That is the question to ponder while watching "Big Miracle," a rousing, feel-good, family-friendly animal adventure which has the added benefit of being based on a true story. It's a weird hodgepodge, mixing the large cast and the melodrama of a 1970s disaster movie with the small-town quirkiness of "Northern Exposure," with just a touch of the big-haired ambition of "Broadcast News."

At its center are three gray whales -- a mother, father and baby who found themselves trapped within the quickly forming Arctic ice near Barrow, Alaska, the northernmost point in the United States, in 1988. The effort to free them in the open water brought together a disparate alliance of environmental activists, oil executives, journalists, native people and even the Soviets toward the end of the Cold War, and it fascinated viewers worldwide. Director Ken Kwapis ("He's Just Not That Into You," "The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants") includes archival footage of the "Big Three" anchors in their heyday -- Dan Rather, Tom Brokaw and Peter Jennings -- reporting the story from the climate-controlled comfort of their New York studios.

Meanwhile, John Krasinski plays Adam, the boyishly enthusiastic local TV reporter who breaks the story. He's been toiling away at the top of the world but would love to get down to "the lower 48," and hopes this is his ticket out of town. He gets some help from an adorable little native boy (Ahmaogak Sweeney) who looks up to him as a big brother as well as from his idealistic ex-girlfriend, Greenpeace leader Rachel (Drew Barrymore).

But soon everyone's invading this small, remote town for a piece of the action, which sets up all the fish-out-of-water scenarios you'd expect. The visitors are ill-equipped for the extreme weather, including Kristen Bell as a self-serious Los Angeles TV reporter who's hoping these trapped whales will carry her to a network. Then there's Ted Danson as an oil executive who wants to drill in the region but directs his considerable financial resources toward the effort in hopes of looking more Earth-friendly. And then there are Rob Riggle and James LeGros as a couple of bumbling buddies from Minneapolis who arrive with their homemade ice-melting contraption; LeGros in particular is doing his best William H. Macy from "Fargo."

Every five minutes some other star shows up in a supporting role. Here's John Michael Higgins as a pompous news anchor; there's Dermot Mulroney as a no-nonsense National Guard colonel. And look: It's Stephen Root playing the governor of Alaska. What makes these two-dimensional types tolerable is that the actors recognize that they're playing two-dimensional types, and they have a little fun with that -- not to the point of all-out parody, but enough to let us know that they're in on the joke.

Meanwhile, the locals are consistently bemused by the cluelessness of their visitors. They also gouge the hell out of them for hotel rooms and lunches at the lone restaurant in town.

Joking aside, though, Kwapis creates genuine suspense as the scores of volunteers struggle against time and the elements to free these creatures. Some moments feel hokey and wedged in, like the images of families around the world gathered in front of their televisions, watching with worry. A couple of blossoming romances feel like afterthoughts (although one of them really happened).

Like a whale itself, "Big Miracle" is large and unwieldy -- but it also has its moments of splendor.

"Big Miracle," a Universal Pictures release, is rated PG for language. Running time: 107 minutes. Two and a half stars out of four.

Local country music sensation The Twang Bangers are ready to start an explosive 2012 with a return to the stage at Capone’s in downtown Johnson City on Friday, February 10 for the group's first performance of the year.

Featuring the lineup of Wes Holtsclaw (Vocals), Tyler McCoy (Acoustic Guitar), Clint Riddle (Lead Guitar) Brent Strange (Drums) and Burl Williams (Bass), the show will be just the second by the group since it launched production on its debut EP last September in Nashville.

“We are looking forward to this show, particularly,” the group said in a statement. “We have been working hard on a new set of music and compiling a new-look show built around the music from our upcoming project.”

In late 2010, The Twang Bangers' original music caught the ear of successful, multi-platinum Nashville producer Gregg Brown (Travis Tritt, Chris LeDoux, Waylon Jennings, Tanya Tucker). Brown joined forces with the group for the new project which will be released nationally in the months ahead.

“Since we announced the project, people have been clamoring for information and a listen to the new songs,” said the band. “People familiar with the original demo versions of our songs such as 'Doin' Right Tonight,' 'Cowboy Angel,' and 'Town That Time Forgot' will not believe the feel of the new tracks. Gregg has done a fantastic job and we can't wait to put it in everyone's ears very soon.”

Since forming in 2008, the group has gained a large following throughout the Tri-Cities area with a diverse audience due to its unique blend of country music — a style encompassing everything from Garth Brooks and Drive-by Truckers to The Eagles and Townes Van Zandt.

The group, which formed within the Bluegrass, Old Time and Country Music program at East Tennessee State University four years ago, will be joined by rising local bluegrass group The Shadow Drifters.

The show begins at 10 p.m. Admission to the show is $6 at Capone’s the evening of the performance.

Everyone needs a grandma in his life. You know, one of those kind, sweet ladies who is only truly happy when your knees are under her kitchen table and your tummy’s being filled with food that she’s cooked just for you. Food so good that the love cooked into every morsel seeps right down into your soul and far outweighs any qualms you might have over calorie intake per forkful.

If you’ve never been fortunate enough to have a grandma in your life, you can still get the grandma Experience on East Oakland Avenue in Johnson City at Salt N’ Pepper Soul Food.

The owners, Bridgette Gordon and Tiffany Greenlee, are doing just that for hungry customers, one well-filled plate at a time, five days a week.

Recently, I felt the need of some grandma-style cooking. My grandma having only recently gone to her heavenly reward, my friends and I decided to visit Salt N’ Pepper Soul Food to see if they’d do as good a job as the real thing.

Bridgette and Tiffany use their talents to produce a menu of such variety as to do any grandma proud. Excellent comfort food like fried chicken, hamburgers, soup beans and macaroni and cheese rubs shoulders with soul food stalwarts like chicken and waffles and fried green tomatoes. Seafood entrees include an ought-to-be signature shrimp and grits.

If you want just a sandwich for your meal, Salt N’ Pepper’s menu has those along with a good selection of salads and appetizers. Additionally, there are Specials of the Day listed on a card as you walk in.

The dining room is large and somewhat spartan, though that may be due to Salt N’ Pepper’s newness rather than by design.

