City: Seymour, TN

Category: Nightlife

Telephone: (865) 609-0208

Address: 10605 Chapman Highway

Description: Are you one of those people who likes to sing in the shower or in the car on the way to work? Don’t keep your vocal talents to your self! Haul yourself over to Big Mama’s Karaoke Cafe in Seymour, about 10 miles northwest of Sevierville on Chapman Highway. At Big Mama’s, you can lend your voice to your favorite songs and be the singer you always knew you could be—at least in your own mind.Part of the appeal of doing karaoke at Big Mama’s is, no doubt, its simplicity. You select your favorite song from their catalog of more than 8,000 titles, and when your turn comes up, you take the stage, grab the mic, and wail to your heart’s content. About 15 people per hour take the stage, and once the action starts for the day, it continues nonstop with no intermission. While you’re watching the singers (or waiting to go onstage yourself), you can order from Big Mama’s full menu of appetizers, sandwiches, and entrees. House specialties include the Big Mama Burger and the “Love Me Tender” chicken tenders. Beer is also available for those who need to steady their nerves before taking the stage. The hours at Big Mama’s Karaoke Cafe vary, although it’s generally open Thursday, Friday, and Saturday, with a $5 cover charge on weekend nights. If you can’t get enough of being at Big Mama’s Karaoke Cafe, you can take the fun home with you. They offer karaoke systems for both sale and rental.

City: Seymour, TN

Category: Relocation

Telephone: (865) 573-8321

Address: 202 Smothers Road

Description: Founded in 1880, King’s Academy is the oldest continuously run school in Sevier County. It provides a high-quality college preparatory education, not only for local children but also for those from across the nation and beyond. Over the years, students have come from a total of about 50 different countries.Originally known as Harrison Chilhowee Baptist Academy, the school is run by a president and board of trustees appointed and approved by the Tennessee Baptist Convention. Accordingly, students study a well-rounded curriculum presented with a Christian-centered worldview. The school, for prekindergarten through 12th-graders, operates as both a day and boarding facility; the boarding program is available only to 7th through 12th grades. To be accepted, children cannot have been expelled from another school, nor can they have had severe behavioral problems, and administrators look for previous exemplary behavior in the application process. The school’s recent enrollment was 380 students, the highest number since the community of Seymour built its own public high school in 1961. Contributing to that growth has been the school’s elementary program, implemented in 1995. Of the students who graduate from King’s Academy, approximately 95 percent go on to college, the highest such percentage among area secondary schools. The school boasts a state-of-the-art computer lab and offers special programs such as the Experiential Curriculum for the Outdoors classroom (ECO). A required course in the upper-level grades, ECO takes students into the Smoky Mountains twice a year. The intent is to teach them skills like hiking, camping, rappelling, and canoeing while at the same time developing an appreciation of God’s glory through the wonders of nature. Extracurricular activities are well supported at King’s Academy. The school maintains a full sports program, fielding secondary-level teams in sports like football, basketball, soccer, tennis, golf, and track. The campus also has a pool and gymnasium. Overall, the school is spread out over a 67-acre campus and exudes the feel of a small college. During the summer months its retreat and conference center hosts activities such as band clinics, athletic camps, and church retreats.