Recommended diversions
Spray Paint Took a page from “Trading Spaces” and all those other home renovation/redecoration shows this past weekend and salvaged…
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Notes from a waitress: Former star of ‘Alice’ comes to WCU for cabaret-style, one-woman show
By Michael Beadle Once upon a sitcom, Linda Lavin was America’s hardest-working waitress. Remember “Alice” — a household name in…
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Exploring every angle: Alison Brown’s bluegrass journey comes to Maggie Valley’s Eaglenest Entertainment Sept. 8
By Chris Cooper The phrase “well rounded” gets thrown about pretty often, but it fits few people better than banjoist…
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Passion for pewter: Riverwood Pewter continues eight decades of family tradition
By Michael Beadle It’s been called the poor man’s silver, but its shine and durability have made it prized in…
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Truth is, Sloe Gin fizzed
By Chris Cooper Robben Ford: Truth Not many guitarists can meld the harmonic sensibilities of jazz with the visceral punch…
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Recommended diversions
He-Man and the Masters of the Universe Ah, the old TV cartoons from childhood...The Smurfs. The Super Friends. Scooby Dooby…
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Recommended diversions
In the Heart of the Sea: the Tragedy of the Whaleship Essex, by Nathaniel Philbrick If you want an adventure-tragedy…
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Nature inspired art
By Sarah Kucharski • Staff Writer Pisgah Center for Wildlife Education specialist Lee Sherrill dips out a cup full of…
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Beach Boys coming to Canton
By Chris Cooper The ocean’s a powerful thing. Source of life, nice to look at ... all that stuff. How…
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Recommended diversions
One thing I've noticed over these years of teaching guitar lessons is the principle that not only do we all…
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A tale of two Smiths: Local actress brings latest Lee Smith novel to stage
By Michael Beadle Actress Barbara Bates Smith was bound to meet novelist Lee Smith. Back in 1985, a friend sent…
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I attended a classic rock concert and lived to tell about it
By Chris Cooper So, answer me this: how many people, artists especially, can maintain a vital career for 38 years…
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One for the kiddies; one for the fans
By Chris Cooper Ronnie McCoury: Little Mo’ McCoury You’d be hard pressed to find a family more deserving of the…
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Broadway comes to WCU: Young talents hone their skills with some of Broadway’s best
By Michael Beadle So you think you’ve got singing talent? Think you have what it takes to leap and strut…
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Recommended diversions
The Rhythm of Life Subtitled “Living Every Day with Passion & Purpose,” Matthew Kelly’s The Rhythm of Life is in…
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An interview with Masha Hamilton
Editor’s note: Margaret Osondu, owner of Osondu Booksellers in Waynesville, recently conducted an email interview with Masha Hamilton, one of…
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Recommended diversions
“Picket Fences,” and “Northern Exposure” Is it possible to be nostalgic for the 1990s already? Or maybe it is the…
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And now for something completely different...
