Museum of Appalachia Archives

Celebration of life in April for John Rice Irwin

Posted at 5:25 pm January 27, 2022
By Oak Ridge Today Staff Leave a Comment

*John Rice Irwin, founder of the Museum of Appalachia in Norris, plays the mandolin in this photo by Linda Gunderson.*

A celebration of the life of museum founder John Rice Irwin will be held in April at the Museum of Appalachia in Norris. The celebration of life is scheduled to begin at 2 p.m. Sunday, April 24.

Irwin was a cultural historian and founder of the Museum of Appalachia, among other notable achievements.

Irwin died Sunday, January 16, in Clinton. He was 91.

He was born on December 11, 1930, in Union County, Tennessee.

“While Irwin was still a toddler, his family was forced to move from their farm to make way for the flooding of Norris Lake and the construction of Norris Dam,” his obituary said. “They first settled in Robertsville (in Oak Ridge), but the Manhattan Project forced them to move yet again, this time to the Bethel Community.”

Irwin’s obituary said he was captivated by the rich cultural history of East Tennessee and its people for as long as he could remember.

“As a young boy, he would sit at the feet of his grandmother, Ibbie Jane Rice, and grandfather, Marcellus Moss ‘Sill’ Rice, and listen intently to their stories of the past,” the obituary said. “Sill took notice of his grandson’s fascination and said to him, ‘you ought to keep the old-timey things that belonged to our people and start you a little museum sometime.’ It was this advice that would ultimately inspire Irwin to create the Museum of Appalachia.”

[Read more…]

Tennessee Fall Homecoming at Museum of Appalachia ending after 38 years

Posted at 12:33 pm December 8, 2017
By John Huotari Leave a Comment

Photo courtesy Museum of Appalachia

The Tennessee Fall Homecoming at the Museum of Appalachia in Norris is ending after 38 years.

The festival, which started in 1980, has grown to the point that it now requires more than three thousand hours to plan, promote, and execute, a press release said.

“Homecoming was an enormous investment for a museum of our size,” said Stephen Dean, chair of the museum’s board of directors. “If we lost a day of attendance due to weather, we simply could not make it up. Even if a homecoming was successful financially, the amount of time and effort invested simply wasn’t justifiable. We have to be responsible for the entire museum’s operation.”

The festival started in 1980 as a one-time event to recognize, display, and celebrate the disappearing music and culture of the Southern Appalachians, but grew over the years into a multi-day event attended by tens of thousands of people annually, the press release said.

The 38th and final Homecoming, held this past October, was one of the museum’s most well-received events, the press release said. It introduced all-new evening concerts featuring artists like Lee Ann Womack and The SteelDrivers. As a result, this year’s Fall Homecoming boasted record-breaking attendance and attracted new visitors. [Read more…]

Country singer Lee Ann Womack to headline Tennessee Fall Homecoming this weekend

Posted at 4:18 pm October 4, 2017
By Oak Ridge Today Staff Leave a Comment

Lee Ann Womack

Award-winning country music singer Lee Ann Womack will headline this weekend’s Tennessee Fall Homecoming festival at the Museum of Appalachia in Norris.

The Tennessee Fall Homecoming is one of the region’s largest and most authentic music and folk festivals. It will be held Friday, October 6, through Sunday, October 8, at the Museum of Appalachia.

For its 38th annual event, the Museum is featuring an all-new Family Day and an evening concert series with award-winning artists, a press release said.

Genre-bending ensemble The SteelDrivers will play the first evening show on Friday, October 6, the press release said. Womack will perform on the evening of Saturday, October 7, along with Jerry Douglas’s bluegrass supergroup, The Earls of Leicester, the release said.

Homecoming will continue to feature dozens of musicians performing during the daytime, including Doyle Lawson & Quicksilver, Steve Gulley & New Pinnacle, Chris Jones & the Night Drivers, Flashback, Terry Baucom’s Dukes of Drive, Leroy Troy, Jimbo Whaley & Greenbrier, Jeff Brown & Still Lonesome, and many more, the press release said. [Read more…]

Tennessee Fall Homecoming this weekend at Museum of Appalachia

Posted at 10:27 am October 6, 2016
By Oak Ridge Today Staff Leave a Comment

File photo courtesy Museum of Appalachia

Tennessee Fall Homecoming is this weekend at the Museum of Appalachia in Norris.

The historic three-day festival is scheduled from Friday, October 7, to Sunday, October 9. It’s the 37th annual Tennessee Fall Homecoming.

It’s one of the nation’s largest, most authentic music and folk festivals, a press release said. It features more than 70 musicians performing on four outdoor stages.

“Each year, tens of thousands of music fans come to enjoy concerts spanning many genres—including bluegrass, country, gospel, and Americana music,” the press release said.