Explanation of menu items and composition were expertly handled by our server, who suggested which side orders would go best with our entrees.

Having noticed that Salt N’ Pepper served fried chicken livers as an appetizer ($5.99), I ordered some for the group. I then ordered the grilled shrimp Po Boy sandwich ($7.99) with fries as my meal. Ten minutes later, the order of fried chicken livers arrived, accompanied by a ramekin of the house “SNP” sauce.

I’m thankful the Salt N’ Pepper folks have learned the right way to prepare fried chicken livers; they were minimally floured, and still hot from being fried in really hot oil. A touch of salt and pepper was all that was needed. Two of the party begged off trying them, which left more for me.

While I was regaling my dinner companions on the good to be had from chicken livers, the rest of the meal arrived. My dining partner’s two-piece chicken dinner ($9.99) offered a moist chicken breast pan-fried to a golden brown accompanied by a meaty wing.

The macaroni and cheese was extra cheesy and dusted with oven-toasted bread crumbs, while the daily special broccoli casserole would have made Grandma proud. One of our table-mates was remarking on the fresh spinach salad ($7.99) with grilled shrimp (a $2 extra), how the flavor of the mandarin orange slices and dried cranberries mixed so well with the fresh spinach, grilled shrimp and sliced mushrooms. With a dash of the offered cranberry citrus vinaigrette dressing added, contentment was complete.

Meanwhile, our other companion was digging into the daily special St. Louis ribs with such gusto that we all wanted a taste. Slow-cooked with a light, smoky rub, the ribs were fork-tender; each bite lingering on the palate for just that extra moment of goodness. My shrimp Po Boy was prepared correctly on a toasted French baguette, with slaw, sliced tomato, pickles and SNP sauce doing justice to the tasty grilled shrimp. My side of fries, obviously sliced and cooked only moments before they reached the table, came with “fry sauce,” a condiment unknown east of the Mississippi but very popular out West, and a favorite of mine.

All told, two can dine comfortably and well at Salt N’ Pepper for under $26, tip included, a small price to pay for the best Grandma Experience to be had outside of the real thing.

Each contestant should submit approximately 30 pieces to be split between 3-4 judges and distributed for other contestants to enjoy. Samples should be submitted on a non-returnable dish. Recipes should be printed on the back of entry form, or on an 8 ½ x 11 sheet of paper and are subject to be printed in library publications or website. Entry form should be filled out in its entirety. Contestants will be separated by categories by types of candy and by age group.

A pastry chef from the Southeast Culinary & Hospitality College will perform a demonstration while judges look over candies. Prizes and certificates will be awarded to participants.

For questions, call 276.821.6148 or email marketing@bristol-library.org.

The schedule will be announced at our press conference Wednesday, February 8th at 10:00 am in lower court area between the staircases at the Bristol Public Library.

For more information, call 276-821-6148 or email marketing@bristol-library.org.

Cindy Saadeh Gallery announces photographer Rob Beverly as our featured artist for the month of March. Beverly, a native of Wise, Virginia, is a Kingsport artist who is known for his local landscapes and images of nature.

What began as a hobby, with numerous starts and stops, his career as a photographer blossomed after posting some of his images on Facebook. Now owner of Rob Beverly Photography in Kingsport, Beverly’s eye focuses on both the natural world as seen in his images from Bay’s Mountain and Powell’s Valley to cityscapes found in the Tri-Cities area.

As part of the First Thursdays in downtown Kingsport, the gallery will be hosting an opening reception for Beverly on March 1st from 5:00 to 8:00 pm. His work will be on exhibit at the gallery to March 31st. Cindy Saadeh Art Gallery is located at 128 E. Market, Kingsport. Call (423) 245-2800 or email cdfa2010@gmail.com for more information.

The Barter Players will bring their one-hour version of “Romeo and Juliet” to Southwest Virginia on Feb. 9 for two performances.

The first show will be held at 12:15 p.m. in Phillips-Taylor Hall of Mountain Empire Community College’s Goodloe Center. The performance is presented by Pro-Art Association and Mountain Empire Community College as part of the Mountain Empire Community College Cultural Arts Series.

An evening performance, presented by Pro-Art and the University of Virginia’s College at Wise as part of the UVa.-Wise Cultural Arts Series is scheduled for 7 p.m. in the college’s Gilliam Center for the Arts.

Admission is free to both programs. The programs are partially supported by the Virginia Commission for the Arts and the National Endowment for the Arts.

Part of Barter Theatre, a professional theatre located in Abingdon, Va., The Barter Players is a company of actors who perform especially for young audiences at Barter Theatre, April through December, and tour from New York to Florida, January through March.

Widely known for introducing theatre to elementary and middle school children, The Barter Players always select a show geared toward middle and high school kids as one of three productions selected to take on the road. The Players’ other 2012 touring productions are “Just So Stories” and “The Call of the Wild.”

“William Shakespeare’s play ‘Romeo and Juliet’ is well-known and read in middle and high school, and many adults remember when they first fell in love with the story,” said Katy Brown, The Barter Players’ artistic director. “Like all playwrights, Shakespeare meant for his work to be performed, not just read in a classroom. The Barter Players are excited to take this piece on the road.”

For more information, visit the Pro-Art website at www.pro-art-va.org or, for assistance for persons with special needs, call (276) 376-4520.

The Ralph Stanley Museum & Traditional Mountain Music Center will host Dr. Ralph Stanley’s 85th Birthday Dinner and Fundraiser beginning at 6 p.m., Saturday, Feb. 18, at Heartwood in Abingdon, Va.

Tickets to the event are $100 per plate and include a buffet-style dinner, special presentations and musical performances by a host of artists, including Jim Lauderdale and Jeff and Tony Brown.

And let’s not forget the guest of honor. Stanley, himself, will be there for the celebration.

With a career spanning 65 years in the music business, Stanley has made an indelible mark upon the music industry. He has influenced countless artists in all genres of music ranging from old-time and bluegrass music to country and gospel.

Stanley has been performing professionally since he and his older brother, Carter, formed a band in their native Southwest Virginia in 1946. Between that date and 1966, when Carter died, the Stanley Brothers and the Clinch Mountain Boys became one of the most celebrated bluegrass groups in the world, rivaling in popularity such titans as Bill Monroe and Flatt & Scruggs.

