Page 2, The Loafer • July 29, 20114
www.theloaferonline.com
July 29, 20114 • The Loafer, Page 3
Volume 28 Issue #34
Publisher - Bill Williams • Editor/Graphic Arts Director - Don Sprinkle • Office Manager - Luci Tate Cover Design - Bill May • Photography - Mark Marquette Advertising - Dave Carter, Akey Kincaid, Terry Patterson Contributing Staff - Jim Kelly, Andy Ross, Ken Silvers, Mark Marquette Published by Tree Street Media, LLC., P.O. Box 3238, Johnson City, TN 37602 Phone: 423/283-4324 FAX - 423/283-4369 www.theloaferonline.com • info@theloaferonline.com e-mail: editorial@theloaferonline.com (editorial) adcopy@theloaferonline.com (advertising All advertisements are accepted and published by the publisher upon the representation that the agency and/or advertiser is authorized to publish the entire contents and subject matter thereof.The agency and/or advertiser will indemnify and save the publisher harmless from any loss of expense resulting from claims or suits based upon contents of any advertisement,including claims or suits for defamation,libel,right of privacy,plagiarism,and copyright infringement.
Page 4, The Loafer • July 29, 20114
www.theloaferonline.com
July 29, 20114 • The Loafer, Page 5
Creeper Trail “Legend” Hits Milestone
GET YOUR KICKS AT THE 66th ANNUAL
VIRGINIA HIGHLANDS FESTIVAL! AUG. 1-10, 2014
The 66th Annual Virginia Highlands Festival offers a full schedule of new events and returning favorites at this year’s festival. Held August 1 – August 10, the Festival features a regionally-renowned antiques market, juried arts and crafts show, live music, free children’s activities, guided nature walks and more! This year’s theme, “Get Your Kicks” features new events including vintage bi-plane rides, a classic car show, and a “Dream Cruise” along Abingdon’s Main Street. “We know we’re competing against many festivals in the area, so this year we’ve stepped it up and we’re offering things that we haven’t offered before,” said Festival President Darnell Sumrell. “This year’s Festival really appeals to all ages, and it’s going to be a great Festival for Abingdon.” The popular Antiques Market opens a day after the rest of the Festival on Saturday, August 2 and runs until Sunday, August 10th on the grounds of the Virginia Highlands Community College. More than 200 booths will feature treasures from around the globe, from vintage typewriters and unique folk art to Victorian jewelry and fine country furniture. Serious antique lovers can take advantage of Early Bird Shopping on August 2 or purchase a Festival Pass to watch for new items as dealers restock throughout the nineday show. Discover once more why the Festival was named “Best Art Event” for the third year in a row by readers of Virginia Living Magazine. The Arts and Crafts Show will host more than 100 artisans from August 1-10, 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. on Remsburg Drive in downtown Abingdon. This year’s vendor roster includes several new fine art artists, a maker of artisan pet treats and of course many of your “old” favorites! Fine art and photography fans will enjoy the Juried Fine Art exhibit at the Arts Depot and Photography Competition at the William King Museum of Art. This year, enthusiasts can participate in an exciting new workshop led by regional photographer Harry Taylor on the “tintype” or “wet plate” method of photography. Check out our music venue for a live performance of the Festival’s Signature Art, “Open Road” by Kat Rush and her band Barlow Gin and the Hatchetmen. Other shows include an opening concert by Surfin’ USA, a Beach Boys tribute band, two new Celtic bands, Albannach and Barleyjuice, and a performance by salsa band Orquesta Tropikiimba. New to the Festival this year is “Praise Music Sunday,” held August 10 and featuring local church choirs. On August 3 join us for “Words and Music,” a unique combination of classical music performances and readings by Festival Writers’ Day participants. Additional
performances by popular local musicians will be held throughout the ten-day festival. Find free activities for kids on the lawn of the Fields-Penn House, including a magic show, balloons, face painting, parades, and hands-on arts and crafts workshops. On July 26 and 27, submit works of art at the William King Museum of Art for their Youth Art Show. The Festival wouldn’t be complete without our annual “Abingdon’s Got Talent” competition on Wednesday, August 6 at the Pavilion. Creative Writing Day features an all-star lineup of workshop instructors, including Lee Smith, Charles Vess, Gwenda Bond, Rita Quillen, and Nick Piper. In conjunction with Lee Smith’s workshop, the performing arts committee presents Ivy Rowe, a one-woman show adapted from Fair and Tender Ladies and performed by Barbara Bates Smith. All the way from Chicago pH Productions brings the funny with their fast-paced improv comedy in two late night performances under the new tent at the Barter Theatre on August 8 and 9. They will also host an improv workshop for ages 16 and over on Saturday afternoon, August 9. Additional programs in the Festival this year include a guided “Owl Walk” along the Virginia Creeper Trail, a creative writing workshop featuring Charles Vess, and the travelling “Historymobile.” Some events may require tickets or advance registration, so please check with the specific program details for that information. For a full schedule of events, pick up a Highlander magazine at locations throughout the Tri-Cities. You can also request a mailed copy by e-mailing info@virginiahighlandsfestival.org or calling 276-623-5266. An electronic version is available online at www.virginiahighlandsfestival.org. About the Virginia Highlands Festival: Founded in 1948, the Virginia Highlands Festival is an annual, 10-day event devoted to the celebration of Southwest Virginian heritage and rich Appalachian tradition. Held in historic Abingdon, Virginia, in the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains, the Festival attracts more than 175,000 visitors each year. The Festival was selected as the “Best Art Event” by the readers of Virginia Living magazine in 2014 (third year in a row), recognized as a Top 20 Event by the Southeastern Tourism Society and has been consistently named as one of the American Bus Association’s Top 100 Tourist Attractions over the past four decades. In 2014, the 66th Virginia Highlands Festival will run from August 1-10 (Antiques Market Aug. 2-10) and feature live concerts, a juried arts and crafts show, and an antique market, as well as workshops, lectures and tours.Tourism Corporation.
Lawrence “The Legend” Dye has made it his regular habit to travel the Virginia Creeper Trail as often as possible via bicycle, a round trip distance of some 68 miles. On his near-daily travels since 1990, he has currently accumulated hundreds of thousands of miles on the Virginia Creeper Trail and continues to accrue more every year. On July 4th, 2014, Mr. Dye hit a milestone of 182,000 miles at the age of 82 years old. We want to congratulate him and we hope he continues to accumulate more miles for many more years! Mr. Dye is a wonderful advocate for the VA Creeper Trail, promotes the trail, greets its visitors, cleans up trash and debris, and assists those in needs whom he meets along the way. He is beloved as a
friend and steadfast presence to the residents and business adjacent to the trail and has become widely known as “Lawrence the Legend.” Lawrence served tirelessly for many years as a Director of the Board of the Virginia Creeper Trail Club, a nonprofit organization dedicated to maintain, promote, and preserve the trail and to conduct public education programs about its scenic and natural qualities. He is now a lifetime member of the Virginia Creeper Trail Club. If you would like to ride the Virginia Creeper Trail with “The Legend,” you can do that on August 2nd, 2014 during the Virginia Highlands Festival. Everyone will meet at the Abingdon Trailhead at 8am and the ride will last until
4pm. For more information on this ride, you can call 276-623-5266. The Virginia Creeper Trail is a multi-use recreational trail located in Washington County, Virginia, consisting of the rail bed previously known as the Abingdon Branch of the Norfolk & Western Railroad between Abingdon and Whitetop Station. This spectacu-
lar trail attracts over 200,000 annual users and visitors to partake of the natural and scenic beauty of this area, to greatly benefit and economically impact our area. For more information on the Virginia Creeper Trail and the club, visit www.vacreepertrail.org.
