PRESENTS:

KNOXVILLE FREEDOM SONGS & STORIES - Researched & Compiled by Tomi Robb

ARTISTS

Matthew Cunningham – Vocals Dan Higgins – Bass John Jackson – Keys & Vocals Cole Liles – Drums Ethan Norman – Guitar & Vocals Tomi Robb – Director, Narrator, & Vocals Adam Whipple – Guitar, Mandolin, & Harmonica

SONGS (In order of performance)

Living With the Blues - Brownie McGhee I Want Jesus to Walk with Me* - Eric Bibb Two Wings* - James Cleveland Walk On - Brownie McGhee Raise a Ruckus - Brownie McGhee Joe Louis Blues - Carl Martin Lady Be Good - Howard Armstrong Blues for Rampart Street - Ida Cox My Baby's Gone - Stick McGhee Oh, Happy Day* - Edwin Hawkins

*Popular song in black churches during the era. Artist is not connected with Knoxville.

SPECIAL THANKS Erin Presbyterian Church, Fifth Avenue Baptist Church

ABOUT THE SONGWRITERS

Brownie McGhee (1915 – 1996) Brownie McGhee preserved and popularized the Piedmont blues style, meshing bouncy guitar picking and strumming with rhythmic, hooting harmonica. Brownie learned guitar from his father, known around University Avenue for playing guitar and singing. Brownie contracted polio at the age of four, which incapacitated his right leg. His brother, Granville McGhee, was nicknamed Stick McGhee for using a stick to push a wagon carrying young Brownie. In 1948, Brownie started a blues school in Harlem, and shortly before his death, he started the Blues Is Truth Foundation to give scholarships to young musicians.

Carl Martin (1906 – 1979) Carl Martin played Piedmont blues, which emphasizes fingerpicking and a light, jazzy feel distinct from the simpler sounds of Delta blues. It was a style often heard in the barber shops and poolhalls of Vine Street in the years after World War I. It was in Knoxville that Carl met Howard Armstrong. The two formed the core of Knoxville-based bands, the Four Keys and the Tennessee Chocolate Drops. They recorded at the 1929-30 Brunswick sessions at the St. James Hotel on Wall Avenue near Market Square.

Howard Armstrong (1909 – 2003) Howard Armstrong, also known as “Louie Bluie,” was an accomplished musician, painter, and storyteller, who created ethnic jewelry, mastered seven foreign languages, 22 musical instruments, and traveled the world. By the age of ten, Howard had formed a family string band with his five younger brothers. They played for money on the streets of LaFollette and in remote coal camps on the nearby mountains. Howard always brought that money to his mother to help pay for their home. He left school and home at the age of 12 to join the family of fiddler Blind Martin Roland in Knoxville, mingling on the famed Vine Street of downtown. In the heart of the Great Depression, Howard developed what he called "skiffeling," which meant earning a living by knocking on doors in ethnic neighborhoods and singing songs to homesick immigrants in their native tongues. He made many original songs, but his early theme song was a Gershwin tune that he loved: Lady Be Good.

Ida Cox (1888* – 1967) *The date and location of Ida Cox’s birth are unclear, but she told reporters that she was born in Knoxville, Tennessee, on January 25, 1894. Her commanding stage presence and expressive delivery earned Cox star billing, and by the early 1920s, she was regarded as one of the finest solo acts. She secured a contract with Paramount Records, who called her "The Uncrowned Queen of Blues.” In 1945, she was forced into retirement after a debilitating stroke which occurred during a performance in Buffalo, New York. She moved to Knoxville where she lived with her daughter and became active in her church. Cox effectively disappeared from the music world until 1959 when she was urged to make another recording. In 1961, 15 years after her last sessions, she recorded Blues for Rampart Street.

Stick McGhee (1918 – 1961) Stick McGhee dropped out of high school his freshman year and went to work with his father at the Eastman factory in Kingsport. He served in the army during World War II and settled in New York after he was discharged in 1946. In 1949, Brownie backed Stick in his recording of Wine Blues, which became a No. 2 Billboard hit. The song was continually covered for a decade before being recorded by Jerry Lee Louis who is often credited for it being one of his signature songs. The term “rock ’n’ roll” did not yet exist, but some scholars have proposed that McGhee’s Wine Blues was the first rock ’n’ roll recording.

ABOUT OUR ARTISTS

MATTHEW CUNNINGHAM: Matthew is an alumnus of Carson-Newman College, now University, who graduated with a degree in music education. He has performed at Dollywood in "Babes in Toyland, Dreamland Drive-In," and "Christmas in the Smokies." He was recently seen in The WordPlayers' Annual Music Revue and is excited to be back working with The WordPlayers again!!

JOHN JACKSON: John, native of Chicago, arrived in Knoxville TN in 1986 as a student at Knoxville College. Shortly after graduation, John served as Minister of Music at Community Evangelistic Evangelical Presbyterian Church (CEC) here in Knoxville. John is currently serving at CEC and has been there for 30 years. John also serves as part-time director of music with Freedom Fellowship Christian Church since 2005 and part-time director of music with HOPE Fellowship since 2018. John serves faithfully with other para-church ministries in the city of Knoxville: Emerald Youth’s Children's choir and Young Life. John is married to April Jackson, who is Divisional Coordinator with Young Lives. John has a son, Jahson, who attends Johnson University and a daughter, Jalan, who recently graduated from King University and is currently attending Roane State. DAN HIGGINS: Dan started playing music at age 11. First, in the school band and then in church. Soon, he was involved in jazz band, marching band, and a touring choir in college. Dan was also in a short-lived rock band that made one album. He has played a bit of just about every style of music including bluegrass/folk, hard rock, jazz, gospel, and blues.

