Whether it is their birthplace, pit stop or final destination, Knoxville has inspired artists of all kinds through decades of work.
From author Cormac McCarthy to director Quentin Tarantino, these artists have made nods to Knoxville and the things here that inspired them most.
1505 Highland Avenue: Though it is no longer standing, there was once a two-story house surrounded by trees and a well-watered lawn at this address in Fort Sanders. It was the childhood home of famous 20th century author James Agee and served as the setting in his short essay “Knoxville: Summer in 1915.” It describes his father watering the lawn and his family spending time together in the Southern summer evening.
For Agee, “it is a nostalgic for a simpler time,” English professor Bill Hardwig said. “He placed it one year before his father passed away, so it’s capturing childhood innocence for him.”
Though an apartment complex now stands in its place, a plaque stands as a reminder of what the space once was.
500 Gresham Road: In Joe Johnston’s 1999 film “October Sky,” Knoxvillians may recognize the background of a few football scenes as the field of Gresham Middle School. Though the film takes place in West Virginia, the geography and climate of East Tennessee was great for the look of the film, according to IMDB.com.
“University on a Hill”: In Cormac McCarthy’s novel “Suttree,” this is the only mention of the University of Tennessee (which he attended two different times but never graduated), despite his first published piece being in UT’s literary magazine “The Phoenix.” McCarthy had a complicated relationship with the college and academia in general, Hardwig said.
“‘Suttree’ takes place all over UT, but it’s almost completely absent,” Hardwig said. “Everywhere around here, from the river to downtown to Fort Sanders, are mentioned in very specific detail but very little about the campus.”
Instead, McCarthy only refers to UT as “the university on a hill.”
Knoxville: Quentin Tarantino, a native Knoxvillian, is an award winning screenwriter and director, first making a name for himself in Hollywood in the 1990s. In his films, he often pays tribute to his hometown, specifically in his 1994 film, “Pulp Fiction.” Butch, played by Bruce Willis, is supposed to meet his contact in Knoxville, which is also where his grandfather bought a gold watch to trade.
This nod is not uncommon for Tarantino, who has set films in Tennessee and written characters from his home state as well.
The Sunsphere: Knoxville has also found a place in animation. In a 1996 episode of “The Simpsons,” Bart finds a brochure for The World’s Fair and decides to see it for himself. He and a group of friends take a road trip to Knoxville, only to realize they missed the fair by 14 years and the Sunsphere is now a wig shop called WigSphere.
Knoxville Courthouse: Hank Williams Jr. spent some time in the Knoxville courthouse in his 1986 song “Knoxville Courthouse Blues.” The southern rock artist sings about meeting a woman in a bar who lies about her age and gets him “ten long years for statutory rape in the state penitentiary.”
