Strange happenings in music today
By Chris Cooper Here are a few things about “modern” rock and pop that I’ve found interesting (in a morbid…
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TrueBlueGrass: 24th annual Cherokee Bluegrass Festival draws on traditional roots
By Sarah Kucharski • Staff Writer For the past 24 years, crowds have gathered at Happy Holiday Campground in Cherokee…
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Storytelling The term “storytelling” has been acquired by a diverse number of creative folks from musicians (the late Harry Chapin,…
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HCC Film and Video students finish film by one of their own
Students in Haywood Community College’s Film and Video Production Technology Program just finished an original film written by one of…
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Remarkable talent shines in Rosser’s latest
By Chris Cooper Man, I don’t want to start off with the whole “He’s done it again!” thing. You know,…
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Hands on the wheel For less than $20, you can buy a decent hands-free earset for your cellular phone. I’m…
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Knight rolls with the punches
By Chris Cooper It’s pretty rough going for the characters in Chris Knight’s songwriting. There’s booze, violence and regret lurking…
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Ebony, ivory and ... chocolate
When world-renowned pianist Konstantin Soukhovetski comes to the Performing Arts Center in Waynesville this weekend, audiences will get a good…
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Books by Larry Brown It’s probably a prejudice on my part, but it seems to me there are more good…
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A stripped-down, heartfelt message from Kate Campbell
By Chris Cooper Kate Campbell’s roots in southern storytelling and musical tradition run deep. Her earlier albums, specifically Songs From…
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Canton’s historic Colonial Theatre opens once again
By Michael Beadle Phil Smathers still vividly recalls those Saturdays as a kid when 25 cents bought a hot dog,…
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Leading the way: Folkmoot guides are instrumental in making sure group’s visits run smoothly
By Marian Larson • Contributing Writer They are part camp counselor, part dorm parent, and part U.N. ambassador. As Folkmoot…
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Dance festival has gathered a crowd of supporters over the years
By Marian Larson • Contributing Writer Not even a broken limb could keep one die-hard fan from missing a Folkmoot…
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Behind the scenes: The logistics of running an international folk festival
By Marian Larson • Contributing Writer So you’ve been to several of the performances, shopped for souvenirs, even hung out…
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To Hate Like This Is to Be Happy Forever, by Will Blythe For those who enjoy reading about the rise…
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Canvas stretchers
Yes, this is another of those pesky “music you may want to check out” articles. The “canvas stretcher” opening refers…
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Giving art to a community: Elementary, college students collaborate to create a mural for the Webster Family Resource Center
By Sarah Kucharski • Staff Writer A warm mid-morning sun beats down on the back parking lot of the Family…
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The groups of Folkmoot 2006
Canada – Zephyr Zephyr, a French Canadian dance company from Edmonton, Alberta, in Western Canada was founded in 2002 through…
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A Celtic slice of France
One of this year’s Folkmoot groups, Bleuniadur, hails from northern France in the region known as Brittany. SMN’s Michael Beadle…
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We Shall Overcome: The Seeger Sessions, Bruce Springsteen When my brother-in-law sent me this CD, I couldn’t wait to get…
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Mountain Metal Fest raises a joyous noise
By Chris Cooper Hold one of your hands up, left or right, whichever you prefer. With your palm facing outward,…
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Instant Sociology Ever had one of those days where nobody, I mean nobody, made much sense? Baffling behaviors everywhere? Here’s…
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Art partnership: Swain County couple Dee Dee and Robert Triplett share a love for creating and sharing one-of-a-kind art pieces
By Michael Beadle Dee Dee Triplett is a woman of the cloth. Her husband, Robert, is a man of strong…
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Rebel Records roundup
Rebel records, the venerable bluegrass-only imprint that’s as much a home to royalty like Ralph Stanley as it is young…
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Sylva town board cuts DSA funding
By Sarah Kucharski • Staff Writer Sylva town board members’ minds are unchanged about cutting the Downtown Sylva Association’s funding…
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A high class affair: HART set to open summer blockbuster ‘My Fair Lady’
