The Loafer June 7th

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A Homecoming “Feastival�

Sunday With Friends Series Continues

June Events at Hands ON!

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BLUE PLUM FESTIVAL

Volume 30 • Issue #27

happenings

Publisher Luci Tate Editor Graphic Arts Director Don Sprinkle

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Mountain of Music Homecoming

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Tailgate Bristol

Cover Design Bill May

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Theatre Bristol presents “The Music Man”

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“Charlie and The Chocolate Factory”

Advertising Dave Carter Terry Patterson Beth Jinks-Ashbrook Patti Barr Sam Jones

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Rick Yost @ Acoustic Coffeehouse

Contributing Staff Jim Kelly Andy Ross Ken Silvers Mark Marquette Brian McManus Joshua Hicks Brian Bishop Daniel Worley Jason Worley 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)

11 The Loose Strings Band at Heartwood 12

Regional Artists Monthly Exhibits

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Jake Krack & The Bing Brothers

14 Trey Hensley & Rob Ickes Kicks Off Concert Series 15 Voo Davis Promotes New CD

columns & reviews 16 22 23 24 27 28 31 35

Batteries Not Included - NEW Monkees Album!!!

Stargazer - Lift Your Spirits Off This Planet Skies This Week Pop Life - X-Men: Apocalypse The Trivial Traveler - Walking Music Appalachian Wanderers - The Blue Ridge Parkway Lock, Stock & Barrell - Full-Size Rundown Part 2: Beretta 92 Kelly’s Place - It’s A Meme World After All

17 The Honeycutters In Concert 25 Acclaimed Chef Offers Demonstration 27 “Not Your Ordinary Dinner Party” 29 Olga Loya To Host Storytelling Live!

32 Things To Do 33

Pets Of The Week

34 Classifieds

Theatre Bristol’s The Music Man Owen Griffth as Winthrop Paroo, Kylie Green as Marian Paroo, and Bob Cantler as Harold Hill

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

music & fun

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,

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including claims or suits for defamation, libel, right of privacy, plagiarism, and copyright infringement.

Founder: Bill Williams

FORLORN STRANGERS

Spotlight - Great Music & Fun Times

30 Puzzle Page

at Founders Park Johnson City Friday, June 10th - 6pm theloaferonline.com | June 7, 2016 | 3

5 Crooked Road Concerts, Over 100 Cultural Experiences, One Unforgettable Experience

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ast year, 64 communities in Southwest Virginia participated in The Crooked Road’s first-ever Mountains of Music Homecoming with over 30 Crooked Road concerts and hundreds of cultural experiences enjoyed by visitors from across the United States, Canada, France, the United Kingdom, and Australia. The second annual Homecoming will take place this June 10-18, 2016, with another stellar set of regional concerts highlighting the area’s rich traditional music. Performers include the region’s many artists who keep alive the musical traditions that The Crooked Road is known for worldwide and many well-known groups like Jesse McReynolds and the Virginia Boys, Lonesome River Band, and the Seldom Scene.

“This is an opportunity for visitors to The Crooked Road to connect with Southwest Virginia’s unique culture in a very personal and memorable way,” said Crooked Road executive director Jack Hinshelwood. “The Homecoming is about a sense of discovery, whether it’s discovering what’s around the next bend of The Crooked Road, or discovering a local fiddler you’ve never heard of before that can ‘fiddle all the bugs off a sweet-potato vine’. We really want visitors to feel they have become a part of this special place and want to return as often as possible. And no matter when they come during the Homecoming, the music will be here waiting for them at nine major venues and over 60 affiliated venues and local festivals.”

“The music that is indigenous to Southwest Virginia provides a rich and authentic Virginia experience,” said Rita McClenny, president and CEO of Virginia Tourism Corporation. “It can be heard at general stores, small town theaters, events, and sporadically throughout the region and visitors can often interact with the musicians, some of whom are direct descendants of some of the most famous names in the genre. The Mountains of Music Homecoming provides the opportunity for the region to collaborate and share the music heritage experience with travelers to the area and our great state of Virginia.”

“For those of us who live here, the Homecoming is also a great chance to get to know the place we call home on a deeper level,” said John Kilgore, Crooked Road president. “It’s an opportunity for locals to discover parts of Southwest Virginia they have never taken the time to visit or explore but have always wanted to. And of course it is a great time for folks who have left the region to come back home and enjoy the Homecoming with their friends and family.”

Experiencing The Crooked Road in Southwest Virginia In addition to heritage music concerts, the many cultural experiences provide an opportunity for communities to showcase those things they are most proud of, whether it is their outdoor environment, cultural amenities, historical sites, or other assets. “Last year, the communities hosted music and flatfoot dance workshops, farm to table cooking demonstrations and local wine

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tastings, instrument and quilt making demonstrations, historic homeplace and church tours, music documentary film showings, canoe and kayak trips, community storytelling, community meals, an Appalachian writers symposium, and lots of jam sessions where locals and visitors shared songs and played tunes together,” said Hinshelwood. “The cultural experiences presented in the communities are where the Homecoming spirit really shines the brightest.”

2016 Homecoming Highlights The Crooked Road has added some new elements to this year’s event. Just for the 2016 Homecoming, five of the finest bluegrass artists from Southwest Virginia are coming together to play three concerts as The Crooked Road All Star Bluegrass Band – banjoist Sammy Shelor of the Lonesome River Band, guitarist and singer Junior Sisk of Ramblers Choice, former Bill Monroe fiddler Billy Baker, and Blue Highway members Wayne Taylor on bass and Shawn Lane on mandolin. The Crooked Road All Star Bluegrass Band will perform Sunday, June 12 at 2:00 p.m. at the Country Cabin in Norton; on Monday, June 13 at 7:00 p.m. at the Reynolds Homestead Center in Critz; and on Tuesday, June 14 at 7:00 p.m. at the Lincoln Theatre in Marion, Virginia. “This will be a historic gathering of these artists, who have all reached the top of the bluegrass field with their separate careers,” said Kilgore. “It’s an honor to have them perform together at the Homecoming.”

HoustonFest, one of the region’s premiere bluegrass and old time music festivals, is part of the 2016 Homecoming and has a superb lineup including Ricky Skaggs and Kentucky Thunder, Wayne Henderson and Virginia Luthiers, Blue Highway, New Ballards Branch Bogtrotters and many more on June 10 and 11. “HoustonFest is delighted to be part of The Crooked Road’s Mountains of Music Homecoming,” says Debbie Robinson, HoustonFest director. “This year we’re paying tribute to over 80 years of the Galax Old Fiddlers Convention and performances by legendary Galax artists each day of the festival.”

“The Montgomery Museum in Christiansburg is also a new partner we are delighted to have this year,” says Hinshelwood. Museum Director Sue Farrar says “We are thrilled to be presenting a daylong Homecoming celebration on our Main Street downtown on June 18 with great heritage music artists including a closing performance by the legendary Seldom Scene. This will be a true Homecoming for brothers Ronnie and Rickie Simpkins, who are Christiansburg High School graduates and now both members of the Scene.”

Every year, The Crooked Road also presents authentic artists at the Homecoming that come from some other music tradition like last year’s music of Cape Breton. For 2016, the Homecoming will feature the music of Ireland when the John Doyle Trio performs June 14 at the Harvester Performance Center in Rocky Mount and June 15 at the McGlothlin Center for the Arts at Emory and Henry College.

“Dublin, Ireland-born John Doyle would be on most anyone’s list of the foremost Irish guitarists on the planet,” says Hinshelwood. “Of course, Irish music is one of the key ingredients in Appalachian music, and it would be hard to find a better group than the John Doyle Trio to demonstrate those connections.”

The Crooked Road is also providing 2016 Homecoming attendees a unique taste of the region with a new signature Appalachian local food event in Abingdon.

The event, designed and coordinated by Jean Haskell of Appalachian Highlands Consulting and Katie Hoffman of Appalworks, includes a reception at the William King Museum, followed by a special dinner and concert at Heartwood: Southwest Virginia’s Artisan Gateway. “This special event will incorporate local food, music, culture, and arts in a way that highlights the innovative, creative spirit so characteristic of Appalachia,” says Haskell. According to Hoffman, “There’s a reason why food magazines are paying attention to Appalachia. The menu is designed to demonstrate the kinds of fresh and imaginative thinking that is drawing culinary tourists and notice. Of course, Southwest-Virginia-grown and Southwest-Virginiamade food will be at the heart of the meal.” Speakers for the event include some

HOMECOMING ... continued on next page

HOMECOMING ... continued from previous page of the region’s most inventive artists, artisans, and writers as well as a performance featuring the distinctive harmonies of the Church Sisters.

“Blue Ridge Beverage Company is a proud sponsor of The Crooked Road and pleased to partner with others in presenting the second annual Mountains of Music Homecoming,” says Jim Archer, company president. “We hope everyone comes and enjoys the best of our region’s rich and unique heritage.”

The full schedule of outstanding concerts and cultural experiences will be finalized in March.

“To say we’re excited about the 2016 Homecoming would be quite an understatement,” says Hinshelwood. “It’s the one time of the year when every community in Southwest Virginia is in the spotlight and has a chance to share what makes them special.”

“As a local Southwest Virginia company, Food City is proud to call this region our home,” says Steve Smith, President. “We’re also proud to once again be a part of the Homecoming, an event that showcases many of the tremendous talents and skills our region is so well known for.”

“We hope everyone who attends the 2016 Homecoming has the kind of experiences described by visitors in 2015,” says Kilgore. One wrote, “Your country is so beautiful and people so friendly.

Thank you for your warm welcome.” Another said, “We rode motorcycles from Kansas to partake in The Crooked Road – it was a great experience.”

Homecoming Sponsors The Crooked Road’s Mountains of Music Homecoming is made possible by the support of the Virginia Tobacco Region Revitalization Commission, National Endowment for the Arts, Virginia Tourism Corporation, Food City, Blue Ridge Beverage, Montgomery County Regional Tourism Office, Heartwood: Southwest Virginia’s Artisan Gateway, Virginia State Parks, Virginia Commission for the Arts, Town of Rocky Mount, Bank of Marion, CGI, the Inn at Wise, Lays Hardware Center for the Arts, FocusOne Integrated Financial Planning, and the Town of Marion.

About The Crooked Road Known internationally as a mecca of old-time, bluegrass, gospel, and other heritage music forms, the 333 mile long Crooked Road connects the home places of some of the most cherished figures in American music – the Carter Family, the Stoneman Family, the Stanley Brothers, and bluegrass

pioneers, Jim and Jesse McReynolds, among others – and spans a region celebrated for its beautiful landscape and seminal contributions to the nation’s art and music.

For more information about The Crooked Road’s Mountains of Music Homecoming, call (276) 492-2409 or search “mtnsofmusic” on Facebook or Twitter. Tickets for some of The Crooked Road concerts are already available at www.mtnsofmusic.com.

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The Crooked Road Debuts

a First-Ever Homecoming “Feastival” “Feastival” Combines Appalachian Food, Music, Art,

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and Culinary Heritage

he Crooked Road’s Mountains of Music Homecoming in June will add a signature culinary and cultural event to its stellar series of events this year. On Friday, June 17, ticket holders will be treated to fresh, local food, the best in regional music, art and artisanship, and enlightening stories of the region’s culinary heritage to celebrate the innovative, creative spirit so characteristic of Appalachia. The event is sponsored by Food City, Blue Ridge Beverage, and the Virginia Tourism Corporation.

Guests will first gather at the prestigious William King Museum of Art in Abingdon for appetizers and beverages specifically designed and selected to showcase the finest of Southwest Virginia’s locally grown offerings. Guests will be treated to two exhibitions at the museum by Appalachian-based artists who will give brief gallery tours and talks.

