Pickin' 'n' Grinnin': Blount, Smokies offer variety of down-home music, entertainment

By Steve Wildsmith
of The Daily Times Staff

There's music in them there hills.

From the verdant hills and hollers of Great Smoky Mountains National Park, the notes and melodies of yesteryear are carried on the wind. The sounds of dulcimers, mandolins and banjos are as natural a part of East Tennessee as the flowing mountain streams that roll and tumble from the mist-shrouded mountaintops.

It's a sound that speaks of the Scots-Irish heritage of early Appalachian settlers, and over the years, it's evolved to include inter-related styles that go by a myriad of names -- bluegrass, Appalachian, Old Time, string band, hill music. Call it whatever you like, but know this: It's authentic, and for both travelers to and locals living in Blount County, it's in abundant supply.

"Our visitors are really interested in music that comes from the Appalachian area," said Herb Handly, executive vice president of tourism for the Great Smoky Mountains Visitors Center in Townsend. "A lot of them call it bluegrass, but it's more just Appalachian music. And the interesting thing is, the people who come here to play that music at our festivals don't do it on a professional basis. It's more of a hobby to them, but they're all quite good. Many of them have taken no formal lessons, but they're very good in those styles."

'The Pickin' Porch'

Such talent speaks of the family tradition that's so closely associated with Appalachian music. In Townsend, the Wood-n-Strings Dulcimer Shop on East Lamar Alexander Parkway is a family business, started by husband-and-wife Mike and Connie Clemmer. Their daughter, Cherith Millar, runs the store and sees a large number of visitors who come to this area for the music as much as the scenery.

"I'd say 80 percent of them want to hear music while they're here," Millar said. "A lot of people who come in here to the store want to hear music, even if they don't want to buy anything. They'll ask, 'Can you play something for us?', just because they want to hear that kind of music.

"That's something you really don't get in a whole lot of other places. There are very few places you can actually hear it live, especially in an authentic setting like Townsend."

Every Saturday night from May through October, the Clemmers host "The Pickin' Porch," a concert series that takes place at 7 p.m. outdoors. Musicians from around the Southeast come to Wood-n-Strings to entertain and play for those who crave the authenticity of mountain music made in a mountainous setting.

It's not something you'll find in a Nashville nightclub or a Pigeon Forge theater. It's part of the charm and appeal of Townsend -- the peaceful side of the Smokies. And it's not just limited to Townsend, as Handly pointed out -- Blount County's growth means that live music venues have opened in Maryville and Alcoa, a 20-minute drive from Townsend, that cater to lovers of all types of music.

"Our festivals, which we do three times a year, attract 10,000 to 15,000 people in a weekend, so you can imagine how many of those come for the entertainment," Handly said. "When you include the Rocky Branch Community Club and Music Row of Maryville, all of those places seem to be busy with musicians who play a similar style of music. Others are interested in what's going on in the Maryville area; some of the venues there are really, really popular.

"In the past, the one or two venues in Blount County were great, but standing on their own, they were probably not the critical mass we needed to make it a destination. Now, all of those places provide that critical mass that's enough to attract people to the area, giving those who come here enough options that they don't have to drive to Knoxville of Pigeon Forge."

Here's a list of live-music venues in Blount County:

• Brackins Blues Bar, 112 E. Broadway, downtown Maryville: One of the most popular authentic blues venues in the Southeast, with performances every Friday and Saturday night, and occasionally during the week, by national, regional and local artists. Admission price varies. Call 983-9800 for more information, or log onto www.brackinsbar.com.



• Deadbeat Pete's, 7613 Old Highway 73, Townsend: When the weather's nice, the folks at Pete's will occasionally have live music on the deck overlooking the Little River. Admission is free, and the fare is delicious. Call 448-0900 for more information.



• The Foothills Fall Festival, held in Greenbelt Park below the Blount County Courthouse in downtown Maryville: A three-day festival of music featuring regional and national country, rock and gospel acts is held during the second weekend of every October. Ticket prices vary, but the concerts are only a small part of the fun -- arts and crafts vendors and children's activities take place throughout downtown Maryville. Log onto www.foothillsfallfestival.com for more information.




