The power of three: Organ Fairchild returns to WNC

When it comes to classic band formations, there’s something truly and uniquely special to the power of three — this…
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Blow the tannery whistle: Margaret Siler and the Sand Town Cherokees

By 1818, despite a growing number of settlers in the region west of the Balsams and along the Little Tennessee…
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Holly Williams comes to Highlands

Acclaimed singer-songwriter Holly Williams will perform at 8:30 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 27, in the Ruffed Grouse Tavern at the Highlander…
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Rock, jam at Lazy Hiker

Jam-rock ensemble Prophets of Time will hit the stage at 8 p.m. Friday, Feb. 21, at Lazy Hiker Brewing in…
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‘Solstice: A Winter Circus Experience’

A special stage production of “Solstice: A Winter Circus Experience” will be held at 7:30 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 27, in…
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Folkmoot welcomes Zoe & Cloyd

Popular Asheville-based Americana/folk act Zoe & Cloyd will hit the stage at 6 p.m. Friday, Feb. 21, at the Folkmoot…
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WCU faculty art showcase

Featuring works from faculty artisans at Western Carolina University, the 2025 School of Art & Design Faculty Biennial Exhibition will…
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'Fire Up the Arts’

Pisgah High School’s art department is in need of a working kiln, leaving students without the opportunity to explore ceramics…
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HART presents ‘The Story of My Life’

A special stage production of “The Story of My Life” will be held at 7:30 p.m. Feb. 21-22, 28, March…
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New book documents black experience in Appalachia

“Affrilachia: Testimonies,” by Chris Aluka Berry sets out to document the Black experience in Appalachia. The book is a historical…
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Scotsman welcomes Maggie Valley Band

The Maggie Valley Band will perform at 8 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 15, at The Scotsman Public House in Waynesville. A…
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Live with a SEAL, and salute the first president

My oldest son runs ultra-marathons from time to time, whereas for me, an ultra-marathon is staying awake from 3 a.m.…
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Upcoming readings at City Lights

City Lights Bookstore in Sylva will host two readings: • Chris Aluka Berry, author of “Affrilachia: Testimonies,” will speak with…
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Ready for the ‘Chili Cook-Off Stroll’?

Sponsored by the Waynesville Rotary Club, the annual “Chili Cook-Off Stroll” will be held from noon to 4 p.m. Saturday,…
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Americana, blues at Cataloochee Ranch

Musical duo Brian Ashley Jones and Melanie Jean will perform from 5-8 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 15, at the Cataloochee Ranch…
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Lean into the blue: Town Mountain celebrates 20 years

It’s safe to say that the whirlwind sounds and vibrant tones of Town Mountain (now referred to as “Americana”) were…
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Brad Thor’s ‘Shadow of Doubt’ didn’t delight

In Brad Thor’s thriller “Shadow of Doubt” (Atria/Emily Bestler Books, 2024, 368 pages), the Russians are possibly threatening a nuclear…
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WCU welcomes Ballet Hispánico

A special performance of Ballet Hispánico will hit the stage at 7:30 p.m. Wednesday, Feb. 12, in the Bardo Arts…
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Cup of compassion: Concert to aid Zuma Coffee following Helene

When Hurricane Helene roared through Western North Carolina last fall, the storm ravaged and decimated several small mountain towns. One…
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Blow the tannery whistle: Wid Medford, bear hunter

Back in the late 1880s, two remarkable men, Wilbur Zeigler and Ben Grosscup, visited Western North Carolina for the express…
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Becoming aware of ‘emotional neglect’

I’ve always been a fan of psychology, especially when it comes in the form of self-help. Many times I have…
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Coming home: Following his departure from Balsam Range, Buddy Melton looks ahead

At age 55, Buddy Melton decided to make a major change in his life, which resulted in his recent departure…
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‘Stories of the Saraha’ paints a vivid picture

Early in the 1970s, while living and working in Spain, Chen Maoping read a story in “National Geographic” about the…
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Haywood Arts to offer Helene support grants

The Haywood County Arts Council (HCAC) in Waynesville has announced the launch of the HCAC Helene Support Grant. Designed to…
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Interested in theatre?

