Latest News
Local Recordings Due for Release on Top German Label
Carl Perkins Tracks Hailed as Game Changers for Rock 'n' Roll History
Selmer, Tennessee—In 2009 Arts in McNairy’s cultural heritage committee began the painstaking process of sorting through recordings made by Stanton Littlejohn at his Eastview, Tennessee home between 1947 and 1957. Dozen’s of fragile acetate (lacquer) discs recovered from the families of Mr. Littlejohn and the artists who recorded for him were subsequently digitized with the assistance of the Center for Popular Music at MTSU and the financial backing of the Tennessee Arts Commission’s Folklife Program. Several outstanding programs grew out of the Littlejohn project. A CD release, The Littlejohn Sessions Vol 1, and a short film, Homegrown: Music in McNairy, were well received locally, and the AiM preservation team received recognition by the American Folklife Center, Library of Congress for their efforts.
Now, ten years after the first Littlejohn preservation activities, comes the biggest news to date. Bear Family Records, the legendary German label specializing in recovering and reissuing historically significant American roots music recordings, will release Discovering Carl Perkins in October 2019. Four Littlejohn tracks featuring Perkins will be paired with selections from his unreleased Sun Records material to provide an eyeopening retrospective of the rockabilly icon’s earliest creative leanings. “These recordings confirm what Carl Perkins always said about his music,” said Shawn Pitts, leader of AiM’s original preservation team and coproducer for the Bear Family release. “They clearly demonstrate that he had an electrifying rockabilly sound years before he arrived at Sun Records. He didn’t have to have it coaxed out of him by Sam Phillips, rockabilly came as naturally to Perkins as breathing, and these recordings force us to seriously rethink some music history.”
A limited quantity of the 10 inch LPs which includes unpublished photos and an insert booklet detailing the history of the recordings will be available locally, or online at Bear Family Records following the European release October 6, 2019. Contact Bear Family producers Shawn Pitts ([email protected] ) and Hank Davis ([email protected]) for interviews.
Carl Perkins Tracks Hailed as Game Changers for Rock 'n' Roll History
Selmer, Tennessee—In 2009 Arts in McNairy’s cultural heritage committee began the painstaking process of sorting through recordings made by Stanton Littlejohn at his Eastview, Tennessee home between 1947 and 1957. Dozen’s of fragile acetate (lacquer) discs recovered from the families of Mr. Littlejohn and the artists who recorded for him were subsequently digitized with the assistance of the Center for Popular Music at MTSU and the financial backing of the Tennessee Arts Commission’s Folklife Program. Several outstanding programs grew out of the Littlejohn project. A CD release, The Littlejohn Sessions Vol 1, and a short film, Homegrown: Music in McNairy, were well received locally, and the AiM preservation team received recognition by the American Folklife Center, Library of Congress for their efforts.
Now, ten years after the first Littlejohn preservation activities, comes the biggest news to date. Bear Family Records, the legendary German label specializing in recovering and reissuing historically significant American roots music recordings, will release Discovering Carl Perkins in October 2019. Four Littlejohn tracks featuring Perkins will be paired with selections from his unreleased Sun Records material to provide an eyeopening retrospective of the rockabilly icon’s earliest creative leanings. “These recordings confirm what Carl Perkins always said about his music,” said Shawn Pitts, leader of AiM’s original preservation team and coproducer for the Bear Family release. “They clearly demonstrate that he had an electrifying rockabilly sound years before he arrived at Sun Records. He didn’t have to have it coaxed out of him by Sam Phillips, rockabilly came as naturally to Perkins as breathing, and these recordings force us to seriously rethink some music history.”
A limited quantity of the 10 inch LPs which includes unpublished photos and an insert booklet detailing the history of the recordings will be available locally, or online at Bear Family Records following the European release October 6, 2019. Contact Bear Family producers Shawn Pitts ([email protected] ) and Hank Davis ([email protected]) for interviews.
COMMUNITY ARTS IN ACTION
Arts in McNairy was founded in 2001 on the principle that participation in the arts is a cornerstone for the development of a healthy community. Over the past 15 years, AiM has demonstrated this principle through arts programs, concerts, performances, festivals, workshops, exhibits and an in-depth exploration of McNairy County's rich cultural heritage. The organization has been recognized at the local, state, and national levels for excellence in rural arts development and planning. Simply stated, we aspire to connect local creatives to the larger community where their gifts may be shared and appreciated. Join us today!
a unique organization
Arts in McNairy is a theater, an art gallery, a publishing house, a community history and heritage center, and more! Unlike many arts nonprofits which tend to specialize in one discipline, Arts in McNairy began with a vision to foster an atmosphere in rural McNairy where all the arts and artists across disciplines can learn and thrive.
passionate about our place
At Arts in McNairy, we foster a strong sense of place. We love McNairy County and rural Tennessee. Our programming is intended to strengthen and promote McNairy County towards a brighter future. We also love our community's history and work to respect and preserve it. Our home, the Latta, is a beautiful historic building with a rich cultural and music history!
a group of active volunteers
Arts in McNairy is directed by a board comprised 100% of active volunteers. We also value an active board. Every board member is either a chair or member of at least one of AiM's program committees. Every committee is chaired by a board member ensuring AiM's values and mission are carried out across the full scope of the organization.
