Alt Knox

Originally written for SCOOP Magazine, published May 2018

Search “Women in the Music Industry” online and you’ll be bombarded with headlines blasting that “Female Songwriters and Musicians Are Outnumbered” and “There Is a Lack of Gender Diversity in the Industry.” It’s unsettling how predictable that seems by today’s standards, which is why it is all the more inspiring that female musicians are finding their place in the industry. Climbing the ladder toward success, however, can be difficult.

“I have a very specific sound and a lot of ideas and things I’d like to try,” says Knoxville-based musician Daje Morris. “Sometimes it takes a while for my male cohorts to trust or understand the direction I’m wanting to take things.” Morris—who describes her sound as a blend of artistic soul with spoken word, Americana, and jazz colorings—has not allowed setbacks to stop her from making her place in the Knoxville music scene.

Morris has been influenced by artists such as Billie Holiday, Corinne Bailey Rae, and Nina Simone. Their jazzy, soulful styles are evident in Morris’s first EP, The Bloom Project. She released the EP in 2016—the same time she entered the world of live music performance. Since then, Morris has performed at festivals like Knoxville’s own Big Ears and Rhythm N’ Blooms, but her accomplishments also lay below the surface. Through her music, she has found the bravery of her own art.

“One of my friends and I often have the discussion that being an artist is like choosing to streak through the streets of New York completely naked,” says Morris. “From sitting down to write about things honestly to getting up on stage to share, every part of this process can be incredibly frightening. Embracing it requires courage.”

It is a courage that Morris has found within a changing and more diverse Knoxville music scene. That’s encouraging for Morris, who is deeply passionate about what music can mean and what it can do the listener. “I believe that there are so many ideas and feelings to communicate—but some things can only be felt and understood in the context of music,” says Morris.

Morris chooses to live every aspect of her life with this sense of passion. She is not only a musician, but also a poet and a photographer. In fact, she firmly believes that all of her art forms work together to express all the beauty and the messiness of the world around her.

Still, there is something about music that keeps Morris going. It is something that she hopes will continue to take her around to new venues—because she loves getting to connect with people through her art. “My most favorite recent opportunity was to play a Sofar Sounds session here in Knoxville,” she says. “It was so sweet and engaging. I’d love to keep creating and entering spaces like these with my music.”

Morris wants to unite people. That’s clear from her debut EP, which focuses on both joy and pain. “I wanted to create something that might pull a scarlet thread through the fabric of our lives and connect us through our stories,” she says of the EP on her SoundCloud page.

Morris knows that complexity between men and women may make uniting them a little more difficult, but she feels it is necessary to change the industry. She believes that both men and women deserve to be valued for their creative expressions without being suppressed artistically.

“I want to be free with my voice—with where and how I get to use it.”

Student Body President Morgan Hartgrove

Originally written for SCOOP Magazine, published May 2018

Eight. That’s the number of female student body presidents that the University of Tennessee has had since its inception 99 years ago. While the organization has grown and changed throughout the years, so, too, have the times.

Senior college scholars student, Morgan Hartgrove, is that eighth woman who gets to tackle the issues during this incredibly tumultuous time for women.

However, Hartgrove says she has been fortunate because she has not had to face any of the discrimination that has been dominating the media since late 2017. That does not mean it’s something that she has been allowed to ignore.

“I just came back from a conference with all of the SEC student body presidents and their student government associations, and there are only three female presidents,” Hartgrove said, “so, when it comes to female representation, I don’t really see that.”

Hartgrove cites the hiring of Beverly Davenport, the university’s first female chancellor as a major step in the right direction to representing women and their leadership. Still, Hartgrove also made it known that the men, especially the different campus organization presidents and the university administrators, have been nothing but wonderful and respectful during her reign.

“I know that I’m so fortunate,” Hartgrove said. “And this is exactly how it should be, you know. Female should not struggle when it comes to being in these roles.”