By Michael Beadle As a Broadway hit, “My Fair Lady” made Julie Andrews a star. As a film, it made…
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Big sounds in this intelligent, intentionally bumpy ride
By Chris Cooper A rather popular band was recently branded with the criticism of being “a small band trying to…
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“Metropolitan” Writer-director Whit Stillman had a surprise hit with this comedy about a middle-class young man and his encounters with…
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Pictures of the Week Every Friday CNN features on its Web page a small link to Offbeat Photos and Time’s…
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An eclectic night at Guadalupe Café
By Chris Cooper There’s an age-old argument that rears up whenever there are multiple acts on the roster for a…
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The Pool There is a lot to be said for going out into the woods, finding a quiet, isolated stream,…
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Mountain Dulcimer Week celebrates an ancient instrument and its role in mountain heritage
By Sarah Kucharski • Staff Writer As a child in Diana Fisher’s music class at Camp Lab School in Cullowhee,…
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A man in full: Cashiers Historical Society, biographers, history experts and fans explore the life and complex times of Wade Hampton III
By Michael Beadle Growing up in South Carolina, Robert Lathan remembers how just about everything and everyone was named after…
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Soul Infusion’s fifth
By Chris Cooper Late Friday night, after the festivities died down and the crickets had begun a serenade for the…
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A Taste of Scotland
By Sarah Kucharski • Staff Writer Western North Carolina boasts more people of Scottish descent than Scotland itself — and…
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Charles Bukowski So, you don’t like poetry? Well, maybe Charles W. Bukowski will ring your chimes. Talk about ugly? This…
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Roman Candle’s ‘Wee Hours’ aims for a place in the heart
By Chris Cooper The best rock album of the year is about to be released. No kidding. My first encounter…
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Folkmoot photo ops: International festival revamps, ramps up for 2006 season
By Sarah Kucharski • Staff Writer Folkmoot USA, the annual international dance festival with performances held throughout Western North Carolina,…
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Becoming art smart: The 11th Annual Studio Gallery Open House and Walking Tour in Waynesville gives people a chance to create and learn more about art
By Michael Beadle Waynesville art gallery owners don’t just want to sell art. They want people to ask lots of…
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The Second Act: ‘Unto These Hills’ opens with a new look that aims to draw big crowds and give a more authentic account of Cherokee history and culture
By Michael Beadle It’s a story 10,000 years in the making. And now Cherokees and Native Americans from all over…
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Scenes of redemption: Gallery 86 in Waynesville features paintings by Luke Allsbrook
By Michael Beadle Luke Allsbrook has a voice as soothing as his paintings. He explains his craft with the calm…
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Records As in old school phonograph records, not world records or dental records. After collecting thousands of CDs over the…
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Sweet vinegar sounds
By Chris Cooper Claiming influences as far apart stylistically as Iron Maiden and Ravi Shankar, Mother Vinegar lean further toward…
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Telling a better story
By Michael Beadle There’s a heavy heat inside Mountainside Theatre’s rehearsal studio even with fans blowing and the lights turned…
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Zeitgeist of Germany, circa 2006
By Michael Beadle Editor’s note: Smoky Mountain News Writer Michael Beadle recently traveled to Europe. The following is the second…
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Life in the (really) fast lane
By Michael Beadle Welcome to the Autobahn: land of the speedy, home of the brave. You have to be brave…
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Mental Floss For those who love collecting trivia in bite-sized tidbits, look no further than Mental Floss magazine, the sugar-coated…
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Quilting art: The Shady Ladies bring a new spin to an ancient craft with upcoming show
By Sarah Kucharski The Shady Ladies, a diverse group of quilters based in Haywood County, are gearing up for their…
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A gem from Charlotte’s crown
By Chris Cooper Some songwriters have the gift of saying volumes with very little. They don’t need to spell it…
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The Swiss experience
By Michael Beadle Editor’s note: Smoky Mountain News Writer Michael Beadle recently traveled to Europe. The following is the first…
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