2013 May Oklahoma magazine by Oklahoma Magazine

THE 5TH A N

S AT U R D AY M AY 1 8 , 2 0 1 3

Planting the seed of something sPecial. Join us Saturday, May 18, 2013 10 a.m. - 5 p.m: Enter to win prizes o Tour our flower beds in full bloom o Purchase flowers for your own garden o Get gardening advice from experts o Take part in a photography contest for a chance to win a $1,000 Utica Square gift certificate compliments of Commerce Bank o Shop and dine at your favorite locally owned and nationally recognized merchants.

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Retirement isn’t a dollar amount. It’s a lifestyle. Well-deserved leisure. Or the realization of a life-long dream. We understand. And with a complete selection of investment and insurance solutions, plus local professionals with extensive industry experience, we can help you get there. Not by making your dreams fit a set model, but by making plans that fit your dreams. Start planning. Schedule a fast, free, no-obligation consultation today.

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May 2 0 1 3 O K L A H O M A M A G A Z I N E

VOL. XVII, NO. 5

FEATURES

Made In Oklahoma If you think manufacturing in the United States is a lost art, look no further than the companies in Oklahoma that are providing goods and services for people all over the world. From tires and custom plantation shutters to parts that are vital to the state’s strong oil and gas industry, Oklahoma’s manufacturing industry is a boon for the state economy.

The State Of Women We all hear the statistics: first in incarceration of women; bottoms in women serving in the State Legislature; inadequate pay for women and inadequate care for pregnant women. What are we doing for the women of this state? The numbers are dismal, and nothing seems to change. Is there hope in a new generation of women?

Oklahoma Music When you think of it, with Oklahoma’s central location, it only makes sense that the Sooner State is also at the center of American music. We take a look at more than 75 individuals, places and moments that shape the state’s musical heritage, from stars such as Reba McEntire and The All-American Rejects to lesser known but no less inﬂuential artists such as Bob Childers and Barney Kessel.

OKMAG.COM

Want some more? Visit us online.

M O R E G R E AT A R T I C L E S : Read expanded articles and stories that don’t appear in the print edition. M O R E P H O T O S : View expanded Scene, Fashion, Taste and Entertainment galleries. M O R E E V E N T S : The online calendar of events includes even more great Oklahoma events. ON THE COVER: OKLAHOMA MAGAZINE CELEBRATES THE SOONER STATE’S RICH MUSICAL LEGACY.

OKLAHOMA MAGAZINE | MAY 2013

Get Oklahoma

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Contents

DEPARTMENTS 13

The State

Other Lives has slowly grown a large fan base that stretches from its hometown – Stillwater, Okla. – to the far reaches of the world. After wrapping its first headlining tour, the band is once again making music and preparing to record a new, no-doubtinnovative album.

16 18 20 22 24 26 28 30

Education Smart Move Only In Oklahoma Culture The Talk The Insider Scene Oklahoma Business

Life

34 Home Trends 36 Small Spaces

Recent college graduate Brittney Melton fell in love with her loft space in downtown Oklahoma City and has carefully curated an eclectic collection of items that make the shabby chic space feel unique and one-of-a-kind.

40 42 46 48 50 52

Style Accessorize Trendspotting Your Health Fitness Destinations

Taste

It’s a classic story of boy makes big, and it keeps getting bigger. James Wilburn has launched successful ventures over his 60 years, and his latest is a flatbread concept restaurant that boasts flavorful, innovative cuisine.

92 What We’re Eating

Entertainment

Celebrating 40 years of bringing arts, culture and food to Tulsa citizens, Tulsa International Mayfest returns to downtown Tulsa this year with entertainment, artisans and fun for the whole family.

98 Calendar of Events 104 In Person

OKLAHOMA MAGAZINE | MAY 2013

A tradition of excellence in behavioral healthcare.

Founded in 1988, Laureate Psychiatric Clinic and Hospital is a private, not-for-profit facility designed to help meet the behavioral healthcare needs of the community. Nestled in 47 beautifully landscaped acres near 61st and Yale, Laureate’s services include inpatient and outpatient care, senior behavioral health services, an intensive outpatient program and a nationally recognized eating disorders treatment program. As a part of the Saint Francis Health System, Laureate’s physicians and staff are committed to a tradition of excellence. To learn more about Laureate, please visit www.laureate.com or to schedule an outpatient appointment, please call 918-491-3700.

OKLAHOMA

Bending, Weaving, Dancing: The Art of Woody Crumbo Through May 19, 2013

OKLAHOMA PRESIDENT AND EDITORIAL DIREC TOR DANIEL SCHUMAN

OKLAHOMA

PUBLISHER AND FOUNDER VIDA K. SCHUMAN EDITOR THOM GOLDEN ASSOCIATE EDITOR JAMI MATTOX CONTRIBUTING EDITORS CHRIS SUTTON JOHN WOOLEY MICHAEL W. SASSER EDITORIAL ASSISTANT KAREN SHADE GRAPHICS MANAGER MARK ALLEN GRAPHICS ASSISTANT MORGAN WELCH

CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHERS NATALIE GREEN, BRENT FUCHS, CHRIS HUMPHREY, NATHAN HARMON, JEREMY CHARLES, DAN MORGAN, SCOTT MILLER, JENNIFER PITTS, CASEY HANSON ACCOUNT EXECUTIVE AUDRA O’NEAL ASSISTANT TO THE PUBLISHER JASMINE MEJIA INTERNS NATHAN PORTER, GLORIA RUBIO CONTAC T US ADVERTISING INQUIRIES: ADVERTISING@OKMAG.COM EVENTS AND CALENDAR SUBMISSIONS: EVENTS@OKMAG.COM QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS ABOUT CONTENT: EDITOR@OKMAG.COM

1400 North Gilcrease MuseuM road 918-596-2700 Gilcrease.utulsa.edu tu is aN eeo/aa iNstitutioN. 12913 Gilcrease.indd 1

ALL OTHER INQUIRIES: MAIL@OKMAG.COM

3/19/13 2:56 PM

Oklahoma Magazine is published monthly by Schuman Publishing Company P.O. Box 14204 • Tulsa, OK 74159-1204 918.744.6205 • FAX: 918.748.5772 mail@okmag.com www.okmag.com Subscriptions are $18 for 12 issues. Mail checks to Oklahoma Magazine P.O. Box 14204 Tulsa, OK 74159-1204 Copyright © 2013 by Schuman Publishing Company. Oklahoma Wedding, The Best of the Best, 40 Under 40, Single in the City, Great Companies To Work For and Oklahomans of the Year are registered trademarks of Schuman Publishing Company. All rights reserved. Reproduction without written permission from the publisher is strictly prohibited. All requests for permission and reprints must be made in writing to Oklahoma Magazine, c/o Reprint Services, P.O. Box 14204, Tulsa, OK 74159-1204. Advertising claims and the views expressed in the magazine by writers or artists do not necessarily represent those of Oklahoma Magazine, Schuman Publishing Company, or its afﬁliates.

2013

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OKLAHOMA MAGAZINE | MAY 2013

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LETTER FROM THE EDITOR If you’ve lived in Oklahoma for any length of time, you know about Reba and Garth and Leon and Carrie. If you’re a good Okie, you probably also know of our connection to Woody Guthrie, Red Dirt and Western swing. But do you know about Charlie Christian, Wanda Jackson, Jimmy Webb or the Chainsaw Kittens? Oklahoma’s contributions run deep into the bedrock of American music, touching almost every aspect from jazz to opera to heavy metal. The man who made jazz guitar a thing, the man who made the electric guitar and the woman who made Elvis a star all have Oklahoma roots, and that’s just the tip of the iceberg. In our Music Issue, we present a snapshot of this broad topic, telling the story through an exclusive interview with rising indie stars Other Lives and a look at how the man that has helped translate the crazy ideas of the Flaming Lips into success is now helping future stars to make their mark in the music industry. The centerpiece of the issue is our compilation of 75 people, places and moments from Oklahoma’s musical heritage, from pre-statehood to chart-topping stars of today. Okay, there are actually a few more than 75 – and narrowing it down to so few was a painful task. We could have presented pages on the ways musicians from Oklahoma City’s Deep Deuce neighborhood influenced the nation or those glory days when the Tulsa Sound put us in the spotlight. There are so many incredible stories. Putting together this feature sent me on a fascinating voyage of discovery – learning about obscure musicians with huge influence and listening to lots of amazing tunes. I hope that this issue will inspire you in a similar way. I also hope it will encourage you to get out and support the music being made in Oklahoma today. The state’s next generation of musical legends is out there performing every day, and our grass roots music scene is getting national attention once more.

THE VOTES ARE IN!

BOB-Finalno year.pdf

11/14/12

11:16 AM

Thom Golden Editor

Look for The Best of the Best of Oklahoma.

Visit us at www.okmag.com for an expanded list from Oklahoma’s musical legacy and extras including “Oklahoma Musicians To Watch.” Also, check out our Oklahoma music playlists on Spotify.

Don’t miss this exciting issue. Call 918.744.6205 or email advertising@okmag.com

Contributors

Coming in July.

10 OKLAHOMA MAGAZINE | MAY 2013 3/15/13 2:16 PM BOB_1-3v_Strip.indd 1

Although he was born in St. Paul, Minn., Oklahoma Magazine contributing editor John Wooley has been an Oklahoman since the age of 4. He probably heard his first Bob Wills record at about that time, and while he couldn’t have known it then, that experience may have nudged him toward a career of writing about, and occasionally performing Oklahoma music, (“Well Within Range,” p. 26). “For more than three decades of my life, I’ve written about our music,” he says. “And while I may be no closer to locking in definitions of such styles as Red Dirt, Western swing and the Tulsa Sound than I was at the beginning, I still get an awful lot of fun out of trying, and from being around and celebrating the people who make our state’s music unique.” Wooley also contributed to “Oklahoma Music” (p. 54). Jennie Lloyd is a Tulsa-based freelance writer and one-time teenage poet who

penned an investigative piece on the status of women in Oklahoma (“Oklahoma Women,” p. 64). “The statistics are grim. The outlook is poor. Bad news. Terrible stuff. We’ve heard it all before, from wage gaps to antifemale legislation, from poverty to high incarceration rates,” she says. “I found, as an Oklahoma woman researching the status of women in the state, I needed to hear a new voice, a little hope. And that was when Kent Martin from Louder Than A Bomb-Tulsa introduced me to four upand-coming teenaged girl poets. “And like that, the girls reminded me of a time when I was a teenaged girl-poet… I remembered when the ‘status of women’ was a fresh amalgam of MTV, my mom, my sister, my friends and the terror of high school. Our status as women in Oklahoma is ever-shifting as generations of women come into their own, figure things out anew, progress, decide the future for themselves.”

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The State ALL THINGS OKLAHOMA

Other Lives members Jenny Hsu, Colby Owens, Jesse Tabish, Josh Onstott and Jon Mooney.

PHOTO BY JEREMY CHARLES.

Dark Horses Oklahoma band Other Lives makes good.

t takes a lot to lure me to Dallas. It takes even more to make me remember it fondly. Despite a deep antipathy toward the city, in April 2011, I traveled there to see my favorite, The Decemberists. Along the harrowing ride through metropolitan traffic, I made the mistake of expressing indifference toward the opening band, Other Lives, of whom I’d never heard. I was graced with a look of withering scorn from my driver, who proceeded to play an album by the band’s previous incarnation, Kunek. I was reluctantly intrigued, but still not entirely sold, until literally the second the stage lights came up and the music began. I was instantly transfixed, surrounded by orchestral sounds that were by turns hauntingly uncomfortable and embracing. It was simply, as they say, epic. During the break between shows, I rushed to the merchandise table only to be informed that the new album was not yet for sale. The ensuing wait until the record’s release was spent foot-tapping and mentally reliving the auditory saga of the show, hoping against hope that the album could somehow deliver the same utterly immersive

music I’d experienced live. Tamer Animals fully delivered on the promise of the Stillwater band’s live performance and is now on constant rotation for music fans across the globe. According to Other Lives frontman Jesse Tabish, the band’s unique sound has been informed by such iconic musical acts as Godspeed You! Black Emperor, Sigur Rós and Radiohead. “These are bands that went beyond just drums, bass and guitar, and made other bands realize there’s life outside a three-piece rock band,” he says. “Those bands were with us when we first started, and they’ve always been an inspiration to us.” Recently, the members of Other Lives (Tabish, Jenny Hsu, Jon Mooney, Colby Owens and Josh Onstott) came face-to-face with some of their heroes when they played a show in Oxford, England, and Radiohead just happened to be in the audience. “We luckily didn’t fall apart on stage and kept our nerves together,” Tabish says. After the show, the band found themselves in the realm of fantasy when they were asked to open for Radiohead’s U.S. tour. MAY 2013 | WWW.OKMAG.COM

The band’s performance at Cain’s in September 2012 marked its ﬁrst time headlining at the venue.

friends and family. We were happy to finally headline there. “Living in Oklahoma has allowed us to have the time and space to create our music,” he says of the state’s creative inspiration. “I don’t think we could have made the same music with the same patience in New York or Los Angeles. Tamer Animals is about writing the landscape of Oklahoma. It wasn’t on our minds in the beginning, but living there for 10 years, it seeps into your subconscious, and that’s what we found ourselves writing about.” Of the new album – currently being recorded in Portland, Ore. – Tabish says that

is released. The band’s move to Portland has generated some anxiety among Oklahoma fans that they will no longer get to see their favorite native musicians in such hometown venues as Cain’s or Oklahoma City’s Blue Note. Tabish assures that this is not the case

“I don’t think we could have made the same music with the same patience in New York or Los Angeles.” the process closely resembles the recording for Tamer Animals. “We rented a house and are recording it ourselves. We’re not doing anything fancy. We’re in a new space and a new environment, taking it song by song. We just started our first song last week, and we have a lot of material to sift through. We’re taking it a day at a time.” He says it might be a year or two before the new work

and explains why the experience of recording elsewhere was necessary for the band and its music. “A lot of kids go to college and get to leave home for a while,” he says. “I’ve never had that experience of moving from home. I’ll always consider myself an Oklahoman, but we decided it was time to go somewhere where we don’t know anyone or anything and record there. Traveling for the past two years gave us the bug. We wanted to put ourselves in an unfamiliar, uncomfortable situation.” He compares the move to the band’s musical transition from Kunek to Other Lives. “Kunek is still a part of Other Lives and always will be,” he says. “But in some ways, it’s almost like this change, like the move to Portland, is again a matter of challenging ourselves, of putting ourselves in new places and headspaces. The name change (to Other Lives) itself is metaphorical: to rethink what we’re doing and start over again. When we finish a project, we instantly want to change what we’ve done and disregard the past and move to places that are new and kind of uncomfortable. “Oklahoma is always our home,” he says. “We’re taking a year to live somewhere else, but we always come back home. No matter where we go or are at, Oklahoma is in us.” TARA MALONE

OKLAHOMA MAGAZINE | MAY 2013

PHOTOS COURTESY KEVIN PYLE @ WWW.PHOTOPYLE.COM.

The State

“It was a dream come true for us,” Tabish says. “Radiohead is a band we’ve always looked up to, and to open up for them was quite an experience.” Tabish says touring with such major acts as Radiohead, The National and The Decemberists “stretched the band and made us focus on details of playing together on highquality sound systems. We grew as a band and learned to really perform together. “There’s a different feeling when you see people right in front of you, when you hear the sound coming out of speakers,” he says of playing smaller venues. “There’s no pretense there, no barrier between you and the audience. We always feel at home playing those shows. That’s how we started … at the same time, with bigger audiences and stages, you focus more on the band. There’s a different intimacy there because you play to each other.” For other bands, a national tour might present the opportunity to live the quintessential rock-and-roll lifestyle; not so for Tabish and his bandmates. “Being on the road for such a long time becomes like home,” he says. “You develop routines as if you were a family of five, waking up, making breakfast. The craziest thing about being on the road is how domestic you get.” After months of touring with Radiohead, Other Lives kicked off its own headlining tour last fall at Tulsa’s historic Cain’s Ballroom, sharing the stage with long-time friends Colourmusic. For the band, it was an extraordinary evening. “It’s such a special venue,” Tabish says. “Everybody feels that way when they walk in the place. It was such a great Oklahoma night for us to start our tour there with

kick-off Tabish plays at the 2 national of Other Lives’ 201 om. tour at Cain’s Ballro

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The State

E D U C AT I O N

A Three-fold Triumph The Muskogee Difference Healthcare Scholarship alleviates the ﬁnancial burden of undergraduate students.

ealth careers are abundant as the shortage of health care workers increases each year, but the most common shortage lies in the nursing field. The City of Muskogee Foundation has teamed up with Connors State College and the City of Muskogee to provide financial, educational and career opportunities to Muskogee County residents interested in health care. The brand new scholarship, the Muskogee Difference Healthcare Scholarship, was first introduced in Fall 2012, but underwent a few changes to make it the best it can be, according to foundation and college officials. “We wanted to make a significant commitment to the City of Muskogee and give people who are interested in these kinds of careers not just an opportunity, but take away all the barriers and excuses,” says Connors State College President Dr. Tim Faltyn. “To date, I’m happy to report that we’ve had 52 people apply for the scholarship and are in the pipeline, which is an excellent start.” This is an access scholarship designed for those who live within Muskogee County and is open to anyone who wants to study nursing or allied health. The scholarship is a gap scholarship, meaning it will provide funding to fill the gap between a student’s financial aid and cost of attendance. Gap funding is a college-driven funding program targeted at assisting students with the cost of higher education. Students who receive the MDHS are required to sign a commitment to

work as a health care professional in the Muskogee service area for two years following graduation if employment is available. “There are some really great stories about people that really didn’t have any other alternatives but have found this scholarship and are now on the path to not just getting a job, but getting a career, and now they can provide for their families,” Faltyn says. “Nursing and allied health careers are life-changers for people.” Muskogee Mayor Bob Coburn says Muskogee has had a nursing shortage since at least 1983 when he moved back to the area. “From a community impact standpoint, besides providing that educational highway and those opportunities, it provides nursing staff to the community,” Coburn says. Frank Merrick, Muskogee Foundation executive director, says the scholarship is a “three-fer.” “(For) most things we do have multiple benefits, but this one, we spend a lot of energy helping people move out of poverty,” Merrick says. Connors State College President, Dr. Tim Faltyn consults with a student at the college’s nursing program.

“Most of our students are first-generation college kids and are college adults. Giving people a job that allows them to move out of poverty, plus strengthen our health care, plus strengthening our education in the city – it’s a three-fer, for sure.” CHRISTINA GOOD VOICE

Some fish that swim the waters of northeast Oklahoma’s lakes and rivers look downright prehistoric; that’s because they are. One such species, known as a paddlefish, sports an elongated and flattened snout shaped like a paddle, giving the fish its moniker. When dinosaurs roamed the earth, the paddlefish swam the waters. And while dinosaurs have long been extinct, the paddlefish stuck around. During the past decade, the paddlefish has been in the spotlight; a favorite fish for sport anglers, the process of catching one of these prehistoric beasts can be thrilling. However, poaching paddlefish for their roe has also become a problem, according to Nels Rodefeld of the Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation. “Most of the poaching is focusing on harvesting the fish and making caviar illegally,” he says. “Nobody is allowed to transport caviar out of state. If you want to make caviar for yourself, you can do that, but you’re limited to five pounds, and you can’t take it out of state.” In 2008, the Paddlefish Research Center opened at Twin Bridges State Park. It serves to collect important biological data, process

OKLAHOMA MAGAZINE | MAY 2013

paddlefish fillets for anglers and salvage the paddlefish eggs. Since the center opened, more than 20,000 paddlefish have passed through. The eggs that are harvested are turned into caviar and sold by the center throughout Europe and Asia. The money made by selling the caviar helps fund the A fisherman displays a caught paddlefish. center’s operation as well as law enforcement efforts to catch paddlefish poachers. Examples of projects that have been funded through the caviar sales include sonic tracking of paddlefish populations in Grand Lake and the Spring River; researching genetic diversity analysis with Oklahoma State University; and purchasing boats and other equipment to assist law enforcement with patrolling paddlefish waters. – Jami Mattox

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Advanced Research

Gilcrease Museum’s Helmerich Center for American Research is under way.

ilcrease Museum, an examplar of American art, rare books and history, has been a Tulsa staple since its founding in 1949, and it’s only getting bigger. The museum is set to substantially expand in 2014 with the completion of the Helmerich Center for American Research, which was announced in 2010.

Dr. Duane King says the completion of Gilcrease Museum’s Helmerich Center for American Research will be a boon for both students and researchers.

