The Music of Arkansas Notes

I. The Early YearsA. The earliest known

reference to Arkansas music was March 12, 1682, when Rene Robert Cavelier was going down the Mississippi River singing.

I. The Early Years1. When he arrived in the Quapaw village of Kappa, the Frenchmen thought the singing was a war cry.

a. Cavelier explained to the Indians that he meant no harm by the singing and that it was just for fun.

b. Soon a celebration was started that featured singing and dancing.

I. The Early Years2. This dancing and singing began to spread to other Indian villages in different areas.

II. The Arkansas TravelerA. In 1845 it was known

as a fiddle tune.

B. The story of the song

1. A solitary traveler approaches an isolated Arkansas cabin on horseback.

II. The Arkansas Traveler2. In the doorway, the homesteader plays the first part of a song called The Arkansas Traveler.

3. The fiddler responds rudely but when the traveler offers to play the tune’s second part, he’s suddenly offered the warmest of hospitality.

II. The Arkansas TravelerC. Recordings of the song

1. In 1902 by Len Spencer. This may be the first recording of the song.

2. In 1922, Henry Gilliland and Eck Robertson’s version of the song is cited as the first country music record

III. African American Influence

A. Blacks sang songs as they worked.

B. For one month each year, some slaves would go on a month spree of eating, drinking, and dancing.

C. Sang songs in church.

III. African American Influence

D. “Song of the First of Arkansas”

1. A marching song written for the First Arkansas Colored Regiment during the Civil War.

2. Written by Lindley Miller.

IV. Arkansas’ first professional musician was Essie Whitman

A. Born in Osceola in 1882.

B. Toured first with mother and sister singing jubilee songs.

C. Later she was one of the Whitman Sisters on the vaudeville circuit.

D. In 1921, she was recording records.

V. RadioA. The first radio station in

Arkansas was WOK, which stood for Workers of Kilowatts.1. First broadcast of February 18, 1922 in Pine Bluff.2. Featured local news and talent.3. Featured results of a high school basketball game.

V. RadioB. KTHS was a popular radio

station in Hot Springs.1. Featured The Lum and Abner

Show.

C. Early radio stations played a variety of music and talent.

D. Commercial recordings of country and western music developed along with radio in the early 1920s.

V. RadioE. A very popular radio

show was King Biscuit Time.1. It went from 12:15 – 12:30 on Helena’s KFFA.2. It was sponsored by the local Interstate Grocery Company to promote their flour.

V. Radio3. It featured guitar player Robert Lockwood and harmonica player Sonny Boy Williamson.4. It was so popular that Interstate Grocery Company was soon selling Sonny Boy Corn Meal.

V. Radio5. The popularity of this music is still going strong with the King Biscuit Blues Festival.

6. An appliance salesman named Johnny Cash started out singing on a 15-minute gospel show on KWEM in West Memphis.

VI. Rock ‘N’ RollA. In the decade after

WWII, rock ‘n’ roll came to Arkansas.

1. Some people called its earliest appearances rockabilly.

B. Rock ‘n’ roll was not popular at first, but soon more and more people started listening to it.

VI. Rock ‘N’ RollC. Sam Phillips helped

start the careers of many rock ‘n’ roll artists at Sun Records.

1. He recorded Elvis Presley, Jerry Lee Lewis, and Johnny Cash.

VII. PerformersA. Black Oak Arkansas

1. 6 young men from Northeast Arkansas

2. Popular in the south

3. Southern rock music

4. Toured with Black Sabbath

VII. PerformersB. Glen Campbell

1. Born in Delight in 1938

2. His start in music began at age 4 when his dad paid $5 for a guitar.

3. Won 8 Grammys

4. Was in the movie True Grit with John Wayne

VII. Performers5. Had his own T.V. show called The Glen Campbell Goodtime Hour

6. Played for the Queen of England in 1972

VII. Performers7. Songs

a. Rhinestone Cowboy

b. Gentle on My Mind

c. By the Time I Get to Phoenix

d. Galvestone. Wichita

Lineman

VII. PerformersC. Johnny Cash

1. Born in Kingsland in 1932

2. In 1956, he became a member of the Grand Ole Opry.

3. Married June Carter

VII. Performers4. Songs

a. Ring of Fire

b. I Walk the Line

c. Hurt

5. Died in September 2003

VII. PerformersD. Jimmy Driftwood

1. Born in 1907 near Mountain View2. Became a teacher3. Wrote “The Battle of New Orleans”4. Helped establish the Ozark Folk Center in Mountain View

