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— 6 p.m.: Josh and Jarrod's Blues Brothers Tribute Show

Background: When John Belushi and Dan Aykroyd made the characters Jake and Elwood Blues household names with the 1980 movie "The Blues Brothers," Jarrod Millsaps and Josh Livingston were still in diapers. Since then, Belushi has died and Aykroyd brought Elwood to life one more time in a mediocre sequel, "Blues Brothers 2000." But the characters themselves remain timeless, and Millsaps and Livingston, two Blount County boys, have made a second career out of paying tribute to them. As students at Heritage High School (Livingston graduated in 1996 and Millsaps in 1997), they started impersonating the duo, putting together their own version of the two brothers whose trademark dark suits, sunglasses and fedoras add to the mystique of their rapscallion reputations. They landed a gig at Memories Theatre in Pigeon Forge in 2001, joining other tribute artists who impersonate such celebrities as Garth Brooks, The Judds, Buddy Holly and Kenny Rogers.

What they told us: "Josh does a great job," Millsaps said. "He's not overweight — and of course, John Belushi and his character were a little overweight, and I give Josh a hard time about that — but he's got it down perfect. He gets that raw, scratchy voice going, and he's a little shorter than I am. I'm tall and slender, so we pull it off pretty well. With the hat and the sunglasses, it gives you that image, but I've had to work on that Northern accent that Dan Aykroyd, who's
from Canada, has." (From the Feb. 14, 2004 edition of The Daily Times Weekend section)

On the Web: www.bluesbrotherstributeshow.com

— 7 p.m.: Shawn Mullins

Background: During college, Mullins began playing around North Georgia as a solo singer-songwriter. After graduation and a short stint in the military, he started his own label in 1991 and followed the examples of such indie artists as Ani DiFranco and Jello Biafra with a "do-it-yourself" approach. He built a favorable following on the singer-songwriter circuit of the Southeast and released seven albums before 1998's "Soul's Core." That's when everything changed. A radio programmer in Atlanta fell head over heels for the song "Lullaby" and put it into heavy rotation. She also sent it to every other radio programmer in the country that she knew, and before long, a bidding war was under way for Mullins, who eventually signed to Columbia. "Lullaby" became a chart topper, and in 1999, Mullins was nominated for a Grammy.

What he told us: "I still feel like I live in the shadow of that song, but I don't look at it as a bad thing," he said. "I've made peace with moving out of the big leagues and back to the minors; that's just kind of the way it is. To be honest, it feels more comfortable, like I can be more of a normal human being. I still work and tour really hard, but I guess since I don't have a record label spending millions on my face, I'm not recognized as much." (From the June 2, 2006, edition of The Daily Times Weekend section)

Most recent album: "Ninth Ward Pickin' Parlor," released in February

On the Web: www.shawnmullins.com

— 8 p.m.: Sister Hazel

Background: Back in 1993, grunge had evolved into a more melodic, introspective form of pop rock. Bands like Hootie and the Blowfish and the Counting Crows paved the way for an explosion of bands from the South to hit big a few years later, which Sister Hazel did with the 1997 album "Somewhere More Familiar" and the ensuing hit "All For You." The song nearly cracked the Top 10, and suddenly, Sister Hazel, and other bands were enjoying a pop-rock renaissance. The band released its sophomore album, "Fortress," in 2000 and over the years has developed a loyal following of fans who refer to themselves as "Hazelnuts."

What they told us: "The big difference in playing a festival like
[the Foothills Fall Festival] and a club is the energy you get back from the
crowd," Sister Hazel drummer Mark Trojanowski said. "Even though it's not in an intimate setting, there's a different type of energy going on when
there's a big crowd like that. I love playing in theaters, but there's just
something about going out and playing to a large crowd that's inspiring."
(From the Sept. 29, 2006, edition of The Daily Times Weekend section)

Most recent album: "Absolutely," released Tuesday

On the Web: www.sisterhazel.com

— 9:30 p.m.: Buddy Guy

Background: A blues and rock guitarist who got his start playing in Chicago in the late 1950s, Guy is the nephew of legendary blues artist J.B. Hutto, who taught him how to play guitar. Over the years, Guy served as an inspiration to both blues and rock guitar gods such as Jimi Hendrix and Eric Clapton, who gave the induction speech in March 2005, when Guy joined the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in Cleveland.

