News Summary
The Big Ears Festival returns to Knoxville, celebrating the city’s diverse musical heritage with performances across genres. Notable events include the ‘Violins of Hope’ exhibition, honoring Jewish musicians from the Holocaust. Grammy-winning artists will perform alongside local talent, highlighting Knoxville’s rich music scene. The festival aims to unite people through sound, emphasizing the city’s lasting impact on American music history.
Knoxville is celebrating its rich music history through the much-anticipated return of the Big Ears Festival, an event showcasing its diverse musical heritage and supporting local and worldwide artists. Despite many single-day passes selling out, the festival will feature a range of free performances and exhibitions for attendees to enjoy.
The Big Ears Festival, known for its eclectic mix of genres, will include jazz, classical, bluegrass, electronic, and gospel music. Notable performers include Grammy-winning artists such as trombonist and composer Yuka Honda, as well as other noteworthy duos at venues like the Knoxville Museum of Art and Pretentious Beer Company. The festival aims to celebrate Knoxville’s unique music scene, ensuring vibrant engagements for music enthusiasts during its run.
A standout event within the festival is the “Violins of Hope” exhibition, which showcases restored violins that were played by Jewish musicians during the Holocaust. This powerful display emphasizes music’s ability to inspire hope and resilience, dovetailing with the festival’s overall theme of cultural reflection and unity through music. Historian Jack Neely is set to explore Knoxville’s cultural and musical background in a talk that will spotlight key moments and influential musicians from the city’s past.
The Big Ears Festival draws on Knoxville’s deep music roots, which, while often overshadowed by the musical legacies of Memphis and Nashville, have had a lasting impact. One of the notable figures in Knoxville’s music history is Howard Armstrong, a musician born in nearby LaFollette in 1909. After moving to Knoxville at a young age, Armstrong made significant contributions to blues and jazz music, performing alongside fellow musicians such as Carl Martin. Together with his brother Roland, Armstrong formed the “Tennessee Chocolate Drops,” a group well-remembered for songs like “Knox County Stomp.” Despite facing challenges due to Jim Crow laws, Armstrong’s music expressed the societal struggles of the time and reflected the authenticity of the Black experience in America.
Blues music, which originated from the struggles faced by post-emancipation Black Americans, has been a crucial part of Knoxville’s musical identity and has influenced genres like jazz and rock. The legacy of these traditions persisted into the mid-20th century when world-renowned artists, including Louis Armstrong, graced Knoxville stages, like Chilhowee Park in 1957, where he performed despite a bomb threat.
In addition to the Big Ears Festival, Knoxville’s music culture continues to thrive through various institutions and groups. The Amadeus Chamber Ensemble, recently renamed the Amadeus Concert Ensemble (ACE), has adapted to the evolving classical music landscape in Knoxville. ACE is dedicated to offering free concerts that highlight thematic works composed by historical figures such as Dvořák and lesser-known compositions from Beethoven, as well as pieces from the Golden Age of Strauss in its upcoming 2024-25 season.
The Swan Brothers Bakery, a historical family-owned entity in Knoxville, also played an essential role in the local music scene by sponsoring the gospel group, the Swan Silvertones. Established in 1883, the bakery became one of the region’s largest producers of bread by the early 1900s, at times producing up to 50,000 pounds of bread daily. The Swan Silvertones emerged in the late 1930s, influencing gospel music and inspiring artists like Al Green and even the Grateful Dead before the bakery ultimately closed in 1991.
As the Big Ears Festival unfolds, it not only celebrates contemporary music but also honors the enduring legacies of past musicians and local institutions that continue to shape Knoxville’s vibrant music history. The festival aims to unite people through sound and culture, reaffirming the city’s significance in the broader spectrum of American music.
Deeper Dive: News & Info About This Topic
HERE Resources
Knoxville Hosts Exciting Events This Week
Knoxville to Host Downtown Home Tour
InsideofKnoxville.com Celebrates 15 Years of Local Journalism
Knoxville Celebrates Community Storytelling Milestone
Pride Night Celebrates LGBTQ+ Community in Knoxville
Knox Pride Mobilizes Community Support Amid Food Shortages
Knoxville Festival Season Brings Culinary and Cultural Events
University of Tennessee-Knoxville Breaks Ground on New Student Success Center
Southern Skies Music & Whiskey Festival Returning to Knoxville
Columbia, Tennessee: Economic Growth Amid Local Challenges
Additional Resources
- Knox News: Big Ears Festival 2025
- WBIR: Knoxville’s Blues Roots
- Knox News: Swans Bakery and Gospel Music
- Inside of Knoxville: Arthur Q. Smith Honored
- Arts Knoxville: Amadeus Concert Ensemble
- Wikipedia: Music of Tennessee
- Google Search: Knoxville music history
- Google Scholar: Knoxville music history
- Encyclopedia Britannica: Music
- Google News: Knoxville music
Author: STAFF HERE KNOXVILLE WRITER
The KNOXVILLE STAFF WRITER represents the experienced team at HEREKnoxville.com, your go-to source for actionable local news and information in Knoxville, Knox County, and beyond. Specializing in "news you can use," we cover essential topics like product reviews for personal and business needs, local business directories, politics, real estate trends, neighborhood insights, and state news affecting the area—with deep expertise drawn from years of dedicated reporting and strong community input, including local press releases and business updates. We deliver top reporting on high-value events such as Dogwood Arts Festival, Big Ears Festival, and Knoxville Asian Festival. Our coverage extends to key organizations like the Knoxville Area Chamber Partnership and United Way of Greater Knoxville, plus leading businesses in healthcare, education, and energy that power the local economy such as Covenant Health, University of Tennessee, and Tennessee Valley Authority. As part of the broader HERE network, including HEREBristol.com, HEREChattanooga.com, HEREMemphis.com, and HERENashville.com, we provide comprehensive, credible insights into Tennessee's dynamic landscape.
