2019 Blue Blaze Award Winner Ronnie Reno To Perform At Smithville Fiddlers’ Jamboree (VIEW VIDEO HERE)

May 30, 2019
By: Shan Williams

The Smithville Fiddlers’ Jamboree & Crafts Festival has announced the Blue Blaze Award recipient for 2019. Bluegrass legend, Ronnie Reno, will be honored on Saturday, July 6^th, 2019 during the festival competition at approximately 5pm followed by a mini-concert performed by Reno on the main stage in the Smithville, Tennessee Downtown Square.

(VIEW VIDEO OF RONNIE RENO BELOW)

When asked about the nomination and honor, Reno replied, “You know….over my six decade career, I received numerous awards and recognitions, but I am particularly honored to receive the Blue Blaze Award from the Smithville Fiddlers’ Jamboree. First of all, we share a common mission–to preserve old time Appalachian and bluegrass music for future generations to enjoy and to celebrate its history,” explains Reno. “They’ve been at it for just about as long as I have (they are coming up on 50 years now),” he jests. “Second, it is the ‘official bluegrass festival of the state of Tennessee, my home state! SAL-UTE!. Finally, I’m in great company—Dailey & Vincent, Sierra Hull, Danny Roberts of the Grascals, Tennessee Mafia Jug Band, and Michael Cleveland have all received the Blue Blaze Award. I am absolutely honored, and look forward to performing at this year’s event.”

“The Jamboree Board was unanimous in the decision to honor Ronnie Reno as our Blue Blaze Award recipient for 2019,” said festival president and coordinator Sam Stout, “Reno embodies everything that is at the heart and soul of bluegrass, and will be a great addition to our long, list of deserving honorees. The award is designed to honor a group or individual that ‘keeps the embers of bluegrass music glowing for future generations.’ With decades of experience, crowd-pleasing talent, and a rich family heritage steeped in bluegrass, Reno was a natural fit for this award. We appreciate all that he has accomplished to encourage the long-term appreciation of bluegrass music, and look forward to his upcoming performance.”

Reno had a very early start in his future musical career. In 1955, seven-year-old “Little Ronnie Reno” climbed atop a milk carton, stretched up to the mic, and performed for his first national audience on “The Old Dominion Barndance.” This performance would prove to be the beginning of one of the most colorful, diverse and distinguished careers in the music industry–one that spans over 60 years, alongside some of the most legendary entertainers in Bluegrass and Country Music history.

Reno was launched into bluegrass greatness when he picked up the mandolin and joined his father’s band. His dad just happened to be banjo pioneer Don Reno and one-half of the Hall of Fame duoReno & Smiley. While juggling schoolwork with TV tapings and top-billed performances, young Ronnie honed his chops and was a part of that act’s great recordings in the 50’s and 60’s. He earned a reputation as a fine utility player and picked up additional work with groups like the Louvin Brothers, or whoever needed him.

With the desire to spread his own wings, Reno joined the famedOsborne Brothers and provided part of the trademark trio harmony during the height of their commercial success. In 1971, they were awarded the covetedCMA Vocal Group of the Year.

His talent and credibility as“Bluegrass Music’s Youngest Old-Timer” caught the attention of Merle Haggard, who hired him back him up, alongside Bonnie Owens andThe Strangers. As an additional bonus, Reno would serve as Haggard’s opening act, allowing him to build his own name as an artist.

The transition from Bluegrass to Country music was a natural one. Reno harmonized and played guitar withHaggard & Bonnie Owens in the 70’s and early 80’s, appearing on ten of Haggard’s albums and classic hits like“If We Make It through December,” “If We’re Not Back in Love by Monday,” and“Ramblin’ Fever.” He even wrote several of Haggard’s cuts, including the hit“I’ve Got a Darlin’ for a Wife.” Reno also opened for acts like Mel Tillis, Ray Price, Tom T. Hall and even Three Dog Night.

It was also during this time that Reno signed his own deal as an artist withMCA Records and released his debut album, appropriately titled For the First Time. He also hit the studio with many other artists including such legends asJohnny Cash, Johnny Paycheck, Willie Nelson andLeona Williams.

As a songwriter, Reno also experienced great success. In addition to his cuts with Haggard and many other artists, including Sammi Smith and Vassar Clements, and his song“Boogie Grass Band” became a smash hit for Conway Twitty.

Reno also celebrated success as a producer, churning out albums such asThe Bluegrass Sessions by Merle Haggard and the celebrated Kentucky Gold (which reached #1 on the Bluegrass charts),Swing West (which reached #1 on the Americana charts) and Drawing from the Well by The Reno Brothers, which he teamed up with after the passing of their father Don. The distinguished group was nominated for anIBMA award in 1997.

