The Tennessee Legends of Music Museum at the Carnegie and Jackson: Hidden Tracks hosted an official TN Songwriters Week Qualifying Round on Saturday, February 12, 2022.  Judges Larry Rogers, of Studio 19, and LOLO, also known as Lauren Pritchard, artist, songwriter, actress, composer and activist – cast the votes.   The duo of Hunt Pipkin and Lakelin Lemmings won first prize in the competition with “Every Love Song. “   Pipkin is a student at Chester County Schools and Lemmings is a home schooled student.  They will advance to the Semi Finals Showcase at Lafayette's Music Room on Feb. 22 and the chance to perform at the Bluebird Cafe, Nashville, in March. The songwriters will be judged by peers in the music industry. Finalists from the showcases (six total, 1 from each showcase throughout Tennessee) will get a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to share their original songs on the historic stage at The Bluebird Cafe in Nashville March 20, 2022. They also receive additional prizes, including a one-year membership to NSAI and branded commemorative guitar.   To view the TN Songwriters Qualifying Round – Jackson click here.   Blair Sage competed and won as Runner-Up with her original work “Mother, Wash Me Clean.” Additional Songwriters shared their best original music and are as follows: Joe Van Dyke, Holly Winter, Chuck Maxwell, Tosh Newman, Amy Gaither, Robert Lee, Spencer Seaton, Rita Perry, Justin Williams, Bryson Howards, Hope Campbell, Mike Stovall, Tyler Morton and Felecia Ingram.   “Thank you to John Reitzammer, Becky Fly and Rodger Jowers of the Tennessee Legends of Music Museum, at the Carnegie for hosting the annual event.  Jeff Stephens Video Productions provided incredible streaming services and production guidance.   The great thing about this event is the opportunity to experience the talent of the incredible songwriters, musicians, and artists. Our goal as a tourism office in Jackson is to help to promote the music, so this is just another step in that direction,” Lori Nunnery of Visit Jackson TN said.   Tennessee Songwriters Week will take place Feb. 20-26, 2022, and the mission is to inspire travelers to experience the state’s music stories, history, attractions, and venues.  Tennessee Songwriters Week supports music venues, generates awareness of songwriters’ contributions to Tennessee, celebrates the foundation of the craft with live performances at stage across the stage, recognizes legendary songwriters and paves the way for present and future artists in all seven genres of music home to Tennessee.   Whether it’s an annual event or one of our great live music venues, experience the music which could only be “Made in Tennessee” found halfway between Memphis and Nashville in the heart of the Americana Music Triangle!  Visit Jackson TN to connect with what is happening in Jackson and West Tennessee. Connect socially on Facebook and Twitter . Toyota Commits Multimillion-Dollar Investment to Further Expand Production of Electrified Vehicles Two Toyota manufacturing plants receive $90 million, boost hybrid transaxle and engine capacity (more…) The Bicentennial Edition of First Friday Forum will continue downtown at First Methodist Church on Friday, March 4. The bicentennial programming and event theme for March is government and politics. Madison County Mayor Jimmy Harris and City of Jackson Mayor Scott Conger will speak on the past, present and future of politics and government in Jackson and Madison County. First Friday will be held at First Methodist Church located at 200 South Church Street in downtown Jackson on Friday, February 4. Doors will open at 11:30 a.m., lunch will be served starting at 11:45 a.m., and programming will start at approximately 12:15 p.m. As this is a catered event, advance tickets are required for attendance. The cut-off for purchase is 6 p.m. the Tuesday prior to the event. Tickets will not be sold at the door. Tickets are $12 per person and can be purchased using a debit or credit card at https://fffmar2022.pushpayevents.com/ Tickets can also be purchased by cash or check at the First Methodist business office during regular business hours (8:30 a.m. - 4 p.m. Monday-Thursday or 8:30 a.m. - 1 p.m. on Fridays). First Friday is sponsored by Simmons Bank. The Bicentennial edition of First Friday is held on the first Friday of every month through August 