What he told us: "You know, the blues got a story, and most people looks at it as always a sad story, but that's not true," he said. "Some of it's joyful lyrics, and some of it's telling you about the facts of life. Some people, I guess, don't want to hear about the facts of life, especially the way the world is now. But it still means something today. If I'm singing about being put out, just stop and listen, because it don't have to be a woman who put you out. You can spend 30 years on the job and be two years from retirement, and they'll lay you off, man." (From Sunday's edition of The Daily Times)

Most recent album: "Bring 'Em In," released in 2005

On the Web: www.buddyguy.net

Saturday

Deana Carter

— 12:30 p.m.: Tapwater

Background: "TapWater is an American jam rock experience out of San Diego that blends rock, funk, Latin, jazz, bluegrass, country, blues, and pop into music that makes you happy. While their influences range from Pink Floyd and Willie Nelson to Tito Puente and Stevie Wonder, TapWater's sound captures the smooth sophistication of Steely Dan, the vibrant color of the Grateful Dead, and the feelgood flavor of the Doobie Brothers."

Most recent album: "Shift," released in June

On the Web: www.tapwater.net

— 1:30 p.m.: Hannah

Background: "Hannah is a modern pop/rock group based out of Knoxville. They have caught the attention of several national artists and producers including, The Dave Matthews Band, Tim McGraw, John Albani, Dez Dickerson (Prince) Brian Powers (Blues Traveler) before being signed to Sound Knowledge Records in 2005. Hannah is currently working with Rainbow Talent Agency enjoying a performance schedule that includes concerts, festivals and corporate events from the Knoxville Civic Coliseum to the Lilac Festival in New York. They also perform regularly at various venues in Knoxville."

Most recent album: "Hannah," released in 2005

On the Web: www.hannahband.com

— 2:30 p.m.: Rockie Lynne

Background: According to CMT.com, "Rockie Lynne grew up in Statesville, N.C., with a strict Southern Baptist upbringing. As a young man, he bought his uncle's guitar and later purchased a record player and two albums from a yard sale at the First Baptist Church. However, he had to hide in the closet to listen to the albums — by Jimi Hendrix and KISS — so his parents wouldn't hear the music. In high school, he joined his school's jazz ensemble, then began playing in bands. Soon, he joined the Army and was stationed at Fort Bragg, N.C. When his active duty ended, he moved to Hollywood to enroll at the Guitar Institute of Technology in Los Angeles, on the GI Bill. After numerous failed auditions, he relocated to Myrtle Beach, S.C., and learned the ropes from local entertainer Mike Shane. When Shane went to Nashville in the early '90s to do some recording, Lynne came along and stuck around for a few years, playing guitar for some touring country acts. By the mid-90s, Lynne decided to quit the sideman gigs to concentrate on his solo career. After moving to Minnesota (because of its central location), he built a regional fan base with constant touring and self-recorded CDs. One night, at a show in Prior Lake, Minn., an employee of Warner Bros.' sales and marketing division named Bruce Larson heard Lynne's set and sent a CD to the executive vice president of Universal Records. Lynne and Larson immediately flew to New York City, where Lynne signed to the label."

Most recent album: "Rockie Lynne," released in May

On the Web: www.rockielynne.com

— 3:30 p.m.: Deana Carter

Background: The daughter of a high-profile Nashville session guitarist (her dad, Fred, played on albums by Bob Dylan and Simon and Garfunkel), Carter attended the University of Tennessee in Knoxville. Although her degree steered her toward the therapeutic field, she couldn't resist the call of her first love — music. Her demo tape made it to the hands of Willie Nelson, who invited her to perform as the first female solo artist at Farm Aid VII, and in 1996, Capitol Records released her debut album, "Did I Shave My Legs for This?" With three No. 1 singles ("Strawberry Wine" among them), she followed up with several other albums before signing to Vanguard Records in 2004.

