Cable Country

03

Fiddlin’ Billy Baker

 Mar 30, 2007

While traveling The Crooked Road a few weeks back, I ran into Fiddle Player, Billy Baker at the Lay’s Hardware Music Show in Coeburn. He’s sure done his share of fiddlin’ around.

Billy Baker’s been a fiddle fanatic for most of his life.

“I started playing when I was about five”, he says. “Well, my Dad played the guitar, my Mother played banjo”.

But Billy found the fiddle more to his liking.

“Well I always liked a fiddle”, says Billy. “Most violins has got different sounds you know”.

Billy’s resined up his bow around some noteworthy folks.

“Me and Jack Cooke started out in 1959”, he says. “And then after that, me and Del McCoury started playing together and Del went with Bill Monroe and after about six months or so they called me to come and I went to work with Bill Monroe. I really enjoyed playing with Bill he was always good to me. Anything I needed to know why he would show me you know”.

Billy’s worked with many local groups. He played with Jimmy Martin and fiddled alongside Carl Story for around eight years.

“It’s just an enjoyable work”, says Billy. “I just enjoy playing a lot, getting out and meeting everybody. They enjoy what you’re doing why, it makes it worthwhile you know and..I love playing”.

Billy’s built up a bluegrass reputation in this region..joining the likes of legendary fiddlers, Charlie Bowman and Ralph Blizard.

“It makes you feel good you know to know that people recognizes that you’ve worked hard”, Billy says proudly.

Yes, it’s been a big part of his life but he’s not ready to have his fiddle placed in his casket with him when the day comes that he leaves this earth.

“No, I love it and respect it but when I leave this world I don’t need no fiddle”, chuckles Billy. “I think The Lord will give me a better one than I’ve got”. 



Posted by Tim Cable

Phyllis Paints With Passion

 Mar 23, 2007

It all started for Carter Countian, Phyllis Grindstaff when she was casually strolling through the mall and looking at some paintings on display at an art show there. Now, 20 years later, what began as a casual stroll has developed into a full scale artistic gallop. 

Phyllis Grindstaff doesn’t have a fancy studio..and that’s just fine with her.

“I set my stuff up and paint and then I clean up and put it up until the next time”, she says.

Her kitchen/dining room is her makeshift studio.

“It has to be”, laughs Phyllis.

Like some of her finest florals, Phyllis was a late bloomer.

“I didn’t start painting until I was 40 years old and didn’t even have the desire”, she says.

The desire came when she decided to take an art class taught by Urban Bird..who said she was a natural.

“I can’t explain it except it’s a gift”, continues Phyllis. “It’s a God given gift, it’s a talent that God gives people and I went for 40 years and didn’t know I had it”.

Now, she’s hooked.

“Oh it’s just, yeah, it’s a passion I have to do it”, Phyllis says. “I look at things and think oh, I’d like to paint that”.

Working wonders with watercolors and oils, she brushes up on a certain style.

“I paint everything I’m a realist”, she says.

She’s painted a plethora of portraits..one of her Mother and Father started it all. She’s even done a self portrait..but she says painting animals is her favorite.

“I love chickens so I love my white leghorn rooster”, says Phyllis. “And I like my cats”.

Phyllis’ fine art has won a bevy of blue ribbons. She has 11 of them to date.

“My art teacher told me, when you paint you’ll never look at anything the same way again”, she says. “And you don’t”.

And as Phyllis looks to continue to color the world around her, she knows why she loves it so.

“Bringing joy to people”, she says with a tear in her eye. “They enjoy my work and they look at it and yeah, try to bring a little joy and beauty into the world and use the talent God gave me. As long as I can, I want to. It gives you a reason to get up in the morning and you know, it brings you joy”.

For more information about Phyllis Grindstaff’s Art go to her website at http://www.tennessee-art.com



Posted by Tim Cable

Falling For Fall Creek Falls

 Mar 21, 2007

It’s the first day of Spring, so why not take a road trip to beautiful Fall Creek Falls State Park near Pikeville, Tennessee? 

It’s easy to fall for Fall Creek Falls State Park.