One of the exhibits, Roadside Attractions: The Weird and Wonderful Worlds of Mark Cline, features the work of Rockbridge County-based Cline who creates drawings, photos, video, and large-scale fiberglass features drawn from popular culture and his own imagination. Artist Elizabeth Mesa-Gaido will represent a group of artists whose work makes up the ¡Viva Appalachia! exhibition. Marcy Miller, executive director of the Museum, notes that “the cultural landscape of Appalachia has become increasingly diverse as the Latin-American population continues to grow.

This group of artists working in the region shares their experience of our divergent cultures coming together through photography, sculpture, and other media.”

Music for the first part of the special evening will be provided by the Pointer Brothers, an acoustic trio based in Southwest Virginia. Their performances combine bluegrass, country, and folk, spiced with accents of spacegrass and jazz.

After the cocktail hour, guests will travel by Abingdon Town Trolleys to Heartwood, Southwest Virginia’s gateway center for local craft, music, food and local culture. Charles Parker, Heartwood Chef, has created a special dinner using fresh, local food paired with an array of beverages produced in the Appalachian region. Chef Parker says, “My specialty is using fresh, locally sourced ingredients to create menus that embody the southern palate, sometimes creating completely new dishes and other times taking old favorites and putting a fresh twist on them.”

During the dinner at Heartwood, Nell Jefferson Fredericksen, a Virginia Juried Master Artisan, will speak about her life as a mountain artist. Trained as a biologist/zoologist, Fredericksen will demonstrate how she translates the natural environment of Southwest Virginia’s mountains into her award-winning jewelry and pottery.

Keynote speaker is Sheri Castle, a mountain-born, award-winning cookbook author committed to celebrating Appalachian cuisine. Castle will talk about creativity and artistry in mountain cooking. An entertaining speaker, Castle has won awards for her food writing in such publications as Southern Living, The Local Palate, and Garden and Gun. She recently appeared on PBS’s A Chef’s Life.

This special evening of Appalachian creativity will conclude with a concert by the Church Sisters, twins from Galax, Virginia, who are praised for their “blood harmony” and the freshness and originality of their singing and songwriting. After the concert, guests will have an opportunity to visit with the chef, speakers, artists, and musicians who were part of the evening’s experience.

Trolleys will then return guests to the William King parking area.

Tickets for the entire evening’s festivities are $85 per person and are available at www.mtnsofmusic.com or at Heartwood in Abingdon.

festival

TAILGATE TENNESSEE

ANNOUNCES EXPANSION FOR

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BATTLE AT BRISTOL

ith four years of experience in executing turnkey tailgate villages at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, and over 30 years of event and hospitality industry experience, All Occasions Party Rentals is excited to announce Tailgate Tennessee’s expansion for the Battle of Bristol game.

On September 10, when Bristol Motor Speedway transforms its iconic short track into a world-class football stadium for the inaugural Battle at Bristol, College Football’s Biggest Game Ever, Tailgate Tennessee will activate a turnkey tailgate village branded as Tailgate Bristol to appeal to both the Tennessee Volunteers and Virginia Tech Hokie football fans. UT tailgates will be located in the All American Campground and the Virginia Tech tailgates will be set up at the Bristol Dragway.

Two Tailgate Bristol Packages will be offered. The AllAmerican Package accommodates 25 people and includes a 10’ x 10’ tent, (2) 8-foot tables, (10) folding chairs, 120-quart ice chest with ice plus an option to purchase 1 parking permit at $30 per car. The cost for an All-American Package is $1,999.

The Heisman Package accommodates 50 people and includes a 20’ x 20’ tent, (4) 8-foot tables, (20) folding chairs, 120-quart ice chest, flat-screen TV with dishTM satellite service plus the option to purchase 2 parking permits at $30 per car. The cost for a Heisman Package is $3,999.

Tailgate Bristol will provide Battle at Bristol football fans the ultimate game day experience - all the fun of tailgating with none of the hassle. Whether they’re getting together with a few friends or hosting a big pre-game party, Tailgate Bristol will have their party covered.

Fall weekends belong to football and tailgating - in Bristol and at home in Knoxville. Tailgate Tennessee returns as the Vols Official Fan Tailgate Area for the fifth year in a row when the 2016 UT football season kicks off on September 1. Tailgate Tennessee offers the Kick-Off, 1st Down, and Touchdown Packages for all 2016 UT home games. Tailgate Tennessee is located one block from Neyland Stadium at Circle Park and next to McClung Museum. Prices vary by game and package.

[See attachment.] Football fans may choose the option to blowout their tailgates with bars, cocktail tables, orange chandeliers, and furniture. Catering and beverage service are also available for an additional expense.

Tailgate packages for the Battle at Bristol and UT home games may be purchased by calling 865356-6669 or by visiting TailgateBristol.com or TailgateTennessee.com. Space is limited.

Tailgate Tennessee was launched in 2012 through a partnership with the Athletic Department of the University of Tennessee, Knoxville. Since the kickoff of Tailgate Tennessee, the operation has more than doubled each year providing over 400 tailgates in 2016 for football fans on the University of Tennessee campus. “Tailgate Bristol and its General Manager, Drew Rutherford, is committed to providing the same high level of customer satisfaction, the finest quality products and operational excellence that has earned All Occasion Party Rentals the distinction of being East Tennessee’s premier event rental company” says Terry Turner, owner of All Occasion Party Rentals. Tailgate Tennessee is presented by dishTM Network.

Website: TailgateBristol.com Facebook: Tailgate Bristol

Twitter: @TailgateBristol Instagram: TailgateBristol theloaferonline.com | June 7, 2016 | 7

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Theatre Bristol Presents

he Music Man” is marching into town for a must-see memorable summer experience for adults and children alike! Theatre Bristol announces the cast of “The Music Man” and ticket-

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“The Music Man”

featuring cast of 40 of area’s talented

ing information for this upcoming 51st season production opening June 17.

“The Music Man” will run for two weekends of matinee and evening performances through June 26, 2016 at the Paramount Center for the Arts. Tickets are available online with all available dates and times listed and by contacting the Paramount Center for the Arts at 423-274-8920.

Theatre Bristol is pleased bring this all-American musical classic and winner of an Oscar for Best Music, multi-Tony Award winner including Best Musical winner, and Grammy award winner for multiple songs featuring our area’s own talented actors, singers, dancers, designers, and musicians.

The Music Man features Professor Harold Hill, con man and fast-talking salesman. He convinces the people of River City, Iowa, “Ya Got Trouble” and sells them on a young people’s band and “Seventy-Six Trombones.” Marian the Librarian’s “Till There Was You” causes him to grow fond of her and the children.

It’s a score of favorites: “Goodnight, My Someone,” “It’s You,” “Goodnight Ladies,” “Pickalittle,” “Gary, Indiana,” “Wells Fargo Wagon,” and many more.

Theatre Bristol’s production of Meredith Wilson’s The Music Man is directed by Glenn Patterson who recently directed Les Misérables, Scrooge! The Musical, and Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat. Patterson is joined by an amazing production team including Music Director Alissa King, Technical Director David Hyde, Stage Manager Jessica Flagg, Costume Designer Camille Gray, Choreographer Nick Reynolds, and Assistant Stage Manager Anna Kimerer.

Bob Cantler is cast as Harold Hill, Kylie Green as Marian Paroo, James Francis as Marcellus Washburn, and Mike Musick as Mayor Shinn. The barbershop quartet features Joe Collard as Ewart Dunlop, Coy Owens as Oliver Hix, Rick Hawkins as Jacey Squires, and Steve Baskett as Olin Britt. The cast includes Matthew Torbett as Tommy Djilas, Dottie Havlik as Mrs. Paroo, and Zaiah Gray and Owen Griffith sharing the role of Winthrop Paroo.

Susie Buckner is cast as Eulalie M. Shinn, Annika Burley as Zaneeta Shinn, Claire Hankins as Gracie Shinn, and Whitney

Brooks and Lea Johns sharing the role of Amaryllis. Laura Mixon is cast as Alma Hix, Lindsay Lady as Maud Dunlop, Paige Johns as Ethel Toffelmier, Patty Fuhrken as Mrs. Squires, Mike Locke as Constable Locke, and Joel Brister as Charlie Cowell.

The ensemble includes Olivia Braganza, Darby Burson, Gracie Cunningham, Seth Gilstrap, Camille Gray, Luke Gray, Samuel Hankins, Susanna Johns, Jace Lyon, Stephanie Marie, John David Mullins, Carson Musick, Emily Peltzer, Leticia Peltzer, Eden Phillips, Cameron Roberts, Kaly Schmidt, Kaylie Ste Marie, and Lucy Tester.

The set and stage crew includes Dakota Otey, Anthony Underwood, Robert Havlik, Eric Griffith, Margaret Swiney, Kate Campbell, Dan Gray, Briian Johns, Ashton Bishop, Kaylie Fleenor, Kaylie Crain, Emma Kennedy, John Mullins, Rachel Locke, Suzanne Eleas, Laura O’Bryan, John Roark, Holly Griffith, Frank Bochet, Temmy Roberts, and many cast members.

The Music Man is presented through special arrangement with and all authorized performance materials are supplied

by Music Theatre International – www.mti.com.

Founded in 1965, Theatre Bristol is the oldest continually running children’s theatre in northeast Tennessee and now celebrating its 51st season. Its Main Stage season consists of up to five productions. Its performances take place in the ARTspace, a multi-purpose, black box theatre as well as the Paramount Center for the Arts. Theatre Bristol is entirely volunteer run and we invite you to get involved.

For more information, visit the Theatre Bristol’s website or Facebook page, contact Theatre Bristol at 423-212-3625, or email info@theatrebristol.org

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THE BARTER PLAYERS ANNOUNCE EXCITING CHANGE TO SUMMER LINEUP “Charlie and the Chocolate Factory” Added to Barter Players Summer Season

he Barter Players summer lineup, already featuring “Cry Wolf!” and “Robin Hood” now adds “Charlie and the Chocolate Factory” for an exciting summer of family fun.

Back by popular demand, “Charlie and the Chocolate Factory” is a favorite of adults and children alike. The Barter Players are excited to be presenting this imaginative adventure through Willy Wonka’s Chocolate Factory for the first time since 2012. Barrett Guyton, who played Charlie in The Barter Players’ 2012 performance, will be directing “Charlie and the Chocolate Factory” from June 28-July 16. Guyton said, “I cannot wait to explore the world of this play with this completely different group of actors and their imaginations. It’s such a thrilling, creative, and curious world—it will be a blast to create it together!”

Katy Brown, artistic director of The Barter Players, said, “The 2016 summer season for The Barter Players is one of the most exciting we’ve ever had. I think my favorite part is all the incredible characters that will be on our stages.

“Cry Wolf!” has all the best fairytale characters all together. Willy Wonka is one of the most wonderful and weird characters ever created, and Robin Hood has always captured our imaginations. I can’t wait for our audiences to spend time with these incredible characters.”

“Cry Wolf!” is a hilarious mash-up of several different fairytales and will play from June 7-June 25 only. With the Big Bad Wolf on the loose, Little Red Riding Hood teams up with the Three Little Pigs, Little Bo Peep and other storybook characters to stop him. Unexpected twists and turns keep the audience on their toes and will delight the whole family.

Robin Hood and the Merry Men fight to save Sherwood Forest from Prince John in The Barter Players rendition of the classic English legend, “Robin Hood.” Can Robin save the beautiful Maid Marian before it’s too late? Find out from July 20-August 6. “Robin Hood” is made possible by the corporate sponsorship of The Park Street Guest House.

