THE "TENNESSEE TRAVELER" VISITS THE PRINCESS

Alan Williams recently visited our Princess, for a segment on his "Tennessee Traveler" show on WVLT Channel 8 in Knoxville!

We appreciate the visit and hope they come back soon!

THE "TALK IS CHEAP" TOUR IS COMING TO THE PRINCESS

Four of East Tennessee's best "storytellers" are coming to the Princess Theatre on Saturday, August 11th, at 7PM.  So pass the word...they are coming!

The Princess Foundation presents Bill Landry, Sam Venable, Jim Claborn, with Elizabeth Rose - it's the "TALK IS CHEAP" tour!  The storytellers will each take the stage and tickle your funny bone with stories from the East Tennessee area.  

Tales straight from the horse's mouth!

Bill Landry has been the voice, host, narrator, and co-producer of The Heartland Series since it was conceived on WBIR TV, Channel 10 in 1984, to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the founding of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park.

Since it began, over 1,400 short features have been produced, including over 150 half-hour specials. The program celebrates the people and the land of the entire Appalachian region.

Bill has collected numerous stories from his travels to gather material for the Heartland tales.  Most of those stories are hilariously funny, and he will tell many of them on August 11!

Bill Landry, Elizabeth Rose, Sam Venable, and Jim Claborn!

Sam Venable is a humor columnist for the Knoxville News Sentinel.  He assumed that position in 1985 after serving as the newspaper’s outdoors editor for 15 years.

Sam is a native of Knoxville. He is a graduate of the University of Tennessee with a degree in journalism and minor studies in forestry and wildlife management. 

Winner of more than three dozen national and regional writing awards, Sam has also been widely published outside the newspaper field.  Most of us feel we haven't read the morning paper without a Venable column!

His newest collection of tales is called "Someday I May Find Honest Work: A Newspaper Humorist's Life."

In his latest book, Venable chronicles life and all the strange and absurd things that go with it. With his lively commentary and quirky observations, he brings an uncommon perspective to common experiences. But even as he describes these trials and tribulations, Venable admits -- with what you can be certain is a big grin -- "that it sure beats workin' for a living." 

"What dog?  I didn't see no dog!"

Jim Claborn is a long time Hamblen County teacher, newspaper columnist, author, and Dollywood Street Character. Besides being seen on about 30 "Heartlands Series", other appearances include NBC's "Today Show", "The Last of the Mohicans", and A & E's "Biography". An accomplished storyteller and humorist, he's been heard across the country and locally at the Museum of Appalachia, Morristown's Crockett Tavern Museum, the Museum of East Tennessee, and many other East Tennessee venues.

The things Bill finds in his pockets!

Elizabeth Rose shares stories woven with wit, humor, and expressive enthusiasm. She has the ability to mesmerize her listeners, transporting them through her image-laden tales of other times and cultures. She has thrilled children and adults alike with her vivacious storytelling in classrooms, festivals, and conferences around the country. She is truly captivating in voice and presentation!

Sam says: "Spread the word!  We're a comin'!"

Tickets go on sale July 6th, at Rock Top General Store in Harriman!

THE VESPERS WELL RECEIVED AT THE PRINCESS

Like most of you, I too had to miss Sunday afternoon's performance at the Princess.  However, Megan Anderson, Princess Manager, was kind enough to fill us in on what we missed!

____________________

 

What a great show The Vespers put on Sunday night (June 3rd)!

I am saddened that so many of you were unable to attend, because you missed a great musical show!  However, I understand that you can't always attend, but please try.  We promise not to put on a bad show, so if it's booked, you can count on it being quality entertainment.
 

So here is my account of what you missed:
The show was opened by a very talented local 16 year-old named Haley Fulmer.   She was joined by Nick Hill on kick drum and the banjo and Anthony Hamby on guitar.  I was not surprised a bit when the audience gave them a standing ovation.

After a few minutes break between acts  the Vespers entered on stage one by one.  I have to say they sounded exactly like they do on their CD.  You would have been amazed by how many different instruments they played.  They had acoustic guitar, mandolin, banjo, ukulele, electric bass, tambourine, and of course drums. Between songs they would switch the instruments around. They are really talented artists.

