressive musical pedigree by anyone’s standards.

Releasing music for almost four decades, Carlene is the physical embodiment of the Carter Family in the 21st century.

Her most recently album release was Carter Girl, a Don Was-produced collection of Carter Family songs and originals, inspired by her family. Carlene spent the better part of the last few years on the road with John Mellencamp on his Plain Spoken tour, both as a support act and joining him on stage nightly to perform duets. She also played a role in the touring production of Ghost Brothers of Darkland County, the southern gothic musical play written by Stephen King and Mellencamp. Upcoming is the release of Sad Clowns and Hillbillies, the 2017 album by John Mellencamp featuring Carlene Carter and including newly penned songs by Carlene.

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Carlene started her career singing with The Carter Family at 17.

With the 1978 release of her self-titled debut album, she established herself on the edgier end of the country music spectrum, having recorded it in England with Graham Parker’s band The Rumour.

When Maybelle Carter died later that fall, Chet Flippo wrote in Rolling Stone that she “lived to see her granddaughter Carlene merge Nashville with contemporary rock and roll.”

Her third album, Musical Shapes, still often cited as being ahead of its time for its blend of country and rock, was recorded with her then husband and producer Nick Lowe and his group Rockpile in 1980. Making their home in London, Carlene spent a year on the West End stage in the musical Pump Boys and Dinettes, then filled in for her aunt Anita one night when The Carter Family

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played Wembley with the Johnny Cash show. She ended up touring with them for the next two years, until she felt ready to go out on her own again, encouraged by Dwight Yoakam, who told her, “Carlene, there is a place for you in country music.”

Working with producer Howie Epstein (of Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers), Carlene Carter became Nashville’s homecoming queen of 1990 when her rockin’ “I Fell In Love” topped the country singles and video charts, and the album was named one of the year’s 10 best by Time, People, and Stereo Review. Award nominations followed for the Academy of Country Music’s Top New Female Vocalist, and Best Country Vocal Performance, Female (for the I Fell In Love album) at the 1991 Grammy Awards. Her dynamic personality made her a natural as VH1’s first country video hostess with her own daily hour, The Carlene Carter Show, and she had another smash hit single and video with “Every Little Thing,” from Little Love Letters, in 1993.

Producing her next album, Little Acts of Treason, in 1995, Carlene got dad Carl Smith out of retirement for a duet of his hit “Loose Talk” (#1 for 7 weeks in 1955), and included The Carter Family and Johnny Cash on “The Winding Stream.” Back on TV with a series of specials for TNN, Carlene Carter: Circle of Song featured many friends and family members. She made history with two other famous Nashville daughters, Lorrie Morgan and Pam Tillis, on what USA Today called “the first all-female major country tour” in 1996. Her first “best of” collection, Hindsight 20/20, with 20 songs spanning 20 years of her recording career, was also released that year.

European tours and appearances on other albums continued, including a Waylon Jennings tribute covering his anthem “I’ve Always Been Crazy,” but Carlene’s life was devastated by the deaths of longtime partner Epstein, mother June, stepfather Cash, and sister Rosey Nix, all in 2003. Her performance of “Jackson” with Brooks & Dunn at the Johnny Cash Memorial Tribute Concert (which The Tennessean named “the show’s emotional highlight”), led to Carlene being cast as her mom in Wildwood Flowers: The June Carter Story, a 2005 Nashville stage musical about June’s early years with Mother Maybelle and the Carter Sisters. The show ended with Carlene’s emotional tribute to her grandmother and Rosey on “Me and the Wildwood Rose” segueing into “Will The Circle Be Unbroken.”

Carlene continued to honor Rosey on the title track to her next CD, Stronger, produced by

old friend and musical collaborator John McFee (of The Doobie Brothers and Southern Pacific) in 2008. Elvis Costello called the record “astounding,” and Bernie Taupin wrote that it was “a staggering achievement by one of the great voices and fearless hearts of country rock.” USA Today said simply, “It’s great to hear her again.”

Carlene Carter’s songs have continued to be heard again, too as “It Takes One To Know Me,” her long-lost birthday present to her stepdad when she was 19, closed the Johnny Cash box set The Legend in 2005; and “Easy From Now On,” first recorded by Emmylou Harris in 1978, was included on the 2007 No.1 Crazy Ex-Girlfriend CD by Miranda Lambert, who said, “That’s a ridiculously great song.” Another one of the current generation’s strong female country singer-songwriters, Ashley Monroe, is a distant relative of both the Carter and Smith families, and as she told CMT News, “I grew up knowing Carlene was my cousin as well - wore her little tapes out.” Sirius Outlaw Country radio host and frequent Grand Ole Opry guest Elizabeth Cook says, “Carlene is my hero.”

“I wrote [the Carter Girl album] thinking of the Carter Family’s flowery lyrics and romantic themes,” Carlene says, noting, too, that the Carter Family catalog is heavy both on songs of faith and far darker fare. Turning to Carter Girl, she notes that all these facets of the Carter Family’s pioneering work which are reflected in a stunning album achievement that honors her ancestors while confirming her proud place among them.

Join us at the foot of Clinch Mountain at the Carter Family Fold for this long overdue concert – Carter Girl Homecoming. The Fold is so proud, thrilled and honored to welcome Carlene Carter home to the place that is responsible for such a big part of her musical heritage. Performing in the place so many of her family members performed on so many occasions over the last forty-two years, this promises to be the most special and heart-warming concerts in history. Don’t miss this unique event as it may be a long time in coming around again. Carlene and her husband Joe live in California. She spends as much time as possible in Nashville near her children and her grandchildren, but she rarely makes it all the way to Virginia. For more information on Carlene and her rare musical legacy, go to Carlene’s site: www.carlenecarter.net.

For further information on the center, go to http://www.carterfamilyfold.org. Shows from the Carter Family Fold can be accessed on the internet at http://www.carterfoldshow.com. Partial funding for programs at the center is provided by the Virginia Commission for the Arts and the National Endowment for the Arts. For recorded information on shows coming to the Fold, call 276-386-6054.

theloaferonline.com | July 12, 2016 | 13

Contra Dance

in Jonesborough! (BOGO Plus a Dollar)

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he Historic Jonesborough Dance Society will hold a contra dance on Saturday, July 16, 2016 at 7:30pm at the Historic Jonesborough Visitors Center, 117 Boone Street. Performing for the dance will be Joseph Sobol and Lee Bidgood. The caller is Stephanie Marie from Charlotte. A class for beginners will be held at 7:00pm. Every dancer is encouraged to attend the class to become familiar with dance steps, formations, and flow. Klondike Bars, the official frozen treat of the Historic Jonesborough Dance Society, will be served at the 9:00pm waltz break. This event is open to all.

Our summer promotion to attract new dancers is an offer to all comers to “Buy one ticket and get one free plus a dollar”. The one dollar offer is intended for those who have never tried contra dance before” offers event organizer, David Wiley, President of the Historic Jonesborough Dance Society. Bring a friend who has never danced and they get in for $1.

Admission to the dance is $7 for (yet-to-be members), $5 for HJDS members. Full time Students and children get in for $5. A Family Package has been instituted for members that allows parents and as many children in their core family to get in for only $15.

Come to dance or come to listen. No partner is necessary. It is customary at contra dances to change partners after each dance. As always, our dances are smoke, alcohol and fragrance free.

Families, students and singles are welcome. All dances are taught by the caller. No previous dance experience is necessary.

Storyteller, musician, folklorist, and author, Joseph Daniel Sobol is an artist of wide-ranging accomplishments. An artist-in-residence for many years in North and South Carolina, he received a Masters in Folklore from University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill, and a Ph.D. in Performance Studies from Northwestern University. He toured the country from 1994 through 1999 with his award-winning musical theatre piece In the Deep Heart’s Core based on the works of Irish poet W. B. Yeats. His book on the American storytelling revival, The Storytellers’ Journey, was published in 1999 by the University of Illinois Press. In addition he has released a cassette and three CDs of music and stories, alone and with his group Kiltartan Road. His most recent recording, Citternalia: Celtic Music for Cittern was honored with a “Homegrown CD Award” by Acoustic Guitar Magazine, which called the album “a watershed project--dazzling speed and precision.” After eleven years in Chicago, Illinois, doing folklore residencies with high school ESL and multilingual programs and performing regularly with some of America’s top Irish traditional musicians, he is proud to have been named Director of the Graduate Program in Storytelling at East Tennessee State University.

