Born in 1969, Peter Shannon began his musical education as a choirboy in Cork Cathedral, Ireland. As a Bachelor of Music student at University College Dublin, and whilst singing baritone in the RTE National Chamber Choir, he began studying conducting under the Irish conductor Colman Pearce.
Read MorePerry County is an easy 1 hour 15-minute drive from Jackson, Tennessee. A few days ago I arose early, stopped for a good cup of Southern Pecan coffee at a market in Lexington, popped “The Shell Seekers” (a favorite book and movie) audiotape into my car’s tape player, and took a deep breath. For a day I was a world away from deadlines and other daily duties even though this was a working trip.
Read MoreGina Stanfill Myracle is a resident of Lexington, Tennessee. Prior to being named Executive Director of the Kirkland Cancer Center, she served as the Administrator of Medical Center Home Health for two years. Other previous roles include Occupational Health and Wellness, Sales and Marketing, and Cardiac Rehabilitation.
Read MoreSoundWaves, the nation’s first truly upscale indoor/outdoor resort water attraction, set the stage for summer travel during its outdoor grand opening celebration on May 16 just in time for Memorial Day weekend.
Read MoreMarcus Sabata moved to Jackson in late 2017 and was with the Jackson Generals for the 2018 season as a Group/Corporate Sales Rep. He was promoted into the Assistant General Manager role in October of 2018 and added the Interim GM role in March of 2019.
Read MorePerhaps it’s because I am an Aquarian, but like Tracey Rapisardi, author of “Simply by the Sea,” I am a lover of water. I never tire of walking by the ocean or viewing the barges and pleasure boats on the Mississippi River. Years ago I lived a half mile from the Pacific Ocean in La Jolla, California. I treasured getting lost in my thoughts as I walked the beach daily. I spent much of my professional life in Memphis, where I saw the Mississippi River almost daily. Since 1981 I have traveled to historic Natchez, Mississippi, mostly to sit on a hotel balcony in Vidalia, Louisiana and observe the skyline of Natchez; view with high powered binoculars the ever moving, ever changing river; and wave at the barge captains and deckhands. Several steamboats dock in Natchez, and they beckon me to go onboard. (I’m convinced that in a previous life I lived on a steamboat.) At dusk the Mississippi River bridge lights come on, and it is magical. While it is not an ocean, the Mississippi River has almost the same effect on me.
Read MoreThird generation Jacksonian Hal Crocker has vision. After the tornado cleared out much of downtown Jackson in 2008, the city wanted redevelopment of the area. Hal Crocker joined with Henry Turley to form Healthy Community LLC to combine their mutual enthusiasm for downtown revitalization. The resulting Jackson Walk development is a community made healthy through well-planned, thoughtful development, where people live, work and play.
Read MoreThis year the Miss Tennessee Scholarship Pageant, now called the Miss Tennessee Volunteer Pageant, will celebrate its 67th anniversary. Many of us remember attending the pageant four nights a year at Rothrock Stadium in downtown Jackson.
Read MoreFor nine years I have observed and written about the evolving of downtown Jackson in VIP Jackson Magazine’s Downtown Destination special section in May. What fun it is to observe the development of our center city and to see people of all ages and from all walks of life live, work and play in the heart of our city!
Read MoreBob Hayes hails from Parsons, Tennessee. He grew up on a farm where his family raised cattle, hogs, corn, cotton and peanuts. He developed an interest in agriculture and science early thanks to involvement with 4H and FFA.
He attended the University of Tennessee and graduated with a degree in agriculture in 1968. Following graduation, he served in the U.S. Army in Germany. After completing military service, Hayes moved to Champaign, Illinois to complete his Ph.D. in Agronomy from the University of Illinois.
Read MoreThe Peabody Memphis, listed on the National Register of Historic Places, is celebrating its 150th anniversary in 2019 with a series of special offers and events.
The Peabody opened its doors to great fanfare in downtown Memphis in 1869, and it has since become world famous for its charm, elegance, gracious Southern hospitality, and five resident mallard ducks that march daily through the lobby at 11am and 5pm.
