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.

Ozark Highlands Radio

OHR Presents: Railyard Live - Will Gunselman & Ashtyn Barbaree

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.”

OHR Presents: Railyard Live - Arkansauce (Show Preview)

OHR Presents: Railyard Live - Arkansauce

This week, another special road trip episode.  OHR visits Rogers, Arkansas’ Railyard Live Concert Series featuring Ozark original true folk troubadours Chucky Waggs & The Company of Raggs, 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.

Chucky Waggs is a multi-instrumentalist, singer/songwriter and recording artist based out of the hills of Eureka Springs, AR.  Chucky Waggs plays a mix of acoustic and electric guitar, 5 string and tenor banjo, dobro, resonator guitar, harmonica, musical saw and kazoo, while using his feet to stomp out the back beat on a thrown together drum kit during live performances.  Drawing influences from early American roots music, as well as early punk and rock and roll, he's often joined on stage by numerous accompanying musicians during live performances to add to the energy and dynamic of his original material.  This group is commonly referred to as the "Company of Raggs.”  The result ranges from intimate, often humorous, folk ballads, to all out rowdy stomp alongs. - https://chuckywaggs.com/bio  

In this week’s “From the Vault” segment, OHR producer Jeff Glover offers a 1981 archival recording of Ozark original Dave Para performing the traditional song “Frankie and Albert” 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 presents a collection of coal mining disaster songs.

OHR Presents: Railyard Live - Chucky Waggs & the Company of Raggs

Dadang

This week, an accidental masterpiece performance featuring three finger bluegrass banjo Jedi and Ozark original Adam Fudge & friends recorded live at the Ozark Folk Center State Park.

Once in a while, when things don’t go as planned, something happens that’s unexpectedly great.  To quote famed artist Bob Ross, a “happy accident.”  One such happy accident occurred on Saturday of the Ozark Folk Center’s 2023 bluegrass festival when, due to illness, banjo player Adam Fudge had to scramble to find musicians to help him with his set.  In desperation, Adam and his brother, bassist Shane Fudge, recruited three local teenagers and staged an impromptu jam session.  What followed, turned out to be one of the most exciting and energetic bluegrass performances ever heard at the Ozark Folk Center State Park.

Born and raised in the rich musical culture of the Ozarks, Adam Fudge has followed the legacy of his native mountain music with tenacity and a deep love for the traditional.  Adam is a talented singer and guitarist playing traditional country & bluegrass but his true calling is the three finger style of banjo popularized by bluegrass legend Earl Scruggs.  Adam has won numerous awards for his banjo skills both in Arkansas and at the traditional music proving grounds of the Walnut Valley Music Festival in Winfield, Kansas.  Here, Adam performs with his brother, upright bassist Shane Fudge, siblings Mary and Gordon Parker on fiddle and mandolin respectively and Turner Atwell on guitar.

In this week’s “From the Vault” segment, OHR producer Jeff Glover offers a 1981 archival recording of Ozark original bluegrass band Gospel Grass performing the traditional song “Will the Circle Be unbroken” from the Ozark Folk Center State Park archives.

In his segment “Back in the Hills,” writer, professor and historian Dr. Brooks Blevins discusses the role of squirrels in both Ozark culture and the Ozark diet.

OHR Presents: Adam Fudge & Friends

uk rap, uk drill, lightwork freestyle, London view, plugged in, 3x3, ofb, loski, tionwayne, digga d, #STK Lil prezi, leostaytrill, 163 margz, kairo keyz, central cee, 67, brucka, dopesmoke, kwengface, lightwork #desertedition, Suspect, fredo, Trigz HRB, Twin S, pozer, nines, headie one, nemzz, PS Hitsquad, M1llionz, mazza l20, blanco, booter bee, skengdo, am, LD, knuckz, siru, abra cadabra, double lz, swavey, izzpot, dezzie, Pete & Bas, c1 x DT, doroad, PR SAD, m24, m12, Jason bourne

M12 X M24 - Jason Borne (Music Video)  Pressplay

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: Railyard Live - The Gary Lawrence Show

Immerse yourself in the serene beauty of rural Bangladesh with "Grameen View" by Somogro Bangladesh. This folk-inspired track captures the essence of the countryside, blending traditional melodies with modern arrangements to evoke the charm of village life. Let the soothing tones transport you to the heart of Bangladesh's timeless landscapes and culture.

Grameen View by Somogro Bangladesh

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 - National Park Radio

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 - Dominic Bryan Roy

Somogro Bangladesh is a vibrant project celebrating the heart of Bangladesh! From exploring its rich heritage and history to diving into its diverse culture and stunning travel destinations, we aim to showcase the beauty of every corner of this incredible country. Join us on this journey to discover and preserve the essence of Bangladesh!

Ozark Highlands Radio is a weekly radio program that features live music and interviews, recorded at Ozark Folk Center State Park’s beautiful 1,000-seat auditorium in Mountain View, Arkansas.  In addition to the music, our “Feature Host” segments take listeners on a musical journey with historians, authors, and personalities who explore the people, stories, and history of the Ozark region.

New tracks tagged #View,