Ozark Highlands Radio

This week, another special road trip episode. OHR visits Rogers, Arkansas’ Railyard Live Concert Series featuring post-folk newgrass phenomenon Arkansauce, recorded live at Butterfield Stage in Railyard Park in historic downtown Rogers. Also, an interview with Rogers Arts & Culture Coordinator Kinya Christian. Rogers, Arkansas’ Railyard Live Concert Series began in 2021. Held on the city’s Butterfield Stage next to Railyard Park in historic downtown Rogers, it features live concerts every weekend throughout the Spring, Summer, and Fall. All of the Railyard Live events are either free to the public or at very low cost of admission. The concert series features a wide array of musical styles and interests designed to appeal to the diverse population of Rogers and invite them to experience the newly revitalized Railyard Entertainment District. The Ozark Folk Center State Park and the City of Rogers, Arkansas partnered to bring Ozark Highlands Radio to capture a little slice of this modern Ozark culture. “Arkansauce is Tom Andersen on bass, Zac Archuleta on guitar, Ethan Bush on mandolin, and Adams Collins on banjo. Their music features improvisational string leads matched with complex melodies, intriguing rhythms, and deep thumping bass grooves. Each member sings lead and harmony parts as well as contributes to the lyrics, which offer authentic, intelligent songwriting with hard-hitting hooks. “We are a band that spends most of our time in the back of a van hurtling toward long nights, good times, and a destiny unknown,” says Ethan. “Our inspiration is gathered by events unfolding in our own adventures in real time. These days, the desire to create, inspire, and redefine within our scene seems to be the main driving force behind our music.” The melodies of the Ozark Mountains' rolling hills and raging rivers can be heard in this progressive string quartet’s distinct blend of newgrass.” https://www.arkansaucemusic.com/info In this week’s “From the Vault” segment, OHR producer Jeff Glover offers a 1981 archival recording of Ozark originals The Bill Sky Family Trio performing the traditional song “Twilight is Stealing” from the Ozark Folk Center State Park archives. In this week’s guest host segment, renowned traditional folk musician, writer, and step dancer Aubrey Atwater traces the peregrination of the tune “John Stenson’s No. 2.”

This week, another special road trip episode. OHR visits Rogers, Arkansas’ Railyard Live Concert Series featuring Eureka Springs folk orchestra, Eureka Strings, recorded live at Butterfield Stage in Railyard Park in historic downtown Rogers. Also, an interview with Eureka Strings’ bassist, Dave Gesualdo. Rogers, Arkansas’ Railyard Live Concert Series began in 2021. Held on the city’s Butterfield Stage next to Railyard Park in historic downtown Rogers, it features live concerts every weekend throughout the Spring, Summer, and Fall. All of the Railyard Live events are either free to the public or at very low cost of admission. The concert series features a wide array of musical styles and interests designed to appeal to the diverse population of Rogers and invite them to experience the newly revitalized Railyard Entertainment District. The Ozark Folk Center State Park and the City of Rogers, Arkansas partnered to bring Ozark Highlands Radio to capture a little slice of this modern Ozark culture. Eureka Strings is a folk orchestra. A seven piece menagerie of instrumentation and musical styles based in Eureka Springs, Arkansas. The band features Dave Gesualdo on bass, Warren Dietzel on drums, Damian Sisca on keys, Alex Hawf on mandolin & vocals, Dylan Hawf on fiddle, Bear Morrison on guitar & vocals, and Sophia Clarke on guitar & vocals. Their sound is difficult to define, first appearing as a mild mannered country/southern rock band. But when they quickly begin to color outside of those lines, the listener finds Eureka Strings is a full blown genre bending psychedelic musical experience. Original southern twang and brutal folk candor meld with angular jazz chords, space grass virtuosity, southern rock energy, and slap bass to create an infectious country-fried Funkadelic-esque party on the stage. In this week’s “From the Vault” segment, OHR producer Jeff Glover offers a 1981 archival recording of Ozark originals The Sylamore Creek Quartet performing an unknown tune from the Ozark Folk Center State Park archives. In this week’s guest host segment, renowned traditional folk musician, writer, and step dancer Aubrey Atwater discusses the themes of conundrums and impossible tasks in traditional music.

