Art and Music

Exploring the art and music of an area doesn’t necessarily mean you’ll be stuck in a stuffy opera house or shushed at a museum full of paintings that don’t make any sense to you. While there’s certainly a time and a place for those, sometimes arts and culture are more interesting with a local bent. Let’s take a look at some of the local culture you’ll find here in Humphreys County.

Music

If you think of Nashville as the epicenter of country music, then you can imagine the waves reaching out in concentric circles around it. Within those waves, you’ll find Humphreys County is only about one tier away from that magical center. As you can imagine, that would mean that the connection to Nashville country is pretty strong. If you are looking for some exciting music events, here are a few to check out.

With so many events cancelled this year, many of us have been longing to get out to hear some great homegrown music. Luckily, Humphreys County was able to pull off a wonderful and safe music event with the Safe Spaces Songwriter Festival the weekend of October 23-25, 2020. The family-friendly event was a wonderful way to experience some of the music of the Humphreys County community. Larry Cordle performed some favorites and told the stories behind them at Johnsonville State Park. Irene Kelly did the same at Soul Shine in Waverly, as did Jerry Salley at Loretta Lynn’s Museum in Hurricane Mills. As a strong finish, Daryl Mosley performed at the House of Prayer in McEwen. All concerts in the festival were free and had limited seating to encourage social distancing. With any luck, this could become a fun annual festival, though hopefully without the need for heightened health and safety measures in the future! 

You may have to bide your time for a little while, but the Tennessee Motorcycles and Music Revival should be worth it. What better place to host such an event than the prestigious Loretta Lynn’s Ranch, in celebration of one of country music’s greatest stars? Be ready in May for four days of moving gospel music, moving motorcycles, and plenty of people moving all around. This year’s music lineup features artists at each of the ranch’s three stages—The Roadhouse, The Speed Shack, and The Watering Hole—through the extra-long weekend. Get updates from the website to get a list of who will be playing. So, put aside Thursday, May 20, 2021 through Sunday May 23, 2021. Events will be running all day long. While you’re waiting, stock up on gear through the website. You want to be sure you are dressed for the event while supporting the artists you love. Not sure where to stay while you’re visiting? Loretta Lynn’s Ranch has plenty of space for camping. Just make sure to reserve your spot before you get there.

Art

Are you curious about what kind of art you’ll find in Humphreys County? We have a talented artistic community here providing one-of-a-kind work for you to feast your eyes on.  Come and see for yourself!

You never know where you’ll find some really impressive pieces of art. For instance, you could be sitting in a café, enjoying a delicious cup of coffee, only to notice that the café has its own personal art gallery! That’s what you’ll find at Waverly Café, located in the heart of Humphreys County at 123 North Court Square in Waverly. After enjoying a yummy chicken salad sandwich and relaxing a bit, head around the corner to the gallery, where you’ll find art and crafts by local artists and artisans. Some items are for sale in case you’re interested in bringing some of your favorites home with you. After browsing the art, keep walking. Just past the gallery, you’ll find a used book exchange. Waverly Café is truly a unique experience that has a little bit of everything. Why? The owners said it was a good way to make connections with those who come to visit. Go make a connection yourself!

How’s this for a novel idea? Imagine taking your paint to a public park, finding an empty space, and creating a masterpiece…and not getting fined for vandalism. That was the idea behind The Walls Art Park. It was created as a safe haven for those who need to express themselves and prefer not to get cited for it. The inspiration for this park, which can be found at 220 South Clydeton Road in Waverly, was a train that rolled through the area with graffiti that the Art Park’s creator found to be truly beautiful. He wondered what amazing works could be created in the daylight without the artists having to worry about being caught. Instead of being looked down upon and labeled as vandalism, the works would have a home and be seen by others as real art.

The walls in this park vary in size and can be found along a brief walking trail. With 30 walls, 4 pillars, front and back, there are 82 painting surfaces that can be used any day of the year, from dawn to dusk.

If you are interested in demonstrating your artistic abilities, there are a few rules to which you must adhere. Remember that while this is a public park, most of it is part of nature. Consider the trail through the park and the other natural elements that we’d like to keep in place. In addition, keep these rules in mind:

• Paint only on the walls in the park.
• Once you finish a painting, be sure to add the date to the bottom right corner. Do not paint on a wall that has a painting less than thirty days old.
• Remove trash and keep the park clean.
• Be mindful of the fact that the park is for ALL ages, and refrain from using language or imagery that might be inappropriate for children.
• Alcohol is prohibited, and smoking is only permitted in designated areas.
• Motor vehicles are prohibited on the trails.

If you’re not coming to create art, you are more than welcome to come and view it. After all, what is art without an audience? Please follow the same above rules, however. If you feel like you’ve missed something you wanted to see, check the cataloged art posted on their Facebook page.

Note that if you want a great experience with both music and art, a trip to Loretta Lynn’s Ranch is in order. On the Ranch, you can take a tour of any number of museums, including the Native American Artifacts Museum and the Doll and Fan Museum. And knowing the background of Loretta Lynn and her family, you know you’ll hear some fine music on your visit. Check it out ahead to time to see if there are any special events going on.

No matter where you go in Humphreys County, you can find art and music to satisfy any cultural palate. With Christmas coming, more events will pop up, in case you’re dying to get your Christmas carol fix or look at the art of lights and decorations. So be sure to check out the event page to see what you can explore next.