MOVIES AT THE MUSTER GROUNDS
Outdoor screenings of movies, for free! The Abingdon Muster Grounds will be showing films outdoors during the Virginia Highlands Festival. With the Historic Muster Grounds as the back drop, visitors are invited to sit back and enjoy themed films for free. All showings begin at 8:30 pm. Gettysburg-This 1993 epic war film was written and directed by Ronald F. Maxwell and was adapted from the novel The Killer Angels by Michael Shaara. It focuses on the Battle of Gettysburg during the American Civil War and features thousands of re-enactors. This film will be shown in conjunction with the Abingdon Civil War weekend at the Muster Grounds and will be played in two parts. Part 1: August 1, 2014 at 8:30 pm. Part 2: August 2, 2014 at 8:30 pm. Drums Along the MohawkThis is a 1939 film classic starring Claudette Colbert, Henry Fonda, and Edna May Oliver. In this film, newlyweds try to establish a farm in the Mohawk Valley but are menaced by Indians and Tories as the Revolutionary War begins. Drums Along the Mohawk will be shown on August 8, 2014 at 8:30 pm. Born Fighting: How the Scots-
Irish Shaped America- In this landmark two-part series, Senator Jim Webb tells the largely forgotten story of the Scots-Irish, a people whose values, culture and fighting spirit profoundly shaped America. Follow Senator Webb as he tracks their heroes and legends from William Wallace to Andrew Jackson, the first of 17 Scots-Irish U.S. Presidents. Their Bible-thumping, battle-scarred march for independence took them from Scotland to Northern Ireland and finally the open expanses of early America, where they would leave an indelible mark on the national character. Born Fighting: How the Scots-Irish Shaped America will be shown on August 9, 2014 at 8:30 pm. These are outdoor viewings. Bring lawn chairs, blankets and picnics! General parking is available on the grassy lot at the corner of Colonial Road and Holston Street. Handicapped parking is available at the Keller Interpretive Center. The free trolleys also stop at the Abingdon Muster Grounds. If you would like more information about this topic, please call 276-525-1050 or email lhunter@ abingdon-va.gov
Have an event coming up? Email a press release and photos to:
editorial@theloaferonline.com
Page 6, The Loafer • July 29, 20114
www.theloaferonline.com
Arts Depot Welcomes New Resident Artist
Portrait Artist, Steven Reeves The Depot Artists Association is pleased to announce the addition of portrait artist, Steven Reeves as its newest studio artist in residence at the Arts Depot located in the historic Norfolk & Southern freight depot on Depot Square in Abingdon, Virginia. Reeves is a life fellow of The Portrait Institute and member of various regional art organizations. Since 2005 he has served as executive director of the Kingsport Art Guild, which promotes arts advocacy in the Tri-Cities area of Northeast Tennessee. He has exhibited his artwork throughout much of North Carolina, Virginia, Tennessee and Washington D.C. His paintings are in collections nationwide. In a recent interview with Leslie Grace for A! Magazine For The Arts Steven said “Painting portraits is traditionally considered the most difficult task an artist can undertake. I sincerely enjoy connecting with clients and interacting with the subject of the painting, if they are available for the process. The challenge of interpreting a person’s face, body, character and energy on canvas can be a monumental endeavor. It pushes me to dig down deep and be the best artist I can possibly be each time I pick up the brush and begin, and there have been times that I have cried over paintings. It can be a cathartic process. I find that the times I have intently painted for eight or 10 hours, I am emotionally and physically drained. I take a break, a good night’s sleep, and when I return it is all worth the angst I have felt, because I know I was simply pushing myself to do the very best job possible.” Reeves adds that “Making a positive difference in the lives of others gives meaning and memory to my work....People commission portraits often of family members other than themselves but not exclusively. Having your portrait painted is a wonderful gift. It will last for hundreds of years and is indeed unique.” More of Steven’s work and additional informa-
tion may be found on his web site http://stevenreevesart.com Steven is looking forward to visiting with the public as he paints in his new studio. He, along with six other resident artists at the Arts Depot invite you to visit them in their working studios where you will learn about their art and the inspiration behind it. The galleries and studios are open for extended hours during the Virginia Highlands Festival August 1-10, Monday through Saturday 10-5 and Sundays 1-5pm.
The Arts Depot is located in the historic Depot Square area of downtown Abingdon, VA. The gallery and artists studios are open Thursday thru Saturday, January through March 11-3, April through December 10-4, until 8pm on the first Thursday of each month and by appointment. There is no admission charge. For further information, please contact the Arts Depot at (276) 628-9091, or e-mail at abingdonartsdepot@eva.org, or visit our web site at www.abingdonartsdepot.org.
July 29, 20114 • The Loafer, Page 7
Celebrate Abingdon’s Culture and Heritage at Virginia Highlands Festival
The 66th Annual Virginia Highlands Festival invites you explore beautiful historic Abingdon, Virginia, from August 1-10 while learning about the region’s culture and history. This year’s Festival will feature living history tours, historic reenactments, and even a “museum on wheels”. “Just as the Festival is rooted in Abingdon’s recent history, the town’s roots also run deep. The Festival gives us a chance to show off the town, learn a little history, and have family fun in the process”, said Living History Chairman Martha Keys. “There’s something going on for history buffs of all ages and types.” The Historical Society will host a Living History Tour of the Sinking Spring Cemetery on August 2. During the guided walking tour, historical interpreters in period costume will tell the stories of past local residents, including the first person to be buried there in 1777. Historical documentaries and lectures will be presented on a variety of topics particular to the Appalachian region, including “The Battle of Kings Mountain” and “How the Scots-Irish Shaped America.” Stop by the Colonial Trade Faire located at the Fields-Penn House throughout the Festival from 10 to 6 p.m. to view trade and craft demonstrations from the 1700s
and to purchase arts and crafts items. Tour the Fields-Penn House at the top of each hour during the Festival and enjoy their display of Civil War quilts. “Since this is the 150th anniversary of the Civil War and since 1864 saw a lot of activity in Washington County, several Civil War themed events are offered”, Keys said. The Civil War Weekend will be held August 2-3 at the historic Abingdon Muster Grounds. During this weekend, reenactors will be encamped on the Muster Grounds. Here you can learn more about the camp life of a rank and file Civil War soldier as well as the local history of the Muster Grounds. There will be live firing demonstrations, scholarly presentations about local Civil War events, and outdoor screenings of Civil War documentaries. Discover the stories of the real people whose lives were changed by the American Civil War in the Civil War 150 Historymobile. Find this interactive “museum on wheels” in Depot Square on August 8-10 from 10 to 6 p.m. The Historical society (next door) will feature an exhibit of some of its Civil War era holdings, such as letters and pictures. Other Civil War-themed activities include Civil War Spirit Tours on Fridays, Saturdays, and
August 6 from 7:30 - 10 p.m. and the “American Turning Point: the Civil War in Virginia” exhibit at the William King Museum of Art, with an opening reception celebration featuring live cannon and infantry drill on August 7 from 6-8 p.m. Don’t forget to visit the Duncansville One-Room School Museum, the Fields-Penn 1860 House Museum, or the open N&W Caboose in Depot Square. Dates and times for any of these openings or events can be found in the Highlander Magazine, available at various locations throughout the Tri-Cities, and online by visiting VaHighlandsFestival.org. To learn more about the Virginia Highlands Festival and this year’s events, please visit www.VaHighlandsFestival.org/. The Virginia Highlands Festival is sponsored in part by the Town of Abingdon, the Virginia Commission for the Arts, and the Virginia Tourism Corporation.