As Hartgrove’s time with SGA comes to an end, she wants all future female leaders to stop second guessing themselves and take a leap of faith. She said it was something she had to do in order to run, in order to win, and in order to become the person she is today.

“I can guarantee my male counterparts weren’t wondering if they would do well,” she said. “They were wondering if they would win.”

UT student worker does it all

Originally written for Journalism 414 (Magazine and Feature Writing) class

It’s 8 p.m. on a Tuesday night, and sixteen people are gathered in the Massey Hall lounge for a staff meeting. Hannah Thurauf stands at the front of the table, iPad in hand, pulling something up on the screen. She smiles as she turns it around to face the staff, revealing a Skype call with her mother and her beloved Schnauzer Poodle mix named Millie.

Each staff member takes a turn with the iPad, laughing while saying a quick “hello” to the dog on the screen. The 15-year-old Schnoodle is a constant topic of conversation around the building. Hannah is a dog lover, and she would be the first to tell you.

The Massey Hall staff would probably be the second, third and fourth.

Hannah works as an assistant hall director in Massey, a unique employment option around the University of Tennessee, because it means she is both a graduate student and a leader in University Housing.

Originally from St. Louis, Missouri, Hannah decided to apply for the job while she completed her senior year of undergrad at the University of Dayton in Ohio in 2015.

For Hannah, it was a chance to take the familiar and make it new again.

“I was part of housing for two years in my undergrad, and I just didn’t feel like my time with housing was done yet,” she said. “I just wanted to try a new role and get to work with resident assistants, because I was an RA.”

While the assistant hall director role is vital in the residence hall, it is one that many students may not even know anything about.

Hannah makes it her mission to be visible around Massey, because she thinks it is important to establish that relationship with the 580 students who call it home.

“What I really like is that a lot of residents feel really comfortable coming in and saying ‘hi,’” Hannah said. “It’s really great to just communicate with them and see how their day is going.”

What she likes about her job is that every day is different.

However, every day is usually busy.

“Every day I do a couple of office hours, I’ll have a few one-on-one meetings with some RAs. If there’s a staff meeting, I’ll go to that,” Hannah said. “Some days you might work with your hall council or schedule with office assistants.”

As an assistant hall director, Hannah works with the resident assistants and is directly in charge of Massey Hall Council, who work together to plan programs for the building, and her staff of ten office assistants, who work at the front desk and post office during the day.

Office Assistant Jacob Watts says the best part about working for Hannah is her sense of humor.

“She is always organized and does her job, but she’s also easy to talk to,” Watts said. “She’s funny; she’s a dog lover. That’s all stuff that comes up with her on a regular basis with her around the office.”

Even though it may seem like a lot to deal with at one time, Hannah says communication is the key to success when it comes to keeping track of her committees.

In particular, she credits group messages and the GroupMe app for keeping everyone on the same page.

Fiona Whitaker has worked with Hannah for the past two years. Last year, she was a member of Massey Hall Council, and now she serves as an RA in the same building.

Whitaker said this commitment to being there for everyone at all times is what sets Hannah apart.

“It’s so obvious when you’re working with Hannah that she cares,” Whitaker said. “She wants to do whatever she can to help, and you always know she’ll find a way to do it.”

Hannah hopes this translates into the other parts of her life, too.

When she’s not busy saving the residents of Massey from rogue mice or nuisance alarms, she’s spending the week in the Haslam College of Business for her final semester of graduate school.

It’s not the path she thought she would take.

She said she left the University of Dayton with the intention of starting everything anew.

“I picked UT because I wanted a large school in a different state,” Hannah said. “I wanted to try living in a different environment and going to a big state school.”

In her undergraduate career, Hannah studied education and planned on becoming a teacher. However, she found that her passions were elsewhere: human resources.

“What I would really like to do with HR is training and development, because I really enjoy working with different teams and looking at ways we can enhance their skills and improve their training processes,” Hannah said.