By Chris Cooper For your consideration this week: some engaging new sounds from Canyon Records, and a frantic but exhilarating…
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Recommended diversions
Canton Two weeks ago this Thursday my husband and I moved to Canton. Anyone who’s been in the area for…
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Fresh tunes, new faces: Like the swallows of San Juan Capistrano, summertime’s home-grown music has returned to the mountains, bringing with it a host of new CD offerings
By Chris Cooper It’s warm out, people are out wandering the streets later in the evening, guitars clang and drums…
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Steep Canyon Rangers sharpen their bluegrass skill set
By Chris Cooper Finding a line between respecting the bluegrass form and tradition, while gently pushing its boundaries, is a…
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Recommended diversions
Guide to William Bartram’s Travels There are guidebooks and then there are GUIDEBOOKS. If you’re a Bartram junkie as I…
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A smashing residency in Asheville
By Joe Hooten As I was barreling down Interstate 40, racing to make it to Asheville in time to see…
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I played in a classic rock cover band and lived to tell about it
By Chris Cooper Through the last few “Play For Peace” extravaganzas I’ve been lucky enough to meet and perform with…
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To be young and in love: HART presents summer musical ‘West Side Story’
By Michael Beadle Several years ago, Haywood Arts Regional Theatre’s executive director Steve Lloyd confided in fellow actors that he’d…
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Recommended diversions
The Tour de France Each July for the past decade or so, I’ve been riveted by this race, especially the…
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An artist for life
By Michael Beadle Painter Susan Lanier remembers how she used to get in trouble as a young artist. In first…
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Celebrating a jazz guitar legend
By Chris Cooper Up for review this week is a live set of inspiring music from an incredibly influential musician…
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Recommended diversions
Bruce Springsteen: Nebraska Oh, he’s the boss alright. But sometime around ’82 he holed up in a friend’s studio, with…
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Women to watch
By Chris Cooper In the mid 90’s it would’ve been nearly impossible to write about “new to the scene” female…
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The rhythm method weekend
By Chris Cooper It’s been a year at least since I did a live show review, and it’s likely that…
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Recommended diversions
“John From Cincinnati” Call this a leap of faith, but with “The Sopranos” now gone for good, HBO’s new series,…
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A voyage beyond new age
By Chris Cooper Sometimes your ears want something different. Maybe they need to hear that which steps beyond traditional form…
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The guiltiest of guilty pleasures
By Chris Cooper OK, yes, it’s a widely held opinion that the Reagan years doled out its fair share of…
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Recommended diversions
Wislawa Szymborska One of the best poets I’ve read in quite a while, this Polish Nobel Laureate has a wonderful…
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Recommended diversions
Memorial Day with a soldier He’s just a kid, 23 year old I think, dating one of my young cousins.…
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Dazzle of Light: John Phillips’ new Fire and Light Glass Studio and Gallery in Otto offers artwork, classes and glass art supplies
By Michael Beadle There’s a dance of light in a work of glass. Move around the piece and it changes…
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Taking steps in the right direction
By Chris Cooper If a band stays together long enough, it’ll probably morph into something a little beyond its starting…
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Recommended diversions
A Homecoming, Of Sorts (whilst never leaving Main Street) I’ve lived in WNC for nearly four years now. I’ve written…
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Recommended diversions
Tomato plants If there’s one food that always tastes better fresh from the garden than bought at the store, it…
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When ‘it’ is right in front of you
By Chris Cooper Sia: Lady Croissant To a degree, it seems like Zero 7 makes “electronic” music for people that…
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Kudzu goes barefoot
By Sarah Kucharski • Staff Writer Paul Bratter, a newlywed young lawyer, sits on the couch of his fifth-floor brownstone…
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Recommended diversions
Afternoon Naps with the Windows Open A recent dental surgery has left me at home the past few days in…
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Pied Piper stages at Smoky Mountain Community Theatre
By Michael Beadle An old German town has a very serious rat problem. Luckily, a stranger arrives with just the…
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All that jazz: New York City saxophonist Jed Levy teams up with Asheville jazz musicians for May 19 concert at Performing Arts Center in Waynesville
By Michael Beadle New York City has long enjoyed a reputation as a melting pot of music — especially when…
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A serendipitious selection of CDs
By Chris Cooper Ah ... the joys of moving. Once you’ve got everything boxed up and ready to go, there’s…
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Recommended diversions
“The Sopranos” Down now to the last five episodes before creator David Chase closes down the series for good, the…
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Grant-Lee Phillips scores two in a year
By Chris Cooper First, if you don’t already know (I sure as heck didn’t) fire up Google and read about…
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Let’s dance: Boy Scout group honors Cherokee traditions
Bill Dyar has long been interested in Native American dances. When he was 15 years old, he formed his first…
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Laying down the Lawson
By Chris Cooper Fusing soaring gospel harmony with finely tuned bluegrass firepower, Doyle Lawson has forged an easily recognizable and…
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