The construction, an 18-month project spearheaded by a donation from the Helmerich family, led by The University of Tulsa and bolstered by more than $50 million in contributions from the city’s philanthropic community, will add 25,000 square feet of floor space to the campus, including new spaces for the museum’s extensive archives, a seminar room and a conservation laboratory, as well as new spaces for the public. Dr. Duane King, executive director of

OKLAHOMA MAGAZINE | MAY 2013

Gilcrease Museum, says that the project’s completion will be not only a great resource for researchers, but also a boon for students and the public to see seminars and get handson experience with materials that they might otherwise not have easy access to. One of the first tasks of the Research Center will be to digitize the extensive holdings of Gilcrease Museum and make them available electronically, says King. “We will be able to provide not only greater access to the collection, but also interaction between the scholars working at the museum and the university with researchers and scholars elsewhere.” With the construction of new educational spaces, King says the museum will be able to expand its educational programs, which it offers in partnership with The University of Tulsa, to more students than ever before. Working in the Helmerich Center’s facilities will also allow students a greater access to internships and scholarships, as well as invaluable practical experience and hands-on, face-to-face learning with seasoned experts in history. “We fully expect to have seminars, conferences, lectures with people onsite as well as with scholars and researchers from around the world,” King says. “So those students who are planning careers in the museum profession have the opportunity to receive high-quality classroom instruction as well as practical experience in a museum setting.” In addition to bolstering education for local Oklahoma students and the public, the Helmerich Center will also more prominently place Tulsa’s Gilcrease Museum as a player in the international intellectual community, curating and fostering exhibits that tour worldwide, having just closed an exhibit in Florence, Italy, that attracted an audience of 300,000. Back home, for the current season, Gilcrease Museum is currently one of the nation’s only three museums to host a travelling exhibit of the artworks of the western painter Edgar Payne, as well as a majestic collection of rare National Geographic photographs documenting the history of the west. SARAH SZABO

NEWSMAKER

SMALL BUSINESS WINS BIG

The International Association of Business Communicators is a globally recognized organization aimed at improving the profession of communications. Each year, IABC chapters from all over the world gather together at the Leadership Institute to reflect on growth within the field and reward the chapters with notable accomplishments. This year’s conference was held in Scottsdale, Ariz., and of all of the areas represented, the Tulsa chapter clearly distinguished themselves as the most accomplished. Tulsa was awarded both the International and Small Chapter of the Year award. Each chapter is graded on its success in areas such as professional development, financial management, leadership development and excellence in communications. According to IABC Executive Director Chris Sorek, Tulsa excelled in every category it was judged on. “They’re certainly not one of the largest, but they are absolutely one of the best,” says Sorek. For this reason, the Tulsa chapter has been called “The little chapter that could.” “We’re all so honored and amazed that we achieved this recognition,” says Tulsa Chapter President and Senior Director of Communications at Walmart, Shannon Frederick. Despite her amazement, Frederick admits that she’s known for a while that her chapter has a good thing going. Tulsa has won the Small Chapter of the Year award for the third consecutive year, and as a result, over the past three years the chapter’s membership has grown from 39 members to more than 70. Beyond growth, however, Tulsa IABC hopes to stay committed to the local development of their profession. “Regardless of whatever we achieve, we’ve got to make sure we don’t lose sight of this wonderful grassroots feel, because that’s the foundation of this organization,” says Frederick. – Nathan Porter

PHOTO BY NATALIE GREEN.

The State

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O N LY I N O K L A H O M A

Cowboy Clock Work Oklahoma State University Institute of Technology is home to one the world’s premier watchmaking programs.

hen you think of Okmulgee, the first thing that comes to mind probably isn’t highend, luxury watches. But since 1946, Oklahoma State University’s Institute of Technology in Okmulgee has trained individuals in the art of watchmaking and watch repair. OSUIT’s Watchmaking and Microtechnology programs has its roots in the economic expansion following World War II, as many veterans returned from overseas looking for education and work. “We (OSU, at the time) were developing programs for returning veterans,” says Anita Gordy-Watkins, vice president of institutional advancement at OSUIT. “Watchmaking was a profession that even injured soldiers could do.” From those beginnings, the program has grown to become one of the premier watchmaking programs in the country. Famed watch

OKLAHOMA MAGAZINE | MAY 2013

maker, Rolex, has sponsored the program since 2008, donating approximately $200,000 per year as well as the most modern equipment and tools. In fact, watchmaking at OSUIT has received some form of sponsorship from luxury goods manufacturers like Richemont, Rolex and Breitling since the 1990s. Several professionals from Rolex even sit on the program’s advisory board. “They help to develop our curriculum, help faculty in professional development and help determine our standards and what the emerging trends are,” says Watkins. “But that doesn’t mean our students just go to work for Rolex or at Rolex service centers.” Graduates of the program can be found working from right here in Oklahoma to around the globe. “There’s a huge demand for high-end watchmakers,” says Watkins. “It used to be that our students went to work in service centers, but

now more and more the retail sector wants watchmakers on site to help them sell their timepieces.” Admission into the two-year program is a rigorous process. Beyond the standard admission materials that all OSUIT students must submit, prospective watchmakers partake in two rounds of interviews and undergo a range of vision, mobility and tactile tests to ensure they have the physical skills to work on small, complicated devices. OSUIT can admit as many as 14 students into the program each year. There are currently eight students enrolled in first-year classes and seven in second-year. For admitted students, the program is demanding, with classes five days a week from 7:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. and sometimes longer if students have lab work to do. “We run it pretty much like you’d expect to work at your job,” says Jason Ziegenbein, one of the program’s two full-time faculty members and the school’s second-year instructor. During the students’ instruction, they not only learn how to repair and manufacture fine watches, but also customer service skills and aspects of the business side of watchmaking. “We try to do a complete immersion into that career field as much as we can in our classrooms,” says Jason Champion, the program’s first year instructor. “They walk the culture, wear the clothing and learn the expectations for behavior.” Students even come to class every day in a suit and tie. After two years of well-dressed and intensive instruction, students in the program earn an Associate’s Degree of Applied Sciences. Students will also leave with a Certified Watchmakers of the 21st Century certification from the American Watchmakers-Clockmakers Institute, considered the benchmark in the industry. With so few luxury watchmaking programs in the world, OSUIT faculty and staff are rightly proud of what they do. “In the entire country, there are two other schools that are at the same level as we are,” says Champion.

“We run it pretty much like you’d expect to work at your job.”

MORGAN BROWNE

PHOTOS COURTESY OSUIT.

The State

A student at OSUIT displays the inner workings of a watch.

WHEELCHAIR BOUND

Bound to WALK INTEGRIS Jim Thorpe’s Unrivaled Mobility Center

Mary Beth Davis & the Ekso Bionic Suit; Eve Serrano & the Lokomat

In 2010, a tragic car accident paralyzed Mary Beth Davis from the chest down. In 2011, Eve Serrano – at just 13 years old – suffered an ATV accident that left her paraplegic. Today, with the help of Jim Thorpe’s revolutionary mobility therapy, they’re both standing … balancing … walking. With the assistance of the only Ekso Bionic Suit in Oklahoma and the state’s most advanced Lokomat, paraplegic and quadriplegic patients are able to focus on the fundamental components of walking and balancing – putting them further down the path towards independence. To learn more about what INTEGRIS Jim Thorpe can do for you and your loved ones, visit integrisrehabilitation.com.

integrisrehabilitation.com | 405-644-5200

C U LT U R E

Pass The Tabouli

Bristow celebrates its Lebanese legacy in a universally-appreciated way: food.

he city of Bristow might only have an area of three and a half square miles, but the small space still holds quite a bit of interesting history. Even before Oklahoma became a state, Bristow became a destination for Lebanese immigrants. Today, the town boasts two tabouli factories. Tabouli, a cold salad of bulgur wheat or couscous and chopped tomatoes, cucumbers and onion with lemon juice, is a traditional Lebanese dish. Bristow celebrates its Lebanese heritage

OKLAHOMA MAGAZINE | MAY 2013

with the annual Tabouleh Festival. Edmond Slyman, together with fellow town resident Rick Root, were the originators of this festival nine years ago, Slyman says. “It was Rick’s idea at first (even though Slyman is Lebanese) because he wanted to commemorate the heritage,” Slyman says. “My dad came from Lebanon, and my mom was born of Lebanese parents. There’s a large group of Lebanese immigrants in the Creek County area, especially Bristow.” Slyman says that immigrants grouped there because it was undeveloped.

MEGAN MORGAN

PHOTO BY NATALIE GREEN.

The State

Edmond Slyman still hand-picks the parsley that goes into his signature tabouli, a dish served at his restaurant, Freddie’s Bar-B-Q & Steakhouse.

“The land was virgin territory,” he says. “The people who came from Lebanon were traders, and it was a new opportunity for them.” In addition to the Tabouleh Festival, Slyman helps keep the Lebanese tradition alive in his restaurant, Freddie’s Bar-B-Q and Steakhouse, located in Sapulpa. Freddie’s has been in Slyman’s family for more than 50 years, and Slyman himself took over ownership in 1971. “We serve steak and barbecue at Freddie’s,” he says, “but we’ll give it to you with hummus, or you can have tabouli or a cabbage roll. And we make the tabouli fresh every day. I still handpick the parsley myself!” Slyman’s involvement at the Tabouleh Festival this year includes the creation of a full Lebanese dinner, including hummus, kashta, pita bread and more. Bristow resident Nancy Spencer has also been involved with the festival since it began. “It has grown so much, with the addition of new activities and vendors,” Spencer says of the festival. The festival is kicked off with a 5k Wildflower Run, with events opening up at the run’s conclusion, Spencer says. She adds that the tabouli bar is one of the festival’s best attractions. “We set it up with lots of different ingredients, and the festival-goers get to build their own tabouli,” she says. With this set-up, creators get to experience both traditional and non-traditional mixes and types of tabouli, Spencer says. “And new this year, we will be selling the tabouli mixes by the quart for customers to take home,” she says. The festival includes a stage with events scheduled all day, including musicians and belly dancers. A Miss Tabouleh pageant will be held for girls ages 3-18, with a special scholarship prize available for the high schoolers. A kid’s zone will also house carnival games and rides, Spencer says. Join the fun and get a flavor for Middle Eastern culture at Bristow’s Tabouleh Festival on Saturday, May 11, on Main Street in downtown Bristow.

Dustin & Christin

matters of the heart. Similar heart conditions brought Dustin and Christin together. Their remarkable beginning produced a bond made even stronger by each of them undergoing a heart procedure within the first six months of marriage. And now, thanks to Oklahoma Heart Institute, their future is even brighter. To learn more about Dustin and Christin’s life-changing experiences at Oklahoma Heart Institute, visit OklahomaHeart.com.

Hillcrest.com | 918.585.8000 “Like” us on Facebook.

The State

there was never any debate. It was always, “We’re in this for the long haul. This is what we are. This is what we do.”

OM: You have a degree in education. Did you ever see combining your background in education with your passion for music? SB: I really thought that after college, I’d become a high school history teacher. I never in a million years thought I would do anything like managing a band like the Flaming Lips. Throughout the years I’d been with the Lips, prior to the ACM, there was always something in my head that thought it’d be great if there was a time when I could teach or be involved in helping people understand how the music business works – to share what I’ve learned from my own experiences.

T H E TA L K

New Wave

Flaming Lips manager Scott Booker helps open doors in the music industry.

fter spending the past 20-plus years as manager of the Flaming Lips, or Oklahoma’s “token weirdos,” as he so affectionately calls the group, Scott Booker is an authority on longevity within the music industry. From small beginnings working in records stores to CEO of Oklahoma City’s groundbreaking Academy of Contemporary Music at the University of Central Oklahoma – ACM@UCO, for short – he is making an important mark in the next wave of how the music industry is going to work. Oklahoma Magazine: So you got your start in record stores. What kind of insight did you take away from that? Scott Booker: I know it doesn’t sound like that big of a deal, working in a record store, but you can learn a lot. I learned about how records are distributed, about marketing music and how records labels think. You can learn about what artists like and don’t like and how shows are set up and booked. I started working at Sound Warehouse when I was 15 and eventually went on to manage Rainbow Records after college. That’s where I met the Flaming Lips. OM: What is it about your friendship with Flaming Lips frontman Wayne Coyne that has made your business relationship so long-lasting? SB: I think first and foremost, if you want to have a long-lasting relationship with an artist in the music business, both sides have to agree on what the goals are; the first step in determining goals is asking, “Are they short-term or long-term?” With the Lips and myself,

OKLAHOMA MAGAZINE | MAY 2013

OM: What sets ACM@UCO apart from an atypical music degree? SB: It’s about the fine arts versus commercial arts. Most universities tend to focus more on the fine arts, with the sole purpose of turning out great musicians. With the ACM@UCO program, of course we want the musicians to be the best they can be, but we also educate about the music business itself so you can get a job after you leave the program, and you are aware of the various opportunities that are available for all kinds of music lovers, not just performers. OM: What kind of advice do you have for anyone interested in getting into music? SB: If you truly want to get into the music industry, it’s important to not only follow your passion for music, but be open to following different paths through that passion as well. I think you can be very successful doing this; I think Oklahoma in particular is wide open for some real entrepreneurial people to get involved in the industry. It’s really your mindset that helps create a situation where you are successful at something you love. MEIKA YATES HINES

PHOTOS BY BRENT FUCHS.

Scott Booker has managed the Flaming Lips for more than two decades. He is also CEO of ACM@UCO.

OM: So I’d imagine you’ve probably learned a thing or two about music from working with an artist like Mr. Coyne. SB: Oh yes. The first thing I learned – and part of the reason our relationship is so successful – is not to second-guess Wayne’s crazy ideas and just help make them happen. When it comes across as crazy, there is usually a method to the madness. I help take an idea and I go through the logic and reason, then we figure out how we can do it. When Wayne comes to me and says, “I want to make a life-size gummy version of a human skull with an embedded MP3 drive in it and people have to eat the gummy to get to our song,” I don’t even hesitate. I’m just like, “Okay. Let’s go for it.”

Jazz:

Through the Eyes of Herman Leonard

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MAY 2013 | WWW.OKMAG.COM

The State

THE INSIDER

Well Within Range

Lone Chimney digs up the Red Dirt.

ne of the many noteworthy things about Lone Chimney, the eighth disc from the trailblazing Oklahoma band the Red Dirt Rangers, is the presence of four Grammy-nominated guest artists. I’m not one of them. However, I am on the disc. Although I’ve played in a few garage-rock bands over the years, I’m not really a musician. However, I have some good pals who are, and, occasionally, they let me come in and pretend to be one in the studio. It’s an experience I liken to being called out of the stands at Arlington Stadium and asked to play first base for the Texas Rangers for an inning or two. In other words, it’s thrilling, intimidating and not a little dreamlike. It started around 2002, when my longtime friend, Steve Ripley, the man behind the multiplatinum-selling group the Tractors (and one of the Grammy nominees on Lone Chimney) asked if I’d like to help him write a nostalgic song for his upcoming solo album. Although my contributions to the finished tune, “Gone Away,” are minimal, Ripley was kind enough to give me a co-writer credit. Knowing I owned a 1965 Vox Jaguar organ, he also asked me to bring it into the studio and play on the “Gone Away” track. He was running Tulsa’s fabled Church Studio at the time, and doing a Church session under Ripley’s tutelage ranks right up there in my book of life’s great moments. (I was doubly gratified last year when country greats Bill Anderson and the Oak Ridge Boys released a version of “Gone Away,” adding a couple of country music-specific verses but retaining the musical bed from Ripley’s release – which means my wheezy little organ can be heard behind Whispering Bill and the Oaks.) Not long afterwards, I got another call from Ripley, asking if I wanted to drop by and play on a track for the new Red Dirt Rangers disc. The Rangers – who had also been chums of mine for a long time – were fans of what has been dubbed “the cheesy organ sound,” exemplified by garage-band classics like Question Mark & the Mysterians’ “96 Tears” and the Sir Douglas Quintet’s “She’s About A Mover” and “Mendocino” (the latter two played

OKLAHOMA MAGAZINE | MAY 2013

by my keyboard hero Augie Meyers). They knew I loved that sound, too, and that my limited skills included the ability to play the Vox in a similar style. So I delightedly shot over to the Church Studio and cheesed up a nice number called “We Don’t Have to Say Goodbye,” which ended up on the Rangers’ 2002 release, Starin’ Down the Sun. At that time, Ripley and the Rangers had begun what would turn out to be a long and fruitful musical partnership, “The first time we made contact with Ripley, we were getting ready to record what became (the band’s third album) Oklahoma Territory,” recalls Red Dirt Rangers guitarist-vocalist Brad Piccolo. “We did some preproduction plans, but then (the hit single) ‘Baby Likes to Rock It’ took off, and the Tractors really started to hit it big. So Steve had to concentrate on his own career, and we understood that and went with Lloyd Maines as our producer, For the next one, Rangers Command, it was Lloyd and (Asleep at the Wheel drummer) David Sanger. After that, it’s been all Ripley.” Lone Chimney features Ripley as performer as well as producer and engineer, along with Maines, a Grammy winner for his production of the Dixie Chicks’ album Home, on steel guitar and dobro. The other two Grammy-related performers are Fats Kaplan (fiddle, steel), a member of Jack White’s band as well as a Tractor, and recently nominated Oklahoma boy John Fullbright (Hammond B3 organ, banjo, guitar, dulcimer, piano, harmonica). Other guests include vocalist Monica

PHOTO BY KELLY KERR.

The Red Dirt Rangers, from left, Ben Han, Brad Piccolo and John Cooper.

PHOTO COURTESY BRAD PICCOLO.

Taylor, horn players Steve Ham and Gary Linde and musicians Randy Crouch and Don Morris, who play regularly with the Rangers: Piccolo, mandolinist-vocalist John Cooper and lead guitarist-vocalist Ben Han. It’s the eighth disc from the band, which has done more than any act to popularize and perpetuate the Stillwater-born, earthy, lyric-oriented amalgam known as Red Dirt music. This time around, the guys decided to approach the studio process differently. “Basically, on all the discs we did before, we’d write the songs, go in and do the basic tracks, and then we’d bring the band back in and have any special guests play with us one at a time, and that was it,” says Cooper. “In a way, it was just like doing a gig. But when we got together with Ripley for this one, we said, ‘Let’s do something different. Let’s make a real studio record.’ So we play all the drum parts. Ben plays bass and electric guitar, I play some guitar, octave mandolin, acoustic mandolin. Pic plays everything from student bells to sitar. We all play percussion, and Ripley plays different instruments on it, too.” “We’ve been working on it about two years,” adds Piccolo. “The record was so large in scope that it just took time to get all the people we wanted on it. Also, it took time because of our schedules, and some of it was just the slow pace of living in the country, which transferred to making this record.” Country living is also reflected in the disc’s title, which refers to the rural area where Cooper and Piccolo and their families reside. (Han is a Tulsan, but, as Cooper points out, “he spends a lot of time with us in Lone Chimney.”) Ripley, who moved several years ago to his family’s former farm in rural Pawnee County and set up a recording studio in a former outbuilding, is, by country standards, a neighbor. The title song, “Lone Chimney,” was written by Cooper and Piccolo and veteran Red Dirt singer-songwriter Chuck Dunlap. Other songwriting collaborators include Stoney LaRue, Morris, Scott Hutchison and the late Red Dirt godfather Bob Childers, who Cooper says is “all over the record.” “We’re calling it Lone Chimney because a lot of the songs were written out here, and this is where we live,” he adds. “We feel like this is a representation of the lives we’ve Columnist John Wooley jams on his Vox Jaguar organ. lived for the past few years.” I’m happy to have lived a little bit of those lives with them and honored to have been asked into the studio to contribute to Lone Chimney. My Vox Jaguar stylings are heard to best advantage, if that’s the correct word under the circumstances, on a peppy, horn-accented number called “Main Street U.S.A.,” but I may show up on one or two more cuts as well. “You’re probably on ‘Heaven or Hell,’” Piccolo tells me. “That’s our ‘kitchen-sink’ song, where we threw a little bit of everything in. In fact, there’s actually a kitchen sink on it. I was driving by a construction zone when I saw this big, old metal kitchen sink they’d thrown out. I took it, and we hung it up in the studio and beat on it.” He laughs. “It had a pretty good tone, actually.” So listen for the actual sound of a kitchen sink in “Heaven or Hell.” And if you also hear something that sounds like a cheesy organ, that’ll be me.

March 9 through May 27, 2013

American Chronicles: The Art of Norman Rockwell was organized by the Norman Rockwell Museum, Stockbridge, Massachusetts. This exhibition is made possible with the generous support from National Endowment for the Arts, American Masterpieces Program; the Henry Luce Foundation; Curtis Publishing Co.; Norman Rockwell Family Agency; and the Stockman Family Foundation.

Sponsored at Crystal Bridges by The Bob Bogle Family • Cadillac of Bentonville The Paul and June Carter Family • ConAgra Foods • Hallmark Cards, Inc. NWA Media/Arkansas Democrat-Gazette • Harriet and Warren Stephens, Stephens, Inc. Artist Facing Blank Canvas (The Deadline) (detail), © 1938: SEPS. Norman Rockwell Museum Collections.

CrystalBridges.org Bentonville, Arkansas 479.418.5700

JOHN WOOLEY 12833 Crystal Bridges.indd 1

MAY 2013 | WWW.OKMAG.COM

27 2/19/13 4:45 PM

The State

SCENE

The Univeristy of Tulsa President Steadman Upham, Pulitzer Prizewinning biographer Robert Caro and Cookie and George Kaiser attended a reception in Caro’s honor.

Kevin Stauffer, Gov. Mary Fallin and Matt Sumner enjoyed Red Tie Night, beneﬁting Oklahoma AIDS Care Fund.

Bill Cartwright, Victoria Bartlett and Gary Shaffer celebrate a new Pop-Up Library at Denver Avenue Station.

Former OU running back and current Minnesota Viking Adrian Peterson and Carol and Bob Stoops attended Red Tie Night, which beneﬁts Oklahoma AIDS Care Fund.