“FALL CREEK FALLS IS ONE OF THE MOST UNIQUE STATE PARKS IN TENNESSEE”, SAYS PARK RANGER/NATURALIST, STUART CARROLL.

“I MEAN IT’S JUST UNBELIEVABLE”, SAYS BILLY COOK, A REGULAR VISITOR AT THE PARK.

“FALL CREEK FALLS STATE PARK IS THE LARGEST STATE PARK IN TENNESSEE”, STUART ADDS. “IT’S GETTING CLOSE TO 23,000 ACRES”.

Situated atop the Cumberland Plateau in Van Buren county..there’s a lot to see and do here.

“YOU FIND SOME OF THE MOST BEAUTIFUL WILDERNESS PRESERVED IN THE EASTERN U.S. AND SOME FIRST CLASS RESORT FACILITIES”, SAYS STUART. “IT’S A REAL INTERESTING COMBINATION”.

NO DOUBT THE CROWNING JEWEL OF THIS 22,000 ACRE TENNESSEE TREASURE IS THE PARK’S SHINING CENTERPIECE, FALL CREEK FALLS.

“FALL CREEK FALLS NAMESAKE IS CONSIDERED TO BE THE HIGHEST WATERFALLS IN THE EASTERN U.S.”, ACCORDING TO STUART. “IT FALLS SOME 256 FEET DOWN FROM THE SANDSTONE CAP ROCK INTO THE PLUNGED POOL BELOW. THERE’S SEVERAL OTHER WATERFALLS, NUMEROUS OTHER WATERFALLS THAT ALTHOUGH NOT AS HIGH ARE JUST AS BEAUTIFUL”.

Majestic mist..streams of steam..and satiny spray. If calmer water’s more to your liking, there’s an over 300 acre lake providing fishing, boating and bird watching.

“JUST BASICALLY VIEWING NATURE”, STUART SAYS.

To get a bird’s eye view, there’s miles and miles of hiking trails.

“AND JUST IN GENERAL LOTS OF PLACES TO EXPLORE”, STUART ADDS. THERE’S NUMEROUS BIKE TRAILS HERE IN THE PARK BOTH PAVED AND DOUBLE TRACKED FOR GENTLE MOUNTAIN BIKING AND EVEN A SINGLE TRACK”.

For overnighters, there’s a huge campground with 250 campsites either primitive or with full hookups. And if you don’t want to camp, there’s room at the inn.

“THERE ARE 144 ROOMS HERE AT FALL CREEK INN THERE ARE 30 CABINS”, SAYS STUART.

After a tasty meal in the park restaurant, take a spin along the scenic drive with incredible vistas overlooking Cane Creek Canyon.

“IT’S A TREMENDOUS VIEW AS THE GULF GETS DEEPER AND WIDER”, CONTINUES STUART.

You might even catch a glimpse of a gliding eagle.

“YOU CAN JUST SEE YOU KNOW, NATURE”, BILLY SAYS.

The park’s received accolades from magazines like Southern Living.

“THEY DESIGNATED FALL CREEK FALLS STATE PARK AS BEING ONE OF THE TOP FAMILY DESTINATIONS IN THE SOUTHEAST RIGHT ALONG WITH DISNEY WORLD”, SAYS STUART.

“IT’S ONE OF THE NICEST PARKS THAT I KNOW OF IN THE STATE OF TENNESSEE”, BILLY SAYS. “I’VE BEEN COMING UP HERE FOR THIRTY SOMETHING YEARS”.

Yes, Fall Creek Falls has it all.

“I DOUBT IF YOU CAN FIND AN AREA MORE DIVERSE THAN FALL CREEK FALLS STATE PARK”, STUART SAYS. “FALL CREEK FALLS IS A GREAT DESTINATION”.



Posted by Tim Cable

Buy Land & By Air

 Mar 14, 2007

Real Estate Broker and Pilot Ted Hensley decided to wing it..and now he’s getting things done by land and by air. 

Ted Hensley wears the gold jacket in Jonesborough.

“Traditionally, Century 21 was known for its gold jackets”, says Ted. “We’re basically a Greeneville business that have re-located here. One of my early ideas was that we integrate into the community in whatever ways that we can and my sister’s a little bit of an artist and she made the suggestion that we open up the office walls to be used for public gallery for local artists”.

