Calendar of Events

Town Mountain at the Bijou Theatre pm Thursday, February 15, 2024, at 7:30 PM

Bijou Theatre, https://knoxbijou.org/, 803 South Gay Street Knoxville, TN 37902
Box Office, 865-684-1200, Monday through Friday 10am to 3pm

Thu Feb 15 2024
8:00 PM (Doors 7:00 PM)

The Mill & Mine, 227 W. Depot Avenue, Knoxville, TN 37917. Tickets/information: 865-343-6000 or https://themillandmine.com

The United States Navy Band will be performing at FARRAGUT HIGH SCHOOL AUDITORIUM, 11237 Kingston Pike, on Thursday, February 15th at 7:00pm.

Tickets are free to the public, but you do need to reserve tickets ahead of time. Simply click on this link to reserve your tickets:
https://usnavyband.ticketleap.com/2024-concert-band-knoxville/

These are some of the most talented musicians in the world on their instruments, it would be well worth your time to attend! Hope to see you there!

Thursday, February 15, 7 pm
Clayton Performing Arts Center at Pellissippi State
10915 Hardin Valley Road, Knoxville, TN 37933

No ticket is required for this free concert open to the public!

The KJYO is excited to be joined by guest artist Greg Moody, a composer, arranger, and multi-instrumentalist who will play saxophones, clarinet and percussion with the KJYO on Feb. 15!

The Knoxville Jazz Youth Orchestra is an honors band under the direction of KJO lead trombonist Tom Lundberg, who was a Music instructor at Pellissippi State for 20+ years. The band is open to high school students from across East Tennessee and is chosen by audition each fall. This year's roster includes 20 students from area high schools. The KJYO explores the repertoire of outstanding jazz ensembles as well as the music of the Great American Songbook. The group offers students the opportunity to learn about and develop jazz improvisation skills.

About Greg Moody: Greg Moody grew up just outside of Staunton, Virginia. He attended the Shenandoah Conservatory at Shenandoah University, where he earned a Bachelor of Music degree in Jazz Studies. He has performed with groups such as The Temptations, the Tommy Dorsey Orchestra, and Richmond-based Salsa group Bio Ritmo. He performs regularly as a freelance saxophonist and woodwind specialist, and is a member of the Vosbein Magee Big Band. Moody is also a composer of works for concert bands and jazz ensembles. One of his recently published works was selected for Bandworld Magazine's prestigious Top 100 list of compositions for 2023.

https://www.knoxjazz.org/

They Sang What They Lived: The Story of Carl and Pearl Butler is the first retrospective exhibition of Carl and Pearl Butler, the iconic country music duo whose timeless lyrics and harmonious melodies left an indelible mark on country music. With a career spanning over four decades, Carl and Pearl Butler became celebrated figures in the world of country music. “Carl made scores of major-label records during the 1950s,” says Bradley E. Reeves, the exhibition’s guest curator and author of the new book Honky Tonkitis: On the Road with Carl Butler and Pearl. “These are some of the best bluegrass, gospel, and hard country records ever made, although none could be called a massive hit.” That honor would come in 1962, when Carl and Pearl recorded “Don’t Let Me Cross Over.” The song remains among the fastest ever to ascend to No. 1 on Billboard Hot Country Singles. Carl and Pearl’s unique “Knoxville sound,” along with heartfelt lyrics, earned them a dedicated fan base who supported them at performances across the United States and Canada through the 1970s. The exhibition offers visitors a rare glimpse into the lives of these music legends.

Key highlights of the exhibition include:
1. Rare Family Archives: Museum guests will have the opportunity to view the Allen “Junior” Butler Family Collection, which has been made publicly available for the first time and includes never-before-seen photographs, home movies, original instruments, and stage costumes that belonged to Carl and Pearl Butler. “I’m grateful to Allen Butler and his family for opening their home and archives to share with us,” says Reeves.
2. Musical Journey: Explore the duo's musical journey through a feature film, which transports visitors through various periods of their career and traces their unfiltered, raw singing style, one that derived from and advanced the “Knoxville sound.”
3. Behind-the-Scenes: Gain insight into the lives of Carl and Pearl Butler through never-before-seen family photographs and recently uncovered anecdotes from the family and fellow musicians, including Dolly Parton who viewed the Butlers as her “second parents.” “Despite their successes,” says Adam Alfrey, Assistant Director for Historical Services at Knox County Public Library, “Carl and Pearl faced personal and professional struggles, which are intimately documented through the family’s photographs.”
4. Interpretive Experience: Engage with the exhibition to understand how both Knoxville and Nashville played a role in the development of country music. Also, learn how chart-topping artists can quickly become all but forgotten, even in their hometown. “The Butlers somehow fell through the cracks,” reflects Reeves. “It’s my hope that this book and exhibition will contribute to a reappreciation of their great body of work.”
They Sang What They Lived: The Story of Carl and Pearl Butler promises to be a heartfelt educational experience for country music enthusiasts and fans of all ages. It serves as a testament to the enduring influence of Carl and Pearl Butler on the world of music.

At 5:00 pm, Friday, October 6, 2023, there will be an opening reception for They Sang What They Lived: The Story of Carl and Pearl Butler. The event will include a meet and greet with Carl and Pearl Butler’s family, a book signing by guest curator Bradley E. Reeves, and an exhibition of Appalachian musical pioneer paintings by artist Amy Campbell. At 7:00 pm, there will be a “Tribute to Carl and Pearl,” opened by a performance of the Paul Brewster and Friends Band, comprised of 14-year-old mandolin prodigy Wyatt Ellis and Grand Ole Opry performers Daniel Grindstaff, Kent Blanton, Stephen Burwell, and John Meador. A screening of 8mm home movies shot by the Butlers (watch for an appearance by 10-year-old Dolly Parton), as well as some of the Butlers’ rarest television appearances, will conclude the evening.

East Tennessee Historical Society, 601 S. Gay Street, Knoxville, TN 37902. Museum hours: M-F 9-4, Sa 10-4, Su 1-5. Information: 865-215-8824, www.eastTNhistory.org/lights-camera