Long Journey Home 2022 was a very special weekend. In 2023, we are planning a new mural that will feature Clint Howard. Make plans now to join us next year to celebrate Johnson County's heritage arts and music.
Friday, September 2 Buskin' on Main6-9pm music, film at 9 A showcase of local and regional acoustic talent playing up and down Main Street, Mountain City, followed by an outdoor showing at dusk of Short Life of Trouble: The Legend of G.B. Grayson, a film produced by Appalachian Memory Keepers.
Saturday, September 3 Musical Heritage Homecoming Tour *Old Mill Music Park 1-2pm Hear the music of Clarence "Tom" Ashley performed by Kenny Price and Jerry Moses. *Fiddlin' Fred Price Sculpture Unveiling at the Johnson County Center for the Arts 2:30-3:30pm The JAM (Junior Appalachian Musicians) Band and the Long Journey Home House band will share the stage for the unveiling of the Fiddlin' Fred Price Memorial Sculpture. *My Home in the Mountains 4pm - until... The Piney Woods Boys will perform musical selections from the album Old Time Music at Clarence Ashley's from the porch of the Fred Price homeplace. Old-fashioned soup beans and cornbread will be served from the kitchen.
Sunday, September 4 2 - 4:30pm *Sunday Singing at Heritage Hall Theatre Hear old-time gospel music performed by the Price Family, the Potter Family, and Narrow Road. This event traditionally includes a jam session ending with the singing of "Will the Circle Be Unbroken?" Maps to all sites will be available at the Johnson County Center for the Arts at 127 College Street, Mountain City, TN and Johnson County Welcome Center. All events are free to the public. We look forward to seeing you!
Between now and Labor Day weekend, you can visit the Musical Heritage Mural mile in downtown Mountain City or watch these virtual segments from the last couple of years.
Short Life of Trouble is now making its way through film festivals in four countries... telling the story of our own G.B. Grayson and collecting more than a few awards along the way! The film won Best Short Documentary at the Port Blair International Film Festival. It will be available for purchase once it has made its rounds (probably fall 2022) You can keep up with the progress at www.ShortLifeofTrouble.com
In a typical year, You can hear clawhammer banjo played on the front porch of the Clarence "Tom" Ashley homeplace, Buskin' on Main Street with an outdoor film. A new mural is unveiled each year and the hills come alive with the sounds of Old Time and Bluegrass! BUT the last two years have been anything but typical. What do you do when life gives you lemons? Make good old fashioned lemonade, of course! Below, you'll find the segments that were produced in 2021.
Be sure to stop by and take your picture in the new mural. Whether you grew up singing "I'll Fly Away" or you're singing it for the first time, we are glad you're part of the picture!
The plan was to bring you a virtual Sunday Singin' via Facebook live from the Pickin' Porch. Several of the musicans are either sick or quartantined or couldn't make it for other reasons. So instead, we compiled some memories from past Sunday Singings. These are not professionally recorded. But then again, that's not the point. We hope this makes someone smile who needs it today.
Johnson County's Heritage Arts and Music Celebration is proudly sponsored by:
East Tennessee Foundation Johnson County Community Foundation Tennessee Arts Commission Johnson County Center for the Arts Quality Furniture Johnson County Arts Council Danny Herman Trucking Danny Herman Johnson County Community Theater Johnson County Bank Farmers State Bank Maymead Heritage Hall Johnson County Center for the Arts Bob and Minnie Miller Joe Dean Ashley Russell and Kathy Love Mike and Temple Reece The Town of Mountain City Johnson County Senior Center Mountain City Funeral Home Positive Thinkers TVA Mountain Electric The Ralph Stout Family Karla Prudhomme Gary South Smith & Cockett Quality Furniture