In 1993, Reno became an ambassador of traditional music, producing and hosting the first and only national television show featuring Bluegrass music, “Reno’s Old Time Music Festival,” which could be seen in 28 million households. The show earned a nomination for the prestigiousCable Ace Award for “Best Musical Series” and Reno became known as “The Dick Clark of Bluegrass Music.”

After six decades in the entertainment business, Reno shows no signs of slowing. His new show“Reno’s Old Time Music” can be seen weekly in over 50 million homes on theRFD-TV network and earned the IBMA “Broadcaster of the Year” honors in 2013, which he added to his IBMA “Distinguished Achievement Award” earned in 2006.

Reno released his first solo album in over a decade,Lessons Learned, on Rural Rhythm Records on March 17, 2015 to warm reviews, including the Washington Post, who gave the album “top pick” honors.

In 2016, Ronnie Reno received SPBGMA’s highest honor with his induction into the Preservation Hall of Greats.  His name joins a list of legendary bluegrass trailblazers, beginning with Bill Monroe, and including Ronnie’s father, Don Reno, who was inducted with Red Smiley in 1984.

Ronnie dedicates a great deal of his time in the preservation and remastering of great archival performances of bluegrass and acoustic artists, ensuring not only their legacy, but his own, for future generations to enjoy.  His catalog of work during his 60-year career will certainly have a marked impact. (biographical information courtesy of https://clicktime.symantec.com/3Mm9Dwu3HPbzsmvkri4dBx27Vc?u=www.ronniereno.com)

For more information on the Smithville Fiddlers’ Jamboree, go to:www.smithvillejamboree.com or join their FaceBook Page.

May 30, 2019
By: Dwayne Page

The science of space came out of orbit and into Justin Potter Library today (Thursday) on opening day of the 2019 Summer Reading Program featuring “Professor Graybeard” (John Wicks) one of Mr. Bond’s Science Guys.

Created and operated by Keith Trehy, AKA Mr. Bond, Science Guys began 20 years ago with Trehy as the original Science Guy. He operated the company for a decade before bringing on several other science enthusiasts, including “Professor Graybeard” thus completing the Science Guys team.

Science Guys perform science shows across the states of Tennessee, Kentucky and Alabama from May to July, and get kids excited about science at the over 100 events they host.

Originally from London, Trehy was a science teacher for several years and also worked as an English teacher in countries around the world. Earning a business degree, he yearned to start his own business, so he put several fun science experiments together and took them on the road, as this was before the Internet. He adopted the nickname Mr. Bond, as a reference to chemical bonds.

He initially was part of a group called Mad Science of Nashville, but broke away and started the Science Guys shortly afterward because he wanted the freedom to run his own operation.

The Science Guys not only visit libraries with their science shows, but also host summer camps and attend birthday parties.

This year’s theme is “Space! A Universe of Stories,” and includes experiments about life in a space suit, rocket propulsion, centrifugal force, planets and orbits.

The five week summer reading program of Justin Potter and the Alexandria Libraries began today (Thursday) with an opening party. Children set their own reading goals and will receive a participating certificate and other goodies at the Final Party on June 27. All events will be held at the library except the Final Party at the county complex.

Other Justin Potter Library’s Summer Reading Events:

*Thursday, June 6 at 2 p.m.: Edgar Evins State Park Rangers & Animal Friends

*Thursday, June 13 at 2 p.m.: Barry Mitchell’s Aliens, Astronauts and a Turtle in Space

*Thursday, June 20 at 2 p.m.: A Universe of Stories & Activities with DPC, Board of Education and UT Extension

*Thursday, June 27 at 2 p.m.: Final Party at the DeKalb County Complex Theater: Scott Humston’s Music, Magic, and Comedy

Alexandria Library Summer Events:

*Story Time & Activities Wednesday, June 5, 12, & 19 at 2 p.m.

For more information call Justin Potter Library at 615-597-4359

May 30, 2019
By: Dwayne Page

The Bright Hill and Smithville First United Methodist Churches will soon have a new minister.

Dr. John Carpenter, who has served both churches as pastor for 8 years, will be leaving in late June. He is the focus of this week’s WJLE “Preacher Feature”

“The Bishop and Cabinet for middle Tennessee have appointed me to the Waverly First United Methodist Church which is about three hours from here on the other side of Nashville. The last Tuesday of June will be moving day for me and my family,” said Dr. Carpenter.

IMG_6768 from dwayne page on Vimeo.