The Vespers had mentioned that they had just finished a 14 non-stop tour and we were their last stop on their way home to Nashville.  They loved the Princess and I could tell from the minute they entered the building they were excited to perform here.  They were all so nice and took a lot of time after the show talking with fans.

This was such a great concert, not to mention it was for a great cause.  All the proceeds from the concert went to Hunger Relief in Roane County (which is another reason you should have attended).   All the food brought in by ticket buyers were given to food banks in Harriman, Rockwood, and Kingston.  Way to go Roane County!

The Vespers will be back in East TN on July 13th in Maryville at The Shed and July 27th at the Relix Variety Theatre in Knoxville.  I hope to make at least one of those shows, and I hope to see you there!

NOTHING FINER THAN AN EVENING AT THE PRINCESS

I can't say Thursday night was a packed house, but there was a nice crowd, and everyone seemed to have a great time.  I was just disappointed in you...it was a $10 ticket and the music was so much better than you might have expected, so why weren't you there?!

Folks we have got to get out and support every event held at the Princess if we expect our city to grow.  It's wonderful to see old friends, to be inside the Princess, and to have something to do in Harriman.  Isn't that what we've been wanting?  

Before showing and telling you about the show, I like to take a line here to thank The Spot restaurant for being open late during performance evenings.  They do a bang up business during these times, keeping the roadies, sound guys, and artists fed.  One day soon, someone will figure our they can make a buck opening a place to hang out prior to and after concerts at the Princess!

The Spot is more than a sandwich shop too.  They fed the band plate dinners, that Kerry Walker raved about.  So check'em out!

To a little over half capacity crowd, the DetroitDaddies Trio, consisting of Michael "Crawdaddy" Crawley (harmonica/vocals), "Detroit Dave" Meer (guitar/vocals), and Ben Maney (keyboard/vocals)  and took the stage and really warmed up the crowd.  

The bluesy "trop" artists got the house moving, and all so ready for the main event!  Crawdaddy was a ball of fire, and got the crowd into the music by jumping from the stage and continuing to play while sitting in some laps!  He then leaped back up and rolled back into place at the microphone!

Up next was another music treat, The Rockerz from Atlanta!  The Rockerz have made a name for themselves throughout the south playing with the likes of Mitch Ryder, Barry "Eve of Destruction" McGuire, Sonny Geraci of the Outsiders (Time Wont Let Me), Climax (Precious and Few), Archie Bell, Dennis "Classics IV" Yost, and Dennis Tufano (original voice of the Buckinghams).
  

The current line up of The Rockerz is fairly new but Steve G is a seasoned leader and front man who pulls it all together.  The Rockerz formed in 1995, and Stevie's strong vocals and guitar playing are the foundation to the band's great sound.  Steve Guettler is the bands front man playing a great lead guitar and doing vocals, with Brad Slipiec (keyboards), Alex Jones (bass), and Kerry Walker (drums). 

Stevie G has been the undisputed Master of Mayhem since The Rockerz first album, "If You Came Here For The Party Then We're Here To Rock-n-Roll" in 1996.  Ten years later, the album, “Sand in My Shoes” was out and rocking hard.  Stevie G has written all of the songs on these albums, and his latest album, “Big News in a Small Town”, is no exception and sure to be a hit!

So, then it was time for Dennis Tufano, the original voice of the 60s group Buckinghams!  Backed by the Rockerz and Steve Jarrell, who drove up from Nashville just to be on stage with his old friend Dennis.  I've written about Steve previously on my personal blog, and he is a talented sax player with a following of his own.  His contribution to the band Thursday night was notable.

The ladies went wild from the first moment Dennis stepped on stage.  He may be my age now, but he has been taking better vitamins!  He still had his youthful shape and energy, and he put his heart and soul into every song.  He was dripping wet from the sweat he worked up entertaining the Princess audience.  

The women were whistling, yelling, and clapping during and after songs like "Don't You Care", "Hey Baby They're Playing Our Song", "How Can I Be Sure", "Kind Of A Drag", and more.  He still pulls his audience into his beloved music and travels many miles a year from his California home for the love of his craft.

