Ozark Highlands Radio

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OHR Presents: Stringband ‘24 Mar 26, 2025

Show notes

This week, a sampling of Ozark original stringbands recorded live at the Ozark Folk Center State Park’s 2024 Stringband festival held annually in Mountain View, Arkansas. Each Fall, the Ozark Folk Center State Park holds its annual Stringband Festival featuring internationally touring musicians as well as local stringbands. In 2024, the headliners were The Lonesome Ace Stringband from Toronto and Dirk & Amelia Powell from Louisiana. Both these internationally touring acts were featured recently on Ozark Highlands Radio. In this episode, we’ll spotlight the authentic local Ozark stringbands that round out our festival. Featured are Lillyanne McCool & Ozark Legacy, The Creek Rocks, Bug Shuffle, The Riggsville Ramblers, and Salem Plateau. Lillyanne McCool & Ozark Legacy is a five piece string band that straddles the line between oldtime and bluegrass musics. Led by award winning banjo virtuoso Lillyanne McCool, Ozark legacy is based in Mountain View, Arkansas. Joined by her brother Jared on mandolin and her mother Crystal on upright bass, Lillyanne has grown up on the Ozark Folk Center stage. Esther Exley joins in on fiddle and Emalee Flatness-Combs brings the guitar. The Creek Rocks from Springfield, Missouri are Cindy Woolf and Mark Bilyeu. Cindy Woolf was raised in Batesville, Arkansas along the southern foothills of the Ozarks Mountain region. Mark Bilyeu hails from Springfield, located atop the Ozarks Plateau. They began their musical collaboration in 2003 with Mark at the helm for Woolf’s debut CD “Simple and Few.” They married in 2013 and have endeavored together on a mission to breath new life into traditional Ozark folk songs, a mission that’s carried them all the way to the Smithsonian Folklife Festival! Bug Shuffle is a traditional oldtime stringband trio based in Mountain View, Arkansas. The band consists of husband and wife Scott & Shay Pool and our very own Dave Smith, the host of Ozark Highlands Radio. Shay Pool is an oldtime fiddle contest champion and educator in the Ozark Folk Center’s Music Roots program. Scott is a renowned guitar accompanist and talented luthier. Together, they own and operate Mountain View Music, an old fashioned retail music store and local landmark. The Riggsville Ramblers are another Mountain View fixture. This four piece Ozark original stringband can be heard regularly in the craft grounds at the Ozark Folk Center State Park. The Ramblers are husband and wife Jenny & Tom Sartain on banjo and guitar, Joe Roe on fiddle, and Carl Adkins on resonator guitar. With a sound plucked right out of the 19th century, the Riggsville Ramblers will have your toes tapping and your hands clapping. Salem Plateau is an oldtime husband and wife duo made up of five time Arkansas CMA winner Grace Stormont-McCarthy and multi-instrumentalist Joseph McCarthy. With a penchant and a voice for ancient ballads, Grace grew up on the Ozark Folk Center stage singing and playing everything from upright bass to guitar and banjo to fiddle. Not only a talented multi-instrumentalist, Joseph McCarthy is a human encyclopedia of knowledge when it comes to traditional Ozark music. In this week’s “From the Vault” segment, OHR producer Jeff Glover offers an archival recording of Ozark original stringband Squirrel Heads in Gravy performing a medley of “My Own House Waltz and Come on with Dinah,” 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 folk song Lazy John.