Tickets to all Barter Players shows begin at just $12. The Barter Players are a group of professional artists who perform world-class theatre for young audiences. The troupe presents high-energy and original productions that capture the imagination of today’s youth while providing the best in classic literature and beloved story adaptations.

A colorful illustration by Artist Ryan Gray depicts “Charlie and the Chocolate Factory”

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Sunday with Friends

literary series continues

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he annual Sunday with Friends literary series at the Washington County Public Library, Abingdon, Virginia, concludes with a talk from Martin Clark, June 12 at 3 p.m. This event was originally scheduled for Feb. 7.

Clark, a circuit court judge from Patrick County, Virginia, is being called the greatest contemporary writer of legal thrillers. In “The Jezebel Remedy,” when a client dies in a fire, the small town lawyers, Lisa and Joe Stone, suspect the blaze was no accident. That leads them to a corporate conspiracy and some tough ethical choices. The book rose to number three on Barnes and Noble’s Top 100 Books. In reviewing “The Jezebel Remedy,” Entertainment Weekly said, “Clark PHOTO BY DEANA CLARK is, hands-down, our finest legal thriller writer.”

Nelson DeMille says that Clark is “completely original and vastly entertaining.

He knows how to write and spin a great yarn. I nominate ‘The Jezabel Remedy’ for best-plotted and quirkiest legal thriller of the year.”

Clark’s first book, “The Many Aspects of Mobile Home Living,” was published in 2000 and was a New York Times Notable Book for 2000, a Book-of-the-Month Club selection and a finalist for The Stephen Crane First Fiction Award. His second novel, “Plain Heathen Mischief,” was released in 2004. His third novel, “The Legal Limit,” released in April 2008, was a Washington Post “Best Book of the Year” for 2008, and the winner of The Library of Virginia’s People’s Choice Award for fiction.

Clark is a graduate of Davidson College and the University of Virginia School of Law. He is a member of Trout Unlimited and an avid fly fisherman. He lives in Stuart, Virginia, with his wife Deana.

The “Sunday with Friends” literary series is sponsored by the Friends of the Washington County Public Library. All events are free and open to the public. A reception, book sale and signing follow. For more information call 276-676-6298 or visit www.wcpl.net.

Rick yost @ acoustic coffeehouse

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ick Yost, a solo musician from Knoxville, performs on Saturday, June 11, at the Acoustic Coffeehouse in Johnson City. Rick starts at 8:00 and will play an eighteen-song set of original songs. He describes his music as a mixture of soft rock, folk Americana, and blues. His song writing is influenced by the music of Jack Johnson and John Mayer, and he likes the throwback sounds of Loggins and Messina and Lightnin’ Hopkins. To check out samples of his music, including his album Same River Twice, go to www.rickyostmusic.com

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The Loose Strings Band Featured at Heartwood

he Crooked Road: Virginia’s Heritage Music Trail presents the Loose Strings Band in concert on Thursday, June 9th 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.

The Loose Strings Band is an allgirls band from Galax Virginia with five members ranging from fifteen to twenty-two years of age. The band has been together now for 10 years, playing at bluegrass conventions, weddings, benefits, churches, reunions, and festivals. They are known in the Blue Ridge Mountains of Virginia and beyond for their blend of tight vocal harmonies and driving rhythms. They The Loose Strings Band, Photo-Suzanne Russell are also unique in that they all play an instrument and sing. The band has just completed a new CD entitled “Journey With No End” with the help of Wesley Easter and Johnny Williams. Seven of the ten songs on the CD are originals, which makes this project even more exciting!

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.

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hands ON! june events

onday, June 13th - Friday, June 17th - Hands On! Summer Camp Where else can you custom tie dye a t-shirt, blast off Mentos geysers, create your own custom-fitted hula hoop, send suds flying into the air, make ooey gooey silly putty, paint a masterpiece, build an air rocket, and much, much more?!?!

Children ages 5 to 12 can explore and discover the sciences, arts, and more in our week-long summer camps that are sure to make fun, silly, and educational memories to last a lifetime. Visit http://handsonmuseum.org/play-learn/summer-camps/ for all of the details on the kaleidoscope of summer camp fun, to register, and to see additional camp dates in July!

Monday, June 27th - Sunday, July 10th - Stars and Stripes Science We want you to love science! Join is in celebrating Independence Day with the Patriotic Pop Rocks Popping Challenge. Then, help create liquid fireworks in a jar and watch our famous apple launcher send apple pieces flying into the air! The Eastman Discovery Lab will be open by announcement periodically throughout each day.

If you have any questions on these or other programs, please call (423) 434-HAND Hands On Regional Museum | 315 E. Main St. | Johnson City | TN | 37601

theloaferonline.com | June 7, 2016 | 11

Jonesborough’s Mary B. Martin

Program for the Arts to Host Regional Artists in Monthly Exhibitions

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onesborough’s Mary B. Martin Program for the Arts is pleased to announce their new Artist Exhibition Series which will begin with local photographer Laura Beth Davidson and potter Barbara Cara.

Laura Beth Davidson is a wife and mother with a passion for photography. A native of Hickory, North Carolina, Laura Beth moved to Johnson City in 2006, after graduating from Elon University with majors in Music and English. Laura Beth has been awarded various distinctions for her photography and enjoys the challenges of the medium.

Barbara Cara has been a nurse for 45 years. Pottery making was on her bucket list. She took her fist pottery class two years ago and fell in love. Cara likes trying out new forms and glaze combinations. Her pottery pieces are a whimsical mix of wheel thrown and hand built items meant to be used and enjoyed every day. Cara hopes to have many more years to enjoy making pottery and having lots of fun doing it.

The McKinney Center houses the Jonesborough Mary B. Martin Program for the Arts and boasts of a mission to be “committed to inspiring the people of our area through both the appreciation of and the participation in the arts as a form of personal and collective expression.” The objective of the program is to bring the community at large closer together and show as an example to other communities the creative influence that the arts can bring to their quality of life.

“What better way to encourage appreciation for the arts than to showcase our regional artists,” Theresa Hammons, Director of the McKinney Center and the Mary B. Martin Program said. “Our back yard is full of not only inspiring artists but professional artists, and that is what this artist series is about.”

The exhibits will feature regional artists who have participated in past McKinney Center exhibits and Mary B. Martin Programs in Jonesborough. The artists vary from self-taught crafts people to academically trained individuals. Each exhibition will include 2D work, such as paintings and

photography, and 3D work, such as ceramics and jewelry.

The exhibitions are free and open to the public, Monday through Friday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. The schedule of 2016 exhibitions and opening receptions are below. Receptions and exhibitions are free and open to the public.

June 10 – 24 Photography by Laura Beth Davidson and Ceramics by Barbara Cara.

Opening Reception, Friday, June 10, 6-8 p.m.

July 8 – 22 Mixed media and Jewelry by Jeff and Becky Thomas.

Opening Reception, Friday, July 8, 5-8 p.m.

August 12 Mosaics by Beverly Jenkins and Photography

by Jeff Mullins.

Opening Reception, Friday, August 12, 6-8 p.m.

December 8 – 27 Paintings by Charles Jones and Ceramics

by Jim Oxandale.

Opening Reception, Friday, December 8, 6-8 p.m.

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

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Jake Krack & the bing brothers

aturday, June 11th, 2016, at 7:30 p.m., the Carter Family Fold in Hiltons, Virginia, will present a concert by Jake Krack and the Bing Brothers Old Time Band. Admission to the concert is $10 for adults, children 6 to 11 $1, under age 6 free.

At only 28 years old, Jake Krack has an impressive biography. He graduated from Berea College in 2007. While at Berea, Jake was a recipient of the Red Foley Memorial Music Award. Since that time, he has produced and released nine CDs on which he is featured. In addition, he has produced and/or consulted on many old time CDs. Jake is an Individual Artist Coordinator for the Culture and History Department in Charleston, West Virginia. He has done internships, received scholarships, and done extensive work with Smithsonian Folkways recordings.

Jake was featured on PBS television and on Senator Robert Byrd’s film Soul of the Senate. Concert venues he has performed at include Berea College, the Smithsonian Folk Life Festival, University of Chicago Folk Festival, Mt. Airy Fiddler’s Convention, the Alleghany County Fiddler’s Convention, Appalachian State Fiddler’s Convention, the Galax Fiddler’s Convention, Clifftop Stringband Festival, Merlefest, Mountain Stage, NPR’s Prarie Home Companion, and so many others that they’re too numerous to list. Needless to say, he’s won first place in many of the fiddler’s conventions in which he’s participated. Jake has been profiled by Art Works, Fiddlers Magazine, Berea Alumni Magazine, U.S. News and World Report, Folk Works, Dirty Linen Music Magazine, the Chicago Tribune, Spectrum Magazine in Scotland, CNN, Canadian Public Television, and the New York Times. He’s been named Tamrack’s Performing Artist of the Year.

Jake has done numerous workshops and served as an instructor at practically every place old time fiddle is taught. He has done extensive research and worked

at carter family fold

with scholars and music archivists at the Library of Congress. In addition to his other pursuits, Jake operates Krack’s Fiddle Shop and does private fiddle lessons.

This concert will mark Jake’s third performance at the Carter Fold. Many famous fiddlers have performed at the Fold, and we think Jake ranks among the best. Bands who play at the Fold (and our Fold audience) know that good fiddling is a big part of a Fold concert. Jake Krack will deliver that and then some. In fact, he can hold his own with any fiddler who ever graced our stage.

Performing with Jake will be the Bing Brothers. Tim Bing will be featured on banjo, and Mike Bing will be playing mandolin. The Bing Brothers were formerly the Whoopin’ Hollar Band. Come out and join us for Jake Krack and the Bing Brothers. Don’t forget your dancing shoes, and be sure to bring all your friends. For additional information on Jake and the band, go to http:// jakekrack.com.

Carter Family Memorial Music Center, Incorporated, is a nonprofit, rural arts organization established to preserve traditional, acoustic, mountain music. 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 up at the Fold, call 276-386-6054. The Fold is on Facebook – page Carter Fold – and Twitter – @carterfoldinfo. To speak to a volunteer Fold staff member, call 276-594-0676.

If we don’t answer you right away, we’ll get back to you in 24 hours.

theloaferonline.com | June 7, 2016 | 13

Trey Hensley & Rob Ickes kickoff “Hot Nights, Cool Music” summer concert series

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ob Ickes and Trey Hensley collaborated to make their first album a Grammy-nominated gem featuring some of the most relevant and critically-acclaimed music heard today.

Ickes and Hensley take the stage of the Wellmont Regional Center for the Performing Arts Theater at 7 p.m. on June 11. The performance kicks off Northeast State’s “Hot Nights, Cool Music” summer concert series held at the College’s WRCPA Theater on the Blountville campus. The concert is free and open to the public. Doors open at 6:30 p.m.

The duo’s album Before The Sun Goes Down was nominated for Best Bluegrass Album of the 2016 Grammy Awards. The album was recorded mostly live with minimal overdubs, few takes, and with all the musicians in one room in only a few days of studio time. Ickes, the driving force behind the album said that his favorite albums were made in the same manner.

With the July 8th release date of their newest project, The Country Blues, the pair builds on the first project’s strengths to take their unique musical conversation to an even higher level. The new 11-track album is being released on Compass Records.

Raised in Jonesborough, Hensley began playing guitar and singing when he was 10 years old.