This week, a special road trip episode. OHR visits Rogers, Arkansas’ Railyard Live Concert Series featuring singer-songwriters Will Gunselman & Ashtyn Barbaree recorded live at Butterfield Stage in Railyard Park in historic downtown Rogers. Also, an interview with Ozark original Will Gunselman. Rogers, Arkansas’ Railyard Live Concert Series began in 2021. Held on the city’s Butterfield Stage next to Railyard Park in historic downtown Rogers, it features live concerts every weekend throughout the Spring, Summer, and Fall. All of the Railyard Live events are either free to the public or at very low cost of admission. The concert series features a wide array of musical styles and interests designed to appeal to the diverse population of Rogers and invite them to experience the newly revitalized Railyard Entertainment District. The Ozark Folk Center State Park and the City of Rogers, Arkansas partnered to bring Ozark Highlands Radio to capture a little slice of this modern Ozark culture. Will Gunselman is a singer-songwriter from Bella Vista, Arkansas. Will’s vivid writer’s voice along with his unique style invents an honest and authentic Ozark story. Honing his art through decades of live performance, Will has crafted a simple sound that is modern and relatable but reveals a rich patina of life lived. Although plaintive, his music, rooted in folk, country and blues, dwells on the positive nature of experience and seeking joy in the everyday. Like traversing the river Will ardently describes in his song Buffalo River Run, sitting with a set of his music is a journey bent with scenic vistas of the soul. Ashtyn Barbaree is an internationally touring gritty Americana singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist from Fayetteville, Arkansas. Sweet, soulful, charming and relatable, her lyrics have found their way into the hearts of folks from all walks of life. She has a smokey, yet silky voice accompanied with harmonies, guitar, tenor 8-string ukulele, upright bass, pedal steel, drums and piano. https://www.ashtynbarbaree.com/about In this week’s “From the Vault” segment, OHR producer Jeff Glover offers a 1981 archival recording of bluegrasser Lenny Wallace performing the tune “Take Your Shoes Off Moses,” from the Ozark Folk Center State Park archives. In this week’s guest host segment, renowned traditional folk musician, writer, and step dancer Aubrey Atwater explores the theme of riddles and trick questions in traditional folk music.

This week, a special road trip episode. OHR visits Rogers, Arkansas’ Railyard Live Concert Series featuring Eureka Springs hard-driving folk quartet, Front Porch, recorded live at Butterfield Stage in Railyard Park in historic downtown Rogers. Also, commentary from Rogers Arts & Culture Coordinator Kinya Christian on the exciting things happening in the Rogers Entertainment District. Rogers, Arkansas’ Railyard Live Concert Series began in 2021. Held on the city’s Butterfield Stage next to Railyard Park in historic downtown Rogers, it features live concerts every weekend throughout the Spring, Summer, and Fall. All of the Railyard Live events are either free to the public or at very low cost of admission. The concert series features a wide array of musical styles and interests designed to appeal to the diverse population of Rogers and invite them to experience the newly revitalized Railyard Entertainment District. The Ozark Folk Center State Park and the City of Rogers, Arkansas partnered to bring Ozark Highlands Radio to capture a little slice of this modern Ozark culture. Front Porch is a hard driving four piece folk ensemble. Self described as “contemporary bluegrass, old time and mayhem from Northwest Arkansas,” the band is based in Eureka Springs. Front Porch is Petey Wesley on banjo & fiddle, John Henry Holthus on guitar, Alex Hawf on mandolin, and Cameron Keeling rounding out the low end with upright bass. In true bluegrass fashion, all the guys in the band sing, but that’s where the traditional ends. Front Porch performs with all the usual ingredients of bluegrass and folk but bakes them up into a post-punk old-time acid jazz barn-burning bluegrass fusion that will have you jumping. In this week’s “From the Vault” segment, OHR producer Jeff Glover offers a 1981 archival recording of Ozark original Uncle Floyd Holland performing the tune “Nellie Gray,” from the Ozark Folk Center State Park archives. In this week’s guest host segment, renowned traditional folk musician, writer, and step dancer Aubrey Atwater explores variations of the traditional folk song “Polly Put the Kettle On.”

This week, a special road trip episode. OHR visits Rogers, Arkansas’ Railyard Live Concert Series featuring their Ozark Folk Jamboree. A compilation of seven bands recorded live over two days at the City of Rogers’ Butterfield Stage. Also, commentary from Rogers Arts & Culture Coordinator Kinya Christian. Rogers, Arkansas’ Railyard Live Concert Series began in 2021. Held on the city’s Butterfield Stage next to Railyard Park in historic downtown Rogers, it features live concerts every weekend throughout the Spring, Summer, and Fall. All of the Railyard Live events are either free to the public or at a very low cost of admission. The concert series features a wide array of musical styles and interests designed to appeal to the diverse population of Rogers and invite them to experience the newly revitalized Railyard Entertainment District. The Ozark Folk Center State Park and the City of Rogers, Arkansas partnered to bring Ozark Highlands Radio to capture a little slice of this modern Ozark culture. OHR producer Jeff Glover sits down with Arts & Culture Coordinator Kinya Christian to discuss what’s going on in Rogers, Arkansas’ Railyard Entertainment District and why. Musicians featured on the show are all local to Northwest Arkansas. They include Chucky Waggs, Ashtyn Barbaree, Rachel Ammons, Will Gunselman, Front Porch, Eureka Strings, and Arkansauce. In this week’s “From the Vault” segment, OHR producer Jeff Glover offers a recording of Ozark original one woman band Rachel Ammons giving a very unconventional performance of the song “Shady Grove,” at the Rogers, Arkansas Railyard Live Ozark Folk Jamboree.