Tufano is an accomplished "harp man" as well, so he and "Crawdaddy" hit it off immediately, talking over and examining the "harp box" backstage. 

So, suffice it to say, if you weren't there, you missed a great show.  The "Tufano" name may not be well known, but folks rest assured, if Princess Productions brings a show, any show, to the Princess, you can count on being entertained.  So, get up and get out!  I'll keep you informed right here!

Next up at the Princess from "Hunger Relief in Roane County", the Vespers!  Sunday, June 3rd on the Princess stage.  For more information, click HERE!

Here are more photos from Thursday night's concert:

Sound check is my favorite time.  I'm there getting a feel for the band and performers and the anticipation begins to build.

Our own Jimbo Duncan and Darrell Cole run themselves ragged making sure all the cables are interconnected and each mic, amp, "wedge monitor", and woofer are putting out the needed sound and feed.  Darrell even added his backup singing talent to one of the Rockerz songs!

Each performer goes through a portion of the upcoming songs and makes sure they can hear themselves and that the audience will be comfortably entertained.

WHAT WAS I THINKING...I'M NOT THE ONLY PHOTOGRAPHER OUT THERE!

I wasn’t the only photographer at the Grand Opening of the Princess Theatre on March the 22nd, as many of you who took a camera probably know. Me, being the principal historical photographer inside the theater, I knew others enjoying the opening that night had cameras, but I also knew I’d probably never get to see most of the photos shot.

Just this week I stumbled upon a series of photos that quickly struck me as being fantastic, and worthy of being documented here as part of the future legacy of the 2012 Princess re-opening. Those shots*, detailed below, were made by a local talented man, most of you know...Jason Mynatt! I really don’t know if I’ve ever met Jason, but I know Ken well, so he has to be a great person!

However, I plan on making it a goal of mine to meet him one day soon and to talk cameras!

This first photo was the one that really got my attention first. It first glance it appears to be the same original 1939 photo we’ve all seen before, except this time, there is what appears to be a cowboy, carrying a guitar, walking under the marquee. What a great shot! Honestly, I’m so jealous of this shot. First because I also wanted that shooting advantage that night, but it was never arranged for me, and I didn’t take the initiative to find access myself! Second, the shot is remarkable!

The shot seems perfectly arranged and the lighting is perfect, and I would have spent minutes clicking away at different settings to come close to capturing the moment. However, Jason did this with a few tweaks to the Hipstamatic “app” on his iPhone! Yes, his iPhone! Notice the difference between the first and second shots. The first is the iPhone and the second is his trusty Canon EOS 30D. Proving once again that it’s not the camera, but the photographer’s eye!

I just wanted you all to enjoy these shots, as did I, and put them in a place that hopefully would preserve them for the future to enjoy!

Details of black and white “cowboy” photo:

Date: 3/22/12 8:44 PM Dimensions: 1936 x 1936 pixels File Name: The Princess and the Cowboy.jpg File Size: 747.42K Camera: 250 (iPhone with Hipstamatic App) Exposure: 0.067 sec (1/15) Aperture: f/2.8 Focal Length: 3.85 mm ISO Speed: 400 Exposure Bias: - Flash Used: No

Details of black and white empty photo:

Date: 3/22/12 9:41 PM Dimensions: 2327 x 2918 pixels File Name: IMG_0535.JPG File Size: 1.17M Camera: Canon EOS 30D Exposure: 0.6 sec (1/2) Aperture: f/11 Focal Length: 24 mm ISO Speed: 100 Exposure Bias: - Flash Used: No 

Details of color photo:

Date: 3/22/12 9:14 PM Dimensions: 2833 x 2272 pixels File Name: IMG_0262.JPG File Size: 1.88M Camera: Canon EOS 30D Exposure: 0.125 sec (1/8) Aperture: f/3.5 Focal Length: 24 mm ISO Speed: 100 Exposure Bias: - Flash Used: No

 

So the next time I start to think I shot something good, I’m going to remember these photos by Jason. I’m not the only one out there that knows their way around a camera!

You can find these and other shots at KJMImages on Etsy, and probably at Tennessee's Finest Awards & Frameworks. It’s worth your time to browse his photos.

My thanks to Jason Mynatt for allowing me to post these shots here, and for bringing me down a notch.

