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Home My WebLink About2017-438-E Arts - Jenks Miller - 2017-18 Arts Grant Agreement DocuSign Envelope ID:AA4D52F4-E4D6-4FB4-9B1 D-E18606475C71 noa°umu1I01'NM'Y �i��«in Pfi m{@4� August 1 5, 201 7 Jenks Miller 5703 Buckhorn Rd. Efland, NC 27243 GRANT AWARD LETTER Fiscal Year 201 8 Grant Category Artist Project Grant Program Funding Source Orange County Award $1 ,500 Start Date July 1 , 201 7 End Date June 30, 2018 OCAC Report Due Friday, July 6, 201 8 Project Title NC ArtsCast Podcast Staff Contact Katie Murray, Director 919/245-2335 kmurray @orangecountync.gov Stipulations 1 . Grantee must properly credit the Orange County Arts Commission using the proper logo and/or credit line on all publicity materials. View proper credit line language and download logos on the OCAC website at https://artsorange.org/grants/grantee-resources WI DocuSign Envelope ID:AA4D52F4-E4D6-4FB4-9B1D-E18606475C71 C ORANGE COUNTY ARTS COMMISSION �a a »v (r 1 1∎iJ r J F 1 a Z I7®1 GRANT AGREEMENT N f, ,/.'. .,r;6 xr 0 \ a n THIS AGREEMENT, entered into this 17 day of August, 2017, by and between Orange County ("County"), by and through the Orange County Arts Commission ("Arts Commission") and Jenks Miller ("Grant Recipient"). WHEREAS, the Arts Commission is a countywide arts agency that ensures the growth of local arts experiences by providing funding and support for diverse high quality programs and projects. WHEREAS, the Arts Commission administers the annual Grants Program to provide economic opportunities to Orange County artists and non-profit organizations coordinating arts projects benefiting the citizens of Orange County. WHEREAS, the annual Arts Grants Program is supported by Arts Commission with funds from the Grassroots Arts Program of the North Carolina Arts Council, a division of the Department of Natural and Cultural Resources, a state agency. WHEREAS, the Grant Recipient was selected by the Arts Commission to receive the annual Arts Grant through the procedures duly adopted by the Arts Commission; and WHEREAS, both parties wish to promote and maintain the integrity and clarity of the Grant Recipient's ideas and statements and delineate the Grant Recipient's obligations to the County; NOW, THEREFORE, the County and the Grant Recipient, for the consideration and under the conditions hereinafter set forth, agree as follows: 1. Approved Grant Project. Grant funds are provided under this Agreement for the project ("Project") described in the Grant Recipient's Grant Application, attached hereto and incorporated herein as Exhibit A. 2. Grant Award. Grant funds in an amount not to exceed one thousand five hundred ($ 1,500) have been awarded by the Arts Commission to the Grant Recipient for the approved Project. The Recipient shall be required to match funds at least dollar-for- dollar with cash from the Grant Recipient's funds not derived from either Orange County appropriations or the North Carolina Arts Council, as outlined in the attached Exhibit A. 3. Contingency. This grant is contingent on North Carolina Arts Council Grassroots Program funding to the Arts Commission. Final decisions on Grassroots Program funds to the North Carolina Arts Council are subject to approval by the North Carolina General Assembly. 4. Responsibilities of the Grant Recipient 1 Revised August 2017 DocuSign Envelope ID:AA4D52F4-E4D6-4FB4-9B1 D-E18606475C71 A. Implementation. The Project implementation shall take place between July 1, 2017 and June 30, 2018. The Project shall be implemented in the manner described in Exhibit A. Time is of the essence in the implementation of the Project. B. Modifications to project. Grant Recipient shall present major changes to the original proposal, including but not limited to changes in design, implementation schedule and increase in Project budget by more than 10%, in writing to the Arts Commission for approval. Arts Commission shall approve or disapprove Grant Recipient's request for modifications within seven (7) days of receipt thereof Consent to project modifications shall not be unreasonably withheld. Arts Commission's decisions shall be in writing. In the event the Arts Commission fails to approve or disapprove the requested modifications within the time stated herein, the modifications shall be deemed approved. C. Non—assignment. The grant cannot be assigned or transferred to a different project or artist without prior written approval of the Arts Commission. D. Records. Grant Recipient must maintain records and other evidence pertaining to costs incurred and revenues acquired during the Project implementation. Grant Recipient shall maintain financial records pertaining to the Project for three (3) years from the date of this Agreement, in case of audit. E. Use of Funds. Grant Recipient shall not use the grant funds to repay outstanding taxes or other debts of any nature. The grants shall be utilized solely for the purpose described in the attached Exhibit A. F. Final Report. Grant Recipient shall submit to the Arts Commission a Final Report on July 6, 2018. The Final Report shall be in the format required by the North Carolina Arts Council. Failure to submit the Final Report or late submission of the Final Report, for any reason, shall be grounds for denial and/or cancellation of grant funds for the Project and future grant proposals. 