Barbara Findeiss, Adrienne Barnett and Scott and Kayla Vaughn attended the CANdlelight Ball Patron Party.

Event chair Judy Love and event honoree Chris Reen celebrated at Green Tie Gala, a beneﬁt for Catholic Charities.

Sterlin Harjo, Joy Harjo, Mary Shaw and Gary Shaffer were among those who attended the 2013 American Indian Writers Award ceremony, which honored Sterlin Harjo.

Rozann and Bill Knight were all smiles at the inaugural Monarch Ball, beneﬁting programs at Domestic Violence Intervention Services.

OKLAHOMA MAGAZINE | MAY 2013

Co-chairs J.W. and Mollie Craft, Talmadge Powell and Todd Pyland enjoyed an evening of fun at Carnivale, an annual beneﬁt for Mental Health Association in Tulsa.

Sascha Jade, F. William Thetford, Rachel Thetford and Dinky Hammam enjoyed the fare at the Oklahoma City Museum of Art’s Omelette Party.

Laura Kenny, Julie Chin, Dan Ellinor and Amanda LeCrone were among those who attended Puttin’ on the Dog, a fundraiser for LIFE Senior Services.

Mayor Dewey Bartlett, Robert Lorton, Victoria Bartlett, Roxana Lorton and Bobby Lorton enjoyed the Red Cross Rescue Gala.

The State

“It’s the kind of digital fabrication equipment that individuals typically wouldn’t have access to,” Pritchett says. The community workspace is available for anyone, from businessmen developing projects for companies to artists designing a new piece. The organization is a 501(c)3 primarily funded through foundations, grants and individual contributions. “The Fab Lab is an amazing resource for Tulsa and northeastern Oklahoma,” Pritchett says. “Every middle school, high school and college student in Tulsa has access to the same tools and equipment as a student at MIT. So does any person from the community and any business.” The Tulsa lab opened in September 2011, and it’s part of a model that includes more than 100 locations on five continents. This particular location is slightly different, however, because it is not associated with a university or technical school, Pritchett says. “We are an independent community center model, similar to the most successful European labs in Amsterdam, Barcelona and Manchester,” Pritchett says. “This means the lab is open to not just students and educators, but also hobbyists, tinkerers, artists, engineers, inventors, entrepreneurs – anyone.”

OKLAHOMA BUSINESS

Technology For All

Fab Lab Tulsa provides the community with access to advanced computerized machinery.

echnology is often only available for certain people: those with the resources. But these aren’t the only people who have creative ideas, of course. Others just need access to the advanced equipment to make their ideas a reality. The nonprofit Fab Lab Tulsa is beginning to change this. Executive director Nathan Pritchett describes the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT)-chartered fabrication laboratory as a place that provides the community with 21st-century tools, equipment and resources.

OKLAHOMA MAGAZINE | MAY 2013

The lab is connected to the global network, as are the other labs chartered by MIT. It adheres to the same core values and shares a common set of tools, Pritchett says. To join Fab Lab Tulsa, an individual, corporation or nonprofit pays a membership fee, which includes an orientation course and instruction on the equipment and software. From there, members not only have access to the equipment, but can also reserve machines online and take software tutorials. Allison Lackner, education coordinator at Fab Lab Tulsa, develops all the curriculum and educational programming for children and families, she says. “I get to teach kids how to use these machines in a fun and educational way,” Lackner says. “The programming is STEAMbased (science, technology, engineering, art

PHOTOS BY NATALIE GREEN.

Nathan Pritchett is executive director of Fab Lab Tulsa.

“I get to see and be inspired by what people are making here, and I get to inspire kids to come here and become makers, too,”

and math); however, I want to incorporate history and other subjects as well to create programming that will benefit everyone.” Lackner says that as an artist and an educator, she loves being able to come in to the lab every day to make something. “I get to see and be inspired by what people are making here, and I get to inspire kids to come here and become makers, too,” Lackner says. In addition to Pritchett and Lackner, the lab staff is rounded out by lab manager Dan Moran and lab technician Andrew Harmon. Pritchett says that the staff has no idea from week to week what projects will come through the door. “We see everything, from small, personal projects to rapid prototypes for global corporations, and everything in between,” he says. “We have members from a very large spectrum of backgrounds, skills and experiences.” Since the lab opened in 2011, Pritchett adds that it has seen an explosion in the scale and sophistication of projects as lab members’ skills have grown. Fab Lab member Derek Tarvin says that he first received his membership as a gift because he has always enjoyed tinkering with things and needed a creative outlet. “I have used the lab to create things that I use with my gaming group as well as explore ideas that I have always wondered about,” Tarvin says. One project example of Tarvin’s was a small, edge-lit LED sign powered by a watch battery, designed and constructed in one afternoon. “Most recently, I have been working on 3-D prototypes for some jewelry designs that I hope to cast in metal in the future,” he says. Tarvin advises that once a member joins the Fab Lab, he or she should start and execute a project, no matter whether the idea is perfect or not. He also says that members shouldn’t be intimidated by the equipment. “Or, just come by the lab on a Saturday afternoon and see what everyone is making,” he says. “In one corner, people may be working on a quad-copter while someone else is making stickers on the vinyl cutter.”

Fab Lab Tulsa equipment includes a ShopBot CNC router, an Epilog Laser Cutter, a Roland Mini-Mill, a Roland Vinyl Cutter, an electronics workstation, two MakerBot 3-D printers and a commercial-quality Object Eden 3-D printer. The lab provides basic

materials, but advises members to bring their own things for larger projects. “Becoming a maker is really pretty easy,” Pritchett says. “You just need to come in and get started.” MEGAN MORGAN

Fab Lab caters to everyone from creative professionals to hobbyists.

THE REAL DEAL

The most coveted machine available to members of Fab Lab is the 3-D printer. The 3-D printer operates very similarly to the way an ink jet printer operates, but instead of ink, it prints liquid plastic. 3-D printing uses an additive process, where multiple layers of parts are laid down in different shapes. As a result, with a 3-D printer, a person can make anything from kitchen utensils to small engine parts. The public access to such machinery signiﬁes the transition from the digital revolution to a revolution of digital fabrication. The hope is that fab labs would continue to spread throughout the world, and become even more accessible. While this is certainly a lofty goal, the essence of fab labs validates this goal. Never limit what the imagination can create. – Nathan Porter MAY 2013 | WWW.OKMAG.COM

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Life

PHOTO BY CASEY HANSON. SPECIAL THANKS TO SCULPT TULSA AND ASCENT.

THE BEST OF LIVING WELL

Maternal Sculpting

Today’s pregnant women know that staying in shape is important for mother and baby.

wenty-seven-year-old Ashley Casillas Althage knows the meaning of a busy schedule. Working full time as a geological technician at Casillas Petroleum Corporation, she also teaches barre classes in the evening at Sculpt Tulsa. And on top of that, she is many months’ pregnant with her first child. She’s balancing everything she can, and she’s doing it in the correct way, a fact that the American Academy of Pediatrics says is important for pregnant mothers. “I find it very important to stay in shape and remain active throughout my pregnancy because there are so many positive benefits that come from it,” Althage says. “As long as you listen to your body, I think working out can only lead to a better, more positive pregnancy.” She says that a handful of pregnant women attend classes at Sculpt Tulsa, and the studio is currently working on a prenatal class to incorporate into the weekly schedule. “We actually have three pregnant instructors teaching at the moment, so it is a very prenatal-friendly studio,” she says.

“Any class that I teach, I offer modifications for any stage of pregnancy.” According to AAP, physical activity is just as important during pregnancy as any other time of life. The Academy recommends discussing a fitness program with a doctor; a moderate walking or swimming regimen may be ideal for those who are not regular exercisers. Prenatal yoga or Pilates classes are also of great benefit. “Working out while pregnant offers many benefits,” says Althage. “Physically, it helps you stay strong and maintain muscle tone, which makes getting back into shape after the pregnancy much easier. It can help you to sleep better, boost your energy level, relieve pregnancy discomfort, help you to maintain a healthy weight and most of all, it can better prepare your body for delivery. “Psychologically, working out while pregnant can help with selfimage issues, reduce stress and increase serotonin levels helping to boost your sprits when you’re feeling down,” she adds. The Academy recommends drinking plenty of water while working out and avoiding activity with jumping or jarring movements. JAMI MATTOX

MAY 2013 | WWW.OKMAG.COM

Life HOME TRENDS

Invisible Furniture

State-of-the-art technology makes high-style design durable and affordable.

crylic furniture first became available in the late 1930s when designer custom pieces were marketed to chic, glamorous and wealthy clients. The clear resin product was developed in 1933 for use during World War II by DuPont under the trademark Lucite and by Rohm & Haas as Plexiglas. Now there are more than a dozen trade names for high-grade acrylic, often making the terminology confusing. Acrylic was initially used for military applications, including submarine periscopes and airplane windshields, but as the war ended, manufacturers looked to other ways of marketing the product. Within a few years, acrylic was used in jewelry, lighting fixtures, furniture, even handbags. The style surged during the 1960s, and today that era’s light fixtures, furnishings and accessories are sought after collectables for Mid-Century Modern enthusiasts. By the 1970s, with technology making furniture pieces larger and more affordable, clear acrylic furnishings were a popular design choice. “The really big pieces tend to look dated now,” says interior designer Richard Neel, co-owner, along with Lori Sparkman, of Richard Neel Home in Tulsa’s Brookside. The store carries a number of acrylic accent pieces, including end tables by Gus* and lamps by Pablo. “People come in with a vision in mind and often want to see our ‘clear furniture,’” adds Sparkman. And although clear acrylic remains the most popular, most lines offer a variety of colorful translucent and opaque choices for each style. The current popularity of transparent furniture can be traced back

to the introduction of Philippe Starck’s Louis Ghost Chair for Kartell in 2002. But this chair is not acrylic. It is fabricated by pouring polycarbonate into a mold. Polycarbonate is also used as bullet-resistant glass. But it wasn’t the first of Starck’s “invisible” chairs. Earlier, the la Marie came out, but its stackable design was simple and straight. “The Ghost chair is a play on form,” explains Brian Hughes, showroom manager at SR Hughes. “It is a familiar French style but done in an exciting way that brings old and new together.” Neel recently matched Starck’s classic chair with an ornate Asian writing desk. “The desk was an important piece, so I used a Ghost chair,” says Neel. “It was minimalistic and basically disappeared, so the desk was featured.” High tech manufacturing utilizing polycarbonate has produced an array of designs over the last decade. “Because of the indestructible nature of this furniture, it works in commercial applications as well as residential,” adds Hughes. “And since it is mass produced, consumers can get high design furniture that is both durable and affordable.” According to Hughes, SR Hughes gets numerous requests for two of Kartell’s newest high-style “plastic” chairs often featured in design and style magazines. The traditional Comback Windsor chair is transformed into a contemporary version known as the Comback and is available in a variety of colorful opaque choices. And in 2010, Philippe Starck teamed with Eugeni Quitllet to create The Masters Chair that pays homage to three iconic Mid-century Modern designers blending elements of the Eames Molded Plastic Chair, Jacobsen’s Series 7 Chair and Saarinen’s Tulip Armchair. TAMARA LOGSDON HAWKINSON

OKLAHOMA MAGAZINE | MAY 2013

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Life A simple, Pullman-style kitchen utilizes a bar with plow-seat stools for sitting.

S M A L L S PA C E S

Recycling The Past Lofty living attracts young entrepreneur.

Photography by David Cobb rittney Melton has long been fascinated by how things work, so it’s no wonder her downtown Oklahoma City loft reflects her abiding interest in everything from old graphs and clock gears to farm implements and bug collections. If Melton has a favorite word, it must be “eclectic.” That is how she has cleverly furnished her 1,000-square-foot loft, which is only two blocks from Plenty Mercantile, which she and her mother, Tracy J. Lofton, own with their partner, Chris England. Melton knows loft living is not for everyone. It might be inconvenient for young families with children or older people who prefer ground floor living to walking three flights of stairs to the front door. But Melton is a young college graduate, enthusiastic about her decorating style and loves her retail work. The loft was a blank slate, ready for Melton’s inventive design style. The 10-foot ceilings begged for loft living drama with whimsical touches. The open space includes the living, dining, kitchen and sleeping areas. There is ample room for Melton’s unusual furnishings, accessories and wall art. The entry gives a glimpse of the living area. To the right is a full bath; the shower curtain features Boy Scout badge emblems. Brittney streamlined a closet, using her organizational skills. The washerdryer hides behind double doors near the kitchen. The Pullman-style kitchen is eye-catching. Although compact, its blonde wood and white trim

OKLAHOMA MAGAZINE | MAY 2013

The neutral color scheme of the loft makes it ideal for vibrant, colorful wall hangings.

MAY 2013 | WWW.OKMAG.COM

Life Melton, along with her mother, Tracy J. Lofton, and partner Chris England, own Plenty Mercantile, an eclectic store that sells a wide variety of merchandise.

is a crisp design touch, overlooking the main living area. A high shelf shows a sign spelling “Brit,” her nickname. For seating at the kitchen counter, Melton used bar stools with old plow seats. Nearby, an antique tea cart holds beverage serving items. Melton defined the living area with an Lshaped overstuffed sofa, comfortable lounge chair and ottoman and a coffee table that was once a cable spool. Open bulbs hang from the ceiling. Exposed pipes and peeling paint add vintage character. A custom-made teak sofa table was recently replaced with a 10-by-one-foot steel conveyor belt track, which has been raised into a long table by “found” pieces. With this addition, Melton has given new life to an industrial workhorse. An antique white iron bed anchors the sleeping area, and an old graph chart accents the headboard. One of Melton’s most dramatic finds is an oversized gilt mirror of unusual shape and design. It adds class to what was once a bare wall. A spacious paned window provides an expansive downtown vista. Under the window, a 16-foot work bench rests on old sawhorses, serving triple roles: a library, office and gallery for varied treasures, some from Plenty Mercantile. Don’t call the goods at PM antiques or junk. Much of the inventory has a colorful history from other eras, which have found new uses in today’s “anything goes” decorating climate. A first impression of the mercantile includes its red trademark pickup and suggests a warehouse with a sense of humor. The merchandise is surprising: children’s items, funky gift choices for all occasions and din

OKLAHOMA MAGAZINE | MAY 2013

“My favorite place in the loft is the window above my work table,” says Melton. “It feels like I am living and working on a rooftop inside the skyline.”

ing accessories in paper, linen, glass, plastic and stoneware, showing how even a novice can be inventive and entertain with a flair. There’s also hardware, doors, windows, decorative iron and wood and metal furnishings fashioned from old utility items. Like Melton’s loft, the Mercantile is a place to reinvent a lifestyle and give any home a fresh, slightly quirky take on interior design. The key to Melton’s style of decorating is to look at functional items – like those plow seats that became bar stools – and find new definitions for things that had other uses in a previous life. “I steer away from vintage and antique items,” Melton says. “They are vague and hard to relate to. Experienced or authentic seem to me words that keep the integrity of pieces. Each has a history of its own. It seems that’s what draws the soul.” M.J. VAN DEVENTER

The wall hanging behind Melton’s bed is a gray graphing chart whose use would be in classrooms to explain solutions to mathematical problems using chalk. Melton keeps the “guts” of several clocks above the kitchen storage area that are visible to the open studio space.

Amanda Morris, Ph.D. Professor, Human Development and Family Sciences

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OKLAHOMA MAGAZINE | MAY 2013

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OKLAHOMA MAGAZINE | MAY 2013

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Life

Trendspotting A round-up of things that you cannot live without. ‘Round The Neck

I never leave home without wearing a necklace (or three); it’s an item that completes an outﬁt. Jamie Wolf’s locket necklace is a beautiful piece that takes on a vintage-meets-modern feel. It goes with any outﬁt, from jeans and a tee to a cocktail dress. Shop Jamie Wolf at www.jamiewolf.com.

Slick Lips

A girl can never own too many lip-glosses. A lip-gloss I currently love is from Chantecaille. The luminous gloss lasts for hours and comes in a beautiful array of colors. Find the products online at www.chantecaille.com.

Lovely In Lace Smell Good

One of my all time favorite fragrances comes from the Bond No. 9 collection. I’m not sure if it is because the bottles are absolutely stunning or because the perfume line pays homage to a favorite city of mine. Bond No. 9 Central Park South, launched in April, is as perfect a scent as all the others in the collection. Find Bond No. 9 at www.bondno9.com.

Lace is a big trend for this spring and summer trend, and for good reason. It’s a beautiful and feminine fabric that women everywhere love. Joie’s “Nevina” style is one I could live in all season long. Pair it with shorts and sandals or a skirt and heels, and you’re ready for the day. Shop for lacy blouses at www. joie.com.

For The Father

Deciding what to buy my dad for Father’s Day is never an easy endeavor. He has shirts to last a lifetime and colognes for years to come; how many new ties does a man need? Consider the The Art of Shaving’s lightweight Ocean Kelp Collection. The products high quality ingredients will give him the most comfortable shave.

Sandals For Summer Summer is a fantastic season

because of the fabulous footwear. The “Natasha” sandal from Elaine Turner is just one example; the sandal comes in three stunning colors and is perfect for summer-long wear. Shop Elaine Turner at Miss Jackson’s in Tulsa, Balliets in Oklahoma City or online at www.elaineturner.com.

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The intricate detail of artistic sketches makes them a great option for home decor. Monica Abney’s unmatchable sketches are one-of-a-kind, and she can personalize them for each customer. Shop Monica Abney’s work at etsy.com/shop/Monichika2.

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Life Y O U R H E A LT H

Under The Knife

our doctor says you need surgery, but you aren’t sure. How do you know if surgery is the right choice for you? The good news is you have a choice in the matter. The American College of Surgeons (ACS) says patients today are more in control of their medical care than ever before. “Thirty years ago, you probably would have agreed to have an operation with few questions asked. Back then, most patients did not feel comfortable questioning their doctors. Patients relied on their physicians to make medical decisions for them,” says ACS Executive Director Dr. Thomas R. Russell in his book, I Need an Operation… Now What?. “Those days are gone. Today, health care is all about you,” says Russell. Every year, between 15 and 25 million

OKLAHOMA MAGAZINE | MAY 2013

Is surgery the right choice for you? Americans undergo a surgical procedure, and most of those are considered elective surgery, simply meaning planned, according to ACS.

Should I? “Elective surgery commonly refers to procedures done for reasons other than medical necessity,” says Dr. Kamal Sawan, chief of plastic surgery at the University of Oklahoma College Of Medicine. However, any surgery considered non-emergent is technically defined as elective, explains Dr. Fredrick Greene, clinical professor of surgery at the University Of North Carolina School Of Medicine and a fellow with the American College of Surgeons. Think of it this way: If you are able to plan a surgery, you are electing an operation as your course for medical treatment. “There are lots of options for patients

nowadays,” says Greene. “For most conditions, surgery should be the last option when other treatments have failed.” Of course, surgeries for medical conditions such as cancer vary greatly from joint replacement surgery or an operation for a hernia repair, counters Greene. The ACS recommends asking yourself whether your medical condition will get better on its own or with nonsurgical treatment. “Realistically ask yourself, ‘Will this procedure improve my outlook on life?’” says Greene. “Am I going to feel better if I have this surgery?” Thinking surgery just might be the right choice for you? Your next step should be to do your homework. “The most important thing you can do is to become an informed patient,” says Russell. “Research shows that patients who are

well-informed about their treatment have better surgical outcomes and are more satisfied with their results.” There are many books and pamphlets to help you be prepared. The web can also be a great way to learn what to expect from your operation, provided you seek reputable websites, says Greene. Your surgeon is also a great source for information about your suggested procedure as long as you are willing to ask questions. “Patients should feel free to ask their surgeon anything they want answered about the operation, including the surgeon’s competency to perform it,” advises Russell.

remember a second opinion is simply an opinion and not necessarily better than the first. Therefore, trust is vital when choosing a surgeon. Training and credentials matter, but your feelings matter, too, writes Russell. “You need to feel comfortable with your surgeon,” says Russell. “If you have a good doctor-patient relationship, you can more easily communicate with each other.” Look for someone willing to listen to you, Greene advises. “A good surgeon will tell the patient about all their options, then give a recommendation on

“The most important thing you can do is to become an informed patient. Research shows that patients who are well-informed about their treatment have better surgical outcomes and are more satisﬁed with their results.” “I often get this question: ‘If it was your family member, what would you do?’” says Greene. “That’s the ultimate question.” You’ll also want to think about postsurgery, as well. “Be sure to ask about the effect of the operation on your quality of life,” says Russell. “Will it alter your lifestyle?” The biggest benefit of an elective surgery is that you have time to plan. You have more freedom in the when, where, how and who. “Elective surgery is not only elective, but should be selective,” says Sawan. “So choose your physician wisely and pick the ones who are honest in their evaluation of your desires and expectations and who are experienced in the type of procedure.” This is where a second or third opinion may be necessary. “You have to have faith and confidence with the physician you have consulted,” confirms Greene. “If you are uncertain about a procedure, it’s always a good idea to have a second opinion. Most surgeons will even encourage it.” Russell points out that it’s important to

which is the best option for them,” he says. Financial concerns may factor into your decision whether to have a suggested surgery or not. “Insurance may or may not pay for the procedure,” cautions Greene. Talk with the hospitals billing department about the hospital’s charges. If you find that you cannot afford the procedure, talk frankly with your surgeon and the hospital’s financial advisor about options, suggests Russell.