Artists like Bill Bledsoe.

“He is our first featured artist for the area”, Ted says. “But it’s our goal to integrate into the community”.

And talk about integrating into the community, well why not start your own high flying community?..like at Hensley Airpark..where Ted says he’s not just selling homes, he’s selling a whole lot more.

“We’re not really selling just a piece of land here”, continues Ted. “We’re not selling so much square foot of earth but what we’re selling is a dream. I live about a mile from here and in 1995 this farm came up for sale and my brother and I were looking at it and he said, there’s a great place to put an airstrip right there. But he was saying maybe I could sell a lot or two to retired pilots so I researched that on the internet and finally came to the idea that an airpark community, a community based around an airstrip was a viable thing for a lot of people”.

Flight minded folks like 70-year-old retired dentist, Mac McCarty. These days, he’s using his drill to build his own airplane.

“This kit that I have here is just the ultimate model”, Mac says. “The chance to build my ultimate model airplane”.

Landing in this airpark in Chuckey was a dream come true.

“Yes sir, a dream come true that is true”, says Mac. “It was one of those things that you always wanted to do but life got in the way you know. People that live in an airpark are kind of single minded they’re all thinking aviation so you got a group of folks that think alike and that makes for a nice, healthy community”.

“I’ve been envisioning this for probably the last ten years”, says Walt Shipley.

He’s been a pilot for over 20 years..he’s lived here for the last three.

“And I’ve been dreaming about coming to a place like this”, he says. “I can walk out this door and get in this airplane and I don’t have to drive to an airport..so this is just handier”.

“Just like the golfer would like to retire to that golf course somewhere”, adds Ted. “The fisherman would like to be on the lake, same concept, different amenity”.

But when you’re selling a dream, it seems the supreme selling point is the scenery. Ted took me up for a bird’s eye view of the airpark.

“You take one look at those mountains and it just blows you away”, Walt says. “The air is like velvet it’s just beautiful flying around these mountains”.

“This is right where I want to be right where I need to be”, says Mac proudly. “Who knows how many days you got left but I sure intend to enjoy them doing this”.

For more information about Hensley’s Airpark, visit their website at http://www.hensleyairpark.com



Posted by Tim Cable

Lays Hardware Music Show

 Mar 09, 2007

If you like to listen to music, dance, eat and just have a good old down home time, this is the place for you. 

It’s the Friday night place to be in downtown Coeburn, Virginia.

“This is THE place to be”, according to Charlie McConnell.

Inside the historic Lays Hardware building..

“The building was built about 1915”, Charlie says. “This was a central part of Coeburn”.

Now music is a central part of the Coeburn culture.

“The town purchased this building, refurbished it”, says Charlie. “Then they said, you know what are we going to do with this thing”?

They decided to try a live traditional music show.

“We did it once a month for a few months then tried it twice a month and that was a big hit”, Charlie adds. “Then we said well let’s try this every Friday night. It’s been a big hit since then”.

In an atmosphere of antiques and crafts, patchwork quilts frame the dance hall. People pack in and perch on church pews and feast on fried pies and hot dogs served up by a special group of volunteers.

“We have the CIA working here”, laughs Charlie. “Which our CIA is the Coeburn Improvement Association”.

“I grew up on bluegrass music”, says Doug Meade, a regular at Lays. “My Dad was a Coal Miner. It’s just a family affair and that’s something we’re missing in America is the family unit. What’s important to me as I get older is to pass our music, our stories and our culture down. We’re so rich in our music heritage”.

Which is why a show like this works so well on Friday nights in this part of Appalachia.

“Coeburn is really rich with traditional music”, continues Charlie. “Ralph Stanley lives just a few miles from here, Jesse McReynolds is from here, Jim and Jessie. Bluegrass and the traditional mountain music that we have it just creates a real positive, happy atmosphere. It’s amazing how it just kind of grows on you and..it’s just a fun place to be”.

Lays Hardware is located at 409 Front Street in downtown Coeburn. 



Posted by Tim Cable

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