Where to discover country's next-generation stars

Every weekday morning, Knoxville provides one of the best values in all of Tennessee. In a state that's so proud of its musical roots, the Knoxville visitor's center offers a free hour-long concert every day featuring two up-and-coming country acts.

The mural on the side of the Knoxville visitor's center.

The visitor's center doubles as the home of WDVX 89.9 FM, and we joined the regular crowd on hand for two live sets by new artists Brandy Zdan and Big Shoals.

The daily performance is part of the radio station's Blue Plate Special broadcast, and not every performer promises to be great, but the price is right, and it's a great way to discover new acts and original music.

Brandy Zdan impresses us at the Blue Plate Special.

On the day of our visit, Brandy Zdan opened. Speaking with a soft, almost raspy voice, Brandy Zdan surprised us by belting out a few of her original songs. Originally from Canada, Brandy now lives in Nashville, Tennessee, and she impressed us with her look, her voice and her talent on guitar.

Not to be outdone, Big Shoals left a big impression on us, too.

Big Shoals added a drummer, a bassist and a little harmonica to the small stage. Compared to Brandy Zdan, this band's material was darker (listen to "12 Steps" on the Big Shoals website), and we were impressed by the singer's confidence and emotion.

If Brandy Zdan or Big Shoals are ever pushed to the national stage, we won't be surprised, and we'll remember the time we saw them at the WDVX Blue Plate Special in Knoxville, Tennessee.

You won't believe what we found in this alleyway

Knoxville is a fun city in central Tennessee.

It's got some well-known attractions, but you get the impression that it's more for locals than tourists. We tested out our new Bush's Best Baked Beans Frisbee in the park next to the Sunsphere and were surrounded by a group of local athletes running laps, probably to prepare for some cross-country race.

Downtown, Market Square is one block from the visitor's center and its shops, restaurants and bars pack a lot of personality and cater to the nearby college crowd.

Surprise! Sharks and much more await in this Knoxville alleyway.

We browsed the shops, poked our heads in two of the bars, and tried a couple restaurants while we were in town, but the biggest surprise for us came that first evening as we were walking back toward our car to leave.

Moving from Market Square toward the visitor's center, we noticed an amazing piece of graffiti artwork in an alley we were passing. It caught our eye, so we stopped, and that's when we noticed another amazing piece, then another and another.

We turned in and headed down the alleyway, which isn't something we'd normally advise when visiting a new city, but we were rewarded in Knoxville by a block-long street gallery. We spotted the Kool-Aid man, we saw the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, a piranha plant from Super Mario Bros. and a host of other scenes, some of which defied description.

When we visited the visitor's center the next day to catch the Blue Plate Special, we saw that this alley is a known attraction, but for us, it was a surprise, and that made it even more special.

At the end of "Graffiti Alley," it seems not every landlord is as appreciative of the arts.