Unsung guitar hero’s latest keeps it lively
By Chris Cooper It’s in the phrasing; the careful sculpting of each and every note. It’s something about the intent,…
Read More
Twin path productions: Two friends, one dream
By Christi Marsico • Staff Writer Wearing white sneakers with a buzz haircut, Tighe Wachacha enters the Burger King in…
Read More
Stage presence: Cherokee student wins runner-up in state poetry competition
By Michael Beadle Sara Tramper can take you to the powwow at end of the world.
Read More
In the studio...
You start a band. The band writes material, rehearses, and plays some shows. What’s the next step? Merchandising? A world…
Read More
Recommended diversions
A Continual Feast Evelyn Vitz’s cookbook offers a fine array of rituals and recipes from the Christian calendar. Greek lamb…
Read More
Henderson pours some hot sauce on it
By Chris Cooper In guitar circles, certain names are spoken in hushed, respectful tones. Players like Mike Stern, Allan Holdsworth…
Read More
Recommended diversions
“Juno” The little movie that could is this year’s “Little Miss Sunshine,” another quirky comedy that broke out of its…
Read More
Saddle up for song and dance
By Michael Beadle Mamas, it’s OK to let your sons grow up to be cowboys — especially if they end…
Read More
Recommended diversions
EcoBuilders This Asheville area green building company co-owned by former Haywood County Environmental Science teacher Rob Moody and organic farmer…
Read More
This one's for Rob
By Chris Cooper Last summer I wrote an article titled “I Played In A Classic Rock Cover Band And Lived…
Read More
Painting over Bureaucracy
By Michael Beadle Phyllis Jarvinen was tired of all the paperwork, the endless forms and bureaucratic red tape that clogged…
Read More
Recommended diversions
Poems from Guantanamo They’re supposed to be the worst of the worst from al-Qaeda and the Taliban, evildoers locked up…
Read More
The Plott Hound: Bob Plott writes the definitive book on his family’s famed hunting hounds
By Sarah Kucharski • Staff Writer Owners of Plott Hounds will say that the hound is unlike any other.
Read More
Bluegrass’ contemporary class
The term “contemporary bluegrass” is open to a ridiculous amount of interpretation. For some it signifies anything that strays even…
Read More
Recommended diversions
Kindle In case you don’t know, the Kindle is Amazon’s answer to the paperless book. It’s a wireless, portable electronic…
Read More
Music to their ears: Local students earn high marks in national performance competition
By Michael Beadle Watch out Broadway. Get Carnegie Hall ready.
Read More
Recommended diversions
“No Country For Old Men” There’s a whole list of movies (films?) I’ve seen that I respected, on many levels…
Read More
Jim and Rhonda do it different
Jim Lauderdale: The Bluegrass Diaries If you recognize the name, little more needs to be said. Long one of the…
Read More
Peace in the valley: Franklin photographer Bill Lea captures beauty and history of Cades Cove in new book
For nature photographer Bill Lea, Cades Cove is heaven on earth.
