Tennessee Federation News May 2003 page 5

Local singer/songwriter Jennifer Slate-Lee has been asked to appear on the CBS TV show “STAR SEARCH” this season hosted by Arsenio Hall. This will be Hendersonville’s second resident to perform on Star Search this year. Jennifer’s best friend, Liz Byler, performed in the January run of shows. The two girls have often performed together locally and remained best friends since first meeting in high school. At the age of 16, she won the Tennessee State Championship in the Jimmy Dean Country Showdown and began writing songs for Affiliated Publishers, Inc. and EMI. Slate-Lee has performed in various community theatre productions with the Steeple Players Community Theatre group and also professionally with The Tennessee Rep at TPAC. She has performed with Steve Gatlin, opened for Sons Of The Desert, Hilljack and various other acts and has numerous other performance credits including various clubs in the Myrtle Beach and Nashville areas with a couple of impromptu performances in Florence and Rome, Italy. After graduating from Hendersonville High School, Slate-Lee moved to Myrtle Beach, SC originating the principal role of “Ruthie” in the musical theatre production of “Summer Of ’66. After a two year run of that highly successful show she was immediately hired by Celebrity Cruise Lines as a principal vocalist for their newest ship, Infinity. She worked in four different productions for the cruise line as well as starring in her own country music cabaret show. Upon completion of her contract with the Infinity, Slate-Lee returned to Hendersonville to continue her singing and songwriting career and pursue her dream of obtaining a recording contract.

Jennifer Slate-Lee is the daughter of long time Hendersonville residents, Johnny and Janet Slate and a member of Hendersonville First United Methodist Church.

Hendersonville may best be known as the City by the Lake and home to a number of country music stars. However, a partnership between local historic preservationists and the Hendersonville Woman's Club hopes to enhance an already attractive view.
After eight years of planning and fundraising, the dream of an Education Pavilion has been realized. "Historic Rock Castle is one of the most important historical sites in our state, yet many people were unaware of it. Not only is it unique in structure, but the original owner, Daniel Smith, named the State of Tennessee AND surveyed the boundaries of the state out of the North Carolina Territory. These historical facts only enhance this example of 18th century architecture", says Joe Cox, immediate past president of Friends of Historic Rock Castle and organizer of the Pavilion project. The stately home site includes more than 15 acres on Old Hickory Lake and is an ideal site for events such as festivals, concerts or educational events. However, in years past it was difficult to plan any of these activities due to the possibility of inclement weather. Due to the age of the house and contents, it is only open for guided tours.

Eight years ago, two men on the board of Friends began to toss around the idea of a covered Pavilion. They visited other historic sites in the state to gather information on structures that were not only functional but true to the historic preservation of each site. Another member of the board, who happens to be a descendant of Daniel Smith, owns a construction firm and offered to build the Pavilion at cost. Once the community of Hendersonville got behind the project things began to move quickly. The Pavilion project was a beneficiary of more than one of Hendersonville Woman's Club's now famous Spring Fashion shows. This annual fundraiser draws women from all over the area for a silent auction, luncheon, and fashion show which raises significant funds for area non-profits. The Hendersonville Woman's club also regularly presented checks with proceeds from an annual Tag Sale held on the grounds of Rock Castle.

Since the partnership between Woman's Club and Historic Rock Castle has been long standing, Lisa Cox, wife of Joe Cox and Education Chair of the Hendersonville club, thought it was only fitting that the Club be involved in the unveiling of the Pavilion. "Arranging for the Nashville Opera to present Mozart's "The Magic Flute" at the Pavilion opening was pure kismet", says Ms. Cox. She and her husband learned through a friend and member of the Opera Guild that troops of performers were taking The Magic Flute to area schools to promote the arts and opera. They had not performed at a site like Rock Castle, however, when informed of the educational purposes of the Pavilion, were excited about the opportunity to introduce opera to a large group of school aged children. All of the schools in Hendersonville and Gallatin were made aware of the performances while outlying areas were covered with attractive posters describing the event. The event was well publicized by the newspaper as it was educational and free to all school aged youth 18 and under.

It was a proud day for everyone involved to see the Pavilion filled with laughing children enthralled with the costumes, acting, singing, and comedic talents of these young performers. One of the actors was from the New York City Opera! Apparently, there is a 'loan' process where various important opera troops trade performers for a period of time. With a crowd of approximately 250, the Pavilion was almost full and fulfilling its purpose of education, fun, and fellowship beneath it's artful beamed and cantilevered roof. To cap off a perfect day, Kym Sims, caterer and current President of the Hendersonville club, along with the Arts Committee held a reception for the Opera troop, event organizers, and workers. Several young guests of the opera along with their parents also found their way to the Visitors Center and were welcomed there as well. Members of the cast remarked that they had never received such a warm response and were unaware that Hendersonville had such a great facility for classical performances. If the members of The Hendersonville Woman's Club have any say in it, lake and country music associations aside, that view of Hendersonville is about to change!