Lee Bidgood performs and researches in areas ranging from church worship and Czech tramp singing to bluegrass, old time, country, and early music. He received his doctorate in Critical and Comparative Studies in Music from the University of Virginia; since then his writing has been published in “Lide/Mêsto,” “The International Country Music Journal,” The New Encyclopedia of Southern Culture, and the New Grove Dictionary of Music and Musicians. Lee’s research has been supported by a Fulbright Grant (IIE), a Presidential Fellowship (UVA), a FLAS summer fellowship, and two major RDC grants from ETSU. He has presented his work to the Society of Ethnomusicology, the American Musicological Society, the International Council for Traditional Music, and the International Country Music Conference. With filmmaker Shara Lange, Bidgood co-produced Banjo Romantika (20013), a full-length documentary film about Czech bluegrass.

Lee has performed on mandolin and fiddle with North Carolina bands the Steep Canyon Rangers and Big Fat Gap and on viola da gamba and baroque strings with amateur and professional early music groups. He has toured internationally and recorded with Roll’s Boys and performed with other Czech bands including G-Runs and Roses and Reliéf. At ETSU Lee has taught “Bluegrass History I-II,” “Survey of Contemporary Bluegrass,” “Bluegrass and America’s Music,” “Ethnomusicology in Appalachia,” as well as two study abroad courses.

“Joseph and Lee will dazzle us with their Celtic and Old Time tunes. The jigs and reels will be great fun to dance to. We are all very lucky to have them in the area. Now and then, Joseph will drop by for a dance or to jam with the hired band for the night” adds Wiley. Sobol will have numerous CD recordings that will be offered to contra dance crowd.

Stephanie Marie is a contra dance caller from the Charlotte, NC area. She enjoys creating dance programs for all levels of dancers.

For more information, contact event organizer David Wiley at 423-534-8879 or visit www. historicjonesboroughdancesociety.org and Historic Jonesborough Dance Society on FACEBOOK.

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The Billy Crawford Band turns Northeast State blue

hat better way to spend summer evenings than enjoying Northeast State’s “Hot Nights, Cool Music” summer concert series?

The summer burns blue this month when the Billy Crawford Band lays down a blistering set of blues music on July 16 at the Wellmont Regional Center for the Performing Arts Theater on the Blountville campus, next to Tri-Cities Regional Airport. Admission is free and open to the public. The performance begins at 7:00 p.m. Doors open at 6:30 p.m. The performance celebrates Northeast State’s 50th Anniversary.

Blues guitar might be associated with Mississippi, Texas and Chicago, but a man of the mid-South has something to say about that. Billy Crawford was raised playing bass in church, then gaining an early hard-rock pedigree on electric guitar. But for the past three decades, he has turned his six-string action toward the blues.

His Bristol-based Billy Crawford Band includes some of the region’s finest blues men. Crawford’s guitar rips through blues, ballads, rock, surf even New Orleans-style. Along for the ride with Crawford are singer/guitarist Rex Boggs, sax man Jay Corder, bassist Robert McClain, and drummer Keith Chinault.

Like a lot of kids growing up in East Tennessee, Crawford dug into hard rock. Randy Rhoads, Ritchie Blackmore and Gary Moore were big influences. But like Moore, Crawford turned to the blues. B.B. King and Elvis Presley were his earliest influences.

The late Stevie Ray Vaughan’s work turned Crawford on his head, after he saw the Strat-master on television in 1984. But it would take two more years for Crawford to find musicians willing and able to play that style.

In 1997, Crawford led a band to a win at the Piedmont Blues Competition, in Winston-Salem, N.C. It earned Crawford and the act a trip to Memphis for the International Blues Competition.

They didn’t win, but folks noticed Crawford’s blistering style.

Calls came in for gigs, but he held out, remaining loyal to his band until Deborah Coleman came calling. She was new, unknown and just signed to Blind Pig Records. He took the gig and hit the road with Coleman, playing 18 states over 12 weeks. Over the next six years, he recorded four albums with her, working with legendary producer Jim Gaines and top players from across the country.

When the band wasn’t recording, it was on the road, touring in 20 countries. Among those experiences was one that meant the world to Crawford. He performed with the late Vaughan’s band, Double Trouble.

The circle would come back to Bristol, though, after his wife told him she was pregnant. He left the road in fall of 2002. But he never put down his guitar. Billy Crawford and his band can lay down a mean set of blues music. Catch this phenomenal local talent at Northeast State.

The concert is open to the public and sponsored by the College’s Cultural Activities Committee. For more information, contact 423.279.7669. theloaferonline.com | July 12, 2016 | 15

S O LG T P

T I

- TUESDAY - July 12th -

DUTY FREE at Full Moon Jam Bristol GUIDO AU’SOME & THE OPEN MIC PLAYERS at O’Mainnin’s Pub JOHNSON CITY JAMS

at The Willow Tree Coffeehouse & Music Room DANA MASSIVE at Acoustic Coffeehouse DOWNTOWN COUNTRY at Jiggy Ray’s 6:30pm

- WEDNESDAY - July 13th OPEN MIC

at The Willow Tree Coffeehouse & Music Room NEW MEXICO CHEMICAL at O’Mainnin’s Pub MARK LARKINS at Luke’s Pizza NELLEN DRYDEN at Bone Fire Smokehouse RILEY ANGLEN at Down Home DEADSHIPS at The Hideaway 7pm

TAYLOR KNIGHTON / FORT DEFIANCE at Acoustic Coffeehouse

- THURSDAY - July 14th EC FRAZIER

at Marker “2” Grill

JAMES MEADOWS (Country)

at Full Moon Jam - Bristol Downtown Center SHOOTER (Country, Classic Rock, Oldies) at Cumberland Square Park ADAM MCMILLAN (A little bit of everything) at Rainbow Asian Cuisine 9pm

GUS MOON

at Northeast State Performing Arts Center 7pm THE BOXCARS at Downtown Kingsport

RUSTY STEEL w/ QUARTER BOUNCE at Quaker Steak & Lube 7pm SHOOTER (Country, Classic Rock, Oldies) at Cumberland Park 7pm

TRAVIS BOWLIN

at Moe’s Original BBQ 7pm

BAKERSFIELD BAND at Winged Deer Park 7pm

JAZZ 251 (NEIL BURCHAMA CO) at Rock’s Wood Fired Pizza & Grill 7pm

LIZ VICE

at Abingdon Market Pavillion 7pm RYAN WARD (Indie) at O’Mainnin’s Pub

THE BOXCARS

H

- FRIDAY - July15 th -

SOUTHERN REBELLION

(Country, Classic Rock, Southern Rock) at Sonny’s Marina & Cafe 7pm

CALAMITY JONES BAND at Marker “2” Grill

CJ CHENIER & THE RED HOT LOUISIANA BAND at Twilight Alive - Kingsport 8pm ADAM MCMILLAN (A little bit of everything)

SOUTHERN 76

at David Thompson’s Produce

MOUNTAIN ROSE at Down Home

JV SQUAD

at The Willow Tree Coffeehouse & Music Room

SOUTHERN COUNTRYMEN BAND (Country) at Athen’s Steakhouse 7pm

THE BARDELLOS

at Kickin’ Back @ King Alley

LAUREN COLE BAND at Quaker Steak & Lube 8pm

RUSTY STEEL w/ QUARTER BOUNCE

(Metal, Southern, Hard Rock) at O’Mainnin’s Pub KIDS OUR AGE (50’s - 90’s, rock n roll, country, a bit of everything) at Memorial Park Community Center

THE COMET CONDUCTOR

at Bristol’s Border Bash NIGHTSHIFT (Country, Southern Rock, Oldies) at Ma & Pa’s 7pm BELOW 7 (Rock) at Country Club Bar & Grill SHOOTER (Country, Classic Rock, Oldies) at Elizabethton Moose Lodge 9pm

DEAD FARMER / SAMMY GUNS GHOST CAB at Capone’s BEFORE THE STORM at 50Fifty Sports Tavern 9pm