He first stepped into the Grand Ole Opry’s spotlight in 2002, performing on the hallowed Ryman Auditorium stage. Hensley has already in his young life played with Johnny and June Carter Cash, Charlie Daniels, Ricky Skaggs, Steve Wariner, even before that he appeared onstage at the fabled Carter Fold in Hiltons, Va. His own style of picking – whether on his Telecaster or acoustic guitar – bears the influence of some of his guitar heroes from country legends Buck Owens and Ricky Skaggs to bluegrass royalty Doc Watson and Tony Rice.

Ickes has been playing bluegrass with his much-decorated band Blue Highway for over twenty years, during which time he has been adjudged Bluegrass Dobro Player Of the year fifteen times. He has played countless sessions, recording with artists such as Merle Haggard, Dierks Bentley, Patty Loveless, and Alison Krauss. His most recent album Three Bells brings him together with fellow dobro masters Jerry Douglas and the late Mike Auldridge.

For more information, contact 423.279.7669 or e-mail jpkelly@ NortheastState.edu.

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Chicago-Based Blues/Roots

Guitarist Voo Davis

Creates a Midnight Mist on His New CD

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uitarist/singer Voo Davis announces an Junel 8th show promoting Midnight Mist, the third CD from this talented musician whose musical sound gumbo encompasses the roots of blues, with additional flavorings from Americana and jam band spices. Produced

by Davis and recorded in organic analog sound at Bogalusa, Louisiana’s Studio in the Country, Midnight Mist includes a bonus video of “Riverside Blues,” filmed in and around Clarksdale, Mississippi, that perfectly captures the

spirit of the new music on the album.

“Being able to return to Studio in the Country and expand my guitar sounds was something I really looked forward to on this project,” says Davis about the recording sessions. “The tones were something that I really wanted to play with, not just get stuck on one sound.” Guitar tones are something of a specialty with Voo Davis, who played an assortment of vintage guitars, as well as pedal steel, mandolin, and keyboards, including all the instrumentation on two of the album’s 14 tracks. Coming off the critical success of his last album, Vicious Things, Voo Davis continues to build on the momentum of what has come in the past with a keen eye toward the future. While all three of his albums show differences, the common thread among all of them is Voo’s ability to mix genres of music and blending them into a common thread that flows naturally in each release.

“Midnight Mist isn’t like my previous two albums, but I think it’s a mixture of both with a more mature side,” he states. “The difference between the first two and this one is that on Midnight Mist the song took precedence.”

A nonbeliever in slick computer fixes, Davis uses the one-take approach throughout the new disc, relying on musicianship instead of computers, emotion instead of effects. The result is an album that has a live performance feel to it with an energy level that is palpable. “We recorded the album in three days, two of which were spent on instrumentation, and on the third day I finished up vocals.

It was ten hours in the booth that day and if something didn’t work the first or second time we moved on.”

Born in Anniston, Alabama, Brian “Voo” Davis’ moved with his family to Chicago while still a child. That transition helped embed his Alabama clay roots musical foundation with some Chicago juke joint flash. The resulting sound mix

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New Monkees Album!!!

hat’s really not much of a title is it? I suppose I could have been far more clever in titling this week’s column, but the truth of the matter is my excitement is such that the title above is the only one that truly suits the text of this week’s discussion. Let me bring everyone up to speed. If you have been a longtime reader of this column, if you know me in real life, if you have ever interacted with me in anyway in which music has come up, then you know that I am a huge fan of The Monkees.

The Monkees are one of my favorite bands, and this year marks their fiftieth anniversary! So many cool and wonderful things are happening to mark this, in addition to the new album there’s a tour, and a super awesome deluxe blu-ray box set of the TV show that also has their film “Head” as a bonus feature. As I sit here thinking about it, I’ve bonded with more friends over love of The Monkees than any other band. Seriously. Right, onto the new album!

“Good Times!” is the name of the new Monkees album, their first in twenty years, and the first Monkees album since the untimely passing of Davy Jones in 2012--but Jones is present on the album thanks to an unreleased track from 1967 that was culled from the vault and polished up for the album. Everyone is back too, Micky, Peter, and Mike. All playing, singing, and writing. Produced by Adam Schlesinger, the album is, simply put, their finest since “Pisces, Aquarius, Capri-

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corn, & Jones Ltd.” (An album that is their best, and one of my top ten favorites.)

Here’s what makes “Good Times!” so very special, and so very perfect. “Good Times!” is an album of 2016, that sounds like an album of 2016, but also sounds like a 1967/68 Monkees album. The album takes the classic model of surrounding the band’s own songs, with works from some of the best songwriters around, both of the 60s and of today. Some of the best from the world of Indie Rock--who grew up on the show when MTV caused the second wave of Monkeemania in the ‘80s--have written songs just for the album.

If you only went by the songwriting credits, the album is a knock out. Monkees aside the album features songs by Harry Nilsson, Neil Diamond, Carole King & Gerry Goffin, and the two who wrote most of The Monkees’ early hits, Tommy Boyce & Bobby Hart. From the world of indie rock, we have songs from Weezer’s Rivers Cuomo, XTC’s Andy Partridge, Death Cab For Cutie’s Ben Gibbard, and a tune from Noel Gallagher & Paul Weller (of Oasis and The Jam respectively). Seriously, this album is an amazing stack of tunes. I don’t dislike a single one.

The songs from Nilsson, Goffin & King, Boyce & Hart, and Diamond all come from demos found in the vault that the boys never recorded during the 60s--some of which were long forgotten about. The title track, Nilsson’s “Good Times” was found as a multi-track demo recording, sung by the man himself. Harry was one of Micky’s good friends, so he asked if the Nilsson vocal could be pulled off the tapes so he could duet with his old friend (Nilsson passed in 1994-- the world hasn’t recovered). As someone who also adores Nilsson, the fact the new Monkees album opens with both a new Nilsson tune, AND a new Nilsson vocal, made me tear up just a bit.

There is so much to this record that I love, not even as a Monkees fan, but as a music lover who wants albums to make me feel the way “Good Times!” makes me feel. The Ben Gibbard track “Me and Magdalena” is stunning, the harmony between Mike and Micky will make you feel like your body is being healed. There’s not reason for you to not go out and buy this album. “Good Times!” is an album to be cherished, and played on repeat all Summer long. I’ve been doing that since it came out.

It gets my highest of recommendations. For Monkees Maniacs like myself, young and old--and everyone in-between. See you next week.

Radio Bristol Premieres:

The HoneYcutters in Concert

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New Recordings Showcased at the Birthplace of Country Music Museum

n the world of Americana and roots music, new recordings by artists are often overshadowed by their Top 40 contemporaries. In the indie community budgets are smaller or nonexistent and promotion efforts are often grassroots, DIY, or both. Radio Bristol is giving touring musicians the opportunity to showcase their new releases live, on the air, with Radio Bristol Premieres.

Radio Bristol Premieres: The Honeycutters on Friday, June 10, 2016 in the Performance Theater at the Birthplace of Country Music Museum at 7:00 p.m. The Premiere showcases the honky-tonk sensations’ latest release, the acclaimed On The Ropes, on-air before a live audience.

“Radio Bristol is a conduit for BCM to promote our mission and the music that reflects our region’s music legacy,” said Leah Ross, Executive Director of the Birthplace of Country Music, parent organization of Radio Bristol. “We also have the ability to introduce talented, emerging roots artists to audiences who are engaged with these genres of music.”

Calling Asheville, North Carolina their home, The Honeycutters’ brand of country roots centers around the talents of songwriter/singer Amanda Anne Platt, who was once a finalist at MerleFest’s prestigious Chris Austin Songwriting Contest (2011).

“The new album is the one I’m most proud of to date,” said Platt. “I took much more of a driver’s seat in its making, and the process has forced me to do a lot of growing up, I feel like I’ve really found my voice. I’m very excited about the lineup of the band, and the songwriting includes some of my very favorites.”

Music City Roots Craig Havighurst calls The Honeycutters “Superb, with a sweet toned and melodious aura. Today’s Smoky Mountain area modern folk thing does have a certain vibe, and these guys are among its finest purveyors. Folk Music About.com’s Kim Ruehl wrote, “Their music embodies a very catchy, accessible, optimistic sort of spirit so frequently lacking in folk circles (where brooding, hyper-analytical music reigns supreme). What’s more, like Carolina Story, they’re a great band replete with tasty harmonies.”

Tickets to be part of the audience during Radio Bristol Premieres: The Honeycutters are $25 and doors open at 6:30 p.m. Visit www.BirthplaceofCountryMusic. org to order tickets.

DAVIS ... continued from page 15 permeates throughout his overdriven acoustic slide guitar playing style. Touring with former Koko Taylor guitarist and Blues Music Award-winner Eddie King, Davis learned to travel the blues circuit and sharpen his craft alongside one of the best. Critics began to take notice, too: Illinois Entertainer hailed Davis’ vocals as “built for the blues;” while iTunes called him “one of those rarities who takes his music to the same ol’ hangouts but finds something new and revelatory in the experience;” and Goldmine Magazine summarized its review by describing his music as a “Hendrix/Buddy Guy/RL Burnside combo of blues-rock chops.”

His 2012 basement-recorded release, A Place for Secrets, spent seven months running through the Americana and Roots Music charts respectively, while surprising the blues/Americana music scene with an overdriven acoustic mix of slide-based guitar songs. While personal tragedy with the untimely passing of his wife in 2009 motivated the young guitarist back to music, the songs Davis has created since that time have been called “lyrically encouraging.”

Bone Fire is especially pleased to be able to bring this rare Wednesday show to its stage. While all the shows at Bone Fire are special, any show on a Wednesday is sure to be extra special. Show time is 8pm and there is never a cover.

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S O LG T P

T I

- TUESDAY - June 7th -

CEDAR VALLEY at Full Moon Jam Bristol GUIDO AU’SOME & THE OPEN MIC PLAYERS at O’Mainnin’s Pub GIPSY DANGER at The Hideaway NATHAN HINOJOSA / DAVID MAY at Acoustic Coffeehouse

DOWNTOWN COUNTRY at Jiggy Ray’s 6:30pm

- WEDNESDAY - June 8th -

MARK LARKINS at Luke’s Pizza VOO DAVIS at Bone Fire Smokehouse EDGAR MEYER & GEORGE MEYE at Down Home

MARK WHITE, SCOTTY MELTON & FRIENDS at O’Mainnin’s Pub HUNTER GRIGG / AS A FRIEND at Acoustic Coffeehouse

- THURSDAY - June 9th -

LIVE MUSIC

at Sonny’s Marina & Cafe 7pm

LIVE MUSIC at Marker “2” Grill BROAD STREET STATION

at Full Moon Jam - Bristol Downtown Center

SHOOTER (Country, Classic Rock, Oldies) at Quaker Steak & Lube 7pm

DASHBOARD SAINTS

at Yee Haw Brewing Company 8pm

HONEYHONEY / CICADA RHYTHM

- FRIDAY - June 10th -

KIDS OUR AGE

(50’s - 90’s, rock n roll, country, a bit of everything) at YMCA Kingsport

HIDDEN VALLEY BOYS

at The Family Barn 6pm THE BLACK JACKET SYMPHONY

at Bone Fire Smokehouse

ALEXA ROSE at Acoustic Coffeehouse 8pm - FRIDAY - June 10th -

JUKE BOX BOYS

at Sonny’s Marina & Cafe 7pm

SULLIVAN STREET at Marker “2” Grill BENNY WILSON BAND / IVY ROAD at Twilight Alive - Kingsport

SCOTT STEELE at Jiggy Ray’s 8pm CHRIS LONG at Uncorked 4pm 20 | June 7, 2016 | theloaferonline.com

