Gordon Mote, a phenomenal pianist who has overcome many challenges throughout his life, will be in concert at the Smoky Mountain Center for the Performing Arts on Friday, Feb. 1, at 7:30 p.m. Tickets start at $12 each.

Mote was born totally blind and faced many obstacles as a young boy. His family stood strong in their faith in God and always put Christ at the center of their lives. This made a huge impact on Mote’s life and gave him the strength he needed to move forward.

At the age of three, Mote surprised his family when he sat at the piano and played “Jesus Loves Me,” with both hands and no training. It was obvious he had a God-given talent and his parents encouraged him to pursue his interest in music.

Rabun Gap's One Act cast and crew traveled to Athens last fall to compete in the Georgia High School Association (GHSA) One Act Area Competition.

The One Act selection was "The Women of Lockerbie," a deeply moving play about grief and moving forward after a crisis.

The talented team finished First for Best Ensemble, Madison Minnich (Atlanta, Ga.) received Best Actress, and the group finished second overall. Rabun Gap has finished second in the area competition for the past three years.

Gayle Woody will present a bookmaking program at the Jackson County Public Library on Tuesday, Jan. 29, at 7 p.m. The class will be held in the atrium of the library. All materials needed will be provided for those who attend the class.

Woody is the art teacher at Smoky Mountain High School. She has extensive knowledge of bookmaking, particularly making chapbooks. She has had two books shown at the prestigious BookOpolis art show in Asheville. Woody has been teaching art in Jackson County for about 15 years.

“These books we will be making are an excellent vehicle for personal writing, poetry, photo collages, and any other small artistic endeavors,” said Woody.

The Peace Center for the Performing Arts will bring folk rock supergroup Crosby, Stills & Nash (CSN) to Greenville, S.C. for a rare performance on Tuesday, May 21, at 7:30 p.m.

It has been more than four decades since Crosby, Stills & Nash played their first-ever concert as a trio at the legendary Woodstock festival. Since then band members David Crosby, Stephen Stills and Graham Nash have crafted one of music’s most influential and enduring partnerships. They are noted for their intricate vocal harmonies; often tumultuous interpersonal relationships; political activism; and lasting influence on American music and culture. All three members have been twice been voted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.

“An Evening With Crosby, Stills & Nash” is set to be an intimate two-and-a-half to three-hour show packed with many of the trio’s classic hits.