Risks And Rewards Elective or not, surgery is still surgery, and that carries some risk. “Just because it is elective surgery does not reduce the risks associated with it,” says Sawan. “Patients should be aware of the risks and potential complications.” “There are certainly downsides to surgery,” says Greene. “(The risks) vary depending on the type of surgery. It is not an exact science. We try to do no harm.” The process of choosing a surgery is often a balancing act that weighs the good versus the bad to make the right choice for the patient, Greene explains.

Risks can include infection, bleeding, wound complications and respiratory or cardiac problems associated with the surgery or anesthesia. “It’s important to know what kind of anesthesia you will need,” says Greene. “The risk of an operation is generally tied to the type of

anesthesia.” “The healthier the patient is, the lower the risks,” Sawan says. Smoking significantly increases risk of complications, says Greene. “You should stop smoking for a surgery, even if it’s just for a short time,” he suggests Also, if you have time, try to reach a healthier weight. “Under your doctor’s supervision, start an exercise program or work out more regularly,” suggests Russell. It is also important to have realistic expectations about what your surgery can do for you, says Sawan. Every surgery is different depending on the individual’s condition and the physical response of each patient, writes Russell. “A surgeon cannot guarantee results,” explains Greene. “Elective surgery is on the rise, and there are thousands of happy, satisfied patients who made the right decision for themselves,” says Sawan. “It is all about you, the patient. You are in charge of your destiny. “Choose wisely and have realistic expectations to avoid disappointment later,” he adds. LINDSAY CUOMO MAY 2013 | WWW.OKMAG.COM

Don’t Just Sit There

A sedentary lifestyle at the ofﬁce can cause big problems down the line.

ur modern workday is vastly different from past generations. Technology has made us more efficient in the workplace. However, these advances come with serious health concerns. Research has linked a sedentary lifestyle with elevated blood pressure, high blood sugar, obesity, cardiovascular disease, diabetes, cancer and even premature death, says Jennifer Daley, exercise specialist with Saint Francis Health System. “Prolonged sitting can also lead to back aches, headaches and restlessness, and we can even become lethargic.” Karen Massey, community wellness dietitian with Integris Health System, confirms

OKLAHOMA MAGAZINE | MAY 2013

Daley recommends standing up every 30 minutes to prevent stiffness. “Stand while you are talking on the phone,” offers Daley. “The simple act of standing can burn as many as 50 more calories per hour.” Don’t feel guilty about taking time for these much-needed breaks. “Understand that taking time out for yourself is not selfish; you are making yourself a better person and a better employee,” says Daley. LINDSAY CUOMO

A MOVABLE DESK

It’s easy to plan on standing while talking to co-workers or taking a five-minute break each hour to walk about the office to get that metabolism working again. But implementing those seemingly simple activities can prove challenging. That’s why Dr. James Levine, a physician at the Mayo Clinic, devised the treadmill desk. The desk has a large workspace that can easily hold papers, a laptop and even a coffee cup. But instead of a chair, a treadmill keeps the worker continuously walking at a low speed. Calling it the “sitting disease” and likening it to smoking, Levine conducted a small study in Minnesota that replaced traditional work areas with “work-fit” stations for about 30 employees. Levine himself has utilized a treadmill desk for quite some time; the treadmill is very slow, usually running around one mile-per-hour. “Researchers have linked sitting for prolonged periods with a number of health problems and premature death from cardiovascular disease,” Levine wrote on the Mayo Clinic website. “… the solution seems to be less sitting and more moving,” he said. “Simply by standing, you burn three times as many calories as you do sitting. Muscle contractions, including the ones required for standing, seem to trigger important processes related to the breakdown of fats and sugars. When you sit down, muscle contractions cease and these processes stall.” These desks can be pricey, ranging from a few hundred dollars to thousands. Blogger Jay Buster built his own treadmill desk from an old treadmill and $39 in supplies and has lost an astounding 57 pounds since using it. – Jami Mattox

IMAGE COURTESY LIFESPAN FITNESS.

Life FITNESS

sitting for long periods of time is linked to a number of health risks and adds an increased risk of blood clots to the list. “When we sit almost motionless for extended periods of time, the body recognizes that there’s no need to keep basal metabolic rate in fullthrottle,” explains Massey. “Our bodies go into a ‘sleep’ mode, turning off extra calorieburning that isn’t needed while not in active use.” Even regular gymgoers are at risk. “People who regularly run or work out at a gym often figure that doing so offsets the fact that they sit the rest of the day,” says Massey. “The risk of sitting differs from the benefits of exercise, a difficult concept to embrace especially for those who regularly engage in exercise.” Sedentary does not just mean someone who does not exercise regularly, but means someone who is sitting for the majority of their day, says Daley. “It’s not just about having an exercise routine or being a regular exerciser but being active all day,” says Daley. “Ultimately, we must compare the time we spend sitting versus the time we spend standing and even the amount of time we spend exercising.” But don’t stop your exercise routine. It’s important. Everyone needs both, Daley and Massey agree. While prolonged sitting has serious health consequences, the solution is simple: move. “You don’t have to be all that sophisticated,” says Massey. “Set your print cue to print at a location which forces you to walk to retrieve your copy. Don’t use the closest bathroom – walk to a farther one.” “Get up and walk to talk to a co-worker instead of calling them on the phone or sending them an email, “suggests Daley. “Keep some small hand weights or bottles of water at your desk that you can pick up and perform different arm exercises while you are reading e-mails, talking on the phone or listening to a webinar.” The essential goal is to wake up the circuitry, keep blood flowing and stimulate the muscles into active mode, encourages Massey. “Make a personal goal to take a walk break, stretch break or just a wiggle break every 60-90 minutes,” advises Massey.

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Life

Philadelphia’s Liberty Bell is one of the city’s most visited sites, attracting millions each year.

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AT A G L A N C E

D E S T I N AT I O N S : W E E K E N D I N T I N E R A R Y

New Athens in the Northeast

Philadelphia offers a unique array of cultural and historic attractions.

OKLAHOMA MAGAZINE | MAY 2013

to life. The must-sees of the day start with Independence National Historic Park. Philadelphia’s signature historic site in Old City features the Liberty Bell, Independence Hall and Constitution Hall (home of the Declaration of Independence and Constitution). It also features historic buildings from the city’s revolutionary past, approximately 20 of which are open to the public. After again opting for a lunch featuring local favorites, you will also want to take in the Edgar Allan Poe National Historic Site, Philadelphia Museum of Art, Academy of Natural Sciences, Franklin Institute Science Museum, Mutter Museum, Rosenbach Museum & Library and the Rodin Museum. After your long day, consider fine dining for dinner at the famed Le Bec Fin, Morimoto or Fogo de Chao. After breakfast Sunday, consider a few sites you might have missed the day before or opt for other acclaimed favorites, such as the Philadelphia Zoo, the nation’s oldest, or otherwise the Morris Arboretum, Fairmount Park or the spectacular site of the Dram Gar-

Robert Indiana’s 1976 Love sculpture, located in JFK Plaza, is one of Philadelphia’s most recognizable landmarks.

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heck into your accommodations early enough to take a stroll and get the feel for the area right outside your hotel – most likely the Center City area and its rich collection of restaurants, bars and attractions. Opt for something light for dinner, such as Israeli-Middle Eastern fare at Zahav or anywhere you see locals lining up for hoagies or ethnic food. You’ll want to get a good night’s rest before a busy weekend. Saturday is all about history and culture, and it will be a busy day. After breakfast at your hotel or at a beloved site, such as Sabrina’s Cafe or Reading Terminal Market, it’s time to see history brought

Access: Philadelphia International Airport is served by most major domestic carriers. Population: Approximately 5.9 million in the metro area. Climate: Summers are typically hot and muggy, fall and spring are generally mild, and winter is cold. Snowfall is variable, with some winters bringing only light snow and others bringing several major snowstorms. Main Attractions: History and culture abound in one of North America’s most historic cities, with ﬁne dining and beautiful public spaces also key appeals.

HOT PICKS Eat: There is plenty of high-end cuisine to be enjoyed in Philadelphia, but don’t miss some of the less glamorous but equally delicious speciﬁc local fare: the cheesesteak, scrapple, hoagies, soft pretzels, water ice and Tastykakes. Competition among cheesesteak fans is ﬁerce – as the ordering process can be, particularly at famed Pat’s King of Steaks. Watch how locals order or be prepared for a true “Soup Nazi”-like experience. PASS: To see a number of local sites economically, consider purchasing a Philadelphia CityPASS. Check out www. citypass.com/philadelphia for details. Shop: Time permitting, check out the Reading Terminal Market, where some of the vendors have been operating for a century.

S TAY I N STYLE The Ritz-Carlton Philadelphia is centrally located within easy access of some of the city’s finer restaurants and attractions, and service is typically excellent. Some 299 rooms feature exceptional views in a setting that perfectly pairs the historic with the ultra-modern. Amenities include a business center, beautiful lounge, numerous meeting rooms and an awardwinning spa, among many others. www. ritzcarlton.com The elegant Four Seasons Hotel Philadel-

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Pat’s King of Steaks

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den glass mosaic near Independence Hall for a rare and breathtaking creation. Complete your afternoon and evening with a visit to South Philly for an authentic Philly Cheesesteak, and you will be ready for bed and then to return home with your tales of visiting the city that native son Ben Franklin dubbed “New Athens.”

Independence Hall is one of America’s most historic buildings as the site of the adoption of the Declaration of Independence on July 4, 1776 and the drafting of the U. S. Constitution.

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phia is an AAA Five Diamond hotel benefitting from both its location and numerous attractions and amenities within. A beautiful pool setting, luxurious spa treatments, and fitness center complete with a beautiful delightful lounge and extraordinary sunlit indoor swimming pool and terrace The luxurious Ritz-Carlton Philadelphia concierge service helps guarantee is located in the historic Girard/Mellon all vistors’ needs can be met. www. overlooking the city and follow it up at one Bank Building. of the several prized restaurants and lounges fourseasons.com on site. www.rittenhousehotel.com The Rittenhouse Hotel is an AAA five-diamond property at Philadelphia’s MICHAEL W. SASSER most prestigious adPhilly boasts many world-famous restaurants including Iron Chef Masaharu dress. As a member Morimoto’s namesake restaurant designed by Karim Rashid. of Leading Hotels of the World and ranked among the world’s finest places to stay, the Center City Philadelphia hotel provides well-appointed guest rooms and sprawling suites just steps from the pristine lawns and pathways of Rittenhouse Square. Guests can indulge VISIT ONLINE in the comfort of the Adolf Biecker Spa and Salon, a full-service spa, salon www.visitphilly.com MAY 2013 | WWW.OKMAG.COM

a m o h a l k O sic u M

By John Wooley, Meika Yates Hines, Thom Golden and Jami Mattox

75+ GREAT PEOPLE, PLACES AND MOMENTS Located smack in the middle of the country, Oklahoma is at a cultural crossroads that gives us an exceptionally rich and varied musical heritage. Oklahoma played a huge role in the evolution of jazz, Red Dirt and Western swing, but its citizens have touched every genre of music. We’ve narrowed our list down to more than 75 worthy of special attention, but we could have easily listed hundreds more.

OKLAHOMA MAGAZINE | MAY 2013

Join Oklahoma Magazine on Spotify to hear songs from these Oklahoma artists and others. Visit us at www.okmag.com for an expanded list from Oklahoma’s musical legacy and extras, including “Oklahoma Musicians To Watch.”

Bob Wills They may call it “Texas swing” south of the

Red River, but the fact remains that the musical amalgam known as Western swing was popularized by a native Texan run out of his home state into Oklahoma by a future Texas governor. And it was in Tulsa, following a brief stay in Oklahoma City, that Bob Wills and His Texas Playboys began spreading the Western swing gospel across the country thanks to the flame-throwing radio station KVOO and a honky-tonk called the Cain’s Ballroom, from which Wills’ band broadcast six days a week for well over 20 years. The future Texas governor was W. Lee “Pappy” O’Daniel, general manager of Fort Worth’s Burris Mills in the late ‘20s-early ‘30s, who hired Wills and his bandmates to promote the company’s flour via radio broadcasts and personal

The Flaming Lips In a state best known for its mega-star

country acts and the birth of Western swing, it seems an anomaly that one of the world’s most psychedelic and experimental bands would form in Oklahoma; but that’s exactly what happened in 1983 when Wayne Coyne, Mark Coyne and Michael Ivins got together to form the Flaming Lips. The Oklahoma City-based band experiments with lush, orchestral sounds and lyrics that focus on the supernatural, the otherworldly and the just plain bizarre. The group recorded several EPs with small labels before

appearances. But Pappy and Bob didn’t get along very well, so Bob split, taking a number of musicians with him, much to their former boss’s consternation. Eventually, they crossed the Red River, where the long arm of O’Daniel continued to grab at them. In KVOO, however, they found a safe haven, and Bob and the boys set about honing and perfecting that blend of hillbilly, fiddle, blues, jazz and pop music that came to be known as Western swing, a still-vibrant musical genre that’s just as important to Tulsa as the blues are to Memphis and jazz is to Kansas City and New Orleans. Bob died in 1975 at 70 years old. – John Wooley

CAIN’S BALLROOM This

1924 garage turned danceh all, was famously the home of Bo b Wills and The Texas Playboys, but it has also played host to hundreds of bands, fro m the famous to the obscure, in every genre. The venue underwent a multi-million dol lar restoration in 2002 with current owner s, the Rodgers family, preserving the Tul sa icon as a venue for a new genera tion of audiences and performe rs. signing with Warner Brothers in the early ‘90s. The band released Hit to Death in the Future Head in 1992 and, in 1993, Transmissions from the Satellite Heart, an album that gave the band its first single, “She Don’t Use Jelly.” With 1999’s The Soft Bulletin, the Lips began to build its reputation for creating unique, multi-layered recordings, and the experimental album garnered both critical acclaim and cult status. If The Soft Bulletin caught the attention of critics, it was the 2002 release of Yoshimi Battles the Pink Robots that firmly cemented the Lips’ reputation for experimentation and over-the-top live shows. The album’s most recognizable single, “Do You Realize??” was named Oklahoma’s official rock song. The Lips’ body of work is prolific, steadily churning out albums over its three-decade existence. On April 16, its latest album, The Terror, was released; the album takes on a slightly darker tone than previous albums. Frontman Wayne Coyne has never shied away from the offbeat; confetti cannons and a human-sized plastic bubble that allows him to walk over crowds are commonplace at live shows. The Lips continue to call Oklahoma City home, and it’s rather common to run into Coyne around town. – Jami Mattox MAY 2013 | WWW.OKMAG.COM

LEON RUSSELL

To get an idea how big a deal Leon Russell became in rock ‘n’ roll circles, consider that his debut solo album, 1970’s Leon Russell, featured guest performances by George Harrison, Steve Winwood and Eric Clapton. That same year, Russell organized and directed Joe Cocker’s massive 43-person Mad Dogs & Englishmen aggregation, shepherding them through a legendary seven-week American tour. Like his Tulsa music contemporary J.J. Cale (and, to a lesser extent David Gates, who preferred higher-paying gigs) Russell was a veteran of the scofflaw Tulsa club scene in the 1950s, where illegal drinking thrived and the drinkers craved live music. One of Leon’s musical contemporaries, bassist Gerald Goodwin, has said that “Leon sort of singlehandedly put the keyboards into the picture . . . (T)hrough his vision and his talent, he made (that) piano a big part of the sound.” It was vision and talent that also made Russell a top West Coast studio player in the ‘60s, when he led the migration of Tulsa players to L.A. Many of them still tell stories of staying with Leon in the Hollywood Hills, recording in his studio, taking gigs he’d helped them get. And, after he’d become a bona fide rock star, he returned to Tulsa and set up the Church Studio and an office for Shelter Records, where he continued to work with both Tulsa artists and national and international superstars. Whatever the classic Tulsa Sound was, and is, Leon Russell remains its focal point. – John Wooley

Hoyt Axton

(Duncan) Hoyt Axton was the son of “Heartbreak Hotel” songwriter Mae Boren Axton. He launched his own folk singer-songwriter career in the early 1960s, recording several minor hits. His 1974 recording of “When Morning Comes” with Linda Ronstadt went on to become a Top 10 country hit. He’s best known, however, for hit songs recorded by others, most notably “Joy to the World” and “Never Been To Spain” by Three Dog Night and “Greenback Dollar” by the Kingston Trio. Axton died in 1999 at 61.

OKLAHOMA MAGAZINE | MAY 2013

WANDA JACKSON Her official website touts Maud

native Wanda Jackson as “The First Lady of Rockabilly and America’s First Female Rock ‘n’ Roll Singer.” While the latter tag may be arguable, the first one certainly isn’t. As a student at Capitol Hill High School in Oklahoma City, Jackson had her own country-music radio show, which attracted the attention of Western swing star Hank Thompson. He became her mentor, assisting her in getting recording deals with Decca and Capitol Records. The records did well enough to help her launch a touring career, and in the summer of 1955, she found herself on a package show with a hot young singer named Elvis Presley. She was still a country act then. But at the urging of Elvis and her father, who was also her road manager, she decided to try this new style that was doing so much for Presley and other Southern, country-influenced cats. “Elvis and my daddy wore me down,” she once recalled. “Elvis said, ‘If you get into this rockabilly, this rock ‘n’ roll, you’ll sell a lot more records.’” So, with a sizzle in her voice that belied her youth, Jackson reeled off a string of incendiary singles like “Mean, Mean Man,” “Fujiyama Mama,” and her biggest, 1960’s “Let’s Have A Party,” all of which indeed established her as the First Lady of Rockabilly. In 2009, the still-active Jackson, an influence on such stars of today as Jack White and Adele, was inducted into the Rock ‘n’ Roll Hall of Fame. – John Wooley

PATTI PAGE

The best-selling female recording artist of the 1950s, Claremore native Clara Ann Fowler became Patti Page as a young singer on Tulsa radio station KTUL, when she began appearing in a program sponsored by the Page Milk Company. It was there that she also made her first recordings, singing with the KTUL-affiliated Western swing band Al Clauser and His Oklahoma Outlaws. Signing with Mercury Records in 1947, she became the first vocalist to overdub her own voice in the studio, adding harmony parts to her recording of a song called “Confess.” The year 1950 saw her rendition of “Tennessee Waltz” become not only a huge pop-country crossover recording, but also one of the best-selling records of all time. Page songs like “I Went to Your Wedding,” “With My Eyes Wide Open, I’m Dreaming,” and “(How Much Is That) Doggie in the Window” helped define the sound of America’s pre-rock ‘n’ roll era. Even after rock’s arrival, however, Page continued to be a major recording star, scoring with such late-‘50s-early-‘60s hits as “Allegheny Moon,” “Old Cape Cod,” and “Hush, Hush, Sweet Charlotte.” She also hosted her own national television shows and appeared in movies, notably 1960’s Elmer Gantry. Page continued to perform and record almost to the end of her life, last returning to Claremore for a well-received concert in April 2010. She died in California on New Year’s Day, 2013, only a few weeks before she was to receive a Lifetime Achievement Grammy Award. – John Wooley

Chainsaw Kittens (Norman) Tyson

Meade and Trent Bell formed the alternative rock band Chainsaw Kittens in 1989. They were never commercially successful but are widely credited for helping launch the alternative rock movement in the ‘90s. Bands such as Nirvana and Smashing Pumpkins have cited them as inspirations.

Color Me Badd (Oklahoma City)

Bryan Abrams, Kevin Thornton, Mark Calderon and Sam Watters formed the R&B group Color Me Badd while they were in high school. The group went on to sell 12 million records and have five hit singles in

the early ‘90s, including “I Wanna Sex You Up,” “I Adore Mi Amor” and “All 4 Love.”

Hanson

(Tulsa) Brothers Isaac, Taylor and Zac Hanson, collectively known as Hanson, will forever be associated with the 1997 runaway hit “MMMBop.” The trio had two other Top 40 hits but have never again achieved the success of “MMMBop,” at least not in the U.S. That hardly matters, though, since the band is a bona fide international phenomenon with an enthusiastic fan base that makes everything they do a commercial success. Hanson will release its sixth original studio album, Anthem, in June, along with a world tour.

Jacob Fred Jazz Odyssey (Tulsa) Brian Haas

formed the beginnings of Jacob Fred Jazz Odyssey along with several classmates from The University of Tulsa under the name Pimp Cocktail in 1994. The group has gone through a few names and several personnel changes throughout the years as it honed its brand of jazz fusion that draws heavily on funk and rock. The outfit consistently gains critical acclaim for its innovation and is a regular on the jazz festival and touring circuit. Recent efforts have included the 2010 Ludwig project, based on interpretations of Beethoven’s Symphony No. 3 and Symphony No. 6, and the 2011 Race Riot Suite, an original composition about the 1921 Tulsa Race Riot recorded in the iconic Church Studio. The latter reached No. 1 on the CMJ Jazz Chart.

