Actor/singer John Schneider stopped by Nash campus last week to talk with Blair Garner about his new project, Odyssey, but the conversation quickly turned to his ongoing legal woes surrounding his estranged wife, Elvira “Elly” Schneider and their three adult children who won’t talk to him.
Elly filed for divorce in 2014 after 21 years of marriage and John claims he cannot afford the “$19,000 per month” alimony payment because he is struggling financially after his movie studio in Louisiana was destroyed in a March 2016 flood. In June, John was ordered to serve three days in the Los Angeles County Jail for unpaid alimony, but he was released after only a few hours due to overcrowding.
“I can’t not do what I feel is the right thing . . . so when something screams of injustice—and it’s usually about other people—then I can’t not do something about it,” says John to Blair. “Lately, I do honestly feel there’s been a tremendous amount of injustice done to me, and I also can’t not do something about it.”
John says his estranged wife will not work and he can’t pay her $19,000 a month in alimony.
“She feels like she’s entitled to it, and she doesn’t work and she hasn’t worked since we got married,” says John. “And there is a group, I guess, out there that says, ‘Well, she gave up a career to become a housewife.’ Well, no, we had nannies.”
John, who is best known for his TV roles as Bo Duke in Dukes of Hazzard and Johnathan Kent in Smallville, had a string of Top 10 hits on the country charts in the 1980s, including No. 1 tunes “Country Girls” and “You’re the Last Thing I Needed Tonight.”
“I don’t wish Elly to hurt like I hurt right now, I really don’t,” says John. “But the laws of nature dictate that she’s going to, and it’s gonna hurt her bad. When those kids won’t talk to her, I don’t know how she’s gonna take that.”
And if you were wondering about Odyssey, it’s a 52-song offering that teams John with some of country’s most acclaimed writers and artists, including Tanya Tucker, John Conlee, Colin Raye, Jamie O’Neal and more. With one song released each week, the project also includes weekly behind-the-scenes video content in a series dubbed Artist Studio Access (available via CineFlix Digital on Demand), which documents the writing, recording and inspiration of each song.
Tennessee basketball fans were urged to “Feed the Floor” in an effort to create an overwhelming homecourt advantage for the Vols at Thompson-Boling Arena last season, and the nation’s most fervent fans answered the call while helping power the Big Orange to the 2018 SEC Championship.
That popular “Feed the Floor” promo—and in particular, an in-game video featuring All-SEC wing Admiral Schofield—earned national acclaim recently when it was named a silver award winner in the category of “Fan Engagement Video” at the National Association of Collegiate Marketing Administrators (NACMA) Convention in Washington, D.C.
Initiated in 2003, the NACMA “Best Of” Awards program honors outstanding achievement in marketing and promotions. Awards are presented in 14 categories, with each category divided into three groups based upon school size and conference affiliations. In 2017-18, nearly 1,000 entries were submitted through the NACMA community.
“Kudos to the team of VFL Films, Fan Experience/Marketing, Social Media and Media Relations, as this was truly a collaborative effort,” Tennessee Associate AD for Fan Experience & Sales Jimmy Delaney said. “What I truly love about this particular award is that it gives a tip of the hat to the passion of Vol Nation. The energy of our fans gives us the ability to go over the top on our engagement.”
The Volunteers will once again be expecting fans to “Feed the Floor” at Thompson-Boling Arena during the highly anticipated 2018-19 campaign. Season-ticket renewals are now live, while new season tickets and the popular Vol Pass package go on sale on Sept. 11. Tickets can be purchase online at AllVols.com or by calling 1-800-332-8657.
All five starters from the 2018 championship squad—and the top six scorers—from that team are set to return next season. The Vols return 90 percent of their scoring, 95 percent of their rebounding, 79 percent of their assists and 9 percent of their blocks from a year ago.
Tennessee, led by reigning SEC Coach of the Year Rick Barnes, is listed in the top five nationally in multiple early preseason projections and will play a home schedule featuring games against Georgia Tech, Wake Forest and SEC foes Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Mississippi State, Missouri, South Carolina and Vanderbilt.
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. – Tennessee football single game tickets are on sale now for six of the seven home games at AllVols.com or by calling 1-800-332-VOLS.
Vol fans can purchase single tickets for games at Neyland Stadium against ETSU, UTEP, Florida, Charlotte, Kentucky and Missouri.
While the Alabama game is not available for single game purchase, fans can buy a ticket to the Third Saturday in October contest as part of our Orange & White Package mini-plan.
The Orange & White Package allows fans to choose EITHER the Alabama game or the Florida game and two other games for just $205 per package. This is available for a LIMITED time only.
The Rocky Top Package is also available for fans to pick any three games – excluding Florida and Alabama – for $135.
Additionally, season tickets remain on sale with lower level opportunities available.