2022. Retired Lambuth Professor Dr. Larry Ray will speak about open houses and architecture on April 1. A reservation link will be released on jacksonmadison200.com soon. About Mayor Jimmy Harris Jimmy Harris grew up on a farm in Henderson County. He graduated from Lexington High School and the University of Memphis with a degree in Engineering Technology. Jimmy’s business career began in 1973. He has owned and operated various businesses throughout his career including an ice cream shop, funeral home, cemetery, men’s retail clothing, trailer manufacturing company, drive thru hamburger restaurants and outdoor advertising. He has been in the real estate development and management business in Jackson, Tennessee since 1987. Jimmy is a member of the Jackson Rotary Club, a Board member of Arise2Read and Salvation Army and attends St. Luke’s Episcopal Church. He is married, has three children and three grandchildren. He was appointed as Madison County Mayor by the Madison County Commission and sworn in on July 1, 2007 and was officially elected Madison County Mayor on August 7, 2008. He was recently re-elected to another four-year term on August 2, 2018. About Mayor Scott Conger Scott Conger was elected Mayor of Jackson on June 18, 2019 with 63.2 percent of the vote in a runoff election. His four-year term began on July 1. Conger is the third member of his family to serve as Mayor of Jackson. First serving as a city councilman in 2011, Conger represented District 5 of Midtown Jackson. He served on the Expenditure Committee, Budget Review Committee, Municipal Solid Waste Regional Planning Board, and was chair of the Taxi Board. Along with his political responsibilities, Conger served as the President and CEO of United Way of West Tennessee from 2015-2019, an organization that brings people and resources together to help meet the needs in the area. Before United Way, his career began in higher education working as an admissions counselor for Lane College, later transitioning to the director of the loan management program. He went on to serve as the Donor Management Director of the West Tennessee Healthcare Foundation. From 2010 to 2011, he led the Lambuth Area Neighborhood Association as president. He served on the boards for Jackson Downtown Development Corporation, the Jackson Area Chamber of Commerce, Area Relief Ministries, The Salvation Army, and WLJT-DTV Public Television for West Tennessee. Conger is a Rotarian and Eagle Scout, having served as Assistant District Governor, Past-President and affiliate of the Membership Committee and Strategic Planning Committee for the Jackson Rotary Club. He is also a member of St. John’s Masonic Lodge and the Jackson Scottish Rite of Jackson, where he served as Past-President and is a York Rite Mason. Do you LOVE live music?  When someone asks you about the weekend, you’re still rocking to the beat?  Do you love Jackson, with all its good music, great food and even greater times?  
JACKSON HIDDEN TRACKS CREW
Jackson’s Hidden Tracks Crew (music ambassador program) supports local businesses and musicians in the city by providing passionate community promoters to share with the world the uniqueness of our city. Jackson Hidden Tracks Crew How do we accomplish this? By visiting events in the city and posting about them on social media. The ultimate goal: to create a flourishing community of music lovers in Jackson by bringing new visitors and tourists to the Hub City.  
GIVE ME THE DEETS
The program is simple: those on the Hidden Tracks Crew will attend live music events held throughout the city, posting on social media about the event and sharing their experiences with their followers. They will use the hashtags #JacksonHiddenTracks #HiddenTracksCrew and tag @VisitJacksonTN, making sure to also tag the venue.   Sounds like an easy way to have a good time while also exploring the city.  Good times, free stuff, and special experiences, all while helping the city of Jackson share its passions with the world? That is what the Hidden Tracks Crew is all about.  
PERKS
Want to know what else you get for being a part of the team? Here are some additional perks: ·        Exclusive Hidden Tracks Crew merch ·        Free admission to concerts in Jackson ·        Professional headshot ·        Featured on Hidden Tracks website/social media ·        Artist meet and greets ·        And more!  
