State of Tennessee

Department of State

Corporate Filings

312 Rosa L. Parks Avenue

6th Floor, William R. Snodgrass Tower

Nashville, TN  37243

 

 

For Office Use Only

                                                                                                                  Charter of Smoky Mountain Blues Society

 

The undersigned acting as incorporator(s) of a nonprofi t corporation under the Tennessee Nonprofit Corporation Act adopts the following Articles of Incorporation.

 

1. The name of the corporation is Smoky Mountain Blues Society

 

2.a. This corporation is a public benefit corporation.

 

2.b. This corporation is not a religious corporation.

 

2.c. The corporation will not have members.

 

3. The corporation’s registered agent and registered office shall be:

 

            Mike Feeback

            407 Amerine Road

            Maryville, TN  37804

 

4. The incorporator shall be:

 

            Robert Higginbotham

            921 Oxford Hills Drive

            Maryville, TN  37803

 

5. The street address of the principal office shall be:

 

            Smoky Mountain Blues Society

            407 Amerine Road

            Maryville, TN  37804

 

6. The corporation shall not be for profit.

 

7.  This document is to be effective upon filing with the Secretary of State of Tennessee

 

8.. The corporation is organized exclusively for charitable and educational purposes,

including for such purposes, the making of distributions to organizations that qualify as exempt

organizations under section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code, or corresponding sections of any

future federal tax code.

 

9. Notwithstanding any other provision of these articles, this corporation shall not carry on any other

activities not permitted to be carried on by: (a) a corporation exempt from federal income tax under

Section 501 (c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1954 or the corresponding provision of any future

United States Internal Revenue law or (b) a corporation contributions to which are deductible under

Section 170(c)(2) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1954 or corresponding sections of any future Internal

Revenue law.

 

10. In the event of dissolution, the residual assets of the organization shall be turned over to one or

more organizations which themselves are recognized as exempt under Sections 501(c)(3) and

170(c)(2) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1954 or corresponding sections of any prior or future

Internal Revenue Code, or to the federal, state or local government for exclusive public purpose.

 

11. The primary purpose of the corporation is to preserve, promote and perpetuate blues music and its heritage, and, by so doing, to help foster unity among people of all ages, races, creeds, and economic levels.  To this end the most important activity of the society will be the development and implementation of a Blues in the Schools program to expose students and the general public to blues music and its heritage in the East Tennessee area.

 

12. The corporation shall, in addition, be empowered to carry out any activities authorized by the

Tennessee Nonprofit Corporation Act and that may be carried out by organizations that are exempt

under Sections 501(c)(3) and 170(c)(2) of the Internal Revenue Code.

 

13. The corporation shall make or pay no compensation, loan or other payment to any officer, board

member, creator or organizer of the corporation, or substantial contributor to it, except as reasonable

compensation for goods or services rendered or as reasonable reimbursement for authorized 

expenditures incurred on behalf of the corporation. No part of the corporation’s assets or net earnings,

current or accumulated, shall ever be distributed to or divided among such persons or private

individuals, pursuant to the provisions of Section 501(c)(3).

 

14. No substantial part of the activities of the corporation shall be the carrying on of propaganda or

otherwise attempting to influence legislation. The corporation shall not participate in, or intervene in any

way (including the publishing or distribution of statements) in any political campaign or on behalf of or

in opposition to any candidate for public office.

 

15. Under the authority of Section 48-52-102(b)(3) of the Tennessee Nonprofit Corporation Act, a

director shall not be personally liable to the corporation or its members for monetary damages for breach

of fiduciary duty as a director, except that this provision shall not eliminate or limit the liability of a

director for:

 

    a. Any breach of the director’s duty of loyalty to the corporation or its members; or

 

    b. Any acts or omissions not in good faith or which involve intentional misconduct or a knowing

        violation of law; or

 

   c. Any unlawful distribution of assets in violation of Section 48-58-304 of the Tennessee Nonprofit

       Corporation Act.

 

16. The corporation shall not discriminate against any person on the basis of race, color, sex, national

origin, religion, handicapping condition, age and any other basis prohibited by law. This policy of

Nondiscrimination applies to the hiring of personnel, election of board members, provision of services to

the public, contracting for and purchasing of services and all other activities of the corporation. This

policy of nondiscrimination includes, but is not limited to, a commitment to full compliance with Title

VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964; Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, the Age

Discrimination Act of 1975, and any subsequent amendments to these statutes.

 

 

Dated this 15st day of June , 2009

 

_______________________________________

 

Robert Higginbotham

Incorporator