She’s gotten some training under her belt with committees at work, but she gets even more three days a week she spends at Denso in Maryville, Tennessee.

Hannah interns in the associate relations department, where she acts as a liaison to the employees and the manager.

While it’s necessary for her to have the internship to graduate, Hannah also appreciates that she gets to be hands-on in her field before she steps across the stage to get her diploma.

“HR is such a cool field, because there’s so much you can do with it,” Hannah said, “and I get to do so much of it with Denso.”

When she graduates in May, Hannah plans on moving to Greeneville, South Carolina with her boyfriend Alex and their new rescue Schnoodle named Wiley who, Hannah insists, is not a South Carolina Millie replacement, but another addition to the family.

Still, she says it will be hard to leave because she loves the UT spirit and all of the students she gets to worth with on a daily basis.

The students and staff will also feel that loss.

In May 2017, Hannah was awarded the Graduate Assistant of the Year Award at out of the 17 current graduate students working in University Housing.

Those who know her were not the least bit surprised.

“Hannah is wonderful in every way possible,” Whitaker said.

Club Week: Honor society explores French language, culture

Once a month, lovers of all things French, also known as Francophiles, get together to eat authentic cuisine, learn about the culture and practice their French-speaking skills.

For some, it may sound like a party, but for Pi Delta Phi members, it is an opportunity to do what they love with people who share the same interests.

Pi Delta Phi is a national French honor society that is dedicated to students who have shown outstanding academic scholarship and language activities. To become a full member, students must have either completed a 300-level French class or be enrolled in one. Members must also have a minimum 3.0 overall GPA and a 3.25 GPA in French.

UT senior and Pi Delta Phi President, Alex Brito, has been involved with the honor society since her freshman year when she was considered an honorary member.

“I was impressed by the leadership and the tight-knit, welcoming attitude of the group,” she said. “I wanted to become more involved.”

Though she had studied French prior to joining Pi Delta Phi, Sarah Kirk, who serves as vice president, was drawn to the group because of her French minor.

“I was involved with teaching elementary school French to the kids at Pond Gap with [Brito],” she said. “When she found out I was a French minor, she told me to join and brought me to a few events, which led me to want to join and, now, help run the organization.”

Pi Delta Phi holds some events annually, such as a cheese tasting in fall. The group also recently introduced a Crepes and Conversation event, which included both sweet and savory varieties of the French food. Brito said it is something they would like to continue in the future.

This year marks the third annual presentation of French Connections week, which will begin on Monday, March 27 and end on Saturday, April 1.

Designed to promote French and French culture, French Connections hosts events such as panels with students who have studied abroad, canvas painting and coffee nights and conversations with people who have used their French skills in the professional world. They also make sure to keep some French treats on-hand.

Despite their international skew, Brito said she wants all students to come and learn about French culture.

“You don’t have to speak French or be involved in French to participate,” she said.

For Brito, Pi Delta Phi is about more than just their monthly meeting; it is a way to get out of her comfort zone and realize the differences and similarities in cultures.

Kirk, who has been studying French for eight years, said that she thinks it is important to spread international culture at UT and has also made her more internationally aware and interested.

“I think that other languages provide awareness to others and show that your needs are not the only ones around,” she said. “Clubs like Pi Delta Phi help spread awareness to other cultures with events like French Connection Week.”

Brito hopes that all Pi Delta Phi members gain a greater connection through the organization

“I hope that when students come to Pi Delta Phi, they build a connection to the French culture we have in our own community,” she said.

For more information about Pi Delta Phi, visit their Facebook, Twitter and Instagram pages.

Edited by McKenzie Manning

Featured image by Alex Brito

TNJN celebrates 10 years

[Originally published on the Tennessee Journalist on October 19, 2016]

Ten years ago, Dr. Jim Stovall came to the University of Tennessee with the intention of creating an online news website for journalism students that could help students adapt to the changing nature of the industry.