Haywood Arts Regional Theatre (HART) in Waynesville has announced the launch of its “Spring Semester Theatre Classes,” which will run…
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Poet sets a new path for humanity

“In time, maybe the land will decide.” Scott T. Starbuck is an award-winning poet, career fisherman, climate activist and longtime…
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Encouraging the gift of a snail mail note

There’s no fool like an old fool. Allow me to serve as a prototype of that adage. I’m old, three…
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WNC’s storytelling spirit finds a home in new film project

A local hero comes home to Western North Carolina for the first time in 20 years, potentially reigniting a longtime feud…
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Till the wheels fall off: A conversation with Charlie Starr

Amid this modern era of rock music, Blackberry Smoke is the absolute epitome of what it means to plug in…
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Lessons from a reimagined winter fairy tale

When you’re a child, this time of year is full of magic and wonder. As you get older, the holidays…
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A class act: HART celebrates milestone, looks ahead

It’s Sunday afternoon. And while many are either watching professional football on a glowing TV somewhere or simply trying to…
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From book monsters to nuclear war

For all sorts of reasons, mostly having to do with research, the last two weeks brought more reading than usual…
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Heart of the arts

You sure as heck can pack a lot into 365 days, especially when it comes to the immensely vibrant arts…
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Real perspectives from a fictional Russian

The ever growing stack of my “to-read” books has had Amor Towles’ “A Gentleman in Moscow” for about a year…
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A year in review: The best albums of 2024

Editor’s Note: Since August 2012, Garret K. Woodward has held the position of arts and entertainment editor for The Smoky…
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Blow the tannery whistle: Foxfire Christmas: traditions and superstitions

Back in the 1980s, when I was telling stories in the Cope Crest Conference Center in Tiger, Georgia, I heard…
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Desperate times, desperate measures

It’s spring of 1941 and Britain stands alone against Hitler’s Germany. The British aircraft dropping their bombs on German military…
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Here’s to inspiration?

“What are you reading after the election?” a friend asked me last week. She asked me because she had picked…
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Heart is the hero: A conversation with Oliver Wood

Since its formation in 2004, The Wood Brothers have become one of the premier, marquee acts in the vast sonic…
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Blow the tannery whistle: A tale of two Abrahams

I remember a day in March when I was in the seventh grade. We were on the second floor of the…
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Get in the holiday spirit

•  “The Merry Buccaneers Holiday Heist” stage production will be held at 6 p.m. Nov. 22-23 at the Swain Arts…
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The Parton sisters’ cookbook

About 10 years ago, Dolly Parton became one of my heroines. It wasn’t her music, or her movies, or her…
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Mountain power: Hundreds of artists come together for 'Caverns of Gold' album

In the aftermath of Hurricane Helene, there has been numerous initiatives put forth by local Western North Carolina musicians to…
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‘Rock for Relief’ raises over $32K

The recent “Rock for Relief: A WNC Flood Benefit Festival” was able to garner more than $32,000 in its one-day…
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An inside look at life in a Christian convent

If you ever wondered what it would be like to live as a monk or a nun, this book delves…
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Being kind: A conversation with Larry Keel

When it comes to bluegrass guitar pickin’-n-grinnin’ — hell, acoustic guitar playing, in general — one name high atop the…
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Of war and peace: novels for Veterans Day

According to surveys and government data cited in the online article “The Changing Face of America’s Veteran Population,” 40 years…
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Coming together: 'Rock for Relief' rolls through WNC

When record-breaking floodwaters tore through Western North Carolina last month in the aftermath of Hurricane Helene, it was only a…
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A book of peace in hard times

Given the harrowing natural disasters in the South, I thought a good book to review this month would be one…
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Interested in learning to write?

Award-winning poet Cecilia Woloch will offer a workshop for local writers, “Our Lives Which Can Never Run Dry: Workshop for…
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