OHR Presents: Legacies Mar 11, 2025

Show notes

This week, musicians born into powerful family musical traditions recorded live at the Ozark Folk Center State Park. Also, commentary from some of these living legacies. Legacy is something handed down from the past. The tradition of folk music and culture is rooted in legacy. Musical legacies can exist in the form of songs, melodies, musical instruments, styles of playing, and sometimes even people. A musician born into a powerful family music tradition may find themselves a living connection to that legacy for thousands of fans. On this week’s show, we feature some of these living legacies: Amy Helm; A.J. Croce; Carlene Carter; Dale Jett; and Thom Bresh. Amy Helm is an American singer-songwriter and daughter of The Band drummer Levon Helm and singer Libby Titus. She is a past member of the Levon Helm's Midnight Ramble Band and Ollabelle, as well as her own touring band. Born in Woodstock, New York, Amy spent her childhood between Woodstock, Los Angeles, and New York City. She attended Trinity High School where she studied jazz with Dr. Aaron Bell, while singing in bands, and playing in New York City clubs and bars. A lifelong musician and music-lover, Helm’s parents guided her training and influences. She later became a founding member of the alt-country collective Ollabelle and served as a backing musician in her father's Midnight Ramble Band. Adrian James "A.J." Croce is an American singer-songwriter. He is the son of singer-songwriters Jim Croce and Ingrid Croce. A.J. Croce has been inextricably linked to a version of his own story by virtue of his name. He’s experienced a lifetime of comparisons to a father he lost at age two, whose music bears little resemblance to his own output yet still serves as a reference point despite the years that have passed and the many iconic mentors who have stepped in to offer their counsel, creativity, and endorsement throughout his long career. Carlene Carter is an American country singer and songwriter. She is the daughter of June Carter of the famed Carter Family and her first husband, Carl Smith. She became the step-daughter of Johnny Cash. Between 1978 and the present, Carter has recorded twelve albums, primarily on major labels. In the same timespan, she has released more than twenty singles, including three No. 3-peaking hits on the Billboard Hot Country Songs chart. Dale Jett is a proud bearer of the Carter Family musical legacy. Son of Jeanette Carter and grandson of A.P. and Sara Carter, Dale performs songs from the Carter Family song book with his group “Hello Stranger.” With his wife Teresa on bass, and Oscar Harris on auto harp, Dale keeps the music of his family tradition alive and relevant. Thom Bresh has led an incredible, multi-faceted life in the entertainment business. To start, his birth father is guitar royalty, Merle Travis. Thom was raised in California during the golden age of television and worked as a stuntman/actor during his youth. He went on to become one of the premier practitioners of his fathers “thumbpicking” style of guitar. Harnessing a quick wit and an equally quick set of ten fingers, there is nothing like a Thom Bresh performance. In this week’s “From the Vault” segment, OHR producer Jeff Glover offers an archival recording of country music legacy and our very own Mark Jones performing in the banjo style of his famous father Grandpa Jones the tune “Mountain Whippoorwill,” 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 describes therapeutic music and her role as a musician in a pediatric hospital.

OHR Presents: The Waddington Brothers Feb 25, 2025

Show notes

This week, North Dakota based 2023 SPBGMA International Bluegrass Band Champions the Waddington Brothers recorded live at the Ozark Folk Center State Park. Also, interviews with eldest brother Seth Waddington. “The Waddington Brothers, a band of four brothers from rural North Dakota, perform what they live: music that is real to them, that takes listeners on a journey through the heart of the American West. “Seth, Ethan, Jacob, and Job Waddington skillfully blend cowboy and bluegrass music, creating a style that’s timelessly classic and yet refreshingly new and unique. With their rich, stirring vocal harmonies and instrumental versatility that ranges from hard-driving bluegrass to more mellow acoustic tones, this quartet has developed a sound that is truly as strong as it is special. And their gift for captivating an audience comes naturally to these men. Whether they’re singing about cowboys or cabins, hunting or horseback riding, ranches or Indian reservations, The Waddington Brothers share heartfelt songs that evoke feelings of warmth, appreciation, and a genuine connection to the way life was lived by our country’s pioneers. “This group shares their music as a well-polished craft: one that’s been cultivated by four siblings who have been playing and singing together their entire lives. While their performing experience together traces back to 2004, the band officially came together as The Waddington Brothers in 2019. Their musical inspiration today is drawn from many pools of influences. Their sound might be described as a mixture of traditional bluegrass, gospel music, and Western strains reminiscent of The Sons of the Pioneers. Even more accurately, though, it can be described as something brand new—something powerfully different—a breath of fresh air to their audiences, that could only be created by four brothers with such an authentic synergy and blend. And it’s been proven: in 2023 at the annual SPBGMA (Society for the Preservation of Bluegrass Music of America) Convention in Nashville, Tennessee, The Waddington Brothers took first place in the International Bluegrass Band Competition.” - https://www.waddingtonbrothers.com/about In this week’s “From the Vault” segment, OHR producer Jeff Glover offers an archival recording of bluegrass legends the Country Gentlemen performing the Kris Kristofferson song “Darby’s Castle,” 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 demonstrates American clog dancing styles and their influences.