After six weeks of planning and creating with the help of two colleagues, Stovall debuted the website for his senior level journalism class in October 2006.

“Once we were up and rolling, I asked students from the class if they wanted to volunteer to be the site’s first editors, and several of them stepped forward, and we began publishing,” he said.

Stovall retired from teaching in 2016, but his impact still remains. The website that he came to create, the Tennessee Journalist, is celebrating ten years of articles, editors and excellence in reporting.

Though online journalism may not be new for today’s generation, TNJN’s online-exclusive content has proven useful for those interested in finding a career in the industry.

Journalism professor, Lisa Gary, has been teaching the introductory journalism course, JEM 175, since 2012 and has worked with beginning journalism students to get them involved with student media.

She said TNJN was the first student media outlet to offer a converged media experience that demonstrates where the industry is headed.

“Those students [involved with TNJN] write stories that will be read in text, that’s a lot like newspaper writing, but then they also have the opportunity to produce audio and video and audio slideshows,” Gary said.  “It was the first student media group to offer that, and still offers it more extensively.”

This focus on the future is what inspired former Editor-in-chief Jennifer Brake to join TNJN.

“I started as a news writer through the JEM 175 class,” Brake said. “I loved that it was an online publication since it was clear that was where newspapers and news distribution in general was heading.”

Brake served as editor-in-chief for a year and a half in 2012 and 2013 and currently works at Reed Public Relations in Nashville.

Brake said that TNJN has remained an important part of her life throughout the years.

“Working with TNJN was one of the highlights of my college career,” she said. “I still use the skills I honed there in my current career and recommend any journalism students interested in the future of journalism to get involved.”

Maggie Jones, who served as editor-in-chief for the 2014-2015 school year and Jessica Carr, who served as editor-in-chief for the 2015-2016 school year, both work in print journalism today.

Jones is an entertainment and features writer for the Knoxville News Sentinel and Carr works as a copy editor and page designer at the Daily Times in Maryville.

While both editors say their role in TNJN helped them to enter the professional world, Carr emphasized the camaraderie and community in the organization.

“I think that most of my friends that I made in college was because of TNJN or the journalism program,” she said. “I’m just really glad that I decided to do it.”

Though TNJN has undergone changes since its first publication, its goal has remained the same: provide readers with the news they care about quickly and accurately.

Featured image courtesy of TNJN

Edited by Kaitlin Flippo

University of Tennessee provides ample options for caffeine fix

Final multimedia project for JEM250 at the University of Tennessee

Located here

Volapalooza 2016 brings variety, ambiance

[Originally published on the Tennessee Journalist on April 30, 2016]

UT students were invited to celebrate the last day of classes on Friday, April 29 at the 2016 Volapalooza festival in World’s Fair Park.

They announced their lineup to mostly positive reviews at February’s Vol Night Long and have been promoting this year’s lineup as their “biggest yet.”

Even those who had never heard of the artists before said they were able to find enjoyment in the lineup.This year’s festival included music from Portugal. The Man, Moon Taxi and Niykee Heaton among others.

A group of students wait for Volapalooza to begin. //Photo by Taylor Owens

“I wasn’t too familiar with any of the bands before Volapalooza, so really I came tonight with open ears to hear what these people were all about,” Alana Cooper, a sophomore at UT, said. “My favorite act was definitely Moon Taxi.”

This year’s Volapalooza also featured some lesser-known acts, including some local artists. Roots of a Rebellion, a Nashville band and this year’s winners of the Road to Roo contest, were the first group to kick off the night with their blend of reggae and rock.

“I really liked Roots of a Rebellion,” sophomore Mika Carr said. “I thought they had great audience engagement.”

