Blount County Live

Bill Cabage: The Four-Band Man Who's Been Keeping Blount County Music Alive for 50 Years

Lee sits down with Bill Cabbage and special cohost Shelby Shankland (who's running for Blount County Clerk, by the way), and if you're wondering how one man can be in four different bands without losing his mind, Bill's got it figured out. From Pistol Creek Catch of the Day to his Western swing combo with the Cats Away, this man's been the backbone of East Tennessee music since the Nixon administration. Bill's the guy who learned guitar from Marvin Russell (like every other guitarist his age in Maryville), cut his teeth on Beatles songbooks, and somehow turned a bass drum gig in the Everett High School marching band into a five-decade musical career. He's played everything from timpani to car horns (yes, actual car horns for a bluegrass album), and he's still making about the same money he made in 1975. But hey, where else you gonna spend your retirement funds – golf? We get two live performances showcasing Bill's fingerpicking skills that would make Chet Atkins proud, plus stories about Roger Miller at the old Hillbilly Homecoming, jamming at Jay Clark's New Year's Eve parties, and how he ended up president of the Sam Houston Schoolhouse board just by sticking around long enough. Bill's also teaching songwriting workshops with Music for Seniors, proving that if you don't have money for sheet music, just write your own songs – worked for Roger Miller, working for him. Plus, he spills the secret to managing multiple bands: keep 'em separate, stay eclectic, and remember that lowering expectations is always a good strategy. From teaching seniors to jam sessions with Griffin Vann, Bill Cabbage represents everything authentic about Blount County's music scene. He's the guy who shows up, plugs in, and makes it happen – whether it's at the library, Behind the Barn, or TriHop. Real talk from a real Blount county music veteran who's seen it all and is still having a ball.

Milk Man and the Big Band: The 20-Person Orchestra That Started at Open Mic Night

Lee and Scott sit down with Dino, aka Milk Man, and if you're wondering how a 24-year-old who's never taken a music lesson ends up leading an 18-20 piece big band, well, it all started with a gallon of Weigel's milk in a cup holder and a dream to crash open mic nights. This coding student turned music obsessive discovered Paul McCartney at 17, skipped the ACT to see Eric Clapton, and decided cyber security wasn't for him. Instead, he taught himself songwriting during the pandemic and formed what might be the most ambitious musical project in East Tennessee. We're talking strings, horns, backup singers called the Dairy Queens, and a Hammond organ that requires its own convoy of cars. Dino performs two songs solo with just harmonium – "Tired" and "All for You" from their first album "Let Me Tell You" – giving us a rare glimpse of how these big production numbers start before they become full orchestral arrangements. It's like hearing the Beatles in their bedroom before they hit Abbey Road. From the nearly-impromptu open mic that started it all to selling out the Bijou Theatre and getting their own PBS documentary, Milk Man and the Big Band proves that sometimes the best way to learn music is to jump in with both feet and 18 of your closest friends. They transcribe note-for-note Beatles arrangements, hire classical musicians who turn their noses up at rock and rollers, and somehow make it all work. Plus, we finally get the answer to why he's called Milk Man, and no, it's not what you think. The man just really loves his calcium. If you've ever wondered what happens when Phil Spector's Wall of Sound meets East Tennessee ambition, this is your episode.

Mic Harrison and the High Score: The Arena-Cana Kings of East Tennessee

Lee and Scott sit down with Mic Harrison and Kevin Abernathy from Mic Harrison and the High Score, and if you've been sleeping on East Tennessee's best rock band, wake up. These guys just dropped "Peach Blossom Youth" – produced by Eric "Bottle Rockets" Ambel – and it's the kind of polished Southern rock that makes you want to drive fast with the windows down. Mic's been fronting this outfit since the early 2000s (the "High Score" comes from original guitarist Robbie Trosper's video game obsession), and Kevin joined the party eight years ago. Together they've created what Mic calls "Arena-Cana" – shooting for the balconies with hooks that grab you and don't let go. We get three live performances: "Lose You Over This" (about a family member's suicide attempt), "Dallas Sutton" (a Civil War-era tale of desertion), and "Old Man" (Mic's tribute to his father who died from Alzheimer's). These aren't your typical feel-good ditties – they're real stories wrapped in killer guitar work and harmonies that hit like the Stones in their prime. From pumping gas in West Tennessee to headlining the Shed, from opening for Cracker to creating backstories that keep you guessing, Mic and Kevin prove that East Tennessee rock doesn't need Nashville's approval. They're doing it old school – hiring producers, PR folks, and radio people because sometimes you gotta spend money to make money. Plus, Lee admits Mic Harrison is a major reason he moved to Blount County. High praise from a guy who's seen it all and chose these mountains anyway. Arena-Cana: it's a thing now, and these guys invented it.

The One and Only, Dr. Jay Clark: The Bear-Wrestling Appalachian Folk Extraordinaire from Blount County

Lee and Scott sit down with Jay Clark, and if you're wondering how someone goes from chasing bears in Oklahoma to hosting the best listening room show in Blount County, well, buckle up. This man's got more stories than a Sunday sermon and twice the heart. Jay's the guy who teaches at Maryville College (yeah, he's got a PhD but insists students call him by his first name), runs an $82.5 million science center project, and somehow finds time to curate the second Tuesday Shindig at TriHop. He's the one telling rowdy crowds to shut up so you can actually hear the music – and somehow everyone loves him for it. We're talking about growing up in western Kentucky coal country, learning guitar from newspaper clippings, and why the mountains create the culture that makes East Tennessee so special. Jay performs "Seeds of Love" (a tribute to his grandmother Bertie) and "Sunday Afternoon" – the song that made Lee cry the first time he heard it. Fair warning: these aren't your typical feel-good ditties. Jay's also navigating a divorce after 25 years of marriage, working on new material that's "pretty tough," and planning a gospel album with an A-side for himself and a B-side for his mama. Plus, he drops some serious knowledge about bear behavior, biodiversity, and why the Little River might be one of the most incredible places on the planet. From house concerts to listening rooms, from coal fields to conservation, Jay Clark represents everything that makes Blount County's music scene authentic. And if you've never been to a TriHop Shindig, this episode will convince you to mark your calendar. Real stories, real music, real Appalachian heart.

Cruz Contreras: The Black Lilies Frontman Who Came Home to Blount County

Lee and Scott sit down with Cruz Contreras, and if you've been following East Tennessee music for the past couple decades, you know this man's resume. From studying jazz piano at UT to fronting the Black Lilies, to his trippy solo album "Cosmico" (seriously, check that one out), Cruz has been all over the musical map. But guess what? He's back in Blount County to stay. We're talking about life between Butterfly Gap and Montvale, where there's no cell service but there is internet (priorities, people). Cruz breaks down why he went solo, how he recorded "Cosmico" on a houseboat in Idaho with beat machines and iPhones, and why the Black Lilies are back as "Cruz Contreras and the Black Lilies." He's got shows coming up at the Shed in Maryville (February 28th) and New Year's Eve at the Down Home in Johnson City. Plus, he debuts two brand-new songs live in the studio – including one his wife asked him to write that's definitely not as dirty as advertised. Don't worry, it's still PG for our virgin-eared hosts. Cruz talks about growing up in a musical family (his brother Billy Contreras is a fiddle legend), remembering when gas was $1.13 and 411 was two lanes, and why East Tennessee keeps calling musicians back home. Even when you're touring 200 shows a year, sometimes you just need to find your way back to the hay barn with your guitar. Real talk from a real musician who's been there, done that, and decided home is where the heart is – even if the cell service sucks.