This week, a titanic trio of certified country blues guitar masters recorded live at Ozark Folk Center State Park. Also, commentary from these blues maestros. Country blues, also known as folk blues, rural blues, backwoods blues or down home blues, is one of the earliest forms of blues music. It’s performed primarily as a solo vocal with acoustic finger style guitar accompaniment. Country blues was developed in the rural Southern United States in the early 20th century and stands in contrast primarily to the urban blues style, especially in the pre-world war two era. Artists such as Blind Lemon Jefferson, Charley Patton, and Blind Willie McTell were among the first to record blues songs in the 1920s. Country blues ran parallel to urban blues, which was popular in cities. Featured on this episode of Ozark Highlands Radio are renowned old-time singer and multi-instrumentalist Jerron “Blind Boy” Paxton, award winning Carolina Chocolate Drops veteran Hubby Jenkins, and celebrated bluesicologist & Reverend Gary Davis protege’ Roy Bookbinder. Jerron "Blind Boy" Paxton is an American musician from Los Angeles. A vocalist and multi-instrumentalist, Paxton's style draws from blues and jazz music before World War II and was influenced by Fats Waller and "Blind" Lemon Jefferson. According to Will Friedwald in the Wall Street Journal, Paxton is "virtually the only music-maker of his generation—playing guitar, banjo, piano and violin, among other implements—to fully assimilate the blues idiom of the 1920s and '30s, the blues of Bessie Smith and Lonnie Johnson.” Hubby Jenkins is a talented multi-instrumentalist, who endeavors to share his love and knowledge of old-time American music. Born and raised in Brooklyn, he delved into his Southern roots, following the thread of African American history that wove itself through country blues, ragtime, fiddle and banjo, and traditional jazz. After years of busking around the country and making a name for himself, Hubby became acquainted with the Carolina Chocolate Drops. Since 2010 he has been an integral part of the Grammy award winning Carolina Chocolate Drops and continues to make solo performances. Guitarist Roy Book Binder has traveled the world as a solo performer for nearly 50 years. Roy’s career and playing style is heavily influenced by the late Reverend Gary Davis, who specialized in a unique style of guitar finger picking. Roy’s performances are as much a story of his life and experiences as they are a musical endeavor. In this week’s “From the Vault” segment, OHR producer Jeff Glover offers a 1981 archival recording of Ozark original Kenneth Rorie performing the tune “The Devil and the Farmers Wife,” from the Ozark Folk Center State Park archives. In his segment “Back in the Hills,” writer, professor, and historian Dr. Brooks Blevins tells the story of Enoch Wolf, an adventitiously fortunate Arkansas Confederate Civil War officer whom, at the very end of the war, was spared an undeserved execution at the hands of his Union captors.

This week, it’s Dulcimer Jamboree time once again! Each year, dulcimer players from all over come to the Ozark Folk Center State Park in Mountain View, Arkansas for a weekend of learning, listening, and loving all things dulcimer. Each evening of the event features concerts by world renowned dulcimer teachers and performers. We’ll enjoy highlights recorded from these live performances featuring both mountain dulcimers and the more ancient hammered dulcimers. Artists performing this year include: educator, songwriter and award winning mountain dulcimer maven Kara Barnard; hammered dulcimer prodigy Ben Haguewood accompanied by oldtime fiddle champion Kailee Spickes; ubiquitous hammered dulcimer performer and educator Ken Kolodner; hammered dulcimer master and educator Mary Lynn Michal; inimitable mountain dulcimer and auto-harp Jedi Karen Mueller; hammered dulcimer phenom Colin Beasley; multi-instrumentalist, folk singer, educator and Ozark original Pam Setser; In this week’s “From the Vault” segment, musician, songwriter and Music Roots educator Kathy Jensen offers a 1981 archival recording of Ozark originals Tommy & Jean Simmons performing the tune “Greensleeves,” from the Ozark Folk Center State Park archives. In his segment “Back in the Hills,” writer, professor, and historian Dr. Brooks Blevins explores scary Ozark Monster stories, featuring such horrifying beasts as the “Gowrow,” the “Highbehind” and the “Whangdoodle.”

