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Music & Arts

  • Cana musician nominated for Grammy

    About two weeks before Christmas in 2013, bluegrass musician James King received a late night phone call from his record producer, Ken Irwin, in the middle of a shopping trip with his wife.
    When he answered, his producer asked, “What are you doing right now?”
    “Christmas shopping,” King told him.
    “Well, you need to go to the CD section and look for that Grammy you’ve been nominated for,” said Irwin.

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  • Chad Tate: Monster Master

    Stepping into Chad Tate’s studio is like entering a comic book supervillain’s lair.
    You’re surrounded by the faces of mutants, aliens and fantastic creatures. There’s a “lab” where these colorful creatures come to life, a wall full of plans sketched out on paper and a garage with what looks like The Joker’s hot rod parked in the corner.
    But, the only scary thing inside is the amount of talent the sculptor and artist has on display.

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  • Potter shapes a new life in mountains

    HILLSVILLE — The talent of “throwing pots” earned Ann Childress a career with the National Park Service, but the wheels continue to turn into her retirement.
    The Childresses lived in a lot of different places when she worked for the park service, but it wasn’t until they returned to the Blue Ridge to be close to her husband’s family that she had a studio dedicated to her craft.

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  • Dance conservatory presents classic holiday ballet

    The tradition continues with The Conservatory of Dance & Theatre’s annual production of “The Nutcracker.”
    This family favorite will bring the holiday season to life with the magic of waltzing snowflakes, beautiful dancing, fanciful characters and a thrilling trip into the Land of Sweets.

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  • Rex to close in January for repairs, new lighting

    The Rex Theater in Galax will be closed for three months starting in early January while the ceiling is replaced and the lighting is upgraded, according to Galax Tourism Director Ray Kohl.
    The doors will lock on the city’s historic performance venue following a hectic chain of scheduled holiday events.

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  • Chorus brings singers together in harmony

    The Twin County Chorus held its first concert at Carroll County High School on Sept. 20.
    The new singing group, made up of students from Galax, Grayson County and Carroll County, will be hosting a series of concerts around the localities.

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  • Art school gets $125K for woodworking studio

    After close to a year of campaigns and grant applications, Chestnut Creek School of the Arts (CCSA) has secured the final funding piece to move forward with a new woodworking studio in Galax.
    The final grant was awarded on Sept. 26 by the Virginia Tobacco Commission in the amount of $125,000; which topped off the required $877,000 needed to get the project started.

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  • 9/11 Poem: 'We Will Not Forget You'

    To those we loved and lost on Sept. 11, 2001  
    By Sharon Kaye Dalton, Hillsville

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  • Art school awaiting final state grant

    It has been a busy year for Chestnut Creek School of the Arts, as staff has worked tirelessly with Galax grants administrator Brenda Marrah to secure enough funding for a woodworking studio in the downtown district.
    As the school draws close to submitting its final request to the Virginia Tobacco Commission for $125,000, CCSA Executive Director Chris Shackelford approached the members of Galax City Council on Aug. 12 to request their support one more time.

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  • Audrey Hash Ham: 'A friend of the music'

    LANSING, N.C. — The legacy of Audrey Hash Ham goes on in the countless children she mentored in music in the Whitetop area and the dozens she taught the art of instrument building.
    The renowned instrument maker, artisan, musician, teacher and champion of mountain music died Aug. 2 at age 64 at her home in Lansing, N.C.
    Born in Grayson County, Va., Ham made her home in Ashe County, N.C., for many years.
    She learned to make dulcimers, then fiddles, from her father, Albert Hash.

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