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Tara likes the atmosphere of the place, the golden, antique wood that graces the floors, walls and ceilings, the old furniture made of tree stumps, and even the dusty books
hidden in shelves in the attic, which overlooks a good sized dance floor.

"I've heard it reminds people of a pirate ship," she tells me one afternoon.

It was the first time I had seen the house in the daylight, and now had a more clear view of the bar's decor. A few rullet wheels hung from the walls, and what I had thought were several old clocks hanging above the bar, were actually barometers. Autographed photos of legendary blues artists were placed on the wall, along with old instruments including a glittery guitar once played by the members of regional blues band Fat Daddy.

I felt like Tara, Big Ed, Little Ed, Tracy and I, who were all having a drink at the bar, could've been pirates, vampires, or most importantly, among ghosts lurking in the corners. It's easy for one's imagination to run wild in this place, especially after one of Little Vicki's renowned margaritas.

But speaking of ghosts, "I've heard this place is haunted, and once was a brothel," I asked the Sassy Ann's gang. But Big Ed, who has worked at Sassy Ann's since '95, tells me "these are mere rumors." However, Little Ed, who came from Memphis seven years ago to help bar owner Vicki Vinson manage the bar, then points to an old black and white photo of a woman placed crookedly on the wall in the downstairs living room. He tells me how one guy was so haunted by this picture, that he has since stopped frequenting the bar as often. "But of course, there's no proof," Big Ed reminds us.

However, upon asking them about the bar's namesake, I discover that the brothel rumor is actually half true.

"Do you want the true version, or the one Vicki likes to tell?" Little Ed asks me.

The urban legend goes that Sassy Ann's owner, Vicki, had a grandmother from Memphis who once owned a brothel, but then was shot. "But the true story," says Little Ed, "is that Sassy Ann was the previous owner before Vicki took over..." I think about this and wonder if the black and white photo is really that of the original Sassy Ann from decades ago. How ones imagination can run wild in this place.

Tara spins some vinyl

We then move on to bigger, more important matters, like what Sassy Ann's is today - a hip, eccentric bar and restaurant hosting blues bands, rockers, Indie dance nights, Big Ed's DJ Dance Party, parties with themes such as “Suits, Stogies and Sinatra,” not to mention East Tennessee's best margarita.

Perhaps the most intriguing illustration of the bar came from the Knoxville's Ypeek View blog, which described Sassy Ann's as "right out of a Tom Waits song, providing beer-chugging, gut-wrenching blues atonement for the sin of being human."

“We’re more well known outside of Knoxville,” says Little Ed, who named popular artists such as Miranda Louis and Fat Daddy as frequent performers at Sassy Ann's (the bar is also rated sixth best blues bar in the region).

"But we're booking a lot more rock bands," adds Tara. Vicki just wanted to change it up a little, appeal to a wider crowd, she says. Dance night is also becoming more popular at Sassy Ann's, with Thursday night's DJ Dance Party with Big Ed often packing the joint shoulder to shoulder with young hipsters, Tomato Head servers, old swingers and plain ole '80s music lovers.

"The Thursday DJ thing," Big Ed adds, “spawned out of late night activity. I just started spinning vinyl for friends on Thursdays because it wasn't a busy night, and then it kind of mushroomed from there."

Big Ed spins a lot of tunes from Tara's personal collection, which include songs by The Cure, Prince, The Jackson Five, as well as newer songs by artists like Peaches, as well as some underground hip-hop and indie techno artists. Thursday night dance parties became so popular that Tara decided to start hosting Indie Dance Night on select Sunday nights, an event that has also drawn a large crowd of dancers and PBR-drinkers.

"No other place in Knoxville has anything like that," she says. She sighs whimsically as she talks about Sassy's, almost as if it was young summer love, or a cherished childhood treehouse. She adds how she wanted to help turn Sassy Ann's into a place where people could go who were looking for something original, eccentric, something out of the ordinary -- a place that "feels like home."

"It's like Cheers," she says and begins singing, “you want to go where everybody knows your name."

Tracy, a manager at Disc Exchange and Sassy Ann's regular, couldn't help but agree.
"It's like a family here," he adds.

I nod my head and smile ecstatically. After only having been in Knoxville for about one month, I have already begun to experience a strong sense of community, especially at venues such as Sassy Ann's. Perhaps it's the southern hospitality, or the town's passion for friendship and fun. Whatever it is, Sassy Ann's exudes it impeccably.

And despite changes in trends and music, Big Ed adds that being at Sassy Ann's is a lot like "going back in time."

"You see a lot of the same people, same bartenders. to be honest, it hasn't changed a whole lot."

Yes...but "you also can create your own story each time," I reminisce.

“If it was a good night, you probably won’t remember,” he says.

Coming up at Sassy Ann’s

Wednesdays - Blues Jam
Open Mic Nite: Local musicians both aspiring and pro play together for what Metro Pulse calls, "The Best Show in Town!"
Starts at 9 pm; $2 (non-musicians)

Thursdays - DJ Big Ed's request night
Big Ed plays all your favorites!
Dance & party with your friends or hang out and chill!
9 pm; free

Pyrrah's Punk (All-Star Birthday) Party! featuring Cold Hands and Cornbred Blues Band.
Saturday, July 29
9 pm; free

Vanilla Junket
Sunday, July 30
9 pm

Cold Hands with The Crossing
Sunday, August 6
9 pm

DJ Wigs with Science O' Mega
Sunday, August 13
9 pm

The Cheat with The Black Diamond Heavies
Sunday, August 20
9 pm