Events
The 24th annual Cahaba Lily Festival will take place on Saturday, May 18, 2013, at the Cahaba Lily Center on Main Street, West Blocton. Registration begins at 8 a.m. and the program at 9:10 a.m. The festival celebrates the rare and unique lily that grows in spectacular clusters in the rocky shoals of the nearby Cahaba River.
The world’s leading authority on the Cahaba Lily, Dr. Larry Davenport of Samford University, will headline the morning’s program. The awarding of the Kae Canon Allen Memorial Award, the crowning of Miss Cahaba Lily as well as presentations by the Cahaba River Society, Nature Conservancy, Alabama Wildflower Society and the Bibb County Citizens for Wildflowers will also take place.
Just outside the Lily Center, a variety of native plants will be displayed for viewing and purchase as well as other nature related items.
Field trips to the river to view the lilies will take place following the morning program and lunch served by the West Blocton Improvement Committee. Donations for the lunch are welcomed. Shuttle buses to the river will be provided. Canoe rentals will be available for $20 from 1:00 to 3:00 p.m. through the Cahaba River Society. Afternoon tours of the nearby historic Blocton Beehive Coke Ovens will also take place between 1:15 and 3:00 p.m.
Evening events at the Cahaba Lily Center will begin at 3:15 p.m. featuring story telling and the haunting and sweet sounds of dulcimers by the Cahaba Olde Tyme Music Society.
All events are free of charge.
West Blocton is located off Alabama Highway 5 and can easily be reached from Interstate 59/20 at Exit 97. From the junction of Federal Highway 82 and Alabama Highway 5 in Centreville/Brent, take Highway 5 north thirteen miles.
For information, call the West Blocton Town Hall at 205-938-7622; Charles Allen at 205-938-2479 or Myrtle Jones at 205-938-7304 or email info@cahabalily.com
Arts
On Saturday March 30th, 2013 the Magic City Blues Society will hold the first of 2013’s three Junkyard Jukes. This Blues music series which started in 2007 has become a popular neighborhood event. Today it’s necessary to bring your chair and arrive early if you are going to secure a good seat for the afternoon’s music. This rain or shine event will be held outside on the patio or inside as the weather may dictate.
The Daniel Day Gallery host for the event will have a wide variety of painting, photographs and gift items by local artisans on display. The Gallery doesn’t have a liquor license; however coolers are welcome at this event. The headliner will be Blues diva Candye Kane. Opening will be local band Bourbon and Bleach.
Candye Kane
A colorful mixture of the traditional and the eclectic, Kane cut her musical teeth in the early 80′s onstage with Hollywood musicians and friends, Social Distortion, Dwight Yoakum, Dave Alvin, The Blasters, X, Fear and Los Lobos, to name just a few. While raising two sons, this role model for the disenfranchised, championed large sized women, fought for the equal rights of sex workers and the GLBT community and inspired music lovers everywhere. Her fans are a mixture of true outsiders: bikers, blues fans, punk rockers, drag queens, fat girls, queers, burlesque dancers, porn fans, sex workers, rockabilly and swing dancers, grey haired hippies, sex positive feminists and everyday folk of all ages, flock to see Candye and hear her musical messages of love, hope and empowerment.
Kanes’ live shows are the stuff of legend. She honors the bold blues women of the past with both feet firmly planted in the present. She belts – growls – shouts – croons and moans from a lifetime of suffering and overcoming obstacles. She uses music as therapy and often writes and chooses material with positive affirmations that leave the audience feeling healed and exhilarated. A show that is part humor, revival meeting and sexuality celebration, she’ll deliver a barrelhouse-tongue in-cheek blues tune or a gospel ballad like Jesus and Mohammed, encouraging audiences to leave behind religious intolerance. She’ll slay the crowd with her balls out rendition of Whole Lotta Love or glorify the virtues of zaftig women with 200 pounds of fun. She often says she is a “fat black drag queen trapped in a white woman’s body” and she dresses the part. Bedecked in bright colored feathers, sequins and rhinestones, Kane’s performance is Mississippi by way of Las Vegas with a quick stopover in San Francisco.
A Blues Diva of the 20th century who can liven up any party without shedding a stitch – People Magazine
A true celebrity diva- New Yorker Magazine
This tough cookie wails with a rousing confidence and affirmation of identity and the courage of her convictions – Downbeat Magazine
A serious and seriously powerful singer who lays it all on the line – The Philadelphia Inquirer
A voice that is a natural wonder – like the Grand Canyon. – The Washington Post
Candye Kane has that big, brassy voice that has authority and sass; the kind of thing men like because it’s seductive and women like because it’s powerful - BB King to the San Diego Reader
Activism
Artists will create spectacular works of art in the blink of an eye during the UAB Comprehensive Cancer Center’s annual ArtBLINK Gala 2013 at 6:30 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 23, in The Kirklin Clinic, 2000 6th Ave. South.
Sixteen local artists will work with a variety of media to create masterpieces in 90 minutes that can be purchased during the silent auction. Since 1984, the Cancer Center’s Advisory Board has raised more than $13 million to support the center’s research efforts. Funds from the Gala go toward the Cancer Center’s Fund for Excellence, which supports high-priority research efforts – whether for a specific project, launching young investigators in a cancer research career or recruitment of new faculty members. A percentage of the funds raised also support patient and family assistance efforts.
“The Cancer Center thrives on the generosity of the community, and especially in these tight economic times where we feel the pinch of federal budget cuts, we rely even more on their support,” says Edward Partridge, M.D., the center’s director. “Philanthropic support provides us with the critical seed money to investigate drugs and develop treatments that we can quickly and safely move to our patients.
