Calendar of Events

The Surfers, the premier dance band in the rural communities of southeast Tennessee during the 1960’s, are back together! The Surfers will return to the “the stage” to perform a reunion benefit dance to support programs of Monroe Area Council for the Arts (MACA) at the new Madisonville Primary School.

From 1966 to 1970, The Surfers were the Kings of Rock and Roll in southeast Tennessee. During the 1960’s, the teen scene in Madisonville was defined by bell-bottoms, mini-skirts, the A&W, the Pugganut, and the Lamp Post Restaurant (“Home of the Surferburger”). Teenagers cruised U.S. Highway 411 (nicknamed “Sin Strip” by famed local newspaper editor Dan Hicks, Jr.) in ’61 Chevys and ’63 Fords. Every Saturday night, they gathered at the Farm Bureau building in Madisonville to dance to the music of The Surfers. The original Surfers include lead singer and keyboardist Mike Anderson, bass player Bobby Moser, lead guitarist Johnny Byrum, and drummer Jimmy Samples. During the 1960’s, The Surfers were defined by success. They practiced almost every day and rented the Farm Bureau building for dances in Madisonville every Friday and Saturday night that they weren’t engaged elsewhere. Although the 1960’s were a time when garage bands were prolific, none displayed the showmanship or the virtuosity of The Surfers. They never let the music of the times get ahead of them. If it was playing on the radio, then The Surfers were also playing it at the Farm Bureau on Saturday night. The musical career of The Surfers reached a peak in 1969 when they won the Knoxville Battle of the Bands and placed third in the state-wide competition sponsored by Teaberry Gum. The Fifth Exit, the band which placed first in Tennessee, went on to win the national competition.

Advance tickets for the dance are $10 and may be purchased at all Citizens National Banks in Monroe County, at the MACA office in Madisonville, or at Century 21 Hendershot Realty on U.S. 411 next to the A&W. Tickets will also be available at the door on the night of the performance for $15. Madisonville Primary School is located on Monroe St., two blocks from the Monroe County Courthouse.

Monroe Area Council for the Arts: 423-442-3210, www.monroearts.com

“Use it up, wear it out, make it do or do without” is the theme of this special event for regional Girl Scouts. Activities, demonstrators, and Museum artifacts will illustrate the ingenuity of our forebears. Call the Museum to register.

Museum of Appalachia, 2819 Andersonville Hwy., Clinton, TN 37716 (16 miles north of Knoxville at I-75, exit 122, then one mile east). Open every day except Thanksgiving and Christmas. Information: 865-494-7680, www.museumofappalachia.org

Each spring, the winter’s growth of heavy wool is trimmed from the Museum’s flock of sheep. The process of producing yarn—from shearing sheep to spinning wool and using the batting in quilts—will be demonstrated by master of the trade, Dean Fritz of Murfreesboro who explains the process to onlookers while using a vintage hand-cranked shearing machine. Carmen Bonnell will demonstrate spinning wool into yarn on an old‐fashioned spinning wheel. Ruby Patterson will share the historical significance of quilt patterns while she explains the quilting process to visitors.The shearing, spinning, and quilting demonstrations are part of the Museum’s mission to preserve and pass along the Appalachian culture to future generations.

Spring comes alive with gardens growing, heirloom flowers beginning to bloom, native trees putting forth their summer-green leaves—and schoolchildren on end-of-term field trips.

Museum of Appalachia, 2819 Andersonville Hwy., Clinton, TN 37716 (16 miles north of Knoxville at I-75, exit 122, then one mile east). Open every day except Thanksgiving and Christmas. Information: 865-494-7680, www.museumofappalachia.org

Featuring a broad selection of works - paintings, photographs, drawings, and video - by artists whose chief inspiration stems from the surrounding landscape, whether rural or urban, perceived or imagined. The exhibition examines the many ways artists reference the external environment in constructing scenes marked by instability, ambiguity, deception, or fragmentation. Includes works by Jim Campbell, Patty Chang, Herb Creecy, Robert Van Deventer, Tomory Dodge, Chuck Forsman, Natasha Kissell, Alison Moritsugu, Brian Novatny, Hiraki Sawa, Darren Waterston, Roger Weik, and Charlotta Westergren.