TRI STATE SINGING CONVENTION at Mountain Empire Community College

NIGHTSHIFT (Country, Southern Rock, Oldies) at David Thompson’s Produce

at Jiggy Rays 8pm

JORDAN BULLINS

at JC Brewing Company 8pm

FARMER AND ADELE at Down Home

at Hot Nights Cool Music - NE State College 7pm

JUST B’CUZ & JV SQUAD

BILLY CRAWFORD BAND at Down Home

BARK FOR LIFE 2pm SBK’S 2nd Annual Mardi-Growl 5pm

CROOKED ROAD REJECTS

at Holston River Brewing Company

FORLORN STRANGERS

at Woodstone Deli 8pm

at O’Mainnin’s Pub

at Founders Park - JC 6pm

BRAD PUCKETT

at Elizabethton Covered Bridge 8pm

HONEY BADGERS

at Bone Fire Smokehouse 9pm

THE FABULOUS DUELING PIANOS at Holston River Brewing Company 8pm

PLUM SMUGGLERS at Country Club Bar & Grill

DAVID WISEMAN / Da6D MOONSHINE DISTRICT at Acoustic Coffeehouse 8pm

- SATURDAY - June 11th -

CALAMITY JONES (formerly The Jones Boys) at Marker “2” Grille 7pm

BRAD HELLER & FUSTICS

at The Country Club Bar & Grill 9pm

at The Willow Tree Coffeehouse & Music Room 8pm

YARN

at Capone’s

at Twilight Alive - Kingsport

COAL CREEK w/ BIG DON

TREY HENSLEY & ROB ICKES

at Sonny’s Marina & Cafe 7pm

RYAN WARD (Indie) at O’Mainnin’s Pub BOOTS ON THE GROUND

- SATURDAY - June 11th -

presents Led Zepplin’s IV at Paramount Center for the Arts

at Abingdon Market Pavillion 7pm

SINGER/SONGWRITER NIGHT

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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.

SOUTHERN REBELLION UNDER THE TABLE at Elizabethton Moose DISTANT THUNDER at The Family Barn 7:30 DANIEL SALYER at Holiday Inn (Exit 7) SHOOTER (Country, Classic Rock, Oldies) at Hansonville Bluegrass Barn 7:30pm

SEASONS OF ME / JAGGER MOUTH SANG SARAH at Capone’s 7pm SOUTHERN COUNTRYMEN BAND (Country) at Buffalo Ruritan

CATFISH FRYE BAND (Rockin’ Boogie Blues) at Laurel Marina 7pm

SUNDOWN BAND (Country)

at Willoughby Ruritan

UNDER THE TABLE

at Elizabethton Moose Lodge 9pm

SURVIVING SATURDAY RUSTY STEELE Electric at O’Mainnin’s Pub

A TRIBUTE TO PRINCE

at The Willow Tree Coffeehouse & Music Room 8pm

CHRIS LONG

at Yee Haw Brewing Company 7pm

JAKE KRACK & THE BING BROTHERS at Carter Fold

LIVE MUSIC

at Bone Fire Smokehouse

RICK YOST GOODNIGHTGOODNIGHT at Acoustic Coffeehouse

- SUNDAY - June 12th -

IVY ROAD at Marker “2” Grille SMOKEY MT SIDESHOW at Sonny’s Marina & Cafe 4pm

OPEN JAM at The Family Barn 1pm EVE ANDRUS

at The Willow Tree Coffeehouse & Music Room 2pm

LIVE MUSIC at Bone Fire Smokehouse TOM SAVAGE MUSIC SWAMP RATS w/ ANDEEKS ROADSHOW at Acoustic Coffeehouse

- MONDAY - June 13th -

CAROLINA EXPRESS / THE PO RAMBLIN’ BOYS at Bristol’s Pickin’ Porch SMOKE & MANGOS at Bone Fire Smokehouse OPEN MIC at Acoustic Coffeehouse

Spotlight Directory Acoustic Coffeehouse 415 W Walnut St. Johnson City 423/434.9872 Bluegrass Country Barn Hansonville VA Bone Fire Smokehouse at the Hardware 260 W Main St Abingdon Va 276/623-0037 Bristol’s Pickin’ Porch 620 State St Bristol 423/573-2262 Buffalo Ruritan 200 Willowbrook Dr. Bluff City 423/391-7382 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 Down Home 300 W. Main St. Johnson City 423/929-9822 Elizabethton Moose Lodge 288 Lovers Lane Elizabethton 423/542-5454 Family Barn 15559 Lee Hwy Bristol VA Full Moon Jam Bristol Downtown Center 423/ 989-5500 The Hideaway 235 E. Main St Johnson City 423/ 926-3896 Holiday Inn (Exit 7) 3005 Linden Dr Bristol Va 276/466-4100 Holston River Brewing Company 2621 Volunteer Pkwy Bristol TN

KARAOKE TUESDAY Karaoke w/ Absolute Entertainment at Boomershine’s Pizza Karaoke at 50Fifty Sports Tavern Karaoke at Numan’s - Johnson City TN *********************** 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 ***********************

Jiggy Ray’s 610 E. Elk Ave Elizabethton Johnson City Brewing Company 300 E. Main St. Johnson City 423/ 930-4186 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 O’Mainnin’s Pub 712 State St Bristol 423/844-0049 Paramount Center for the Arts 516 State St. Bristol TN 423/ 274-8920 Quaker Steak & Lube 629 State St Bristol VA 276/644-9647 Sonny’s Marina & Café 109 One St. Gray TN 423/283-4014 Uncorked 316 Broad St. #102 Kingsport 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 Willoughby Ruritan 5145 Marvin Rd Bulls Gap VA Woodstone Deli 3500 Fort Henry Dr Kingsport 423/245-5424 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 | June 7, 2016 | 21

LIFT YOUR SPIRITS OFF THIS PLANET

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Photos by MarQ arm evenings bring us outside under the stars and allow us to leap off this planet and leave our cares behind.

Missionaries to the world of astronomy, like myself, will tell you there is no better time of year to just look up and get lost in the Uni-

verse above our heads.

And as your eyes hope from star to star, you just might start thinking about the “big picture” as you realize you are traveling through outer space. Perhaps your personal journey has begun as you start to contemplate your tiny place in this vast ocean of the Cosmos.

But be careful…you just might start coming back for more starlight each clear night.

You might begin thinking of the hundreds of nearby stars with thousands of planets we’ve discovered circling them.

You start thinking: “If there are thousands of planets orbiting a handful of stars near us, what about all the billions of stars in our home galaxy, the Milky Way?” And then you’ve read there are millions and millions of galaxies, many in gravitationally bound super clusters, that permeate the Universe, thought to be around 14 billion years old.

A Universe that begins. But has no end in sight. The cosmic dilemma that has puzzled mankind.

Uh-oh. Now you’ve done it. You’ve lingered outside after sunset in a recliner with a star chart in your hands to watch the constellations come out—you’ve crossed into the twilight zone of amateur astronomy!

Once you’ve gotten a taste of the starlight, it’s hard to resist. Even if it there’s a month of cloudy skies, you still come back for more.

You begin to learn the names of the bright ones. And instantly recognize where the planets are in the night. Yes, you’ve easily found the Big Dipper and over a few hours you follow it circling the North Pole, Polaris.

Many of the other easy star patterns are also becoming familiar to you.

Over a few months’ time the rhythm of the Moon becomes engrained in your internal cosmic clock. You welcome its beautiful slender crescent above the horizon, but curse the full phase that blots out all but the brightest stars and deep sky wonders.

You’re becoming an avid stargazer.

Of all the hobbies we undertake to occupy and satisfy our human psyche, none touches the heart and soul like astronomy.

Just ask a poet of a Moon sonnet. Or songwriter writer about a shooting star. Or a photographer capturing the breathtaking Milky Way. With just your eyes, starlight can connect you with the awe and inspiration that has led some of the greatest people who’ve ever lived to sit

22 | June 7, 2016 | theloaferonline.com

back and wonder. Just like you.

History has been marked forever with the names of Aristotle, Galileo, Newton and Einstein, each of whom looked off our planet to dare question their place in the cosmos.

And the stars they looked at in puzzlement Centuries ago are the very same points of light we see tonight with a clear understanding.

No one owns the original when it comes to looking at the stars. These are the same exact points of light in the same patterns that every human has looked up and seen.

Think about that a minute.

A cave woman at some time looked up and saw the seven stars of the Big Dipper. What did she think?

Looking at the same star pattern, did a Viking sailor navigating by stars at night see a gigantic club in the sky? How about the farming Mesopotamians—it’s logical they envisioned a dirt plow in the night. And around the campfires of Native Americans, the tribal storyteller weaves a story about a big bear with a tail being flung to the sky by hunters. And the legends of Ursa Major are born.

For many ancient cultures, the sky was the limit to eternal fame. Gods were named after the five bright moving stars.

The Sun ruled the day and Moon the night. Heroes were immortalized in patterns of stars that continually repeated their appearance with regularity.

All ancient cultures have belief systems deeply rooted in the stars. The first prehistoric scientists were those who realized the same star patterns repeated when it was cold and others when it was warm. This became a rhythm to the most important thing to ancient man: the planting and harvesting of food.

Certain stars became important to civilized groups, and even their legends permeate thoughts and sayings in our 21st Century world.

A prime example are the ancient peoples of Egypt. They would watch for the days when the brightest star named “Sirius” would rise in the morning twilight. That coincided with rains and flooding of the important Nile River. The water was needed to start the growing of new crops of food.

Sirius is the brightest of all stars—except the wandering god stars Jupiter and Venus. And it was is a star pattern called the Big Dog, Canis Major. In the mid-days of Summer, Egyptian stargazers knew that Sirius had to be high in the daytime sky. And because it was so bright, it had to be hot, they theorized. Thus the “Dog Star” added to the heat of Summer it was incorrectly thought. And somewhere in history a popular phrase was born—the “Dog Days of Summer.”

And so the romance between humans and the sky would continue. Like back in time when a sect of curious sky watchers built a system of stones in a circle to keep track of the changing positions of the Sun and Moon. They began to associate the movement of the Sun with the climate changes called seasons. Today we know these people as the Druids and their special place, Stonehenge, in England.

The modern world has its own temples to the stars. We call them observatories. With gigantic telescopes of incredible precision, the Universe is plotted and poked and probed for all our scientific worth. Answers come in scientific notation and analysis, and they yield more questions about how and why we got here. And is anybody else out there?

But what the great observatories have actually “observed” is an ever-changing image of man in the vast Universe. It’s a journey that might never end. And it starts with just a spark of interest in the starlight that falls upon your head.

You can begin your own celestial journey by letting starlight bathe you right in your own backyard.

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his week the Moon is waxing to First Quarter phase on Sunday, so it’ll be turning heads in the evening twilight. As you watch the moon dance around our Earth, keep in mind that every 24 hours it moves 12.5 degrees to the east as it orbits Earth at 2,120 mph. At one-half degree across, the Moon moves its own diameter eastward every hour.

Tues. June 7 Jupiter is high overhead in Leo the Lion as twilight yields to the darkness; and rising in the east in Scorpius is Mars, and in Ophiuchus is Saturn. Yes, there is a 13th constellation of the Zodiac called named after a “serpent bearer” named Ophiuchus (Oh-FEW-kus). He dips a leg between Scorpius and Sagittarius, his body in the Milky Way area above the two.

Wed. June 8 On this 2007 date in space history, Space shuttle Atlantis was launched on the 117th flight of the program, another 14-day construction mission on the International Space Station. They brought up an important backbone truss for attaching solar panels, and other hard hat jobs kept the crew of six busy with the other three occupants of the ISS. To see the ISS, pass overhead, check out times on websites like NASA or there are several “apps” for your Smartphone.

