12.31.08. The audience for the Tennessee Shines show at the Bijou in Knoxville began arriving at 6 p.m. on New Year's Eve. Photo by SCN.

KNOXVILLE – For New Year’s Eve, the Tennessee Shines show at The Bijou provided a great place to get 2009 started out right. With an atmosphere that includes red velvet curtains, ornate balcony seating, and authentic “applause” and “on air” signs on stage, the Bijou’s Tennessee Shines show features music that makes the $10 ticket feel like about a third of what one would expect to pay for such great entertainment.

Wearing a fuchsia suit and black cowboy boots, Grammy-winning singer-songwriter Jim Lauderdale served as host, and the night’s line-up included the Hackensaw Boys, Christabel and the Jons, Elizabeth Cook, Todd Steed and The Suns of Phere, and Alex Leach, Kody Norris and The Watauga Mountain Boys.

Fresh from a tour in Florida, Cristobel and the Jons charmed the audience with songs from their new album, “Custom Made For You,” including the title song.

The Hackensaw Boys went over the top with high energy and the crowd responded with a standing ovation following tunes such as “Nashville, Why Did I go to Thee?” The tin can drum solo was also well received.

“This show is a great way for bluegrass fans to see it in person,” said audience member John Lenoir of Knoxville. “I have seen every Tennessee Shines show so far and they have all been good. Most of us (in the audience) are of Scottish or Irish decent and this is roots music.”

Tennessee Shines stage as seen from the entrance to the auditorium.

Country music entertainer Elizabeth Cook wowed the audience with a cover of Velvet Underground’s “Sunday Morning.” Introducing the song, and explaining why she covered it, Cook said “They talked about (the song) in Rolling Stone so apparently it was a cool thing to do. Who knew?”

Knoxville’s own Todd Steed and the Suns of Phere, a crowd favorite and well-known for humorous songs about common life in Knoxville,  joked with host Jim Lauderdale about being asked to perform at the Bijou.

“It’s like being loaned a Cadillac,” Steed said. “You have to give it back when the evening’s over but you have fun while you’re driving it.” Steed’s band (whose drummer played a cardboard box with brushes instead of a traditional drum kit), played songs such as “You Must Be From Nashville,” and “Highway 78.”

“Thank God for North Knoxville,” Steed sang the show’s closer. “It’s the last place in America that ain’t tryin’ to be somewheres else. Oi!”

Also included in the evening’s entertainment was the Tennessee Shines house band led by Dave Nichols, a talented Knoxville musician with various career highlights including Smokin’ Dave and the Primo Dopes.

12.31.08. Jim Lauderdale takes a break during the Tennessee Shines intermission.

Knoxville Americana Music Foundation is a non-profit supporting organization of WDVX FM whose mission is to nurture and support Americana performers and educate the public about Americana music and Knoxville’s role in its history.

–Laura Long, SevierCountyNews.com