The music lineup for this year’s event includes: [Read more…]

Museum of Appalachia celebrates July 4 with ‘boom’ of anvil shoot

Posted at 11:45 am June 29, 2016
By Oak Ridge Today Staff Leave a Comment

On July 4th, the Museum of Appalachia celebrates Independence Day in dramatic fashion. For nearly 30 years, the Museum has celebrated the Fourth of July by practicing the pioneer-tradition of “anvil-shooting.” (Photo courtesy Museum of Appalachia)

Each year, huge crowds gather to watch the Museum blacksmith as he packs gunpowder between two anvils and lights a fuse—launching the top anvil some 125 feet into the air. As the anvil soars high above the treetops, the earth literally shakes, and the sound of the explosion can be heard as far as 15 miles away.

Before there were fireworks, shooting the anvil was a common way for pioneers to celebrate special events, a press release said. Local blacksmiths would practice this tradition to celebrate the nation’s Independence, Christmas, and even Davy Crockett’s election to the U.S. Congress.

“While the tradition of anvil-shooting is nearly obsolete, the Museum honors our ancestors by carrying on this unique and exciting form of celebration,” the press release said. [Read more…]

2016 Tennessee Fall Homecoming lineup announced

Posted at 12:38 pm April 9, 2016
By Oak Ridge Today Staff Leave a Comment

A performance at a previous Fall Homecoming at the Museum of Appalachia near Norris. (Submitted photo)

The Museum of Appalachia has announced the music lineup for its 37th Annual Tennessee Fall Homecoming from October 7-9.

High-profile artists scheduled to appear include 20-year Homecoming veteran, Doyle Lawson and Quicksilver—an IBMA Hall of Fame Member and 2016 Grammy-Nominated artist; Mountain Faith, semi-finalists on Season 10 of NBC’s “America’s Got Talent”; Lonesome River Band, Steve Martin Prize for Excellence in Bluegrass and Banjo award-winners; and seven-time IBMA Vocal Group of the Year award-winners, Russell Moore and IIIrd Tyme Out.

One of the nation’s largest, most authentic music and folk festivals, Homecoming features more than 70 musicians performing on four outdoor stages, a press release said. Each year, tens of thousands of music fans come to enjoy concerts spanning many genres—including bluegrass, country, gospel, and Americana music. [Read more…]

Tennessee Fall Homecoming at Museum of Appalachia this weekend

Posted at 9:24 am October 8, 2015
By Oak Ridge Today Staff Leave a Comment

Photo courtesy Museum of Appalachia

NORRIS—The annual Tennessee Fall Homecoming at the Museum of Appalachia in Norris this weekend will feature more than 70 musicians, authentic mountain and pioneer demonstrations, and dozens of artisans showcasing and selling handmade goods.

It’s a beloved and historic three-day event, organizers said.

This year, the Homecoming Marketplace, where festival-goers browse heritage arts and crafts from artisans showcasing their skills on site, has been selected as a feature representation of Tennessee Craft Week. Tennessee First Lady Crissy Haslam will be making a special appearance on Friday afternoon from 2:30-4 p.m. to promote Tennessee Arts programs.

The featured music lineup for this year’s event, now in its 36th year, includes the Del McCoury Band, multiple Grammy and International Bluegrass Music Award recipient and Bluegrass Hall of Fame member; previous two-time IBMA Entertainers of the Year and Vocal Group of the Year, the Gibson Brothers; and the multiple Grammy- and Dove-nominated band, Doyle Lawson and Quicksilver, also a 7-time IBMA Vocal Group of the Year and Bluegrass Hall of Fame Member. Also returning to the Tennessee Fall Homecoming this year is the legendary Larry Sparks, who was just inducted into the Bluegrass Hall of Fame at the 2015 IBMA awards. [Read more…]

Anderson County Chamber announces business awards, celebrates Friday

Posted at 12:46 pm June 2, 2015
By Oak Ridge Today Staff Leave a Comment

The Anderson County Chamber of Commerce has announced the winners of its Tribute to Business Awards, and they’ll celebrate in a Friday evening ceremony.

Here are the award winners:

Small Business—Allstate-The Erb Agency,
Mid-Sized Business—Tennessee Tool and Engineering Inc.,
Large Business—Aisin and SL Tennessee LLC, and
Woman-Owned Business—Dream Dance Studio Inc.

“Everyone is invited to join us in honoring these businesses for their contribution to the economic growth of Anderson County,” a press release said.

