Scenic Roots

(kristycox.com) Kristy Cox is an acoustic country / bluegrass singer originally from Australia who makes her home in Nashville. Richard Winham shares a performance by her and her band for the Mountain Spirit Acoustic Series at the Isis Music Hall in Asheville, NC.

(RISE Chattanooga) RISE Chattanooga - the arts and culture nonprofit - is offering a variety of virtual events and programs to celebrate Black History Month and beyond. Woodson Carpenter is community arts strategist - and Ben Banks is digital storyteller - at RISE.          Also, virtual events for Black History Month are also taking place here on our campus, the University of Tennessee at Chattan...

(ChattanoogaHistory. Com) A weekly series in The Chattanooga Times Free Press - which began a little more than a year ago - looks back at the city’s past, one photo at a time. The series is called “Remember When, Chattanooga?”       Mark Kennedy writes the stories in the series - and the photos are on loan from ChattanoogaHistory. Com, a website created by Sam Hall. Sam is an amateur historian who...

Snapshots and stories of “Remember When, Chattanooga?” Black History Month events at RISE Chattanooga - and UTC. Mountain Spirit: Singer-songwriter Kristy Cox and her band. These voices - and more - on this edition of “Scenic Roots.”          

(Two Shoe Crew) Richard Winham shares a performance by Chattanooga’s Two Shoe Crew - DJ producers Robbie Miller and David Rowland - recorded in their home studio.       

( The Ed Johnson Project) In this conversation, Katharine McCallie Gardner and Ardena Garth Hicks follow the case of Ed Johnson through the appeal process, a legal journey that leads to Knoxville - and then Washington, DC.

Richard Winham presents a performance by singer-songwriter Eilen Jewell and her band near her home in Boise, ID for the Parlor Room Sessions at Signature Sounds in Northampton, MA.

(The Ed Johnson Project) In our premiere conversation, Mariann Martin and Judge Neil Thomas take us back to 1906 Chattanooga - and talk about the crime that leads to the arrest of Ed Johnson, his trial and its verdict.

(Ray Zimmerman / Instagram) Poet, naturalist and essayist Ray Zimmerman sits down with Richard Winham for the second half of their conversation on “Talking Writing.”

(surrealmuse / Creative Commons) Christian J. Collier created The Plug Poetry Project to honor and grow the poetry community here in Chattanooga. On Saturday at 7 PM, he will host a poetry virtual open mic on Facebook.

The last five years of Abraham Lincoln’s life were the most cataclysmic in American history. A new biographical novel by John Cribb - titled, “Old Abe” - follows the journey of the 16th President from the 1860 election through the Civil War to his assassination. Next Tuesday at 6 PM, on Zoom and Facebook, John will be the speaker for the virtual South Bound Lecture Series by Southern Lit Alliance....

Author John Cribb on his Abraham Lincoln novel “Old Abe.” Christian J. Collier on The Plug Poetry Project’s virtual open mic. Talking Writing:  Poet and naturalist Ray Zimmerman / Part II. These voices - and more - on this edition of “Scenic Roots.”          

(bandsintown.com) Richard Winham presents the second part of a socially-distanced performance by The Darren Nicholson Band - Appalachian musicians known for their acoustic music - for the Mountain Spirit Acoustic Series at the Isis Music Hall in Asheville, NC.

(The Bessie Smith Cultural Center) “Bessie’s Front Porch” features community members reading children’s books to spur dialogue on race relations. The digital series from the Bessie Smith Cultural Center here in Chattanooga debuted last year - and it is back every day online throughout February for Black History Month.   Here’s an excerpt of Elijah Cameron - reading “Hammering for Freedom,” by Rita...

“Almost, Maine” is a play about falling in and out of love on a cold and clear winter night in a small town way up north. On Friday, the play will premiere at Chattanooga Theatre Centre - running through February 21st.    Scott Dunlap is CTC’s director of productions - and the director of “Almost, Maine.”  

(CO.LAB) How have startups in Southeast Tennessee weathered the pandemic? What might entrepreneurship in this area look like years from now? The Company Lab, or CO.LAB - a nonprofit here in Chattanooga that supports startups - offers a few answers.        Marcus Shaw is CO.LAB’s CEO.  

Marcus Shaw, CEO of CO.LAB, on insights about startups. CTC’s Scott Dunlap on the upcoming play “Almost, Maine.” Mountain Spirit:  The Darren Nicholson Band / Part II. These voices - and more - on this edition of “Scenic Roots.”          

(Explore Asheville) Richard Winham presents the first part of a socially-distanced performance by The Darren Nicholson Band - Appalachian musicians known for their acoustic music - for the Mountain Spirit Acoustic Series at the Isis Music Hall in Asheville, NC.

(Rick Rushing) Rick Rushing is a blues musician here in Chattanooga. He also serves as a teaching artist working in our community through the Wolf Trap program at UTC’s Arts-Based Collaborative:  ABC@UTC. Rick talks about how he has had to adjust in both of those gigs during this pandemic.

In the next few months, a community art project in downtown Chattanooga will add murals near Martin Luther King, Jr. Boulevard, once known as Ninth St. - “The Big 9.” EPB recently launched the project, partnering with area organizations - and with nine local artists, who will paint the murals along the company’s substation fence at 10th and Foster Streets. The theme:  “The Soul of MLK.” Elizabeth...

Creating new murals near Chattanooga’s MLK Boulevard. A visit with musician - and teaching artist - Rick Rushing. Mountain Spirit:  The Darren Nicholson Band / Part I. These voices - and more - on this edition of “Scenic Roots.”  

(Signature Sounds) Richard Winham shares a recent performance by singer-songwriter Erin McKeown from the Parlor Room at Signature Sounds in Northampton, MA on this week’s “Scenic Roots:  Live In The Library.”

(UTC) Late last year, Pat and Melody Ormond - grandmother and granddaughter - graduated from our campus here at UTC, receiving their bachelor degrees at the same time.   Earlier this month, I caught up with them.         

(The Hunter Memorial Mural) In East Chattanooga, the Hunter Memorial Mural is a nonprofit that aims to honor two pillars of the African-American community - and practice the art of being kind through volunteering and other projects. Tristion Brewer thought of creating the mural when he was 15.   I spoke with him - and April Q. Russell, the nonprofit’s creative director.  

(Libby Mize / Facebook) Libby Mize is Early Head Start Coordinator for the City of Chattanooga. She works closely with teaching artists serving our community through the Wolf Trap program at UTC’s Arts-Based Collaborative:  ABC at UTC.      I spoke with her - and Angela Dittmar, ABC at UTC’s director of teaching artist residencies and affiliate director of its Wolf Trap program.