Participating artists are Thomas Andrew, Ahmad Austin, Nada Boner, R. David Boyd Jr., Joan Curtis, Kate Merritt Davis, Vicki Denaburg, Randy Gachet, Lila Graves, Darius Hill, Carol Misner, Melanie Morris, David Nichols, Linda Ellen Price, Paul Ware and Jamie Wilson.
The elegant evening, which has become one of Birmingham’s premier events, will also feature a cocktail dinner provided by Kathy G. & Company and dancing to the sounds of Big Daddy’s New Band. Admission is $150 per individual; learn more and make reservations at www.uab.edu/artblink or call 205-934-0282. Dress is black-tie optional. Valet and deck parking are available for guests.
Sponsors include UAB, the UAB Health System, UA Health Services Foundation, Bryant Bank, Buffalo Rock, Burr & Forman LLP, Cemex, Medical Properties Trust, Protective Life Corporation and Robins & Morton.
Media contact: Beena Thannickal, 205-975-3967 or beenat@uab.edu
Events
Will It Be Forrest Or Rudy?
By Sharman Martin
Could there be a more smash mouth, classic, old school football match up than this year’s National Championship game? Which school has the richest traditions? That question is left up for debate but what is not left up for debate is the record between the two teams. As it stands now, Notre Dame leads the series 5 to 1. It’s been 24 years since these two teams have gone head to head. In 1987 the two teams met in South Bend and the Irish won convincingly by a score of 37-6. In 1986 the teams went nose to nose again in Birmingham and this time the luck was in the Tide’s favor. Alabama won that game, 28-10. From that point on, it’s been all Irish. A notable year is 1973. That is the year that Notre Dame beat Alabama for the National Title by a score of 24-23. The coaches for the two universities at that time were Ara Parseghian coaching for the Irish and the idolized Paul “Bear” Bryant for the University of Alabama.
Notre Dame football began in 1887. They lost their very first game to Michigan. The have since figured out how to win a few ball games. They have 11 claimed national championships. They have 7 Heisman trophy winners. Their all time record is 865-300-42. That’s a .734 winning percentage. They play on natural grass and their stadium capacity is 80,795. They’ve had some pretty high profile names to sit at the head coaching position. Knute Rockne led the Irish to three National Championships during his stay at Notre Dame from 1918 to 1930. One of Knute’s quotes…”It isn’t necessary to see a good tackle. You can hear it.”
Another well known name in the football world is Frank Leahy. Leahy has 5 national championships either won outright or shared. Leahy coached at Notre Dame from 1941-1943 and 1946-1953. Leahy has a wining percentage of .865. The ever so famous quote from Coach Leahy reads, “when the going gets tough, the tough get going.”
Ara Parseghian was at the helm for the Irish from 1964-1974. He led the Irish to two National titles, one in 1966 and another in 1973. His winning percentage is .836.
The next in line to bring the big trophy back to South Bend is Lou Holtz. Coach Holtz was at Notre Dame from 1986-1996 and won the title in 1988. Coach Holtz’s winning percentage is .765.
There are some notable coaches since Coach Holtz such as George O’Leary, Tyrone Willingham, and Charlie Weis, but the name at hand is Brian Kelly. Coach Kelly has his 2012 football team sitting in the driver’s seat to win a National Title. However, some road blocks come in the color of crimson and by the name of McCarron, Lacey, Yeldon…
Again, smash mouth football is at hand when discussing the Alabama football team. The SEC Championship game was an old school, hard hitting, back and forth til the end type of football game. Alabama has beaten Notre Dame once in six attempts but who looks at stats right?
Alabama football began in 1892. Alabama played its first game at a baseball park in Birmingham. They played a team made up of players from the local high schools in the area. Bama won 56-0. Alabama has 14 claimed national championships and 4 unclaimed national championships. Alabama’s all time record is 826-321-43, that’s a .712 winning percentage. They have one Heisman trophy winner. The Tide plays on natural grass in a stadium recently upgraded to seat 101, 821.
Anything that has been in existence for over a period of 100 years can be broken into eras. For the University of Alabama football program, the eras are:
Paul “Bear” Bryant era 1958-1982; Perkins-Curry era 1990-1996; Gene Stallings era 1990-1996; Dubose-Franchione-Shula era 1997-2006; Nick Saban 2007-present. Those names are as common in the football world as Oprah is to the talk show host world but what about a name not so well known or talked about? Wallace Wade led the Tide to 3 National Titles; 1925, 1926, 1930. Coach Wade’s record for The University of Alabama from 1923-1930 is 61-13-3. Those are some pretty note worthy stats.
Other than Nick Saban, there is one other coach who is revered by all Alabama fans in the state of Alabama. Paul “Bear” Bryant came to the University of Alabama in 1958. In Bryant’s first season as head coach, the team went 5-4-1. In 1959 Alabama beat their in state rival Auburn and appeared in a bowl game, neither of which had happened in 6 years. The 1961 season was perfect as the Tide went 11-0, and beat Arkansas in the Sugar Bowl to capture their 1st National Championship title. Coach Bryant coached at The University of Alabama for 25 years, winning six national titles (1961, 1964, 1965, 1973, 1978, and 1979).
A notable Coach Bryant quote: “A tie is like kissing your sister.” Also, “I make my practices hard because if a player is a quitter, I want him to quit in practice, not in a game.”
On January 7th the nation will be watching to see if Alabama gets their 3rd National Title in 4 years, or if Notre Dame will get their swagger back and bring the title back to South Bend for the first time since 1988. Will the title this year go to Forrest Gump…or Rudy?