OHR Presents: Dirk & Amelia Powell Feb 25, 2025

Show notes

This week, Louisiana old time and traditional Cajun music father-daughter duo the inimitable Dirk Powell with his daughter Amelia recorded live at the Ozark Folk Center State Park in Mountain View, Arkansas. Also, interviews with Dirk. “Dirk Powell is known as a “musician’s musician” in the circle of American roots music and beyond. He learned banjo and fiddle from his Kentucky grandfather, James Clarence Hay, and has been a part of the thriving Cajun/Creole music community in Louisiana since his early 20s. He has toured and recorded with musicians such as Joan Baez, Rhiannon Giddens, Eric Clapton, Buddy Miller, Loretta Lynn, and Levon Helm, while his contribution to film has found him collaborating with directors like Anthony Minghella ("Cold Mountain"), Ang Lee ("Ride with the Devil"), and Spike Lee ("Bamboozled"). His solo records, which often combine a traditional foundation with a wide-ranging commitment to emotion and original songs, have had impact around the globe. His original song “Waterbound” has been recorded over 100 times. He is also in demand as a producer and owns his own studio, the Cypress House, on the banks of Bayou Teche near Breaux Bridge, Louisiana. On this performance, Dirk is joined by his daughter Amelia.” - https://www.dirkpowell.org/about In this week’s “From the Vault” segment, OHR producer Jeff Glover offers an archival recording of Ozark originals Aunt Lilly Freeze and her son Ervin Freeze singing the gospel classic “Just One Drop,” 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 deconstructs how melodies are played on the mountain dulcimer.

OHR Presents: The Lonesome Ace Stringband Feb 06, 2025

Show notes

This week, Toronto, Canada old time trio The Lonesome Ace Stringband recorded live at the Ozark Folk Center State Park during our annual String Band festival. Also, interviews with Lonesome Ace founder and banjo player Chris Coole. “The Lonesome Ace Stringband bring grit, skill and abandon to Americana music, bridging old-time, bluegrass and folk traditions into a seamless hybrid of original material that is at once fresh and timeless. The trio’s sound is anchored in the fiddle and clawhammer banjo of John Showman and Chris Coole. They are joined by a rotating cast of extraordinary upright bassists (including founding member Max Malone, James Mceleney, and Lotus Wight). The band moves freely between a sound so commanding it doesn’t seem like it should be coming from a stringband, to a sparse fragility that draws the listener closer. Whether singing about climate change, modern love, BBQ techniques or life's inevitable existential crises, the band cuts to the core. They can also turn and churn out a tune with so much verve that it will make your heart spin and set the dance floor swirling.” https://lonesomeace.com/about In this week’s “From the Vault” segment, OHR producer Jeff Glover offers an archival recording of Ozark original Lisa Wiede singing the cowboy ballad “John Martin Duffy,” 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 seafaring song “Jamestown Homeward Bound.”

OHR Presents: Railyard Live - Dominic Bryan Roy Jan 15, 2025

Show notes

This week, a special road trip episode. OHR visits Rogers, Arkansas’ Railyard Live Concert Series featuring Siloam Springs Ozark original Dominic Bryan Roy and his band, recorded live at Butterfield Stage in Railyard Park in historic downtown Rogers. 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. Dominic Bryan Roy's music takes his audience on a journey of emotions and leaves a lasting impact. His performances are known for their captivating storytelling, passionate vocals, and skilled instrumentation, making each live show a memorable and engaging experience for his fans. One of Dominic's notable attributes is his incredible whistling skills and the remarkable vibrato in his voice. His performances are infused with great energy and a touch of quirkiness that captivates the audience from start to finish. Additionally, Dominic occasionally incorporates the harmonica into his sets, showcasing the breadth of his musical talent. - https://www.facebook.com/DominicBRoyMusic/ In this week’s “From the Vault” segment, OHR producer Jeff Glover offers a 1984 archival recording of Ozark originals Nellie and Glen Branscum performing the song “Cool Water” 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 lined out hymnody, a form of Anglo-American worship singing introduced by English and Scottish emigrants in the 1600s, where a leader chants a line and the congregation answers.