Thurs. June 9 With the Moon waxing this week and three awesome planets to see, it’s time to reclaim that telescope from the spiders and have a look. Hint: align your finder in the daytime to easily locate objects at night. And start with the highest millimeter number eyepiece (like 25 mm), which is the lowest power.

Fri. June 10 Looking around the sky we have the Big Dipper asterism in the north, it’s two outside bowl stars pointing to the North Pole, Polaris, and the stars of its handle arcing to the bright, orange star Arcturus.

Sat. June 11 Bright, golden Jupiter is above the Moon tonight, and watch as it moves slightly to the left over a period of a couple hours. In any telescope you can see the globe of Jupiter and its four bright moons.

Amateur astronomers are enjoying following the moving cloud bands of Jupiter that often brings

Celestial events in the skies for the week of June 7 - 13, 2016, as compiled for The Loafer by Mark D. Marquette.

around the oval Red Spot.

Sun. June 12 Mars is beautiful like a red garnet in the southeast as darkness descends. The Red Planet will begin to fade in brightness. It is to the right of the bright, red “heart” of Scorpius the Scorpion, Antares. On the other side of Antares is Saturn in the little known Zodiac constellation Ophiuchus the snake handler.

Who Ophiuchus was and why he merits a constellation is a mystery of antiquity.

Mon. June 13 Arcturus is the bright orange star that the Big Dipper’s handle points to. It is at the bottom of Bootes the Herdsman. This constellation looks like a huge kite, or ice cream cone, and is one of the most ancient constellations, dating back to the early Sumerian stargazers 4,000 years ago. Just who was Bootes? Nobody’s sure.

theloaferonline.com | June 7, 2016 | 23

X-Men: Apocalypse

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(3 1/2 Out of 4)

he parade of comic book movies continues at the theaters with “X-Men: Apocalypse”, the latest in the film series that began back in 2000. The latter films in the series, “X-Men: First Class: (2011) and “X-Men: Days of Future Past” (2014), were the first films since 2006 featuring the mutants. The 2014 effort was a sequel to both “The Last Stand” and “”First Class”. So I recommend seeing both “The Last Stand” and “First Class” before viewing “Apocalypse” to avoid any confusion. The new film is directed by Bryan Singer, who has handled several of the other “X-Men” movies. For those unfamiliar with the X-Men, they are humans who are mutants possessing superhuman powers of various sorts. The powers of the mutants make the rest of the “normal” human population distrustful of them. The aforementioned fact has led to several conflicts between mutants and humans in the previous movies. So there you have a brief synopsis of just who the X-Men are. In the latest effort, we are introduced to En Sabah Nur (Oscar Isaac), a very powerful mutant who is believed to be the first of his kind who rules ancient Egypt.

Nur’s rule comes to an end when he is betrayed by his followers, and is entombed while still alive. Flash forward to 1983, and Nur is awakened by a few current followers in dramatic fashion. Nur is convinced humanity has lost its way without him and plans to wipe out civilization with the help of a few fellow mutants he has recruited to help. Coming to his aid are Angel (Ben Hardy), Psylocke (Olivia Munn), Storm (Alexandra Shipp), and Magneto (Michael Fassbender). Meanwhile, Raven/Mystique (Jennifer Lawrence) helps rescue Kurt Wagner/Nightcrawler (Kodi SmitMcPhee) from East Berlin and takes the newly discovered mutant back to Professor Charles Xavier (James McAvoy) at his School for Gifted Youngsters (mutants). Eventually, many mutants later, the stage is set for the battle between Nur/Apocalypse and Xavier to prevent the annihilation of mankind. The battle is exciting, and as expected, epic. I’m sure fans, including me, have their favorite mutant characters. I really like Nightcrawler and Beast, both of which just happen to have blue skin. The film moves at brisk pace, even though it seems a bit long at times, but Singer directs with complete respect for the characters, and as with most comic book/event films you should expect a long running time.

I will point out this film is dark in tone, something “Batman v Superman” was criticized for, so don’t expect the light patter of the latest Captain America film. Speaking of Captain America, I will be daring and say I enjoyed this film more than “Captain America: Civil War”. Remember this line from the film: “You are no longer students, you are X-Men!” “X-Men: Apocalypse” is an exciting superhero film that begins an excellent new chapter in the long running series. (Rated PG-13)

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Acclaimed Chef and Food Writer

Sheri Castle to Offer Demonstration:

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Former Southern Living Food Editor to Offer Recipes for Impressive (but Easy) Summer Entertaining

n Saturday, June 18th, from 1 to 3 PM, award-winning cookbook author and chef Sheri Castle will offer a cooking demonstration entitled “Impressive and Easy Summer Dishes.” A native Appalachian known for melding storytelling, humor, and culinary expertise, Castle is an accomplished and sought-after instructor. She will demonstrate two recipes that will appeal to cooks from beginner to expert.

Entertaining, says Castle, should be fun for everyone: “Your guests want you to be able to enjoy their company. Do the parts that you love, and find a way to skip or delegate the parts you don’t. This ensures that you and your guests can enjoy the party without undue stress.

No one has fun when the host looks like she needs to lie down on the floor and breathe into a bag!” Handouts will be provided, and a question-and-answer session will follow the program. Ticketholders can sample the demonstrated recipes at a meet-and-greet reception, where Castle will sign copies of her cookbooks (available for purchase immediately following the program).

Food City is the corporate sponsor of this event, which will be held at The Depot, upstairs in the Food City Store at 920 State of Franklin Road in Johnson City.

All profits from ticket sales benefit Create Appalachia (www.createappalachia.org).

Born in Boone, NC, Castle is proud of her Appalachian roots.

Her knowledge of Appalachian food inspires her work with both the Southern Foodways Alliance and the Appalachian Food Summit. A talented recipe writer, she is revered by beginning cooks, professional chefs, and everyone in between. As one of the most popular and experienced cooking teachers in avocational schools across the South, Castle teaches regularly in Chapel Hill, Atlanta, Charleston, Savannah, and Richmond.

Castle’s culinary writing has appeared in Southern Living, Garden and Gun, The Local Palate, Better Homes and Gardens, The New York Times, and The Washington Post, among many others. She has also been featured on numerous websites, including Epicurious, The Bitter Southerner, and The Kitchn. She is the author of three cookbooks: Rhubarb (2016), The Southern Living Community Cookbook (2014), and The New Southern Garden Cookbook (2011). She co-authored The Southern Foodways Alliance Community Cookbook (2010) and has been a ghostwriter for several celebrity cookbooks as well. Her many television appearances include PBS’s The Farmer and A Chef’s Life.

Tickets are $15.00 and are available through Eventbrite (link here). Tickets can also be purchased on a cash-only basis in the Food City store at 920 State of Franklin Road in Johnson City.

From 3:00-3:45 PM, the book signing will be open to the general public at no charge.

Create Appalachia is a non-profit dedicated to the promotion and professional development of artists and artisans in our region. www.createappalachia.org. theloaferonline.com | June 7, 2016 | 25

“Not Your Ordinary Dinner Party”

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BBQ and Story Set for June 11

hat do you get when you mix legendary southern style bar-b-que with a historic cemetery set in Tennessee’s Oldest Town? “Not Your Ordinary Dinner Party.” The Heritage Alliance of Northeast Tennessee and Southwest Virginia presents an outdoor drama theatre on June 11 at 6:30 p.m. outside the historic Old Jonesborough Cemetery and Carriage House Bed & Breakfast located on East Main Street in Jonesborough.

A fundraiser for the region-wide preservation organization, “Not Your Ordinary Dinner Party” will consist of Washington County Commissioner Joe Grandy’s much talked about bar-b-que as the main course, complimented with southern sides and a savory dessert as guests are treated to a production created specifically for the evening by local playwright Anne Mason. The production is entitled “With These Hands” and will only be available for public audiences during the Not Your Ordinary Dinner Party fundraiser hosted by the Heritage Alliance.

Mason describes the three act production as a “dramedy” that takes a look into the lives of several Washington County residents that are buried in some of the oldest cemeteries in the area. Stories will be portrayed by local actors in period style clothing. The stories will include tales of folks buried in Maple Lawn, Rocky Hill and College Hill Cemeteries.

Not Your Ordinary Dinner Party is a fundraising effort to ben-

26 | June 7, 2016 | theloaferonline.com

Comets

by Langley Shazor

Falling stars Twinkling at arms length Shimmering above the ground Suspended by their own force Light travels much faster Dazzlingly quick Waiting not for it to reach our eyes But for it to simply appear again

efit the preservation and heritage education work of the Heritage Alliance, a not-for-profit organization whose region-wide work includes the award winning Oak Hill School Heritage Education program, the Chester Inn State Historic Site and the Jonesborough Washington County History Museum and Archives.

The event will take place on June 11 at 6:30 p.m.

Tickets are $85 per person and will be offered on a first-come-first serve basis. To purchase tickets, visit jonesboroughtn.org or call 423-753-1010.

Visual love songs Performed in unison Meticulously choreographed Each night danced away In this vastness The absence of light Reveals the beauty of another sort Two worlds blended perfectly And this moment I am a traveler Moving through space and time Sailing across the cosmos

Walking Music

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any of the topics I cover here are amusing - and usually free - little diversions from what I perceive to be the normally followed tourist routes. I call them ‘trivial’ not only because they are relatively insignificant, but because I think they make excellent fodder for know-it-all trivia. Meeting both criteria with room to spare is the story of the Walking Piano, an impractical novelty that, thanks to Hollywood, has now become an icon of American pop culture.

It was the summer of 1988 when a fresh-faced Tom Hanks captured our imaginations in Big, a delightful film in which a diminutive twelve-year-old grows into an adult overnight. You’ve probably seen it, so I’ll lay off the plot details. The point is, there is a memorable scene in which both Hanks and actor Robert Loggia encounter a giant keyboard on the floor of a toy store and proceed to wow each other and a gathering crowd by pounding out whimsically choreographed renditions of ‘Heart and Soul’ and ‘Chopsticks’. With their feet. If you’ve never seen it, I invite you to go dial it up on the Google now. I’ll wait.

The keyboard is indeed a real toy. In fact, the Walking Piano – or the ‘Big Piano’ as it has come

to be known - was first put on display at the F.A.O. Schwarz flagship store in New York back in 1982. That first model was a less-big six feet in length, covering only a single octave, but through the years the display has been upgraded with newer models as they are developed. The biggest Big Piano has 72 light-up keys over six octaves, supports up to 1000 lbs. per square foot, and can even teach you to play – plus it’s programmable. As far as price goes, if you have to ask, you can’t afford it.

But even if you don’t have the coin (or the space) necessary to consider investing in a giant piano, it doesn’t mean you can’t have a little fun playing with one. That particular F.A.O. Schwarz store gave up its lease in 2015, but there are other Big Pianos out there for the public to dance upon while we wait for them to resettle. Pianos can be found in children’s museums, science centers, and children’s hospitals around the world. The Big Piano’s website has more information on where they all are.

Oh, and the original prop used in the film? You can find that in Philadelphia at the Please Touch Museum. So if you should find your way to Philly, then break out those Chopsticks, laugh at yourself a little, and spend a moment being young again.

theloaferonline.com | June 7, 2016 | 27

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The Blue Ridge Parkway

Photo and article by

haconage, Cherokee for “the place of the blue smoke,” perfectly describes the mist that perpetually hangs over our Great Smoky Mountains. The nearby Blue Ridge Mountains are also aptly named for this same phenomenon that occurs due to the extremely high moisture levels that rise from the dense forests. For years, though, the blue mist was replaced by the dirty brown and grey polluted air that blew in from the great industrial centers of the midwest and the coal-powered smokestacks of the Tennessee Valley Authority. The forests endured the devastating effects of acid rain which killed and stunted new growth among trees, while visibility levels that once ranged one hundred miles or greater diminished to less then five on the worst days.