COLE LILES: This is Cole's 2nd performance with The WordPlayers. Originally from Nashville, Cole has lived in Knoxville for the last 10 years (Go Vols!) He is the East Campus Pastor for OneLife Church. Cole lives with his wife, Courtney and his cat, Dahlia.

ETHAN NORMAN: Ethan has been working with The WordPlayers for several years, and loves this company! A local musician, songwriter, and playwright, Ethan mostly mows lawns for a living. Along with his wife, Rachel, and two little boys, Bode and River, his two favorite things are being outside and making music. It’s also a well-known fact that Ethan’s dog, Kipling, is much cooler than Cole's cat, Dahlia.

TOMI ROBB: Tomi is a student at the UT College of Law. Since 2012, she has performed as a singer, actress, and speaker with The WordPlayers, KnoxCAM, MissionWorx, Tennessee Valley Players, Oak Ridge Playhouse, and Encore Theatrical Company. Tomi is so excited for the opportunity to share these stories with our Knoxville community. It is an honor to perform as part of a company. Thanks be to God!

ADAM WHIPPLE: Adam has played multiple instruments or arranged charts for The WordPlayers for The Spitfire Grill, Bright Star, On a Hill Far Away, et al. He’s an editor for Foundling House, has written for The Rabbit Room and other publications, and his music can be found anywhere there’s an internet signal.

COMING UP IN OUR 2020-2021 SEASON

Recorded Performance

Loving by Peter Manos Streamed online November 5 and 12

Staged Reading

Big Mama’s Kitchen by Joseph Frost Nov. 16, 7:00 PM, The Square Room, 4 Market Square

Advent Show Sleepers, Wake! – a film by Ethan Norman Available online November-December, 2020

Black History Touring Show The Ends We Seek by Ethan Norman Available Feb.1 – March 5, 2021

For more information about our programming, please see wordplayers.org

We are thankful for the support of our 2020-2021 Season Contributing Players! (Gifts given between August 1, 2020 & October 20, 2020)

ALL WORLD PLAYERS ($1000+)

Barbara Darce Jim & Leann Dickson Shawn & Alice Carson Leslie Hull

MOST VALUABLE PLAYERS ($500-$999)

Anonymous John & CeCe Campbell John & Cindy Cannon Tom Cervone & Susan Creswell Joe & Carol Ottaviano Bill & Dotty Vinson Terry & Jeni Weber Annamae Weber

ALL STAR PLAYERS ($250-$499)

Anonymous Don & Beth Arnurius Anna Bellamy Fifth Avenue Baptist Church John & Patti Frazier Richard & Lee Graham Stan & Rosalie Hadley Lakeisha Hogue Joe & Kim Jaynes Dan & Libby McCammon Jim & Celia Montgomery Ernie Roberts Joyce Wyatt

MAJOR PLAYERS ($100-$249)

Anonymous Richard & Margaret Ashworth Dale & Mary Beth Berry Robert & Lorraine Bowman George & Kathy Brooks Dorothy Bryson Bill & Helen Deitch Kathryn DeWine Mary Farmer Archie & Susan Fendley Ed & Melissa Flanagan Reid & Nancy Gerhardt Michael & Jean Giusto Brad & Joy Guilford Don & Caroline Harrell Mark Hedrick Jim & Becky Henry Chris & LeAnn Hilemon James & Lee Hysmith Stan & Jackie Johnson Robert King Teresa King Steve & Mary Krempasky Steve & Caroline Luper Jim & Julia Malia Cynthia Morris Frank & CeCe Morris Bill & Sheila Moyer Harry & Amy Ogden Mark & Dee Pierce Kevin & Kimberly Proffitt John & Anita Randle Barry & Pam Robertson Judy Shepherd Mike & Carol Slavin Wayne & Laura Smith Bernard Starner Richard & Irene Townsend Larry Welch William Bruce & Linda Wheeler Deborah Wooten Stan & Melissa Zachary

UTILITY PLAYERS ($25-$99)

Mariellen Amber David & Rachel Ballenger Hershel & Joyce Beeler Patty Bruns Joe & Karen Carson Richard & Michelle Castleberry Alan & Nancy Cheatham Mike & Pam Davis Mark & Helen Dickey Pat Earl Jack & Becky Ellison Russ & Tracey Ford Derrell & Brenda Frye Mary Sue Greiner Brad & Cindy Hood Patricia Jones Lou & Kim Kiernan Jack & Marjorie Lloyd Michael & Nancy Lofaro Stan & Brenda Malone James & Sherburne Martin Jerry & Joyce McClellan Norman & Linda Judge McRae Coke Morgan Sherrie Rumbolt Howard & Marcella Russell Nancy Schowalter Ron & Christine Solomon Amanda Stair Kelly & Karin Vogt Sharon Ward Jack & Patricia Watson Helen Wedekind Jean Wedekind

OTHER SUPPORT

Arts & Culture Alliance Arts Fund for East Tennessee Central Baptist Bearden Roach & Reed, CPA’s, P.C. Tennessee Arts Commission The LAMP Foundation TJ Development

The WordPlayers is a non-profit 501(c)3 company of Christian theatre artists. Your support is needed and appreciated, and gifts are tax-deductible.

Mailing Address: PO Box 53717, Knoxville, TN 37950-3717 Website: www.wordplayers.org 865-539-2490 * [email protected] Find us on Facebook, Twitter & Instagram