After Carter’s death, Stanley shifted the band’s musical emphasis from hard-driving bluegrass to an older, sadder, less

adorned mountain style. As a bandleader, he nourished such young and promising talents as Ricky Skaggs, Keith Whitley, Larry Sparks and Charlie Sizemore, all of whom eventually graduated to distinguished solo careers.

While he has long been revered by enthusiasts of folk, bluegrass and country music, Stanley has lately been commanding the kind of honors due a musical original.

In 2003, he shared (with his friend Jim Lauderdale) a Grammy for Best Bluegrass Album. The year before that, he won a pair of Grammy Awards — one for Best Country Male Vocalist Performance and another for Album of the Year (for his part in the “O Brother, Where Art Thou?” collection).

In January of 2000, Stanley became the first artist of the new millennium to be inducted into the historic Grand Ole Opry.

He holds the Living Legend award from the Library of Congress and was the first recipient of the Traditional American Music award from the National Endowment for the Humanities.

Even with the international acclaim, Stanley remains true to his roots and still lives near the spot where he was born in a mountainous, tucked-away corner near the rugged Virginia-Tennessee border. It remains his cherished retreat from the rigors of the road.

The annual event celebrating his birthday serves as an important fund-raiser to help the Museum & Center named in his honor ensure that regional music will be an important part of our area in the years to come.

Located on Main Street in Clintwood, Va., the museum houses exhibits and artifacts from Ralph Stanley’s life and career, the Stanley Brothers and the traditional mountain music of Dickenson County and Southwest Virginia. In addition, the center also presents a full lineup of programming each year, including the Ralph Stanley Museum Mountain Music Festival the last weekend in September, the Passing the Pick and Bow Program and live concerts throughout the year at the Jettie Baker Center.

For tickets or more information, call (276) 926-8550.

Rogers performed for years at the Music Mansion in Pigeon Forge and now is a favorite performer at Dollywood. He combines his singing, songwriting, musicianship and comedy as he performs old favorites and soon-to-be new favorites in his popular one-man show.

From mid-May through October, Rogers performs at Dollywood, but the rest of the year is spent doing one-man shows around the country.

He will perform at 7:30 p.m., Feb. 4, at Niswonger Performing Arts Center in Greeneville. Tickets are $23 for adults and $10 for students.

The Rogers family and friends used music to escape the drudgery of working at a textile mill. Rogers’ father played the steel guitar and his mother often sang with her sisters. Other family members played a number of instruments or sang harmony. Occasionally, they performed at church or gathered at home to sing and play — just expressing their love of music.

Rogers’ first guitar arrived on Christmas morning when he was 11. Along with the guitar came the promise that if he learned to play the instrument, the next Christmas would bring a more expensive model. The new electric model arrived as promised.

Rogers entered Dalton Junior College in Georgia in the fall of 1967 with the hope of becoming a lawyer. He continued his part-time job at a drug store and added a job pumping gas and changing oil at a station in Chattanooga. He hung on to his music and his dreams.

In 1969, after receiving his associate of arts degree from Dalton, Rogers entered the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga with his sights still set on becoming a lawyer. He majored in political science and took a second shift job at the factory where his mother and father had worked most of their lives.

That’s when his music began to change. Bob Dylan, Jim Croce and John Denver became stronger musical influences during this time in his life. He also taught himself to “finger-pick” the guitar in a classical style.

A member of the Tennessee National Guard, Rogers’ senior year was interrupted by a six-month tour on active duty with the U.S. Army. When he returned, he became a two-week replacement performer at the Light Fantastic in Chattanooga. When the other act returned, Rogers had become so popular that the club owner refused to let them back on stage. His career now included school and the status of professional entertainer.

From 1975 to 1983, Rogers spent most of his time traveling the country. While trying to land a recording contract, he was advised to enter a talent contest at a theme park in the Smokies called Silver Dollar City. He won the 1983 Silver Dollar City Search for Talent contest and, through 10 years of working with the corporation, he won the respect and friendship of the Dollywood Co., who became his business partners in Music Mansion in Pigeon Forge from 1993 to 1998.

Singer-songwriter James Rogers will perform Saturday night at the Niswonger Performing Arts Center in Greeneville, starting at 7:30. Rogers performed for years at the Music Mansion in Pigeon Forge and now is a favorite Dollywood entertainer. He combines singing, songwriting, musicianship and comedy as he performs old favorites and new songs in his popular one-man show. Tickets are $23. Call 638-1679.

Inspired by a true story, “Big Miracle” tells the tale of a small-town news reporter (John Krasinski) and an animal-loving volunteer (Drew Barrymore) who try to save a family of majestic gray whales trapped by rapidly forming ice in the Arctic Circle. The film opens at Carmike 14 today. Visit www.carmike.com for showtimes.

Alfred Hitchcock’s “The 39 Steps” continues its limited run at Barter Stage II in Abingdon, Va., this weekend. Showtimes are 8:15 tonight, 2 p.m. and 8:15 Saturday, and 3 p.m. and 7:15 Sunday. Tickets are $29, $33 and $38. For reservations or more information, call the Barter box office at (276) 628-3991 or visit www.bartertheatre.com.

Jonesborough Repertory Theatre’s Gershwin musical revue, “S’ Wonderful,” continues this weekend with shows at 8 tonight and Saturday and matinees at 3 p.m. Saturday and 2 p.m. Sunday. Tickets are $14 for general admission, $12 for students and seniors, and $9 per person for groups of 15 or more. For information, call 791-4440 or visit www.jonesboroughtheatre.com.

Sponsored by the Mary B. Martin School of the Arts, the program will begin at 7 p.m. in Ball Hall, room 127. A question-answer session, along with a reception in Slocumb Galleries, will follow.

Rash grew up in North Carolina’s Buncombe County and teaches at Western Carolina University in Cullowhee.

“It’s an ideal time to bring him to campus,” said ETSU Department of Literature and Language faculty member and poet Dr. Jesse Graves. “He is really at his career zenith. It’s a special opportunity to see a writer at his peak, and he is one of the most talked-about writers of this region in the country.”