5. Responsibilities of the Arts Commission A. Payment. The Arts Commission shall release the grant funds in the amount of $1,500 to the Grant Recipient. 6. Publicity A. Acknowledgement. Credit must be given to the Orange County Arts Commission and/or the North Carolina Arts Council using the proper logo(s) and credit line in brochures, news releases, programs, and all other printed and online publications. Copies of such printed materials must accompany the evaluation report. Official Orange County Arts Commission and North Carolina Arts Council logos may be downloaded at www.artsorange.org/grantee-resources and may not be altered in any way. When no printed information is used, verbal 2 Revised August 2017 DocuSign Envelope ID:AA4D52F4-E4D6-4FB4-9B1 D-E18606475C71 credit shall be given. In addition, all print and promotional material must include the following credit line and logo(s) (check all that apply): i. x County Funds Only. Orange County Arts Commission logo required. Credit line required for audio projects: "This program is supported by the Orange County Arts Commission. " ii. North Carolina Arts Council Funding. The Orange County Arts Commission and the North Carolina Arts Council logos are required. Credit line: "This program is supported by the N.C. Arts Council, a division of the Department of Natural and Cultural Resources. " B. The Grant Recipient must enter all events, exhibits and performances open to the public and related to this grant award on the ExploreChapelHillARTS.com website and display Orange County Arts Commission publicity materials (postcards, brochures, etc.) prominently and consistently at their venue or performance space. In addition, the Grant Recipient must add a link to the www.artsorange.org (Orange County Arts Commission logo preferred) to their main webpage. 7. Indemnity. The Grant Recipient agrees to indemnify and hold harmless the County, the Arts Commission and the North Carolina Arts Council and their officers and employees from any and all claims or actual injury, damage or loss to a person, or real or personal property that results from or is in any way connected to the use of the grant funds. 8. Independent Contractor. The Grant Recipient is an independent contractor and not an employee, agent or other representative of the County and/or the Arts Commission. Nothing contained in this Agreement shall be construed to create the relationship of principal and agent, or employer and employee, between Grant Recipient and Arts Commission or Orange County Government. Grant Recipient understands and agrees that he/she is not authorized to incur any expenses or any liability whatsoever on behalf of the County or the Arts Commission and has no authority, expressed or implied, to obligate or make representations on behalf of the County or the Arts Commission. In addition, Grant Recipient agrees to maintain his or her own worker's compensation insurance for himself/herself and his or her employees for the duration of the art work's installation. 9. Termination A. In the event of any of the circumstances set forth below (hereinafter referred to as "default"), the Arts Commission may immediately terminate this Agreement: (i) Any fraudulent representation in any verification required to obtain payment under this Agreement or other dishonesty on a material matter relating to the performance of services under this Agreement. (ii) Nonperformance, incomplete service or performance, or failure to satisfactorily perform any part of the Project or to comply with any 3 Revised August 2017 DocuSign Envelope ID:AA4D52F4-E4D6-4FB4-9B1 D-E18606475C71 provision of this Agreement, as determined by the Arts Commission in its sole discretion. (iii) Failure to adhere to the terms of applicable county, state or federal laws, regulations, or stated public policy. B. In the event of default by the Grant Recipient, the Arts Commission has the discretion to elect to terminate this Agreement, in whole or in part and/or require the Grant Recipient to repay the grant funds within seven (7) from written notice of default or allow the grant recipient the opportunity to cure the default. This clause shall not be interpreted to limit the County's or the Arts Commission's remedies in law or in equity. 