JUNE 11, 2009 ISSUE
Tall Tales in Todd All Summer Long
Todd General Store Kicks Off Tuesday Storytelling Series
Before people spent endless hours surfing the net, watching reality shows on flat screen TVs, text messaging their friends or playing video games, people actually got together and told stories to entertain one another. Instead of being filled with rapid-fire advertisements and pixilated super heroes, people used their imagination to conjure fantastic images of crafty mountain characters outsmarting giants and landscapes long since paved over.
Traditional Appalachian storytelling still lives on in these hills and comes alive every Tuesday night at 6:00 p.m. throughout the summer and fall at the Todd General Store in Todd. While storytelling events occur throughout the High Country at places like the Watauga County Library and ASU’s Student Union, there’s something special about hearing the region’s most talented yarn spinners in an old general store in the heart of the Blue Ridge.
According to Robert and Virginia Mann, owners of the store since 2003, storytelling has attracted more than a few tourists to the historic building.
“We were filmed by [National Geographic] this past year. It is now being aired because we, in their words, are the only place in America that do all four Appalachian cultures: ie storytelling, bluegrass, local authors and artisans,” Robert said.
As always, the annual series will feature several of the region’s most notable storytellers, including Orville Hicks, Dianne Hackworth, Rhody Jane Meadows, Doyle Pace and Charlotte Ross.
Dinner is served prior to each storytelling event from 5:15 to 5:50 p.m.
Throughout the summer and fall, the Todd General Store also hosts local and regional authors for book signings every Saturday from 11:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Locals and visitors alike are encouraged to go chat with the authors, buy a book and have it signed.
For more information on the Todd Storytelling Series or the local and regional author signings, call 336-877-1067 or click to www.ToddGeneralStore.tripod.com.
2009 Storytellers Series At the Todd General Store
The Todd General Store will continue its annual Tuesday evening Storytelling Series this summer and fall with a host of the High Country’s finest yarn spinners. All events begin at 6:00 p.m.
June
6/9 Orville Hicks
6/16 John Ashburn
6/23 Dianne Hackworth
6/30 John Ashburn
July
7/7 Rhody Jane Meadows
7/14 Orville Hicks
7/21 Doyle Pace
7/28 Sherry Boone
August
8/4 Terry Rollins
8/11 Orville Hicks
8/18 Doyle Pace
8/25 Sherry Boone
September
9/1 Rhody Jane Meadows
9/8 Orville Hicks
9/15 Doyle Pace
9/22 Sherry Boone
9/29 John Ashburn
October
10/6 Rhody Jane Meadows
10/13 Orville Hicks
10/20 Charlotte Ross
10/27 Dianne Hackworth
2009 Author Signing Schedule
Every Saturday from now to the end of October (and one in November), the Todd General Store will host local and regional authors each Saturday to sign copies of their books. Signings will take place from 11:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.
June
6/6 Nora Percival
6/13 Bill Kaiser
6/20 Jack Pyle & Taylor Reese
6/27 Dottie Isbell
July
7/4 Robert Koontz
7/11 Doug Butler
7/18 Maggie Bishop
7/25 Nora Percival
August
8/1 Scott Dickson
8/8 Maggie Bishop
8/15 Jack Pyle & Taylor Reese
8/22 Julia Ebel
8/29 Nora Percival
September
9/5 Robert Koontz
9/12 Maggie Bishop
9/19 Bill Kaiser
9/26 Nora Percival
October
10/3 Bill Kaiser
10/10 Karen Cecil Smith
10/17 Doug Butler & Lin Stepp
10/24 Maggie Bishop
10/31 Nora Percival
November
11/28 Nora Percival
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