Arts + Entertainment

 

Built to last: A conversation with Randall Bramblett

At 76, singer-songwriter/keyboardist Randall Bramblett has been a musical artist most of his life. In recent years, a new outlook on not only what he does for a living, but also what it means to be human amid a life immersed in creativity and connectivity, has emerged. 

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Helprin’s new novel shows off his skills

It was another ordinary day when I swung by the public library on my way to town. I picked out a couple of DVDs I needed — “Groundhog Day” and “Ghosts” — and then drifted along the “New Arrivals” bookshelves, browsing the authors and titles.

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Big heart: Following cancer battle, J Rex releases new album

For Jerad Davis, it all started with a dry, nagging cough in the summer of 2022. With shortness of breath, low energy, brain fog and night sweats, he initially chalked it up to long COVID. But, upon going to the doctor and through some medical procedures, he was eventually diagnosed with Hodgkin’s lymphoma. 

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‘Hologram’ is a warning about our age of deceit

“In the land of the blind,” goes the old saying, “the one-eyed man is king.” 

In Walker Larson’s dystopian fantasy, “Hologram,” Aaron Larson Castillian turns this adage inside out.

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Running wild again: Jesse Iaquinto of Fireside Collective

Celebrating a decade together with a special anniversary gig this week at the Salvage Station in Asheville, Fireside Collective has become a rapidly rising force in the Americana, bluegrass and jam realms in Southern Appalachia and beyond. 

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Novel is a lyrical trip to the Scottish Highlands

“Caledonia” was the Latin name used by the Roman Empire to refer to the part of Great Britain that lies north of the River Forth, which includes most of the land area of Scotland.

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Appalachian blues: A conversation with Scott Low

At 46, Scott Low has a lot to be thankful for.

Beyond his enduring career as a beloved singer-songwriter in the mountains of Southern Appalachia, he’s also a husband, father and fly-fishing guide, one who also owns and operates the Hatch Camp & Art Farm in the rural countryside of Clayton, Georgia.

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A unique self-help guide: ‘The Artist’s Way’

It’s always beneficial to revisit a classic and Julia Cameron’s “The Artist’s Way” (J. P. Tarcher/Putnam, 1992, 272 pages) is one I’ve circled back to very often.

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That mountain sound: 'An Appalachian Evening' celebrates 25 years

Celebrating a quarter-century this coming summer, the “An Appalachian Evening” live music series at the Stecoah Valley Cultural Arts Center in Robbinsville brings in some of the biggest names in bluegrass, old-time, mountain and Americana music.  

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