A young and hungry Vols squad will be led by first-year head coach Jeremy Pruitt in 2018. Pruitt came to Rocky Top after an accomplished coaching career where he cemented himself as the nation’s top defensive coordinator. Pruitt has been a part of five national championships and has directly coached 44 NFL Draft Picks, including 13 first-round selections.
The Vols open the season at 3:30 p.m. on Sept. 1 at the Belk College Kickoff against West Virginia in Charlotte, N.C., before hosting ETSU at 4 p.m. on Sept. 8 and UTEP at 12 p.m. on Sept. 15. Tennessee welcomes Florida on Sept. 22 (kickoff is TBD) to start SEC play.
The crop circle designs were created by Nashville artist Stan Herd in celebration of Spotify’s Hot Country playlist, which gives its 4.8 million followers access to songs and original video content. Stan recreated the faces of the country stars and the Spotify Hot Country logo in fields outside Lawrence, Kansas. Each crop circle took approximately one week to create and will last for approximately three weeks.
“I usually begin with a simple concept that speaks to something I believe in and a statement that I think is important to make with my art,” said Stan. “When I get to the point that I decide to actually take the drawing to a field, I create a gridded drawing to the site and try to gauge how it might fit the field or terrain. I work with crews to lay out the grid, maybe one inch equaling 20 feet, and begin the simple outline with a weed-eater or other tools into existing crops or vegetation. Then we begin to gauge the work through aerial recon or drone shots.”
“This year Spotify is making a concentrated effort to shine a spotlight on country music and to find truly unexpected ways to celebrate all things country,” said Brittany Schaffer, head of artist and label marketing at Spotify. “To give our fans something special we decided to work with artist Stan Herd to bring to life three of the world’s biggest country artists on a beautiful Kansas landscape to pay homage to the Heartland and country music today.”
Watch the video below that shows the creation of the crop circles.
Eric Church announced the Oct. 5 release of his new album, Desperate Man, his first record since 2015’s Mr. Misunderstood.
In a video message, Eric revealed the news to his fan club—the Church Choir—by saying: “It’s been a while. I just want to say I have missed you. I have good news . . . the album is done, and we are back. It’s called Desperate Man and the first single is called ‘Desperate Man,’ with the Choir having access to listen first through their login today [July 12].”
The album’s lead single will be available everywhere on July 13. Co-written by Eric and Ray Wylie Hubbard—who was name-checked in “Mr. Misunderstood”—“Desperate Man” sees Eric again collaborating with producer Jay Joyce.
“Just like last time—just like Mr. Misunderstood—if you’re in the Church Choir, on October 5, you’re going to get the album,” added Eric.
Eric’s 2015 album, Mr. Misunderstood, won the CMA Album of the Year in 2016 and spawned the No. 1 hit, “Record Year.”
Lee Brice is hosting three upcoming Monday-night concerts at Nashville music venue Analog that will benefit several charities.
On July 16, Lee and his musical friends—Jake Owen, Dallas Davidson, Rob Hatch, Tyler Farr and emcee Chuck Wicks—will perform to benefit Folds of Honor, and organization that provides educational scholarships to spouses and children of America’s fallen and disabled service-members.
“I’m looking forward to sharing the stage with Dallas, Jake, Rob, Tyler and Chuck on Monday night—all to support our friends at Folds of Honor,” says Lee. “They do amazing things for the families of our military.”
On Aug. 27, Lee will honor the women of country as he’s joined onstage by some of Nashville’s most revered female artists. On Oct. 1, Lee will pay tribute to the one-year anniversary of the Route 91 Harvest Festival. Featured artists and charities for the two aforementioned shows will be announced in the coming weeks.
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. — The University of Tennessee placed 66 student-athletes on the 2017-18 First-Year SEC Academic Honor Roll, which was announced Wednesday by SEC Commissioner Greg Sankey.
The rowing program led the way for UT with 11 student-athletes honored. Women’s swimming and diving (8), soccer (7), football (6) and baseball (5) all put five or more on the list.
A total of 956 student-athletes were named to the 2017-18 First-Year SEC Academic Honor Roll, which is based on grades from the 2017-18 academic calendar.
Any student‐athlete who participates in a Southeastern Conference championship sport or a student‐athlete who participates in a sport listed on his/her institution’s NCAA Sports Sponsorship Form is eligible for nomination to the Academic Honor Roll.
The following criteria will be followed:
(1) A student‐athlete must have a grade point average of 3.00 or above for either the preceding academic year (two semesters or three quarters) or have a cumulative grade point average of 3.00 or above at the nominating institution.
(2) If a student‐athlete attends summer school, his/her grade point average during the summer academic term must be included in the calculation used to determine eligibility for the Academic Honor Roll.
