For the third year in a row, the Oklahoma Jazz Hall of Fame presents its annual Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. tribute concert, produced by well-known Tulsa-based vocalist Darell Christopher, and always held on the Sunday nearest Dr. King’s January 15th birthdate.

But while Christopher is well on his way to establishing an Oklahoma Jazz Hall of Fame tradition with these shows, his involvement with celebrating Martin Luther King’s life and work goes far beyond the past few years, back to a time when the civil-rights leader’s birthday wasn’t even celebrated in Oklahoma – despite a bill signed in 1986 by then-president Ronald Reagan that created the national holiday.
Continue reading →

Together for the first time, the Oklahoma singer/songwriters considered by many to be the taproots of what is called Red Dirt Music will play Tulsa, Friday January 30th. Presented by Red Dirt Nation are Oklahoma’s own Red Dirt pioneers Randy Crouch, Tom Skinner and Chuck Dunlap, in a rare four city home state concert tour beginning in Tulsa. Other cities included are: Tahlequah, Stillwater and Oklahoma City.
Continue reading →

Garth Brooks and Trisha Yearwood played home Friday night in the first of seven concerts planned for Tulsa’s BOK Arena. The crowd roared approval all-night-long in adoration well deserved. The music spoke to the heart and those hearts roared back.

Never, in this writer’s experience, have audience cheers been louder than the music – throughout the entire concert. Tulsans love these folk – stars and band.

“I miss this,” Brooks said quietly above the cheers. “Ever since the second I learned I was coming here, I was nervous… You always made me feel like I was someone special, but even more you made me feel like I was one of you,” Brooks said.

Continue reading →