Kings of Leon (Tala-

The Gap Band

The Gap Band is widely credited with helping bring funk into the mainstream in the 1970s and ‘80s. Brothers Ronnie, Charlie and Robert Wilson got their start singing in the Tulsa Pentecostal church where their father preached and their mother played piano. Ronnie formed the group under the name Greenwood, Archer and Pine Street Band in 1967, along with an ensemble of Tulsa musicians, including Tuck Andress, who later formed the duo Tuck & Patti. Charlie joined the band in 1972, eventually becoming lead vocalist, and Robert joined as bassist the following year. The group enjoyed huge regional success, enough to get them signed with Leon Russell’s Shelter Records. Its first two albums failed to bring national success, but the group did get the attention of famed R&B and funk producer Lonnie Simmons. He got the group its first major la-

bel release, 1979’s The Gap Band, with Mercury. That album earned the band its first big hit, the Top 10 R&B charting “Shake.” Simmons remained a producer and close collaborator of the band throughout its career, eventually moving The Gap Band to his own Total Experience label. Between 1979 and 1983, the band released four albums, The Gap Band II, The Gap Band III, The Gap Band IV, The Gap Band V: Jammin’, which mark the height of the group’s success with singles including “I Don’t Believe You Want to Get Up and Dance (Oops Up Side Your Head!),” “Steppin’ (Out),” “Burn Rubber on Me (Why You Wanna Hurt Me),” “Early in the Morning,” “You Dropped a Bomb on Me” and “Outstanding.” The Gap Band recorded new material until 1999, and after that, continued to tour and make special appearances. Charlie Wilson launched a successful solo career and has collaborated with some of the biggest names in R&B and hip-hop today, including Justin Timberlake, will.i.am and Kanye West. Robert Wilson died in 2010. – Thom Golden

1993-94: THE TRACTORS RECORD THE TRACTORS The Tractors, a group of noted Oklahoma musicians, led by vocalist-songwriter-guitarist Steve Ripley, record an eponymous debut disc at Tulsa’s Church Studio. Released by Arista Nashville Records in August 1994, The Tractors goes platinum (signifying sales of a million units) faster than any other debut album by a group in recording history. Propelled by the chart success of the single “Baby Likes to Rock It,” The Tractors becomes the top-selling country album of 1994. At last report, sales were coming up on three million, making it the best-selling disc ever recorded in Oklahoma.

hina/Oklahoma City) The multiplatinum, Grammy-winning rock band Kings of Leon has dominated the airwaves with such hits as “Sex On Fire” and “Use Somebody.” While the group technically formed in Nashville, its members – brothers Caleb, Nathan and Jared Followill and cousin Matthew Followill – all spent formative years in Oklahoma. Their Pentecostal traveling preacher father raised the brothers in Oklahoma and the deep South. They cut their teeth on southern gospel music, an influence that is reflected in the band’s own music, especially songs such as “Holy Roller Novocaine” and “Radioactive.”

AU 2008: BGUST 30, OK CEN Tulsa’s O P ENS TER music s

Norma Jean (Wellston) Pretty Miss Norma Jean was already well-known

regionally when Porter Wagner and Columbia discovered her in 1959. Chet Atkins took her to RCA where she had her first hit with “Let’s Go All The Way” in 1963. She had 13 Top 40 country singles during the ‘60s and received two Grammy nominations. She moved back to Oklahoma in the 1970s and continues to make music.

Jimmy Webb (Elk City)

Jimmy Webb wrote some of the most recognizable hits of the ‘60s, ‘70s and ‘80s, including classics such as “Up, Up and Away,” “By the Time I Get to Pheonix,” “Wichita Lineman” and “MacArthur Park.” He’s the only artist to have ever received Grammy Awards for music, lyrics and orchestration.

Cross Canadian Ragweed

(Yukon/Stillwater) Cross Canadian Ragweed formed in Yukon but soon moved to Stillwater to become part of the thriving Red Dirt with th cene ch eo an music scene. The group quickly became arena h pening of the ged dramatic as all B one of the biggest Red Dirt acts and gained includin hosted a wide OK Center. T y he g The E range o mainstream country success with the 2004 fp ag line Dio n, Lady les, Britney S erformers, album Soul Gravy and the 2005 single p Gaga a e nd Justi ars, Ce“Fightin’ For.” The band broke up in 2010, n Beib er. and members Cody Canada and Jeremy Plato have formed a new band, The Departed.

MAY 2013 | WWW.OKMAG.COM

The All-American Rejects

Everyone knows that Oklahoma is the heart that beats within the collective country music beast; but every so often, an artist or band that ventures off the beaten country road emerges as a force to be reckoned with, proving again and again that the state is rich in diverse talent and originality. Case in point – Stillwater’s The All-American Rejects. The rock group has been described as “power punk,” a term that sums up the kind of head-bobbing energy that makes music fans want to jump up and down and shout out lyrics without needing to throw blows in a mosh pit. The group’s music is fun and nostalgic in its trademark way, which can make you reminisce on youth’s highlight reel, past regrets and moments of excess. The Rejects consists of four friends – band lead singer, bassist and lyricist Tyson Ritter; guitarist Nick Wheeler; guitarist Mike Kennerty; and drummer Chris Gaylor – and together the band has enjoyed what Billboard has called, “a burgeoning success story,” collecting hits such as “Swing Swing” and “Dirty Little Secret” along its journey. Ecstatic audiences love the Rejects’ live shows, from across the country to across the globe, since landing its first international hit, “Give You Hell,” which was the No. 1 most-played song in 2009. The most recent album, Kids in the Street, sticks true to the band’s style, which promises to take fans back to an innocent state of mind and inspire escape into their favorite moments in life. – Meika Yates Hines

The Nixons

(Oklahoma City) The Nixons formed in 1990 and quickly gained a strong regional fan base. The band was eventually signed to MCA Records and released Forma in 1995. The album gave the band the hit singles “Sister,” “Happy Song” and “Wire.” The group dissolved in 2000, though individual members have continued to work in the music industry, most notably frontman Zac Maloy, who has worked with Carrie Underwood and Our Lady Of Peace, among others.

Vince Gill Exceeding sheer commercial success, Vince

Gill is a real Oklahoma legend. Inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame in 2007, the acclaimed Norman-born star has earned all of the fame and prestige that will make him go down in history as one of the most beloved country artists. His big break in 1990 made him a household name overnight, and from that point on, he has continued to rank as one of the dominant artists in country music. Known for hosting the CMA Awards every year from 1992 to 2003, as well as his tireless humanitarian work with hundreds of charitable events throughout his career, Gill is a country favorite on numerous levels, far beyond his music alone. But it’s his artistic credibility and ability to continue to evolve creatively that has solidified his place as a constant force in the country music spotlight.

OKLAHOMA MAGAZINE | MAY 2013

Other Lives

(Stillwater) Originally formed as Kunek in 2004, indie rock group Other Lives creates lush, orchestral music reminiscent of Sigur Ros and Radiohead. The group’s 2011 album Tamer Animals brought critical acclaim and gigs opening for indie heavyweights Radiohead and Bon Iver, as well as a slot at Coachella.

Gene Autry (Ravia) Singing cowboy,

television and movie star Gene Autry was discovered when a customer overhead him playing guitar and singing while he was working as a railroad telegraph operator in southeast Oklahoma. That customer was none other than Will Rogers. Autry was soon broadcasting on KVOO as “Oklahoma’s Yodeling Cowboy.” He signed with Columbia Records in 1929 and was filming movies by 1934, frequently combining acting and singing. He is best known for his rendition of “Back in the Saddle Again” and several iconic Christmas songs including “Rudolph The Red-Nosed Reindeer,” “Frosty The Snowman” and “Here Comes Santa Claus,” which he wrote in 1946. Autry died in 1998 at age 91 from lymphoma.

Michael Been and The Call

(Oklahoma City) The Call –which included Oklahomans Michael Been, lead singer, and Scott Musick, drummer – has been cited as the most popular band that never made it big. That’s the sort of verbiage that gets thrown around when a group counts among it fans the likes of Bob Dylan, U2, The Band, Peter Gabriel and Simple Minds. The Call had hits during the ‘80s, such as “The Walls Came Down,” “I Still Believe” and “Let The Day Begin,” and was popular on MTV, yet never achieved the commercial success most expected. The group disbanded in 2000 and Been died in 2010. Musick returned to Tulsa, where he is involved in the local music scene. The remaining members of The Call, along with Been’s son Robert Levon Been, reunited for two shows in April.

Roy Clark (Tulsa) Country musician, actor and consummate

performer, Roy Clark is best known as the host of Hee Haw during its more than 20-year run on television. He is also a renowned banjo and guitar player and has numerous hits as a vocalist, including “Thank God and Greyhound” and “I Never Picked Cotton.” Clark has resided in Tulsa for many years.

Eighteen Country Music Awards, 20 Grammys, 26 million albums sold – you don’t hold the record for having won more Grammys than any other male country artist without having the well-rounded chops to excel in a variety of different aspects of music. Singing, songwriting, producing and instrumental virtuosity – the guy can do it all, and he has the trophies to prove it. And to date, he’s still doing it all. Gill’s current band, The Time Jumpers, were recently nominated for two Grammys – one for Best Country Album and one for Best Vocal Performance by a Duo or Group-Country. – Meika Yates Hines

Ronnie Dunn (Tulsa) After a stint as a solo artist, Ronnie Dunn joined Kix Brooks in 1990 to form the superstar country duo Brooks & Dunn. The group was an instant success and went on to sell 30 million records and chart 20 No. 1 singles. The group disbanded in 2010 and Dunn once again launched a solo career. His self-titled debut album has produced three Top 40 country singles.

Tom Paxton

(Bristow) Tom Paxton is one of the country’s most prolific and influential folk singer-songwriters, with credits spanning more than 50 years. He has released dozens of albums, and his works have been performed by a who’s who of stars ranging from Placido Domingo to Dolly Parton. He received the Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award in 2009.

Wayman Tisdale (Tulsa) Wayman Tisdale enjoyed a successful career as a professional basketball player, most notably for the Sacramento Kings and Phoenix Suns. He released his first album, Power Forward, as a smooth jazz bass guitarist in 1995 and retired from basketball in 1997 to pursue music full time. He recorded eight albums, including the 2001 No. 1 contemporary jazz album Face To Face. Tisdale died in 2009 after a battle with cancer.

Kristin Chenoweth Effortlessly transitioning from big to small screens, Broadway stages and music concert halls worldwide, Kristin Chenoweth is a ray of sunshine that captivates audiences and keeps her presence shining in countless spectrums of the entertainment world. The Broken Arrow native’s powerful high falsetto singing voice, sparkling comedic timing and charm has made it hard to pinpoint exactly what role she’s best known for, because she stands out in whatever role she chooses to assume. Since earning her bachelor’s degree in musical theater at Oklahoma City University, she has built a career that boasts a rainbow of versatility, including three studio albums, performances with symphonies across the globe and some of the highest honors in showbiz. She’s got Broadway in the bag, with a Tony Award for the role of “Sally” in You’re a Good Man, Charlie Brown, and a nomination for creating the role of “Glinda” in Wicked. Television has been a snap. In addition to a slew of different roles, Chenoweth won an Emmy for her performance as “Olive Snook” on ABC’s Pushing Daisies, and a nomination for her guest appearance as “April Rhodes” on Glee. As far as the big screen goes, she can be credited in numerous popular movies and has lent her distinct voice to animated features like Disney’s Tinkerbell ﬁlms. Chenoweth most recently helped to emcee this year’s Academy Awards and continues to take on roles that inspire inspiration and positivity. – Meika Yates Hines

1914: TULSA CONVENTION HALL OPENS

Now known as Brady Theater, the landmark has hosted hundreds of notable performers.

THE DIAMOND BALLROOM

Oklahoma City’s 1964 Diamond Ballroom has hosted some of the biggest names in music and continues to present unique shows in a one-of-a-kind space.

Reba McEntire

History has proven that pop culture loves a fiery redhead, and one of the most loved and notorious of them all comes from Oklahoma. The musician. The actress. The entertainment business mogul. The brand. Oh yes, we’re talking about you, Reba. Having grown up on a working cattle ranch in McAlester, she has said that she always found the Western way of life to be romantic, and in her own unique way, she successfully pioneered a rustic but “tough-sexy” appeal to everything she’s touched – be it a song, a music video or a sitcom and entire style line known simply as “Reba.” Fifty-six million in worldwide album sales and 64 Top 10 hits, McEntire is the recipient of nine People’s Choice Awards, seven CMA Awards, two Grammys, 15 American Music Awards and 13 ACM awards. She was the People’s Choice Female Musical Performer and Female Country Music Performer for six consecutive years (1992-1998) and in 2009 broke a CMA record when she surpassed Dolly Parton as the most nominated female artist in the award’s seasoned history. One of the first artists to take advantage of visual medium in music back in the ‘80s, McEntire is also known for having taken her strong songwriting narratives and blending them with music videos to tell compelling, dramatic stories. This early penchant for acting later helped her rising star evolve, spawning her show Reba, which aired from 2001-2007, and her current hit show Malibu Country. – Meika Yates Hines MAY 2013 | WWW.OKMAG.COM

John Fullbright

Jim Halsey

Byron Berline (Guthrie) Byron

JD McPherson (Broken Arrow) After

(Beggs) Western swing musician Bob Dunn is credited with inventing the electric steel guitar in 1934. He was also the first to record the instrument as a member of Milton Brown’s Musical Brownies in 1935. He died in 1971.

(Bearden) After cutting his teeth with Red Dirt royalty the Turnpike Troubadours and Mike McClure, singer-songwriter John Fullbright launched a solo career in 2009. His first recording from that year, Live at the Blue Door, helped him get the attention of the music press and made him a regular at festivals from SXSW to the Woody Guthrie Folk Festival. His 2012 debut studio album, From The Ground Up, was nominated for a Grammy.

(Tulsa) Jim Halsey has been involved in the music industry as an agent, manager and impresario for more than 60 years. He founded the Jim Halsey Co. in 1951 and would go on to discover or otherwise guide the careers of an impressive list of performers, including Roy Clark, Waylon Jennings, Reba McEntire, Clint Black, The Judds, James Brown, Roy Orbison and Leon Russell among others. He sold a portion of the company to William Morris Agency in 1990 and began to focus more on education initiatives and the Billboard/Starmaker Worldwide Song Contest. His company is based in Tulsa.

Jean Shepard (Pauls Valley)

playing in local bands and teaching art, JD McPherson decided to pursue a career in music and seek a national audience for his retro-inspired rock. Hi-Style Records agreed to produce his debut album, the 2010 title Signs and Signifiers, which was re-released in 2012 by Rounder Records. McPherson has been labeled an artist to watch by Rolling Stone.

Jean Shapard recorded 24 studio albums from 1956-1981 and released 73 singles. Her 1953 duet with Ferlin Husky, “A Dear John Letter,” was a No. 1 hit, making her the youngest female country star to record a No. 1 song – a record she would keep for almost 20 years.

Stoney Edwards (Seminole County) Stoney Edwards was one of the first successful African American country singers. He had two Top 20 country songs in the ‘70s, “Mississippi You’re On My Mind” and “She’s My Rock.” He died in 1997.

Larry Shaeffer (Tulsa) After grow-

ing up on a farm and playing guitar for his first band, The Undertakers, Larry Shaeffer knew he wanted a life in entertainment. He purchased Cain’s Ballroom in 1976 and formed Little Wing Productions, setting himself up as one of the first significant music promoters in the state. Shaeffer legendarily presented the Sex Pistols at Cain’s in 1978, as well as other acts including The Police, The Talking Heads, Van Halen and U2 (all booked just before they exploded to international prominence), and served as the national promoter for Willie Nelson and Hank Williams Jr. at the height of their fame.

Garth Brooks To be sandwiched between Elvis and

the Beatles as the second best recording artist in history is to be immortalized forever as royalty in popular music – and truth be told, the numbers show that Garth Brooks reigns supreme as the king of pop country music. To even begin to summarize the number of nominations and wins Brooks has enjoyed throughout the span of his career would be exhausting. Grammys, CMAs, ACMs, People’s Choice, Billboard, American Music Awards… if his roster of wins and nominations were to be lined up side by side, they might just circle the Earth a time or two.

OKLAHOMA MAGAZINE | MAY 2013

Berline is recognized among the world’s best fiddle players. The Grammy-nominated artist has recorded on his own and with a list of stars ranging from The Rolling Stones to Tammy Wynette. He moved to Guthrie in 1995 and opened the Double Stop fiddle shop and founded the Oklahoma International Bluegrass Festival.

Bob Dunn

Henry Gilliland

(Altus) Renowned fiddler Henry Gilliland is widely credited with making the first country music recording when he auditioned for the Victor Talking Machine Company in 1922 and recorded “Arkansas Traveler” and “Turkey in the Straw.” He died just two years later in 1924.

The Farm

(Stillwater) Brad Piccolo, John Cooper and Ben Han formed the Red Dirt Rangers in the late 1980s during a time when the Red Dirt genre of music was just starting to pick up the name. Before the Rangers were a band, they were a part of the famed musical collective at “The Farm,” where they played with Bob Childers and other forefathers of the movement such as Jimmy LaFave and Tom Skinner. The Farm was a two-story farmhouse outside of Stillwater, which, along with its surrounding land and garage, dubbed “The Gypsy Café,” was literally the Mother Land of Red Dirt music. In addition to those pioneers, other more recent acts, including Cross Canadian Ragweed, Stoney LaRue and Jason Boland and the Stragglers, have called The Farm home – if not literally, then figuratively – at one time or another. The main house burned in 2003, but The Gypsy Café remains.

Throughout the 1990s, Brooks dominated the country charts and broke records for both sales and concert attendance with his catchy pop country power ballads, opening doors and expanding commercial horizons for country musicians who followed. A shoo-in for the American Music Awards Artist of the Decade in 2000 (among others won that same year, naturally), Brooks’ third album, Ropin’ the Wind, was the first country album to debut at No. 1 on the pop charts. From working class blues and honky tonk to bluegrass, he is known for being one of the first country artists to integrate arena rock elements into his live performances, and his earliest hits such as “If Tomorrow Never Comes,” “The Dance,” “The Thunder Rolls” and “Friends in Low Places” were a part of a crossover into the mainstream arena that successfully exposed country music to a broader audience. – Meika Yates Hines

Bob Childers and the Birth of Red Dirt While most observers

agree that the earthy, lyric-oriented combination of rock, folk and country known as Red Dirt music was spawned in and around Stillwater, there are all sorts of theories about who started it. Was it Steve Ripley, who’d go on to organize the million-selling act The Tractors, when he released a live album in 1972 on a label he called Red Dirt Records? Was it Jimmy LaFave, a Stillwater High School grad who, beginning in the ‘80s, took the sound to Austin and from there all over the world? Or was it someone else – perhaps a singer-songwriter from the Stillwater campus of Oklahoma State University who gathered with other like-minded young people to protest the proposed construction of the Black Fox nuclear power plant in the mid-‘70s? Bob Childers was one of the latter. And for various reasons, many people point to him as the godfather of Red Dirt. “Bob always came back to Stillwater,” says John Cooper of the Red Dirt Rangers. “He decided that this was the place where the magic was, and where he was going to stay.” In Stillwater, Childers became a mentor for and collaborator with many of the up-and-coming acts grouped under the Red Dirt banner. And in his eschewing of country-music stardom in favor of writing and performing songs that were meaningful but not necessarily commercial, he struck the template for many other acts in the genre. Childers died in 2008 at the age of 61. – John Wooley

Toby Keith

The name Toby Keith has become as synonymous with Oklahoma as country music itself. He’s long since joined the ranks of country heavy-hitting Oklahoma powerhouses like Garth and Reba and Vince. He’s not really on a first name reference as of yet – but it’d be no surprise if some day he’s known as simply, “Toby.” Maybe. The “Big Dog Daddy” may or may not be cool with that, but either way, he’s made a name for himself in country music history, that’s for sure. The Clinton native and current Norman resident made his debut back in 1993 and has made no signs of slowing down ever since, churning out hit after hit and collecting top honors and achievement awards along the way. According to BMI, he’s had more than 75 million airplay performances, making him one of the top singer/songwriters of all-time, in any music genre. As one of the hardest working artists in the business, Toby Keith is – always has been and continues to be – the principal songwriter behind his impressive career. Music aside, he’s got a repertoire as big as his bark (maybe bigger). His long-running association with title sponsor Ford Trucks has been a popular mainstay for years, and his I Love this Bar and Grill restaurant chain is arguably one of the fastest growing of any celebrity chain of its kind. Endeavors like these, coupled with his music success, have helped lead Forbes to regularly rank him as one of the top-earning musicians in the industry. – Meika Yates Hines

Jimmy Rushing (Oklahoma City) Jazz vocalist Jimmy Rushing was a member of the famous Oklahoma City Blue Devils and is best known as the vocalist for Count Basie’s Orchestra from 1935-48. He died in 1972.

Charlie Christian (Oklahoma City)

Charlie Christian was a jazz and swing guitarist who was a part of the Benny Goodman

Woody Gurthrie (Okemah) Perhaps Oklahoma’s

most famous native son, and one of the most renowned names in American music, Guthrie didn’t always have an easy go. Born in 1912, the son of a landowner and politician, Guthrie’s early life was plagued by tragedy. Guthrie often wrote songs about the great Dust Bowl and was a migrant to California along with thousands of other “Okies” looking for work. He eventually landed in New York City and made a name for himself as the “Oklahoma cowboy.” His simple but often politically-charged lyrics earned him notoriety, and he is cited as an influence for future folk singers like Bob Dylan and Pete Seeger. Guthrie died in 1967 of Huntington’s disease.