 

Food trucks and other local vendors provided snacks, drinks and meals. //Photo by Taylor Owens

Guests could dance to live music by the artists or take part in the silent headphone disco. Everyone listened to different songs in their headphones and were encouraged to dance along.Volapalooza also featured food trucks from various local vendors, as well as activities such as airbrushed tattoos and a station to make bracelets. Attendees were also encouraged to take photos with the Iron Throne from HBO’s “Game of Thrones.”

“The silent disco was pretty awesome,” Carr said. “It was a different community. We all kind of came together and danced and didn’t care if we couldn’t dance.”

Students felt that event was a good way to celebrate the last day of classes before final’s week.

“I really liked the atmosphere and set up and having food trucks, activities and things to do,” Cooper said. “The awesome weather complemented the laid back attitude of the whole evening.”

For more information about Volapalooza, visit their Facebook and Twitter pages.

Photos by Taylor Owens

Edited by Nathan Odom

The Mavericks, MUTEMATH headline Rhythm N’ Blooms Festival

[Originally published on the Tennessee Journalist on April 10, 2016]

Knoxville’s Rhythm N’ Blooms Festival continued on Saturday night with headliners The Mavericks and MUTEMATH.

Both bands performed on the Cripple Creek Stage, an outdoor venue created specifically for the festival in the parking lot across from Barley’s Taproom and Pizzeria. The venue also featured local food trucks such as Savory and Sweet and Tootsie Truck. Yee-Haw Brewing Company provided alcoholic beverages for the event.

The Mavericks took the stage first and performed their blend of western swing, Latin and rockabilly for the crowd. Despite the temperatures in the low-to-mid 40s hundreds of fans filled the space and danced along to the music in the outdoor venue.

Knoxville natives Dawn McKinney and Brittany Stanford were among those who made it to the Old City for the weekend. They took their second trip to Rhythm N’ Blooms this year and attended the shows for both The Mavericks and MUTEMATH among others.

They said they are supporters of local and indie music. Both enjoyed getting to hear all that the festival had to offer.

“The Mavericks aren’t really our style, but they’re fun,” McKinney said. “My favorite act tonight was The Lone Bellow.”

MUTEMATH took the stage after The Mavericks and helped to showcase the diversity of the festival with their alternative music contrasting the Americana of The Mavericks. After Rhythm N’ Blooms, the band will be preparing for a summer tour with Twenty One Pilots.

Overall, McKinney and Stanford were impressed with the variety of the music and the organization of the festival in general.

“I feel like everything runs really smoothly,” McKinney said. “Getting your tickets and getting in and out and everything is really seamless.”

Stanford believes Rhythm N’ Blooms adds something special to Knoxville’s music scene.

“I love it,” Stanford added. “I wish they would do more things like it more often.

“We love our scruffy little city,” McKinney added.

For more information about Rythmn N’ Blooms Festival, visit their official website.

Featured image by Taylor Owens

Edited by Jessica Carr

Opinion: Top 5 date ideas for a Valentine’s Day at the theatre

[Originally published on the Tennessee Journalist on Feb. 11, 2016]

Valentine’s Day will soon be upon us, so that means it’s time to start making those plans for a romantic date night. While dinner and a movie is always a classic choice, it can never hurt to try something new. This year, check out one of these theatre events in and around the Knoxville area:

