The Cleverlys Surely Showed Out at The Holler in Gatlinburg

The Ole Smoky Moonshine Holler in Gatlinburg is a place where many bands have graced the stage and put on a lively show. Enter The Cleverlys. Right now, Ole Smoky is hosting some fantastic musicians as part of their summer series of shows in the Holler. Since I had the evening off work, I decided not to be the homebody I tend to lean into on occasion, in order to see this particular group. So, instead of a Saturday sitting in the comforts of my apartment no doubt writing or checking Facebook, I did the unlikely…and went out.

The Cleverlys are essentially a cover band, performing popular country, pop, rock, and dance hits covering decades. The members have stage names they embrace as part of their act. They are led by Dr. Digger Cleverly (Paul Harris) on guitar, and he is the perfect representative of what the band is all about. What they lack in personality is made up with the performance art, comedy, and musicianship they project. They are much more than just a cover band.

Kicking off their set was a cover of the Black Eyed Peas’ “I Gotta Feeling.” You will likely not hear the original the same, and you could say the same about all of the hit songs they performed. Each member went through their own little solo with the extended playing of “I Kissed A Girl” by Katy Perry. This was the first sign of the broad talent you could see. They were just getting started.

I think it’s ultra cool these Arkansas boys delve heavily into R&B and Dance music modern standards. The 1996 number one, “No Diggity” from Blackstreet; the hit single, “Low” by Flo Rida; another Black Eyed Peas hit, “Let’s Get It Started;” the 2011 hit single, “Party Rock Anthem” by LMFAO, all given a unique bluegrass twist by the Cleverlys. And can you believe it’s been 13 years since the latter was released!

The band can really rock it too. The classic prog band, Yes, and their hit single from the 80s, “Owner of a Lonely Heart” featured some mandolin and double bass shredding, the likes I’d never heard coming from each instrument. If you couldn’t understand why this band is as successful as it is beforehand, watching them live makes it crystal clear why they are signed to the Mountain Home Music Company label, home to other well-known artists such as The Grascals and Balsam Range.

Alternative rock classics such as the B-52’s “Love Shack,” Beck’s “Loser,” and the featured cover on their new album, Solid Butter, from 2023, “Creep” by Radiohead. They even had the crowd singing on their “What’s Up” cover by 4 Non Blondes. I hate this song mainly because of Linda Perry’s voice, but I would listen to The Cleverlys perform this hit any day. This is the song they improved upon the most compared to the original for my listening ears.

Their 90 plus minutes of entertainment was certainly worth my time. Taking a break from Facebook and writing—while most of it I enjoy—was much needed. Taking the walk down to the Ole Smoky Moonshine Holler in downtown Gatlinburg is never a bad idea, and you don’t need to drink moonshine to enjoy yourself here. I don’t care if it’s just a 5-minute detour, I love to stop in and get a taste of respite in tuneful form. The Cleverlys is a band to check out live or recorded. Do yourself a favor and familiarize yourself with them at their media outlets below!

Website: thecleverlys.com

Facebook: The Cleverlys

YouTube: Digger Cleverly

Let me know what you think! This band is the whole package: great individual and group performances, comedic timing, and originality. There may be more ingredients to what makes a great band, but to my eyes and ears, they got it!

Thank you for reading and subscribing to my publication! I hope you enjoyed this music performance review of The Cleverlys! Stay tuned for more reviews, life stories, and more from me. I appreciate all of you!