In recent years, great strides have been made to curb the release of damaging compounds in the manufacturing and power generation industries. Gradually, as particulate matter in the atmosphere has declined, the gorgeous cerulean hues have begun to return to the highlands after which they were named. The views only get better each season, and one of the most popular ways to take in the scenic vistas of the Southern Blue Ridge is by taking a leisurely drive along the Blue Ridge National Parkway. Perhaps as famous as it is long, this 469-mile-long stretch of asphalt has become the most popular national park unit in the country, besting even the Smokies by hosting upwards of 15 million visitors last year alone.

Originally conceived as a way to connect the Great Smoky Mountains to Shenandoah National Park in northern Virginia, the Blue Ridge Parkway traverses the Blue Ridge and several other magnificent cross ranges in some of the most stunning areas of Virginia and North Carolina. Too long to drive in one day and experience all it has to offer, it is best to tackle the naturally divided sections one at a time, or take an entire week and stay at several lodges along the route. Either way, you’ll want to get out of the car occasionally too and enjoy the hiking trails that constantly stray into the woods from overlooks and parking lots.

As mentioned already, the parkway is unofficially divided into several sections, mostly dependent upon the terrain of the area that is passing through. From the Smokies until Asheville, it winds along the main crest of the Great Balsam Mountains, a range which splits from the Smokies and share strikingly similar features, including some amazing spruce-fir forest stands which are still in pretty good shape. Peaks through this area pass upwards of 6,000 feet in many places.

Perhaps the most famous area along this portion is Mount Pisgah, the mile-high peak which bestowed its name upon the nearby national forest. Here are also geologic formations such as Looking Glass Rock and Devil’s Courthouse.

Winding back down, the parkway passes through the rather flat Asheville basin before scaling the Great Craggy Mountains to conquer the highest peaks of the east: the Blacks. Mount Mitchell State Park which we visited last week lies here.

On the nearby Craggies, you’ll also find the Craggy Gardens, home to one of the finest rhododendron displays outside of the Roan Highlands. This section finally reaches the parkway’s namesake range to pass through perhaps the most splendid and technically-advanced portion of the route along the slopes of Grandfather Mountain. At 5,945 feet, it is the highest peak of the Blue Ridge Mountains and one of the most impressive in the entire region.

Following the crest of the Blue Ridge, the long Parkway section between Boone, North Carolina and Roanoke, Virginia leaves the rugged wilderness behind and instead passes through pastoral farm fields, allowing a look at life in a much simpler time and place. Mountain views do abound, however, at several spots such as Cumberland Knob Recreation Area, where the sharp drop to the piedmont plain

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A typical scene from the Blue Ridge Parkway, this time high in the Great Balsam Mountains.

far below is sure to fill viewers with awe.

For the last section of the parkway, the route winds along top of the range as the hills once again grow into full-fledged mountains. Peaks of Otter Recreation Area is a must stop here, as is a climb to the highest pinnacle atop Sharp Top. This portion of the road passes through the wilds of Jefferson and George Washington National Forests, allowing a return to the wilderness experience left behind in Boone. Finally, it crosses the border with Shenandoah National Park, where it becomes the equally enchanting Skyline Drive.

Over the next several months, we intend to fully explore each section of the road and take you along with us to visit the must-see attractions as well as unearth the quieter areas that may be overlooked. There is no end to the amount of discovery that one may experience, whether on the asphalt, or deep in the woods within one of the parkway’s recreation areas. We hope you enjoy it as much as we do!

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Olga Loya to Host

Storytelling Live!

atina sensation Olga Loya, who specializes in joyous personal stories and folk tales from around the world, will soon travel from California to Jonesborough to take the stage as the next performer in the Storytelling Live! series.

Loya has been a storyteller since the 1980s, when she was struck by what she describes as “a thunderbolt to the heart” at a conference she attended at the urging of some friends.

“I came home and told my family I was going to be a storyteller,” she recalls. “They all thought I was having a nervous breakdown.”

Soon after that she started building her repertoire, starting with stories she learned at the knee of her Mexican grandmother—cautionary tales that Loya still tells to this day. “I was very mischievous when I was little,” she says, though the stories are more than just lessons. They’re also entertaining in their own right.

From June 14 – June 18, Tuesday through Saturday, Loya will perform daily at 2:00 p.m. All matinee performances will take place in the International Storytelling Center’s intimate Mary B. Martin Storytelling Hall, a state-of-the-art theater nestled in the Center’s downtown campus.

“As with life, there will be a mix of new stories and old favorites in these programs,” she says.

“I have a new set of family stories, and I’ll do some of my favorite pourquoi stories from around the world, which explain why things happen and how things work.”

In addition to her matinee performances, Loya will host a special children’s concert on Saturday, June 18, at 10:30 a.m. The show, which is geared towards ages six through ten, will feature some of the storyteller’s famous bilingual folk tales. 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. Tickets for Loya’s matinee performances are just $12 for adults and $11 for seniors, students, and children under 18.

Walk-in seating is available, but advance purchase is recommended. All ticketholders 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.

Loya’s weeklong residency is part of an ongoing series sponsored by the International Storytelling Center, which brings a new “teller in residence” to Jonesborough 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 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. theloaferonline.com | June 7, 2016 | 29

Answers found on page 32

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Full-Size Rundown Part 2: Beretta 92

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o last week we looked at the world famous Glock 17 which for all its fame and reputation is still kind of the new kid on the block. Today we look at a handgun that’s been world famous for forty-one years. It has seen combat on 3 continents and several countries in countless conflicts, it is the Beretta 92. There are four variations of the 92 is different calibers, but today we’ll focus on the 92FS in 9mm. The 92FS is the civilian version of the 92F or M9 which has been the standard issue sidearm for US Armed Forces since 1985 when it replaced the longest serving pistol in US history the Colt 1911a1.

The LAPD and several Federal law enforcement agencies also use the 92F. So starting off with the same question we asked last week, why would the Armed Forces of the country with the most advanced military in the world trust the lives of their soldiers to the same sidearm for forty-one years? Just like with the Glock 17 the answer is durability and reliability. The 92 has performed time and time again in the harshest conditions. Its alloy frame makes

it more rugged and durable than many of its polymer counterparts. Its slide design also keeps the barrel from rising which increases accuracy. The 4.9 inch barrel also contributes to this handguns accuracy. It also features a double-stack magazine capable of holding 15+1 rounds of 9mm.

One of the best things about the 92FS is the external hammer. This is a personal favorite feature of mine, it allows the user to operate in single or double action. This allows for finer target adjustment with shorter trigger pull. Like everything the 92 does have some flaws. Technically only one flaw which is its weight, coming in at 34 ounces unloaded, which is 2 ounces more than the loaded weight of the Glock 17.

I’d be remiss if I didn’t mention that the Beretta 92 is also one of the most widely featured handgun in films from the 80’s to today. Made famous my Mel Gibson’s character Martin Riggs in the Lethal Weapon movies.

So what does the Italian made Beretta 92FS have to offer the modern shooter? Simply put it is a quality firearm made from quality materials, it is accurate and dependable. While not the most ideal gun for daily carry the 92FS makes a great home or vehicle gun due to its accuracy. And with an average retail price of $575.00 it’s not going to break the bank or put a strain on your marriage.

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

theloaferonline.com | June 7, 2016 | 31

things to do

William King Museum of Art Hosts Its Annual Masquerade Art Ball

On Saturday, June 11, William King Museum of Art will host its annual Art Ball, a night of food and drinks, music and dancing, and a silent art auction to raise funds to support the VanGogh Outreach (VGO) program. VGO provides arts education to 2nd and 3rd graders in 13 southwest Virginia and eastern Kentucky school districts, ensuring that children in rural Appalachia get to experience artistic expression and creativity. This year’s edition is in honor of the late Mr. G. R. C. Stewart, and Mrs. Mary Stewart and family. Tickets are $75 and can be purchased by contacting Deb Kerr at 276.628.5005 ext.

111 or at dkerr@wkmuseum.org. For more information contact the Museum at 276.628.5005, or visit williamkingmuseum.org.

PAC to offer Pallet Art Project

Lama Gursam was born in Tibet and began studying Buddhism from a very young age to become a monk. He has received both bachelors and masters degrees in Buddhist philosophy, history and languages from Tibetan University Sarnath in India. For six months out of the year, Lama Gursam visits North America to provide teachings to Westerners. It is very fortunate to have someone so learned visit TriCities. Donations are encouraged to help defray Lama Gursam’s traveling expenses.

ADMC is a non-profit center for mindfulness and meditation studies. It is located at 108 West 10th Ave., Suite 3 (downstairs), Johnson City, TN. For more information go to www.dharma4et.org

Art in the Heart Gallery Pet Portrait Class with Michelle Howe

Summer’s coming and so are Steele Creek nature camps

PAre your kids counting down the days until the end of the school year and getting excited about summer?

Are you beginning to stress over what to do to keep them occupied during summer break? The City of Bristol’s Department of Parks and Recreation may have just the plan for you.

Several Summer Nature Camps are being held from June 6 to July 22 at the Steele Creek Nature Center. Some of the camps being offered are Feathered Flyers Camp, Ecological Awareness and Discovery Camp, Young Scientists Camp, Geology Rocks Camp, Nature Photography, and an Aquatic Ecology

Camp. The Registration fee is $60.00 per camp, which includes a t-shirt and all materials needed. For more information, and to register, visit http:// bristoltn.org/959/Summer-NatureCamps, or contact Jeremy Stout at the Nature Center at 423-989-5616.

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.

Home Sweet Homicide murder mystery at MPCC

Citizens are invited to a whodunit at Memorial Park Community Center, 510 Bert St., on Friday, June 10. Home Sweet Homicide will be presented by Murder Mystery Caravan. Doors open at 6 p.m., and the 1890s Sherlock Holmes spoof starts at 7 p.m. Admission is $10, which includes dinner. Pre-registration and payment are required by Tuesday, June 7. Tickets will not be sold at the door.

Register in person at the MPCC Senior Services desk. For more information, call (423)434-6237.

Friday June 24, 2016 In this class you will wood burn a picture of your favorite pet and finish it with colored pencils. Bring colored pencils and a picture of the pet you want to work on. All other supplies will be furnished. Email a picture of your pet to Michelle Howe (heart8151@aol.com) one week in advance. She will create a line drawing to make it easy for you to get a likeness of your pet. 11am - 5pm 246 Broad Street (at corner of Center Street) Kingsport, TN 37660 DROP QUOTE: “If you think of standardization as the best that you know 423-480-9702 today, but which is to be improved tomorrow; you get somewhere. “ CRYPTOGRAM: The weak can never forgive. Forgiveness is the attribute of the strong.

Mountain Makins Festival

Princeton Arts Center, 2516 E. Oakland Ave., invites artisans ages 15 and older to participate in a Pallet Art Project. Entry fee is $10 per pallet. Participants will have two weeks to complete their project, which will be on display at PAC through July. Schedule is as follows: • June 6-10: Wooden pallets may be picked between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m.

• June 27-July 1: Pallets must be returned to Princeton Arts Center.

• July 8: Artisan reception and unveiling of Pallet Art Projects from 6-8 p.m.