DANNY PAISLEY & THE SOUTHERN GRASS at Down Home JORDAN COPAS (Hip Hop, Rap, Christian) at Jiggy Ray’s 7pm

LIVE MUSIC at Bone Fire Smokehouse 9pm CLAY MCLEOD / BRIEF AWAKENING at Acoustic Coffeehouse

- SATURDAY - July 16th CRAZY LIKE LEXI

at Sonny’s Marina & Cafe 7pm

MICHELLE LEIGH

16 | July 12, 2016 | theloaferonline.com

at Laurel Marina

THE BROADCAST

SUNDOWN BAND (Country) at St James Community Center

OPEN MIC

at Acoustic Coffeehouse

RON SHORT & THE POSSUM PLAYBOYS

at Hungry I Apex 8pm

ALI RANDOLPH & THE OUTTA LUCK BAND

at Bone Fire Smokehouse

- SATURDAY - July 16th -

THE CHR BAND / JACKDAW’S 7 LOGAN FRITZ & CO. at Bristol Brewery 2pm CIRCUS MUTT

LIVE MUSIC

at Bluegrass on Broad - Kingsport

If you or your band are playing in the upcoming week and would like to be in The Spotlight, call in advance to (423) 283-4324 or go online to: theloaferonline.com. Due to last minute cancellations or changes, please call the location to confirm.

at Marker “2” Grille 7pm at Capone’s

at JRH Brewing Co. 7pm 40 WEST at Painter Creek Marina 7pm at Sleepy Owl Brewery 9pm

BILLY CRAWFORD BAND

at Northeast State Performing Arts Center

DANIEL SALYER at Holiday Inn (Exit 7)

SOUTHERN COUNTRYMEN BAND (Country)

at Buffalo Ruritan

NIGHTSHIFT (Country, Southern Rock, Oldies) at JC Moose Lodge 8pm MOONLIGHT RUN

at Country Club Bar & Grill SHOOTER (Country, Classic Rock, Oldies) at Elizabethton Moose Lodge 9pm

CHRIS LONG / CYNDEE GRAY HARR Fun Fest Kingsport

HARPER AND THE BEARS at Busker Festival 4pm

SOVREIGN

at O’Mainnin’s Pub

SHAWN HAGAN at Jiggy Ray’s 7pm

REDLEG HUSKY

at Yee Haw Brewing Company 8pm

LIVE MUSIC

Bone Fire Smokehouse

ADAM SARMENTO / JERRY OLIVER w/ THE BIRDWATER EXPERIMENT at Acoustic Coffeehouse

- SUNDAY - July 17th IVY ROAD at Marker “2” Grille JAMES MEADOWS (Country)

at Sonny’s Marina & Cafe 4pm LIVE MUSIC at Bone Fire Smokehouse OPEN MIC at Acoustic Coffeehouse

- MONDAY - July 18th -

MONK AND MALONE at Jiggy Ray’s OPEN MIC at Acoustic Coffeehouse

Spotlight Directory 50 Fifty Sports Tavern 2102 N. Roan Street Johnson City 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 Brewery 41 Piedmont Ave Bristol VA 276/ 608-1220 Bristol’s Pickin’ Porch 620 State St Bristol 423/573-2262 Capone’s 227 E Main St Johnson City 423/928-2295 Carter Family Fold 3449 A. P. Carter Hwy Hiltons VA 276/594-0676 Country Club Bar & Grill 3080 W State St Bristol 423/844-0400 Cumberland Square Park 200 Lee St. Bristol VA 276/ 645-7300 Down Home 300 W. Main St. Johnson City 423/929-9822 Elizabethton Moose Lodge 288 Lovers Lane Elizabethton 423/542-5454 The Hideaway 235 E. Main St Johnson City 423/ 926-3896 Holiday Inn (Exit 7) 3005 Linden Dr Bristol Va 276/466-4100 Jiggy Ray’s 610 E. Elk Ave Elizabethton Johnson City Moose Lodge 1801 W. Lakeview Dr. Johnson City 423/926-6400

KARAOKE TUESDAY Karaoke w/ Absolute Entertainment at Boomershine’s Pizza Karaoke at 50Fifty Sports Tavern Karaoke at Numan’s - Johnson City TN Karaoke at Painter Creek Marina *********************** WEDNESDAY Karaoke w/ Southern Sounds Karaoke at American Legion 8pm Karaoke w/ Absolute Entertainment at Smokey Bones - Johnson City TN Karaoke w/ Absolute Entertainment at Marker “2” Grille Turn the Page Karaoke at VFW Post 2108 - Johnson City TN *********************** THURSDAY Karaoke at Numan’s - Johnson City TN Karaoke at Holiday Inn - Johnson City TN Karaoke w/ Absolute Entertainment at Mellow Mushroom Karaoke w/ Absolute Entertainment at Poor Richard’s Campus ***********************

Kickin’ Back at King’s Alley 156 E. Jackson St. Gate City VA 276/386-3831 Laurel Marina 191 Shady Ford Rd. Bristol 423/ 878-3721 Luke’s Pizza 3111 W. Market St. Johnson City 423/ 328-0186 Marker “2’ Grill at Lakeview Marina 474 Lakeside Dock, Kingsport 423/323-4665 Memorial Park 500 E. Main St. Johnson City Northeast State Community College 2425 Highway 75 Blountville TN O’Mainnin’s Pub 712 State St Bristol 423/844-0049 Painter Creek Marina 766 Painter Creek Rd Bristol TN 423/878-5775 Quaker Steak & Lube 629 State St Bristol VA 276/644-9647 Rock’s Wood Fired Pizza & Grill 3119 Bristol Hwy. Johnson City 423 / 262-0444 Sleepy Owl Brewery 151 E. Main St. Kingsport 423/390-8476 Sonny’s Marina & Café 109 One St. Gray TN 423/283-4014 Wellington’s Restaurant Carnegie Hotel 1216 W State of Franklin Rd Johnson City 423/979-6400 The Willow Tree Coffeehouse & Music Room 216 E Main St Johnson City Winged Deer Park 4137 Bristol Hwy Johnson City 423/ 283-5816 Yee Haw Brewing Company 126 Buffalo St. Johnson City

FRIDAY Karaoke w/ Southern Sounds Karaoke at Sportsman’s Bar & Grill 9pm Karaoke w/ Reverb Karaoke at The Cottage 8:30 pm Turn the Page Karaoke at VFW Post 2108 - Johnson City TN Karaoke at Elizabethton VFW - Elizabethton TN Karaoke w/ DJ Marques at Holiday Inn (Exit 7) - Bristol VA Karaoke at Numan’s - Johnson City TN Karaoke w/ Absolute Entertainment at Greeneville VFW *********************** SATURDAY Karaoke at The Horseshoe Lounge Turn the Page Karaoke at VFW Post 2108 - Johnson City TN Karaoke w/ Absolute Entertainment at Macado’s - Kingsport Karaoke at Numan’s - Johnson City TN *********************** SUNDAY Karaoke w/ Absolute Entertainment at Everette’s Bar & Grille -JC TN **********************

theloaferonline.com | July 12, 2016 | 17

HERCULES A HUNK OF A CONSTELLAtiON

A

Photo by MarQ

person never forgets their first time with a celestial body…I know I don’t mine.

So it’s always a pleasure to hear the “oohhs and aahhs” when someone else is enjoying their first time with their eyes wrapped around a beautiful heavenly body.

Like the glistening ball of star splendor that is known as the Great Globular Cluster of Hercules.

The 13th in the famous ‘Messier List” of 110 fuzzy and diffuse objects catalogues by the French astronomer Charles Messier. “M-13” as it known in astronomy circles is simply one of the breathtaking sights in a good telescope.

And M-13—a silky mesh of warm, glowing starlight—is my first love in the starry night!

Right in the back yard of our house on Greenacre Drive in Findlay, Ohio in 1963, I used a library book star chart and the 90mm refractor Christmas gift from Santa’s factory at Sears & Roebuck to find my first “deep sky object” by star-hopping around the constellation Hercules.

I gazed in literal wide wonder at this gem I had found all by myself at the first attempt at losing my virginity to the stars. It was a fuzzy ball between two equally bright stars I’ll never forget.

Such is the passion of stargazing.