Leona Mitchell (Enid) Only three short years after beginning her pro-

fessional career, lyric soprano Leona Mitchell made her Metropolitan Opera debut as “Micaela” in the 1975 production of Carmen. She became one of the most sought after opera singers in the world, known especially for her Puccini and Verdi repertoire, including the title roles in Aïda and Madama Butterﬂy and as “Leonora” in Il Trovatore. She’s also known for her portrayal of Bess in Gershwin’s Porgy and Bess.

Orchestra from 1939-41. He is widely credited with making the guitar a jazz solo instrument. Christian died of tuberculosis in 1942 at the age of 25.

Roger Miller (Erick) Best known for

novelty songs of the 1960 Nashville sound era, such as “Dang Me” and “King of the Road,” Roger Miller was a multitalented artist who also wrote music and lyrics for the 1985 Tony Award-winning musical Big River. He died in 1992.

JULY 3, 1977: WILLIE NELSON’S PICNIC COMES TO TULSA

For the first time, famed outlaw-country act Willie Nelson takes his wild Fourth of July Picnic on the road. With Cain’s Ballroom owner Larry Shaeffer promoting the event, it lands at the Tulsa Fairgrounds; the huge crowd ends up spilling over into the surrounding neighborhoods. “The closest estimate I ever got on the attendance was 70,000-plus,” says Shaeffer. “We had Willie and Waylon (Jennings) when their ‘Luckenbach, Texas’ was No. 1; we had Jerry Jeff Walker, Asleep at the Wheel and Lynyrd Skynyrd, only about a month before the (band’s deadly) plane crash.”

JANUARY 11, 1978: THE SEX PISTOLS PLAY CAIN’S

British punk rock pioneers the Sex Pistols play Tulsa’s Cain’s Ballroom, one of only seven shows on the band’s infamous, and only, American tour. It’s the penultimate appearance for the group, which will break up shortly afterward. MAY 2013 | WWW.OKMAG.COM

Carrie Underwood Rumor has

it that before auditioning for American Idol in 2005, Carrie Underwood had never been on an airplane. Then she became the first country singer to win the title of “American Idol,” and a whirlwind career of jet-setting, chart topping and tour headlining began and has yet to slow down. In two short years, she transformed herself from the small-town girl from Checotah to powerhouse country superstar with two Grammys in her hands, winning hearts with her incredible vocals, million-dollar smile and what’s been called a “restless creative spirit.” Call it what you will – a girl next door likeability or America’s sweet-

Mae Boren Axton (Oklahoma City)

Known as the “Queen Mother of Nashville,” Mae Axton is most famous for penning Elvis’ first No. 1 hit, “Heartbreak Hotel” in 1956. She was also hugely influential in the country music business, introducing Elvis to RCA Records and helping a young Willie Nelson get his start as a songwriter. She worked with Mel Tillis, Reba McEntire, Tanya Tucker and a young Blake Shelton among others. Axton died in 1997.

Barney Kessel

(Muskogee) Jazz great Barney Kessel enjoyed a six-decade career, starting early on with Marx Brother Chico Marx’s band, and is widely regarded as one of the best guitarists of the 20th century. He died in 2004.

Sandi Patty

(Oklahoma City) Sandi Patty is one of the most successful contemporary Christian singers of the 20th century. During the 1980s, she gained the nickname “The Voice” and achieved crossover fame for hits such as “Love In Any Language” and her rendition of “The Star-Spangled Banner.”

Big Al Downing (Lenapah) Primar-

ily a country artist, Big Al Downing was a pioneer in the industry, as one of the genre’s first successful African American performers. He charted 15 singles from 1979-1989, including the Top 20 hits “Mr. Jones” and “Bring It On Home.” Big Al died in 2005.

Oklahoma! Rodgers and Hammer-

stein’s first musical, Oklahoma!, made its

OKLAHOMA MAGAZINE | MAY 2013

heart appeal – but Underwood truly has that certain kind of special something that stars are made of, and it’s safe to say that she’s the most successful alumni American Idol has ever produced. Fifteen million albums sold worldwide and 16 No. 1 singles aside, her trophy case alone proves the point, boasting five Grammys, seven American Music Awards, six People’s Choice Awards, nine CMT Music Awards, nine American Country Awards and seven BMI Songwriter Awards. In 2009, Carrie acquired her second win as ACM Entertainer of the Year and became the first female artist in history to win the award twice. At the end of the day, when she’s done selling out headlining tours, she still exudes a good-natured accessibility that holds true to her roots, and people tend to like that. – Meika Yates Hines

Broadway debut on March 31, 1943. It’s based on Green Grow The Lilacs, the Indian Territory love story of Curly and Laurey, by Claremore writer Lynn Riggs. The show was a smash hit and became one of the most famous musicals of all time. Oklahoma! has received three official Broadway revivals and was made into a hit 1955 film.

Tulsa Opera Founded in 1948, Tulsa

Opera is the 18th oldest opera company in the U.S. and is widely regarded as one of the best regional companies. The company has presented some of the biggest names in opera, including Luciano Pavarotti, Beverly Sills, and more recently Stephanie Blythe and Sarah Coburn. The company typically presents two iconic grand operas and one lesser-known or contemporary production each season. The company has recently presented Oklahoma premieres of The Little Prince and Dead Man Walking, and it will present the new opera Elmer Gantry in 2014.

Celebrity Attractions The late

Larry Peyton started the Broadway presenting company from his home in 1983 with a production of Cotton Patch Gospel. The company is now one of the most successful in the country, presenting in Tulsa and Oklahoma City as well as in Texas, Arkansas and Missouri. It has presented touring productions of Broadway hits such as Wicked, The Lion King, Les Miserables and The Phantom of the Opera.

Church Studio In the summer of

1972, hometown hero Leon Russell moved back to Tulsa and, with record producer Denny Cordell, set up Shelter Records in a former church building at Third Street and Trenton Avenue that will come to be known as Church Studio. And for a few years, Tulsa becomes an international crossroads of rock music, with visits by the likes of Bob Dylan, Eric Clapton, George Harrison and Elton John.

Chet Baker In the realm of jazz

trumpet, the name of Yale native Chet Baker is mentioned along with the likes of Louis Armstrong, Miles Davis and Wynton Marsalis. Baker discovered jazz during his two stints in the Army, and he eventually landed in San Francisco, where he fell in to the jazz club scene that was exploding in that city. His big break came in 1951 when he joined saxophonist Charlie Parker, and then the following year, he was asked to join the Jerry Mulligan Quartet. The chemistry between Mulligan and him made Baker a star, earning him the nickname “the Miles Davis of the West Coast” and contributed the song with which he will forever be associated: “My Funny Valentine.” Baker’s chiseled good looks and singing voice made him a triple threat. One jazz historian says he was “James Dean, Sinatra and Bix (1920s jazz cornetist Bix Beiderbecke), rolled into one.” The 1956 album Chet Baker Sings introduced the world to Baker’s understated vocals, and he would continue to sing throughout his career. Hollywood came calling with a part in the 1955 film Hell’s Horizon and the offer of a studio contract, which Baker declined. As his career was taking off, Baker developed a heroin addiction that would land him in jail several times and plague him until his death. Addiction nearly put an end to his career during the ‘60s and ‘70s, but by the mid-‘80s he had staged a comeback in Europe and recorded several sessions that some critics consider his best. Chet Baker died in Amsterdam in 1988. That same year, famed photographer and director Bruce Weber released the Academy Award-nominated documentary of Baker’s life, Let’s Get Lost. – Thom Golden

CHESAPEAKE ENERGY ARENA

If you’re looking for tickets to the biggest acts on the planet – say Beyoncé, for instance – then you’re headed to “The Peake.” It’s had a few names since it opened in 2002, but this nearly 20,000-seat arena is the place to catch the big shows and the Oklahoma City Thunder.

JANUARY 1, 1935: BOB WILLS AND THE TEXAS PLAYBOYS PLAY CAIN’S FOR THE FIRST TIME In town less than a year, the band’s first engagement at Tulsa’s Cain’s Ballroom was a benefit for the nurses of Morningside Hospital. Sensing an opportunity, Wills and his business manager, O.W. Mayo, strike a deal with Cain’s management to make the venue their headquarters. For the next 23 years, a Wills band will broadcast six days a week from Cain’s over powerful radio station KVOO, popularizing the musical style that will become known worldwide as Western swing.

APRIL 18-19, 1956: ELVIS PLAYS OKLAHOMA Only a few weeks after

“Heartbreak Hotel,” his first national hit, soars to No. 1 on the charts, Elvis Presley makes back-to-back appearances at Tulsa’s Fairgrounds Pavilion (Apr. 18) and Oklahoma City’s Municipal Auditorium (Apr. 19), doing two shows each night. His opening acts in Tulsa include Western swing legend Leon McAuliffe and Wanda Jackson. Although it was his first time to perform in Tulsa, Elvis had played Oklahoma City on Oct. 16, 1955, in his pre-stardom days, as a member of country star Hank Snow’s All-Star Jamboree.

LABOR DAY WEEKEND, 1975: 48 HOURS IN ATOKA Dubbed “the Wood-

stock of country music” by Daily Oklahoman writer Edwin Maloy, the “48 Hours in Atoka” concert drew a huge crowd – estimated as high as 100,000 – to an outdoor site 12 miles west of Atoka that had been cleared for the event. Featured acts included Willie Nelson, Waylon Jennings, Jerry Lee Lewis, Freddy Fender, Red Steagall, Hoyt Axton, Don Williams and many others – including Tulsan Don White and his band, who played their own set and then doubled as the backing band for several of the national acts.

Blake Shelton To say that Blake Shelton is one of today’s hottest tickets in country music is an understatement. CMA Entertainer of the Year? Check. Back-to-back winning seasons as a coach on television’s most popular singing competition, The Voice? Check. CMA’s Male Vocalist of the Year? Check. Check. Check. So many accolades, and all for good reason: The Ada native has got what it takes to shine in all aspects of the entertainment world. As one of country music’s highest profile artists, he has a string of hits without even having to cross over into massive radio success like most of his peers. Shelton has taken his position as judge on The Voice and turned it into something so much more. He’s established himself as an ambassador of country music and done what few country artists have been able to do with the somewhat acquired musical taste in the industry – and that’s make new country singers and fans out of those who had previously not thought to give country music a chance. His personality, likeability and charming wit has earned him fanfare from all types of music lovers, and he’s become so popular that he’s been called, “America’s husband.” And speaking of husbands, could he and fellow country superstar/wife Miranda Lambert be any cuter? The duo, who reside right here in Oklahoma, has not only become one of pop culture’s favorite couples, they also share 2012’s CMA Song of the Year for their collaboration, “Over You.” – Meika Yates Hines

J.J. Cale What many people think of

as the classic Tulsa Sound – deep-groove, blues- and country-influenced, laid-back rock music – they’re thinking of the style that John Weldon “J.J.” Cale popularized in the 1970s. Beginning his rock ‘n’ roll career a couple of decades earlier, as a guitarist for Gene Crose – one of the state’s first rock ‘n’ roll acts – Johnny Cale was a fixture on the Tulsa club scene for years, eventually joining many of his compadres in a migration to California. It wasn’t until 1970, when a hot Eric Clapton made a hit out of the Cale composition “After Midnight,” that J.J.’s own star began to rise. In the mid-‘60s, Johnny Cale was renamed “J.J.” by the owner of the famed

Bryan White (Lawton)

Bryan White released four hit country albums in the 1990s, generating 12 Top 40 hits, including “Someone Else’s Star” and “Sittin’ On Go.” He’s also well known for “From This Moment,” his 1998 duet with Shania Twain.

Sheb Wooley (Erick)

Sheb Wooley is best known as an actor appearing in numerous films and the hit TV series Rawhide. Wooley was also a prolific singer and songwriter, his most notable hit being the 1958 novelty song, “The Purple People Eater.” The singer and actor died in 2003.

Hollywood nightspot the Whisky-A-Go-Go, who hired Cale to play the nights that the club’s headliner, Johnny Rivers, took off. (The man didn’t want two “Johnnys” on his marquee.) It would be several more years before Cale, a somewhat reclusive artist and reluctant star, would break into the national consciousness as a singer-songwriter with his debut album, 1972’s Naturally. Released by Shelter Records, the label run by his old Tulsa musician pal Leon Russell, it yielded the hit single “Crazy Mama.” Cale continues to tour and record to this day, winning his first Grammy in 2008 for Best Contemporary Blues Album. It was awarded to him and Eric Clapton, a longtime Cale fan, for their collaborative disc, The Road to Escondido. – John Wooley

AUGUST, 1990: NEW KIDS ON THE BLOCK PLAY SKELLY STADIUM At the time, New Kids on the

Block was one of the most popular acts in the world. The 1990 Magic Summer Tour was then the second highest grossing in history, and the sold-out 1990 performance at TU’s 40,000-seat Skelly Stadium also set records.

OCTOBER 18, 2009: U2 PLAYS OU U2 brought its 360° stadium tour to Gaylord Family Oklahoma Memorial Stadium in Norman – the band’s first Oklahoma appearance since 1983.

MAY 2013 | WWW.OKMAG.COM

Introducing Tulsaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s 2013 Circle

These ambassadors are dedicated to educating women and leading the fight against the No. 1 cause

To join the Circle of Red or Red Tie Society, call Toni McGee at 918.712.4009.

of Red and Red Tie Society

of death in women, heart disease, which is often preventable through improved diet and exercise Circle of Red Lory Bryant Mary Shaw Jennifer Anthony Shelly Armstrong Leah Ashlock Debbie Baker Victoria Bartlett Melanie Blackstock, M.D. Pattie Bowman Lauren Brookey Tiffani Bruton Revelle Clausing Steffanie Elder Delta Esposito Stephanie Fullerton Shiela Haynes Paula Huck Libby Johnson Lynn Jones Commissioner Karen Keith Cyndi Nixon Kernan Sharon King Davis Joan Lempley Hunt Marlene Livaudais Carol McGrath Laura McPartland Jane Mudgett Leslie Paris Eleanor Payne, PhD Melody Phillips Patricia Samuels Vida Schuman Belynda Spritzer Kathy Taylor Kate Thomas Runako Whittaker, M.D. Carol Winckler Linda Wingo Sherri Wise Red Tie Society Leeland Alexander Mayor Dewey Bartlett Gerard Clancy, M.D. Fred Daniel John Esposito Michael Gardner Ted Haynes Rick Huck Michael Johnson Wayne Leimbach, M.D. Jim Proszek Mac Rosser Tom Sell Sponsors Oklahoma Heart Institute Oklahoma Magazine Tulsaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Channel 8 Osage Casino St. John Health System Bank of Oklahoma George Kaiser Family Foundation Cancer Treatment Centers of America T.D. Williamson Senior Star Living Oklahoma Beef Council Blue Cross Blue Shield of Oklahoma Morgan Stanley Tulsa Branch Bovaird Family Foundation With special thanks to Steven Michael Hall for photography.

Donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t miss the Go Red For Women luncheon on May 10!

N I E D MA

OKLAH By Michael W. Sasser

Don’t tell the Sooner State that American manufacturing is history.

Turn on the evening news or a weekend morning business program, and one is bound to be bombarded with at least one perspective most talking heads share: manufacturing, the backbone of the 20th century American economy, is history. Such doom-and-gloom perspectives are generally accompanied by video of closed plants in Pennsylvania, Ohio, New Jersey or other once-heavy manufacturing states. Those same economic surveyors will present plenty of reasons why: the off-shoring of labor-

OKLAHOMA MAGAZINE | MAY 2013

intensive work to nations where laborers don’t earn a living wage; the reticence of Americans to take labor-intensive work; alternately, either there isn’t enough high-wage union labor or there is too much high-wage union labor; the ubiquitous “greed” of business; too much regulation or not enough; NAFTA, etc. But it is pronounced as a certainty on a regular basis that since one can see fewer plumes of factory smoke rising from the vantage point of the rooftops of national media headquarters, manufacturing must, indeed, be dead.

The thing is, one might not want to make that argument merely from the talking points provided in three-minute news segments – at least not to anyone in Oklahoma. In fact, manufacturing in Oklahoma, and arguably in states with similar business landscapes, is doing just fine; employing tens of thousands of people, contributing to the economy, powering the state’s sexier industries such as energy, aerospace and agriculture, and generally resembling the once-relevant industrial states of the American Rust Belt.

NATALIE GREEN

HOMA “I hear people talking about how manufacturing is dead nationwide, that it’s just not as critical,” says Chuck Prucha, president/CEO of the Oklahoma Manufacturing Alliance. “But still we’re the source of 20 percent of the world’s manufacturing output, and that number hasn’t changed a lot.” Prucha, who has first-hand manufacturing experience, adds that at one time he didn’t think of Oklahoma as being highly industrialized. “I really didn’t,” he says. “But manufacturing represents 12.5 percent of the state’s

economy. People think of the economy here as being agriculture-heavy, but agriculture represents only 1.7 percent of the economy. It’s different than what the average person might think. There are 135,000 workers in manufacturing in Oklahoma, which is huge.” Mike Seney, senior vice president, Policy Analysis & Strategic Planning at the Oklahoma State Chamber of Commerce, places national manufacturing relevance in even more surprising context. “Taken alone, the U.S. manufacturing sector would be the 10th larg-

Chuck Prucha is the president and CEO of the Oklahoma Manufacturing Alliance.

est economy in the world, ahead of the entire economies of India and Korea,” Seney says. “It contributes $1.8 trillion to the U.S. economy each year. Generally speaking, it’s a high-wage field. Wages in manufacturing, for example, in Oklahoma are 17-20 percent higher than those outside the sector.” As Seney and other experts see it, manufacturing has changed since its perceived heyday, and those unfamiliar with the American heartland and American south simply don’t recognize it. MAY 2013 | WWW.OKMAG.COM

“It’s political,” Seney adds. “It’s a case of sour grapes for Rust Belt states.” He says after World War II, the U.S. rebuilt Europe and Japan but ignored Rust Belt states that had driven the war effort. Crumbling infrastructure spurred a southward migration in search of cheap labor. This scenario undoubtedly benefits Oklahoma, but it isn’t necessarily the primary reason manufacturing enjoys a healthy environment. Rather, manufacturing underlies the state’s better-known and larger industries – most notably, the energy and aerospace sectors. “People think aerospace and energy when they think Oklahoma,” says Oklahoma Department of Commerce Research, Economy and Policy Director Deidre Myers. “They don’t think that manufacturing is the cornerstone. In energy, we’re a key producer of equipment; we have a real niche in aerospace and defense. People probably also don’t think about manufacturing when it comes to agriculture and bio-tech, but it is key.” Seney also says Oklahoma’s manufacturing sector has embraced diversification and adapted with the times. He gives examples. “The oil and gas industries might need valves, for sure,” Seney says. “But those same valves can be made to work for water extraction. You also have to see the larger picture. A company might be very good at making parts for a very big industry, and that’s all they make. But it’s smaller companies that make the components – the nuts and bolts – for many different companies.” Still, it hasn’t all been smooth sailing. Like most, Oklahoma’s manufacturing sector took a big hit during the recession, but by 2010 it emerged as a leader. “Manufacturing in Oklahoma is not only healthy and strong but also growing,” Seney adds. “We’ve had job increases at a time when many places have seen decreases.” Myers says that not only has the sector been strong, it has been “one of the key drivers of the state’s recovery.”

of a transportation network able to reach both coasts and Mexico with relative ease. Seney believes the Oklahoma Department of Career and Technology Education is another key. “We’ve always had strong CareerTech systems – probably some of the best in the world,” Seney says. Seney recounts an anecdote from more than four decades ago that illustrates the symbiotic relationship between the manufacturing sector and CareerTech systems. “This manufacturer opened in Muskogee, and the first piece of equipment they bought they had installed across the street in a CareerTech

on manufacturing and small business growth, our ability to function in manufacturing has reached a higher level.” Still, challenges remain despite optimism about the future of the sector. “If we can tackle issues like worker’s compensation and some others, we will continue in this growth cycle,” Prucha says. Oklahoma’s Worker’s Compensation system is cited as one of the nation’s most onerous to business, costly and abused. The business community almost universally references it as the state’s largest detriment to business. Prucha also says that the changing nature of manufacturing calls for additional opportuni-

“There are a lot of opportunities for people here, but we have to get them back into schools.”