The Parris Distinguished Professor of Appalachian Cultural Studies at WCU, Rash has written four prize-winning novels — “One Foot in Eden,” “Saints at the River,” “The World Made Straight” and “Serena,” published in 2008, which was named “Best Novel of the Year” by the Southern Independent Booksellers Alliance.

He also has earned on two occasions the O. Henry Prize for short story writing and the Frank O’Connor International Short Story Award, as well as ranking as a New York Times best-selling author. The O. Henry Prize recognizes the best short fiction in the country, while, Graves said, the Dublin-based O’Connor Award each year goes to the top collection of short stories in the world, and Rash was the only American finalist in 2010.

“We feel privileged to be able to schedule Mr. Rash for a local reading,” said Mary B. Martin School of the Arts Director Anita DeAngelis. “He has been called ‘one of the major writers of our time’ and is a master chronicler of Appalachia’s past and present. This visit will be a real treat for anyone who has an affinity for the region and good literature.”

Rash said he will likely start the reading with a brief short story and a couple of poems, then close with a sneak preview from his soon-to-be-published novel “The Cove.”

“I try to find something [the audience] can relate to,” said Rash, who starts a 30-city book tour for his new novel in April. “It’s nice to meet students. I like their enthusiasm. I think they come and sometimes they really don’t want to be there, and sometimes they turn around. It’s kind of funny what they will say. I had one say, ‘This wasn’t as bad as I thought it would be.’ That was a very sincere compliment.

“I spend so much time in isolation, writing, it’s nice to get out and see there are people who find some value in the work I am doing — and I’ll get to see a couple of friends [at ETSU], including Jesse Graves, a young poet who is very, very talented.”

Few writers can match Rash’s depiction of the people and the places of Southern Appalachia, critics and colleagues have said.

“His stories are truly the best I’ve ever read about life in this region,” Graves added. “He gets into every aspect of life — pawn shop owners, people making meth, and in some of his stories, he really brings the past to life in a really vivid way. He represents the whole spectrum.

“Reading his work makes you feel more alive. He covers a wide range of emotions. You feel something.”

Whether it’s the old or the new South, rural, urban or urbane, Rash said he just wants to illustrate his locales and characters with realism, as well as emotion, wrapped in a good narrative.

“I want the reader to feel I’ve captured the way the people speak, the landscape …,” he said. “I hope that people can recognize that I have been true to the place, that I don’t sentimentalize it. I don’t demonize. I just try to show it as truly as I can.

“Within that you also see — and I hope my work shows this — a certain heroism, stoicism, people doing the best with what they’ve been given.”

The reading and reception are free and open to the public.

For information on ETSU’s Mary B. Martin School of the Arts or this event, call (423) 439-8587 or visit www.etsu.edu/cas/arts/ or www.Facebook.com/ETSU.MBMSOTA.

An actor, director and producer, he forever altered the racial perceptions long held by both motion picture audiences and executives, rising to superstar status in an industry forever dominated on both sides of the camera by whites while becoming the first African-American ever to take home an Oscar for Best Actor.

Poitier’s career is the focus of “Black Film Festival: Films of Sidney Poitier,” with screenings at 7:30 p.m., every Tuesday night in February in the Executive Auditorium of the Southwest Virginia Higher Education Center in Abingdon, Va.

Discussions of the films will be led each week by Tommy Bryant, an English instructor at Virginia Highlands Community College.

Admission is free.

The series will begin Tuesday, Feb. 7 with a screening of “A Raisin in the Sun,” the 1961 film adaptation of Lorraine Hansberry’s award-winning play. In it, Poitier plays Walter Lee Younger, a young man with big dreams of economic success. When his father dies and leaves the family a $10,000 inheritance, Walter’s dreams stand in stark contrast with those of his wife’s, his mother’s and his sister’s plans for the money.

Other films in the series include:

• “A Patch of Blue,” Feb. 14.Poitier stars as Gordon Ralfe, a thoughtful young postal worker who one day in the park befriends a lonely blind white girl. They continue to meet every afternoon and he teaches her to get along in the city. When her domineering mother finds out about the relationship, she is determined to end it.

• “To Sir, With Love,” Feb. 21.Unable to find work as an engineer, Mark Thackeray (Poitier) accepts a teaching post in London’s East End slums. To reach his sullen, rebellious students, he throws away his textbooks and endeavors to reach them as human beings — and as the adults they’re going to become.

• “In the Heat of the Night,” Feb. 28. Poitier plays detective Virgil Tibbs, who is caught up in the racial tensions of the South when he is arrested for the murder of a prominent businessman. After the local police chief learns that Tibbs is Philadelphia’s leading homicide expert, he reluctantly asks for his assistance in the case.

Known for her ability to seamlessly fuse bluegrass virtuosity and jazz-tinged licks with a song-driven sensibility, Raines’ bass has yet to meet a genre it can’t groove with.

Redefining the role of the female bandleader, Raines is currently fronting The New Hip — a group of fearless, gifted players who have the chops to travel the challenging territory Raines has mapped out.

Raines and The New Hip will take the stage at 9 p.m., Saturday, Feb. 4 at The Down Home, 300 W. Main St. in Johnson City. Advance tickets are $14.

Raines’ groundbreaking, adventurous musical career as one of the pre-eminent female bass players began with an unexpected surprise from her father.

“My father had been playing a washtub that he’d made himself and then decided impulsively, without consulting my mother, to buy a bass. I was already playing the piano and guitar by then, but when you’re 10 or 11 years old and there is a new instrument in the house, well, I couldn’t stay away from it. That’s the bass I still have and play today,” she said.

Growing up in West Virginia, Raines was well placed to join her family in its favorite summer pastime of attending music festivals, which migrated to home picking parties in the winter. Her parents thought nothing of traveling two to three hours to go to a jam, and it was at these events that Raines cut her musical teeth.

As her technique improved, she found herself jamming with and then learning from bigger and better players, most notably International Bluegrass Music Hall of Honor member Tom Gray.

“I met him through mutual friends when I was 12 and it was one of the biggest deals of my life up to that point,” Raines said. “Tom is an amazing person and he took me under his wing. He says, though, that I never asked him to show me how to do anything, that I would just talk about how he played. I thought I was picking his brain.”