Free admission. Hours: Tues-Thurs 10-5; Fri 10-8; Sat 10-5; Sun 1-5. 1050 World’s Fair Park Drive, Knoxville, TN 37916. 865-525-6101, www.knoxart.org, info@knoxart.org

Arrowmont School of Arts and Crafts, a sponsor of the 60th Annual Spring Wildflower Pilgrimage, is showcasing the watercolors, acrylics and drawings of Bob George, winner of the 2009 Spring Wildflower Pilgrimage Art Contest. Bob George relocated to Sevierville, Tennessee in 2002 after a career in Washington, D.C. as an illustrator, commercial artist and art director. Bob, a native of Key West, Florida, studied at the Ringling School of Art. His artwork has been featured at the Smithsonian’s National Air & Space Museum, the White House, Pentagon and U.S. Park Service Visitor Centers. Bob’s winning entry, “Bloodroot” was selected as part of a national juried competition and has been used as the Pilgrimage’s promotional image for 2010. Criteria for submission is that the artist’s primary subject included botanically accurate depictions of a spring flowering plant (or plants) native to Great Smoky Mountains National Park. “Bob’s skills as an illustrator and a painter are exquisite. It is evident that he has a strong relationship with and has mastered his media. His work brings the beauty and composition of nature to life on paper – the rendering of a simple stone becomes a captivating visual. We are proud to showcase Bob’s range of artworks and encourage you to come and enjoy this wonderful exhibit,” says Karen Green, Gallery Coordinator.

In the Loggia Gallery. Arrowmont School of Arts and Crafts, 576 Parkway, Gatlinburg, TN 37738. For information: 865-436-5860, www.arrowmont.org

The Urban Land Scouts are a new scouting group dedicated to helping modern urban people become better stewards of the land where they live. The gallery installation will display information, activities, embroidered patches, and literature associated with the Urban Land Scouts. Gallery visitors will be invited to join the Urban Land Scouts and take home things like plants, seeds, and printed ephemera, depending on their level of experience and interest.

Special Urban Land Scout Events (also at the Gallery; all events are free):
April 16th, Friday, 4:30 pm – Urban Land Walk with ULS founder Katie Ries
April 17th, Saturday, 1-3 pm – Seed Swap, Bring seeds, bags, envelopes and a pen.
April 22nd, Thursday, 4:30 pm – Urban Composting Talk with Knoxville Recycling Coalition
April 29th, Thursday, 4:30 pm – Herb talk with Nickie Bold

106 South Gay Street, Knoxville, TN, 37902. Hours: Wednesday – Friday, 11 am – 6 pm, Saturday 10 am – 3 pm. Closing reception April 30th, 6-9 pm. Information: 865-673-0802; Katie Ries - katie@urbanlandscouts.com; whoshareswins.com

A first for Knoxville! A beautiful floral tapestry featuring a representation of dogwood blooms will be installed in Krutch Park. This 20 foot by 40 foot “carpet” will be a preview of a much larger tapestry of flowers, which will be on display at the Knoxville Botanical Garden in October of this year. The dogwoods featured in the design are representative of both our region’s spring blossoms and the Sweetwater Red Dogwood, which was discovered by the Howell family- original owners of the land in which Knoxville Botanical Garden resides. At the Krutch Park Extension. Information: 865-637-4661, www.dogwoodarts.com.

Experience East Tennessee's historical and present role in Americana music with performances by more than 40 acts in nine venues across Knoxville, including: Market Square, Bijou Theatre, The Square Room, Knoxville Botanical Garden, Barley’s, UT Gardens, Back Room @ Remedy, Preservation Pub and Crown & Goose. Artists performing at the 2010 festival are as follows: BEN SOLLEE & DANIEL MARTIN MOORE • CARRIE RODRIGUEZ • THE OLD CEREMONY • SAMANTHA CRAIN • THE DIXIE BEE-LINERS • YARN • THE NEW FAMILIARS • SALLIE FORD AND THE SOUND OUTSIDE • 18 SOUTH • THE BLACK LILLIES • ELLIOT BROOD • RB MORRIS & HECTOR QIRKO • A SPECIAL SOLO PERFORMANCE BY POKEY LAFARGE • DAWN LANDES AND THE HOUNDS • SHOTGUN PARTY • HOT SEATS • GREENSKY BLUEGRASS • KRISTIN ANDREASSEN • KRIS DELMHORST • AMERICAN AQUARIUM • BALLHOG! • THE RHYTHM BREWERS • MEGAN MCCORMICK • SOULGRASS REBELLION • MEDFORD’S BLACK RECORD COLLECTION • HARPETH RISING • BRENDON JAMES WRIGHT AND THE WRONGS • THE DRUNK UNCLES • RUBBER KNIFE GANG • ROLLIN’ HIGHWAY REVUE • THECITYLIGHTS* • STEPHEN SEBASTIAN • TAYLOR BROWN • THE SONGBIRDS • KEVIN HYFANTIS • KELSEY’S WOODS • THENDERFIN • SARAH HARGETT • DANIELLE MADISON • SLOW BLIND HILL • CUTTHROAT SHAMROCK • TODD PRESTON • TRAVIS MANN BAND • GREG HORNE