10. Miscellaneous. A. Entire Agreement. This Agreement and the attachments contain the final and entire understanding of the parties with respect to the subject matter of this Agreement. All modifications and amendments to this Agreement shall be in writing. This Agreement shall be binding upon the parties, their heirs, successors and assigns. B. Governing Law. Both parties agree that this Agreement shall be governed by the laws of the State of North Carolina. Provider shall at all times remain in compliance with all applicable local, state, and federal laws, rules, and regulations including but not limited to all state and federal anti-discrimination laws, policies, rules, and regulations and the Orange County Non-Discrimination Policy and Orange County Living Wage Policy (each policy is incorporated herein by reference and may be viewed at http://www.orangecountync.gov/departments/purchasing_division/contracts.php). Any violation of this requirement is a breach of this Agreement and County may immediately terminate this Agreement without further obligation on the part of the County. This paragraph is not intended to limit and does not limit the definition of breach to discrimination. By executing this Agreement Provider affirms that Provider is and shall remain in compliance with Article 2 of Chapter 64 of the North Carolina General Statutes. By executing this Agreement Provider certifies that Provider has not been identified, and has not utilized the services of any agent or subcontractor, on the list created by the State Treasurer pursuant to G.S. 147-86.58. C. Entire Agreement and Signatures. The parties have read this Agreement and agree to be bound by all of its terms, and further agree that it constitutes the complete and exclusive statement of the Agreement between the parties unless and until modified in writing and signed by the parties. This Agreement together with any amendments or modifications may be executed electronically. All electronic signatures affixed hereto evidence the intent of the Parties to comply with Article 11A and Article 40 of North Carolina General Statute Chapter 66. [SIGNATURE PAGE TO FOLLOW] 4 Revised August 2017 DocuSign Envelope ID:AA4D52F4-E4D6-4FB4-9B1 D-E18606475C71 IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the Orange County and the Grant Recipient have signed this Grant Agreement, effective on the last date this Agreement is signed by both parties as indicated by the dates set forth under signatures below. For and on behalf of the Grant Recipient 1DocuSigned by: ''''•• ''__ un1itt.S hitLt 8/23/2017 6 C90 B643(.. Ien i er, Date For and on behalf of Orange County Government DocuSigned by: �jbin,ut t'GUMwte-rStui 9/5/2017 Bitd'7tnersley, County Manager Date 5 Revised August 2017 DocuSign Envelope ID:AA4D52F4-E4D6-4FB4-9B1 D-E18606475C71 000 / VVI T ;010 Do H11 11111 ,1 01, 111111 .111101 2017-18 G NT APPLICATION COVERSHEET Applicant: Jenks Miller Date Received: 6/1 /17 Date Notified Complete: 6/8/17 Project Title: NC ArtsCast Podcast Date: FYI 7-18 Use of Funds: Staff + rental + marketing Total number served: Undetermined Community served: County & state Demographics: Podcast Listeners CHECKLIST • Completed application form with N Resumes of key artists/instructors signatures El Sample publicity Eli Narrative ark samples • Project Budget worksheet M Letters of recommendation (not required) AMOUNT REQUESTED: $3000.00 AMOUNT GRANTED: FINAL SCORE: DocuSign Envelope ID:AA4D52F4-E4D6-4FB4-9B1 D-E18606475C71 I ill "aul1k 2017-18 ORANGE COUNTY ARTS ARTIST PROJECT GRANT PROGRAM COMMISSION APPLICATION FORM PART 1: APPLICATION ORGANIZATION INFORMATION Artist Name:Jenks Miller Street Address:5703 Buckhorn Rd City:Efland State:NC Zip:27243 Phone:919-633-1522 Website(if applicable): Email:horsebacknoise@gmail.com PART 2: PROJECT INFORMATION PROJECT SUMMARY Title of Grant Program or Project:NC ArtsCast:A Podcast Focusing on Orange County, NC's Arts, Culture, and Identity Grant Amount Requested:$3,000 Project Start Date (No earlier than July 1, 2017):July 1, 2017 Project End Date (No later than June 30, 2018):June 30, 2018 PROJECT NARRATIVE Please attach a narrative providing the information requested below for the project you propose. Please be as concise and specific as possible: 1. Summary of the proposed project-what will you do,where will it be performed or displayed, when the preparations and public component take place, any organizational partners. 2. Community impact-describe the project's public component, how many people and what populations will be impacted. 