“The Blues Doctor"

Winner of the Albert King Most Promising Guitarist Award at the 2003 International Blues Challenge in Memphis, Stacy Mitchhart has a smooth and sultry, provocative delivery, reminiscent of legendary R & B performers. A consummate showman, always dressed to the nines, he has captivated audiences worldwide with his teasing smile, quick wit, and a taste of blue humor to go along with his masterful guitar work and strong vocals. His band, replete with a tight horn section, plays with a cocky assurance earned from hundreds of gigs together.

A native of Cincinnati, Mitchhart moved to Nashville in 1996 and took up residency as the house band for the hugely popular Bourbon Street Blues and Boogie Bar in historic Printer’s Alley. In the past year, he changed residences to the new B. B. King’s Club in Nashville.  “Moving to Nashville has been fantastic. I lived in Los Angeles and New York and made a good living, but I’ve played with cats here that I wouldn’t have been able to (play with) anyplace else - James Brown, Keb’ Mo, Steven Stills, Gatemouth Brown, Joe Sample and other cats like that.  I even played with John Entwhistle of the Who," Mitchhart says with a chuckle. “I’m a Yankee in Nashville doing the most non-country thing I can do.”

The Broker Banquet Hall, located at 3434 Martin Luther King, Jr. Avenue, near Chilhowee Park in East Knoxville, has presented several Blues and R&B shows by regional and national touring artists that have drawn rave reviews from a diverse audience.  

Tickets for the show are $15 in advance and $20 at the door. The event is for ages 21 and older. Doors open at 8:30 pm, and the show begins at 9:30 pm. For more information or to order advance tickets, call (865) 386-8488 or (865) 524-7177.

Movies on the Town begins October 3rd. Festivities start at 7:30 pm on Market Square, movies will start around 8:30 pm.

October 3: Napoleon Dynamite, Market Square
October 10: Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone, Market Square
October 17: Double Feature with Beetlejuice and Ghostbusters, Market Square

The Big Read will kick off on Market Square on Wednesday, October 1, between 12:00 noon and 2:00 pm.

The Big Read is an initiative of the National Endowment for the Arts, designed to restore reading to the center of American culture. The NEA presents The Big Read in partnership with the Institute of Museum and Library Services and in cooperation with Arts Midwest. The Big Read brings together partners across the country to encourage reading for pleasure and enlightenment. The Big Read encourages communities to get back into reading by promoting the reading and discussion of a single book. This year's book is The Grapes of Wrath by John Steinbeck.

Knox County's Big Read kicks off during the Market Square Farmers' Market, an approriate event given the book's dealing with agricultural hardship. The kick-off celebration will include a few words from Mayor Bill Haslam, Library director Larry Frank, and YWCA executive director Marigail Mullin; music from Guy, Candie, and Evan Carwawan; a performance from Tennessee Children's Dance Ensemble; free readers' guides; and free copies of The Grapes of Wrath to the first 75 readers.

Down by the Riverside featuring the Blind Boys of Alabama and the Preservation Hall Jazz Band will be Wednesday, October 1 at 8 pm at the Tennessee Theatre.

The Blind Boys of Alabama

The Blind Boys of Alabama and the Preservation Hall Jazz Band continue to bring attention to the rich musical heritage of New Orleans by announcing their Down By The Riverside collaborative tour. These two historic institutions join together to share with audiences the jubilance and richness of New Orleans as the city continues to rebuild and revitalize.

In January, the Blind Boys released Down In New Orleans, their first album ever recorded in the Big Easy. The album continues to receive overwhelming critical acclaim, and features guest performances by the legendary Allen Toussaint, local kingpins the Hot 8 Brass Band, and the Preservation Hall Jazz Band. In April the Blind Boys and Preservation Hall performed together, along with special guests Dr. John, Susan Tedeschi, and others, at a sold-out concert at Tipitinas in New Orleans. The show was recorded for a DVD due for release in early 2009.

Morganfield’s story is a great one. As the son of McKinley Morganfield (better known as Muddy Waters), one of the most influential musicians of the 20th century, he has met the burdensome challenge of the expectations placed upon him and gone further. He has proven to be a Bluesman of sparkling originality and stellar stage presence. Morganfield owns the stage he performs on as if it was a birthright and grabs and keeps the audience’s attention from the first note.

Morganfield says of his father, “My dad had a reputation for being a very dignified person, a very proud man. He gave us kids all a certain inner strength to go out and do whatever we needed to do.”

