In Knoxville, TN, during the summer of 1995, a group of strangers gathered in the parking lot of Blue’s Depot record store to listen to music and discuss the history of the blues. Little did they know that more than 30 years later, this legendary “parking lot crew” would grow into the Smoky Mountain Blues Society, a 501(c)(3) organization with close to 250 active members supporting musicians from all over the United States.
The society prides itself in organizing events that help bolster the East Tennessee music community. In addition to live concerts, the society runs the Blues in the School (BITS) program, which visits local schools to teach blues history to students. They are also very active in the local veteran community organizing shows for veterans at the Ben Atchley Veterans Home. Perhaps one of the most unique events the society sponsors is the monthly “Blues Cruise”, a three hour concert down the Tennessee River in partnership with the Tennessee Riverboat Company.
Among the members is current president Alisa Cherry. Eleven years ago, Alisa and her husband Lee Zimmerman moved to the Knoxville area looking for a place to listen to the blues and make new friends. One night they wandered into the Blue Tick Tavern in Maryville and caught a Smoky Mountain Blues Society show featuring their favorite artist, Albert Castiglia. “We came to a show one night and then instantly we had 50 friends,” Alisa remembers fondly. “What I want people to know is that it’s not just about the music but it’s about the camaraderie.” She wants the society to be known first and foremost for the tight knit group that considers itself a family.
And the heart and soul of that family are founding members Herman Long and John McCormack.
Originally from Birkenfeld, Germany, Herman came to the US when he was nine, trading his German accent for a Southern one. Herman immediately fell in love with blues music and when he was old enough, he and his friends would cram into a van and drive eight hours to Chicago to hear live music. But as he got older, the frequent trips became more of a chore. “Why do we have to drive to listen to live music? Why not bring the live music to us?” he wondered. Herman then set a new goal: bring the live music to them. Since the Smoky Mountain Blues Society’s inception, Herman has consistently booked some of the biggest talents in the Chicago Blues and Delta Blues genre, including: Magic Slim and the Teardrops, Tab Benoit, John Primer, Coco Montoya, Nick Moss, Billy Branch, and Lil’ Ed and the Blues Imperials.
While Herman helps to keep the music alive in Knoxville, John McCormack, known as Johnny Mack, helps keep it alive over the airways. He is a longtime DJ and host of Johnny Mack’s Friday Night Blues Attack on WDVX 89.9. He started broadcasting in the 1990’s from a camper in East Tennessee. His wife Ruth would drive their kids up and down the road so they could listen to their dad on the radio. Listeners now tune in religiously from places as far as Tokyo to military bases across the Middle East. With over 8,000 CD’s and records in his repertoire, as well as live music streamed from his studio, Johnny Mack has plenty of options to keep listeners entertained and informed. “I love what I do,” Johnny Mack said with a smile. “It’s important to me that I preserve this beautiful and diverse history of the blues.”
The Smoky Mountain Blues Society has many achievements to be proud of, but continues to face a number of growing challenges. “Our biggest hurdle is getting people to come out and listen to live music,” Alisa said. Herman agreed: “We need to keep the music live not just alive!” A more pressing issue is that many members are aging out. Herman and Johnny Mack remain the only two left of the 1995 “parking lot crew.” They are worried that there will be no one left to continue the work. They need more young people to join and carry the flame of not just organizing shows and supporting musicians, but keeping the history of the blues alive.
For 30 years the Smoky Mountain Blues Society has been a staple in the East Tennessee music community. And for it to survive, it needs your help. If you would like to support them, please check out their website www.smokymountainblues.org or their facebook page https://www.facebook.com/smokymountainbluessociety/
You can also attend these upcoming shows:
- Sauce Boss Bill Wharton concert on November 1st (contact Greg for venue details at yagottalovemusic@gmail.com)
- Sara Jordan Birthday Bash at Blue Tick Tavern on Sunday November 13th at 5PM
- Annual Holiday Show at Blue Tick Tavern on Sunday December 13th