3. Artist experience—include a brief description of your similar arts projects in the past, if applicable. PROJECT BUDGET Please provide a projected budget for your proposed project utilizing the format below. You may attach an additional detailed budget if necessary, but the tables below must be filled out. Please see the attached Glossary of Budget Terms for more information. NOTE:Matching funds are not required but may be encouraged depending on the project. If you have additional funding sources, please include them in the chart below. PROJECT EXPENSES Explanation Grant Request Amount +Matching Funds =Total Expense Administrative Staff: $Sme, $ $ A. Personnel Artistic Staff: $ 5 oc, $çCe9 Technical/Production Staff: $4700 $ 00 $ B. Outside Fees and Artistic Contracts: Services Other contracts: C. Space Rental $ c)6) $ oe) $ D. Travel $ e", E. Marketing $5 0 62 $ $ F. Remaining Project Expenses G. Total Cash Expenses $ 00 C-70 i 500 $ Cek DocuSign Envelope ID:AA4o52F4-E4o6-4Fo4-9e10-E18606475c71 A. Admissions B. Contracted Services Revenue C. Other Revenue � Corporate Support: $ 4�(�� O. Private Support Foundation Support: � Other private support: � Federal: � E. Government Support State/Regional: � Local(not including this request): � F. Applicant Cash � G. Grant Amount Requested $ ��,�� n��e��abo� � �'��, H. Total Cash Income (must equal Total Cash $M ,C;��1 Expenses, 8omG�wm� 11 - � � PART 3: APPLICATION CHECKLIST ^ ^ ^^ ^ ^ -^ ^ ~~ ~ ^�`-` `` --`- -` `--` --`- ` APPLICATION CHECKLIST Please compile in this order. Do not staple, bind, or put into individual folders or sleeves. Provide one copy, one sided, 8.5 x 11 white paper. A digital copy of the application is not necessary. Er Application Form, including signature Er Narrative O Detailed Budget(if necessary) O Resumes of key artists involved in grant funded program(s) Et# Sample pnognamo, pneee,or other materials from this or similar past programs El' Letters of support from community partners(if applicable) Et° Work samples by artist(s), labeled with artists' name, title of work, date of work, produced in the last three years: o Visual artists: CD, DVD, or high resolution photographs (8 images per artist MAX), clearly labeled with dimensions and media and indicate top of image o Dance or theater artist: CD or DVD, or link to high-quality online video (3-5 minutes) o Music and spoken word: CD , MP3 or link to high-quality online video (3-5 minutes) o Literary arts: Manuscript(10-15 pages)submitted as.pdf file or hard copy PART 4: CERTIFICATION I understand that failure to respond to any of the above items may adversely affect the consideration of this application. | certify that I am committed to the completion of the proposed project in compliance with legal requirements and granting procedures. I certify that the information contained in this opp|ioaUun, including attachments and supporting mabaria|e, is true and correct. APPLICANT Printed or typed name: Jenks Miller Signature: , �� D�* 5-11� � � ^� K � DocuSign Envelope ID:AA4o52F4-E4o6-4Fo4-9e10-E18606475c71 NC Arts Cast Project Summary The NC ArtsCast will be a monthly(at least),syndicated podcast focused on issues of placemaking,art,and culture in Orange County and in Orange County vis a vis the state of North Carolina. Each episode will examine some aspect of placemaking or regional identity: a specific public arts p 'ect,anissueofconnmnuni1ydeve|opnoentorartsfunding,oprofi|eofanartimtinvo|vedin or impacted by theories of placemaking,or a discussion of our evolving understanding of what placemaking means on both a community and a public policy level.As one theme underpinning the project, The NC Arts Cast will collect stories, perspectives, and reflections on the creative character of our region.Comparisons will be drawn to relevant placemaking p jects in surrounding North Carolina counties in an effort to assert Orange County's role as a vibrant and robust creative economy.The podcast will be "enhanced" by a blog with interview transcripts,on-location photos,visual art, and discussion. Funding from the Artist Project Grant will be supplemented by in-bind technical and artistic contributions and studio/editing time, as well as private support from regional businesses invested in local art, regional identity,and livability(proposals for private support are in progress). Community Impact Though Orange County is known as a college town, independent music hub,and shopping destination, its larger arts identity is often overlooked. Much of the attention the state's art projects receive is diverted to the surrounding metropolitan areas of Durham --which has experienced a well-publicized renaissance over the past decade--and/or Raleigh--which enjoys bothanestab|ished museum system and an arts economy bolstered by major arts and music festivals The NC ArtsCast will amplify voices in the growing chorus of Orange County arts advocates, providing a dedicated platform for interviews, analysis,and storytelling that is reflective but outward-facing.Attention to issues of placemaking and local identity(including popular public art pr jects and cultural landmarks)will