Morganfield won the W. C. Handy Blues Award (the Grammys of the blues music genre) for Best New Artist after the release of his debut CD, Rising Son (1999) on the Blind Pig label. He has since released two other acclaimed CDs, Ramblin’ Mind (2001) and Blues in the Blood (2003), which have further solidified his stature as one of the preeminent new blues artists. A new CD is expected to be released by the end of this year.

The Detroit Daddies

The Detroit Daddies are Michael Crawley (harmonica, vocals) and “Detroit” Dave Meer (guitar, vocals), both of whom are Detroit natives and long-time residents of Knoxville. They have performed together in other bands for many years, first with Crawdaddy, and currently with The MacDaddies. They began playing as a duo in recent years for more intimate venues, but these veteran musicians possess the verve to entertain a large outdoor audience.

The North Garden is a grassy, sloping lawn located between the museum and its parking lot. There will be cash bars, and food will be available from Afro-Caribbean Catering and Dave ’s Dog House. Everyone is encouraged to bring blankets or folding chairs. Coolers and pets are not permitted. In case of rain, the event will be held inside the museum’s Great Hall.

The remainder of the fall series of Alive After Five will be presented inside the Great Hall.

2008 Fall Series of Alive After Five:

October 10 – Big Bill Morganfield with special guests The Detroit Daddies
October 17 – The Branded Sons
October 24 – Boys’ Night Out
October 31 – Cheryl Renée’s Blues Band
November 7 – Tony O Blues Band
November 14 – Will Boyd Project featuring Kelle Jolly
November 21 – The Bearded 

Admission to the special outdoor Alive After Five on October 10 is $10 for non-members, and $6 for museum members and students with ID. Children ages 17 and under are admitted free. Tickets will be on sale in the museum at the ticket desk on the day of the event. Alive After Five is sponsored by ORNL Federal Credit Union, Knoxville News Sentinel, Cherokee Distributing Company, WVLT-TV8, and WDVX 89.9FM. For more information about the Alive After Five series, please contact Michael Gill at (865) 934-2039. 

Smoky Mountain Fall Getaway!
Plan your romantic Smoky Mountain getaway here. Hotels with Jacuzzis, cozy cabins with fireplace, luxurious bed and breakfast inns, or beautiful condos are awaiting your arrival.

Old 97's

One of the most popular bands in the alt-country movement's rock & roll wing, Old 97's hailed from Dallas and drew their inspiration from classic country, bar-band rock, the raw sound of early punk, and-especially on their later records-the tight songcraft of power pop. Their 1997 album, Too Far to Care, was hailed the best balance yet between the group's Texas traditionalism and pop leanings and placed the band among the best in alt-country. 2001's Satellite Rides had an even stronger power-pop flavor and once again received highly positive reviews. Blame It on Gravity, released this year, is full of the energy the Old 97's are notorious for.

Michael Cleveland, considered one of the premier bluegrass fiddlers of his generation, will bring his band and its dynamic and traditional brand of bluegrass to the stage of the Grove Theater in Oak Ridge Oct. 5.

Michael Cleveland and Flamekeeper were named the International Bluegrass Music Association’s 2007 Instrumental Group of the Year and are among finalists in contention for this year’s award. A five-time winner of the IBMA’s Fiddle Player of the Year Award, Cleveland and his band present a program of tight vocal trios and duos, blistering instrumentals, and fiddle and banjo duets that echo the first-generation bluegrass musicians.

Michael Cleveland and Flamekeeper featuring Audie Blaylock will perform in concert at 3 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 5, at the Grove Theater, 123 Randolph Road, in Grove Center. Tickets are $25 before the concert and $30 at the door. Tickets are $20 for seniors and children under 12 before the concert and $25 at the door. Tickets may be purchased on the web site www.oakridgeentertainment.com, at The Ferrell Shop in Historic Jackson Square in Oak Ridge, or by mail from Oak Ridge Entertainment, 119 Greystone Dr., Oak Ridge, TN 37830.

“Leavin’ Town,” Michael Cleveland and Flamekeeper’s debut CD on Rounder Records was released in July, and the band made an appearance at the Grand Ole Opry that same month. Cleveland’s first project as a Rounder recording artist was “Flame Keeper” in 2002, named the IBMA’s Instrumental Album of the Year. His other albums are “Tom Adams and Michael Cleveland Live at the Ragged Edge,” a 2004 album of fiddle and banjo duets, and in 2006, “Let ‘Er Go Boys,” both Instrumental Albums of the Year.

Blalock, guitarist and vocalist, joined Jimmy Martin and The Sunny Mountain Boys in 1982 at age 19, learning bluegrass from one of the legends. He and his band, Redline, were nominated for IBMA’s Emerging Artist of the Year award in 2005 and 2006. Blalock’s first solo album is “Trains Are the Only Way to Fly.”

