Metro Pulse/Music/Eye on the Scene

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It was great to see Market Square open again last week, with some of Knoxville's best musicians up on the brand new stage, singing songs about the city, love, running moonshine and other topics. Even though it was sparsely attended, it was hard not to feel the energy of the public square and get excited about future events.

The Sundown in the City concert series held in the square over the last few years probably did more to demonstrate the space's potential than anything. Because of construction, the series was temporarily relocated to the Old City this summer. There were rumors that it might move to the World's Fair Park next year or stay in the Old City, but promoter Ashley Capps says he's anxious to bring it back to its original home.

"The feeling I get is everyone wants to see it back in the square," Capps says. "The square looks beautiful."

The city had sponsored the event in previous years to the tune of $100,000. But because of a budget shortfall this year, council didn't fund it. A number of corporate sponsors chipped in and donations were requested at the gate.

Mayor-elect Bill Haslam says he hopes the city can pitch in next year, but it's too soon to know whether the money is there. "I do think it's real important and I want to figure out a way to make that happen," says Haslam, who met with Capps last week to talk about the series. "My feeling is that the newly enhanced Market Square would be a great place for it. I realize there are some folks who live there who have some issues that need to be addressed."

Of course, it now seems like downtown Knoxville suddenly has three new outdoor concert venues—the square, the recently renovated World's Fair Park, and the Old City Courtyard, where the Sundown series was held this year.

Capps says he'd like to do some concerts on the World's Fair Park, but not Sundown. "The World's Fair Park is beautiful and it's a great place to do an event. But there are some obstacles. You essentially have to bring in everything, including a stage, which is very expensive," Capps says.

Scott West, co-owner of the courtyard and the adjacent ThInQ Tank, as well as the Preservation Pub in Market Square, says he'd rather see the series in the square than in the Old City.

"Holding [Sundown] down there was more of an interim move. We can hold paid concerts on that courtyard," he says. I think it's about absolutely certain [Sundown] is going to be on Market Square next year. That's a good thing for everybody."

Goodbye Jack

The Knoxville music scene lost a fan and follower on Nov. 22, and the music industry lost one of the best souls to ever set foot in Nashville. John (Jack) William Emerson III passed away at his home in Nashville after suffering with lung and respiratory illness for several months, which eventually led to a fatal heart attack. He was 43.

Jack came from Naples, Florida to Nashville with an independent spirit and a creative mind in the early '80s to attend school at Vanderbilt. He started a tiny DIY label called Praxis Records when he was a Vandy student, along with friend and business partner Andy McLenon. The company went on to help launch and promote the careers of artists who were musical pioneers. Many have now become household names—Jason & The Nashville Scorchers, Webb Wilder, John Hiatt, The Georgia Satellites, Steve Forbert and Sonny Landreth—and they all owe a great deal to Jack's musical vision and integrity. Jack was also the first person to welcome R.B. Morris to Nashville, a city that loves to chew up and spit out artists.

Emerson later went on to become a partner with Steve Earle in E-Squared Records, which released records by Earle, Steve Earle & The Del McCoury Band, Cheri Knight, Six String Drag and others. But it was Jack who initiated the signing of Knoxville's own Viceroys/V-roys, and he was possibly the best friend the band ever had. He remained friends with all of the V-roys even after they parted ways with E-Squared. "The day I signed with Sugar Hill Records, Jack took me out to eat in Nashville and bought me a big ol' steak," remembers Scott Miller. Miller performed "Room On the Cross" at Jack's Memorial Service Nov. 24 at The Belcourt Theatre in Nashville.

Jack had long been a fan of the Knoxville music scene. He spoke highly of the originality of the music coming from this town, and the friendliness of the folks who made up our local "scene." But there weren't too many people friendlier than Jack, especially to be involved in the cutthroat business of recording and promoting music.

Jack's most recent venture is Jack Of Heart Recordings, a label and multi-media company. Webb Wilder wrote in an email "Jack was still into doing things with good music and helping people he believed in. I listened in the last year to Jack's interest about making a new Webb album, TV ideas and his desire to see the WW catalog back in print. I can guarantee you that there are plenty of Nashville music biz types who couldn't care less about Swampadelia [Webb's music]."

Jack Emerson was thankfully not a Nashville music biz type. He was a wonderful, humble, talented, friendly man who knew right from wrong, good from bad, and talent from no-talent. And for 20 short years, he applied this knowledge to an industry that has been in too short of a supply of all of the above...and much too short of a supply of men like Jack Emerson.

—Joe Tarr, Benny Smith