Raines cites her earliest influences as Bill Monroe, The Country Gentleman, The Stanley Brothers, The Bluegrass Alliance and David Grisman.

Later, she immersed herself in jazz before discovering the music of Joe Jackson in the early 1980s.

“I’d never gotten into the rock/pop scene at all. I’d been affected by it peripherally, but not directly. And then I got totally caught up in his music and his writing and a whole new world was suddenly opened up for me,” she said.

Professionally, Raines has lent her skills to a variety of projects that have capitalized on her varied interests. She launched her career with experimental bluegrass outfit Cloud Valley and toured with Eddie and Martha Adcock before joining up with The Masters.

Raines toured and recorded with Claire Lynch’s Front Porch String Band from 1995 to 2000 and again from 2005 to 2008, along the way developing a successful duo with band mate Jim Hurst.

A stint with the Brother Boys opened Raines’ eyes to the value of musical spontaneity.

Raines is now fulfilling a long-held vision — the release her first full-length album, “Inside Out,” that reflects all of her many musical influences while playing alongside her dream band, The New Hip.

To find out more about Raines, visit her Web site at www.missyraines.com .

For ticket information on her performance at The Down Home, visit www.downhome.com .

Show time is 7 p.m.

Florance delivers her soulful “velvet and wine” vocals, backed by a stellar ensemble of musicians, in a multi-colored wash of melodies and familiar favorites, from the blues to Broadway and from The Cotton Club to American radio and film.

Audiences will be immersed in the colors of jazz, bold and fully infused with history and heritage that have painted the landscape of American music in beauteous fashion. The show features works by Duke Ellington, Johnny Mercer, Harold Arlen and other legendary jazz artists alongside popular contemporary standards by America’s favorites.

As the youngest of five in a family of musicians, Florance didn’t have to look far for encouragement when her love of singing took off.

“There was just always music in the house — either (my) daddy playing the piano, stomping and grunting out the groove on some Ellington tune; (my) sisters and brother rehearsing their most recent favorite; or the whole family ‘choired up’ and singing my mother’s favorite hymns whenever the crowd was gathered and the spirit struck, which was very often,” she recalls of her childhood in North Carolina. “We never wanted for a show.”

Florance has gone on to enjoy a career that’s touched on most every facet of the entertainment industry — from studio and stage to television and film. She has sung jingles for Van Camps Food and Major League Baseball, hosted a PBS Literacy Link educational series produced by KET, been the voice of the “WB” on a number of Warner Brothers jingles across the country, and has even sung country, as a background vocalist on the Elton John/Tammy Wynette duet “What a Woman Needs.”

Her film, theater and television credits include the feature film “The Client,” “Proud Heart,” starring Lorrie Morgan, and the role of Ramona in the 2000 independent film festival favorite “Existo.”

Florance has toured nationally with Columbia Artists and vocalist Jennifer Holliday, and as featured vocalist with Modern Jazz Tuba Project, The Nashville Jazz Orchestra and with her own award-winning trio of musicians.

She has shared the stage with numerous notables, including Steinway artist Beegie Adair, Grammy Award winner Randy Brecker and vocalist and Grammy Award-winning songwriter Benita Hill.

Florance is currently a vocal performance instructor at Nashville Jazz Workshop and is enjoying the success of her one-woman show, “Jazz Rhapsody.”

Florance enjoys working as an actress, but says it’s singing that truly keeps her world in check.

“I love to sing,” she said. “It makes me feel good. Music helps me remember that I have a place in the world, that I am part of a collective of hearts and souls with dreams, all in need of love and definition of purpose.”

Tickets for her show at the Renaissance Center are $12 each for reserved seats and can be purchased by calling (423) 392-8417 or online at www.EngageKingsport.com.

The concert is sponsored by the Cultural Arts Division of Kingsport Parks and Recreation, Leisure Services for the City of Kingsport and Engage Kingsport.

Tickets are $15 for students and $25 for the public and can be purchased at the Farthing Auditorium box office or online at www.pas.appstate.edu.

Black is a successful stand-up comedian, actor and author. He has performed for audiences throughout Europe, New Zealand and the United States and is one of a few performers to sell out multiple renowned theaters including Carnegie Hall, Lincoln Center and the MGM Grand in Las Vegas. He was the first stand-up comedian to perform at the Walt Disney Concert Hall in Los Angeles.

For more information about Black’s performance, visit www.pas.appstate.edu or call (828) 262-4046.

The Iron Mountain Ridgerunners, formed in the mountains of Grayson County VA, play a wide variety of traditional old time dance tunes. The Ridgerunners strive to keep the region’s rich traditions alive – both in song choice and playing style. Band members are: Levi Funk – Fiddle; Daniel Boyer – Clawhammer Banjo; Zack Vaughan – Guitar; Dylan Isom – Guitar; and Danny Boyer – Bass Fiddle.

Adam McPeak started his Musical career by performing as a child with his father’s band, the highly acclaimed McPeak Brothers. Adam McPeak & Mountain Thunder was formed in 2009, when Adam was 13. The band has performed at venues, festivals, and competitions throughout the East Coast including the Society for the Preservation of Bluegrass Music of America (SPBGMA) National Band Championship in Nashville. TN. Adam McPeak & Mountain Thunder was chosen to be the featured band at Merlefest in 2009. They have been featured on numerous television and radio appearances, and will soon release their debut recording, “Reviving Traditions”. The band was recently featured on a Song of the Mountains performance, which will air on PBS stations nationwide this fall. The band consists of Adam McPeak (16) – mandolin; Marlon Dean (17) – fiddle; David Chrisley (14) – bass; Lindsey Jackson (16) – lead and harmony vocals; Mike McPeak – guitar, lead and harmony vocals; and Steve Chrisley – banjo, lead and harmony vocals.

“As anyone who has attended youth competitions at events like the Galax Fiddlers Convention can attest, the level of talent among the region’s youth is astounding.” says Jonathan Romeo, Program Manager for The Crooked Road’s Traditional Music Education Program initiative. “These youth are tremendous ambassadors for the traditional music of their home communities”.

