‘Evening Under the Stars’ hits all the right notes

Bruce and Tami Hartmann on the dance floor.

Among  our favorite events each year is one called “Evening Under the Stars.” It is held at Sherri Lee’s beautiful waterfront home off Houser Road and it benefits the Knoxville Jazz Orchestra, which performs at the annual event.

The food, by Nancy Kendrick’s Creative Catering, is always great. Randy Burleson’s Bistro by the Tracks provides plenty of wine, thankfully including some non-chardonnay options!

The crowd is always in a good mood. And the dance floor always gets crowded. Surprisingly, this year the party went on even though the hostess was in Italy! But, after having done this for more than a decade, the volunteers and professionals who make it happen have it down to a science.

A huge see-through tent is the setting for Evening Under the Stars.

The Knoxville Jazz Orchestra.

Enjoying the cocktail hour and the jazz: Glo Klarich, center, with Carol and Joe Pelliccia.

Knoxville Jazz Orchestra board member Sheena McCall, left, with caterer Nancy Kendrick.

Susan and Edmund Bolt.

Susan Brown and Bill Arant.

Ron Lawrence, left, and John Milam.

Rachel Ford, executive director of the Knoxville Symphony Orchestra, with Symphony board member Jim Clayton.

Connie Hutchins wore an exquisite necklace made of tiny beads.

Laura Hughes and Johnny Majors. (She was so excited to pose with him!)

K-Kin Fairbank Biggs, left, with Amy Styles.

From left, Jack and Sylvia Lacey, Bob Lederer and Sara Rose.

From left, Michell Witt, Jim Clayton, Jay and Marga McBride.

Jimmy Brimer, left, and James Newburn.

Glo Klarich and my husband, Alan Carmichael.

John Diasmore and Jan Henley checked out the beautiful flowers on Sherri’s side porch.

Alaine McBee, left, and Helen Harb.

Ron Fuchs, left, and Kevin Grimac. Ron recently moved to Knoxville from Switzerland and loves jazz music.

From left, Barbara Crist, Ann Hall and Janice Cole. (Photo by Suzanne Prince.)

Terry and Rachel Ford.

Alan and Beth Milam.

Linda and Ken Hamilton.

From left, Michael McGovern, Paula Grubbs, Laura Hughes and Bill Pippin.

David Butler, executive director of the Knoxville Museum of Art, and Kelle Jolly, a terrific jazz singer who performed with the Orchestra. She made that dress and hat herself!

The passed appetizers were terrific.

Boursin stuffed peppadews. Spicy!

Smoked salmon cucumber bites.

Spinach puffs.

Dinner time!

Vance Thompson, the leader of the Knoxville Jazz Orchestra, and his wife, Emily.

John Winemiller, left, and R.J. Hinde.

Jeff Cupp, left, and Tim Young.

I thought the salad was awesome. It was arugula tossed with blueberries and pine nuts topped with shaved parmesan cheese and a honey thyme vinaigrette.

Tom and Evelyn Shaw were major sponsors of the event.

Becky and Bob Paylor.

Ron and Carolyn Lawrence.

Jo and Sid Blalock.

Tami and Bruce Hartmann.

Edie and Gil Volk.

David and Ann Hall.

I imagine it’s hard to cook beef tenderloin well for 200 people. But this was tender and delicious and served with boats of hollandaise to pour over. (Note to Alan’s cardiologist: Nancy made a plain grilled chicken breast for him!)

Desserts were little nibbles of key lime, chocolate and pecan. Perfect.

Dance time! Here’s Kelle Jolly killing it.

That’s her husband, Will Boyd, on sax.

Judy and Gordon Gibson cutting a rug.

Joe and Carol Pelliccia.

Alan saying goodbye to Liz Batchelor near evening’s end.

Sara Rose, left, and Cheryl Light.

It was a fine night. No silent auction. No live auction. Just beautiful music, delicious food and convivial company.

 

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6 Responses to ‘Evening Under the Stars’ hits all the right notes

  1. Monique Anderson, on September 26th, 2017 at 4:05 pm said:

    Sara looks so good in that color.

  2. Annette Winston, on September 26th, 2017 at 8:03 pm said:

    Nice. And Arant III is just as handsome as ever. Haven’t seen him in years.

  3. Vance Thompson, on September 26th, 2017 at 8:16 pm said:

    Thank you so much, Cynthia!

  4. Cynthia Moxley, on September 27th, 2017 at 9:15 am said:

    Monique: Yes, she does.

    Annette: Agree.

    Vance: Great party. Congrats.

  5. Leigh Hendry, on September 29th, 2017 at 2:28 pm said:

    Alan looks really good! Give him our best.

  6. Cynthia Moxley, on September 29th, 2017 at 2:30 pm said:

    Thanks, Leigh. Will do!

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