This week, songs and stories from a trio of Grammy award winning world class songwriters recorded live at Ozark Folk Center State Park. Also, commentary from these three musical musketeers. Featured on this show are world renowned songwriter Roger Cook, award winning Memphis singer-songwriter Keith Sykes, and singer-songwriter and session musician Shawn Camp. Born in Bristol, England, Roger Cook is recognized as one of the world’s greatest modern songwriters. During his lengthy international songwriting career, Roger has had more than 80 top 30 hits, including classics such as Something’s Gotten Hold Of My Heart – Gene Pitney, Something Tells Me – Cilla Black, Long Cool Woman In A Black Dress – The Hollies, and You’ve Got Your Troubles – The Fortunes. However, Roger is perhaps best known for his song I’d Like To Teach The World To Sing, which was recorded by the New Seekers and became the theme song for a long-running series of Coca-Cola commercials. - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roger_Cook_(songwriter) Once upon a time in the summer of 1967, Keith Sykes hitchhiked to the Newport Folk Festival and saw Arlo Guthrie perform “Alice’s Restaurant.” In the fall of that year he got a copy of the album, learned the whole song and sang it at a Holiday Inn in Charleston, South Carolina. They hired him on the spot for a regular gig playing music in the hotel. In the more than 40 years that followed, he would become a troubadour and storyteller, a massively successful songwriter with more than 100 songs recorded by artists as diverse as Rosanne Cash and George Thorogood. He would tour every corner of America and play in just about every conceivable kind of venue, appear on Saturday Night Live and Austin City Limits, and host songwriter nights on Memphis’ legendary Beale Street with many of music’s most talented songwriters. He would join Jimmy Buffett’s Coral Reefer Band, tour the country and record the Volcano album – the title track for which he co-wrote with Jimmy. - http://www.keithsykes.com/ Some careers can be described with a couple of words but Shawn Camp's isn't one of them. A bold and distinctive singer and a songwriter who's provided material for artists ranging from Ralph Stanley, Del McCoury and Ricky Skaggs to Garth Brooks, Alan Jackson, Porter Wagoner, Loretta Lynn and Brooks & Dunn with hits such as “Two Pina Coladas” (Garth Brooks,) “Nobody But Me” (Blake Shelton,) “Would You Go With Me” (Josh Turner,) “River Of Love” (George Strait,) and Billy Currington’s hit single “Love Done Gone.) Along with being a hit writer, he is a gifted multi-instrumentalist who's played as a touring/recording musician with everyone from Jerry Reed, Trisha Yearwood, Shelby Lynn and Alan Jackson to the Osborne Brothers, Guy Clark and John Prine. Camp also co-produced a compilation tribute album for his friend and hero Guy Clark which was #1 on the Americana Charts for several weeks in the spring of 2012 and voted Americana Album Of The Year 2012. - https://shawncamp.com/bio In this week’s “From the Vault” segment, OHR producer Jeff Glover offers a 1981 archival recording of Ozark original Buddy Lancaster performing the tune “Fire on the Mountain,” from the Ozark Folk Center State Park archives. In this week’s guest host segment, renowned traditional folk musician, writer, and step dancer Aubrey Atwater explores regional variations of the traditional folk song “Going to the West.”

This week, a collection of consummate cow poke crooners recorded live at Ozark Folk Center State Park. Also, commentary from these bovine balladeers. Included on this show are Grammy nominated cowboy performer Don Edwards, inimitable cowboy poet & humorist Glenn Ohrlin, and Arkansas original cowgirl, singer, songwriter, actress and Country Music Hall of Fame superstar Patsy Montana. One of America’s best loved and most enduring cowboy singers, Don Edwards is indeed an American treasure. His love and passion for traditional cowboy songs is second to none and has earned him a fan base worldwide. He knows the songs, the stories, and even some of the old trails that made the old West famous. Accompanied by his trusty guitar, Don takes us on a trip back in time when cowboy singers and songs echoed through the trails, taverns, and cattle drive camps of yesterday. Born in Minneapolis, MN in 1926, Glenn Ohrlin was a veteran of the cattle industry and worked the rodeo circuit, both while being an acquisitive singer, poet, & story teller. Glenn put his extensive knowledge and years of experience collecting Western folk songs into a book, “The Hell Bound Train,” as well as performing his authentic style of cowboy poetry & prose. Ohrlin performed at cowboy poetry gatherings across America, and at the Kennedy Center in Washington D.C. In the 1970’s, Glenn moved to Mountain View, Arkansas, where he continued his music career, lending regular performances at the Ozark Folk Center. We at the Ozark Folk Center State Park reap the benefit of having years of Glenn’s live performance recordings in our archives. Patsy Montana was an American country music singer, songwriter and actress. Montana was the first female country performer to have a million-selling single with her signature song "I Want to Be a Cowboy's Sweetheart,” and is a member of the Country Music Hall of Fame. She was a mainstay on the National Barn Dance on Chicago radio station WLS for many years. Born “Ruby Blevins” in Beaudry, Arkansas, the 11th child and first daughter of a farmer, Patsy attended schools in President Bill Clinton's hometown of Hope, Arkansas. She was influenced early on by the music of Jimmie Rodgers, and paved the way for women in the male dominated world of country music. In this week’s “From the Vault” segment, OHR producer Jeff Glover offers a 1981 archival recording of Ozark original Dean Hinesley performing the tune “Letter Edged in Black,” from the Ozark Folk Center State Park archives. In his segment “Back in the Hills,” writer, professor, and historian Dr. Brooks Blevins discusses the origin of some odd words and pronunciations in the native dialect of Ozarkian.