ensure that the discussion retains a tangible, relatable quality that will affirm the work of local artists and arts advocates and help inspire the population of Orange County to become involved in North Carolina's network of public and private arts programs. Importantly,The NC ArtsCast will draw attention to the positive economic impact that arts programs and public arts projects have on local businesses. Artist Experience: I have over a decade of relevant experience as a producer, composer, performer, recording artist,and culture writer. My work as a producer and recording artist has included the internationally-renowned projects Mount Moriah, Horseback,and Rose Cross NC; records on widely- distributed independent labels including Merge Records(Durham, NC), Relapse Records (Philadelphia, PA), BaDa Bing!Records (NYC),and Three Lobed Records (jamestown, NC);tours performing across the United States, both as a headliner and as direct support for The Indigo Girls,Amy Ray,Craig Finn (of The Hold Steady), and M.Ward; performances at music festivals including South by Southwest(Austin,TX), Pickathon (Portland,OR), and Hopscotch (Raleigh, NC); and sessions on World Café,The State of Things, Daytrotter, and many more. As an artist and writer, my work has focused on the ever-evolving nature of the South and the diverse perspectives informing this region's sense of place and larger mythology.These themes have always been creative guideposts, informing the framework and intended resonance of all my major work and serving as a centerpiece in press materials, interviews, and guest articles for publications like Garden and Gun,Pitchfork Media,Indy Week,Steel for Brains, and Decibel Ma ine. I see The NC ArtsCast as a way to expand this work, both as a creative interest and as a way to serve Orange County's vibrant arts community. DocuSign Envelope ID:AA4o52F4-E4o6-4Fo4-9e10-E18606475c71 Press Selections Our State Magazine, March 29,2016: OS Sessions: Mount Moriah Mount Moriah,a "country,Southern-rock" band based in Durham, brings a progressive voice to its Southern roots. written by Rosalie Catanoso ,-�� ' N�� 0� ., i,- - ��. ~ �� ' �� '~�� ^/ ' � ^�' �/ /' / ��Y � � �� N�� ~~- �� =^�� ' °=~ kl . , / ' .�� / ._\ � �� ^� � ' . -- — � ' ' ~ � �� ' ^��m ��y ��'�, � ,��^/~ � ��. � ��'� — .r � n , . � � ` ! ' r ^� �� ^ .� �� \ ' t . ` �? =-- / � , ^ � .�/.,-� � ,� � `` "° . �' �*�- � �. --~~~—' � � •` ^ - — / � T ' . � �' - � . � _ �� - Alp ^_�_ *^�� photograph by Erin Reitz Pulling up to the small,secluded house that Heather McEntire calls home and Mount Moriah calls its studio,we had a feeling that we were in the right place, despite being off the beaten path.Just outside of Durham we and ' place, wood stove burning the second we stepped out of the car.The old front porch of the cabin was covered in comfortable-looking furniture, a few potted cacti,and instruments.Yep,a band was definitely near. Mount Moriah is a North Carolina "country, Southern-rock" band, in the words of Jenks Miller,the band's lead guitarist. Miller is an original member of Mount Moriah along with McEntire,the lead vocalist and guitarist. McEntire and Miller have been friends and band mates for years and were later joined by Casey Toll (bass, keys) six years ago. More recently, about six months ago, Daniel Faust joined as a drummer.They performed two songs for us: "Baby Blue" and "Calvander,"which are off their newest album, How To Dance.The album was released on February 26, and the band will tour the country from March 11 to April 27. DocuSign Envelope ID:AA4o52F4-E4o6-4Fo4-9e10-E18606475c71 Enjoy the band's performance below, and continue on for Our State's interview with Mount Moriah about its history, new album, and what it means to be a young, progressive band in North Carolina. Q: How long have you all known each other and been playing music together? McEntire: I've known Jenks the longest. 2005? 11 years?We met at a house show in Chapel Hill,and then worked together in a record store.Then we were roommates,then he proposed—no,just kidding [laughter].Then we started a pop band together called Un Deux Trois,which was short-lived. Miller:Then we shifted gears, started Mount Moriah, made a record in 2010—but when we were about to go on tour for that record, our rhythm section quit.So we hired Casey in the fall of 2010. I knew Casey because I was working on campus at UNC at the time,and Casey worked in the parking deck that I would park in. He noticed a drum set in the back of my car one day, and he was like, "Oh,you play drums? I play bluegrass."And we had already booked this tour,so we had to find people really quickly.So we thought, "Who do we know that's good?"And I was like, "Oh! The guy from the parking garage!" [laughter] So we made a record with Casey,went on the road for that record,with a different