b'and talking with friends and co-workers. Maddux said he is proud that people now see The Maddux said the Americana or Outlaw CountryShed as a music venue and not just an attachment to genre best describes the acts that play The Shed, andthe dealership.he takes pride in hearing Shed artists on radio net- Spreading the word about this unique music venue works like Sirius Satellite Radio 60Outlaw Country. means reaching out locally as well as across the coun-Americana has become so much more populartry. It still surprises me the number of people I talk to a segment and Outlaw Country is another term youin Maryville who are fans of music but havent been to would hear. On Sirius Radio 60Outlaw Country, ifThe Shed to see a show, he said. I see people come you listen to 10 songs in a row, you will hear three toto The Shed from across the country and then have four who will be Shed artists, he said. conversations with someone from Blount County who Maddux takes prides in his teams good relationshipshasnt ever been to a show. This is something we hope with musical artists who perform at The Shed.to correct.Its the culture around here. While The Shed is aMaddux is particularly proud of the indoor shows in business, it in many ways is a labor of love and thatthe winter. It is great room to see a show. The capac-comes through in the relationships we have with theity is smaller, but it provides a listening experience that bands and that keeps us successful, he said.is more intimate than the big venue, Maddux said.Maddux said his team tries to always be consciousFor more information on shows, follow The Shed of the environment at The Shed to make fans as com- Smokehouse and Juke Joint on Facebook and Instagram fortable as possible.The Shed has a lot of character- or visit www.theshedtickets.com.istics that are neat and some that present challenges, he said. CLAYTON CENTER FOR THE ARTSWhile The Shed is a covered venue, the weather canThe diversity of acts that take the stage at the Ronald present challenges, including hot East Tennessee nightsand Lynda Nutt Theater in the Clayton Center for the in the summer. We have numerous fans and waterArts is no accident.stations and the indoor Garage Bar to make guestsAs a matter of fact, General Manager Blake Smith more comfortable when theyre here, he said.said that was one of the biggest requests he heard from patrons when he took the job.When I came on board seven years ago, all the constituents I met with indicated they wanted a center to represent world-class performing arts in addition to being a great community center, he said.Constituents wanted a broad diversity representing everything from popular country music acts to theater, dance and more Broadway-caliber shows.Based on what we heard, we started looking at how we craft a season around those requirements and thats how we got here, he said.Smith said listening to the community is important priority for the team at Clayton Center for the Arts.The Clayton Center is very proud of the fact it is a partnership, not just run for Maryville College by Maryville College but run by Maryville College on be-half of Maryville and Alcoa as a benefit for the whole community, he said. In addition to positive feedback for the variety of acts at the theater, Smith has seen more sales for season subscriptions than ever before, which indicates they are on the right track.I think that is a reflection that we are providing the community what they want, he said. We work hard with agents to find the right fits, and we take a lot of 22 Basically Blount 2021'