This week, a collection of stringbands and stringband music both traditional and modern recorded live at Ozark Folk Center State Park. Also, commentary by musicians from these solely stringed outfits. A stringband is an old-time music ensemble made up solely of string instruments. Stringbands were extremely popular in 1920s and 30s America and were the forerunners of modern country and bluegrass bands. Early old-time stringbands were comprised mainly of a fiddle, a banjo and acoustic guitar. They may have also been joined by other instruments including spoons, washboard, jug, harmonica, mountain or hammered dulcimer, autoharp and bones. Eventually, other stringed instruments began to be added to the fiddle-banjo duo that was essential to dance music of the early United States. These other instruments included mandolin and double bass or washtub bass. Such an assemblage of instrumentation became known simply as a “stringband.” Featured on this stringband show are Ozark originals The Lazy Goat Stringband, Possum Juice, The Leatherwoods, The Upjumpers, and Harmony. Also featured are Shenandoah Valley old-time supergroup, The Steel Wheels and Minnesota stringband sensation, The Roe Family Singers. In this week’s “From the Vault” segment, OHR producer Jeff Glover offers a 1981 archival recording of Ozark originals Lloyd & Floyd Armstrong performing the song “Dust on the Bible,” from the Ozark Folk Center State Park archives. In his segment “Back in the Hills,” writer, professor, and historian Dr. Brooks Blevins explores how to speak Ozarkian and the origins of Ozark vernacular.

This week, Ozark original old-time fiddler, banjo maker and legendary fiddle tune collector Banjo Billy Mathews recorded live at Ozark Folk Center State Park in Mountain View, Arkansas. Dave Smith is joined in hosting this week by expert musicologist and Banjo Billy’s most prolific protege, Emily Lawless. Billy Mathews is known far and wide across this land for his musical skill and old time fiddling ability. He has traveled extensively throughout the Midwest for over 40 years. Thoughtful musical kinships, maintained throughout these many years, have earned him a considerable amount of notoriety and recognition in Old Time music circles. True to his name, Billy continues to play and record a vast amount of Old Time Clawhammer Banjo tunes. Billy has released a recording of Original Banjo Tunes, The Ghost of Banjo Billy. Billy still resides in the Ozark Mountains, continuing work on music projects. Billy keeps busy by traveling throughout the country for workshops, concerts and other special events, playing his huge repertoire of old time fiddle and banjo tunes. Billy has literally become the embodiment of his Scot-Irish ancestors by continuing their traditional approach to life. Billy continues to collect and play a huge repertoire of old-time fiddle tunes. He has already made a sizeable and significant contribution to our American musical culture and there is no end in sight! Billy has shared the stage with such noteworthy musicians as Joe Burke, John Koener, John Hartford, The Fiddle Puppets, Mike Seeger, De Dannan, Bill Monroe and more! - http://www.banjobilly.net/about-us/ In this week’s “From the Vault” segment, OHR producer Jeff Glover offers a 1974 archival recording of Ozark original Larry Poff performing the tune “900 Miles,” from the Ozark Folk Center State Park archives. In his segment “Back in the Hills,” writer, professor, and historian Dr. Brooks Blevins examines the gradual disappearance of traditional Ozarkian language in the modern Ozark region through the lens of his friendship and conversations with Ozark scholar Dr. Audrey Thompson.

This week, a celebration of 50 years of the Ozark Folk Center State Park presented through archival audio from its 1973 grand opening as well as interviews of key park figures and commentary by historian and writer Charley Sandage. The University of Arkansas Cooperative Extension Service, in an early attempt to preserve the vanishing heritage of the Ozark Mountains, assisted local craftsmen and musicians to form the Ozark Foothills Crafts Guild in 1962. The guild started with 30 members and grew to a membership of over 300 master craftsmen and musicians. In 1963 the guild, in cooperation with local civic organizations, education advocate Bessie Moore, and renowned Ozark singer-songwriter Jimmy Driftwood organized the first Arkansas Folk Festival which attracted approximately 15,000 people. The festival became an annual event and within a few years was attracting almost 100,000 people to Mountain View. Because of the success of the annual festival the guild realized that they needed a permanent home. The guild, in cooperation with local government, obtained a grant from the United States Economic Development Administration to establish a private commercial craft center at Mountain View. Prior to its opening in the Spring of 1973, the state of Arkansas recognized the potential of the project and folded the Ozark Folk Center into the state park system and provided additional funding. Ozark Folk Center State Park is dedicated to perpetuating the music, crafts, and culture of the Ozarks. Located in Mountain View, Arkansas, and open mid-April to late-October, the park offers visitors an opportunity to watch artisans work, to stroll through the Heritage Herb Garden, and to hear live Southern mountain music. In the Craft Village at the Ozark Folk Center, more than 20 working artisans demonstrate, create, and sell handmade items. Handcrafted items like leather purses and goods, baskets, brooms, stained glass, ironwork, pottery, knives, weavings, quilts, wood carvings, spun yarn, soap, candles, and more are made onsite. Artisans also host workshops throughout the year for a more immersive crafting experience with personal attention and hands-on instruction. The Heritage Herb Garden is where old-time pass-along plants, medicinal herbs, native plants, and edible herbs are grown. The Garden functions as a living classroom for workshops and programs. Events celebrating both culinary and medicinal herbs are held in May and October. Music is at the heart of this park. Fiddle, banjo, guitar, mandolin, dulcimer, and autoharp are just some of the instruments that combine to produce that enduring Ozark Mountain sound. The Ozark Highlands Theater hosts live concerts and special events, bringing legendary artists from all facets of Americana music to the stage. Workshops are also available at scheduled times for musicians and dancers of all skill levels. In this week’s “From the Vault” segment, musician, educator, and country music legacy Mark Jones offers a 1973 archival recording of Ozark original Jimmy Driftwood singing is famous song “The Battle of New Orleans,” at the park’s grand opening from the Ozark Folk Center State Park archives.