*NOTE: These shots are from small files, so you know the “real” things have to be great!

ARE YOU READY FOR SOME MORE PRINCESS MUSIC?

I know I am!

Here's the 2nd in a series! 

The Princess Foundation proudly presents Dennis Tufano, "Original Voice of The Buckinghams", and blues harmonica great Michael “Crawdaddy” Crawley and The Detroit Daddies!  They're all coming May 24th, at 7 PM.

Tickets are on sale at Rocky Top General Store and Harriman Jewelry for $15 for the floor and $10 for the balcony and will be festival seating.  All proceeds go to the Princess Foundation.

If you came up through the 60's music era, like me, then you'll instantly flash back to those trademark opening horn notes on The Buckinghams'  #1 hit, "Kind of a Drag", which became a signature of the Chicago horn sound.  Dennis Tufano was the voice that sang that song, and he's coming to the Princess to sing all his greatest hits! 

Dennis, a native of Chicago, is the "original voice" of “The Buckinghams”. The Chicago-based group scored with a string of five Top Ten hits in the late-sixties including, the No#1 “Kind of A Drag”, “Don’t You Care”, “Mercy, Mercy, Mercy”, “Hey Baby, They’re Playing Our Song”, “Susan” and “Back In Love Again”. 

In the Buckinghams, Dennis was part of the song-writing duo "Tufano and Giammarese" and recorded three albums with Lou Adler's custom label, Ode Records.  Appearing as guest vocalist he went on to co-write with renowned composer and musician Tom Scott.  With Scott as composer, Dennis performed the "original title/theme song" for the long running "Family Ties" television show. (First 13episodes)

Dennis also wrote the music and performed with Bernie Taupin, Elton John's lyricist, on Taupin's album, "He Who Rides The Tiger". Subsequently he teamed again with Taupin to co-write, co-produce and perform the Farm Dogs album “Last Stand In Open Country”.

Back on the road, Dennis joined Olivia Newton-John on her hugely successful tour and was featured, with her on the HBO Special in two dramatically inspired duets.

As an actor, Dennis has appeared in theater productions in Los Angeles and has worked in film, television, radio and commercials.

He was also one of the founding members of an improvisational voice-ensemble called the “LA.MadDogs”. This group of actors performs on hundreds of movies and numerous television shows and have produced and performed seven "live" radio dramas, three of which Dennis directed, for KMPC RADIO THEATER in Los Angeles.

Dennis produced, directed and shot a documentary in Chicago, "Major Hall: Therapy Tuesday" and is currently preparing it for release. He has been praised for his performance on the, “PBS Music Series the ‘60s”, and will be included in the award winning PBS-DVD series.

At the age of eight, Michael “Crawdaddy” Crawley’s grandmother gave him his first harmonica, a gift from Hawaii where she once lived. It inspired him to learn his first Beatles song, “Love Me Do”.

Crawdaddy’s first introduction to the world of Trop Rock was at Knoxville’s Tropic Festival in 1997, where he appeared with St. Somewhere, A1A and Greg Bridgewater.  The next year he traveled to Key West with St. Somewhere for Meeting of the Minds, the official Convention for Parrot Heads in Paradise. Here he discovered Parrot Heads and their love of Trop Rock music.  From 1998 to 2001 he joined St. Somewhere on the road, traveling all over the United States.

Thirty years after picking up his first harp, Crawdaddy continues the musical journey his grandmother began.  Over the years Crawdaddy has befriended some of Jimmy Buffett’s bandmates – the Coral Reefers, and he has performed with a variety of musicians like Fingers Taylor, Magic Dick of The Geils Band, Mitch Kashmar of the band War and Mark Hummel, and has opened up for well-respected artists such as BB King, Johnny Winter, Kenny Wayne Shepard, Blackfoot, Delbert McClinton, The Sauce Boss, Marshall Tucker, Mac MacAnally and Nadirah Shakoor.

These days Crawdaddy performs in a wide range of musical outfits, spanning many musical genres: a blues duo called the Detroit Daddies; the Trop Rock duo with Tall Paul (affectionately known as “TallDaddy”); a seven-piece blues band called “Jenna and Her Cool Friends” (who represented Knoxville at the 2012 International Blues Challenge in Memphis); a local Jug band called Y’uns; and a rock outfit called Crawdaddy the Band.