Something you can also enjoy. And let me share with you a simple celestial hunt for one of the grandest objects in our Galaxy.

What we are looking for is one of 100 balls of stars about 100 light years wide and filled with 50,000 stars that orbit a gravitational center like electrons of an atom. Called “globular clusters,” they are the ancient old stars of our Milky Way Galaxy’s creation, their complete history still a cosmic mystery.

All similar spiral galaxies like our own have these globular clusters circling them, again like electrons around an atom nucleus. Some galaxies have hundreds, some thousands of these puzzling star balls—galaxies in their own right.

On the famous Messier List of the best 110 objects in the telescope, there are about a dozen that are globular clusters. All are easy in binoculars, and some are even visible with the naked eye under ideal, dark conditions.

Like M-13, aka The Great Globular Cluster.

Pick a night when the Moon is not up from 11 pm to 1 am as that’s the time in Summer that Hercules is straight overhead. Look for a square of four equally bright stars which amateur astronomers call the “Keystone” asterism. This is the

18 | July 12, 2016 | theloaferonline.com

body of the mighty Hercules.

The Keystone is the brightest part of the strong man, and other stars trailing off these points make up the arms, including a club and shield.

With the square body and dangling legs, this constellation actually looks a lot like the cartoon character “SpongeBob SquarePants!”

Another way to find it is look for the two brightest stars overhead—orange Arcturus to the west (where the Sun sets) and white Vega to the east. These are the trim sides of Hercules, and his head is to the north and feet to the south.

The globular cluster M-13 is on the west side of Hercules’s Keystone, between those two stars. It is a third of the way from the northern star. The tiny globe of stars will look like a grey cotton ball in binoculars and a small telescope. In larger mirror telescopes of 6-inches and above you can resolve stars, a thrilling sight that becomes more fantastic in some of the largest backyard telescopes.

But that’s not the only globular cluster in Hercules. Often overlooked is another beautiful ball of stars, M-92. It is in the legs of the mighty man, and is also a beautiful sight in any telescope.

The Great Globular Cluster of Hercules was a favorite of early astronomy popularizers, including the writer Mary Proctor in her book “Evenings with the Stars” published in 1924: She says: “It is the finest of all the clusters in the northern skies and it is just visible to the unaided eye on a dark night… By means of photography, what may be termed literally a ball composed of thousands of Suns, with outlying streamers curving outward as though wafted by a celestial breeze.”

What would it be like to be on a planet on a star inside of M-13?

Pretty wild. You would see a night filled with incomparable splendor as stars brighter than planet Venus in earthly skies would be everywhere. The night would never be dark with an M-13 planet’s surface being brightly illuminated like a cloudy day on Earth.

Though packed tightly, the stars of a globular cluster are actually a few light years apart and astronomers think collisions are rare, or we’d witness them.

Summertime is globular cluster time as they many become visible as the Milky Way rises. The constellations Scorpius, Ophiuchus and Sagittarius in the heart of our Galaxy all contain many of these celestial gems. And they are easy targets in binoculars or a small telescope.

Enjoy the warm nights roaming around the constellations. And enjoy the celestial hunt for those tiny globular gems of summer.

T

his is the historic week 47 years ago of the launch of Apollo 11 on mankind’s greatest adventure to the Moon. But it also is a monumental week in American and Russian relations when a US and USSR spacecraft docked and the adversaries exchanged handshakes 125-miles above their countries. This is also the week when astronomers saw their first close-up views of the surfaces of Mercury, Mars and Pluto.

Tues. July 12 On 2001 date in space history Atlantis was launched from Cape Kennedy for a mission to the International Space Station for installation of the Quest Air Lock for space walks.

Wed. July 13 On this 1995 date in space history, Space Shuttle Discovery was launched, the 70th flight in the program. Discovery was on its 21st flight, and it deployed the 7th Tracking and Relay Data Station, the communication satellites used by NASA and the military.

Thurs. July 14 On this date in space history, space scientists got their first close up views of Mars, Mercury and Pluto. In 1965, Mariner IV flew by the Red Planet, taking 22 historic photos that showed a cratered world and no sign of life. In 2008, NASA’s Messenger spacecraft flew by Mercury, showing the first planet to be predictably peppered with craters. And last year in 2015, New Horizons whizzed by Pluto and is still sending back amazing surface images of this dynamic world.

Fri. July 15 The gibbous Moon will draw all eyes directly south tonight in the constellation Scorpius. Below our neighbor will be the yellowish planet Saturn, with red Mars to the right. And making a triangle of the planets is the red star below, Antares.

Sat. July 16 On this 1969 date in space history, Apollo 11 was launched to the Moon by the three-stage, 365foot high Saturn V, still the largest rocket ever successfully flown. One million people crowded around the roads of Cape Kennedy to watch the Thursday morning blastoff.

Sun. July 17 On this 1975 date in space history, three Americans in Apollo 18 and two Russians in Soyuz 19

Celestial events in the skies for the week of July 12 - 18, 2016, as compiled for The Loafer by Mark D. Marquette. docked and spent two days in space together in an ultimate act of détente begun by President Richard Nixon. Four decades later, America, which is building a new spaceship, has to depend on the upgraded Russian Soyuz spaceship to ferry astronauts and cosmonauts to the orbiting International Space Station.

Mon. July 18 Happy 95th birthday to American space hero and former US Senator John Glenn.

The first American to orbit the Earth in 1962, he later became the oldest space flier at age 77 aboard Space Shuttle Discovery in 1998. Glenn was an Ohio Senator for 24 years, and is an American icon with many streets, schools and institutions bearing his name, including NASA’s center in Cleveland and now the Columbus, Ohio airport.

theloaferonline.com | July 12, 2016 | 19

Go Go Gopher

E

ver have a week where you just feel overwhelmed from everything? I’m not talking about the casual “Oh, I have so much to do today” kind of overwhelmed, but the “everything is falling apart and I want to hide in a closet and mainline episodes of ‘Batman’” kind of overwhelmed. It was week where everything seemed to be piling up on the calendar, with even more being added as the week went on. I’d wake on Tuesday and think it was Friday, then I’d wake up on Thursday, and think it was Monday.

I had a sense that maybe I had said yes to one too many things, when on Monday morning the week of all the things, I asked Siri “What does my week look like?” Siri took a moment and responded with “You have a very full week, one that isn’t possible for a human to do. Are you a robot?” Just to give you an idea of how crazy this particular week was, let me run down all the events I had from just one day.

Not counting the long process it takes for me to get ready each day, my morning began with breakfast at the Rotary Club—which included a speech from yours truly. After that, I had a grand opening at a supermarket to go to—which included a speech from yours truly. Up next was lunch at McDonald’s—which included a speech from yours truly. After that, it was time for the biggest event of my day, a book signing at a local book shop for my first fitness book “Bend My Way: Yoga

By Andy.”

The book signing didn’t include a speech, as I spoke to the tens of hundreds that were in line to

20 | July 12, 2016 | theloaferonline.com

get their book signed. Really, that’s as it should be, as the book is just one giant health speech from yours truly. After the signing, I’ll was rushed to physical therapy so that I don’t loose strength in my writin’ hand from all the inscriptions I wrote. Following therapy, I got into a private jet to head to Canada to have dinner with their new PM—turns out he just LOVES my movie reviews!

After dinner, I hopped back onto a red eye flight for home.

Arriving at home, my assistant, Ingmar, follows me around with a laptop while I dictate a chapter of my upcoming book “Crain Maxwell: Master Spy.” After that I brushed my teeth, and settled in for a few hours of sleep. Then the alarm went out, and whole new day of things to do began.

As you can see, though these all being good things, it was a most overwhelming week as that was just ONE day of my frantic week. Frankly, I’m glad that week has ended. Now it’s back to a more manageable schedule of speeches only on Friday nights, and dinners with local dignitaries, followed by hours of pinball at the arcade. Delightful. See you next week.

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The legend of tarzan (3.5 Gorillas out of 4)

he character of Tarzan first burst onto the pop culture scene in 1912 via a magazine, and has appeared in all forms of media throughout the years. Some of you will no doubt remember the 1960’s “Tarzan” series starring Ron Ely, while others may only remember him from the animated Disney film from from 1999. As we all know, unless you have been stranded in a jungle, Tarzan is the son of a British lord and lady who were marooned on the coast of Africa, and left to survive in the jungle.

