Pete Seeger first heard the five-string banjo played at the Mountain Dance and Folk Festival in Asheville in 1936, forever changing the course of his life — and the future of American music. Fast forward to 2004. Award-winning bluegrass guitarist/vocalist and public-radio personality Nick Forster is coming to Asheville to host a fund-raiser for the … Read more
“Time to go inward,” Rodney Crowell sings on the same-named cut from last year’s Fate’s Right Hand, “[to] take a look at myself. “Time to go inward,” he adds. “Would you believe that I’m afraid?” And as if that weren’t enough, when Crowell tosses off a list of heavies associated with some of our most … Read more
“I want to have people on the dance floors singing ‘Om’ … instead of ‘shake that ass.’” — Bhagavan Das It was Beat poet Allen Ginsberg who once said, “Bhagavan Das never had anything better to do than call up Mystic Mama on the Mantric Telephone.” He was talking about Das’ practice of singing the … Read more
“If I had known you were coming I could have at least stocked up on burritos,” Miss Wilma tells her prodigal daughter, Sarah, who’s just mysteriously arrived from Santa Fe, 10-year-old daughter in tow. It’s a rather odd greeting, considering that the older woman has been all but estranged from her own offspring for the … Read more
Coming soon (album previews) After what seems like an unfairly long hibernation, the local-music scene is finally lumbering back to life. In the next few months, dozens of new albums will see release, many of them recorded during the winter by bands that seem ready for a breakout showing this spring and summer. This week, … Read more
Brassicae, a genus of Cruciferae (the ancient mustard family), is a cornucopia containing more than 100 species. These include kale, cabbage, cauliflower, broccoli, brussels sprouts, turnips and mustard (commonly called “cole” crops). Ivy Rose, my garden-prodigy granddaughter, says Brassicas taught her that nature is all about diversity. But most of the species grown for food … Read more
It began with a dream. A revitalized African-American business district that would pay homage to the memory of the one that had somehow managed to thrive there years before in the shadows of segregation. A vibrant, prosperous district that would empower Asheville’s contemporary black community — and, perhaps, help heal the ugly legacy of racism. … Read more
• September 1991 – City declares South Pack Square (aka The Block) “blighted”; Council designates it a “redevelopment area” and authorizes creation of redevelopment plan • June 15, 1993 – City adopts South Pack Square Redevelopment Plan • June 15, 1994 – Eagle/Market Streets Development Corporation formed • 1994-97 – EMSDC, operating first out of … Read more
Since the late ’90s, affordable-housing advocates have been knocking on the door, asking the Buncombe County Board of Commissioners to establish an affordable-housing trust fund. Last week, the board finally opened that door. At the commissioners’ March 16 meeting, board members voted unanimously to set aside $300,000 in the current budget to establish a revolving … Read more