Read MorePam Nash is a graduate of Chester County High School. She received an Associate Degree and a Bachelor’s Degree in Social Services from Freed-Hardeman University in Henderson and a Master’s Degree in Counseling from the University of Memphis.
Read MoreFor many years a friend and I have traveled to Aberdeen, Mississippi (pop: 5,600), an easy two-hour drive from Jackson, Tennessee. Over the years we have grown to love the town of Aberdeen and appreciate its rich history and fine homes. And the Pilgrimage organizers and homeowners who open their homes to the public are friendly and gracious.
Read MoreCherie Parker, a native of Brownsville, Tennessee, has served as the Public Relations and Fundraising Coordinator for Lifeline Blood Services since 1995.
Ms. Parker received a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science degree from the University of Tennessee, Knoxville in 1984.
She has been a member of the Jackson Old Hickory Rotary Club since 1995 and is a graduate of the WestStar Leadership Class of 1993.
Read MoreOn a beautiful cold late December day I traveled from Asheville, North Carolina to Christopher Place Resort in Newport, Tennessee. In the distance the Smoky Mountains were capped with snow.
Immediately when you exit from a busy highway onto a quiet, winding road leading to the inn, you know that you have entered another world. While I thoroughly enjoyed the amenities and fine restaurants of Asheville, the quietude and tranquil setting of Christopher Place Resort was welcome.
Read MoreEntertaining is what people love to do. Whether you are hosting a large wedding announcement, a few girlfriends for lunch, a formal dinner party, or a tailgate picnic, entertaining is an enjoyable part of life where memories are made. Patty Roper, entertaining expert and author of “Easy Hospitality, “Easy Does It Entertaining, “At the Table with Patty Roper,” “Easy Parties and Wedding Celebrations,” and “Easy Does it Winners and Favorites,” shares creative and practical ideas, tablescapes, menus, and recipes for planning, organizing, and presenting memorable times with family and friends.
Read MoreSherry P. Freeman, a native of Bradford, Tennessee, holds a Bachelor of Science in Elementary Education from Union University; a Masters of Education in Administration/Supervision from Middle Tennessee State University; an Ed.S. in Educational Leadership from Union University and an Ed.D. in Educational Leadership from Union University.
Read MoreCurt and Erica King, Jackson natives, wanted to renovate a home in a French country style, while keeping a neutral palette with pops of colors and patterns. Many walls were knocked out in order to make a free-flowing space for their family to move around in and entertain their many friends. Curt works for King Tire Company on Old Hickory Boulevard where he is a third-generation operator and manager. Erica is the owner and operator of Erica King Interiors and prior owner of The Highland House Home Décor and Interior Design in Jackson. The home, which is exceptionally decorated at all times, is even more special during the holidays when Erica transforms the home into a wonderland for the eye.
Read MoreIn 1972 just six years after “Southern Living” was founded, the magazine published its “Party Cookbook” with a simple subtitle: “Complete Menus and Entertaining Guide.” The book was written by a witty Chattanooga food columnist named Celia Marks, who clearly understood the art of the soiree. By today’s standards, the cover is not attractive—a dark photo of a crown roast surrounded by spiced crabapples and parsley—but it sold more copies than any other cookbook in “Southern Living” history. Some of that success can no doubt be attributed to the menus and recipes, which cover every kind of party you can imagine (from a He-Man Brunch to a Holiday Reception), but the secret sauce is Mark’s advice that still holds up 46 years later. “Hospitality, a synonym for the South, comes from the heart,” she writes in the first chapter. “Even the most discerning disciple of etiquette may fall short as a hostess if she fails to bestow this gift upon her guests.”
Read MoreBrandy Stutsman joined the Chamber staff in 2007 as Administrative Assistant for Business Services. In 2013, she was Program Coordinator and in 2016, Brandy took over as Manager of Leadership Development. As Director of Leadership Development, Stutsman’s responsibilities include overseeing Leadership Jackson, Leadership Jackson Alumni Association, and the Leadership University programs.
Read MoreVIP Jackson Magazine
Socializing Throughout West Tennessee!
