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…
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“The Santaland Diaries” If you’re reading this, you may already be too late — get thee right now to a…
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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…
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Surreptitious sounds
By Chris Cooper Every so often a few releases slip beneath the radar, or at least my radar. Massachusetts based…
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Omnivore’s Dilemma What should we eat for dinner? Do we buy organic? Do we grow our own food? Should we…
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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,…
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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…
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Ski season Count me among those who continue to be like a kid at Christmas when it’s the beginning of…
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Ever-evolving, always surprising
By Chris Cooper Mountain Heart released a fantastic album last year with Wide Open, demonstrating a remarkable ability to make…
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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…
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Going to the movies Every now a then a great batch of movies is released, calling me to the movie…
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Halloween Ramblings, 2007
There’s a connection between being a musician and Halloween that goes beyond the obvious skulls/pumpkins/fake blood/heavy metal stereotype, at least…
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Highlands sets the table for a fall feast: Inaugural gathering of gastronomes holds great promise for the plateau
By Michael Beadle Indulge in a seven-course meal that includes roasted pheasant, foie gras and braised wild boar. Sip award-winning…
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Brian Regan Live! Whether you purchase this CD or simply Google Brian Regan on your computer, you will find yourself…
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“Away From Her” Based on the great short story “The Bear Came Over The Mountain” by the ever-amazing Alice Munro,…
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Something Pumpkin this way rolls ...
By Michael Beadle Carve ‘em. Cook ‘em. Turn ‘em into glowing faces. There’s plenty you can do with this year’s…
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Halloween recipes
Pumpkin Nut Bread 2 cups all-purpose flour 1 teaspoon each salt and baking soda 1/2 teaspoon each cinnamon, ginger and…
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Sharon Jones conjures up the heart of soul
By Chris Cooper Sharon Jones and her amazing band of funk/soul revivalists were responsible for one of the happiest musical…
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Rock On: An Office Power Ballad Written by Dan Kennedy, this venture into life in the corporate music business isn’t…
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A labor of love: Skipper Russell’s Cold Mountain Corn Maize raises support for cancer research
By Sarah Kucharski • Staff Writer Bright yellow sunflowers ring the edges of Skipper Russell’s Cold Mountain Corn Maize in…
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Ex Tempore: Impromptu excellence
By Chris Cooper I first heard Johnny Irion years ago at a little venue in Charlotte. He was performing with…
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The Green Book Looking for more ways to help save energy costs and be more environmentally responsible? Check out this…
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Art for all ages: Studio 598 in downtown Sylva offers on-going art classes for youth and adults
By Michael Beadle Making a mess never looked so fun. It’s Friday morning at Studio 598 in downtown Sylva, and…
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Happy to be here: David Holt headlines Oct. 14 Bridge Park Project fundraiser
By Chris Cooper David Holt is a happy guy. In a recent phone (cell phone, no less) conversation as he…
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Hoss: clawing their way to the top
Bands just have to stick with it. Whether on the grand scale of being a signed, touring group or one…
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Raising Sand Duet albums are about as original as cheeseburgers, but this one has stayed in my car’s disc player…
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Where pots (and a cat) are thrown: The Flying Cat Studio is one of 20 Haywood County art studios that will host open house events this weekend
By Michael Beadle If you’re lucky enough to visit the Flying Cat Studio just off U.S. 276 in Jonathan Creek,…
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Giant Van Halen rock lands in NC
By Armando Basulto • Guest Writer There is something vaguely depressing about watching your nostalgia for your adolescent years transformed…
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Blessed, demented genius
By Chris Cooper The picture you see when you flip open the new Moolah Temple Stringband CD shows singer/guitarist/found-sound alchemist…
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Ugly Truths Has the entertainment industry really crumbled to such a sorry point that rather than attempting to make the…
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Funny guise: Ventriloquist extraordinaire Jeff Dunham to appear at WCU on Oct. 4
By Sarah Kucharski • Staff Writer The problem with trying to interview a ventriloquist is that he — in this…
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Dillsboro’s Riverwood Shops fetes 50 years
Riverwood Shops, a group of artisans’ studios overlooking the town of Dillsboro, will commemorate their 50th anniversary from 10 a.m.…
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Michael Buble In his four albums of the American Song bag series, Rod Stewart brought back many American classics from…
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Balsam Range redefines regional bluegrass
By Chris Cooper Two things still stick in my mind about Darren Nicholson’s excellent self-titled 2006 release; state of the…
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Turning the tables: David Tripp’s artistic vision evolves with his craft
By Sarah Kucharski • Staff Writer David Tripp’s workshop is piled head-high with wood. There are tree limbs here, locust…
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“Come Early Morning” This is the kind of movie that gets past you, a small budget movie that didn’t get…
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Fresh voices gain ground
Angi West: Orange Thread In A Blue Sea Thoughtfully arranged tunes that wander through elements of folk, sun-dappled guitar and…
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A potter’s calling: For Sarah Rolland, the process is as rewarding as the product
By Sarah Kucharski • Staff Writer Sarah Rolland first connected with clay on an emotional level. With lunch plans to…
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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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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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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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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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