This week, singer, multi-instrumentalist, podcaster, story teller and musicologist Nicholas Edward Williams recorded live at Ozark Folk Center State Park. “Host of the popular roots music history podcast American Songcatcher, Nicholas Edward Williams is a multi-instrumentalist and storyteller who is dedicated to 'playing it forward' by preserving the songs and styles that have shaped our country: ragtime, Piedmont blues, traditional folk, old time and early country. Williams has spent the last 15 years touring around the US, the UK, Western Europe and Australia, blending the roots music spectrum in his own style. He's opened for Taj Mahal, The Wood Brothers, Dom Flemons, CAAMP, John Paul White, Town Mountain, John Craigie, Rachel Baiman and Lucy Daucus, and has performed at festival stages on three continents. William's debut record As I Go Ramblin' Around made the International Folk Radio DJ Charts in 2019 with the #6 Top Album, #7 Top Song. His critically acclaimed sophomore release Folk Songs For Old Times' Sake unveiled in November of 2021 and has been heralded by the likes of Grammy-winning musician David Holt who said: ‘With tasteful guitar arrangements and a voice that draws you right in, Nicholas’ recordings roll along like a mountain stream.” https://nicholasedwardwilliams.com/about/ In this week’s “From the Vault” segment, OHR producer Jeff Glover offers a 1981 archival recording of Ozark original Sam Younger performing the tune “Mississippi Sawyer,” from the Ozark Folk Center State Park archives. In his segment “Back in the Hills,” writer, professor, and historian Dr. Brooks Blevins investigates the history of tourism in the entertainment Mecca of the Ozarks: Branson, Missouri.

This week, bluegrass superstar, beloved television personality and founder of the legendary bluegrass group the Dillards, Rodney Dillard, recorded live at Ozark Folk Center State Park. Rodney is accompanied on this show by multi instrumentalist George Giddens, Gary Smith on upright bass, Corey Walker on guitar, and Beverly Cotton Dillard on clawhammer banjo. “Rodney Dillard has had a long and varied career resulting so far in two Grammy Nominations, induction into the International Bluegrass Music Hall of Fame, a well-known acting stint on the Andy Griffith Show, many other movie, commercials and TV appearances, recipient of The Outstanding Missourian Award, and worldwide acclaim for his over 50 years of recording both traditional Bluegrass and his own brand of ‘DILLARDGRASS.’ Rodney Dillard as founding member of the legendary group, ‘THE DILLARDS’ (aka the Darlings) is seen nearly everyday somewhere in the world thanks to the still enormous popularity of The ANDY GRIFFITH SHOW reruns. Rodney continued to modernize and innovate the sound of Bluegrass as he wrote and collaborated to write such now classic songs as ‘There Is a Time, The Darlin Boys, Ebo Walker, and Dooley.’ By the late 1960′s Rodney had transformed the Dillards into the driving force creating new sounds in the West Coast music environment. Later, called ‘The Father of Country Rock,’ Rodney was among the first Bluegrass musicians to ‘electrify’ traditional Bluegrass instruments while also adding drums, steel guitar, and orchestra. The band’s unique flare for song writing and arrangement affected a broad range of important future musicians in the Bluegrass and Pop music world alike. Rodney is credited with helping set the stage for the ‘Country Rock’ movement and burgeoning progressive sounds of Bluegrass.” - https://rodneydillard.tv/bio/ In this week’s “From the Vault” segment, OHR producer Jeff Glover offers a 1981 archival recording of Ozark originals Jean and Pam Simmons performing the song “Scotland the Brave,” from the Ozark Folk Center State Park archives. In his segment “Back in the Hills,” writer, professor, and historian Dr. Brooks Blevins investigates the history of tourism in the entertainment Mecca of the Ozarks: Branson, Missouri.

This week, renowned Mississippi blues guitarist and singer Alvin Youngblood Hart recorded live at Ozark Folk Center State Park. Alvin Youngblood Hart was born in Oakland, California in 1963 and spent some time in Carroll County, Mississippi in his youth, where he was influenced by the Mississippi country blues performed by his relatives. Hart is known as one of the world's foremost practitioners of country blues. He is also known as a faithful torchbearer for 1960s and 1970s guitar rock as well as western swing and traditional country. His style has been compared to Lead Belly and Spade Cooley. Bluesman Taj Mahal once said about Hart: "The boy has got thunder in his hands." Hart himself said, "I guess my big break came when I opened for Taj Mahal for four nights at Yoshi’s." His debut album, Big Mama's Door, was released in 1996 on Okeh Records. In 2003, Hart's album Down in the Alley was nominated for a Grammy Award for Best Traditional Blues Album. In his segment “Back in the Hills,” writer, professor, and historian Dr. Brooks Blevins investigates the history of tourism in the entertainment Mecca of the Ozarks: Branson, Missouri.