What she told us: "I was walking down the street yesterday, jogging with my son in his stroller thing, and I had on my UT hat, and this guy yells out, 'Go Longhorns!'" she told The Daily Times during a recent interview. "Sadly, it was a homeless guy, but I said, 'You did not just say that!' Then this businessman came up and started talking about my hat, so there we were, the three of us — a homeless man, a businessman and a mother — sitting there arguing over whether it's a University of Tennessee or a University of Texas hat. I just told them, 'Do not taint my UT hat by thinking it's a Texas logo on there. That bum finally said, 'Go, Vols,' and I said, 'There you go!'"

Most recent album: "The Story of My Life," released in 2005

On the Web: www.deanacarter.net

— 5 p.m.: Andy Griggs

Background: A former youth pastor from Monroe, La., Griggs quit the ministry and moved to Nashville to pursue his dream of becoming a country star. He cut several demos, including a couple with a then-unknown Mindy McCready. Shortly after he star took off, RCA auditioned Griggs and signed him. His first single, "You Won't Ever Be Lonely," went to No. 2 in 1999, and a year later, his single "She's More" stayed at No. 2 for five weeks. A third hit, "Tonight I Wanna Be Your Man," reached the Top 10 in 2002, and the years since have been a rebuilding process for him. Griggs recently signed to the Montage label.

What he told us: "I'm constantly evolving, and I think 'evolve' is the perfect word, because it's not necessarily change," he said. "I don't want to change as a songwriter, but you have to evolve. I go back and listen to my recordings, and I hear myself at 25 years old making an album, then at 29 years old making a record. Like anything else in life, you can turn around and look back and say, 'That was me, then;
now I've evolved into this.' I don't like to say I'm changing, because that implies I'm going in a totally different direction. That would be blasphemy to the music I've recorded in the past." (From Thursday's edition of The Daily Times)

Most recent album: "This I Gotta See," released in 2004

On the Web: www.andygriggs.com

— 7 p.m.: The Wreckers

Background: See related interview

What they told us: "(Our success) has been pretty amazing to me actually," said Wrecker Jessica Harp. "It seems to me that as far as radio goes, most genres get stuck in these ruts and are afraid to break free. The fact that Michelle and I came out with a record that isn't like any other record in Nashville says a lot for the industry, and hopefully the industry will continue to welcome new and different things."

Most recent album: "Stand Still Look Pretty," released in May

On the Web: www.thewreckers.com

— 9 p.m.: Clay Walker

Background: See related story

What he told us: "They say music is a great healer, and I believe that. As soon as I was diagnosed (with multiple sclerosis), I hadn't been to church in a long time, but I went into my room and started playing the old hymns I learned as a kid. There was a great comfort and a great healing power in that, and I believe to this day that that's why I'm still not debilitated and able to function on a regular basis, because my faith was there when I needed it most."

Most recent album: "A Few Questions," released in 2003

On the Web: www.claywalker.com

Sunday

Randy Travis

— 1 p.m.: The Gregory Family

Background: From the group's Web site: "The Gregory Family started in the year of 2000 with our family: Jeff, Lisa, Jesse, and Joseph. Jeff plays the guitar, sings lead vocals and Lisa sings harmony vocals. Jesse started playing the mandolin at the age of eight. She also sings lead and harmony vocals. Joseph started playing the fiddle when he was seven and is starting to sing too. Charlie Goodson added banjo, lead and harmony vocals in 2005. In 2006, Lynn Robinson joined the group, he plays bass, guitar, and sings harmony vocals."

Most recent album: "I'll Be Back"

On the Web: www.thegregoryfamily.net

— 2 p.m.: Roscoe Morgan and Lonely Train

Background: See related story

What he told us: "I fly way under the radar — not intentionally, but because most of what I've done involved bolstering somebody else, whether it be in a band situation such as Greenbrier or teaching music students," Morgan told The Daily Times, adding that he teaches 50 to 60 students a week at Murlin's. "So I've played with lots of people you've heard before, probably, and there are various textural things that can be done in the music that are only appreciated by someone who can do that. Music to me is so much like playing on a ball team. I like my place on the team, just being the baseman that I am. I don't know how to elaborate
further than that on it. I would do some things that would maybe gain me more
notoriety, but not at the expense of the music that I play." (From the June
17, 2005, edition of The Daily Times Weekend section)