• Aug. 1: Pallets may be picked up Invitation to Musicians Rose Center is preparing for the 41st from PAC. For more information, please call Annual Mountain Makins Festival on October 22 and 23, 2016 in Morristown, (423)283-5800.

TN. Once again, there will be continuRenown Buddhist Teacher To ous musical entertainment during both Give Talk On Buddha Nature days of the Festival, and a Preview The public is invited to hear Acharya show on Friday night, Oct. 21.

The festival features bluegrass and Lama Gursam Rinpoche speak about old time music, but also “new grass,” “Buddha Nature” at the Appalachian rockabilly, and other types of roots muDharma & Meditation Center (ADMC) sic.

Musicians interested in performing in Johnson City on Saturday, June 25, at this year’s Mountain Makins Festifrom 1 to 3:30 pm. That same morning, val will need to contact Rose Center by Lama Gursam will lead a free yoga sesMay 30, 2016.

Bands should send ausion at Mountain Yoga’s Saturday Sesdio samples of their music, information sion in the Square in downtown Johnabout their group, photos, and contact son City from 10 to 11 am.

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information.

Mountain Makins Festival, a celebration of Appalachian culture, is the largest event in Hamblen County, drawing 7000 visitors from throughout the region. This year it was named the Best Festival in the Southeast by the Southeast Festivals and Events Association. It has been designated a “Top 20 Event in the Southeast” four times by the Southeast Tourism Society; and was also voted “Best Festival in East Tennessee” by readers of Tennessee Magazine.

The festival is a fundraiser for historic Rose Center, an 1892 school building, now a museum and cultural center.

Musicians may contact Rose Center at: PO Box 1976, Morristown, TN 37816; beccy@rosecenter.org; or 423-581-4330.

pets of the week

Oreo is a 11 month old male domestic short hair. He is neutered and up to date on all vaccines. He is a sweet and loving cat!

Whiskers is a 10 month old female domestic short hair. She is spayed and up date on all vaccines. She loves to play!

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 | June 7, 2016 | 33

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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.

01 General Items

107 Services

49 Electronics

A Style 4 U Nikon D3200 Camera, Lens, We are a full service salon Various Accessories owned and operated by by Phone: 423-408-0424 Sandi Smith, with hair stylist Price: $ 600.00 Renee Gibson on board, that Nikon D3200 camera body, Nikkor offers professional cuts, styles, 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6, Nikkor 50mm colors, and perms at affordable f/1.8D, speed light flash, fisheye/ macro lens attachment, ND filters, prices. The best prices in the a strap, sync cable, camera battery Tri-Cities area. Men’s haircuts charger and grip , camera sync are $10. Women’s are $12. We cable, 16 GB SD card, lg and sm have over 32 year’s experience camera bags, lg and sm tripods in the business and we want and camera/flash mounts. Very to help you get your style on! good condition, well cared for. If We are located at 943 Volunteer interested in an individual item, Parkway in Bristol, Tennessee, will consider. For more informanear Auto Zone. Call us at 423tion, call or text Elijah.

534-9825. Walk ins welcome!

73 Real Estate

72 For Sale

***Condo for sale ***

Price: $ 94,900.00 Woodstone Condos - 2 bedroom / 1.5 bath. Listing by Wayne and Debi Bartley, Remax Checkmate Johnson City. For more information contact them at 423-282-0432 (office) or 423-676-6180 (cell) Wayne & Debi Bartley, RealtorsRe/max Checkmate, Inc.

KINGSPORT LOT for sale by owner 423-247-7959 • $8,500.00

85 Jobs

103 Sales/Marketing

Account Representative Phone: 423-283-4324. The Loafer is seeking motivated account representatives to service various territories throughout Tri-Cities. Must be enthusiastic, hardworking, positive, successful. Part time Full time. Flexible hours. Must have reliable transportation, smart phone & self-motivated.

Join The Loafer team today!

Email resumes to info@theloafeornline.com

107 Services

110 Beauty / Salon

Affordable Haircuts at

34 | June 7, 2016 | theloaferonline.com

121 General Services

Affordable Professional Wedding & Event Photography N&N Photography is a husband and wife photography team dedicated to capturing the most important and precious moments in your life! We provide High Quality Photography at an Affordable Price.

We photograph Events, Engagements, Weddings, Prom, Senior, Sports, Newborn, Graduation, Family, Sweetheart, Individual Portrait Shoots (male or female), & more. See our website at: www.nandnphotoshoot.com and our Facebook page at: https://www.facebook.com/nandnphotoshoot for more information. 423-9560820

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

128 Lawn & Garden

107 Services

143 Announcements

143 Announcements

also offer general landscaping such as mulching, small tree/bush removal, sprucing up flowerbeds, general yard cleanup. For a free estimate contact us at 423-268-7319 or majesticlawnserivces@yahoo. com Visit our Facebook page at www.facebook.com/majesticmowing.

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!

133 Painting

NOTHING INCREASES HOMES VALUE LIKE INTERIOR PAINT. Let’s paint the interior of your house and make your house a home.

Beautiful colors, including white, and multi-color or geometric design accent walls add that special flair. Anywhere from one bedroom to the whole house. Call David at 315.725.0562 to set up appointment for free estimate.

chained to the deadly habit of smoking? Are you motivated to stop smoking without using chemicals or chewing gum or wearing patches? I can help motivate you to stop this expensive, negative, unhealthy habit. Call us today at A New Path Hypnosis, 423-341-8898 or visit www.anewpathhypnosis.com to get started living a healthier life today. Free information session for all new clients.

148 Health & Fitness

LOSE WEIGHT! NOW ASK ME HOW! 3-Day Trial Pack, Only $20.00! With Free Shipping. Plus Your Own Personal Weight Loss Coach. Lets Get Started On A New You Today!

133 Painting Call or Text Lisa 315-761-2324 INTERIOR PAINTING. or Email TrialPack20@Yahoo.

NOTHING INCREASES A com HOMES RESALE APPEAL, 143 Announcements OR MAKES IT FEEL LIKE “HOME” - MORE THAN NEW 144 Announcements INTERIOR PAINTING From A Travel, photography blog Single Bedroom To The Entire Home, Beautiful Warm Colors, Multi-Color or Geometric “Accent Walls”, Call David at Creative Interiors Painting to book your appointment today for free quote, 315-725-0562

145 Mind, Body & Spirit

149 Natural Alternatives Mowing starting at $25!

Stop Smoking Naturally Contact Majestic Lawn Care Small yards start at $25. We with Hypnosis. Tired of being

Learn about interesting places near and far while getting tips to improve your photography at:www.thetravelingbabe.com.

138 Transportation 141 Motorcycle/Scooters 2004 Honda XR50 Phone: 423-383-3553 Price: $ 600.00 Great running bike

143 Announcements 144 Announcements

QUILT DEDICATION AND SALE June 5th, Sunday, St. John Lutheran Church. 807 E Main St, Abingdon VA. 11:00Worship/ Quilt dedication 12:30- Lunch/ tied quilt auction and sale Quilts will be displayed all around the church as we recognize St John Quilters for their service. Please join us as we celebrate this ministry of making “comfort quilts” for those in need. 276-644-1228

IT’S A MEME WORLD AFTER ALL

W

ithout doubt, we live in a world of memes. In the very fickle world of pop culture, memes have become— well—the memes of the moment. Will memes be around for a long time or will they go the way of the phone booth? Are they merely silly and annoying, or do they have deeper meanings? And what the heck are they?

Actually, memes have been around for some time, in fact since the beginning of time. But we haven’t had a name for them until Richard Dawkins, the so-called “celebrity scientist,” coined the term in 1976. Of course, no one paid him any attention “back in the day”, but his now-trendy term has become a big deal because we have the Internet to make everything, including those pesky cat videos, go viral. According to Dawkins, a meme is “an element of a culture or system of behavior that may be considered to be passed from one individual to another by nongenetic means, especially imitation.” In other words, memes are those things that are products of human creativity. You know, just about everything we experience in our daily lives. And those things have multiplied like crazy since the advent of mobile technology and instantaneous information (i.e. cat videos had very little to no impact way back in 1976 when Dawkins came up with his pet term).

Although Dawkins was referring to the broad spectrum of human culture in 1976, today’s memes generally refer to those rapidly-multiplying posters with large, blocky print and cute (and more-often-than-not inane) sayings. And that is what we will be examining in this column. I will save another term—Temes—for a future column. In case you are wondering, Susan Blackmore, in a 2008 TED talk, defined a Teme as a conveyor (or “replicator”) of technological information. So, now we have three basic components that make up the world as we know it—Genes (biologically driven), Memes (culturally driven), and Temes (technologically driven). Watch Blackmore’s TED talk if you dare.

And also be aware that you could encounter a fourth term—Tremes—that describes artifacts created by artificial intelligence and machine learning. If you are frustrated by all this, you might want to experience Screems (a term I just coined). But I digress.

Being a teacher with an avid interest in student-centered learning, I curated a very helpful item on Evernote—Nick Grantham’s column, “Using Internet Memes to Connect with Your Class” (Fractus Learning, March 1, 2016). Here is a neat guide to how those poster memes can be used for more than just social media fodder. Grantham’s column begins with a quick video by Jonathan Strickland, who gives a capsule summary of where memes

came from and where they might be headed. And, yes, he throws in a few cat videos for good measure.

In order to use memes effectively for learning, we should first learn how to create our own. And we are given a list of some of the more popular meme creation apps and websites—Livememe, Quickmeme, Meme Generator, and AutoMotivator. The little meme I created on this page was done (with no talent on my part) on an iPad app called Mematic, which also gives you tools to create some very effective motivational and demotivational posters. If are like me (a very scary thought), you are rather tired to seeing all those rather uninspiring and vacuous posters hanging on too many walls.

Being able to create your own alternative (and very satirical) demotivational posters is a real treat; if you haven’t already done so, let me suggest you go to despair.com right away for inspiration.

According to Grantham, teachers should encourage students to create and curate memes to make the classroom experience more engaging. For instance, memes can be used a variety of ways to stimulate discussion and to highlight rules and instructions.

Memes can be used to “inject some fun” into the classroom (one poster asks, “What do you call a fish with no eyes?” and gives the answer “A FSH”—a little silly, but probably a good way to discuss grammar). They can be used to promote critical thinking (like using a meme with a statement at the top and a fill-in-the-blank response at the bottom). Memes can also make rules look more appealing. Grantham suggest that “instead of your traditional class rules poster, use memes to deliver your message with humor” (like using cartoon characters, superheroes, etc. to get your point across). Needless to say, students should be encouraged to create their own memes, with the caveat that this activity should be a lesson on how to create without being offensive or inappropriate.

Grantham concludes his exploration of memes with a list of online sites that offer suggestions for meme-creating activities. Things like using memes to learn grammar and creating proverbs to using memes to reinforce editing skills and producing all sorts of “meme art” are included. You are only limited by your imagination. The bottom line is that what appears to be a rather irritating pop cultural trend can be transformed into a learning experience. Call this “meaningful memes” if you wish. Not a bad idea. And much more interesting and worthwhile than suffering through standardized testing.

So, it appears that memes are also memes. Or what some call “evocative objects” or “things we think with” (to use cultural historian Sherry Turkle’s phrase). Culture is indeed reducible to a collection of evocative objects (memes)—all reflecting various acts of human creativity. To paraphrase the all-too-familiar Disney song, “It’s a meme world after all.”

Here’s wishing you a meme-filled week. See how many cat videos you can avoid. theloaferonline.com | June 7, 2016 | 35

36 | June 7, 2016 | theloaferonline.com