1. Valentine’s Day Weekend with Erick Baker– When Erick Baker graduated from UT in 2011 with a public relations degree, he never thought he’d make his living as a singer-songwriter. However, a gig opening for John Legend in 2007 changed his path. His soulful lyrics and tender voice will create the perfect romantic mood for you and your significant other. Baker will be returning to his Tennessee roots at the Bijou Theatre for two shows on Feb. 12 and Feb. 13 at 8 p.m. Visit the Bijou’s official website for ticket information and more about Baker. Tickets are $25.
2. “The Last Five Years”– “The Last Five Years” is a play that chronicles five years in the life of a couple, Cathy and Jamie, as they experience the ups and downs of their relationship. This two-person show is told in reverse chronological order, starting at the end of their marriage and ending a few days after the two meet for the first time. While this may have the potential to be sad, the show is romantic, poignant and relatable. “The Last Five Years” opens Feb. 12 at 8 p.m. at Theatre Knoxville Downtown and will run every Thursday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday until Feb. 28 at various times. For more information about the show and to purchase tickets for $15, visit Theatre Knoxville’s Downtown website.
3. “Saturday Night Fever”- Audiences are probably familiar with the iconic 1977 film “Saturday Night Fever” starring John Travolta, but now they have a chance to see it like they’ve never seen it before: as a live musical at the Tennessee Theatre. The story focuses on Tony Manero, a young man who’s stuck in his life. However, his weekends at the local discotheque seem to make all of his troubles disappear. Fun choreography, Bee Gees hits and an all-around nostalgic vibe will have you and your significant other dancing in your seats. “Saturday Night Fever” opens at the Tennessee Theatre on Feb. 12 at 7 p.m. and will have two additional shows on Feb. 13 at 2 p.m. and 7 p.m. For more information and ticket prices, visit the Tennessee Theatre’s website.
4. “Cantus: The Four Loves” – Cantus, one of the nation’s only full-time vocal ensembles will be performing a new show just in time for Valentine’s Day. “The Four Loves” celebrates the Greek idea that there are four types of love: spiritual, romantic, familial and friendship. Cantus is known for its innovative concerts, so couples can expect a unique viewing experience. They will be performing at the Clayton Center for the Arts in Maryville, Tenn. for one night only on Feb. 12 at 7:30 p.m. For ticket prices and more, visit Clayton Center for the Arts’ official website.
5. “Titus Andronicus”– William Shakespeare’s “Titus Andronicus” isn’t exactly romantic. In fact, it’s tragic play about revenge and violence. However, according to the Clarence Brown Theatre, this play is rarely performed. This unique experience would make for a great date night that is sure to shock both you and your date. “Titus Andronicus” opens on for previews on Feb. 10 at 7:30 p.m., but officially opens on Feb. 12 at 7:30 p.m. The show runs though Feb. 28 at various times. For more information about show times and tickets, visit the Clarence Brown Theatre’s website.

Featured image by bottled_void via their Flickr account obtained using creativecommons.org

Rhythm N’ Blooms announces 2016 lineup

[Originally published on the Tennessee Journalist on Jan. 18, 2016]

Knoxville’s biggest music festival, Rhythm N’ Blooms, has announced its 2016 lineup.

This year’s headliners include Mutemath and Grammy nominated band The Mavericks.

Mutemath draws influence from psychedelic rock and soul, while The Mavericks combine Latin music with country and rockabilly, a style of music that combines country with rock and roll.

Chyna Brackeen, president of Attack Monkey Productions and co-producer of Rhythm N’ Blooms, said each year’s festival lineups are always being created.

“There are bands that are playing this year that I’ve been trying to get for years but the timing just hasn’t worked out, and I have a long list of bands I’m interested in booking,” Brackeen said. “There are always more bands than slots available, so my list just keeps growing.”

Brackeen said lineups become more diverse each year but the one thing all the bands have in common is that they put on a great live show.

“I’m also always looking for great local bands,” Brackeen said. “We have a really strong local music scene here and it deserves to be showcased.”

Rhythm N’ Blooms has been working together with Dogwood Arts since 2010 and has been steadily growing in popularity. The festival focuses on not just the music, but also on Knoxville.

“We really love showing off this community and especially being able to shine a light on areas that don’t get as much attention as they should, like the Knoxville Botanical Garden and now the Old City,” Brackeen said.

She wants people to fall in love with Knoxville and discover their new favorite band.

The festival will begin on April 8 and run though April 10. Rhythm N’ Blooms is accepting volunteers. Those who work the festival can earn free tickets.

For more information about volunteering, tickets and the full lineup, visit Rhythm N’ Bloom’s official website.

Featured image courtesy of Katharine Torbett