Folk music has enjoyed somewhat of a renaissance over the passed five years, but with any genre of music, another period of stagnation could always be around the corner. There have only been a handful of folk artists I have been able to really appreciate over the past year, and that’s disappointing when the Americana and Folk scenes of 2015 have seemed to be thriving. Luckily, there are always some under appreciated diamonds in the rough.
Read MoreMy grandfather used to have a desk in a spare bedroom in the house he shared with my grandmother. I would stay with them some nights if my parents were out of town or if I just wanted a change of scenery for an evening, and that’s the room where I would stay. If I had any homework, I would sit at the desk and pretend to do it. I was usually a little distracted, though.
Read MoreI’ve lived in several Tennessee cities in my lifetime, from Nashville to Murfreesboro to Knoxville to Cookeville and a couple little towns in between. Each one of those cities has its own set of charms, but none have captivated me quite like Jackson. It was not love at first sight, mind you. It’s been an ever-growing, ever-evolving bond. I’ve had days where I’d live anywhere but here and days where I couldn’t imagine being anywhere else.
Read MoreI remember standing there looking at the thousands of books that lined the University of Memphis library. French literature, Biblical history, new theories in neurology, African American authors, North American archeology; all of these and much more laid before my eyes. I was truly overwhelmed. Thankfully, I am not the only one to feel the very existential tingle that shoots through my mind when I think of a good book. There is some strange power in a book.
Read MoreGravity, the force that an object exerts on those things around it, is directly proportional to its mass. This is basic physics and one of the most basic principles that shape our physical world. It is the reason why our world is the way it is, but there are other types of gravity beyond a physical force pulling us constantly toward the center of the earth.
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