Paper Trails

Arkansan on the road with Parton

HELLO DOLLY! Ashdown native Kent Wells, a Nashville musician and producer with his own production company there, has spent years working as a musician, arranger and producer with various artists. In recent years, he's been working with Dolly Parton on albums including Backwoods Barbie in 2008, Dolly: Live from London in 2009 and Better Day in 2011 and most recently on Parton's new album, Blue Smoke. He is currently touring the United Kingdom with Parton, playing guitar and leading her band. Through the years, he's also worked with Kenny Rogers, Reba McEntire, The Oak Ridge Boys, Randy Travis, Lee Greenwood, Brooks and Dunn, Travis Tritt, and Keith Whitley.

"Kent is one of the most gifted guitarists, musicians and producers I have ever worked with," Duane Allen of The Oak Ridge Boys tells Paper Trails. "His soft-spoken approach, but powerful results, speak volumes."

BOOKING IT: The Arkansas Center for the Book at the Arkansas State Library's 2014 selection for the If All Arkansas Read the Same Book program -- Perfect Peace by Daniel Black -- has an Arkansas connection. Born in Kansas City, Kan., Black spent most of his childhood years in Blackwell (near Morrilton).

He graduated from Clark Atlanta College magna cum laude in 1988 and at 20 was awarded the Oxford University's Modern British Studies fellowship. He later received a Ph.D. from Temple University in Philadelphia. Black is currently a professor of African-American studies at Clark Atlanta University and Morehouse College, both in Atlanta. His latest book, The Coming, will be released soon, and he's in the final stages of a new novel, Listen to the Lambs.

MUSIC NOTES: The Finish Line Theater Series at Oaklawn Racing and Gaming in Hot Springs continues this fall with three more concerts -- Aaron Neville on Aug. 21 (tickets on sale Aug. 11); Kenny Rogers on Sept. 25 (tickets on sale Sept. 15); and 38 Special on Oct. 9 (tickets on sale Sept. 29). Tickets are $30 and $40. Doors for each show open at 6 p.m. with the performances beginning at 7 p.m.

QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS: Cooper Lair, a 15-year-old 10th-grader from Little Rock Christian Academy, won his quarterfinal round Monday in the 2014 Jeopardy! Teen Tournament and has advanced to the semifinals. Look for him to next compete Tuesday. The semifinals will be broadcast Monday-Wednesday with only the winner from each show advancing to the finals, which are to air Thursday and Friday.

BACK BURNER: Little Rock native Aryen Moore-Alston, now of Memphis, one of a dozen hopefuls competing in the 10th season of Food Network's long-running competition series, Food Network Star, has been eliminated from the show. But her mother, Karen Moore of Memphis, tells Paper Trails to look for her to return in a couple of weeks for the conclusion of this season's competition.

Contact Linda S. Haymes at (501) 399-3636 or [email protected]

Metro on 07/27/2014

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