So, see you at the Princess!

THE VESPERS ARE COMING, THE VESPERS ARE COMING!

What is a "vesper"?  Traditionally, the vespers, were the evening prayers of Catholic and Lutheran based religions, but the term has also been used by Protestant faiths to describe their evening worship services.

The Vespers is also a band name chosen by four young singer/songwriters, who have toured from Boston to Austin, hitting everything from festivals to college campuses in between.  And, they are coming to the Princess Theatre on June 3rd!

The band chose "Vespers" to convey their fundamental belief in Christianity, but their songs are not necessarily evangelical. The songs are simple folk songs, with a touch of twang in the instrumentation.

The bands popularity has grown by word of mouth, and that word is..."magnificently unforgettable” and “fresh and infectious"!  With two sisters on lead vocals and two brothers filling out the sound, the foursome are distinguished by an arsenal of eleven instruments and the kind of harmony only siblings can create.

The doors will open at 5 PM of June 3rd, with all proceeds going to "Hunger Relief in Roane County".

Tickets  are $10 or $5 with a non perishable food item.

Still photography is allowed for this event. Videotaping will not be permitted.

Tickets are available at Amazing Bakes Cookies and Cakes, 611 Queen St. Harriman, TN 37748 (during normal business hours).  

OR, call 865-228-4306 for more Ticket Information.

A GUEST POST BY "COREY REED"

I guess I'll start off by introducing myself. My name is Corey Reed and I'm currently a freshman and Mass Communications major at Roane State Community College. I live in Midtown and whether or not that's Harriman or Kingston is beyond me. I know the debate has raged on for a while as to where Midtown belongs but my address says Harriman so I guess we'll go with Harriman. However, I was zoned for and attended Roane County High School in Kingston and I graduated there in 2011. So your guess about where I'm from is just as good as mine unless you officially know for sure.

Aside from talking about where I'm from, let's talk about Roane State. 

I have a lot of family members who have been involved with Roane State or are graduates. My mom, Shelley Reed, is an alumna of the graduating class of 1982. She also worked for Roane State from 1983 to 1990 and came back to work again from 2000 to 2008. My uncle, Shannon Robinson, as well as his son and my first cousin, Seth Robinson, are both graduates of Roane State as well. Seth also played baseball for the Raiders during his time at Roane State. Even though my dad is not a Roane State graduate, he has taken courses at one of the campuses. As earlier stated, I'm a freshman at Roane State, and I'm currently an employee in student enrollment and recruitment, where I hold the position of a telecounselor. I'm also a current member of Raider Corps. 

Now let's talk about my major at Roane State and why I chose it. 

As you already know from me telling you, I'm a Mass Communications major. I had pretty much intended to attend Roane State when I got out of high school. I decided that I wanted to choose this as my major around the beginning of my senior year. It turned out that Roane State was going to offer this major for the first time when I came in as a freshman in Fall 2011. I'm very thrilled that they offer this major and I'm also thrilled with the program, the TV station, and all the instructors that are involved with it.

I'm currently in the Television/Studio Production class at the Channel 15 Studio. The class is about just what the name suggests. As students, we're learning how to produce and edit studio and television productions. We've produced our own TV show called Scenic Backroads: The People and Places of Tennessee. As students, we produce and run the episodes by deciding our own topics, going out into the field to shoot the footage, doing the reporting, piecing and editing the episodes, and writing the script for the episodes ourselves. Some of the show's topics have included a mule farm, disc golf, antique shops, and a bakery, as well as many other things. Having class and working in the studio is a lot of fun. All of the students are friendly and enjoy what they're doing. We always have a good time and enjoy the company.

I have produced segments for two episodes and anchored a third episode. My first segment featured the disc golf course at Roane County Park. I love to play disc golf and I wanted to share some information about the wonderful course here in Roane County as well as instruct anyone new to the game on how to play. My second segment featured the noon whistle in downtown Harriman. This segment was interesting because I had no idea about the whistle. I enjoyed producing and reporting this one mainly because I learned a lot of things from it that I didn't know. I have also anchored the third episode of Scenic Backroads.