(3) Student‐athletes eligible for the Honor Roll include those receiving an athletics scholarship, recipients of an athletics award (i.e., letter winner), and non-scholarship student‐athletes who have been on a varsity team for two seasons.
(4) Prior to being nominated, a student‐athlete must have successfully completed 24 semester or 36 quarter hours of non‐remedial academic credit toward a baccalaureate degree at the nominating institution.
(5) The student‐athlete must have been a member of a varsity team for the sport’s entire NCAA Championship segment.
2018 First-Year SEC Academic Honor Roll University of Tennessee
Baseball
Josh Plummer – Supply Chain Management
Evan Russell – Finance
Wyatt Stapp – University Exploratory
Chase Wallace – Kinesiology
Nicholas Woods – Supply Chain Management
Men’s Basketball
James Daniel III – Master of Science in Agricultural Leadership, Education and Communication
Yves Pons – Recreation and Sport Management
Football
Matthew Butler – Political Science
Brent Cimaglia – University Exploratory
Eric Crosby – University Exploratory
Cheyenne Labruzza – Economics
Riley Locklear – Kinesiology
Solon Page III – Marketing
Men’s Tennis
Andrew Rogers – English
Adam Walton – Kinesiology
Women’s Tennis
Tenika McGiffin – Kinesiology
Chelsea Sawyer – Kinesiology
Men’s Track & Field
Scott Cousino – Sport Management
George Goodwyn – Economics
Conner Hawkins – Interdisciplinary Programs-Neuroscience
Jordan West – Sport Management
Women’s Track & Field
Hannah Jefcoat – Undeclared
Taylor Luthringer – Undeclared
Sarah Reeves – Undeclared
Niamh Schumacher – Food Science
Volleyball
Gabrielle Peitsch – Accounting
Stephanie Spencer – Recreation and Sport Management
Callie Williams – Recreation and Sport Management
Peyton Manning & Scholarship Award Winners / Credit: UT Athletics
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — An exclusive club of current and past Tennessee students welcomed new members on Tuesday as four incoming freshmen were awarded the Peyton Manning Scholarship. With the induction of its newest members, the Manning Scholarship, which originated 21 years ago, has now been awarded to 37 UT Knoxville students.
Peyton Manning and Interim UT Knoxville Chancellor Wayne Davis presented Ford Brewer of Nashville, Tennessee, Kyler Groner of Morristown, Tennessee and Deanna Riley of Spring Hill, Tennessee, with plaques celebrating their academic achievements and efforts. Keri Burge of Madison, Alabama, was unable to attend the reception but is the fourth recipient of the 2018 scholarship.
“My hope is this scholarship will help them achieve, learn, grow and positively impact others and when their studies on campus are complete, that they too leave here with the passion for the University that I have,” Manning said.
The tradition of the Manning Scholarship began in 1998, when Manning decided to form an endowment out of the scholarship money that came along with his on-field awards. What started out as an annual recognition of one student has progressed to a ceremony that now features four recipients.
“We are very grateful to Peyton for his composure on the field, for the things that he has accomplished since that time and for the fact that he established this scholarship program,” Davis said. “And now we will have 37 that have received the Manning Scholarship. He’s continued to invest in the University and he’s such a great example of a student who went out and mastered his profession.”
The scholarship, which was sought after by approximately 450 applicants this year, covers nearly the full cost for tuition during the students’ time at Tennessee. The process by which the four students were selected was rigorous and thorough as they first had to be chosen as Haslam scholars.
“It’s an unbelievably selective process that they go through examining their participation, leadership and community involvement in addition to their academic achievements,” Tim Woods, Associate Director of Financial Aid and selection committee member, said.
All four recipients of this year’s scholarship demonstrated exceptional leadership and community involvement while maintaining spectacular academic records throughout their high school careers.
Brewer, a 2018 graduate of Montgomery Bell Academy, starred on the field in basketball and track and field and completed several honors and AP courses while also participating in the Red Poet’s Society Writing Club and Service Club. Brewer, who has a passion for English and neuroscience, has also volunteered at Preston Taylor Ministries since 2004.
“As I advanced in the selection process of the Haslam Scholars program, I realized that the opportunities available to me here in Knoxville through the program greatly outnumbered those at any prospective option,” Brewer said. “English and neuroscience may seem like an odd combination at first, but these are my passions. With the title of both Peyton Manning scholar and Haslam scholar, I look forward to working closely with my professors in both labs and the classroom, as well as the Pat Summitt clinic.”
For Groner, who captained Morristown-Hamblen West’s speech, debate and scholar’s bowl teams, the Manning Scholarship serves an opportunity to improve the community in a meaningful way. A member of the National Honor Society, Groner has a passion for making the world a better place and hopes do so as a political science and economics major.