Page 8, The Loafer • July 29, 20114
www.theloaferonline.com
Engage Kingsport Performing Arts Series presents
Grammy Nominated Claire Lynch The Claire Lynch band to perform LIVE in Kingsport on August 1, 2014 at the Renaissance Arts Center Theatre at 8pm. Veteran bluegrass singer-songwriter Claire Lynch has long been recognized as a creative force in acoustic music and at the forefront of women who have expanded the bluegrass genre. She has now earned The International Bluegrass Music Association’s “Female Vocalist of the Year” title three times, as well as two GRAMMY nominations. Dear Sister, her latest album released May 28th, 2013, and nominated for IBMA’s (International Bluegrass Music Association) 2013 Album of the Year, showcases Lynch and her razor sharp band (Mark Schatz – bass, Matt Wingate – guitar, mandolin, Bryan McDowell – fiddle, mandolin) on a rocksolid, 10-song set of bluegrassy, folk and Americana cuts. Todd Phillips joins the band on bass in
the spring of 2014, as Mark Schatz heads out on a reunion tour with Nickel Creek. Standouts include “Doin’ Time” (with Tim O’Brien on vocals and bouzouki), the title track “Dear Sister”—an anthemic ballad of the Civil War written by Lynch and Louisa Branscomb that is based on recently discovered historic letters written by a relative of Louisa’s —and the Pierce Pettispenned “That Kind of Love.” The songs constitute what is possibly Claire’s most personal record to date and certainly one of the most broadly accessible albums of her career. Lynch was recently awarded one of the 50 USA Fellowships from United States Artists. With only seven awards going to musicians this year, the 2012 USA Fellows represent the most innovative and influential artists in their fields - including cutting-edge thinkers and traditional practitioners from the fields of architecture
and design, crafts and traditional arts, dance, literature, media, music, theater arts, and visual arts. For over two decades, Lynch has delighted audiences and enjoyed reverent standing ovations for her shows at prestigious music festivals and theaters around the world. She has crafted one of the most instantly identifiable sounds in acoustic music, encompassing classic bluegrass and thoughtful infusions of contemporary folk, country, rock, and swing. As a songwriter of inventive and evocative Music Row fare, her songs have been recorded by Kathy Mattea, Patty Loveless, and others, and she has performed as a backing/harmony vocalist with Dolly Parton, Linda Ronstadt, Emmylou Harris and Pam Tillis -- just to name a few. Book now at www.EngageKingsport.com. Great live music for the whole family.
July 29, 20114 • The Loafer, Page 9
Bristol Ballet Gears Up
for 66th Season, Class Registration, Auditions All the plans underway at Bristol Ballet might make you dance. Registrations, class schedules and production dates are set, and casting is in the works for the first of its three major productions, “The Nutcracker,” to be presented December 4, 5, 6, and 7. Why not make dance a part of your plans? Dance is a gift that never stops giving. It entertains, expresses beauty and emotion, and it also builds a lifetime of strength, confidence, poise, and self discipline. In anticipation of the 66th season of Bristol Ballet, consider giving the gift of ballet to yourself or your child. Students from ages 3 to adult can register for classes in classical ballet on July 31 or August 4 from 5:00 to 8:00pm, or August 2 and 9 from 10:00 am to 2:00 pm. Classes will begin on August 14. Company auditions will be Saturday, August 16 from 10:00 to 11:15 am for Apprentice Company and 11:30 to 12:45 am for Junior and Senior Companies. Classical ballet has long been established as the best basis for all forms of dance. The basic foundation of posture and technique has already been instilled and makes transitioning to other genres easier. Watching any of the reality dance shows will inevitably show a judge commenting to a contestant that he or she is lacking sufficient ballet technique. Bristol Ballet has a long-standing reputation for excellence in classical ballet, and accepts students from beginning to advanced levels. A staff of instructors with excellent credentials ensures students can expect the utmost care and good training, whether they aspire to be professional dancers or simply to enjoy dance for the fun of it. Classes are all designed to be age appropriate and coincide with physical and mental developmental progression. Everyone at Bristol Ballet is invested in the dancers’ progress. Equally important to technique is the development of an appreciation for dance and for the arts, accomplished by
allowing the joy of movement to be an important part of the students’ training. Along with the school classes, Bristol Ballet has a performing company comprised of students at Intermediate to Advanced levels. These dancers, along with hired professionals, perform in the organization’s “Nutcracker” and “Spring Gala” productions, as well as the year end Student Concert that includes all students of Bristol Ballet ages four and up. Bristol Ballet welcomes all students ages 11 and up with the proper experience to audition for the performing company. Still not sure about your dancing plans? Boys, girls, children and adults alike can benefit from the physical activity and concentration that ballet classes require. Many athletes study ballet for coordination, flexibility, and strength. Children learn rhythm, musicality, memory skills, team work, discipline, and self worth through the study of ballet. The classes are designed to be age appropriate and follow the development of each dancer at an individual pace. Bristol Ballet’s Creative Movement and Pre-Ballet classes are preparatory classes that provide a structured and creative approach to dance education.
Class activities aim at developing an awareness of a dancer’s own body and its capabilities as well as providing a foundation for the basic technique of any school of movement. The classes combine skill development and self-expression through exploration of the elements or concepts of dance which will give dancers a way to eventually create their own way of dancing. Whether you or your child has studied dance before and would like to continue to build technique and love for the art of dance, or has never had a ballet class before and would like to try it, Bristol Ballet would love for you to “Give the Gift of Ballet.” Dance is a gift Bristol Ballet is pleased to bring to our community going on 66 years, and that’s something to dance about. For more information, please call 276-669-6051. Bristol Ballet is a 501(c)3 organization and relies on tuition and ticket sales, grants and donations for its success, and is the recipient of grants from both the Tennessee Arts Commission and the Virginia Commission for the Arts. Interested students with financial hardship can apply for work study or tuition assistance through Bristol Ballet.
Page 10, The Loafer • July 29, 20114
www.theloaferonline.com
The Lee Boys
First in Lineup for Tent Jams in Abingdon
Downtown Abingdon will be packed with music this fall with a new concert series taking place in The Tent on Barter Square. Friday August 1st kicks off Tent Jams with the upbeat music of The Lee Boys, one of America’s finest AfricanAmerican sacred steel ensembles. A unique blend of gospel
music with a hard-driving, blues-based beat, and a dash of jazz and junk, their “steel guitar-led performances can’t help but inspire secular and sacred revelry.’ (Billboard Magazine). Although it is rooted in Gospel, sacred steel is infused with rhythm and blues, jazz, rock, funk, hip-hop, and country. This is not “sitting and listen-
ing” music: dancing, shouting out, and having fun are considered essential at their shows. The Lee Boys have headlined major music festivals including New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival, Bonnaroo, Austin City Limits, Philadelphia Folk Festivals, and MerleFest. Tickets for The Lee Boys are $14 in advance and $16 at the door. Food and drink will be available for sale inside The Tent. The August 1st spotlight restaurant is Rain, serving up coastal cuisine like crab cake sliders, inspired by The Lee Boys’ home in the Florida panhandle. Future concerts include The Grascals, Jason D. Williams, Big Sandy and His Fly-Rite Boys, Jeffery Broussard and the Creole Cowboys, The Iguanas, and Plena Libre, with new dates still being added. For the full schedule of concerts, visit www.bartertheatre.com. The Lee Boys are produced in conjunction with Smokin’ Pig Productions. “Rick Rose and I have been discussing music at Barter for a couple of years now,” says Smokin’ Pig Productions’ Doug Beatty, “When he told me about the new tent and his plans for offering music in a less formal setting, I knew I wanted to be involved. “After the success of January Jams (produced by Abingdon Music Experience) at Barter, this seemed like a natural progression. I am honored to be co-producing this series and I am very excited about the lineup. These are going to be the events your friends are talking about.” Tent Jams is sponsored by EcoLogical Energy Systems. For The Lee Boys, Doors open at 7pm, concert begins at 8pm. Tickets are $14 in advance and $16 at the door. Call 276.628-3991 or visit bartertheatre.com for tickets and more information.