The celebration will take place at the Museum of Appalachia at 2819 Andersonville Highway in Clinton on Friday, June 5. The evening will begin at 6:30 p.m. with valet parking, social hour, photos, wine grab, and live music, the release said. Dinner on the Lawn begins at 7:30 p.m. with a brief live auction and awards ceremony. Dress is “resort casual.” [Read more…]

Museum of Appalachia announces line-up for Tennessee Fall Homecoming

Posted at 3:14 pm August 14, 2014
By Oak Ridge Today Staff Leave a Comment

A performance at a previous Fall Homecoming at the Museum of Appalachia near Norris. (Submitted photo)

Submitted

NORRIS—The best bluegrass, gospel, and old-time music in the South will resonate across the beautiful grounds of the Museum of Appalachia this coming October 10-12. This year’s line-up includes more than 70 national, regional, and local musicians performing on five unique outdoor stages throughout the pastoral museum setting.

In celebration of 35 years of this award-winning festival, organizers have put together the strongest lineup in event history, including Grammy award winner and multi-talented Marty Raybon and Full Circle, International Bluegrass Music Association male vocalist of the year Junior Sisk and Ramblers Choice, Jeff Brown and Still Lonesome, Grammy-nominated Della Mae, “Entertainers of the Year” and “Vocal Group of the Year” The Gibson Brothers, and the multi-award winning group Lonesome River Band.

Appearing again this year are Grammy-nominated Blue Highway, “Broadcaster of the Year” Chris Jones and the Night Drivers, the award-winning Darrell Webb Band, the highly recognized Blue Moon Rising, Grits and Soul, Jesse Gregory and Faultline, and the legendary Paul Williams and the Victory Trio. Joining these top artists is one of the most successful bluegrass bands of all time, seven-time International Bluegrass Music Association “Vocal Group of the Year” with multiple Grammy and Dove award nominations and IBMA Hall of Fame inductee Doyle Lawson and Quicksilver. [Read more…]

Museum celebrates Independence Day with old-time ‘anvil shoot’

Posted at 10:23 am June 15, 2014
By Oak Ridge Today Staff 2 Comments

By Museum of Appalachia

NORRIS—Visitors to the Museum of Appalachia, a Smithsonian Affiliate Museum, can celebrate July 4 with the explosion of sound that pioneers heard thunder through the hills when they celebrated Independence Day.

In those days, local blacksmiths would “shoot the anvil” to celebrate the nation’s Independence, Christmas, and even Davy Crockett’s election to the U.S. Congress.

Now, shooting the 175-pound anvil, an almost lost tradition, has come to be a highlight of the Museum’s annual July 4 Celebration. Folks as far as 15 miles away have reported hearing the blast, and certainly everyone gathered for the excitement feels the earth shake under their feet.

Along with a big boom several times during the day, there will be patriotic ceremonies, a flag waving procession led by bagpiper Jesse McCrary, Longhunter camp stories, Appalachian music, and an array of historic demonstrations. [Read more…]

Anderson Chamber announces ‘Tribute to Business’ award winners

Posted at 8:02 pm May 27, 2014
By Oak Ridge Today Staff Leave a Comment

Rising juniors from the Oak Ridge Schools Orchestra Program will be providing live music for the Anderson County Chamber of Commerce’s 3rd Annual Tribute to Business on Friday, June 6, at the Museum of Appalachia. From left to right are Megan Peters, cello; Brittany Rowe, violin; Evelyn Pieper, violin; and Lucas Potter, viola.

The Anderson County Chamber of Commerce has announced its Tribute to Business Awards, and they will be honored during a June 6 celebration at the Museum of Appalachia.

Here are the winners:

Small Business—Samuel Franklin,
Mid-Sized Business—All Occasion Party Rentals,
Large Business—Techmer PM,
Woman-Owned Business—Temp Systems Inc., and
Lifetime Achievement Award—The Fox Family.

“Everyone is invited to join us in honoring these businesses for their contribution to the economic growth of Anderson County,” a press release said.

The Friday, June 6, celebration will start at 6:30 p.m. with valet parking, social hour, photos, and live music, the press release said. Dinner on the Lawn begins at 7:30 p.m. with a brief live auction and awards ceremony. The Museum of Appalachia is at 2819 Andersonville Highway near Norris. [Read more…]

Anderson Chamber hosts ‘Tribute to Business’ awards ceremony in June

Posted at 4:05 pm May 16, 2014
By Oak Ridge Today Staff Leave a Comment

The Anderson County Chamber of Commerce will pay tribute to local businesses at the 3rd Annual “Dinner on the Lawn” at the Museum of Appalachia in June.

It’s Friday, June 6, and everyone is welcome to attend, a press release said.

Guests will be treated to valet parking when they arrive at 6:30 p.m., as well as a social hour on the porch, live music on the lawn, and a fun live auction, a press release said. Dinner will be served at 7:30 p.m. followed by the “Tribute to Business” award ceremony, honoring a diverse category of businesses.

Tickets are $70, or $500 for a table of eight, and they can be purchased at the Chamber Office or online at the Chamber website at www.andersoncountychamber.org. [Read more…]