REQUIREMENTS
Ready to become a part of the team? Here’s what it takes: ·        Age 21 and up ·        Attend a minimum of six events per year at least two different venues ·        Create social media posts at each event- tagging @VisitJackson and @JacksonHiddenTracks and any other relevant accounts for the events ·        Submit photos and videos   If we still have your interest and you want to “Join The Party”, apply at JacksonHiddeTracks.com/crew Deadline to join is March 1, 2022.   Jackson Hidden Tracks is an initiative of  Visit Jackson, TN  - the destination marketing organization for the City of Jackson and Madison County, Tennessee. It’s not what you look at that matters, it’s what you see. - Henry David Thoreau And being able to see well rests squarely upon good eye health! Lifestyle Vision, located in Thomsen Farms in Jackson, was started to be a different kind of eye care provider. “Our goal is to provide the time, quality, and service rarely seen in the hustle of modern eye care,” said Dr. Trent Martin, Optometrist. “We enjoy building relationships with our patients by providing personalized eye care to meet each persons’ unique vision needs.” Opened in 2021, the Lifestyle Vision mission statement is to provide modern, comprehensive, quality eye care by their committed and compassionate doctors and staff; and offer premier, fashion eyewear and vision solutions to best meet each patient’s lifestyle needs. They are committed to a patient-centric experience, each decision made in goodwill, with every patient receiving care that is individualized to promote their optimal vision and ocular health. Dr. Trent Martin, Lifestyle Vision’s Optometrist, is a West Tennesse native and second-generation optometrist! He enjoys all areas of eye care, but is especially concerned with managing ocular disease, contact lenses, and vision care. Joining him on his team is Becky Jacobi, a Certified Optician with over 27 years of experience. “I really enjoy helping patients select quality glasses and lenses to meet their vision and style goals,” said Becky.” Lifestyle Vision offers a wide range of eye care, eyewear, and optical services. These services include: testing visual acuity, measuring refractive error for glasses or contacts, color vision and peripheral vision testing, evaluation of the eye’s external parts, examination of internal eye structure: retina, optic nerve, macula, and blood vessels, complete review of the visual system, medical examination and management of ocular disease: diabetes, dry eyes, cataracts, glaucoma, macular degeneration, proper fitting and measurement for eyeglasses, eyeglass repair and adjustment, diverse selection of glasses and sunglasses including luxury and contemporary brands, and more! “We really enjoy the people of Jackson and the ability to build relationships through our service,” said Dr. Martin. “As we continue to grow, we plan to expand our services to offer innovative technology and premier eyewear solutions to Jackson.” To learn more about Lifestyle Vision or to set up an appointment, visit https://lifestylevisiontn.com/. You can also connect with them on Facebook and Instagram. Their physical location is at 1296 Union University Dr. Ste B, Jackson, TN 38305. Valentine’s Day is a holiday dedicated to love for your significant  other or toward your best friends, and here in Jackson, there’s plenty of options surrounding the entire week of Valentine’s Day to love on the people you care about. From activities for your girlfriends, to a romantic evening with your significant other, we’ve got you lovebirds covered!     Galentine's Night Out: Feb. 10th, 4:15-8:15pm, LD2 Market Shops Enjoy a night out with your girls doing all the fun, girly things. There will be shopping, wine, and botox giveaways, and of course, a photo booth to capture all the memories.    My Funny Valentine: Feb. 12th, 7:30-9:30pm, Carl Perkins Civic Center This evening is a celebration of the world’s most beloved songs from stage to spring, and from the streets of South Africa to Broadway. Enjoy a performance from Anthony Kearns, Ireland’s Foremost Tenor, who will lead this evening with the Jackson Symphony and give you the romance of the Valentine’s Weekend.    Valentine’s Romance Package at Doubletree by Hilton Jackson: Feb. 12th Enjoy a dinner for two and play tickets to see “On Golden Pond” at the DoubleTree by Hilton. The cost of $98 per couple, which includes the dinner and the show to follow. You can call 731-410-2034 to buy tickets or to get more information.   Baroque to Broadway: Feb 13th, 1:30-3:30pm, First Baptist Church Join the Jackson Symphony as husband and wife team Niall and Shona provide an afternoon of music. This concert highlights the evolution of the trumpet from Handel to Hammerstein. Head to thejacksonsymphony.org for tickets!    These are just a few of our many wonderful events going on in Jackson. To see what else we have to offer, check out our events calendar that we update daily! If you know of other Valentine's events that should be added to our calendar, please email mcoffman@jacksontn.com