July 29, 20114 • The Loafer, Page 11
Jo Dee Messina Saturday, August 2nd at
Niswonger Performing Arts Center Award-winning vocalist Jo Dee Messina will perform at NPAC on Saturday, August 2nd at 7:30pm. Messina entered the national spotlight in the late ‘90s, amidst a crop of female crossover stars. Since then, her appeal has remained steady with country fans everywhere. Having grown up in Massachusetts, Messina became interested in music at an early age. She sang in plays starting at age eight, discovered country music by age 12, and, at the age of 19, moved to Nashville. Messina’s career has been influenced by artists like Dolly Parton, Loretta Lynn, and Tammy Wynette. Much like these women of country music, Jo Dee has achieved great success from songs written through a woman’s perspective. As a result, she has forged a strong bond with her audience. Over the past two decades, Messina has enjoyed multiple Top Ten hits, including songs like “Heads Carolina, Tails California” and “You’re Not In Kansas Anymore”. In addition, Jo Dee also became the first female country artist to score three multiple-week number one hits from the same album: “Bye Bye”, “I’m Alright”, and “Stand Beside Her”. Messina’s latest album, “ME”, reflects the artist’s fiercely independent nature. Jo Dee describes the album as a fresh start for her, as well as her most personal work to date. This album was released through Jo Dee’s own label, Dreambound Records, and includes many songs that were either written or co-written by Messina herself. Funding for the album came directly from Jo Dee’s fans and supporters. As a result, Messina wanted to give her fans a voice in the project. From start to finish, Messina kept fans involved in the creative process. In fact, it was Jo Dee’s fans who determined which songs would to be included on the
album, submitted artwork for her label logo, named the album, and selected “Peace Sign” as the first single to be released. Jo Dee Messina will perform at Niswonger Performing Arts Center (NPAC) in historic downtown Greeneville, TN on Saturday, August 2nd at 7:30 pm. Tickets are $40 for orchestra level seating, $35 for mezzanine seating and $30 for balcony seats. Tickets may be purchased online at www.npacgreen-
eville.com, in person at the NPAC box office, or by calling 423-6381679. NPAC offers online seat selection and no-fee ticketing. The box office hours are Monday through Friday, 10 am until 5 pm. The 1130 seat performing arts center is located adjacent to the campus of Greeneville High School in Greeneville, TN. For venue information, and to purchase tickets, please visit www.npacgreeneville.com.
Page 12, The Loafer • July 29, 20114
www.theloaferonline.com
The Curious Case of The Blue Eyed Bettys by Nick Friedman A band’s formation is a lot like the start of any good love story — the circumstances always vary, and often it happens when it’s least expected. For Americana folk four-piece, The Blue Eyed Bettys, this holds especially true. After moving last December from New York City to Sarasota for a Florida Studio Theatre cabaret production, the original three band members met and quickly became friends as they rehearsed together and learned the music. Soon, their friendship evolved into jam sessions in their free time, and the three explored their love of traditional Americana and folk storytelling with a distinct touch of theatrical flair and stage pres-
ence. Borrowing their namesake from their shared sets of baby blues, Daniel Emond, Sarah Hund and Ben Mackel began writing original songs and testing out the Sarasota open-mic scene — much to audiences’ delight. After receiving positive feedback, the band continued to book gigs in the area, and their theaterinfluenced performances and immaculate harmonies have earned them the admiration of musicians and showgoers alike. They recently added fellow Florida Studio Theatre actor Jamie Mohamdein on upright bass, which has further rounded out their sound as they continue their month-long tour, which will take them back to New York. Ben Mackel, who was recently a resident actor at the Barter Theatre in Abingdon, Virginia for 8 years, is happy to return to the tri-cities. “I’m so excited to come
Summer Harvest Potluck & Contra Dance in Jonesborough
August Computer Classes @ the Washington County Libraries
The Washington County Jonesborough and Gray Libraries will be offering computer classes again! Our classes will be taught by Dr. Jim Pohle. Dr. Jim has taught computer classes at three colleges, as well as teaching personal classes and various business venues. Classes at the Jonesborough Library will be 10:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. on the following days: Fridays: August 1, 8, 15, 22, 29 Mondays: August 4, 11, 18, 25 Classes at the Gray Library will be 10:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. on the following days: Wednesday, August 13 and August 20 These classes are the basics, perfect for beginners. Dr. Jim will start back home and play the music I as much as I do.” with “Meet the Computer.” love so much,” says Mackel. “The Catch them this Wednesday, Classes are free and open to southern appalachian mountains July 30 at 8pm at the Acoustic Cof- the public. Class size is limited, so gave me so much growing up and feehouse, 415 W. Walnut Street in registration is required. To regisI couldn’t be happier to get the Johnson City, TN. ter, please call the Jonesborough chance to give back. I hope the www.theblueeyedbettys.com Library @ 753-1800, or the Gray place I call home enjoys this group Library @ 477-1550.
July 29, 20114 • The Loafer, Page 13
The Historic Jonesborough Dance Society will present the Annual Summer Harvest Potluck Dinner & Contra Dance on Saturday August 2, 2014. The potluck dinner and contra dance will be held at the Jonesborough Visitors Center at 117 Boone Street beginning at 6:00 pm. Class for beginning contra dancers will follow at 7:00 pm. The dance will run from 7:30-10:30 pm with a waltz and Klondike Bar break at 9:00pm. Coming to Jonesborough to perform for the dance will be Spinning Wheel from Asheville. Calling for the dance will be Nick Boulet from Winston-Salem. During the dinner hour, guests can also waltz to recorded music. The Summer Harvest Potluck Dinner will begin at 6:00pm. Nothing brings people together like a potluck, and nothing gets them talking together like the subject of food. Just watch as the buffet ta-
ble fills up with salads, casseroles, pastas and desserts and you’ll see for yourself. “We are building a community through traditional music and dance. We hope to get our dancers chatting happily, exchanging recipes and telling the story behind each recipe,” adds Wiley. Food talk at a potluck can teach us a lot about each other and the world around us. Prizes will be given to the most creative and mouthwatering dishes. If you are not a home gardener, support your local Farmer’s Market including the Jonesborough Farmer’s Market held every Saturday from 8 am until noon in the parking area next to the Court House on Main Street. Spinning Wheel unites two friends who have played for contra dances in the area for many years. The band consist Karen Gaughan on keyboard and Nic Coker on fiddle. Coker also plays for Boom Chuck which performed
at a recent Jonesborough contra dance. Karen plays keyboard for a number of very popular contra dance bands including Eric The Cat, Hot Sonata, Good and Plenty and May Daze. Nick Boulet is a singer and song writer whose acoustic sound, powerful lyrics, and eclectic mix of guitar and percussion celebrates the joy and simple complexities of life. At the same time, Nick is an avid contra dancer and dance caller who spent many years in the Knoxville area but now calls Greensboro his home. Come as you are; wear soft flexible shoes for dancing. Come to dance, join the potluck dinner or just to listen. No partner is necessary. All dances are taught. As always, our dances are smoke and alcohol free. Admission to the dance is $7, $5 for HJDS members and $5 for full time students. Families with their own children
are all admitted for only $15 as a historicjonesboroughdancesocipackage. For further information ety.org or Historic Jonesborough call event organizer, David Wiley, Dance Society on FACEBOOK. at 423-534-8879 or visit www.