During this time Tarzan was an infant, and his parents fought for survival and to protect their baby from the threats of the jungle.

Unfortunately both of Tarzan’s parents met unfortunate fates, and the infant was left alone, only to be taken by a kind female gorilla.

From this point forward, Tarzan became a feral child and lived as a gorilla in the jungle, honing his survival skills that would eventually save his life many times. The lord of the jungle appears in his latest incarnation in the new film “The Legend of Tarzan”, featuring Alexander Skarsgard (“True Blood”) in the title role. The film begins with Tarzan, John Clayton III, living in London as Lord Greystoke with his wife Jane (Margot Robbie). The film features flashbacks to

reveal how Lord Greystoke was raised by the great apes, after Greystoke is encouraged by the British Prime Minister and American envoy George Washington Williams (Samuel L. Jackson) to accept an invitation to return to the Congo, to see what is taking place there as a result of the areas new Belgium rulers. Even though he is reluctant at first, Tarzan agrees to return with Jane in tow, and the adventures begin. Upon their return to their true home, Tarzan and Jane are reunited with their native Congo friends, only to discover harsh rule has occured at the hands of Belgium. From this point forward, the story involves political conflict, the lust for diamonds, slavery, reunions with gorillas and lions, and plenty of swinging on vines in the jungle. I really liked how the story presented the character of Jane as a determined and strong woman, and not a shrinking violet. In other words, Jane is not to be trifled with. As for Skarsgard’s Tarzan, he is strong and caring, showing compassion for both animals and humans, at least those humans not on a destructive path. The special effects in the film are wonderful, and Tarzan’s interactions with his animal friends is both touching and terrifying at times. Despite the serious tone of the film, there is some humor thanks to comic relief provided by Jackson, who proves to be a loyal friend to our vine swinger. I really felt a sense of joy when Tarzan was swinging through the jungle trees and interacting with his gorilla family and other assorted animals. The only slight disappointment I felt was no appearance of Cheeta, Tarzan’s sometime chimp companion, so perhaps if their is a sequel, the famous chimp will appear. The film presents plenty of positive messages, but never in a heavy-handed way that strays from the fun of the Tarzan character. If you are a Tarzan fan, or simply have always known the character, I’m sure you will delight in the icons latest adventure in “The Legend of Tarzan”, a fun summer film. (PG-13 and presented in both 2D and 3D)

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The House across the Street

s we trudge on through this election cycle, waiting in anticipation (or possibly dread) to see who will be the next tenant at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue, it seems a fitting time to talk about Blair House - the other presidential residence on the block. Formally known as the President’s Guest House, Blair House is actually comprised of four distinct buildings that have been joined internally to create a single living space. Spacious and exquisitely appointed, it serves a ‘home away from home’ for visiting heads of state and other guests of the president.

Prior to the mid-twentieth century, it was common for such visitors to stay conveniently in the White House proper. But Winston Churchill’s tendency to wander into FDR’s bedroom in the middle of the night seeking conversation led the State Department to conclude that providing separate quarters for guests was probably a good idea. As such, the U.S. government acquired the 1820’s-era townhouse across the street at 1651 Pennsylvania Avenue from the prominent Blair family.

Soon after, the government scooped up three adjacent buildings and through extensive renovation, combined them with the original Blair House to form a single residence. It’s big, too - containing 14 bedrooms and 35 bathrooms. At around 70,000 square feet, Blair House actually has more interior space than the White House itself. Furthermore, it’s decorated with antique furniture and artwork, including 18th century Chinese wallpaper. With it’s dedicated crew of chefs, butlers, and housekeepers, let’s just

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say that the place is comfortable.

In addition to housing foreign dignitaries, Blair house has been made available for other presidential purposes. Incoming presidents traditionally spend the night before their inauguration at the facility. President Harry Truman actually spent almost the entirety of his second term at Blair House, while the dilapidated White House was completely reconstructed. There, he survived an assassination attempt by Puerto Rican separatists, who sought to storm the building with guns blazing. The attack cost the life of a White House policeman but ultimately failed - in spite of the fact that Truman had gone to the window to peer out at what was going on.

All of that history makes it a real shame that Blair House is not open to tours. For now, it might just be easiest to rig an election (or maybe a coup) to make yourself the leader of some obscure banana republic. Then, maybe you can get yourself a proper invite.

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The Don Campbell Interview

hen I told friends I was going to introduce this guy to you, some asked me if it was a “conflict of interest.” Without hesitation, I responded “no.” Don Campbell is my boss at Marsh Regional Blood Center and if you don’t know him, you need to. Not only am I proud of what we do and blessed to have Don as my boss, there are not many people who are involved with the community then he is. He isn’t from here originally but has been in the area long enough that he has managed to learn most of the words to Rocky Top over the years, so we will give him a pass as being local. No matter what, Don’s efforts to support regional growth at work and as a volunteer make him a guy you will be glad you met.

BRIAN: Ok, I told people you aren’t from here. Tell us where you grew up and how your life as a kid helped shape who you are.

DON: Well you can say I’m an East Coast guy. I was born in New York (Long Island) and lived there until 5th grade. We moved when my dad got transferred to Winston-Salem, North Carolina.

Our family moved back north to New Jersey on the next transfer and I spent my high school years there. For college I was back in North Carolina and then have lived here ever since. Moving often required a willingness to accept change and challenged me to make friends with different groups of people. Those are probably the two biggest skills I carry with me today. Thankfully, I played sports, which always allows you to make friends and meet people also.

BRIAN: At some point you made the decision to come to the Tri Cities. What brought you to the region and can you give folks some background of what you have done in your career over the years?

DON: After graduate school at Appalachian State University, I took a job with the Johnson City Medical Center and worked there for about a year, before transitioning over to Holston Valley Medical Center in the outpatient physical therapy department (Sullivan Center). While there I had the privilege of working with great folks and getting a chance to make an impact on people’s lives – through returning them to the job or the activities they wanted to play. After 20 years, I decided to go back to school at King University and took my current position as Director of Marsh Regional Blood Center. I love what we do at Marsh and how we make a difference in our community. Not only do we provide at local hospitals, through local blood donations, but we also believe in giving back to the communities that assist us in meeting our goals. Our high school program is one of my favorites and was extremely pleased we could provide over $19,000 in scholarships to students and grants to high schools this past year.

BRIAN: I always ask the people who interview here about their faith because I feel it tells a lot about them. How does your faith play a role in your everyday life?

DON: Faith is a very personal thing and certainly something we all need. Thankfully I have been blessed to have a strong belief in God and in the belief there is a divine providence that guides us through our lives. Many times it may be hard to see or hard to accept, but it is always there if we are willing to look. I also believe this faith or personal belief guides us to choose the people we associate ourselves with and I have also been blessed to have a wonderful core of friends who have shaped my life and helped me through the difficult times we all have once in a while.

BRIAN: The amount of work you do volunteering with The Kingsport Chamber, Funfest and many other organizations has had a huge impact over the years. What are some of the efforts that stand out to you? Why do you dedicate your time to doing so much of this sort of work?

DON: As I said before, I believe in giving back to the communities that have meant so much to this organization and me personally. I enjoy volunteering and being part of the bigger picture in this community. Our work is a small part of who we are, it’s through service to others that we really get to make a difference in life. I had the great privilege of serving as Fun Fest Chairman last year and had a blast meeting new groups of people in the community and learning thing about the whole event I didn’t know. This event is in great hands this year with my friend Mike Lattier and the wonderful Fun Fest committee and staff at the Kingsport Chamber.

BRIAN: And there is no way I am letting this interview end without giving the chance to tell

folks what is going on at Marsh right now and how they can find out more, go.

DON: 2016 is definitely an exciting year for us at Marsh. Eastman Credit Union has donated a brand new mobile collection unit worth $250,000, we were able to partner with Niswonger Children’s Hospital to bring Jason Isbell in concert and on July 14 we officially announce our return to Johnson City with our new collection center at 2428 Knob Creek Road. All of this is a huge credit to the individual donors who have been so loyal to Marsh since we opened our doors way back in 1947. We work very hard to keep some sort of special event or promotion going at all times in order to draw attention to the constant need for maintaining the local blood supply. As we approach our 70th year as the region’s local blood supplier next year, there will be a lot more to come. People can keep track of us on Facebook, Linkedin or at www.marshblood.com. Of course, we always love for people to give us a call. Our main number is 423-4087500.

