Music has always been a huge part of my life. When I was
little, I would play Barbra Streisand and Laura Branigan records on our stereo,
and belt out “Evergreen” and “Gloria” at the top of my lungs.
I wanted to be a
singer for many years, and my undergraduate degree in college was in music with
a concentration in vocal performance. Before all of that, however, I played
clarinet and bassoon in middle school, and took lessons in downtown Kingsport
for both. At one point, I decided I wanted to be a rock singer, and I took guitar
lessons on Broad Street at Joseph’s Music Center (now closed, unfortunately),
where I fell madly in love with my heavy metal rocker guitar teacher.
Kingsport
always had some sort of musical happening taking place whether it was the
Kingsport Symphony Orchestra, the Fun Fest concerts, or even musical theater. Some
of the most musical days of my life were spent in my hometown.
Now, I’m happy to say, the Tennessee hills are alive with
the sound of music once more, as Kingsport revitalizes the night life of the
downtown with “Bluegrass on Broad” (Thursday nights) and “Twilight Alive”
(Friday nights). These concerts take
place for 8 weeks in the summer (May-July)right smack in the middle of Broad Street, drawing crowds
consisting of music lovers, families, visitors and tourists.
(See video below to give you a little flavor of Downtown Kingsport and the concert series as Blue Highway plays)
Obviously, as the names suggest—Thursday nights are geared
towards those who love the good old sound of the south—fiddles and banjos and
bluegrass harmonies. Friday nights feature cover and tribute bands. So there’s
something for everyone and all ages!
Just a little more evidence to show that Kingsport has it going on!