drummer from Daniel.Our old drummer Terry,who is on this most recent album,went back to school.And that's when Daniel came in. Daniel's the newest. McEntire:The newest! The youngest!The cutest!The freshest! But we hope he'll stay forever. Q: North Carolina plays a big role in your songwriting and your sound.What kind of role would you say it plays in your music? McEntire: It's hard to be subjective, but I mean,we all grew up in North Carolina, and it's just in our bones,you know?The pace, and the weird political tensions, and the passion of religion and all that. But I guess the first thing that comes to my mind is that I lyrically write a lot about place, and it's just an amazing state to explore.The coast and the mountains, it's awesome. I've never been able to leave. Q: How would you say your music has evolved from your first self-titled album in 2011 to your newest album, How To Dance? Miller:We've gotten louder, I think.When we first started, both Heather and I had these other bands that were pretty active at the time, much louder and more aggressive bands. Mount Moriah was created to be a more restrained,quieter vehicle at first. And then over time as we played more shows,we felt that louder stuff creeping back in.So now it's not nearly as reserved as it once was.The first big tour we went on was with the Indigo Girls, and it made sense at the time, sound-wise. I feel like it wouldn't necessarily make sense now, because we're so much louder. Q:Since you are going on tour again soon,what are you going to miss most while you're gone? McEntire: Well, I'll get called out if I don't say that I'll miss my girlfriend. [laughter] But I love my home, and my porch, and being out in the woods. I think I'll miss the quiet solitude.What about y'all? Toll: I think that personal space is the hardest thing to come by. Faust:And you know, Cook Out.They don't have that kind of fast food everywhere. Q:What's your favorite venue to play in North Carolina? DocuSign Envelope ID:AA4o52F4-E4o6-4Fo4-9e10-E18606475c71 Miller:The Pinhook kind of feels like our home venue, in Durham. But there are a lot of venues that we enjoy playing. We play The GreyEag|e a bunch in Asheville. Toll: Kings [in Raleigh]. McEntire: Cat's Cradle [in Carrboro]. Miller: Oh yeah,the Cradle,that's true. It feels like there's a legacy associated with Cat's Cradle, so it's very cool to play there. Q:What else do you think our readers would like to learn about you? Miller: One thing about the band that I feel is unique is that we're a country, Southern-rock band, but we're also very progressive and we've taken some pretty public stances on current events and current issues, including Amendment One.That was a big victory.We lost the battle, but we won the war.So, there seems to be a lot there in terms of being a creative person, being in the media at this time and in this state.There seems to be a lot of political energy being invested in this state right now.So to be a band from North Carolina,you have to engage with that in some way. Our record was premiered in The Wall Street Journal. It was cool, but at the same time,The Wall Street Journal is a vent conservative paper.There was a lot of discussion about what it means to be a progressive band in a Southern state and then to be working with a media outlet like The Wall Street Journal.Those issues of identity feel very current.We feel like there's a complexity there, and we feel like it's important to acknowledge and to work with, rather than try to ignore. [It's a matter of] interacting with that complexity,finding meaning there somehow,and being able to be secure in who you are and what your beliefs are,even when you're constantly being pulled in different directions. McEntire: But also maintaining and developing our family lives—trying to relate to them,as well as conservatives,and other generations. Miller:That's true.Our parents' generation had a very different experience with the South.And we inhabit the musical form that, on the surface, is very recognizable to them. So they might say, "we love that kind of country music," but then the substance of it is so different.That's the complexity that we try to engage with. It doesn't always seem to come across, because it's hard to articulate, especially if you're not from the South. Interview excerpt,Cream Puff Records, November 07,2016: Cream Puff Records:Switching gears to another great underground label,Cory Rayborn of Three Lobed Recordings has called you a "master of balancing dark and light." I would say it's pretty easy to identify darkness in our current world, but I was hoping you could comment on the "light." What gives you hope? Jenks Miller: Music for sure. Even as the industry seems to dry up,there's still the activity of playing music. And that's really important to me. A long time ago, I tried