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Trillium Gap Trail

Photo and article by

ain. It is essential to the very existence of almost every ecosystem on earth and appreciated by all living organisms, the exception being humans of course. True, there are those who find delight in the pitter-patter of raindrops on the roof, or in the crisp, clean air that many showers bring with them. To the rest of us, however, they can range from an annoyance to the cause of of serious mental disorders such as depression. During the spring and summer months, showers and thunderstorms are almost a daily occurrence here in the Appalachian region. They can be a slight inconvenience and ruin plans for a picnic or late afternoon hike, or they can mutate into giant super cells which spew hail and spawn tornadoes that can devastate our communities.

We should definitely be thankful, for without it we would not have our magnificent forests, beautiful wildflowers, and the hundreds of cascading waterfalls for which our area is known. Great Smoky Mountains National Park, home to some of the most popular waterfalls in the East, sees the highest levels of precipitation. In fact, much of the park is classified as a temperate rainforest, with annual rates topping 60 inches annually. These rates are higher even than the Everglades in southern Florida.

With all the thunderstorms we have seen this past week, it would be an excellent time to venture into the park’s wilderness to witness the beauty of the waterfalls firsthand. One of our favorites is Grotto Falls, located on Trillium Gap Trail and just a short distance above Gatlinburg, Tennessee.

One of the most popular falls in the park, the trail sees thousands of tourists on an average day, so a bit of planning is required if you would like to enjoy the sights and sounds of the forest in relative solitude. Your best bet is to visit early, before 9:00 A.M., and preferably on a weekday.

There are two ways to access Trillium Gap Trail, the conventional choice being to park at the Grotto Falls Parking Area along the Roaring Fork Motor Nature Trail. Here a wide, rutted path leads into the woods to connect with the main trail to the falls. A longer and far more peaceful route may be followed by parking instead at the Rainbow Falls trailhead directly off Cherokee Orchard Road. Follow Rainbow Falls Trail 0.1 of a mile and Trillium Gap Trail begins on the left hand side of the path.

This path is much different from the portion of the trail you will encounter later. The narrow tread is in excellent shape and winds gracefully through the woods of Cherokee Orchard. Look carefully, especially in spring, and you may spot a few gnarly apple trees scattered throughout the surrounding forest. Yes, this area actually was an orchard before the park was established and covered hundreds of acres; most traces of the operation are gone, but the many stone fences marching through the woods showcase the skills of those who lived here before.

Soon the sound of traffic may be heard creeping back into the stillness, and shortly after the 0.6 mile mark the trail makes a junction with Baskins Creek Trail on the right side. This also provides a route from which to access the trail, as it connects with Roaring Fork Motor Nature Trail a few hundred feet away. You will want to continue straight ahead, however, as the trail begins to run a parallel course with the motor trail. While the occasional motorcycle may pierce the stillness, the nearby road is mostly undiscernible as the trail climbs high above it on the hillside.

As you walk through the woods, you may notice a pattern which repeats itself on many other trails in the park. The trail ascends through a somewhat scrubby forest filled with oaks, mountain laurel, and pine trees only to swing around a ridgeline and onto the northern side of the mountain.

Here the forest changes abruptly, as the trees are much taller and are composed of species such as the stately tulip poplar, eastern hemlock, and yellow buckeye. The trail now passes through a cooler, moist environment and descends into a stream valley filled with a lush understory of shrubs, ferns, and wildflowers. After crossing the stream, the process is repeated once again. Up, down, in and out, this trail serves as a perfect example showcasing how different forest types fill and make use of each niche throughout the mountains.

After 1.7 likely-secluded miles, the shortcut to the Grotto Falls parking area joins the trail from the left hand side. Here trail quality degrades significantly, due to the heavy traffic causing severe erosion in many places. Mud also is a frequent adversary but can usually be avoided if you are careful.

Repeating the in-and-out maneuver the trail started early on, you will cross four stream valleys

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Here on the northern slopes of Mount LeConte the trail passes through some of the wettest rainforests in the east. after the junction before the rumble of the aptly-named Roaring Fork is heard in the distance. As the trail enters the stream valley, ferns line the banks of the trail and nearby stream in abundance. Several cascades will be passed on the left side, but don’t be fooled. The main attraction is just ahead and can’t be missed.

Grotto Falls is perhaps one of the most unique falls in the Appalachians. Located in a rocky amphitheater, the sound of the cascading torrent echoes in every direction. Mist covers everything, allowing almost every surface to sport a thick covering of slippery moss or algae which makes straying from the path treacherous indeed. You’ll want to stay on the path, however, as it proceeds through one of the most interesting passages in the park. While not technically a cave, the overhanging rock does allow safe passage behind the cascade, which the trail makes use of to go behind the stream instead of crossing over it on the treacherous boulders.

It truly is a magical place, especially early in the morning when the sun is just starting to break through the mist. Whenever you decide to go, you are sure to have a wonderful time.

Directions: From Gatlinburg, Tennessee, turn left from U.S. 441 at traffic light #8 onto Historic Nature Trail. Continue straight on this road for 3 miles and the Rainbow Falls Parking Area will be on the right hand side of the road. Spaces fill up fast, so as stated before, try to arrive early in the morning. Round trip distance from this trailhead is 9.2 miles, while the distance from the main trailhead is only 2.6 miles.

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Storytelling Live! Presents the Storycrafters

ynamic duo Jeri Burns and Barry Marshall, also known as the Storycrafters, will soon perform a series of exclusive concerts in downtown Jonesborough.

Their appearance is part of the International Storytelling Center’s acclaimed Storytelling Live! series, a six-month season of live storytelling that brings some of the country’s best talent to Tennessee’s oldest town to take turns on its hallowed stage.

The Storycrafters are known widely as traditional tellers with a twist. On one hand, they dig deep into traditional lore from around the world, telling folk tales from South America, Europe, and beyond. On the other, they offer “twists” on classic forms, modernizing old storylines and changing up details in new and surprising ways.

In Jonesborough, the Storycrafters will appear Tuesday through Saturday, July 19 – 23.

All performances will begin at 2:00 p.m. sharp in the International Storytelling Center’s Mary B. Martin Storytelling Hall.

Tickets are just $12 for adults and $11 for seniors, students, and children under 18. Advance purchase is strongly recommended for all performances.

During the week, the storytellers plan to include a sampling of their extensive repertoire. “There needs to be color,” Burns says. “It’s a palette. We’re not going to use just the light colors or just the dark colors. We like to use them together in an interesting way.”

Additionally, the duo will host a special children’s concert on Saturday, July 23, at 10:30 a.m. The show, which is geared towards ages six

through ten, will feature stories, music, and ample opportunities for audience participation. Tickets are just $5 for all ages, and ticket holders will receive coupons for 15 percent off at The Lollipop Shop, a popular Main Street store that sells old-fashioned sweets and toys.

While the Storycrafters are known for giving their all in every performance, they marvel at everything the art form has given them.

“Storytelling allows us to change and develop and extend and stretch,” Burns says. “From an artistic perspective, that is very satisfying, but it is also something that has a huge impact on people.”

Marshall agrees. “For me, I’m never happier than when we’re performing,” he says. “To me, it is the simplest way to absolutely do everything at once: it’s fun, entertaining, and moving. It’s an incredibly simple way to create community in a room.”

Ticketholders for all performances can present their ticket stubs for a 10 percent discount on same-day dining at JJ’s Eatery and Ice Cream or Main Street Café, two popular eateries in Jonesborough.

The latest performer in ISC’s renowned Storytelling Live! series, Edgecomb will be followed by another storyteller each week through the month of October. Information about all performers, as well as a detailed schedule for 2016, is available at www.storytellingcenter.net.

The premier sponsor of Storytelling Live! is the Mountain

States’ Heart & Soul program.