The Crooked Road Music Series will continue through 2012 and will feature youth music performers, as well as showcasing Venues of the Crooked Road region. The traditional music of Southwest Virginia thrives in many well established jam sessions along The Crooked Road. “As part of this music series, we have arranged for these amazing gatherings to literally pick up and come do their thing at Heartwood”, says Crooked Road Executive Director Jack Hinshelwood. “The idea is to introduce these Jams to new audiences at Heartwood and give the audience members a taste of what they can experience if they go see these Jams in their home location”. Performers will include those who regularly attend those jams but all jam-minded musicians are welcome to join in just as they are at any jam session.

A complete schedule for the music series is available on The Crooked Road website at www.thecrookedroad.org.

Heartwood: Southwest Virginia’s Artisan Gateway is located off I-81 at Exit 14 in Abingdon, Virginia and features food, music, and craft of Southwest Virginia.

The music series is sponsored by The Crooked Road, Heartwood, the Appalachian Regional Commission, The Virginia Tobacco Indemnification and Community Revitalization Commission, The Virginia Commission for the Arts, and the National Endowment for the Arts.

Admission is free and donations will be accepted for the series performances.

For more information call (276) 492-2409 or email: info@thecrookedroad.org.

Soprano Serena Hill-Laroche of Coker College and pianist Catherine Garner of East Carolina University have prepared a program featuring the works of Amy Beach, Maria Malibran, Lili Boulanger, Libby Larsen and Liza Lehmann. This program not only includes flowers and fairies, but also pirates, bar matrons and women of ill repute.

Informative historical background will be provided on both the contexts of the poetry and the composers themselves.

Hill-Laroche and Garner are committed to highlighting the works of women composers and introducing them to broader audiences. Their program received great acclaim when it was first presented as the opening concert of The Women’s Initiative Music Series associated with East Carolina University in Greenville, N.C., last year.

The concert is free and open to the public. For more information, call 439-4276.

Matthew “Billy” Williams, aka Williamsboy, is a singer/songwriter whose most recent album, “Analog,” is filled with Americana sentiments long forgotten in the digital pop arena of the music business today. Lovers of country, Americana and good old-fashioned heartland American rock ’n’ roll will find comfort to hear that this music is not only still around, but is being brought to the forefront with vigor and guts.

“(‘Analog’) is a collection of songs about people, real life, mystery, hardship, and redemption,” Williams said.

Williams was born in Lewiston, Maine. As a result of his father being in the Navy, Williams and his family found it hard to lay roots in a community. His father left the family and Williams, his mother and siblings were thrust into hard times.

Being on welfare enabled Williams to understand humanity from all different aspects.

The name “Williamsboy” is a direct reflection of a family on the move, and the stigma of being on welfare.

“Whenever something was wrong, missing or troubled in the neighborhood, I always heard, ‘must be that Williams boy,’ ” Williams said. “It stuck, first as kind of an epithet, but now, it’s a more of a badge of honor.”

While his mother worked three jobs to try and get the family off of public assistance and provide a better way of life for her children, Williams found comfort in music.
“I first touched a guitar when I was 6, I recall,” Williams said. “It was in a closet at my grandmom’s house. I had my fun with it for about a month or two.

“No one in the house knew how to play the thing so I had to figure it out on my own — like most everything else, I guess. So, I would listen to my older brother’s garage band through the woodwork and try to find notes they were playing. Eventually I was playing along to the country radio stations.

“I had no idea what the hell I was playing, I just went by ear and if it sounded right, that was all right for me. And it still is.”

Music was and still is an escape for Williams. As he puts it, “Music asks nothing of me. It doesn’t require me to be rich or poor, right or wrong, and isn’t something I have to be accepted to do.

“It’s my therapy and my friend, and has always been there in my time of need, I hope someday my music will be there for others too.”

Williams has been performing since age 15. Now a father of two, he works hard to provide for his family, but he still finds time to travel the United States, and share his music with people from all walks of life. His story is the American story — the hardworking, heart of America. Bruised, but never beaten. Honest, but never self-pitying. Salt of the earth, but still transcendent.

“To borrow from the great Steve Earle, I’m pretty much of a ‘hardcore troubadour,’ in the tradition of Woody (Guthrie), Bruce (Springsteen) and The Band,” Williams said. “But just like most writers I admire, I believe ‘a foolish consistency is the hobgoblin of little minds.’ So you might hear echoes of Wilco, Beck, or even something with no label at all.”

Here we go again. Four years after what many consider the best finish in Super Bowl history, the Giants and Patriots are facing off once more for the NFL championship. While there are no perfect records on the line this time, this matchup could be equally enticing.

It certainly looks that way heading into Sunday's big game. In 2008, with New England undefeated and having beaten New York in the regular-season finale, the Patriots were 12-point favorites. The spread now is 3, and the Giants beat them during the season.

Both teams are on quite a roll, too. The Patriots (15-3) have won 10 straight — it was 18 in a row in `08 — and the Giants (12-7) have five consecutive victories.

All of which matters not a bit, according to Bill Belichick, who will tie a record for head coaches with his fifth Super Bowl appearance.

"I've been asked about that game for several days now. All of the games in the past really don't mean that much at this point," said Belichick, 3-1 in NFL title games. "This game is about this team this year. There aren't really a lot of us coaches and players who were involved in that game, and very few players, in relative terms, between both teams. We are where we are now, and we're different than where we were earlier in the season. The Giants are where they are now, and I think they're different than where they were at different points of the season. To take it back years and years before that, I don't think it has too much bearing on anything."

The loss still reverberates for former Patriots linebacker Rosevelt Colvin.

"It was like getting punched in the stomach," he said. "I still can't watch the highlights from that game because of the opportunity we missed out on was so grand

Having come this far before is immeasurably helpful, according to Justin Tuck, the leader of the Giants' defense whose return to health and form has keyed New York's resurgence. He says the experience of four years ago in the Arizona desert will benefit everyone.

"The only thing that I tell the younger guys is make football football," Tuck said. "Don't make this game bigger than it has to be. Everybody around you is going to make it bigger, but we have to concentrate on why we're going out there. There's going to be a lot of parties. There's going to be a lot of people pulling at your coattail. Listen, if you go out there and you handle your business and you win this game, you can party all you want to after that.

"For me, personally, the first time I went to a Super Bowl I approached it as such — as a once in a lifetime thing."