to make it into something more than just playing my instrument. I tried to make it a spiritual practice. I wanted music to be something that DocuSign Envelope ID:AA4o52F4-E4o6-4Fo4-9e10-E18606475c71 played a role in my life that connected me to something greater than myself. And so that took some work. Psychologically getting to that place took some work But now that's very important to me It's like mediation. It provides a chance for me to get outside of myself for a little bit. Beyond that, I'm really inspired by nature and wooded areas. One of the reasons I love this state so much is because of the landscape. I love the mountains. I live in the woods in central North Carolina. I feel really at home here. Having traveled to most places in the country, North Carolina continues to feel like home. I always miss it I feel this really strong attachment to the state itself. So as a North Carolinian, it makes me invested in what the state represents and the direction in which we're headed My love for this state on a spiritual level informs my political opinions and what I care about on that level There's a lot of things to be hopeful for Some of them are abstractions But I want to put my best foot forward and perform to the best of abilities even though I don't know what's ahead I just don't know another way to be I want to be true to myself and to the things and people that I love. That's a grounding force in my life. Rolling Stone, 10 New Country Artists You Need to Know, February 2016: Mount KHmriah Sounds Like: Earthy country-soul with overtones of gospel, plus edges sharp enough to cut --the result of singer Heather McEntire,guitarist Jenks Miller and bassist Casey Toll's respective backgrounds in punk, metal and experimental jazz bands For Fans of: Emmylou Harris,Amy Ray, Kacey Musgraves, a parallel-universe cowpunk Dolly Parton Why You Should Pay Attention The trio's willingness to tackle any topic McEntire spent her formative years in the mountainous wilds of western North Carolina, raised on country radio, Bruce Springsteen and the Southern Baptist religion of her parents(who worked as volunteers in preacher Billy Graham's tele-ministry).That's a difficult environment for growing up gay,which McEntire has grappled with on Mount Moriah songs like 2011's "Reckoning" —about coming out to her mother: "If this love's the devil's curse/I don't want your cure." Mount Moriah's third and most accomplished album to date, How to Dance,arrives February 26th. They Say: "I'd been surrounding myself with distortion and feedback, burying my vocals in punk," McEntire explains. "Not that I was hiding, but there was part of me I hadn't yet discovered That's why this band is so important to me, peeling back all those layers to hear my own voice very clearly in a way I never had before." DocuSign Envelope ID:AA4o52F4-E4o6-4Fo4-9e10-E18606475c71 Dusted Magazine Review, Horseback's Piedmont Apocrypha In a recent interview with Tiny Mix Tapes, Horseback mastermind Jenks Miller let slip a most telling tidbit about his long-running,genre-bending outfit "To be honest," Miller said, "I don't think there was ever really a line between metal and American roots nnusicformetoerame." It seems almost anathema to Miller's modus operandi for Horseback. Indeed,the name itself seems to betray an intention to blur the line between esoteric styles, implying both the thundering wizards and warriors of the former and the pastoral ease of the latter.And remember: Horseback's last full-length was called Half Blood, and that record confidently shifted from Americana twang to fiercely buzzing guitars to hypnotically meditative drone But Miller supports his claim at the outset of"Passing Through," its opening line offering an explication of Piedmont Apocrypha's somewhat jarring stylistic shift "I was born to lose/I won't have this form forever'" Perhaps most notably, Miller delivers this line not in a windswept growl but in an adenoidal sing-speak, enunciating clearly over acoustic guitars, eerie organ drones and brushed drums. It's devoid of the barrage of black-metal distortion of Half Blood (not to mention even earlier Horseback recordings), but it's of the same essence Piedmont Apocrypha still wraps its weight around the spooky mysticism that has characterized and cauterized Horseback,though here it's connected to the old mysteries of the forest and more redolent of the rolling hills and dark forests of ancient oak and pine that surround his North Carolina home Forests cast shadows, Miller writes in the liner notes, and he sees these shadows as portals to variable arcana. So while the languid and droning title track,which flows gracefully and seamlessly from "Passing Through," paints a landscape with a broad brush, it isn't exactly a pastoral setting.Tonally,the song is built on a two-note lick, subtle