Page 14, The Loafer • July 29, 20114
www.theloaferonline.com
July 29, 20114 • The Loafer, Page 15
Page 16, The Loafer • July 29, 20114
www.theloaferonline.com
July 29, 20114 • The Loafer, Page 17
Stargazer.... continued from page 16
Moon Is First Stop for New Stargazers Moon photos by MarQ
The evening Moon of the summer months seems to draw more attention than any other time of the year. With lots of people outdoors in the nine o’clock hour when twilight starts to grip the landscape, everyone seems to look up at the Moon. You can see so much of the Moon and you just don’t realize it. So let’s take some time to look at the surface of the Moon with the naked eye and binoculars—a
telescope might really blow your mind! That’s what happened to me and many other amateur astronomers who pointed their first telescope at our next door neighbor in outer space. The Moon is where my passion for stargazing began, looking at all those craters and mountains named after the very famous people and places of Earth. You might not experience the lunacy I have about stargazing, but even spending a few casual
minutes looking up at our Moon can change your perspective about things in outer space. As the crescent Moon begins to be seen like a fingernail hanging in the western twilight, it’s morning on an alien world that has a “day” that lasts 29 Earth days. That’s why amateur astronomers count the Moon days from New phase, with a seven-day-old Moon being First Quarter, the 14-day Moon is full phase, 21 day Moon is Last Quarter and the 28-29 day Moon is New phase. So, a 5-day Moon is a big crescent a couple of days before First Quarter. Some facts about what causes the phases: Our natural satellite is one-fourth the size of Earth at 2,160 miles, its airless and mostly light rock without many heavy iron-like elements. Observed from above Earth’s North Pole, the Moon revolves counter-clockwise (eastward in our skies) at a speed of 2,100 mph. Since the Earth spins eastward at 1,100 mph, the Moon travels ahead of the Earth’s rotation and moves 12.5 degrees left (eastward) each day. The Moon makes one complete orbit about the Earth in 29 days, keeping one side gravitationally locked toward our sphere, 7,920 miles in diameter. The “older” the Moon gets as it moves eastward, the more we see and the brighter the globe until reaching its brightest at full phase. This brightening moonlight washes out faint stars night by night until just the brightest ones are visible around the full phase. That’s why amateur astronomers love a moonless night, because we can see “deep sky” objects like nebula and star clusters that can’t be seen through moonshine. Look at the Moon with just our eyes; we obviously see dark splotches against bright areas. Ancient stargazers thought the
facing Earth. Some of these are Mare Frigoris, Mare Humorium, Mare Nectaris, Mare Nubium and Mare Vaporum. Curiously, the back side of the Moon is lacking in the dark maria seen on the earth-facing side. One theory is when the Moon became locked in the Earth’s gravity; the molten lava was drawn to that side, oozing to the surface. Looking at the Moon in any kind of binoculars will reveal craters in those lunar seas, as well as mountain ranges. Two craters are hinted at with just our eyes: at full phase long streaks of bright rays can be seen coming from the crater Tyco in the south, and between Oceanus Procellarium and Mare Imbrium can be seen a bright spot that is crater Copernicus. Once you start navigating around the Moon with the aid of optical instruments, the details of craters and mountains are so numerous that remembering the names of them all is a challenge. But having a lunar atlas handy will give you literally hours of exploring the names of craters and
even places where the six Apollo moon landings occurred. Because the Moon is so close and bright, it doesn’t take a very large telescope to see detail as small as 10 miles wide. A 3-5 inch lens refractor telescope or 6-8 inch mirror reflector telescope is enough light gathering power to see many lunar details. Every visible feature on the Moon has a name, and the early Moon cartographers chose to honor some of the brilliant scientists, authors and leaders of mother Earth. There are the prominent craters Aristotle, Plato and Archimedes, as well as Copernicus, Kepler and Newton. At some point a moongazer might identify a crater with a person’s name like Shackleton, Clavius or Cassini and begin to wonder who these people are? After all, they have a feature on an alien world permanently named after them! That leads to daytime reading about prominent person—easy to do today in our “google” world. Back in the 1960s, ‘70s and ‘80s, it was the local library where many
a stargazers cut their teeth reading every book about astronomy. As the terminator moves across the lunar surface, each night presents the Moon in detail that is different than the night before. It’s along this division between day and night that most detail is seen as the shadows are long. The same is true during early morning and late evening when sunlight casts long shadows and the earthly landscape is more interesting than midday. When we look at the Full Moon in a telescope, it looks bland and features are hard to distinguish because there are now shadows. Without any motor drive on a telescope, the Moon will move out of view as the Earth rotates. Of course this is true of any object seen in a telescope that isn’t motorized to match the turning Earth. Fascination with the Moon is a hobby that can evolve into drawing the lunar features or photographing them. In learning your way around the Moon, you take the first step in exploring the Universe right from your backyard.
Catfish Frye Band to take over Winged Deer lakefront Thursday
dark areas were seas of water, and called them the Latin name Maria. The bright areas were assumed to be land with mountains. Up until the late 19th Century many prominent astronomers and scientists believed that all the planets were inhabited as their faith believed any God-made world would have living creatures. Thus it wasn’t crazy in the past centuries to think the Moon had living creatures. As the Moon progresses in its early days of crescent phase, the first maria visible is Mare Crisium,
the Sea of Crisis, a distinct oval in the upper right edge. To its left is the rather large Mare Serenity (Sea of Serenity) below it Mare Tranquility (Sea of Tranquility), both having irregular shores. Once the Moon is at full phase, the giant maria called “Ocean of Storms” (Oceanus Procellarum) is visible. The north border is curved with mountain ranges and called Mare Imbrium, Sea of Rains, which may be the impact region of a giant asteroid. There are other smaller maria around the globe
Stargazer.... continued on page 17
“Rockin’ boogie blues” music will fill the air at Winged Deer Park’s Goulding Amphitheatre on Thursday (July 31), when the Catfish Frye Band takes the stage. Duane “Catfish” Frye plays the old-school Chicago harmonica along with the more modern overblow style that is growing fast in the blues/rock world. Catfish plays from the soul, and it’s evident from the first note. Blues guitarist Adam Graybeal is wellknown across the region, and his seasoned vocals shine through as
well. Aaron Faust is the backbone of CFB on drums, and his highend vocals can bring chills. And with every thump of his bass, it’s clear that Dave Wampler is the heartbeat of this band. This free concert takes place from 7-9 p.m. Bring your lawn
chairs and your dancing shoes. Winged Deer Park is located at 4137 Bristol Highway, and the lakefront amphitheater is off Carroll Creek Road. For more information, call (423)283-5815, or visit jcparksinfo@johnsoncitytn.org.