For Tuck, it wasn't. And while the defense he leads to Indianapolis isn't quite as overwhelming as the unit that made life miserable for Tom Brady in `08, it has been reinvigorated as the Giants surged to the NFC championship. It also is just as deep as the group that sacked Brady five times, hit him nine more — Osi Umenyiora claimed he had that many hits alone — and unnerved the usually unflappable star.

Today, it's Tuck, Umenyiora, All-Pro Jason Pierre-Paul, Dave Tollefson and linebacker Mathias Kiwanuka, who compare favorably with Umenyiora, Tuck, Michael Strahan, Jay Alford and LB Antonio Pierce in 2008.

Other than head coaches Belichick and New York's Tom Coughlin, that is the most common element between the two Super Bowls.

"It's been a strength of their team for as long as I can remember," Brady said. "Michael Strahan, as great of a player as he was, I think we played them in 2003 and they were still harassing the quarterback. It seems like they always have guys who can rush the quarterback. Justin Tuck is as good as they come. Osi week in and week out, he's a player who can ruin a game for an offense. You look at the group they have now, and they have a ton of depth at the defensive line position."

Controversial receivers Randy Moss and Plaxico Burress have been replaced by skilled playmakers like tight ends Rob Gronkowski and Aaron Hernandez in New England, wideouts Hakeem Nicks and Victor Cruz in New York. Eli Manning no longer is a question as Giants quarterback, and has carried the offense much the way running backs Brandon Jacobs and Ahmad Bradshaw did in the past.

Lawrence Tynes kicked the Giants into the Super Bowl in overtime in `08 and — incredibly — this year, too. Wes Welker led the Patriots with 112 catches that season and had 122 in this one.

Sixteen Giants remain from the 17-14 Super Bowl victory, and only seven Patriots are still around.

Similarities and differences, all juicy elements for Giants-Patriots II.

Here we go again.

Trey Hensley has been performing since age 7. After picking up a guitar at the age of 10, he quickly took the bluegrass world by storm, even performing on the Grand Ole Opry when he was 11. Three years ago, at 16, the seasoned artist followed his heart and interests into the world of country music.

Now that his second country CD has been released, the Jonesborough native is heading out playing his own brand of traditional honky-tonk. Last summer, Hensley hit the road with his four-piece band for a tour that carried him from Philadelphia to Los Angeles, Nebraska to North Carolina, and beyond. During the tour, his group opened for country music icons Steve Wariner, Randy Owen and Marty Stuart.

Despite his young age, Hensley has already forged his own style. His talent and stage presence are indicative of a performer far beyond his age.

For more information on Saturday’s concert, contact the Mountain Music Museum at (276) 645-0035. For recorded information on shows coming up at the Fold, call (276) 386-6054.

The program will include solo and ensemble works, as well as musical theater in the fashion of Danish musician and comedian Victor Borge.

Five ETSU and University School student pianists swept the top prizes in recent state competitions hosted by the Music Teachers National Association and Tennessee Music Teachers Association. They are Hanbo Ma, MTNA Steinway Young Artist Collegiate Piano Competition; Matthew Brickey, TMTA Collegiate Piano Competition; Min-Kuei Lan and Carly Shaw, TMTA Collegiate Piano Ensemble Competiton; and Katherine Benson (University School), MTNA Yamaha Senior Piano Competition.

They will present their award-winning performances during the Feb. 3 concert, and will be joined by fellow ETSU students and Department of Music faculty for the remainder of the program.

Tickets are $15 for general admission, $10 for seniors and $5 for students. Proceeds will help send ETSU piano students to the 2012 MTNA competition and the national conference in New York.

For more information, call 439-4276.

"It is an honor to return to the Down Home stage to celebrate the release of our new CD”, says songwriter/vocalist Lizzie Harrah.

This CD release party – three days prior to a Valentines Day national release – gives music lovers a night to experience the first public performance of the albums material.

“We feel we made the right move to surround ourselves with forest and mountains”, says Harrah, “and to be graced by the addition of guitarist Wayne Bean. We followed the instinct to return to ancestral roots. Greener reflects the change in locale in sound, instrumentation, and storytelling.”

Greener, a collection of mostly originals, also includes cover versions of songs by John Prine, Billie Holiday, and Tanita Tikaram. The recording features guest appearances by artists Pete Gorisch (of Townes Van Zandt, Nanci Griffith, EmmyLou Harris and Lightnin' Hopkins bands), ETSU's own Garrett Hartman, and many others.

Recorded old-school style, rehearsed and played together live, the Madisons maintain a spontaneity and spark lacking in much modern music. Studio veteran Lizzie Harrah’s production experience with bands ZZ Top and Timbuk3 enrich Greener’s Americana roots sound. Ranging from sparse arrangements to electronic or full orchestral feels, Greener features an instrumentation sound palette including theremin and mandolin.

Bob Wall of Space City Rock says of Harrah’s vocals, “Her smoky-smooth vocals drip all over the lyrics and melody with confidence, presence, and sincere conviction. She works it like the pro she is and flows in and around the music.” He adds, “He (bassist Ruel Russell) and drummer Lee Hamilton nail down the rhythm section like a pair of psycho twins linked together at the groove. They are beyond tight. Together they are a band themselves.”

On February 14, Greener arrives on CD/digitally at CD Baby and digital online music providers Amazon and ITunes.

BRRR seeking vendors:

Bristol Rhythm and Roots Reunion organizers are accepting applications for arts, crafts and food vendors who wish to sell their wares during the annual music event, set for Sept. 14-16. Applications should be turned in no later than Jan. 31. Space is usually filled by early February. To download vendor forms, visit www.bristolrhythm.com.

BRRR poster art competition:

Bristol Rhythm and Roots Reunion organizers are seeking entries for the festival’s annual poster artwork competition. Grand prize winner will receive $250 cash. The 2012 BRRR will be held Sept. 14-16. For competition rules and instructions on how to enter, visit www.bristolrhythm.com. Deadline to enter is 5 p.m., Feb. 17.

