Hilltop Dinner & Dance – our very own festival!

Published on August 16, 2010 in Featured and News. Closed

The first-ever Hilltop Dinner & Dance will be a one-day event on Saturday, October 9, 2010 from 5pm-11pm at the Mabry-Hazen House in downtown Knoxville, TN. This is intended to be a celebration of Appalachian culture that will bring together live regional music, traditional social dancing, and southern food. There will be free dance lessons between each musical act pertaining to the style of the next band. All lessons will be beginner level, no previous experience necessary. There will be square dancing, texas two-stepping, and swing dancing. Band line-up to be announced soon!

Click here to buy your tickets online! General admission is $15, a limited number of VIP tickets will be available for $50 (includes dinner, drink tickets, Hilltop merchandise, & special seating). The Parlor will be providing dinner for $15 and Mockingbird Events will be bartending. Free tours of the beautiful, historic Mabry-Hazen House will be available throughout the event. Free parking is available on site. There will be also be a children’s area with games and room to frolic. Children under six get in free.

Y’all come!!!

hilltop poster simple

Our very own youtube channel

Published on August 1, 2010 in Featured and News. 0 Comments

We just created our very own youtube channel and started uploading little silly videos we take on tour.

Jon Whitlock & Vince Ilagan hand percussion at Camden Park, WV

New baby

Published on June 21, 2010 in Featured and News. 0 Comments

Meet the newest member of my family.  She is a Silvertone acoustic archtop, bought by a woman named Janet’s father in 1956-57 from the Sears catalogue.  Once I get a pick-up installed this old girl is getting out on the road.

silvertone couch

New live video: “You’re Gonna Miss Me, Baby”

Published on May 29, 2010 in Featured and News. 0 Comments

Here’s a live video of our new song “You’re Gonna Miss Me Baby,” recorded last week at one of our favorite places, the Flying Monkey Arts Center in Huntsville, AL. Big thanks to Dustin Timbrook for putting this together and sending it our way.

Video of “I Cried Over You”

Published on May 6, 2010 in Featured and News. 2 Comments

Here we are with host Todd Steed talking about drunk-dialing and playing one of the new songs that will be on our next CD!

New songs!

Published on April 18, 2010 in Featured, News and Uncategorized. 0 Comments

We’ve been working out some new tunes over the winter that we can’t wait to share this coming Thursday on the Blue Plate Special.  The Jons have some really sweet new doo-woop harmonies.  We almost have a whole new album’s worth of heartache, longing, confusion, redemption, and acceptance!  Our third studio album, The Same Mistake, will be recorded later this year. So far the tracks are:

Living With Your Ghost
I Cried Over You
Be Careful
Heartbreak Hall of Fame
You’re Gonna Miss Me Baby
Please Don’t Misunderstand
Summer Love
Do What You Can
Tennessee Waltz (by Redd Stewart and Pee Wee King)

Christa killing time in Richmond, VA

Christa killing time in Richmond, VA

New spring merchandise!

Published on April 3, 2010 in Featured and News. 1 Comment

It’s finally spring! We had a couple of arts-n-crafts nights at my apartment lately to bring you a new round of handmade merchandise. Silk-screened clothing of all sizes and colors. Vintage and new. Mens and womens. Right now there are about 20 ladies t-shirts and tank tops, 4 polyester men’s button up shirts, 1 tube top, and 1 pair of overalls. And a big stack of iron-on patches. All are available at our shows. Pictures coming soon!

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A month of shows before we go to the Virgin Islands

Published on January 28, 2010 in Featured, News and Uncategorized. 0 Comments

We survived our winter tour to New England.  We met some of the country’s most creative dancers (they’re in New Hampshire), ate lobsters, learned to appreciate the nuances of white on white, and crunched around in the most snow I’ve ever seen in my whole life.  Here’s where we’ll be for the next few weeks.  Hard to believe we’re only one month away from our trip to the Virgin Islands!

1/28 – Double Door Inn, Charlotte, NC

1/29 – In studio at WZMB 91.3 FM, Greenville, NC

1/29 – Tipsy Teapot, Greenville, NC

1/30 – Next Door (Acoustic Coffeehouse), Johnson City, TN

2/4 – Martin’s Downtown Bar & Grill, Roanoke, VA

2/5 – Purple Fiddle, Thomas, WV

2/6 – Cafe Nola, Frederick, MD

2/8 – Hot Jam Swings, Atlanta, GA (swing dance)

2/11 – Hummingbird Stage & Taproom, Macon, GA

2/12 – Eclipse Coffee, Montevallo, AL

2/13 – Callaghan’s, Mobile, AL

2/14 – VALENTINE’S DAY at Barley’s Taproom, Knoxville, TN

2/18 – Boone Saloon, Boone, NC

2/19 – Glowing Body Round Rug Series, Knoxville, TN

2/20 – Kentucky Coffee Tree, Frankfurt, KY


One week left in snowy New England

Published on January 16, 2010 in Featured and Uncategorized. 1 Comment

It’s been a terrific tour so far, we’ve enjoyed every single place we’ve been and the crowds have been more than enthusiastic.  I was worried that people wouldn’t come out in the cold but here in Maine they’re experiencing a tropical heat wave (it’s in the 30s and people are walking around in shorts despite the fact that there’s a couple of inches of snow on the ground).  I woke up this morning in the cozy attic of an old Maine farmhouse with 2 sleek black cats curled up at my feet.  French toast, bananas, coffee, and new friends.  This is a beautiful place.

One more week of shows in New England:

1/16 - Salt Hill Pub, Lebanon, NH

1/19 - Radio Bean, Burlington, VT

1/20 - Black Door, Montpelier, VT

1/21 – Liberal Cup, Hallowell, ME

1/22 - Harlow’s, Peterborough, NH

1/23 - Grand Auditorium, Ellsworth, ME (w/ Miss Tess)

Update on “Live from the Walnut Room”

Published on January 4, 2010 in Featured and News. 0 Comments

The tally is in.  We’ve raised enough money for our first plane ticket to the Virgin Islands.  Rejoice!  Thanks everyone out there for helping to make our tropical island dream tour come true.  I’m thinking about starting another project.  Handwritten postcards from CB&J from the Virgin Islands.  Real live mail that I will personally dip in the ocean, rub with sand, use as a coaster under a frozen rum drink, put a stamp on, and send from another country.  Would anyone like one?