Calendar of Events

Sunday, April 7, 2024 at 3:00 PM. Pre-concert talk begins at 2:30 PM.
First United Methodist Church of Oak Ridge
1350 Oak Ridge Turnpike, Oak Ridge, TN

The Chamber Music Series ends with “fireworks” in a concert by the Ariel String Quartet. Founded 25 years ago when they were teenagers in Israel, the Ariel Quartet is now the faculty quartet-in-residence at the University of Cincinnati’s College-Conservatory of Music. The quartet — violinist Alexandra Kazovsky, cellist Amit Even-Tov, violinist Gershon Gerchikov, and violist Jan Grüning — is the recipient of numerous prestigious and international awards including the Cleveland Quartet Award and Grand Prize at the Fischoff National Chamber Music Competition. Their “American Dream” program has a theatrical feel with a purposefully unannounced concert half “serving as a musical metaphor for the way we aspire to see others and want to be seen ourselves: free of expectations, unprejudiced, and with a truly open mind and heart.”
https://orcma.org/ariel-string-quartet

For more information, please call 865-483-5569 or visit https://orcma.org

SMBS PRESENTS 2024 SUNDAY BLUES CRUISES
TENNESSEE RIVERBOAT COMPANY, 300 Neyland Dr, Knoxville, TN
WWW.TNRIVERBOAT.COM or (865) 525-7827

The Smoky Mountain Blues Society will once again present live music with its first River Cruise of 2024. The inaugural performance will feature the Corey Dennison Band on the Tennessee Riverboat on Sunday, April 7th at 4 pm – 7 pm.

Tickets are available through the Tennessee Riverboat Company’s website, (tnriverboat.com) and by calling (865) 525-7827. Tickets are just $20 for members in advance and $25 for non-members. Boarding begins at 3:15 pm. Each voyage will also have full bar and limited food menu available onboard to buy.

Born in Chattanooga, Tennessee, Corey Dennison spent a majority of his childhood moving about Tennessee and Georgia. As a young boy, Corey heard the powerful, soulful sounds of the Blues on late night radio programs and recalls being captivated by the music. He received his first guitar at the age of 6 and began to imitate the music of artists such as Gatemouth Brown, Albert Collins and Albert King. Corey immediately felt a strong connection to Soul music. This marked a lasting impression on his musical style and is clearly visible today in his soulful vocals and fiery guitar solos.

www.smokymountainblues.org

YOU ARE CORDIALLY INVITED TO THE 1ST ANNUAL SILVER GALA, WHERE WE WILL BE CELEBRATING LOCAL LEGEND, MS. IRENA LINN. SPECIAL PERFORMANCES WILL INCLUDE MARBLE CITY OPERA AND IGNITE! DANCE COMPANY, THE SECOND GENERATION OF THE TENNESSEE CHILDREN’S DANCE ENSEMBLE.

PLEASE JOIN US ON SUNDAY, APRIL 7, 2024 FROM 5:00 PM TO 7:00 PM
AT THE EMPORIUM, 100 S GAY STREET, KNOXVILLE, TN 37902

PLEASE COME DRESSED IN YOUR FINEST COCKTAIL ATTIRE WHERE YOU WILL BE PROVIDED HORS D’OEUVRES & COCKTAILS. ARRIVE EARLY AS THE LIVE AUCTION BEGINS AT 5:00 PM.

Tickets are $75 - call 865-584-9636 or stop by the studio at 4216 Sutherland Ave OR online at https://www.dancersstudioknox.com/silver-gala

COWBOY BEBOP LIVE, Saturday April 6 at 8:00 PM at the Bijou Theatre.

Bijou Theatre, 803 S. Gay Street, Knoxville, TN 37902. Information/tickets: 865-522-0832, https://knoxbijou.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