Arts + Entertainment
In this book, old-time means good time
Over 30 years ago, I read Helen Hooven Santmyer’s “And Ladies of the Club,” a doorstopper of a book chronicling life in a small Ohio town from the post-Civil War era to the early 1930s.
Spread it heavy: WNC rockers Porch 40 return
It was a special time and place when rock-n-funk act Porch 40 emerged onto the vast, vibrant Western North Carolina live music scene. In a landscape of mostly bluegrass, Americana and country acts, to see something of local origin with loud electric guitars and amps cranked to 11 was, well, refreshing.
A scary, page-turner of a story
Sometimes life seems too short to read every novel and author on your list. Oftentimes, I tend towards classics and literature. After all, you only live once so why would I not go straight to the greats?
Mission in the Rain: Sam Grisman Project to play Earl Scruggs Fest
When stand-up bassist Sam Grisman wanted to start his band, aptly titled the Sam Grisman Project (SGP), he had one simple goal in mind.
“I’ve always wanted to play bass in a great band full of my friends,” Grisman said. “And I’ve been a bass player in many bands over the years, but never had much creative input regarding what material was being played.”
‘An Imaginative Proclivity’: Gary Carden and “Stories I Lived to Tell”
In “Stories I Lived to Tell: An Appalachian Memoir” (The University of North Carolina Press, 2024, 152 pages), 89-year-old storyteller and writer Gary Carden spends much of his time revisiting his youth and childhood.
Porch 40 returns to the stage
After an extended hiatus, one of Western North Carolina’s most popular rock acts, Porch 40, will host a special performance at 8 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 24, at the Lazy Hiker Brewing outpost in downtown Sylva.
Jokes, laughter, happiness and good health
As part of my gifts for Father’s Day this year, my daughter bought me a book. She apologized before handing it to me, saying “It’s really terrible and silly, and I almost didn’t give it to you.”
Love you madly: A retrospective on rock rebels Cake
In the vast annals of American rock music, alternative rock act Cake remains a beacon of eccentricity — this sonic love letter to quirky individuality and creative freedom. It’s a unique blend of rock, country and funk, the sum of which swirling around the spoken-word prose of lead singer John McCrea.
‘The Anxious Generation’ — Part 2
Editor’s note: This first part of this review was published in the July 24 edition of The Smoky Mountain News The evidence is clear that social media is not healthy for girls under the age of sixteen.