variations and vamps upon which give it a sense of depth and hint a sinister undercurrent.The song's complementary instruments paint in the margins with touches of intricate detail but lend Miller's eerie guitar lick—which seems neither major nor minor— an added sense of creeping malignance. Cymbals and tambourines chatter like the hisses of insects. Latticed guitars intertwine and overlap like distant birdcalls.The dissonant melodica and organ stabs evoke the hidden eyes of predators. When the title track's climactic clamor fades into the sampled cricket chirp of"Milk and Honey,"things get even darker, Miller whispers his words almost incomprehensibly over and deep, dripping sine-wave tremolo.The quiet is disquieting — more so, even,than Horseback's most scorched moments. Horseback returns to relatively normal form on protracted album closer"Chanting Out the Long Shadow": a slow-burning drone-metal riff churns over a steady rhythmic plod; it's also the return of Cookie Monster Jenks, Miller intonating his lyrics with an acid-gargling rasp. But it quickly mutates, dimming a third of the way through into a kudzu-paced blues vamp, Miller returning to his nasal chanting.The three-tone riff and the organ riff laid over it recall Invisible Mountain's"Invokation," but filtered through the wide-open and wide-ranging lens of Spirit Signal, Miller's texturally variegated (and wholly underrated)solo effort DocuSign Envelope ID:AA4o52F4-E4o6-4Fo4-9e10-E18606475c71 Near the end of the cut's real-time run (the final four minutes of"Long Shadow" is a fuzz-blown reprise), it explodes again into a thrilling climax, but the instruments here -- screaming guitars, swelling strings, a shuddering tamborine —they feel less like decorative layers than enumerations that carry the theme. It's equally meditative and turbulent, equally exuberant and introspective. Miller's disparate ideas aren't working in competition, but in cooperation. Whether or not this incarnation of Horseback is apocryphal -- remember, Miller says he won't have this form forever— it's quite possibly the closest Miller's come to seamlessly blending roots music and metal. Even if he doesn't think there's a line to cross. NPR's Word Cafe Sense Of Place North Carolina:Mount Moriah(Mount Moriah on World Cafe) World Cafe kicks off its"Sense Of Place"trip to North Carolina with a visit to Mount Moriah's practice space,which is also lead singer and songwriter Heather McEntire's home outside of Raleigh, N.C. Out past the power lines by the lake,we set up to record music from the band's third and newest album, How To Dance, which has been three years in the making.The album rocks a little harder than Mount Moriah's earlier work; it better reflects the band's stage show and allows for exquisite guitar lines by Jenks Miller Hear the full session above andvvatchavideoof"Ca|xander" be|oxv. http://vvvvvv.npr.o[A/sections/xvor|d-cafe/2O16/O4/18/473817OU3/sense-of-p|ace-north-caro|ino-nmount- nnoriah Videos: Mount Moriah "Baby Blue." Music video: httms, Mount Moriah "Precita." Music video: at Mount Moriah "Calvander" Lyric video mN\ACCUyVrAL Rose Cross NC Live video DocuSign Envelope ID:AA4o52F4-E4o6-4Fo4-9e10-E18606475c71 � w The ArtsCenter Always zuanm^x May 30, 2017 Orange County Arts Commission 200 S Cameron St, Hillsborough, NC 27278 Dear Commissioners: I am writing in suppoMLofJenhs Miller's application for artist project funding,vvhich would serve as the foundation for his proposed "NC Arts Cast" podcast project. K4r. W1i||erhosbeendocumentingOn*nge County's public arts projects and artists as part of his role as The Arts Center's blog writer.The NC Arts Cast would expand the focus of Mr. Miller's reporting beyond the boundaries of The Arts Center, allowing for more travel to locations throughout Orange County and the state,as well as providing a platform for more widely distributed, monthly content. I am happy to recommend Mr. Miller based on his knowledge of and personal involvement in Orange County's arts community, his work at The Arts Center, and his desire to help bring greater attention to both specific arts projects and to questions of how the arts shape our concept of place and identity in our county. While the NC Arts Cast project is not part of The Arts Center's budget or its official programming,The Arts Center would partner with Mr. Miller, providing promotion and marketing assistance. In addition, our established network of artists and arts organizations will serve as a springboard for some of the NC ArtsCast's own reporting and storytelling as the podcast details the many arts projects and relationships that make up Orange County's arts ecosystem. Sincerely, Daniel May:. --_------- ; // ~~ v / / Executive Director 300-0-East Main Btroet alrz{orm,DJO 2°7'518 I P 919.929.278'7 F 919.968.8574 I vnwvnartaoeuberlivo.org