The Hot Summer Nights Concert Series returns in August 2019, with performances each Thursday. Keep cool and enjoy the best musical entertainment of the summer at Blount County Public Library.
Concerts are free and begin at 7 p.m. in the (air-conditioned) Library Main Gallery. Performances in this annual series are sponsored by Blount County Friends of the Library. View Blount County Public Library’s Hot Summer Nights page.
August 1 — Wild Blue Yonder Band
A rootsy East Tennessee ensemble, preserves the musical traditions of the Appalachian region while giving fresh voice to ancient themes of love and loss, time and trials. All three members, Melissa Wade (guitar and vocals), Phil Coward (banjo, mandolin and vocals) and Cindy Wallace (fiddler), are veteran entertainers who not only deliver their music with passion and sincerity, but also engage every audience as if it were sitting on the living room couch sharing life stories up close and personal. Formed as a five-piece band in 2001, Wild Blue Yonder has flourished in East Tennessee and Western North Carolina, producing three CDs, two of which received airplay on Bluegrass and Folk stations across the U.S., and in the UK, Australia and the Netherlands. For more info, visit online at www.wildblueyonder.band and on Facebook at www.facebook.com/wbyband.
August 8 — Dirt Road Sweetheart
A daughter-father duo, Nora Jane and Alan Struthers have been performing publicly since 2006 with a repertoire of heavily stocked classic brother-duets, banjo-driven murder ballads, and the occasional original song. With just an acoustic guitar and a banjo for accompaniment, it is the close-family-harmonies, often so close it sounds as though they are singing with one voice, that make this duo shine. To learn more: www.norajanestruthers.com.
August 15 — Streamliners Swing Orchestra
A seventeen-piece big band led by Mike “Catfish” Spirko and are based out of Knoxville. They play songs by the likes of Duke Ellington, Benny Goodman, Glenn Miller, Count Basie, and Louis Prima. This stylish jazz dance band will get your feet moving with their infectious music, as they smoothly blend blues, bebop and traditional swing. Checkout their Facebook Page at https://www.facebook.com/TheStreamliners/
August 22 — Teen Spirit
A 90’s tribute band. Come and enjoy the music of your favorite 90’s songs. For more information about them go to their Facebook page at Facebook: Sounds Like Teen Spirit.
August 29 — Knoxville Opera Concert of Broadway, Operetta, and Opera Selections with Maestro Brian Salesky
This year’s Hot Summer Nights finale, including music from their upcoming season’s productions: Madame Butterfly, Romeo and Juliet, and the Tennessee Premiere of Nkeiru Okoye’s Harriet Tubman. This annual visit by the company is always an audience favorite. Maestro Brian Salesky, Executive and Artistic Director of Knoxville Opera, will host the event and accompany two outstanding young artists. To learn more about the Knoxville Opera go to www.KnoxvilleOpera.com
Open to the public, these programs are hosted by Blount County Public Library, located at 508 N. Cusick Street, Maryville. For further information about library programs or services, call the library at 982-0981 or visit the Web site at www.blounttn.org/197/Public-Library.
