“Songs and Stories” takes place at The Bird and The Book
Maryville is home to one of the region’s most thorough and intimate live interview/performance series. “Songs and Stories,” conducted by rock journalist Lee Zimmerman, takes place on Wednesday evenings at The Bird and The Book.
“When Lisa [Misoskey, owner] offered me the opportunity, it made a lot of sense,” Zimmerman says. The Bird and The Book is a cafe underneath Southland Books in downtown Maryville that has become a gathering space for the local arts community and a must-see stop for out-of-town visitors and artists alike.
Zimmerman has had a lengthy career in both journalism and corporate communications. Having worked for years for WFOR-TV, the CBS affiliate in Miami, he also worked in public relations for the Coconut Grove Playhouse and wrote for esteemed publications like No Depression. (And for several years now, BLANK has been proud to list him among its stable of amazing contributors.)
“I’m always discovering new artists … and then I have to have their whole back catalogue,” Zimmerman laughs. “I’m a music junkie – I’m pretty obsessed.” This was evidenced by a recent local TV news segment in which Zimmerman gave a brief tour of his massive wall-to-wall record and CD collection. He says he enjoys going in deep in his conversations with artists like Nashville-based Claudia Nygard and Minneapolis songwriter Dan Israel, both of whom have played his series.
“You get to know the artist,” Zimmerman says of the show’s format, which he likens to the late James Lipton’s stripped-down, intense interview style in the beloved TV program “Inside the Actor’s Studio.” “It’s very intimate; it’s a nice environment.”
Zimmerman’s 90-minute format begins with his introduction of the artist, followed by a 15-minute conversation and a handful of songs performed live. A second cycle of the same ensues, with the host then opening the floor to audience questions in a final segment that concludes with another batch of songs.
The series, which is free to attend thanks to a sponsorship by wine and spirits distributor Lippman Brothers, continues with Sam Lewis on April 27. The Knoxville singer-songwriter will come off the road to visit “Songs and Stories.”
“It’s something different,” Zimmerman says of the show. “I hope everyone comes and checks it out!”