• Great Smoky Mountains Heritage Center, 123 Cromwell Drive, Townsend: The heritage center's summer sunset concert series kicks off June 20. Performers include: June 20, Sparky and Rhonda Rucker (storytelling and folk); June 27, Ghost Mountain Rhythm and Blues; July 11, "An Appalachian Celebration" in conjunction with the Great Smoky Mountains Institute at Tremont; July 18, Blue Mother Tupelo (blues-based folk-rock); July 25, Labron Lazenby and LA3 (blues); Aug. 1, Jeff Barbra and Sarah Pirkle (singer-songwriter duo); Oct. 4, Wild Blue Yonder (bluegrass); Oct. 11, Jenna and the Joneses (blues rock). Shows begin at 7 p.m., and admission is $4 per person. Call 448-0044 for more information, or log onto www.gsmheritagecenter.org.



• Music Row of Maryville, 2808 E. Lamar Alexander Parkway, Maryville: There's an open-mic night from 7 p.m. to 1 a.m. every Monday and Saturday that's open to all amateur and professional musicians; admission is by donation. On Friday nights, it costs $5, but it's a night of jamming and picking in the front rooms with square dancing, line dancing and clogging in the main room to the music of Point West and calling by Dale Tipton. Call 983-8259 for more information, or log onto www.musicrowofmaryville.com.



• Nater'z Sports Grill, 510 N. Foothills Plaza Drive, Maryville: A biker bar, Nater'z sits across from the local movie theater, Carmike Foothills 12, and features live music at 9 p.m. every Friday night. Call 980-0505 for more information.



• The Palace Theater, 113 W. Broadway, downtown Maryville: Twice a month, three-time National Flatpick Guitar champion Steve Kaufman hosts roots-music concerts at the historic theater in downtown Maryville. Tickets are typically $13 in advance and $15 at the door. Call 983-3330 or log onto www.palacetheater.com for more information.



• "The Pickin' Porch" at Wood-n-Strings Dulcimer Shop, 7645 E. Lamar Alexander Parkway in Townsend: Live music at 7 p.m. every Saturday, from the second weekend of May through the end of October. Admission is free. Call 448-6647 for more information, or log onto www.clemmerdulcimer.com.



• Rocky Branch Community Center, on Rocky Branch Road just off East Lamar Alexander Parkway in Townsend: A weekly bluegrass jam gets started every Friday night, featuring local amateur and professional musicians. Admission is free, except for special events, but organizers accept a donation for your patronage. Log onto www.blountweb.com/musicmakers/ for more information.



• Smoky Mountains Convention Center and Visitors Bureau, 7906 E. Lamar Alexander Parkway, Townsend: Three times a year, the visitors center holds its annual festivals with live music performances all day. The remaining dates for 2008 include: April 25-26 and May 2-3, Townsend Spring Festival and Old Timers Day; Sept. 26-27, Fall Heritage Festival and Old Timers Day. Call 448-6134 for more information, or log onto www.smokymountains.org.



• Swank's Jazz Club, Restaurant and Martini Bar, 100 Court St., downtown Maryville: Maryville's newest restaurant will feature live jazz every week and is scheduled to open the first weekend of April. Call 556-9343 for more information.



• Two Doors Down, 118 E. Broadway, downtown Maryville: Owned by Jeff Breazeale, guitarist for local blues-rock band The Dixie Werewolves, Two Doors Down is a friendly neighborhood bar that holds shows every Thursday, Friday and Saturday night by local and regional bands and singer-songwriters. Admission is free. Call 980-7771 for more information.



• Tomato Head, 211 W. Broadway, downtown Maryville: One of the most eclectic (and delicious) restaurants in the area features live music almost every weekend. The shows start at 9:30 p.m., and admission is $5 or less. Call 981-1080 for more information.



• "The Shed" at Smoky Mountain Harley-Davidson, 1820 W. Lamar Alexander Parkway in Maryville: The covered pavilion next door to the dealership is the site of weekly concerts beginning April 12 and running through the end of October. Many of the events are free; others feature such national roots-oriented artists as John Hiatt, Mary Gauthier, Todd Snider, Ray Wylie Hubbard, Billy Joe Shaver and more. Call 977-1669 for more information, or log onto www.smh-d.com for a full 2008 schedule.



• Thunderworld USA, 1551 W. Lamar Alexander Parkway, Maryville: A entertainment complex that features bowling, batting cages and more, Thunderworld holds all-ages rock shows almost every weekend. Admission is usually free. Call 981-3399 for more information.



• Waterfront Bar and Grill, 404 Greenbelt Drive, downtown Maryville: Another neighborhood nightspot, overlooking the Maryville Greenbelt and downtown duck pond, features live bands at 9 p.m. every Friday and karaoke every Saturday. Admission is free. Call 681-1212 for more information.