On the Web: www.roscoemorgan.com

— 4:15 p.m.: Wildfire

Background: See related story

What they told us: "I've been doing this a long time, since 1975, and I never could have imagined being associated with the dobro," Leadbetter said. "We also got to play the Grand Ole Opry in July (2002). I've played there with J.D. Crowe, but when you get your own name out there, it's something different. There's a lot of things going on, and sometimes we have to step back and look and realize what's happening. A year ago, we said, 'This is what we're going to be doing,' and with all the other bands out there, we knew, we were just determined, where we were going to be. But when you step back and look at what an accomplishment it is to be where we are, it's just unreal." (From the March 14, 2003, edition of The Daily Times Weekend section)

Most recent album: "Rattle of the Chains," released in 2005

On the Web: www.wildfireband.com

— 5:30 p.m.: Carolina Rain

Background: Working as a security guard at Belmont University in Nashville, Rhean Boyer met Jeremy Baxter and Marvin Evatt, the musicians who would join him in Carolina Rain. That same year, Boyer's father passed away, and it was a wake-up call for him. He threw himself into his music, forging a partnership with his bandmates that developed into a brotherhood. The trio came close to fame once but walked away from a record deal because it didn't feel right, Boyer said. Six months later, they met the man who would be president of Equity, Black's fledgling label. After hearing the band perform one song, he offered Carolina Rain a record deal. Now, they've been with Equity for three years, having just released "Weather the Storm."

What they told us: "We're starting to catch fire," Boyer said. "It's still amazing to me, and it's been a dream come true to be able to make this record like we have. We have a lot of things on our book, and most of the time, I only know what's going on about a week out. But every once in a while, I glance at the calendar and see what's out in the distance, and find things I look forward to. The Foothills Fall Festival, that's one of them. I'm a country boy, and I love getting back up in those hills. The fall is a real nostalgic time for me, and I feel blessed to be up there during that time, and blessed to be doing what I love for all those people." (From the Oct. 6 edition of The Daily Times Weekend section)

Most recent album: "Weather the Storm," released in September

On the Web: www.carolinarainfanclub.com

— 7 p.m.: Little Big Town

Background: The band began as a two-woman, two-man group — no lead vocals, everyone singing harmony. The concept, and the music they were writing and making, created a stir in their adopted hometown of Nashville, and Little Big Town made its public debut on the stage of the Grand Ole Opry. Setbacks followed, however — two label deals fell apart, and the band's debut on Sony's Monument label was savaged by critics, and Monument promptly dropped the band. Two members went through divorce, another lost his father and one member lost her husband, who was also the band's biggest cheerleader. After pushing on, however, they recorded "The Road to Here," and after 49 weeks on the charts, it peaked at No. 12 on the Billboard Country Albums chart.

What they told us: "We love coming to the fairs, because you see people coming from smaller towns, and you get a lot of home-cooked goodness," band member Phillip Sweet said. "The people are real, and they're there because they want to be, and they appreciate you being there. It's just a different environment altogether. It gives you a sense of home a little bit to see these wonderful people and their families and feel that good laid-back, home-style kind of vibe. We love that because we're all from small towns, and the people show their appreciation by coming up and saying hello and making you feel at home." (From the Sept. 22 edition of The Daily Times Weekend section)

Most recent album: "The Road to Here," released in October 2005

On the Web: www.littlebigtown.com

— 9 p.m.: Randy Travis

Background: A juvenile delinquent who was taken under the wing of a club owner in Charlotte, N.C., Travis came to Nashville in 1982 and was turned down by every record label in town. At the time, his sound was criticized as being "too country," but in 1982, an independent album he had made secured him a deal with Warner Bros. In 1985, the label released "On the Other Hand," a minor hit single that shot to No. 1 after it was re-released in 1986. His debut album, "Storms of Life," went on to sell 4 million copies, and his string of hits in the late '80s helped to reinvent country as a genre, bringing a more traditional sound back to commercial country radio. His album "Always and Forever" sat at No. 1 for 43 weeks, and he continues to act and release albums.

Most recent album: "Glory Train," released in October, 2005

On the Web: www.randy-travis.com