I've met a lot of great people over the duration of this course and program as well. We've taken field trips to WVLT and WBIR in Knoxville. I really enjoyed these tours because they really encouraged me to continue to pursue what I want to do. On these trips, we've met local news anchors and reporters including Lauren Davis, Alan Williams, David Aldrich, Beth Haynes, and John Becker. We're also planning a field trip to CNN in Atlanta.
 

I chose Mass Communications because I want to go into the broadcasting field as an anchorman. I'm gaining great experience through the classes at Roane State and by working at Channel 15. I intend to graduate from Roane State with an Associates Degree in Mass Communications. I then plan to go to either the University of Tennessee in Knoxville or ETSU to receive my bachelor's degree in the same field. I haven't decided if I want to pursue a master's degree, but who knows. It's not quite time for me to decide that yet.

If you're thinking about entering the field of mass communications, I encourage you to check out Roane State's major and program. It's off to a great start and growing with more and more classes, activities, and experiences as we speak. It's a great and rewarding field that I recommend to anyone.

“For Channel 15, I'm Corey Reed.” 

Scenic Backroads and all of Channel 15’s local productions are available at www.tv15.org, www.facebook.com/roanestate15, and www.youtube.com/roanestate15.

QUICK VISIT TO THE OPEN HOUSE TOUR

I didn't spend a lot of time at either Channel 15 or the Princess today, but everyone was either busy preparing for, or conducting actual tours.  So, I just made a couple of photos and got out of the way.

Matt Waters was busy making things shipshape when I arrived.  He really seems to take pride in studio and enjoys showing off the equipment his students utilize during classes.

If you have been keeping up with the student's field trips, their productions and behind the scenes photos on Facebook, or YouTube, you know what a great time they are having, and, they are learning!  You can catch the Backroads Episodes on Channel 15, or by clicking on the YouTube links below:

Scenic Backroads, Episode 1, Segment 1 - http://youtu.be/XMXd7UG8xA4

Scenic Backroads, Episode 1, Segment 2 - http://youtu.be/wefNt9q6xTc

Scenic Backroads, Episode 1, Segment 3 - http://youtu.be/xmaUifIG7iY

Scenic Backroads, Episode 1, Segment 4 - http://youtu.be/N0qOhCMS_7k

Scenic Backroads, Episode 1, Segment 5 - http://youtu.be/gy3MNyNqfPc

Next door, at the Princess Theatre, there were a couple of notable additions.  The new speakers have been hung from the ceiling on each side of the stage, and another row of lights have also been hung.

On stage was a temporary "blow up" screen, which worked fine, for small audiences like today's tours.  

Of course this screen is not the permanent screen, but it will serve small gatherings until a new screen is put in place.

Visitors were treated to a slideshow of local and restoration photos.  Megan was again proudly showing off her Princess, and she never seems to find it hard to find volunteers.

I, of course, played around with the camera, and made this HDR rendition.  It's not true color, but I like the painted feel of the processed photos.

Down front, Jimbo Duncan answers questions for a tour group, while Mr. Lewis Spivey (local historian) relaxes and watches the slideshow.  

If you still didn't make it to the Princess, rest assured that there will be lots of opportunities coming up in the near future.  Our Princess is in good hands and will be around for us to enjoy for years to come.

THE PRINCESS OPEN HOUSE

So, if you missed the Grand Opening, now you can see the Princess too!  Presenting the "OPEN HOUSE"!

Princess Theatre and Channel 15
Open House

When: Friday April 13th
Time: 3:00-6:00 p.m.
Admission: Free

Visitors are invited to tour the renovated Princess Theatre in downtown Harriman during an open house on Friday, April 13 from 3-6 p.m.

The event is free and open to the public. Channel 15 television station, located next door to the Princess, will also be open for tours.

“Everyone is invited to stop by and see the new Princess and learn more about Channel 15,” Princess Theatre manager Megan Anderson said. “We would love for everyone to visit and see the exciting things happening in downtown Harriman.”

For more information about the Princess, visit www.princessharriman.org or contact Anderson at princesstheatre@roanestate.edu or (865) 354-3000, ext. 4856.