Other Factors Economic experts don’t deny that the state’s energy and aerospace sectors are key markets for and drivers of Oklahoma manufacturing success. But they cite other reasons as well – reasons also often cited as key ingredients in the vibrancy of the aforementioned industries. “Manufacturers here are part of larger systems that are very competitive in the 21st century, and it is important for manufacturers to recognize that they are part of a system,” Myers says. “Those other areas in the system can’t be successful without manufacturing.” Myers also pointed out that Oklahoma is a “pro-business” state in terms of public policy and taxation. Other factors are the low costs of land and energy and a position in the center

OKLAHOMA MAGAZINE | MAY 2013

institution so that students could be trained on it,” Seney says. Only afterward was the machinery installed at the actual factory – with trained workers already adept. From his vantage point at the OMA, Prucha points out that intangibles play a role in the success of manufacturing sector here as well. “I’ve always felt like the work ethic here is superior,” Prucha says. “I’ve run plants in other parts of the country, and I feel the Oklahoma work force is harder working and more reliable.” Prucha also referenced policy that has incentivized manufacturers to locate and remain in Oklahoma. “Just in the last couple of years with Gov. (Mary) Fallin’s emphasis

ties for employee education and training. Myers and Seney say that evaluating the future of the sector is not easy in a national and global environment with so many negative factors – what they perceive as a lack of leadership at the national level and huge, unanswered questions about the cost of doing business, national fiscal policy, European financial insecurity and numerous other issues. “In the mid- to long-term, I’m incredibly bullish on the Oklahoma economy and on manufacturing in particular because of production value here, access to markets and the competitive advantages that Oklahoma has,” Myers says. While Seney says that much of the future of

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increased production three-fold and today provides consumer and commercial tires primarily to the U.S., but also to markets abroad. However, it isn’t just about production at Goodyear in Lawton. It’s also about being a cornerstone of the community – besides returning around $2 billion into the local economy on an annualized basis, Copeland says. “We’re very involved with the city and with the state,” Copeland says. “We’re a huge part of the United Way here. We raised $717,000 – about 47 percent of all Lawton-Fort Sill giving. That’s a comment on the quality and involvement of our associates.” Copeland says that the plant’s

people,” Sanjay Meshri says. “My dad was in his 50s and cashed in his 401(k).” In 1996, Sanjay Meshri joined the family business as its sixth employee. Today, ARC employs 85 people, has a substantial presence as part of the community at the Port of Catoosa and has “a strategic plan to double in size by 2015,” Meshri says. ARC also illustrates the importance of manufacturing as a part of a larger system. ARC is known as a reliable resource in the field of specialty chemicals. Many of the world’s largest companies are closely associated with ARC as business partners in the manufacturing of specialty materials for their products. Sanjay Meshri says that while the company has had the opportunity to relocate, it has remained committed to its Oklahoma hub. “My father has been here more than 50 years, he likes the people here, the cost of living is good and even top scientists we recruit end up liking it here. Our customers are mostly on the coasts, but we like the people here. They’re honest and friendly.” Although ARC utilizes trucks and rail to move its product, its location ated in y that has oper at the Port of Catoosa is ring, a compan ctu ufa an M t es r. workers at Midw ucts for the oil and gas secto s ow Where the sh also a benefit. “Everyone e ag im This historical nufacturing prod than 60 years ma here is involved somehow Rubber Hits the Tulsa for more in manufacturing, and it is a good group of Road people,” Meshri says. Lawton, Okla., is one of location provides the benefit of a work force he While recruiting employees with the special those hub cities described by Seney. Eighty respects. skills isn’t always easy, Meshri says the miles southwest of Oklahoma City, the seat of “Obviously, one of our assets is our work company is both committed to Oklahoma and Comanche County has just fewer than 100,000 force as well as the work ethics of our associoptimistic about the future. residents, and for years, its proximity to Fort ates,” he adds. “They’re productive, engaged “We feel very good about the company and Sill was its chief economic engine. But in employees.” about the state,” Sanjay Meshri says. 1977, Goodyear broke ground on a manufacAs far as his prognosis for the future, Copeturing plant for consumer and commercial land has mixed feelings. On one hand, he says An In-house System tires, and the company has become essential to that the plant’s competitiveness has it running At Tulsa’s Express Group Holdings LLC, the entire region. at full steam even in a down economy. they know a little something about business “We have employees from all over southsystems and integration. The five companies in western Oklahoma,” says Plant Manager Brent Entrepreneurialism the group engineer, design and fabricate heat Copeland. “Mostly, they come from the threeAnd Industry transfer and environmental compliance techor four-county area, but there are a few who Advanced Research Chemicals, Inc. (ARC) nologies, principally for the energy exploracome from as far away as Norman.” illustrates the entrepreneurial nature of the tion, power generation, refining, chemical and Given its distance from the state’s popumanufacturing sector. The company is in its mining industries. lation hubs, it’s been considered a secret 26th year, and it is an Oklahoma original. But it hasn’t always been so, according to to many, but it’s hardly a secret to those in “My father, Dr. Dayal Meshri, was in school Phil Childers, chief technology officer. He southwestern Oklahoma. The plant operates 24 at Cornell studying chemistry, and he got a job says the engineering entity was always underhours a day, employs 2,400 associates and 350 offer to come to Oklahoma in 1969,” says Dr. capitalized but saw an opportunity a little more contractors and is one of the largest plants of Sanjay Meshri, the company’s executive vice than a decade ago. its type in the U.S. president. “He took the job and worked for that “In 2000, we saw opportunities to join “Since we first broke ground, we have had company for 19 years.” forces with (a pre-existing manufacturer) – we 10 major expansions,” Copeland says. “We Only then did Meshri launch ARC with few would design products, and the manufacturing started with 1.4 million square feet; we’re up resources. would be done by others,” Childers explains. to 2.7 million square feet and 63 acres.” “It was a start-up that began with two Perhaps, more importantly, around the Over the same time period, the factory has the sector is up in the air because of Washington politics, he points out an interesting factor advantaging Oklahoma. “We have 25 hub cities,” he says. “Almost every one has a core manufacturing plant. They will draw employees from 50 miles away, and 90 percent of the population lives in driving range of those plants. Those jobs produce great benefits.” Seney says he could see a model where one member of a family worked in one of those hub cities, while another family member, or members, work in the traditional agriculture sector. “It’s an ideal model for Oklahoma manufacturing because it is not all located in Oklahoma City,” Seney says. “That means to me that the manufacturing base is solid and a very important component of the state economy.” While economic and political leaders continue to espouse and support the manufacturing sector all around Oklahoma, what do the experiences of real-life companies have to say about the trends? We spoke to five diverse operations about their recent experiences.

same time the growing company made another tactical decision – to remain in Oklahoma. “We made a conscious decision to pursue markets that allowed us to stay in Oklahoma around 2000, while some of our competitors moved off-shore,” Childers says. Express Metal Fabricators, the manufacturing part of the group, was added, and the company has witnessed expansion since. Currently, the company employs between 350 and 400 people and has its collective eye seeking others. “We’ve just started to see growth after being fairly stable,” Childers says. “We’ve probably added 25 to 30 percent in the engineering end, and we are actively seeking people.” Childers cites Oklahoma’s strong work ethic as one benefit, but he cites another that many in the industry might not be aware of. “Tulsa used to be the Oil Capital of the World,” Childers says. “Well, it is still the heat transfer capital. Many companies were built to support the oil and gas industry, and while many of the white-collar jobs have moved to Houston, much of the manufacturing end has remained here. The infrastructure is here, and when you want people who know the industry, this is where you look.” Childers is bullish on the future. “We’re optimistic,” he says. “Oil, gas and fossil fuels are not things we’re going to get away from in the next 10-20 years. We’re planning on growth, and we’re planning on staying in Oklahoma.”

I was the first person laid off.” Mocha spent two years in the insurance business. He returned to APSCO in 1972, where he worked for his father until the senior Mocha passed away in 1984 – shortly after the legendary downturn in the oil market. “The greatest thing I learned from my father was how to handle tough times,” Mocha says. Mocha parlayed that intestinal fortitude through the recession that followed shortly thereafter in 1986. A pair of lawsuits in 1989 also set the company back. “I remember Christmas 1986, people were worrying about their holiday bonuses and I was worried about making payroll,” he says. Reinventing the company and what it did was key to survival, Mocha says. “We’ve come a long way since then, redefining who we are. In the ‘90s, we switched from providing for oil fields to dump trucks.” Subsequent change to EPA policy forced further innovation, but the company kept pace with everything fate and government threw at it. APSCO has been growing since its floor in 2009 when sales fell to $4.4 million, Mocha says. APSCO manufactures pneumatic cylinders, controls and valves for the mobile, truck equipment and automotive markets. In 2012, APSCO broke $10 million in sales for the first time. And, although they have sub-contracted a small portion of work overseas, Mocha says that they are bringing that back to the U.S. and that the company is about to make a significant investment in infrastructure. Mocha also says that he believes manufacturing can and should work domestically. “We can compete and be successful,” Mocha says. “When buying in China, we’ve found that when we get a crateful of product, if tolerances are off, we’re then bartering for junk and have to re-machine. It’s very complicated. It’s easier, simpler and better for the economy to manufacture in Oklahoma.” Mocha’s optimistic view of the sector in Oklahoma includes confidence in the work force, state leadership and system of educating potential employees – although he says the latter still needs an infusion of effort. “There are a lot of opportunities for people here but we have to get them back into schools,” he says. Overall, Mocha, like so many others who have succeeded through innovation and adaptability, sees these as exciting times in manufacturing. “It’s a good time, but a challenging time,” Mocha says.

“Tulsa used to be the Oil Capital of the World. Well, it is still the heat transfer capital.”

Shuttering The Sooner State Those businessmen who have done it attest to the satisfaction of building a business from the ground up, and if national reports are to be believed, Oklahoma is a good place for that opportunity. It’s a scenario Chris Tietz knows well. In 1987 he and a partner launched Kirtz Shutters in Stillwater, specializing in plantation shutters. The one problem they faced: plantation shutters weren’t exactly in wide use in Oklahoma. “We were carpenters and had no work to do,” says Tietz. “We looked at other options, including moving out of state.” Fortunately, a client who’d previously lived in California liked Tietz’s work and wanted plantation shutters. “When I was finished, we made samples and took them around to people who we thought might be interested,” Tietz says. “I thought there was an opportunity. I think that if you are in manufacturing, particularly if not related to

OKLAHOMA MAGAZINE | MAY 2013

energy, you have to be very good at what you do, and you have to be creative.” Using home and garden shows in the region, Tietz helped introduce the market to a product relatively new to many. As the homegrown business expanded, it employed more than 70. In the wake of the recession, the number is now 34, Tietz says. But that creativity Tietz cited enabled the company to modify and move on. “As shutters became more of a commodity, they became available everywhere, and there are cheaper foreign products available,” Tietz says. “So my objective is to push the higher end, the elite, those who don’t want cookiecutter products from a big-box store.” Tietz says the company motto is, “You draw it, you want it, we build it.” “Adaptability is key. The market necessitated a change in the overall direction of the business,” Tietz says. “It’s nice to pick the low-hanging fruit, but I felt like we needed to do something different.” Like most others in the sector, Tietz is upbeat about the forecast of manufacturing in Oklahoma. “I think people will always want manufacturing jobs, even if it isn’t the biggest part of the economy. A lot of people don’t want to work behind a desk or serve food. It can’t be an entirely service economy.”

Vision And Verve One might say that Larry Mocha, president of Air Power Systems Company, Inc. (APSCO), has seen the good and the challenging days for the well-known Oklahoma company. “My father started the company in 1964 when I graduated high school – I used to come home on weekends and build cylinders,” says Mocha. “I graduated college in 1970, and I was the first person he hired. Six months later,

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W omen The State of

Oklahoma has been called the worst place in the nation to be a woman. We ask a range of women to weigh in on the issues, from economic inequality and dire health statistics to the worst incarceration rate in the nation. By Jennie Lloyd

Oklahoma’s 1.89 million women face serious issues. Our women earn 76 cents to every man’s dollar. The state has higher-than-average teen birth and infant mortality rates. According to a 2011 census bureau community survey, more than 18 percent of Oklahoma women, or more than 340,000 women, live below the poverty line. Oklahoma women are incarcerated at the highest rate in a nation that leads the world in imprisonment. Add to this the Oklahoma Congress’ penchant for writing and advocating controversial birth control and abortion legislation, and the Sooner State can at times feel downright hostile toward the fairer sex. Indeed, Oklahoma consistently lands in rankings of the worst states in the U.S. to be a woman.

What Can You Do?

In the Oklahoma Congress, former State Sen. Judy Eason McIntyre was one of very few female legislators amid mostly white male colleagues. She was elected to the Oklahoma House of Representatives for District 73 in 2002, then moved to serve as a State Senator for District 11. During her 10-year career in politics, she became the first African American to preside over the state senate. Oklahoma ranks 49th in the nation for representation of women in the state legislature.

“I’ve talked with young girls who came to the Capitol, I told them you have to look at it like the Civil Rights movement, stay on the battle line,” says McIntyre. “What can you do?” is a question she frequently asks. McIntyre looks to younger women to continue the fight for gender equality – and to define what equality and gender means to them. “The pendulum is gonna swing,” McIntyre says, as a new generation of girls grows up and takes her place at the table.

“You will win some and you will lose some,” McIntyre tells young women who ask her advice, “but you cannot give up.”

Bomb-Loud Girl Poets

In the corner of a shabby coffeehouse, four teenaged poetesses hold court with iced lattes and big dreams to talk about what Oklahoma’s political climate means for them and their bodies. These four girls met through Tulsa’s Louder Than A Bomb (LTAB). The youth poetry festival and year-round writing and performing program is run by the Arts & Humanities Council of Tulsa in collaboration with Young Chicago Authors. Performing in regional and national poetry competitions, meeting other students and learning to express their feelings in words through LTAB has changed all of the girls’ lives, they say. MAY 2013 | WWW.OKMAG.COM

Kat Weaver, 16, and Taylor Johnson, 17, perform on a Holland Hall school team, while Allison McClaughry, 18, and Ali Schellhorn, 15, participate on an East Central High School team. They’ve made new friends, and learned how to speak eloquently about their experiences as Oklahoma girls on the verge of college and the tricky waters of womanhood beyond.

Thinking Of Mom

We asked the girls how they felt compared to their classmates, and about their mothers and

grandmothers, too. “I always think of my mom,” says Weaver, a Holland Hall student with long black hair. “My mom brings in the money.” Her father has health issues, so Weaver’s mom “is the one who holds it all together. She does everything for us,” she says. She grew up watching her mother balance work life and household responsibilities. She is frustrated that her mother earns less than her male counterparts. “For society to say she is not as equal as my father is just ridiculous,” she says. Adeline Yerkes is chair of the Oklahoma Commission on the Status of Women.

Women are paid less than men in Oklahoma, on average. When the Equal Pay Act passed in 1963, full-time working women were paid only about 59 cents for every dollar paid to a man doing the same job. The act narrowed the gap, but there are still clear disparities in pay. In the past 50 years, the average Oklahoma woman increased her earning power to 76 cents to the man’s dollar, according to 2011 census numbers, a cent less than the national average of 77 cents. The wage gap exists regardless of education. With a high school diploma, a woman earns 62 cents compared to men with the same education. Add a bachelor’s degree and the figure bumps to 70 cents. Oklahoma women working full time typically make about $30,901 compared to the average man’s $40,458. These numbers add up to one thing: Oklahoma has the 12th largest gender wage gap in the nation.

“We are always, as a nation and as a state, only as strong as our women are healthy,” McIntyre says. Six years ago, McIntyre was diagnosed with breast cancer after a routine mammogram. After recovering from a preventative double mastectomy, she is back to advocating for women, children and minorities as co-chair of the Tulsa Democratic Party and volunteer for Soulful Survivors, a cancer charity. McIntyre was a Department of Human Services social worker for 31 years before she began her career in politics. She says she saw a lot of people in need during her years in the child welfare division of DHS. “As a social worker, I do believe in a holistic approach (that spans from) the cradle to the graveyard,” McIntyre says. “To help women and children in need,” she says, “it starts when a woman gets pregnant and getting her access to prenatal health care. From there, babies need help and eventually preschool.” Then there are the shots and dental work and preventive medical visits. “We’re cutting Health Department (funding),” McIntyre says, “So kids miss out. As they get older, the kinds of health care needs they have go uncared for because parents cannot afford it.” The Oklahoma teen birth rate per 1,000 is 50.4, more than 15 points higher than the national average of 34.2 (for ages 15-19), according to 2010 vital statistics. Between 2007 and 2010, the teen birth rate in Oklahoma dropped by 14 percent, but lagged behind a national drop of 17 percent. The infant mortality rate is also higher in Oklahoma than the national average. Between 2006 and 2008, there was an aver

OKLAHOMA MAGAZINE | MAY 2013

PHTOO BY BRENT FUCHS.

As Strong as Our Women are Healthy

“I’ve talked with young girls who came to the Capitol, I told them you have to look at it like the Civil Rights movement, stay on the battle line.” age of 7.9 infant deaths per 1,000 live births, compared to 6.7 nationally. More startling is Oklahoma’s relatively high rate of teen deaths per 100,000 teenagers (aged 15-19): 80. The nationwide rate is 53, according to 2012 Kids Count national data. Women are more likely to rely on public benefits like Medicaid, Planned Parenthood, food stamps and housing assistance – services that Oklahoma has slashed year after year in an attempt to balance an evertightening budget.

oman, Commissioned

The Oklahoma Commission on the Status of Women has monitored statistics like these since its inception in 1994. As a health care professional from Oklahoma City, the commission’s chair, Adeline Yerkes, is particularly interested in the state of women’s health. “This past year, we partnered with several agencies and did a women’s health summit,” Yerkes says. They studied obesity and diabetes and possible solutions to the growing problem. “Today, one in three children born will have type 2 diabetes at some point in their lives,” Yerkes says. “It’s a huge issue.” Women’s health in Oklahoma has much room for improvement, according to data from the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System, an ongoing telephone health survey conducted by the Centers for Disease Control. Currently, 23 percent of Oklahoma women smoke, 31 percent are overweight and 31.4 percent are obese. About 33 percent have high blood pressure, and 11.1 percent have diabetes. Yerkes wasn’t born in Oklahoma, but once she moved here she says she noticed that “health was not all that important” to the citizens she met. “It’s not a priority,” she says.

She maintains that if a woman doesn’t have her health, it’s impossible for her to reach her economic and intellectual potential. Yerkes advocates healthful eating and exercise. “We need that combination of good diet, exercise, fun, love and happiness to be a healthy woman,” she says. “Too many times we put our families ahead of us.” Aside from addressing health issues, OCSW has also focused on the high rate of female incarceration, human trafficking and honoring extraordinary Oklahoma women. In 2009, the commission participated in a “blue ribbon panel” of experts from the Oklahoma Department of Corrections and the Oklahoma Women’s Coalition. They hammered out an action plan to address the state’s high rate of female incarceration. More women are jailed in Oklahoma per capita than any other state, with an incarceration rate nearly twice the national average. Oklahoma averages about 130 women in prison per 100,000. Compare that to the national average of 67, according to 2010 Bureau of Justice statistics, and it’s easy to see what has people so concerned. The panel identified numerous ways to reduce incarceration rates to less than the national average by 2020. Strategies include the expansion of alternative sentencing and rehabilitation and detox programs, as well as increasing access to mental health programs and drug courts. The panel also advocated community programs to help at-risk youth and the children of incarcerated parents. The commission has joined the Oklahoma Women’s Coalition to take a formal stand on 11 pieces of legislation wending through congress. These bipartisan bills will affect Oklahoma women on issues that range from human trafficking to protective orders, from domestic violence to health and wellness.

“It’s A Rights Thing”

McIntyre talks openly about her opposition to legislation targeting women’s rights, such as the 2012 “Personhood Bill.” She made national headlines when she picketed against the controversial bill, displaying a sign that read, “If I wanted the government in my womb, I’d (expletive) a senator!” The bill was struck down by the Oklahoma Supreme Court as unconstitutional because

it interfered with a woman’s legal right to abortion. We asked the four teenage poets, revved on iced lattes and chai, what they think about Oklahoma’s failed Personhood Bill and got a raucous ear-full on everything from abortion to birth control and everything in between. Johnson says she is frustrated with “old men” in Congress “trying to tell a woman what to do with her body.” Weaver chimes in quickly, “I don’t think pro-choice means pro-abortion. It’s just about the rights over your own body.” Schellhorn says, “People act like it’s some big thing,” she says. “But it’s a rights thing. It’s not a want-to-kill-babies thing.” McClaughry says she thinks it’s an issue of control. Then she ruffles around in her beat-up black backpack and pulls out a book, then quotes her favorite lines. The book is by Oklahoma City poet Lauren Zuniga, an idol among this group of girls. The award-winning writer recently published her second book of poetry, called The Smell of Good Mud, with Write Bloody Press. A poem she wrote, called aptly “To The Oklahoma Lawmakers: A Poem,” appeared in her book and ends with these lines: “If you want to play god, Mr. and Mrs. Lawmakers, if you want to write your bible on my organs, then you better be there when I am down on my knees pleading for relief from your morality.” Her words speak to younger Oklahoma women who are curious about gender equality and where they stand as legislators float bills that would affect their futures and their bodies. For her part, Zuniga, a 31-year-old mother of two, says she is inspired by other “phenomenal activists, artists, teachers and mothers I know who are fighting every day to live the life they choose to live. “Someday, I will have adequate health care, be able to marry the woman I love and be able to make decisions about my body in a loving, safe community,” Zuniga says, “all because of the women and allies working tireless to fight for basic human rights.”

“You Become A Housewife”

Johnson says she grew up in a farming town near Enid before her family moved to MAY 2013 | WWW.OKMAG.COM

“We seem to have this trap in Oklahoma, where women don’t venture out as much… what a woman does is have children and make a home.” may still be forming their own ideas about how their lives will look post-college and beyond.