VII. PerformersE. Al Green

1. Born in Forrest City in 19462. Began singing in gospel groups3. Songs

a. Tired of Being Alone

b. Let’s Stay Together

VII. Performers4. In 1976 he was ordained as a minister.

5. He pastors at Full Gospel Tabernacle in Memphis.

6. Inducted in the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 1995

VII. PerformersF. Patsy Montana

1. Born in Hot Springs in 1914

2. Real name was Rubye Blevins

3. Wrote and originally sang “I Want to Be a Cowboy’s Sweetheart”

a. Became the first million selling hit by a female country singer

VII. Performers4. Movie role in Colorado Sunset

5. Died in 1996

VII. PerformersG. Charlie Rich

1. Born in Colt in 19322. Hired as a session musician for Sun Records3. Song

a. The Most Beautiful Girl

1. Became a gold record

2. Won a Grammy

                    

VII. Performers4. CMA Entertainer of the Year

5. Once lived in Benton

6. Died in 1995

VII. PerformersH. Sonny Boy

Williamson1. Real name – Aleck Miller2. Harmonica prodigy3. On the radio show King Biscuit Time on KFFA in Helena4. Died in 1965

VII. PerformersI. Buddy Jewell

1. Raised in Osceola2. Worked at Six Flags

Over Texas in a country music show then in a gunfight show

3. Went on T.V.’s Star Search where he won male vocalist on several episodes

VII. Performers4. Won the Nashville Star competition in 2002

5. Songs

a. Help Pour Out the Rain (Lacy’s Song)

b. Southern Comfort

                  

VII. PerformersJ. Joe Nichols

1. Born in Rogers

2. Dad sang at the VFW

3. Jobs

a. Moving furniture

b. Installing cable T.V. systems

c. Sold steaks door to door

VII. Performers4. Songs

a. The Impossible

1. Three Grammy nominations

b. Brokenheartsville

c. Gimme That Girl

5. Won CMA Horizon award

VII. PerformersK. Sarah Caldwell

1. Raised in Fayetteville

2. Giving violin recitals before the age of 10

3. Graduated from Fayetteville High School at 14 years old

4. Founded the Opera Company of Boston

5. In 1976, she became the first woman to conduct the New York Metropolitan Opera.

VII. PerformersL. Evanescence

1. From Little Rock2. Amy Lee and Ben Moody were the group’s founders

a. Met at a church youth camp3. The actual band started in the late 1990s.

VII. Performers4. Brad Caviness started to play Understanding and Give Unto Me on the radio show he cohosted on KABF in Little Rock.

5. Won 2 Grammys

6. Started our as a Christian rock band.

VII. Performers7. Songs

a. My Immortal

b. Bring Me To Life

c. Understanding

VII. PerformersM. Kris Allen

1. Born June 21, 1985 in Jacksonville2. Served as assistant music director at the New Life Church3. Learned to play viola in elementary school

a. Made Arkansas All-State Orchestra4. Plays guitar and piano

VII. Performers5. Attended University of Central Arkansas6. Married Katy O’Connell in 20087. Won American Idol in 20098. Songs

a. Live Like We’re Dying

b. No Boundariesc. The Truth

VII. PerformersN. Other singings and

musicians from Arkansas

1. The Browns

a. Jim Ed, Maxine, and Bonnie

b. From Sparkman

VII. Performers2. Barbara Fairchild

a. From Knobel

VII. Performers3. Tracy Lawrence

a. Raised in Foreman

VII. Performers4. Collin Raye

a. Born in Dequeen

VII. Performers5. K.T. Oslin

a. Born in Crossett

VII. Performers6. Ronnie Dunn

a. Native of El Dorado

VII. Performers7. Scott Joplin

a. Born in Texarkana

VII. Performers8. Twila Paris

a. Resides in Fayetteville

VII. Performers9. Justin Moore

a. From Poyen

VII. Performers10. Point of Grace

a. Attended Ouachita Baptist University in Arkadelphia