Additional funding comes from the National Endowment for the Arts, the Tennessee Arts Commission, the East Tennessee Foundation, Eastman Credit Union, the Mooneyhan Family Foundation, the Niswonger Foundation, and Massengill-DeFriece Foundation, Inc. The International Storytelling Center is open 10 a.m. – 5 p.m., Monday through Saturday. For more information about Storytelling Live! or to make a group reservation, call (800) 952-8392 ext. 222 or (423) 913-1276

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Answers found on page 28

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Assault Weapons Ban of 2016 Pt. 2

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here was simply too much to cover to make this a single article, I hope the suspense wasn’t too much for you.

So I’ve been asked several times if I think an Assault Weapons Ban is possible in 2016, and the answer is yes. As you may know President Obama, and several Democrats in congress are pushing for a ban, as well as universal background check and magazine capacity restrictions. You might also know that the majority of congress is currently Republican which up until now has meant that Obama’s Bills have all been vetoed. Here’s what you may not know, The United States is a member of the United Nations, and the UN has had enough of mass shootings in the US. So a week after Orlando the UN convened an emergency meeting to discuss the US Federal firearms policies. Then there was the filibuster at Congress, where Democrats refused to leave the floor for 14 hours until Republicans agreed to discuss firearms legislation. Now if there is any entity in the world that can bend the Republican led Congress to its will it is the United Nations which has the power to levy embargos against the United States. All this to say the threat of a ban is very real. So what would a ban look like in 2016? I believe it would be a clone of the AWB of 94 with a few modifications. Basically all AR and AK style rifles would be illegal. All non-standard (Lead, jacketed hollow point, hollow point, soft tip) ammunition would be illegal, this would include tracer, armor piercing (Black-tip 5.56, and steel core 7.62x39), incendiary, and ballistic tip. Magazine capacity would be restricted to 10 rounds and while 30 round magazines could be possessed they could only be loaded with 10 rounds. Class 3 (silencers, compensators, and FAR’s) would also likely be revoked and discontinued. Universal Background checks would also likely be implemented.

I had a Sociology professor one time who talked about things “being real in their consequence” just because something isn’t true if someone acts under the assumption that it is, than it becomes real in its consequence. For example no Assault weapons ban has been passed yet, but because there is talk about it people are likely to lose their minds like last time and AR’s and .223 ammo will fly off the shelves, an AR that has

a $699.00 price tag on it today will sell for $2000.00. So if you’re in the market for an AR or AK I would highly recommend buying it now before the blood gets in the water and you can’t find one.

So what can we do? I know I say this a lot, but if you disagree with this type of legislation I highly encourage you to write your representatives, this includes Congress, and Governors. Don’t let anyone tell you your voice doesn’t matter, a whisper in silence can be deafening.

As always I hope you enjoyed this article if you have any questions or concerns feel free to email me, I look forward to your feedback.

Sources: http://www.dallasnews.com/news/politics/headlines/20160615after-almost14-hours-senate-democrats-end-filibuster-for-gun-policychange.ece

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things to do

Do Something BIG MECC Offers Basic First Aid Bringing Hope Through & CPR Mountain Empire Community ColMentoring: Big Brothers Big lege’s Workforce Development Center Sisters Have you ever wondered how you can do something BIG to make a difference in the life of a child in need? Sometimes just having someone to talk with can turn a path of hopelessness into one of survival. That’s one of the compelling premises behind the work of Big Brothers Big Sisters of Greater Tri-Cities. Spending 2 to 4 hours a month with an at-risk youth can help them improve in school, their behavior and their selfesteem.

Our local Big Brothers Big Sisters office is part of one of the oldest and largest youth mentoring organizations in the United States. It’s a system that has been proven to work and transforms the lives of children who might not otherwise ever get the support they need to grow and successfully meet life’s challenges.

Child-volunteer matches are made based on in-depth and comprehensive interviewing with parents, children and potential volunteers. Stringent safeguards are in place to assure that all parties are safe. Volunteer and parent engagement and training also play a big role.

Anyone wanting to find out more about Big Brothers Big Sisters of Greater Tri-Cities should contact the office by calling 423-247-3240, or visiting TennesseeBig.org.3, 2016. Free. Info: www. folkheritage.org or (828)258-6101 x345.

MECC Offers Concealed Weapons Class

Mountain Empire Community College will offer a Concealed Weapons Permit course Saturday, August 6 from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. The cost for the course is $100. Pre-registration is required.

This class satisfies the requirements for a concealed weapons permit and will cover legal guidelines, safety issues, and hands-on instruction on the firing range. Early registration is recommended as this class has limited spots available. To register go to www.mecc. edu/workforce and complete the NonCredit Registration form or contact Lori Dingus at 276.523.2400 Ext. 372 or ldingus@mecc.edu.

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will offer Basic First Aid & CPR training on Saturday, July 9 from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. in Phillips Taylor Room 231. The fee for this course is $70. To register, go to www. mecc.edu/workforce and complete the Non-Credit Registration form or contact Lori Dingus at 276.523.2400 Ext. 372 or ldingus@mecc.edu.

Volunteers needed for kids triathlon

Memorial Park Community Center, 510 Bert St., is in need of volunteers for the fourth annual Dive, Ride & Stride Kids Triathlon on Saturday, Aug. 20.

Assistance will be needed for water stations, safety patrol, award distribution, and transition areas. Most volunteers will be asked to report to Legion Street Pool by 7:30 a.m. on race day.

For more information or to sign up, please contact Kelly Finney at (423)4345758 or kfinney@johnsoncitytn.org.

Rooted in Appalachia Roadshow

In northeast Tennessee & southwest Virginia folks are interested in their neighbors, their towns and the farmers growing their food. You could say, folks are ‘rooted’ in local traditions.

This summer, you can get rooted too!

Just visit your local farmers market and have fun at the free, Rooted in Appalachia roadshows! There will be games, cooking demos, prizes and more. Visit www.rootedinappalachia.com for more info.

Still Life Painting Class, Taught by Donna Bird

Wednesdays 6-8pm July 13 - August 31 $25 per session This class will cover basics of still life painting in this casual once a week “drop in” class. Discover the beauty of painting still life with oil or acrylics as we work through the elements of a painting including: studies in basic drawing, direction of light, value, mixing color, design and proportion. There is a lot to learn!

Donna Bird moved to East Tennes-

see in 2008 and has established herself firmly in the arts community. As the manager of Art in the Heart Gallery she holds a BFA in Graphic Design and has continued to pursue her love of painting through classes and workshops with local and nationally known artists Art in the Heart Gallery 246 Broad Street Kingsport, TN 423-480-9702 www.EngageKingsport.com

Science Fiction Book Group Jonesborough Library Wednesday, July 20, 5:00 p.m.

The Jonesborough Library Science Fiction Book Group will be meeting on Wednesday, July 20th at 5:00 p.m.

We will be discussing the 2014 Nebula Award winning book Ancillary Justice,

by Ann Leckie. We will also talk about the upcoming books that are planned and what members are interested in reading for future meetings. Whether you are a sci-fi fan or are completely new to the genre, you are welcome to come join in the discussion! Snacks and drinks will be provided.

This program is free and open to the public. It is sponsored by the Washington County Friends of the Library.

For more information, please call the Washington County – Jonesborough Library at 753-1800.please contact Kelly Finney at (423)434-5758 or kfinney@ johnsoncitytn.org.

Adult softball registration under way

Johnson City Parks and Recreation is now accepting registrations for fall adult softball. Leagues include Men’s, Women’s and Coed Open-Church.

All leagues will play a 10-game schedule with a single elimination tournament. Entry fee per team is $300 plus $5 for every non-City resident. Coed teams will play Mondays and Wednesdays. Men’s and Women’s leagues will play Tuesdays and Thursdays. Entry fee, roster, and photo identification for each player must be submitted at the time of registration. Ages 16-18 must have parental consent. Registration deadline is Aug. 5. League play will begin Aug. 15.

Registration will be accepted at the Winged Deer Park Athletics Office, 4137 Bristol Highway. Office hours are 8:30 a.m.-5:30 p.m., Monday through Friday. For further information, please call 283-5822.

Exercise Your Mind: Journaling will begin at 11 a.m., Wednesday,

July 27, at the Gray Library. Adults are invited to come and learn the benefits and methods of journaling, as well as practicing with prompts. Bring a notebook and be prepared to write! This class is part of our Adult Summer Reading Program and no registration is required. Call the library at 477-1550 for more information.