This week, acoustic ragtime and early jazz quintet the Lovestruck Balladeers recorded live at Ozark Folk Center State Park. Also, interviews with this fascinating group’s fearless leader, Jake Sanders. “The Lovestruck Balladeers enchant audiences with their masterful performances and inspired repertoire of ragtime, jazz and beautiful songs from around the world. They might whip out a lost melody from a forgotten mandolin folio or they might play a Mexican waltz. They might push into a renegade rearrangement of a swing standard or get down with a country rag. They are the five scorpion sons of a West Virginia dance hall, a Little Italy tourist attraction and a Oaxacan birthday party. Together or on their own paths, this stellar band of traveling musicians has traversed the country and the globe, carrying traditional styles into modern times. The versatile quintet features twin fiddles, clarinet, guitars, a mandolin trio, upright bass, banjo, piano and vocal harmonies. Their repertoire is a rare repository of American and international music seldom heard beyond the walls of low-lit dance halls at the edge of the known world. Hailing from across the United States and Canada, The Lovestruck Balladeers are: Jake Sanders, Aaron Jonah Lewis, Dennis Lichtman, Sean Cronin and Dalton Ridenhour.” https://www.lovestruckballadeers.com/ In this week’s “From the Vault” segment, OHR producer Jeff Glover offers a 1981 archival recording of Ozark originals Tommy Simmons & Dean Hinesley performing the song “Sinking Creek,” from the Ozark Folk Center State Park archives. In his segment “Back in the Hills,” writer, professor, and historian Dr. Brooks Blevins investigates the history of “big fellers” and tall tales in the Ozarks. You’ve heard of Paul Bunyan, the legendary giant lumberjack, but have you heard of Blinky Bluejohn of the Ozarks? Brooks fills us in on this Ozark original “big feller.”

This week, award winning country & Western swing trio The Farmer & Adele recorded live at Ozark Folk Center State Park. Also, interviews with these rhythmic wranglers. “With the sounds of classic songwriting in their music and the future in their sights, The Farmer & Adele are reimagining the modern cowboy/cowgirl while respecting its beginnings. Based out of Nashville, TN, The Farmer & Adele – led by Grace Adele and Keenan Wade – leads the pack of a new wave of musicians revitalizing western swing music. With a star-studded record, award nominations and their own morning radio show, The Farmer & Adele are a one-two punch of classic meets modern. “The Farmer & Adele have quickly rooted themselves into the fabric of music communities near and far. Their debut album, Into the Wide Open Sky, was selected to be featured as part of Nashville Public Library’s Boombox series, a closely curated music collection highlighting the best artists in Nashville. Most recently, the band was awarded Best Western Swing Group by the Ameripolitan Music Awards. Also, their annual Country and Western Christmas Party tour is a beloved tradition that travels annually nationwide, featuring classic Christmas tunes, original holiday songs and their own take on The Nutcracker with a western swing twist. The band is also featured regularly on 650 AM WSM as the house band during the station’s Grand Ole Opry pre-show and live radio spot coverage.” https://www.everybodylovesthefarmerandadele.com/story In this week’s “From the Vault” segment, musician, educator, and country music legacy Mark Jones offers a 1994 archival recording of Ozark originals the Apple Family performing the tune “Who’s Gonna Dance with Sally Ann,” from the Ozark Folk Center State Park archives. Author, folklorist and songwriter Charley Sandage presents an historical portrait of the people, events and indomitable spirit of Ozark culture that resulted in the creation of the Ozark Folk Center State Park and its enduring legacy of music and craft. In this episode, Charley profiles early country music superstar and Arkansas native Patsy Montana.