Read More
Recommended diversions
“3:10 To Yuma” Russell Crowe as vicious murder Ben Wade and Christian Bale as Dan Evans, a farmer hired to…
Read More
A rowdy good time at some familiar stomping grounds
Reverend Horton Heat: Reverend Organdrum Maybe all that needs to be said is that somewhere around three and a half…
Read More
Taking it to the street: Waynesville Public Art Commission seeks to promote cultural heritage with downtown art project
By Michael Beadle What would New York City be without its Statue of Liberty? Picture St. Louis without its Gateway…
Read More
Recommended diversions
Since in this age of home video, I seldom get to see many of the best movies of any given…
Read More
Shine on you crazy Miners
By Chris Cooper A few years ago there was this gangly guy with a mop of shaggy blonde hair sitting…
Read More
All that brass: WCU’s Trumpet Festival is quickly becoming an international affair
By Michael Beadle Brad Ulrich was 10 years old when he began playing the trumpet. He’d started with the guitar…
Read More
Stew recipes
Upcountry Carolina Beef Hash 5 lbs lean beef, cut up for stew 1 1/2 lbs large onions diced 1 lb…
Read More
‘Rainbows’ plays as Radiohead should
There was an interesting coincidence on July 11, 2006. Thom Yorke released Eraser to mixed reviews, and the same day…
Read More
Southern Comfort Food
By Michael Beadle Long before the days of microwaves and fast food meals, there was the slow-cooked stew, a Southern…
Read More
Recommended diversions
Skinny Dip, Carl Hiaasen This 512-page novel is a fast read that unfolds like a movie, painting a vivid picture…
Read More
Recommended diversions
Christmas Eve dinner Not the particular food, per se, but the tradition. In our home it’s Lori’s homemade lasagna, and…
Read More
Warren Haynes’ 19th Annual Christmas Jam — mostly
By Chris Cooper Before getting started, let me say that I completely missed Grace Potter’s performance at the Christmas Jam.…
Read More
Recommended diversions
Flight Of The Conchords on DVD Two discs of complete silliness from Bret McKenzie and Jemaine Clement, New Zealand’s “not…
Read More
Hand-made history for the Christmas tree: Local potter helps Waynesville museum through sale of ornaments
By Michael Beadle Terry Painter and his wife Anita love collecting ornaments for their Christmas tree each year, but they…
Read More
Recommended diversions
Into Great Silence The Carthusian monks of Grande Chartreuse, regarded as one of the most austere monasteries in the world,…
Read More
It’s Grammy season ... do you care?
We’re rapidly approaching that part of the year referred to endearingly as “Grammy Season.” This is the time when we…
Read More
Sounds like Christmas ...
By Chris Cooper There are folks that get into full holiday mode, displaying their favorite snowman and fir tree embroidered…
Read More
Recommended diversions
Before The Devil Knows Your Dead I’m a little surprised that this gem of a movie is not getting more…
Read More
An artist’s journey: Landscape artist Craig Forrest brings his love of art full circle
By Sarah Kucharski • Staff Writer It’s almost as though one can hear the creaking sighs of the old, hand-hammered…
Read More
Our secret places: Phenomena exhibit honors personal stories and Lee Smith novel
By Michael Beadle So many of us have what Waynesville librarian Kathy Olsen calls “thing stories.”
Read More
Trischka doubles the pleasure with modern banjo greats
By Chris Cooper It hardly needs to be said that the banjo has taken major leaps in the hands of…
Read More
Recommended diversions
“The Santaland Diaries” If you’re reading this, you may already be too late — get thee right now to a…
Read More
Films that change the world: Local activist movie club gathers people for education, discussion on a host of social, economic and environmental issues
By Michael Beadle For the longest time, Buffy Queen and John Buckley wanted to share their love of movies with…
Read More
Surreptitious sounds
By Chris Cooper Every so often a few releases slip beneath the radar, or at least my radar. Massachusetts based…
Read More
Recommended diversions
Omnivore’s Dilemma What should we eat for dinner? Do we buy organic? Do we grow our own food? Should we…
Read More
Krauss and Plant deliver no less than expected
By Chris Cooper It’s not such an odd pairing when you think about it; two voices as recognizable as these,…
Read More
Faces of Neighbors: Photography exhibit focuses on the lives of local migrant workers
By Michael Beadle When nurse Josie Ellis set out to take pictures of Hispanic migrant families several years ago, she…
Read More
Recommended diversions
Ski season Count me among those who continue to be like a kid at Christmas when it’s the beginning of…
Read More
Ever-evolving, always surprising
By Chris Cooper Mountain Heart released a fantastic album last year with Wide Open, demonstrating a remarkable ability to make…
Read More
Island music in the mountains: Western Carolina University’s gamelan orchestra helps share the music of Malaysian culture
By Michael Beadle A few days before Halloween, strange sounds were coming from room 451 in the Coulter Building on…
Read More
Recommended diversions
Going to the movies Every now a then a great batch of movies is released, calling me to the movie…
Read More