The remainder of this year’s concert schedule is as follows:
• Thursday, July 31, 7-9 p.m. – Catfish Frye Band • Thursday, Aug. 7, 7-9 p.m. – Lauren Cole Band • Thursday, Aug. 14, 7-9 p.m. – Kids Our Age Band • Sunday, Sept. 7, 6-8 p.m. – Johnson City Symphony
Page 18, The Loafer • July 29, 20114
www.theloaferonline.com
Skies This Week Celestial events in the skies for the week of July 29th - Aug. 4th, 2014, as compiled for The Loafer by Mark D. Marquette.
Just two years after the historic landing of Apollo 11 at Mare Tranquility, the fourth Moon landing, Apollo 15, was a great success, but was met by an apathetic American public more concerned about the unpopular Vietnam War. The Apollo 15 mission is an interesting one that includes the first moon car, the discovery of the oldest rock ever found, and the smuggling of postage covers by the astronauts wanting to pay for their kid’s college education! Up in our summer night skies, we see the Milky Way rising in the east stretching from north to south. Planet Saturn is between reddish Antares far left and red Mars to the far right.
the Roman Year (that began with March) and called “Sextilis.” But in 8 BC, new Emperor Augustus Caesar renamed the month after himself, since his great Uncle Julius had his own month, too.
Sat. Aug. 2
On this 1971 date in space history, Apollo 15 moonship Falcon rocketed off the Moon in the first televised launch from the lunar surface. The astronauts discovered what was dubbed the “Genesis Rock” as it’s the oldest brought back from the Moon or ever found on Earth at 4.2 billion years old.
Tues. July 29
The Moon makes its monthly reappearance in evening sky as a beautiful crescent. Moving eastward almost 13 degrees a day, more of the lunar surface is revealed. The daylight line moving left across the lunar surface is called the terminator—which on Earth is our evening and morning twilight.
Wed. July 30
On this 1971 date in space history, Apollo 15 landed on the Moon beside an ancient lava river. Moonwalkers David Scott and James Irwin deployed the first Lunar Rover, giving them a range of for than 7 miles in one direction away from their moonship.
Thurs. July 31
The Summer Triangle straddles the Milky Way high overhead. The star to the north is Deneb in Cygnus the Swan, directly overhead is Vega in Lyra the Harp and to the south is Altair in Aquila the Eagle.
Fri. Aug. 1
Rip a page off the calendar and it’s suddenly August. This month was the sixth in
Sun. Aug. 3
After midnight there is a good chance to see some meteors, aka “shooting stars.” There is an Aquarid Meteor shower going on, and in a week is the Perseid Meteor Shower, which will be hampered by moonlight. Still, many bright meteors might be seen despite the Moon, so don’t be surprised and be sure to make a wish!
Mon. Aug. 4
First Quarter Moon will be a beautiful sight directly south at sunset with planet Saturn revealing itself to the left as twilight turns to night. You’ll need a small telescope to see the rings around Saturn, but binoculars will show you the mountains and craters of the Moon.
July 29, 20114 • The Loafer, Page 19
Border Bash to host Mustered Courage & The Deep Fried 5!
Set in Historic Downtown Bristol, Border Bash continues on Friday August 1, 2014 in the 400 & 500 blocks of State Street. The evening’s events will start with children’s activities, crafters, and concessions at 6PM. Live music begins at 7:00PM with Mustered Courage followed up by The Deep Fried 5 around 8:30PM. As always, Border Bash is free to the public! “The opening of the Birthplace of Country Music Museum celebrates the rich music heritage of this region. The Grand Opening weekend will be filled with music, and so it is wonderful that we can start it off with two great bands at Border Bash,” says Leah Ross, executive director of the Birthplace of Country Music. Mustered Courage: Formed in 2010, Mustered Courage bridges the gap between traditional bluegrass and modern roots music. The band consist of three Aussies and a Texan who have risen to the top of Australia’s folk and roots
scene, while also sweeping an enormous amount of fans off their feet abroad. Like Old Crow Medicine Show and The Avett Brothers, Mustered Courage breathes new life into the bluegrass scene with a style the appeals to both traditionalists and newcomers alike. www.musteredcourage.com The Deep Fried 5: Out of their hometown of Nashville, Tennessee, Deep Fried 5 has been making funky, soulful music exploding with groove and attitude since 2008 – and they haven’t looked back since. The group continues to grow and expand, pushing the envelope of a new progressive funk sound that has undertones of jazz, rock, soul, R&B, and blues, winning the love of different types of music fans through their performances. The approach of the Deep Fried 5 is to bring back the retro sounds of 60s soul and 70s funk, while incorporating a mixture of high-energy grooves and climactic jams. www.deepfried5.com
Page 20, The Loafer • July 29, 20114
www.theloaferonline.com
40th ANNUAL CARTER FESTIVAL August 1 & 2, 2014
Grab a past issue of
The Loafer
@ theloaferonline.com
In today’s fast-moving world, it’s understandable to be concerned that Appalachian heritage will give way to modern times and be virtually forgotten in the hustle and bustle of our fast-paced lives. Fortunately, a visit to the annual Carter Family Festival will convince you otherwise. At the festival, it’s customary to observe a packed dance floor filled with all ages of old-time and bluegrass fans, from young people just breaking into their first clogging shoes all the way to revered veterans showing off a lifetime of buckdancing know-how. The festival will feature music from both Appalachia’s most renowned performers and its newest break-out mountain music and bluegrass stars, proving that true talent knows no age. Things get started on Friday with a performance by one of Virginia’s most popular bands – Folk Soul Revival. Saturday’s lineup includes performances from the New Ballards Branch Bogtrotters, Mountain Park Old Time Band, the Whitetop Mountain Band, Wry Straw (featuring John McCutcheon), and the Great Smoky Mountain Cloggers.
Whitetop Mountain Band Both Friday and Saturday will feature performances from Lorrie Carter Bennett – Anita Carter’s daughter – and Ronnie Williams, a longtime friend of the Carter family and the Fold and an accomplished musician and performer. The Whitetop Mountain Band and Wry Straw have been performing since the Fold opened in 1974. They exemplify the strong ties that bind the Carter Fold “family.” Folk
Soul Revival demonstrates - as no other band could - the love, respect, and reverence of the mountains of southwest Virginia and all its’ traditions. Their music shows a healthy respect for our area’s musical roots, presenting it in a way that appeals to people of all ages – especially today’s younger generation.