This week, Grammy Award winning oldtime singer, songwriter, multi-instrumentalist and Smithsonian Folkways recording artist Dom Flemons with renowned cowboy poet, singer-songwriter, multi-instrumentalist and archivist Andy Hedges recorded live at Ozark Folk Center State Park in Mountain View, Arkansas. Also, interviews with Dom & Andy. “GRAMMY Award Winner, Two-Time EMMY Nominee, 2020 United States Artists Fellow- Dom Flemons is originally from Phoenix, Arizona and currently lives in the Washington, D.C. area with his wife Vania Kinard and their daughter Cheyanne Love. He has branded the moniker ‘The American Songster’ since his repertoire of music covers over 100 years of early American popular music. Flemons is a songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, producer, actor, music scholar, historian, and record collector. He is considered an expert player on the banjo, guitar, harmonica, jug, percussion, quills, fife and rhythm bones. Flemons was selected for the prestigious 2020 United States Artists Fellowship Award for the Traditional Arts category which was generously supported by The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation. He currently serves as a Governor on the Board of Directors for the Washington, D.C Chapter of the Recording Academy. In 2018, Flemons released a solo album titled ‘Dom Flemons Presents Black Cowboys’ on GRAMMY Award-winning record label Smithsonian Folkways and received a GRAMMY Nomination for ‘Best Folk Album’ at the 61st GRAMMY Awards. This recording is part of the African American Legacy Recordings series, co-produced with the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture in Washington, D.C.” - https://theamericansongster.com/about/ “Andy Hedges is a songster, reciter, storyteller, guitarist, and collector of cowboy songs and poems. The son of an Italian schoolteacher and a rodeo cowboy turned preacher, Andy was born in Lubbock, Texas, in the spring of 1980. He grew up in the small community of Tokio, Texas, where his family paid rent on an old farmhouse by looking after a few head of cattle. It was there that Andy fell in love with traditional music by listening to his father’s cassettes of cowboy songs. “Andy’s vast and varied repertoire includes classic cowboy poetry recitations, obscure cowboy songs, dust bowl ballads, and blues. He also hosts a podcast, Cowboy Crossroads which features in-depth interviews with fellow musicians and poets. Andy has performed many times with folk legend Ramblin’ Jack Elliott and the duo’s performance at the 60th Newport Folk Festival was named one of the ’10 Best Things We Saw’ by Rolling Stone.” - https://andyhedges.com/about Together Dom and Andy explore the songs of the old west and often overlooked music of African American Cowboys in this rare and special performance. In this week’s “From the Vault” segment, musician, educator, and country music legacy Mark Jones offers a 1975 archival recording of Ozark original fiddler Charley Richardson performing the tune “Gold Rush,” from the Ozark Folk Center State Park archives. Author, folklorist and songwriter Charley Sandage presents an historical portrait of the people, events and indomitable spirit of Ozark culture that resulted in the creation of the Ozark Folk Center State Park and its enduring legacy of music and craft. In this episode, Charley profiles our very own Ozark original cowboy poet Glenn Ohrlin with an archival recording of Glenn reciting the classic Wallace McRae poem “Reincarnation.”

This week, it’s Dulcimer Jamboree 2022! Each year, dulcimer players from all over come to the Ozark Folk Center State Park in Mountain View, Arkansas for a weekend of learning, listening, and loving all things dulcimer. Each evening of the event features concerts by world renowned dulcimer teachers and performers. We’ll enjoy highlights recorded from these live performances featuring both mountain dulcimers and the more ancient hammered dulcimers. Artists performing this year include: hammered dulcimer prodigy Ben Haguewood accompanied by oldtime fiddle champion Kailee Spickes; multi-award winning mountain dulcimer maven Duane Porterfield; educator and mountain dulcimer phenom Erin Mae; ubiquitous hammered dulcimer performer, educator and luthier Rick Thum; hammered dulcimer master and educator Janis Huff accompanied by multi-instrumentalist Spike Huff; multi-instrumentalist, folk singer, traditional dancer, writer, educator and OHR guest host Aubrey Atwater; Ozark original hammered dulcimer champion and educator Joe Jewell; inimitable mountain dulcimer educator, showman and Jedi Bing Futch. In this week’s “From the Vault” segment, musician, educator, and country music legacy Mark Jones offers an archival recording of Ozark original hammered dulcimer master Jay Round performing a medley of Irish folk tunes from the Ozark Folk Center State Park archives. Author, folklorist, and songwriter Charley Sandage presents an historical portrait of the people, events, and indomitable spirit of Ozark culture that resulted in the creation of the Ozark Folk Center State Park and its enduring legacy of music and craft. This episode brings us a portrait of The Meadowcreek Project, a sustainable agriculture & education facility located in the Ozarks.

This week, legendary award winning Texas cowboy singer-songwriter and poet Pipp Gillette recorded live at Ozark Folk Center State Park in Mountain View, Arkansas. Also, interviews with this canorous cow-poke. “Pipp Gillette lives and works on the family ranch near Lovelady, Texas, where his grandfather started raising cattle and cotton in 1912. Pipp and his late brother Guy received the Western Heritage Award for Outstanding Traditional Western Album of 2011 and the 2013 Western Heritage Award for Outstanding Original Western Composition for their performance of the Waddie Mitchell song "Trade Off.” Drawing on a lifelong interest in Western history and music, Pipp plays traditional cowboy music on guitar, banjo, harmonica and bones. Pipp’s first solo CD, Singing Songs by Waddie and Pipp received the Western Heritage Award for Outstanding Traditional Western Album of 2016. His newest CD, PippGillette with Lloyd Wright was released fall 2018.” Pipp is accompanied in this performance by Lloyd Wright. https://www.campstreetcafe.com/guy&pipp.htm In this week’s “From the Vault” segment, musician, educator, and country music legacy Mark Jones offers a 1975 archival recording of Ozark original Freeman Thomas performing the song “The Cowboy and the Wheel,” from the Ozark Folk Center State Park archives. Author and historian Brooks Blevins provides a native’s view of the people, music, and colorful events that shape the Ozark region. This week, Brooks presents a profile of Oscar Gilbert, the husband of famed folk singer Ollie Gilbert. Also, we’ll hear an archival recording of Oscar singing the classic “Ballad of Cole Younger.”