Admission: $40 Festival Pass available at Pilot Stores and ORNL Federal Credit Unions.
Information: 865-637-4561, www.rhythmnbloomsfest.com

Opening night, April 16. Written by Dale Wasserman; Music by Mitch Leigh; Lyrics by Joe Darion. to dream the impossible dream. . . Journey with Cervantes’ knight errant as he rides in a hopeful quest for love and valor amid trying times.

1714 Andy Holt Avenue on the UT Campus, Knoxville, TN 37996. For information: 865-974-5161, www.clarencebrowntheatre.org

Daniel Maw, Erin Mullenex

Ewing Gallery, 1715 Volunteer Blvd, Knoxville, TN 37996. Hours: Monday & Thursday: 10AM-8PM; Tuesday, Wednesday & Friday: 10AM-5PM; and Sunday: 1-4PM. For information: 865-974-3200, www.ewing-gallery.utk.edu

By David Bottrell and Jessie Jones in the Sue E. Trotter Theater at The Arts Center in downtown Athens. The play is sponsored by Dick & Sylvia Pelley, G. David Brown & Jan Burleson, Art & Ellen Kimball, and Kathryn Hunter & The Wildman. In the Baptist backwoods of the Bible Belt, the beleaguered Turpin family proves that living and dying in the South are seldom tidy and sometimes hilarious. Despite their earnest efforts to pull themselves together for their father’s funeral, the Turpin’s other problems keep overshadowing the solemn occasion: first-born Ray-Bud drinks himself silly as the funeral bills mount; Junior, the younger son is juggling financial ruin, monster kids, and his own infidelity; their spinster sister Delightful, copes with death as she does with life, by devouring junk food; and the neighbors add more than two cents. Amidst the chaos, the Turpins turn for comfort to friends and neighbors, an eccentric community of misfits who just manage to pull together and help each other through their hours of need, and finally, the funeral. Dearly Departed is directed by G. David Brown. The cast includes Bob Roseberry, Jan Burleson, Beth Harris, Sarah Maynard, Art Kimball, Karen Siklosi, Colby Dempsey, Jason Carusillo, Amanda Haun, Autumn Lowry, Sarah Philpott, Jeanne Williams, Grady Williams, and Steve Walker. Tickets for the opening night dinner theater on April 15 are $25 by reservation only. Doors open at 6:00 PM with a cash bar, dinner at 6:30 PM and show at 7:30 PM. Tickets for all other performances are $10 for adults, $8 for student. Showtime is 7:30 PM on April 16, 17, 22, 23, and 24. One matinee is offered at 2:00 PM on Sunday, April 18. Thursday, April 22nd is “Student Night” when students are admitted for $5.00. Groups of 10 or more receive the student price at any performance besides dinner theater. Tickets are available by phone at 423-745-8781, online at www.athensartscouncil.org, or at The Arts Center, 320 North White St., Athens, Tennessee.

Gallery 1010 is a student-run exhibition space for the University of Tennessee students, faculty, staff and alumni. We strive to offer the university community, and the growing downtown Knoxville gallery district with stimulating visual art experiences by consistently exhibiting innovative, contemporary artwork.

Gallery 1010: 113 S. Gay Street, Knoxville, TN 37902. Hours: Thursday-Saturday 12-4PM; Opening Reception: Friday 6-9PM. http://sunsite.utk.edu/gallery1010/Site/About_Gallery_1010.html