CARTER .... continued on page 21
July 29, 20114 • The Loafer, Page 21
CARTER .... continued from page 20 The Carter Family Memorial Music Festival remains true to Janette Carter’s original vision: the festival still proudly boasts “good music and good food” while remaining affordable, family-friendly, and supportive of traditional mountain music and crafts. Leave your cares behind, and spend a weekend listening to some of the most beautiful and heart-felt music God ever created. In addition to some of the best music and food the region has to offer, there will be lots of craft vendors on hand displaying and selling homemade mountain crafts and treasures. We will have a pickin’ tent set up for folks who want to jam. Join us for the 40th Carter Family Memorial Festival! The Carter Family Memorial Music Festival will be held at the Carter Family Fold in Hiltons, Virginia. In 1974, Janette Carter decided to present a festival dedicated to her father, A.P. Carter. Before he died in November, 1960, he asked his daughter to do all she could to see that the Carter Family’s music was never forgotten. She told him Daddy I will try. She did just that, and the Carter Family Memorial Music Center now stands as a tribute to the love and devotion she felt for her father and the music he created. The very existence of the Carter Memorial Music Festival can be credited to a younger generation honoring the generation before it. Since shows began in 1974, the Carter Fold has earned a reputation as a place for music fans of all ages to congregate, including multiple generations of Carter descendants. Today, the Carter Family Fold is proudly managed by Janette’s daughter, Rita Jett Forrester, who works alongside other Carter descendants, volunteers from around the world, and a dedicated Board of Directors to ensure that the newest generation of young people will discover the wonders of our treasured mountain music. Janette presented shows of acoustic-only old-time and bluegrass music in the grocery her Dad ran in the 40s and 50s from August, 1974 (and later at the Carter Family Fold), until her death in January, 2006 – devoting the last 32
Folk Soul Revival years of her life to the music center. Despite the fact that she never graduated from high school, Janette Carter established a nonprofit, rural arts organization and a museum. Along the way, she won the NEA’s Bess Lomax Hawes National Heritage Award. NEA’s highest honor, the award paid tribute to her lifelong advocacy of the performance and preservation of Appalachian music. This year’s festival is dedicated to the memory of Fred “Skip” Dickerson and Barbara Bryant. Skip married Joe and Nancy Carter’s daughter, Lisa. A loving husband, father, and grandfather, Skip died recently. We ask that you keep Lisa and her family in your prayers. Barbara Bryant is the late wife of James Bryant, Carter Fold board member, volunteer, and long-time sponsor and supporter of the Carter Family Fold. James and Barbara actually married at
the Fold, and she supported the Fold for many years – volunteering her time and boundless energy every Saturday night as well as any other time her help was needed. Barbara died last fall, and she is greatly missed by all her family as well as the Fold family Tickets are available at the gate only; all seats are festival seating. Tickets are $10 for adults on Friday, $20 for adults on Saturday, or both days $25 for adults. Children’s tickets (ages 6 to 11) are $5 a day; under age 6 free. Gates open at 3:00 p.m. Friday and at noon on Saturday. Music on the stage gets underway at 6:00 p.m. on Friday night and at 3:00 p.m. on Saturday afternoon. If would like more information on the acts or the festival, please call276-594-0676. During festival hours, call 276-386-6054. Visit the Carter Fold website at www.carterfamilyfold.org.
Page 22, The Loafer • July 29, 20114
In 2013 “The Purge” hit theaters with Ethan Hawke and Lena Headey and brought us the disturbing world of 2022. Due to the country being governed by the New Founding Fathers of America, crime and unemployment rates are at an all time low. Why? Because the government enacted The Purge, a twelve-hour period held annually when all crime, including murder, is legal. All police and emergency services are suspended during this period, and anyone who doesn’t follow the rules during the Purge will be executed. Talk about harsh! Though presented as a catharsis for release of negative and pent up emotions, The Purge is secretly seen as a form of population control and to
rid society of “undesirables”. The premise of the films is not something I would care to see happen in the future. The sequel “The Purge: Anarchy” is currently playing in theaters and is set one year after the first film. The story begins several hours before the annual Purge, and introduces us to the main characters, who will eventually become intertwined. The main characters are a mother/daughter duo (Carmen Ejogo and Zoe Soul), a couple about to divorce (Zach Giford and Kiele SAnchez), and police Sergeant Leo Barnes (Frank Grillo). As fate would have it, and to provide an exciting storyline, the married couple become stranded on the streets of Los Angeles when their
www.theloaferonline.com car breaks down, and the mother/ daughter duo are attacked in their apartment and taken hostage. While the married couple is running in the city streets to stay alive, the mother and daughter are rescued by Sergeant Barnes. As they prepare to flee in the sergeants car, the married couple have taken refuge in said car. Thus begins a scary night for the group as they attempt to avoid being executed in the wild downtown streets. We also know even though Barnes is helping his new friends, he has his own agenda. The 1% were presented in a unflattering light in the film, and the government were proved bad guys. The anarchy part of the film comes from a character in the film named Carmel (Michael K. Williams) who leads a group of Purge resistance fighters. I found the film to be extremely intense and nerve-wracking, but thrilling. Many times I found my self jumping in surprise and on “the edge of my seat”. “The Purge: Anarchy” is better than the original, and provides plenty of thrills and chills to go with the social commentary. (Rated R) A-
July 29, 20114 • The Loafer, Page 23
Storyteller Suzi Whaples Next Up for Storytelling Live!
West Virginia native Suzi “Mama” Whaples has always loved a good story. But for a while, it almost seemed like stories didn’t love her back. Once a librarian, Whaples was torn from her work when she developed an allergy to books (more specifically, to the mold in old books). She had no choice but to leave the job she loved. At the library, Whaples had helped develop special programming to teach kids about Appalachian history. Those performances were so successful that she began to tour, and soon enough word of mouth around her was so strong that she was invited to Jonesborough. Like a lot of librarians, Whaples had been to Tennessee’s oldest town many times—as a fan. She was blown away by the opportunity. “When the lord opens a door, he doesn’t half-open one,” she says. “He just throws it open. I went right into being a featured teller as a new voice.” Of course, she did not disappoint. “I got a standing ovation,” she says. “Me! By myself! It was overwhelming. I was standing on that stage and I had to fight back tears because I was like, that’s where I watched Kathryn Windham. This is where I watched Jackie Torrence. This is where I watched Donald Davis and all the wonderful storytellers that I’ve heard down through the years. I sat there where they were sitting and I admired them. To think that someone may feel that way about me was just wonderful.” Now universally beloved, Whaples will soon return to Jonesborough as the International Storytelling Center’s teller in resi-
dence. During her weeklong residency, Whaples will offer daily performances August 5 – 9, Tuesday through Saturday, at 2:00 p.m. in the Mary B. Martin Storytelling Hall. Tickets for all shows are just $12 for adults and $11 for seniors, students, and children under 18. Advance purchase is highly recommended. Every performance will feature her homey personal stories sprinkled with old-fashioned Appalachian lore. She often shares stories from her adult life, but she also likes to remember the family stories she first heard as a child. As a kid with a huge extended family, one of her favorite things to do was hide under her grandmother’s dining room table and just soak up the tales swapped by the adults. While Whaples’ audiences enjoy more comfortable seating, every performance recreates that same sense of intimacy she felt overhearing all her family’s best stories. Whaples is the latest performer in the International Storytelling Center’s Storytelling Live! series, which will host a new performer every week through October. Information about all TIR performers, as well as a detailed schedule for 2014, is available at www.storytellingcenter.net. Ticket holders will save 10 percent on same-day dining at The Olde Courthouse Diner, The Dining Room, Jonesborough General Store and Eatery, or Main Street Café. 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.