Cleveland first picked up a fiddle at age 4. In 1993, he was selected to be part of the Bluegrass Youth All Stars at the IBMA’s award show. Later that year, he made his Grand Ole Opry debut as a guest of Alison Krauss. After high school, he performed with then-named band Dale Ann Bradley and Coon Creek before joining Rhonda Vincent and The Rage in 2000. At the 2001 IBMA awards, Cleveland won his first Fiddle Player of the Year award and shared the title Entertainer of the Year with Rhonda Vincent and The Rage. In 2002 he rejoined the Dale Ann Bradley Band.

He has made guest appearances with bluegrass legends, including Bill Monroe, Jim and Jesse, Ralph Stanley, Mac Wiseman, Doc Watson, Larry Sparks, Doyle Lawson, and J.D. Crowe.

Joining Cleveland in Flamekeeper are Todd Rakestraw on vocals and guitar, Jesse Brock on vocals and mandolin, John Mark Batchelor, on banjo, and Marshall Wilborn on vocals and bass. Cleveland’s dry wit and the high-energy band’s sense of fun add to the band’s performances as they keep audiences entertained with their hard-driving bluegrass.

Bring your blankets or lawn chairs and be prepared to enjoy the best of bluegrass in a great laid back festival setting.

No alcohol or coolers are allowed. Food vendors will be set up at the stage area for food and drink purchases. Pets must be on leashes at all times and kept out of the stage and food areas. Must clean up after your pet.

Handicapped parking and assistance will be available.

Grounds are located 6.5 miles from I-75 or 2 miles east of Clinton Highway (25W) off Raccoon Valley Road (St. Rd. 170).
raccoonvalleyfestival.com

The Cherries Internet Cafe officially began broadcasting from the new downtown location on Market Square on September 8th. The cafe is home to nine live talk radio shows daily that are broadcast through live WebTV. By visiting www.cherriesinternetcafe.com you will be able to watch the shows live daily and keep up with some of the hottest topics in our area and around the country. Owner Ingrid Gee and her Cherries Team bring a fresh and unique approach to the way you listen to the radio. There are computers at every booth and free WiFi available. Chargers for iPhones and iPods are available at each booth as well. The Lunchbox will be serving lunch during on weekdays, and The Daisy Pot Tea Bar will have fresh loose-leaf tea available for purchase.

Michael Phelps isn't the only record breaker of the summer. Knox County Public Library’s Summer Library Club had the most successful program ever. Over 12,180 children participated in the library's program with 7,681 completing the reading requirement to receive a prize pack.  These numbers reflect two new records: registrations increased by 15% over 2007 and finishers went up 12.6% in the same time frame. 

New records were set for Teen Summer Reading as well; 1,056 teens registered and 529 of them completed the program, all coupled with more teen programs than ever before. Even the Adult Reading Challenge had over 2,000 participants.

Prize packs this year included foldable flyers for older children and starship duckies for babies and toddlers.  All finishers also received a rewards book full of gifts provided by local businesses with a total value of over $100.

During June and July, there were 476 special Summer Library Club programs for children with 16,197 people attending.

Knoxville Zoo is proud to be among the “Top 60” zoos in the country featured in a new book, America’s Best Zoos: A Travel Guide for Fans and Families by Allen W. Nyhuis and Jon Wassner.

Released in 2008, the book outlines the animals, attractions and exhibits featured at the top zoos throughout the country. The authors visited all sixty of the zoos featured in the book, share their experiences and what makes each zoo special.

Knoxville Zoo also landed on the “Author’s Pick for the Top 25 U.S. Zoo Exhibits.” Author Jon Wassner rated Black Bear Falls at Knoxville Zoo number 13.

The Knoxville Museum of Art offers free admission through December 31, 2008, as part of a new branding campaign designed to introduce the museum to new audiences. The campaign, which launched June 1 with outdoor advertising throughout Knoxville, presents a new image for the museum.

Legal work can be confusing and expensive, but it doesn't have to be. Knox County Public Library has introduced a new reference database designed to help patrons with their legal affairs. Gale Legalforms make it easy for even those with no legal experience to create accurate and reliable legal documents. Users have access to thousands of customizable online legal documents, including forms required for contracts, living wills, power of attorney, real estate, and even taxes. All forms are officially approved, just like those used in a typical law firm. No special skills or knowledge is required for the step-by-step, easy to follow instructions and forms may be downloaded in multiple formats. Check out the Library’s website at www.knoxlib.org  for access to the database.