Appalachian Whitetail Associations

The Appalachian Whitetail Association Kingsport Chapter meets at 7 p.m., the third Tuesday of each month at Shoney’s in Kingsport. Call (423) 239-9806. The Holston River Chapter meets at 7 p.m, the first Tuesday of each month at the Holston Electric Building, Church Hill. Call (423) 357-1610. The Copper Ridge Chapter meets the first Tuesday of each month at 7 p.m. at the Scott County Park and Golf Course. Call (276) 940-1295. Visit www.appalachianwhitetail.com for all chapters.

Bays Mountain Park

The Kingsport park, featuring 36 miles of hiking trails, wild animal habitats and a state-of-the-art planetarium, is open from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Friday; 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m., Saturdays; and noon to 5 p.m., Sundays, through February. The Nature Center is open from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m., weekdays; and from noon to 5 p.m., Saturdays and Sundays. Parking fee: $3, cars; $12, buses. Planetarium programs are held at 4 p.m., Tuesday through Friday. Barge rides launch at 3 p.m., Monday through Friday, weather permitting. Nature programs start at 3 p.m., Sunday through Saturday. Wolf programs are held at 2 p.m., Wednesdays and 3 p.m., Saturdays. StarWatch programs begin at 6 p.m., Saturdays, in November. Planetarium programs are $4 per person and barge rides are $3 per person; and nature programs are $2 per person. Dogs allowed on leash on the park hiking trails, but not around the animal habitats. Call (423) 229-9447 or visit www.baysmountain.com.

Bays Mountain Longbeards

The Bays Mountain Longbeards meet at 7 p.m., the second Thursday of each month at the Toy F. Reid (Eastman) Employee Center, Room 223. Call (423) 349-4484.

Cherokee Rod and Gun Club

4280 Reservoir Road, conducts a Youth Safety Program for all local youth, ages 8-18, interested in learning firearms safety, responsibility and marksmanship from 2 to 4 p.m., the second and fourth Sundays of each month. Visit www.cherokeerodandgunclub.com.

Cumberland Gap National Park

Cumberland Gap National Historical Park will hold its Wilderness Road Tours to Hensley Settlement at 9 a.m and 1:30 p.m., and its Gap Cave Tours at 10 a.m. and 2 p.m., daily through September. For reservations, call (606) 248-2817 or visit www.nps.gov/cuga.

Eastman Hiking & Canoeing Club

Tennessee Eastman Hiking & Canoeing Club holds Friday hikes, leaving from parking lot between McDonald’s and State of Franklin Bank, Colonial Heights, 8 a.m.; email Collins Chew at vcchew@chartertn.net to be on distribution list. Watauga River Saturdays, 3 p.m., email ldcakes@hotmail.com. Paddle to the Grill, Thursdays, 6 p.m., email ldcakes@hotmail.com.

Johnson City Hikers

Sponsors hikes or programs most weekends. For information about joining the Johnson City Hikers call (423) 282-5266.

Kingsport Bicycle Association

Rides most weekends. Visit http://kba.tripod.com.

Mid-Appalachian Highlands Club

Sponsors hikes most weekends. Visit http://jat.esmartweb.com/hikers/mid-app-hiland-club.htm for schedule and more information.

Mogul Mashers

East Tennessee Mogul Mashers Ski Club meets at 7 p.m., the first Tuesday of each even month at Rush Street Restaurant, Kingsport, and each odd month at Beef O’Brady’s Restaurant, Johnson City. Visit www.etmm.net.

Natural Tunnel State Park

Natural Tunnel State Park in Scott County, Va., is open from 8 a.m. to dusk. The Blockhouse is open from 2 to 4 p.m., Saturdays and Sundays, May-October. Blockhouse Visitor Center is open from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., Friday through Sunday. Campground is open. All hiking trails are open. Chairlift and visitors center open 10 a.m.-5 p.m., Monday through Friday, and 10 a.m.-6 p.m., Saturday and Sunday. Mountain Empire Community College will offer “Rediscovering the Wilderness Trail” from 5:30 to 8 p.m., every Tuesday, Feb. 7-April 24. Cost is $366. For registration information, call Megan France at (276) 940-1643.

NET Mountain Bike Association

The Northeast Tennessee Mountain Bike Association, a family oriented group for riders of all skill levels, meets at 7:30 p.m., the first Monday of each month at El Matador in Boones Creek. The group also sponsors weekly rides. Visit www.ntmba.org for a schedule or more information.

Reel Christian Bass Anglers

The Reel Christian Bass Anglers Club meets for devotions, club business and how-to sessions on bass fishing at 6 p.m., the fourth Monday of each month (except December) at Mama’s House Restaurant in Kingsport. Visit www.RCBAT.net or call (423) 502-1296 or (423) 782-0429.

Steele Creek Park

Steele Creek Park in Bristol, Tenn., is open from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., Monday through Friday; from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., Saturday; and from 1 to 6 p.m., Sunday during the winter months. Park features several hiking trails, a 52-acre lake and nature center. Call (423) 989-5616.

Varmint Hunters

The Tri-Cities Varmint Hunters Association meets at 7 p.m., the second Tuesday of each month at the Cherokee Rod and Gun Club, 4280 Reservoir Road, Kingsport. Call (423) 246-2487.

Walters State Outdoor Club

The Walters State Outdoor Club hosts weekly hikes, open to everyone. Call (423) 585-6949 or visit www.wscc.cc.tn.us/studentorgs/outdoor/.

Warriors’ Path State Park

The park is open from 7 a.m. to 9 p.m., daily with camping, picnic shelters, disc golf and walking, hiking and biking trails. The park offers a multitude of daily programs for children and adults during Summer in the Park. Visit the park’s Web site at www.state.tn.us/environment/parks/WarriorsPath/index.shtml for a schedule or call (423) 239-8531 or (423) 239-6786.

Auditions will be held at 5:30 p.m., Feb. 13 at Greeneville’s Tusculum College in the Annie Hogan Byrd Theatre. Those auditioning should have a prepared Broadway, country or classical song of their choice.

Each vocalist will have a one-minute performance time. A CD and piano will be available at each audition, but vocalists will need to bring their own accompanists if desired. Five finalists, including one featured soloist, will be chosen to perform with four professional Broadway stars on March 17 at the Niswonger Performing Arts Center in Greeneville.

Call (423) 431-1224.