The 63 year old veteran minister who came to Smithville from the Nashville area in 2011 said he has enjoyed his time here and will miss the people of this community.

“It has been a good experience and I have learned a lot. I told the congregation when I arrived that my first task would be to listen so for the first couple of years I just listened to both church and community leaders,” he said.

Dr. Carpenter said he will especially miss swapping stories with friends around the morning breakfast table at Patty’s Restaurant.

“I call it the round table that meets at Patty’s at 4 o’clock in the morning. It’s a bunch of guys from various businesses who meet there. I call it the round table of wisdom. They laugh when I say that. We tell stories and I jokingly tell them that I get all my sermon ideas from that table. I will miss the friends I have made here,” he said.

Born and raised in the Nashville area, Dr. Carpenter recalled fondly his years as a youngster.

“I am from Bordeaux on the north side of Nashville and we lived on a hill there. I remember from my mother’s kitchen window we could see downtown Nashville which only had at that time one tall building called the L & C tower. Dad built the house we lived in but before I was born they lived in a two car garage that he built while completing the rest of the house,” said Dr. Carpenter.

“I went to Cumberland High School in Bordeaux until busing began and then I ended up at McGavock High School in Donelson. I did my first two years of college at Belmont which is now Belmont University and then went to Scarritt College of Christian workers, a small Methodist College in Nashville. After that I moved on to Emory University to get the Master Divinity Degree and then to Columbia Theological University and completed my doctoral work. I tell people I was raised a Nazarene., went to a Baptist College to be a Methodist preacher, did my doctoral work at a Presbyterian Seminary and my brother is a Roman Catholic so I am either confused or very well rounded,” he continued.

Dr. Carpenter said he felt the call to the ministry as a young man while listening to a sermon and that revelation astonished both his church pastor and future wife.

“One Sunday night after a youth group meeting at Bordeaux United Methodist Church I went outside. The doors were open to the church and I just leaned against the front wall. I wasn’t even looking in the sanctuary but I was listening to Brother Wayne Masters preach from 1 Corinthians 13, the love chapter and as I was hearing that sermon I felt the call to be a preacher. I went in and told Brother Wayne after the worship was over and noticed that he had a shocked look in his eyes. I wish I could have taken a picture of that because my own preacher was shocked that I was getting that call. And when I told my wife Kathy, who I was dating at the time and we were close to getting engaged, her reply was I thought I was going to marry a civil engineer because that is what I was studying to become,” he said.

Looking back on his 43 years in the ministry, Dr. Carpenter said he has enjoyed the journey serving the Lord and his congregations.

“While I was in college I served four churches in Hickman County and then I went to a church of about 30 people in Atlanta while I was going to school . Afterwards I moved on to Ruth Ensor United Methodist Church in Old Hickory and it was amazing how that church grew with an average attendance of 72. I remember on occasions like Easter Sunday we would have to bring in chairs and still people would be standing. That was an exciting ministry and we had lots of volunteers in that church. From there I went to various places in the Nashville area including Forest Hills in Brentwood and then to Arlington United Methodist Church before coming here but my favorite of all appointments is this one in Smithville. I knew before I came that it would be new territory but I love it. I got to know many people and probably more people outside than inside the church. It has just been a super experience,” he said.

Dr. Carpenter said the churches he has served here have been supportive of him and done great things for the community and he has been fortunate to have been part of it.

“After listening to community and church leaders concerned about the youth in our community, I did some work on that and found out that percentage wise DeKalb County was among the highest in Tennessee with youth suicides, youth drug addiction, and youth pregnancies and I Imagine we are still there. So for three years we hired a youth director who came in and did excellent work and that youth program grew to become strong. I invite churches in the community to do what you think is impossible for the Lord and it will be in the end more possible than you think,” he continued.

“God’s Food Pantry also began here. Ms Pat Zornow who is over it has been exceptional in getting who knows how many churches, businesses, and individuals involved so that no longer is it a one church program. It is now a whole community program and it amazes me that 25,000 plus people are helped through that organization a year. I am glad I played a small part in getting that started,” said Dr. Carpenter.

Although he could, Dr. Carpenter isn’t ready to retire just yet.

“ I could retire right now because after 40 years you can retire from the United Methodist Church. Interestingly enough the United Methodist Church has a required retirement age at 72. I don’t know how close I will get to that age. I will just look for the way the Lord leads,” he said.

The Bright Hill United Methodist Church meets for Sunday morning worship at 9 a.m. while the Smithville First United Methodist Church service is at 11 a.m.

For more information about the church visit http://www.smithvillefumc.org/

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