Jack Neely

• Local Color: Knoxville's North Central Neighborhood Published 02/01/2012 at 2:26 p.m.

  Central Street is Knoxville’s defining axis. All addresses in the county from here to Farragut are numbered from it. Few blocks suggest its role as the spine of a metropolitan county of more than 400,000 people. It seems altogether too ...

• Is Knoxville the Birthplace of the First Rock ’n’ Roll Star? Published 02/01/2012 at 11:13 a.m. 2 Comments

  Knoxville is the birthplace of Atlantic Records' first big star, who was one of the founders of rock ’n’ roll. Granville McGhee’s name is not as recognizable as that of Chuck Berry or Bo Diddley or Howlin’ Wolf—but as Stick ...

• Edwin “Rocky” Wynder, 1928-2012 Published 02/01/2012 at 10:38 a.m.

  Rocky Wynder’s long career linked the era of tent vaudeville and black speakeasies to a time of upscale-restaurant jazz nights in a reborn downtown. He began his career before rock ’n’ roll, and dabbled with R&B, but always favored jazz, ...

• Possum Without the O Published 01/25/2012 at 12:08 p.m. 1 Comment

  I’ve been enjoying Bill Landry’s book, Appalachian Tales & Heartland Adventures. It chronicles the back story of the long-running WBIR series of anecdotal stories about backwoods crafts, sports, cuisine. I have only one complaint about the book. Landry spells possum ...

• Gloria in Excelsis Published 01/18/2012 at 12:41 p.m. 5 Comments

  Folks have been asking me what I think of Gloria Ray, and especially whether she earns her annual compensation, which is slightly larger than that of the president of the United States.

• The Stories Behind a Couple of Recent Demolitions in Bearden Published 01/11/2012 at 11:28 a.m. 2 Comments

  You can’t help but notice that the Bearden area has gotten a little flatter in recent months. Near Kroger and Starbucks, an old motel building vanished. Its name, Biltmore Court, has an odd connection to some painted words barely visible ...

• University Commons vs. Cumberland Corridor Published 01/11/2012 at 10:54 a.m.

  The announcement that a major development involving the Florida-based Publix grocery chain and international retail Godzilla Walmart would be lumbering toward central Knoxville was startling news in itself. But this 211,000-square-foot development is proposed for the foot of Cumberland Avenue, ...

• A Sense of Moment Published 01/04/2012 at 12:19 p.m. 2 Comments

  In history, no city’s judged just by how amused and trendy and well-fed its citizens are. If people of the future are at all interested in learning about the Knoxville of 2012, well, it probably won’t be for the tonnage ...

• Eerie, Dark, and Uplifting: Hudson K at Home Published 01/04/2012 at 12:18 p.m.

  Hudson K may intimidate the weak. It’s not just that Christina Horn is an especially talented vocalist, pianist, and songwriter. Standing at her keyboards, she wields her ice-blonde persona like a stiletto, as if maybe she’d kill you if doing ...

• Meet the New Boss: Mayor Madeline Rogero Published 01/04/2012 at 12:03 p.m. 8 Comments

  Knoxville is starting the new year with a new mayor, so we thought we’d ask Madeline Rogero what she has planned for the first year of her administration. Jack Neely chats with her about south-side development, city-county consolidation, and—shhhh!—Agenda 21.

• Best Gay Club: Carousel II and Club XYZ (tie) Published 05/12/2010 at 5 p.m.

  They tied. And why shouldn’t they? They both offer well-stocked bars and regular drag shows in interesting neighborhoods.

• Best Concert Venue: Tennessee Theatre Published 05/12/2010 at 5 p.m.

  Kind of a shoo-in in this category, the Tennessee Theatre has won many times before. But it got more national attention in 2010 than it has in any calendar year in its 82-year history, except for maybe the night back ...

• Best Thing In/About Knoxville to Surprise Newcomers With & Best Place To Break Up: Market Square Published 05/12/2010 at 5 p.m.

  A colorfully historical jumble of Victorian and early 20th-century architecture on a more personable scale than most of downtown, and 30-odd businesses, mostly local, mostly unusual, is a big part of the 156-year-old Square’s appeal.

• Best Middle-Eastern: Sitar Published 05/12/2010 at 5 p.m.

  Bearden’s long-lived Indian restaurant has more competition than it used to, but it’s still a Knoxville favorite.

• Best Wine List: Oodles Uncorked Published 05/12/2010 at 5 p.m.

  A wine list notable for its variety, but maybe more so for its economy.

• Best Addition to Knoxville: Strangers Published 05/12/2010 at 5 p.m.

  Okay, Knoxville’s not exactly a stranger to strangers, and hasn’t been ever since Francois-Rene de Chateaubriand showed up here looking for material for his novels and a refuge from the guillotines of Paris. Ever since Ambrose Burnside rode into town ...

• Best Meat & Three: Chandler’s Published 05/12/2010 at 5 p.m.

  This sunny soul-food buffet, now a decade old, has become an East Knoxville institution.

• Best Eyewear Shop: Luttrell’s Eyewear Published 05/12/2010 at 5 p.m.

  Walk into this Bearden business, more colorful in decor than any mall shop, and more comfortable, and you may have the impression you’re visiting a friendly neighbor.

• Best Salads: Trio Café Published 05/12/2010 at 5 p.m.

  This Market Square cafe-with-patio offers probably the most conspicuous salad bar downtown.

• Best Jazz Band: Donald Brown Published 05/12/2010 at 5 p.m.

  Originally from Memphis, East Tennessee’s best-known jazz pianist is a former member of Art Blakey’s legendary Jazz Messengers, with several albums of his own (hear Piano Short Stories) and has been a familiar figure in town for 20-odd years.

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