Dr. Hugh Foley
Author
Oklahoma Music Guide and Just for Kicks: Oklahoma Route 66 Music Guide
Associate Professor
Department of Fine Arts
Rogers State University
Claremore, Okla.
What are three of the most interesting ways to experience the musical heritage of Oklahoma?
- Tulsa: From the ancient songs of the American Indian to the most current country, pop and jazz, Oklahoma’s musical heritage delights the most discerning music fans. Before arriving in Tulsa, check out www.powwows.com for Native American dances, where visitors are welcome to browse vendors of authentic arts and crafts, or just sit and enjoy music and dance. Jazz fans will want to visit the Oklahoma Music Hall of Fame for jazz history exhibits and regularly scheduled concerts. No Tulsa music tour is complete without a stop at Cain’s Ballroom. Made famous by Western swing giant Bob Wills, the venerable music hall is on the National Register of Historic Places and still books local, regional and national acts.
- Oklahoma City: Oklahoma City is quickly realizing the need to capitalize on their rich American music history to include jazz giants Charlie Christian and Jimmy Rushing, and one of the biggest current names in rock, The Flaming Lips, all OKC natives. See the downtown alley named for the Lips and streets named for Vince Gill and Charlie Christian in Oklahoma City’s Bricktown area of entertainment and dining spots, including country pop megastar Toby Keith’s I Love This Bar and Grill Restaurant. Planners will want to note the History of Rock and Roll in Oklahoma exhibit, now in the planning stages for spring 2009 at the Oklahoma History Center.
- Side Trips: Music-minded visitors can learn the most about Oklahoma music at the Oklahoma Music Hall of Fame and Museum in Muskogee, 50 minutes southeast of Tulsa. The museum houses artifacts and bios of Oklahoma Music Hall of Fame inductees and details the broader impact of Oklahomans on the world of music. Just 25 minutes northeast of Tulsa, music fans can see the Lynn Riggs Memorial Museum in Claremore. The museum preserves the memories of the Claremore native, whose play, Green Grow the Lilacs, served as the basis for the musical Oklahoma!