Carpetbag Theatre

http://www.carpetbagtheatre.org

Carpetbag Theatre is a professional, multigenerational ensemble company dedicated to the production of new works. Their mission is to give artistic voice to the issues and dreams of people who have been silenced by racism, classism, sexism, ageism, homophobia and other forms of oppression. CBT serves communities by returning their stories to them with honesty, dignity, and concern for the aesthetic of that particular community, helping culturally specific communities to re-define how they organize. The company works in partnership with other community artists, activists, cultural workers, storytellers, leaders and people who are simply concerned, creating original works through collaboration in a style based in storytelling and song.

Carpetbag Theatre will be returning for their fifth year at the Louie Bluie Festival. At past Louie Bluie Festivals Carpetbag Theatre performed selections and music from their play Between a Ballad and a Blues chronicling the life and work of festival namesake, Howard "Louie Bluie" Armstrong, an African-American-Appalachian renaissance man. This year they're cookin' up a special musical performance for festival goers.

http://www.myspace.com/betweenaballadandablues - has some great photos and video of Howard Armstrong

View this clip of Carpetbag's recent performance at "Tennessee Shines'

Cuz Headrick

Appalachian Humor and Music

Cuz Headrick has been a professional storyteller since 1986, Cuz is the real deal: an authentic, energetic Smoky Mountain Storyteller. He tells traditional tales, Jack Tales, Appalachian Tales, oral history, tall tales, original and humorous stories. Cuz is proud of growing up in a 15-sibling family, with strong ties to the music industry. He sings the old mountain tunes, accompanying himself on guitar, round washboard and spoons. Cuz is probably the most visible, well-known storyteller from Tennessee. Featured at Ober Gatlinburg May to December, seven days a week for the past eight years, he plays mountain music, bluegrass and gospel with Mountain Grass, with audience count 50,000+ per year. He’s been there; done that: 19 years Smoky Mountain Storytelling Festival; 10 years Blackberry Farm Resort Resident Storyteller; 84 shows and counting at Dollywood; has made appearances at Great Smoky Mountains National Park and on Discovery and Travel TV Channels & Radio programs. He is a member of Jonesborough Storytellers Guild, a charter member of Smoky Mountain Storytellers, past member of Tennessee Storytellers Association, and National Storytelling Network.

Jan Headrick

Jan tells folklore, history tales, oral history, ghost tales and traditional tales. Since 1986, Jan’s entertained at Dollywood, Smoky Mountain Storytelling Festival, Great Smoky Mountains National Park, resorts, schools, churches, and private parties from New York to North Carolina. She emcees the Swapping Grounds, National Storytelling Festival, Jonesborough, TN, and the Smoky Mountain Storytelling Festival, Pigeon Forge, TN. Jan is a member of Jonesborough Storytellers Guild, president of Smoky Mountain Storytellers Association, a non-profit corporation that she organized, a charter member of Smoky Mountain Storytellers, and a member of Tennessee Storytellers Association, and National Storytelling Network. She is married to Cuz Headrick.

Bruce Williams

Bruce began listening to Jerry Clower stories in 1976 and thinking “I can do that.” And so began his ‘fun’ career of telling Clower stories, word for word, so you’d think you were actually listening to the great Jerry Clower himself. This has become a thing of great enjoyment for him, and is something he does ‘just for the fun of it.’ He has lived in Campbell County for 35 years, is married to Lorna Gibson and they are the parents of 5 children and have 5 grandchildren. He is an avid gardener; grows fabulous irises and daylillies.