“I hope that in whatever I do, I can eventually help others and create positive change in a similar fashion that Peyton Manning is doing today,” Groner said. “Additionally, I realize this scholarship is more than just a financial award, but also a responsibility and a call to action to be a selfless leader on campus who carries himself with humility, exudes kindness and respect in every situation and gives to others without expecting something in return. I plan on cherishing my time in Knoxville as a Tennessee Volunteer and a Peyton Manning scholar.”
Riley, who moved to Tennessee from South Carolina, found her enthusiasm for helping others find their voices after volunteering at Monroe Carell Jr. Children’s Hospital. A graduate of Summitt Hill High School, she served as secretary for both the National Honor Society and Spanish Honor Society while spending time as a volunteer with Habitat for Humanity and The Well Outreach Food Pantry.
“I realize that I have an individualized purpose to help others be their best and ensure their voices and thoughts are respected,” Riley said. “I am fascinated with attending a university whose diversity and programs, thought processes and opportunities foster a platform on which I can flourish as a leader. I would like to say thank you to Mr. Manning for deciding to award us with this prestigious scholarship that is much more than a monetary award, but a gateway that will allow us to shine a light on others just as you have shined a light on us.”
For Burge, the Manning Scholarship allows her to pursue a major in biological sciences while also honing her skills as a leader. The Pope John Paul II Catholic High School graduate volunteered with numerous organizations, served as the chaplain for the National Spanish Honor Society and captained her varsity basketball team. She also led her sections of the concert and marching bands.
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. – Defensive lineman Kyle Phillips, wide receiver Marquez Callaway and tight end Eli Wolf will join first-year head coach Jeremy Pruitt as Tennessee’s representatives at this year’s SEC Media Days on July 18 in Atlanta, Ga.
For the first time, SEC Media Days will be held at the College Football Hall of Fame in Atlanta, running from July 16-19. During the four-day SEC Media Days event, the Hall of Fame will be home to the coaches’ primary press conferences and serve as the live broadcast headquarters for both ESPN and the SEC Network. The Omni Atlanta Hotel at CNN Center, which is connected to the Hall of Fame, is the host hotel for the event and will house Radio Row and other media interviews and activities.
Pruitt and UT’s trio of players will make the media rounds during the morning session on Wednesday, July 18. Alabama, Mississippi State and Missouri are also slated to attend on Wednesday.
Phillips, Callaway and Wolf will all be making their first trip to SEC Media Days. Callaway and Wolf are the first non-seniors to represent the Vols at media days since 2015.
Phillips enters his senior season as one of Tennessee’s leaders on defense following a junior campaign that saw him start seven games and finish third on the team with 4.5 tackles for loss. The Nashville native has played in 29 games during his career at UT, including all 12 in 2017, when he finished with career bests in tackles (35), TFL (4.5) and sacks (two). Phillips is also one of the top students on the team, having been named to the SEC Academic Honor Roll during all three of his seasons on Rocky Top. He was also a member of the VOLeaders Academy and was inducted into Omicron Delta Kappa (ODK) National Leadership Honor Society in 2017.
Callaway emerged as one of the Vols’ most dangerous offensive players last season, averaging 16.9 yards per reception and leading the team with five touchdown catches. The Georgia native also finished the year second on the team with 24 catches and 406 receiving yards. Callaway had a breakout performance in Tennessee’s thrilling season-opening win over Georgia Tech in the Chick-fil-A Kickoff Game at the brand-new Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, hauling in four catches for 115 yards and two touchdowns, all coming in the second half or overtime. Callaway is also a model student and was chosen to the VOLeaders Academy Class of 2018.
Wolf had a breakout spring in which he was named the most improved player on Tennessee’s offense. The redshirt junior tight end capped off his impressive spring with five catches for 63 yards and a touchdown in the Orange and White Game. The Minster, Ohio native played in nine games last season and has appeared in 15 total games during his career with the Vols.
Jason Aldean, Kelsea Ballerini and Luke Bryan are cooking something up. What? We don’t know . . . yet.
Over the course of the last 24 hours, all three artists have posted individual photos on Instagram—without captions—that depict their likenesses created on landscapes.
Some folks have theorized that Jason and Kelsea may be joining Luke on his six-date Farm Tour (Sept. 27–29 and Oct. 4–6), but Kelsea is occupied as part of Keith Urban’s Graffiti U Tour each of the six dates of Farm Tour, and Jason has existing performances listed on his tour schedule that coincide with dates on Luke’s Farm Tour.
Check out the Instagram photos below, and we’ll keep you posted when we hear something.
The album’s lead single will be available everywhere on July 13. Co-written by Eric and Ray Wylie Hubbard—who was name-checked in “Mr. Misunderstood”—“Desperate Man” sees Eric again collaborating with producer Jay Joyce. 