Page 24, The Loafer • July 29, 20114
July 29, 20114 • The Loafer, Page 25
www.theloaferonline.com
867-5309 those big rant filled sessions, ending with “don’t you ever dial this number again!” The downside of digital technology is that you hang up with the touch of a button, you no longer have the great satisfaction of slamming a receiver down on the phone so hard you make the bell ring. Pleased and satisfied, I went on with my day. As the day progressed, I found myself with babysitting duties for my ten year old cousin. The two of us were spending part of the afternoon doing one of his favorite activities at my house, a two player round of that 90s video game classic “Zombies Ate My Neighbors.” We were at the tense chainsaw level of the game, during which concentration is an absolute must. Right as it seemed that we were finally about to make it through the game’s nerve wracking level at long last—my phone rang. It was the same dreaded num-
It had been occurring over and over again for several days, a strange number that claimed to be from Virginia calling my cell phone constantly. Without fail the number would call once or twice a day, never leaving a message. Such phone calls I usually ignore, but after the tenth time, and in a fit of
anger, I answered the phone. The caller claimed to be from an “auto processing center” and assumed I was such a rube that I could be taken in by their clams about my car—which is entirely paid for. I lost my cool, and I began to yell at the person on the other end of the phone. It was one of
ber that had been calling me over and over. If there is a direct connection between the hours I spent as a child watching Bugs Bunny cartoons, and the influence it had on me, it would be that once I have been pushed beyond the point of anger, I too decree “Of course you know this means war!” I had simply had it with the nosy “auto processing center” and their insistence that I be duped into their crap. My policy to deal with these deeply annoying people was to try to out crazy the crazy, and terrify them into never wanting to call my number again. This time I said “Hello” in a clam and collected voice as I answered my cell phone. I waited for the voice on the other end to start the yammer of being “so and so” from the “auto processing center.” As they began their speech, instead of saying anything else, I began to sing
“Weird Al” Yankovic’s classic tune “I Lost on Jeopardy.” The stark silence on the other end of the phone was palpable. One could sense that it was a feeling of terror, confusion, and “they didn’t prepare me for this.” What impressed me most is that the person on the other end didn’t hang up immediately. Instead I made it all way through the second verse of the song, and was right towards the end of the second chorus when I heard the other person hang up. I sat my phone down, much to an amused and slightly bewildered look from my cousin, and we returned to our game. I was proud that I scared the hell out of some crazed telemarketing group, and to date that number has yet to have called my phone again. Much like many aspects of life that can seem frustrating or downright annoying—the answer is always “Weird Al.” See you next week.
www.theloaferonline.com
Page 26, The Loafer • July 29, 20114
“Hey, Hey, We’re The Beatles: 50 Years Of A Hard Day’s Night” Fifty years ago this month I stood in line (albeit a small one for my very small town) at the Sparta Theater, anxiously awaiting the Saturday afternoon matinee of the Beatles’ newly-released film, A Hard Day’s Night. Although I was an avid Beatles’ fan, having watched them on “The Ed Sullivan Show” five months earlier and having bought several of their records (regrettably, there were no CDs in those days), I hardly knew what to expect from their first movie. Needless to say, I exited the theatre in a much different state than when I entered it (don’t worry—I much too young and naive in 1964 to partake of mind-altering substances), but had no real idea of what I had just seen, other than a lot of mayhem and cultural references that were lost on my young mind. Little did I know then that a half-century later I would still be in awe of that Richard Lester film that seems as fresh and zany today as it did on that long-ago summer afternoon in Sparta, North Carolina. The occasion for my writing this column is the release of the fabulous Criterion version of this film on a sparkling Blu-Ray transfer, complete with a newly-mastered companion DVD version that includes commentaries and featurettes, all boxed with an 80-page booklet that features a contextual essay by Howard Hampton, a very informative interview with Richard Lester, the film’s director, and, for all you tekies out there, copious and geeky notes about the transfer to Blu-Ray. This is a musthave film, not only for Beatles fans but for all movie lovers and film historians as well. And seeing it in Blu-Ray for the first time is even better than being there in 1964, especially if you happened to see it with me at the less-than-stellar Sparta Theater. A Hard Day’s Night has its de-
tractors, like all great films do, but for the most part it has garnered accolades ever since its premiere. The best thing about watching it today is that it, for me at least, doesn’t seem at all nostalgic. When I see it I don’t want to return to that predigital era, and I don’t pontificate about how the music of that era was better than today (which it isn’t). Instead, I see a movie that captures the mood of the era perhaps better than any other film of the Sixties. It is, in short, a historical document that should be studied in history classes and widely discussed and debated during this golden anniversary year. The Beatles’ bookshelf has grown incrementally since 1964, and from this distance we are able to assess the band’s legacy from multiple perspectives, both positive and negative. Amid all the hero worship that sometimes accompanies Beatles’ retrospectives, we shouldn’t forget that their first reviews weren’t always so kind. A Washington Star editorialist, writing about their first visit to the United States in February 1964 remarked that their musical talent was “minimal” at best and their shocking hairstyles were “merely a combination of the beehive and the Hamlet.” Leaving no doubt as to where he stood, the reviewer declared “We have never
produced a Shakespeare. But we never produced a Beatle, either.” The premier of “A Hard Day’s Night” was a turning point, not
only for the Beatles, but for the world as well. Mark Lewisohn, author of the first volume of a projected three-volume magnum opus on the Beatles, comments in the documentary that accompanies the Criterion edition of the film that, although John, Paul, and George had been together for six years prior to the release of the film, the history of the Beatles in so many ways really begins with the premier of the their movie in July 1964. And the famous American film critic, Andrew Sarris, writing in the Village Voice a month
after the premier, made the rather bold statement that “A Hard Day’s Night has turned out to be the Citizen Kane of jukebox musicals, the brilliant crystallisation of such diverse cultural particles as the pop movie, rock ‘n’ roll, cinema verite, the nouvelle vague, free cinema, the affectedly hand-held camera, frenzied cutting, the cult of the sexless subadolescent, the semi-documentary, and studied spontaneity.” In short, Sarris equated the Beatles with contemporary culture in all its crazy-quilt splendor. And, should we add that Lester patterned his film after the Marx Brothers and the ever-popular British comedy showcase, The Goon Show (which in turn begat Monty Python and Peter Sellers, among others)? Interestingly enough, Groucho remarked after screening the film that, regardless of its merits, he couldn’t tell one Beatle from the other. I guess you had to be there. In the best book ever written (so far, at least) about the history of American popular music, Sonata For Jukebox: An Autobiography Of My Ears (2004), Geoffrey O’ Brien has this to say about A Hard Day’s Night (echoing my personal reaction, described above): “I emerged from A Hard Day’s Night as from a conversion experience. Having walked into the theater as a solitary observer with more or less random musical tastes . . .
.I came out as a member of a generation, sharing a common repertoire with a sea of contemporaries, strangers who seemed suddenly like family.” Watching the film today can also create a sense of community, bridging the gap between then and now. Influenced as it was by The Marx Brothers and The Goon Show, A Hard Day’s Night in turn shaped the pop culture than followed in its wake. Two young and ambitious producers, Bob Rafelson and Bert Schneider (who were later joined by a fledgling actor named Jack Nicholson) patterned their first successful TV show, The Monkees (1966-68), after the Beatles’ film (with more than a little Marx Brothers thrown in for good measure). And, as we now know, The Monkees begat MTV (with a little help from Monkee and TV music video visionary and impressario Mike Nesmith) and a movie that paid heavy homage to both the Beatles and The Monkees—the Spice Girls’ surprisingly enjoyable Spice World (1998). We can only wonder if we’ll be seeing a Criterion treatment of that movie anytime soon. Don’t hold your breath, although I might be the only person on this planet who would buy and actually watch it (for the commentaries and extras, of course). Before I go, I will urge you to revisit—or watch for the first time— A Hard Day’s Night and listen to the soundtrack album (which was the subject of my column for March 4 of this year). And if I have piqued your interest in The Monkees, feel free to read Eric Lefcowitz’s informative and entertaining book, Monkee Business: The Revolutionary Made-For-TV Band (2011), something that may or may not be the topic of a future column. See you next week.
July 29, 20114 • The Loafer, Page 27
Page 28, The Loafer • July 29, 20114