Balsam Range is a popular bluegrass band based in Haywood County. The five-person group is comprised of Tim Surrett on the upright bass, Buddy Melton on violin, Darren Nicholson on mandolins, Marc Pruett on banjo and Caleb Smith on guitar.
It has long been known for its musical excellence and its shows regularly sell out locally, but the band has recently garnered international recognition after winning the 2011 International Bluegrass Music Association’s Song of the Year for “Trains I Missed.” Balsam Range will debut its new album “Papertown,” a tribute to the longstanding mill town of Canton, at 7:30 p.m. on Aug. 10 at Canton’s Colonial Theatre.
Following the unanimous approval of the Haywood County commissioners’ resolution, the bluegrass band received a standing ovation from the dozen people in attendance at the Aug. 6 meeting.
“We are proud in some small way to represent Haywood County,” Surrett said.
Stephen Dobyns has written 20 novels and more than 10 volumes of poetry; however, he is difficult to “classify.” His writing is praised by big league names as varied as Francine Prose and Stephen King, but he is most famous for a “sexual harassment” charge brought against him while he was teaching at Syracuse University (allegedly, he was overheard making “salty and crude” comments at a party).