DROP QUOTE: “There is no accident so disastrous that a clever man cannot derive some profit from it nor any so fortunate that a fool cannot turn it to his disadvantage.”

CRYPTOGRAM: If you make people think they’re thinking, they’ll love you.

But if you really make them think, they’ll hate you.

pets of the week

Katie is a 7 year old female terrier mix. She is spayed and up to date on all vaccines. This sweet dog needs a home!

Maggie is a one year old Retriever mix. She is spayed and up to date on all vaccines. She is a sweet, playful girl looking for a forever home!

The Bridge Home has an ongoing aluminum can can collection in front of the shelter at 2061 Hwy 75 in Blountville,TN 37617. The cans are collected by a volunteer and the money from the aluminum goes towards badly needed food and supplies for the animals

The Bridge Home No Kill Animal Rescue has started a pet food pantry for people that have had financial hardships because of job loss or medical problems and are struggling to feed their pet. They can come by the shelter and get cat or dog food to get through the tough time.

Donations can be sent to The Bridge Home Shelter PO Box 654 Blountville, TN 37617 Every animal in their care is spayed or neutered and fully vaccinated before being adopted. Being a non profit the shelter is funded entirely by membership dues and private donations. They always need volunteers or monetary donations.

Other always needed items:pet food, cat litter & cat toys dog treats & dog toys,paper towels, cleaners, office supplies,Purina weight circles. Phone: 423.239.5237 Hours are Mon-Fri 12pm-6pm Sat 12pm3pm and Sun 2pm-4pm. Website is www.bridgehomerescue@gmail. com or like them on Facebook: www.Facebook.com/bridgehome theloaferonline.com | July 12, 2016 | 29

PLACING A CLASSIFED LINE AD:

Go to: www.theloaferonline.com, create an account, and enter your classified. Call 423282-1907 or email: classifieds@theloaferonline.com if you have any questions.

107 Services 133 Painting

Creative Interiors Interior Painting (Senior Specials ! ) Interior Painting - A new paint job inside will make your home feel like a million bucks ! Beautiful soothing, appealing COLORS !

Bedrooms, Living Rooms, ALL Rooms, Whole House !

High Quality Painting Service SENIOR SPECIAL !

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107 Services 110 Beauty / Salon

For The Best Hair Services In The Tri-Cities Area A Style 4 U We are a full service salon owned and operated by by Sandi Smith, with hair stylist Renee Gibson on board, that offers professional cuts, styles, colors, and perms at affordable prices. The best prices in the Tri-Cities area. Men’s haircuts are $10. Women’s are $12. We have over 32 year’s experience in the business and we want to help you get your style on!

We are located at 943 Volunteer Parkway in Bristol, Tennessee, near Auto Zone. Call us at 423534-9825. Walk ins welcome!

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107 Services 121 General Services

NOTHING MAKES A PROPERTY LOOK BETTER THAN A NICE SLATE-BLACK PARKING LOT OR DRIVEWAY!!

• Asphalt Sealing • Crack Repai • Line Striping! Book your appointment today for a free quote! 423-383-3553

129 Legal

SOCIAL SECURITY DISABILITY BENEFITS. Unable to work?

Denied benefits?

We Can Help! WIN or Pay Nothing! Contact Bill Gordon & Associates at 1-800-864-9032 to start your application today!

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TYPING AS AN ART FORM:

I

THE SAGA OF TIM YOUD

n my lifetime, typing has morphed into word processing and texting, and when the term “typing” is mentioned, most people greet it with rather blank stares. And, needless to say, the experience of typing with a manual (or an electric) typewriter is about as familiar as using a pay phone in a phone booth. However, performing artist Tim Youd is keeping the art of typing alive with his intriguing series of live performances at the typewriter--or shall I say typewriters?

Youd’s “100 Novels Project” is drawing attention around the country, and not just among literary aficionados. According to the “Library As Incubator Project” blog, which recently conducted an interview with Mr. Youd, the performance artist “is currently working on a fascinating project to retype 100 novels” on the type (no pun intended) of typewriter that the original author used. Youd explains further: “I retype each novel on the same make/model typewriter used by the author, and I stage each performance in a location germane to the novel or the writer’s life.”

For instance, when he “performed” his THE SOUND AND THE FURY, he did it at Faulkner’s home in Oxford, Mississippi (June 2014), Charles Bukowski’s POST OFFICE took place in the Los Angeles post office annex (June 2013), and his retyping of Raymond Chandler’s noir classic, FAREWELL MY LOVELY, was performed on the Santa Monica, California, pier (February 2015).

Youd does not confine himself to American literature, however, and has traveled to England for performances of Anthony Burgiss’ A CLOCKWORK ORANGE and Kingsley Amis’ LUCKY JIM, plus two others.

And how does this performance artist choose his material? For starters, he only works with novels that were originally typed, not handwritten, by the author--I guess handwriting would be a much more difficult performance! This choice limits Youd to novels that were written from 1900 to 1980 or so--the heyday of the mechanical and electric typewriters. Of course, there are authors who still use a typewriter, and there were many who continued to use this machine after 1980, but Youd’s time frame seems realistic. We can only wonder if Youd will explore word processing performance once he completes his one-hundred typewritten novels project. Second, and perhaps most important, Youd tells us that “I have to like the novel enough to want to spend the many hours it takes to retype it. At its heart, this project is about the devotional act of reading.

And I think the best readings come on the rereading. So I’ve read everything I retype beforehand, at least once.”

Writing in the July 1, 2016 edition of the online LA Times, Carolina A. Miranda adds some fascinating details to what we already know about Youd’s quest to retype one-hundred novels. For instance, we learn that he only uses one sheet of paper to type the entire novel at hand. A second sheet inserted behind the first one is used an an ink absorber. Therefore, the finished project comes out as a big blob of ink instead of a page-turner. People gather around to watch him “perform the novel,” and a microphone sends the machine’s clacking sounds into a speaker. All this reminds me of the famous scene in Kubrick’s movie, “The Shining,” where Jack Nicholson obsessively types “All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy” line-by-line on countless sheets of paper. As can be imagined, Youd recounts that his performances have been punctuated by various flashers, moon-

ers, twerkers, drunks, and other assorted passers-by. “You get the city in all of its glory and its pain,” observes Youd. And, as should be expected, he attracts serious lovers of literature to his performances as well as the crazies and thrill-seekers.

Youd recounts that he initially got the idea for his project after learning that Hunter S. Thompson, in his quest to be a great writer, committed to retyping both Fitzgerald’s THE GREAT GATSBY and Hemingway’s THE SUN ALSO RISES. And, we can only wonder how many stimulating substances he drank and/or ingested while learning how to be a better writer. This practice, with or without the substances, is followed by other artists, including musicians. Many jazz musicians, for instance, slavishly learn passages note-for-note from famous performers, only to discard their rote memorizations when they get up to perform. The essence of jazz is to learn how to unlearn as well as how to learn. This explains why some people dislike tribute bands so much. Shouldn’t we instead be listening to a creative act on the part of the performer that is inspired by, and not copied from the original recording? Of course, Youd doesn’t pretend that he is actually writing the novels he so meticulously “performs.” He is therefore not a “tribute artist.”

Youd’s performances provoke us to question what it is that artists do. What value are they to society, and what can we learn from them? And, I suspect he is also asking us to think about the value of imitation. Should we be emulating the past or breaking free from it--using the models of the past as stepping stones (or diving boards) from which we offer our own interpretations for consideration? After all, shouldn’t creativity (and sometimes outright rebellion) be valued over mindless obedience? A good point of departure for this kind of question is a consideration of Gus Van Sant’s much-debated 1998 “refilming” of Hitchcock’s iconic film “Psycho.” Other than changing from black-and-white to color and hiring new actors, what was Van Sant’s point? How different is what he did from the performances staged by Tim Youd?

I will leave you to contemplate all this stuff I have written--not retyped. Who knows? Maybe one day I will get a call from Mr. Youd when he decides to move from typewriters to computers and wants to do a performance of “Kelly’s Place.” Wonder what kind of audience that would attract? I’m not sure I want to hear your answer.

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32 | July 12, 2016 | theloaferonline.com