OHR Presents: Railyard Live - National Park Radio Dec 31, 2024

Show notes

This week, a special road trip episode. OHR visits Rogers, Arkansas’ Railyard Live Concert Series featuring Ozark original indie-folk husband and wife duo National Park Radio, recorded live at Butterfield Stage in Railyard Park in historic downtown Rogers. 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. “National Park Radio is a nationally touring indie-folk ‘power duo’ based in the Ozark Mountains of Northwest Arkansas. With an impressive and consistently growing grassroots fanbase across the U.S. (and the world), husband and wife duo Stefan & Kerrie Szabo have made a name for themselves over the past several years with their beautiful harmonies, incredibly inspiring and relatable songwriting, and their unique and energetic live shows. Aside from their incredibly relatable songwriting and harmonies that connect with so many of their fans, their high-energy live shows - created by the duo bringing in a unique setup and multitasking configuration - brings a new level of sound created by just two people on stage. National Park Radio has been described as the ‘biggest sounding indie-folk duo’ that there is, and between the two of them, many say they create the sound and energy of a 5-piece band.” https://npr.band/ In this week’s “From the Vault” segment, OHR producer Jeff Glover offers a 1984 archival recording of Ozark originals Mary and Robert Gillihan performing the song “Keep on the Sunny Side” from the Ozark Folk Center State Park archives.

OHR Presents: Railyard Live - The Gary Lawrence Show Dec 12, 2024

Show notes

This week, a special road trip episode. OHR visits Rogers, Arkansas’ Railyard Live Concert Series featuring Eureka Springs post-folk Americana trio The Gary Lawrence Show, recorded live at Butterfield Stage in Railyard Park in historic downtown Rogers. 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. The Gary Lawrence Show is a three-piece band from Eureka Springs, Arkansas. Like Eureka Springs itself, the trio brews an unlikely collection of influences into an uniquely fresh sound. Blending elements of ska, funk and indie-rock with Americana and true-folk themes, The Gary Lawrence Show is truly an Ozark original. Along with his acoustic guitar and colorful vocals, Gary is joined by Dylan Caldwell on bass and “Benji" on percussion. For this performance, Sophia Clark of the band Eureka Strings joins in on vocals. In this week’s “From the Vault” segment, OHR producer Jeff Glover offers a 1984 archival recording of Ozark original Elliott Hancock performing the traditional train wreck ballad “The Fate of Chris Lively and Wife” 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 origin and meaning of the traditional folk song “The Old Woman and the Pig.”

OHR Presents: Rogers Railyard Live 2024 Nov 26, 2024

Show notes

This week, a special road trip episode. Once again, OHR visits Rogers, Arkansas’ Railyard Live Concert Series featuring their Ozark Folk Jamboree, a compilation of bands recorded live over two days at the City of Rogers’ Butterfield Stage located next to Railyard Park in downtown Rogers. 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. Kinya Christian provides a brief overview of 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 National Park Radio, The Gary Lawrence Show, Jesse Dean, Dandelion Heart, and Dominic Bryan Roy. In this week’s “From the Vault” segment, OHR producer Jeff Glover offers a 1984 archival recording of Ozark original three finger banjo Jedi Adam Fudge performing the tune “Bugle Call Rag,” 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 concept of the “old maid” in traditional music.

OHR Presents: Frank Fairfield & Zac Sokolow 2024 Nov 14, 2024

Show notes

This week, in honor of Hispanic history month, OHR presents California based multi-instrumentalists, singers and purveyors of traditional Southwestern American folk music Frank Fairfield & Zac Sokolow recorded live at the Ozark Folk Center State Park. Also, interviews with Frank & Zac. Music has the power to transport us to another time and place. Frank Fairfield loves to harness that power with a broad audience of fellow music lovers and passionate musicians alike. Ever since a young age, Fairfield has found great joy and satisfaction by being involved in the creative music process. Frank plays down-home, old time folk music. He plays fiddle, guitar, banjo and he sings. Frank has been featured on NPR’s Tiny Desk Concert, as well as the PBS documentary series American Epic. Born in Fresno, California, he now lives in Los Angeles with his wife. https://www.frankfairfield.net On this show, Frank will share the stage with the equally adept multi-instrumentalist & singer Zac Sokolow. Zac is at home on guitar, banjo, fiddle, as well as mandolin. Sokolow is a founding member of the contemporary Americana band “The Americans,” also featured on PBS’ “American Epic.” Zac began learning music from his father at an early age, playing bluegrass as a child. http://www.theamericansmusic.com In this week’s “From the Vault” segment, musician, educator, and country music legacy Mark Jones offers an archival recording of Ozark original Frank Ellis performing the tune “Seamus O’Brien,” 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.

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