It’s A Trap

Ralena Groom grew up in Bristow, the daughter of three-term town mayor, Leon Pinson, and full-time working mom, Ramona Pinson. After graduating from Bristow High School, she says she fell into the “trap” of what’s accepted for women in rural areas. “We seem to have this trap in Oklahoma, where women don’t venture out as much,” Groom says. She learned early that “what a woman does is have children and make a home.” She grew up in a traditional two-parent home, despite her mother working long hours. “She got up at 4:30 a.m. and worked all day in a cold factory in the winter, a hot factory in the summer, then gardened and made big meals,” Groom says. The kitchen table was always set with heaping plates of fried pork chops or chicken, hominy and green beans steamed in a harvest-gold Frankoma Pottery dish. “There were very strict gender roles, except that my mom worked, too,” Groom says. When she graduated from Bristow High School, Groom decided to settle down right away. Groom gave up her dreams of attending a theater school, of being someone else, somewhere else. “I was going to go on Saturday Night Live and be Chris Farley’s twin sister,” Groom laughs. “But that’s what it comes down to. I was born in Oklahoma.” She divorced her first husband and is raising her two teenagers. She has since remarried and works part-time as an elementary school tutor through a Creek Nation grant. Though society has stretched to accept the new reality of women working outside the home, attitudes toward the mothers of young children have changed little, according to 1994 and 2002 General Kat Weaver, Taylor Johnson, Ali Schellhorn and Allison McClaughry perform with Louder Than A Bomb.

OKLAHOMA MAGAZINE | MAY 2013

Social Surveys. Once a woman has a child, society still believes mom should stick close to home. In 1994, only 10 percent of people surveyed said a woman with a young child should work full-time. In 2002, the percentage budged by a single percentage point to 11 percent. There are differences between the young women who eventually become stay-at-home moms and those who work full- or part-time, according to a 2007 Pew survey. Moms who stay home are often slightly younger, on average, than moms who work full- or parttime. They also have less formal education and lower household incomes than working mothers. Only 21 percent of at-home moms are college grads, compared to 34 percent of working moms.

Look Out, World

The status of women in Oklahoma is a complex and ever-changing picture that shifts through legislation, advocacy, societal ideals and health and wellness. And then there are the unwritten rules, the unsaid expectations. Since her divorce, Groom says she has taken on the responsibility for her two children. “It’s one of those unwritten rules; it’s the mom’s job,” she says. Since the 1960s, men have stepped up to take on more household responsibilities. Married dads now care for babies and do housework twice as often as they did in the past. Women spend less time on housework than in days gone by, but they still bear much of the burden of household responsibilities and caring for children. Groom says she looks to her own hard-working mother for inspiration. Her daughter, Savanna Gantz, is 18 and ready to graduate with honors from Bristow High School. Groom has taken care to empower her sassy, blonde daughter. “I feel like I really try to empower her to be a woman that doesn’t need a man to define her or take care of her,” Groom says. She isn’t worried about her daughter heading out into the world. “When something needs fixed, sometimes I have said, ‘Oh well, that’s kind of a guy’s job,’” she says. But her daughter just shakes her head, gets out the toolbox and Googles the solution. “This is a girl who can,” Groom says.

PHOTO BY CASEY HANSON.

Tulsa. The spunky teenager says she wanted to work on a farm to earn extra money, but when she showed up, the farmer said he was surprised to see she was a girl. “I was expecting a boy,” the farmer told her. “I never had a woman try to work for me before.” But he gave her a chance. Johnson says in her family and in her rural town, women were more likely to cook and clean, to keep house rather than go to work. “You become a housewife,” she says of her family’s traditional gender roles. Not all of the girls we interviewed said they experienced their mothers and grandmothers in traditional roles, or even traditional living arrangements. But all of the girls agreed on one thing: They aren’t ready to think about settling down or getting married right after high school. Young people tend to be most progressive on the issue of gender roles, but national attitudes regarding the role of women in society has shifted drastically across the board, according to the Pew Research Center for the People & the Press, which has tracked public attitudes on social and political values for more than 20 years. In 1987, Pew Research Center found 30 percent of Americans said women should return to their traditional “housewife” role in society, and 66 percent disagreed. In 2009, only 19 percent said they think women should return to a traditional role, while a full 75 percent disagreed. People under 30 reject traditional gender roles 84 percent of the time. Still, 61 percent of people under age 30 say they have old-fashioned values about family and marriage – so our poetesses

WOMEN in POWER

DR. COURTNEY O’BRIEN PHD, MHR, LPC

r. o’Brien had 14 years of experience in the exercise and physiology business as a business owner and health consultant within a medical setting. She spent those years successfully designing rehabilitative, training, fitness and nutrition programs. after earning a master’s degree at the University of Oklahoma and a Ph.D. specializing in the field of psychology, dr. o’Brien continues to work in the private sector as a licensed professional counselor, helping those who struggle with depression, anxiety and other challenging mental health issues within the areas of sexuality. these issues are mental health topics very difficult to find within one practitioner’s specialty. “these individual and relational concerns affect most of us at some point in our lives depending upon our experiences, desires, needs and expectations. depression, anxiety and sexual issues all have an intimate relationship with us, in the same way we have shared a connection with a partner. if sadness, fear, anger or other feelings create retreat from a relationship, the issue itself becomes the primary relationship,” says dr. o’Brien. dr. o’Brien’s success is based on understanding one’s symptoms and finding the best method of treatment. as a rule, her overall philosophy is to treat the causes as well as the symptoms. attention is given to each individual, providing personalized growth opportunities to facilitate experiences that are holistic, trusting and genuine in nature. Many times, psychotherapy and medication are necessary; however, less traditional means of therapy, such as exercise, nutrition and behavior changes, are needed to meet the requirements of the client’s therapeutic goals. dr. o’Brien works with all populations, individuals, families and couples.

Dr. Courtney O’Brien, PhD, MHR, LPC 1723 E. 15th St., Suite 250 • Tulsa, OK 74104 Bus: 918.794.0570 • Cell: 918.639.0570 drobrien@drcourtneyobrien.com

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WOMEN in POWER

power ready LLC

woman in a man’s world – a woman of purpose, determination and commitment. these qualities describe ginette l. overall, owner, ceo and president of power ready llc, an oklahoma-based company located in tulsa. late one cold, winter night, ginette found herself without heat and lights. in search of a generator to warm her home, she experienced difficulty in locating one. At that moment, she saw the need in the marketplace for not just home generators, but generators for big and small businesses, as well. drawing upon her Muscogee creek heritage of pride and resolution, she decided to make a difference, and shortly thereafter, power ready became a reality. Using the principal’s expertise of 25 years in the energy business, power ready is a leading company of generator sales and installations. As a Hub-zoned, TERO-certified business, Power Ready maintains an inventory from 2kW to 125kW and designs, delivers and installs up to 2,500kW. Additionally, the company’s expertise covers all fuel types, from natural gas to propane and diesel. The manufacturer-certified employees stand ready to supply service throughout oklahoma and the southeast on a 24-hour basis. power ready is a member of several organizations promoting excellence in business; among these are the Better Business Bureau, Home Builders association and aicco. Furthermore, power ready is a preferred vendor for various native american tribes, specializing in casinos, and is the standby generator company for aep/pSo customers in a five-state area. ginette is a woman who encourages all women to pursue their dreams of starting a business career. Using desire and ability, a career can become a reality; the dream unfolds and evolves, and a company such as power ready is born.

Power Ready LLC

ginette overall

OKLAHOMA MAGAZINE | MAY 2013

Ginette Overall 4121 S Sheridan Rd • Tulsa, OK 74145 918.712.5300 • www.powerready.net

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WOMEN in POWER

Coldwell Banker SeleCt

at Morrissey is a multi-million dollar producer for coldwell Banker Select, recognized as a Five Star realtor in 2011 and a recipient of several company level awards. She has been a real estate investor for 16 years and a full-time realtor since 2006. although Kat works out of tulsa, she currently lives with her US deputy Marshal husband of 30 years, Jim, and two youngest boys, Zach and pak, in Wagoner, where she owns a Subway franchise. Her daughter, Jaimi, and son, ty, are students at northeastern State University. “as a business woman, i have felt honored to work with so many successful women in all areas of business,” says Kat. “Being around women like that keeps me motivated and helps me realize that the sky is the limit of what i can accomplish. Many of my clients are women buying homes, some in their early 20s, and it is great seeing them investing in their futures. i believe that women bring so much to the table in the world of business. they tend to be nurtures, organizers and very good multi-taskers!” Kat feels she owes her success in business to the support she gets from her family and friends, the backing of her company, coldwell Banker Select and, most importantly, the great clients she has had the privilege to work with.

Coldwell Banker Select

kat morrissey

Kat Morrissey 8990 South Sheridan • Tulsa, OK 74133 918.606.7170 • www.justsoldbyagirl.com

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WOMEN in POWER

carleton and associates

or over 10 years Kathy Carleton, a Financial Advisor and Franchise Owner of an Ameriprise Platinum Financial Services ® practice in Tulsa, has believed the first step in reaching your goals is finding the right person who can help you. With a philosophy of placing the needs of her clients first, she approaches financial planning on a whole different level. Kathy and her team pride themselves on working with individuals and business owners to find innovative financial solutions that are unique to each client’s situation. She works with clients in helping them manage and control their financial well-being. Her mission is for each client to feel appreciated and have the best possible experience. Kathy’s 100% Client Satisfaction score in 2012 reflects her clients feel the efforts she and her team put forth every day. To learn more about Kathy and her team, visit her website or call them today. The survey score is based on responses gathered within the preceding two years. The survey rates Ameriprise advisors on overall satisfaction, financial knowledge and other criteria. A score averages all responses and may not represent a particular client experience. A minimum number of responses are not required for a score. Working with this advisor is not a guarantee of future financial results. Investors should conduct their own evaluation of a financial advisor. Brokerage, investment and financial advisory services are made available through Ameriprise Financial Services, Inc. Member FINRA and SIPC. © 2013 Ameriprise Financial, Inc., All rights reserved.

Carleton and Associates

kathy carleton, cpa

A financial advisory practice of Ameriprise Financial Services, Inc. 4765 E. 91st Street, Suite 150 • Tulsa, OK 74137 • 918.794.4202 www.ameripriseadvisors.com/kathy.x.carleton

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b. jolie salon & spa

tacy Ritchie, owner of b. jolie Salon & Spa since March 2011, is inspired by the beauty industry. b. jolie’s goal is to provide excellent service providers, offer excellent products and a wide variety of elite salon and spa services, all while maintaining a relaxing environment. Ask her if they’ve hit the mark and she’ll say, “Absolutely!” With more than 100+ years’ combined experience on the floor, b. jolie remains one of Tulsa’s premier salon and spas.

stacy ritchie

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OKLAHOMA MAGAZINE | MAY 2013

b. jolie Salon & Spa Stacy Ritchie 8132 S Harvard Ave • Tulsa, OK 74137 • 918.392.2888

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WOMEN in POWER

Grace Hospice

“L

ead by example” is a motto Ava Hancock strives to follow each day in her position as Executive Director of Grace Hospice of Oklahoma. Grace Hospice is the largest independent hospice in Northeastern Oklahoma. Ava has been with Grace Hospice for more than 10 years and was named Executive Director in 2010 where she leads a staff of more than 80 employees. Ava received a Master’s Degree in Clinical Social Work and Health Care from the University of Houston. She’s a Licensed Clinical Social Worker and a trained Executive Leader for hospice through the National Hospice and Palliative Care Organization (NHPCO). She is also a volunteer and board member of the Case Management Society of America. Ava volunteers with the P.E.O. Sisterhood as the State Educational Loan Fund Chairman for Oklahoma, assisting women in furthering their educational goals. Ava’s an avid supporter of animal rescue and is the Foster Coordinator and a board member of Great Plains Mastiff Rescue.

Grace Hospice of Oklahoma Ava Hancock 6400 South Lewis Ave., Suite 1000 • Tulsa, OK 74136 918.744.7223 • gracehospice.com

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McGraw realtors Grand lake

iana Riley Patterson, top real estate associate for McGraw Realtors Grand Lake, was awarded 2010, 2011 and 2012 10 MIL Plus Club in Volume Sales overall at McGraw. Having had her license for 34 years, she has only been in the business since 2006. Born and raised on Grand Lake and from a real estate family, her specialty is South Grand Lake and loves selling waterfront and water view properties!

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McGraw Realtors Grand Lake Diana Riley Patterson 918.629.3717 • dpatterson@mcgrawok.com

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WOMEN in POWER

Diane White PR & events

iane White is President and Founder of Diane White Public Relations & Events, which opened in July 2010. Prior to owning her own business, she spent 15 years working as a news reporter and anchor in Oklahoma, Colorado and Missouri. Diane White PR & Events is a full-service Public Relations, Marketing and Event Planning firm with clients in more than 25 cities. They can also plan your event and help you maximize media coverage. Diane’s knowledge, savvy, experience and personal connections have landed her clients coverage in top markets as well as nationally on such shows as Good Morning America, CNN, Fox and Friends and the CBS Early Show.

Diane White PR & Events

Diane White

Diane White 1219 East 33rd Street • Tulsa, OK 74105 • 918.574.8765 • dianewhitepr.com

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daniels greer properties

manda Duenner has been a partner with William Daniels in Daniels Greer Properties, LLC for more than 14 years. Daniels Greer Properties, LLC specializes in commercial real estate services such as tenant representation, project leasing of office buildings, site location and project leasing of medical office buildings. Daniels Greer Properties, LLC has received NAIOP's Office deal of the year in 2003, 2006 and 2010. In addition to awards from Co-Star's Power Brokers of the year, Duenner has been listed in Cambridge’s Who’s Who and one of Tulsa's New Leaders by Cystic Fibrosis Foundation. Hire Daniels Greer Properties, LLC to help you navigate your commercial real estate needs.

Daniels Greer Properties, LLC

amanda duenner

Amanda Duenner One West Third Street, Suite 1110 • Tulsa, Oklahoma 74103 • 918.742.7500 Ext. 11

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Country Home elevator and Stair lift

uccess is when preparation meets opportunity. Discovering her passion in Craig Jones’ company, Country Home Elevator, was the perfect fit for Greta Walden and her creativity in interior design and the building industry. Desiring to help people achieve satisfying results for their homes, technical advances have enabled the general population affordability and accessibility to obtain residential elevators for various reasons. A high demand and networking has enabled this business to become a multi-million dollar company. Walden proudly carries the title, “The Elevator Lady.”

greta walden

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OKLAHOMA MAGAZINE | MAY 2013

Country Home Elevator and Stair Lift Greta Walden 1.800.482.1931 • 918.607.6571 • countryhomeelevator.com • che.gretawalden@gmail.com

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4/6/13 9:57 AM

WOMEN in POWER

ba med spa & weight loss center

alissa Spacek, founder of BA Med Spa & Weight Loss Center, opened her clinic in January 2010 with partner and medical director, Dr. James Campbell. The BA Med Spa & Weight Loss Center’s passion is to help people look and feel better through medically supervised weight loss and medical aesthetics. One of the ways BA Med Spa has taken their passion a step further is through the creation of a community garden located on the grounds of the clinic. “We have been very blessed by the support of the Tulsa area communities, and the heart of BA Med Spa & Weight Loss Clinic is to help others and give back to the community. Because many of those in our community cannot afford fresh fruits and vegetables, the crops from the garden will be donated to several Tulsa and Broken Arrow nonprofit agencies,” says Spacek. “We would like to take this opportunity to thank the volunteers from the Philanthropies of The Oklahoma Championship Steak Cook-off for contributing their expertise on developing and nurturing community gardens.” Names from left to right: Juanita Zimmerman (Arms around Broken Arrow), Malissa Spacek and Samm Spacek (Project Manager).

BA Med Spa & Weight Loss Center Malissa Spacek, Founder 500 South Elm Place • Broken Arrow, OK 74012 918.872.9999 • baweightspa.com

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Download the May issue of Oklahoma’s No. 1 magazine on your mobile device. + Get Oklahoma Magazine’s May issue at your fingertips. + View expanded galleries and exclusive content. Now get Oklahoma’s most popular magazine anywhere you go with the Oklahoma Magazine app.

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SKIN HEALTH & AGE MANAGEMENT What’s new at SkinMedic? Fifteen years ago, Pam Brewer RN MS, founded SkinMedic with the mission of offering the very best state-of-the-art treatments, medical-grade skin care products that work and education so clients could make informed decisions about their skin. SkinMedic is dedicated Jack Lamberson, to Pam’s legacy with our commitment to continuing her vision and moving D.O. forward. We now offer Physician Performed Deka Smartxide-DOT Laser Face and Eyelifts by Dr. Jack Lamberson, SkinMedic’s Medical Director. Certiﬁed Dermal Filler & Botox Injector Sheryl Bridgewater, RN, has joined SkinMedic after many years of experience at top-line KC skin care clinics and works alongside Sharon Smithson BSRN, who has been with SkinMedic for 14 years. Licensed Aestheticians Geneva Whitﬁeld and Cassie Zanovich offer clients the “best of the best” treatments, including Geneva’s Red Carpet and European Facials. Cassie’s Teen Clean, an acne treatment program, has helped many teens and young adults with skin problems. We invite you to visit our new state-of-the-art website and see our fresh new look, sign up for our emails, or call us at 918.587.7546. Angie, our Client Care Specialist, will be happy to answer questions or schedule you for a complimentary consult.

Jack Lamberson, D.O. Medical Director SkinMedic 1727 S. Cheyenne Ave. Tulsa, OK 74119 918.587.7546 www.skinmedic.com

Brad Beasley is a partner with Boesche McDermott LLP, and has been in practice for 33 years. He maintains a commercial litigation and general business practice. Bradley K. Beasley Boesche McDermott LLP 110 W. 7th St., Suite 900 Tulsa, OK 74119 918.858.1735 (Direct Dial) 918.583.1777 telephone 918.592.5809 facsimile

RESTORATIVE & COSMETIC DENTISTRY

What are risks of developing sex addiction?

I recently learned that I am expecting. Should I reschedule my appointment for after the delivery?

Courtney Linsenmeyer-O’Brien, PhD, LPC, MHR 1723 E. 15th St., Suite 250 Tulsa, OK 74104 918.639.0570 www.drcourtneyobrien.com drobrien@drcourtneyobrien.com

Yes. Title 21 Section 1272 of the Oklahoma statutes prohibits the carryBrad Beasley ing of any “dagger, bowie knife, dirk knife, switchblade knife, spring-type knife, sword cane, knife having a blade which opens automatically by hand pressure applied to a button, spring, or other device in the handle of the knife, blackjack, loaded cane, billy, hand chain, metal knuckles, or any other offensive weapon, whether such weapon be concealed or unconcealed.” There are exceptions to this prohibition, including guns and knives for hunting, ﬁshing and recreational purposes and use of weapons for living history reenactments. Violation of this section is a misdemeanor.

PHD LICENSED PROFESSIONAL COUNSELOR

• Early sexualization: It’s a fact that early alcohol use changes the chemistry of the brain in ways that makes alcoholism more likely. Research shows similar effects on the brain if exposed to sexual images and behavior before it is ready to react to them. • Unstable relationship boundaries can Courtney Linsen- lead to confusing deﬁnitions of intimacy, emotional safety and trust, leaving the person meyer-O’Brien, with only a sexual expectation. This PhD, LPC, MHR alone can lead to internet sex, sexting, porn and emotional isolation. • Adolescent isolation: Experiencing trauma between the ages of 9 and 13, or feeling isolated as a teenager for any reason, can increase the chances of becoming addicted to sex. • Childhood shame: Thinking of sex as shameful can lead you to think of sex as secretive, and makes it harder to normalize as a healthy part of life. • Family secrets: Hidden sexual issues in a family can set a person up for a situation where having two separate parts to life is normal, even attractive. • Over-controlling parenting: People who have been too controlled as children are less able to handle risk-taking, which could predispose them to sex addiction. • Limited modeling of emotional instruction: growing up without good role-models for emotional regulation can leave people dependent on external factors to manage their emotions, because they can’t handle them for themselves.

HOSPICE CARE

LEGAL SERVICES Except for handguns that are permitted to be carried by someone with a license, are there any other weapons that are prohibited for someone to carry on or about their person?

OKLAHOMA MAGAZINE | MAY 2013

Routine dental exams during pregnancy are not only safe, but they are recommended. During pregnancy, hormone levels increase, and these Bert Johnson, changes can impact your gum tissue D.D.S. and overall oral health. Routine dental work such as cleanings, ﬁllings and crowns are safe; however, it is best to postpone elective dental work until after giving birth. Most importantly, be sure to let your dentist know that you are pregnant. He or she will decide the best type of treatment to meet your needs.

What is an Advance Medical Directive? There are two main types of Advance Medical Directives: a living will and a medical power of attorney. A “living will” allows you to document your wishes concerning medical treatments at the end of life. Before it goes into effect, two physicians must certify Ava Hancock you are unable to make medical decisions and have a medical condition covered by the state’s living will law. A medical power of attorney allows you to appoint a person you trust as your healthcare agent, who is authorized to make medical decisions on your behalf. Before a medical power of attorney goes into effect, a person’s physician must conclude that they are unable to make their own medical decisions. Grace Hospice is offering a series of free seminars in May about Medical Directives and other related topics. For more information, please call 918.744-7223 or visit www.gracehospice.com.

Ava Hancock Executive Director Grace Hospice of Oklahoma 6400 South Lewis, Suite 1000 Tulsa, OK 74136 918.744.7223 www.gracehospice.com

VETERINARIAN What are some helpful summer pet safety tips?

Dr. Rodney Robards

Summer is right around the corner. Pet owners must be aware that extra care must be given to make sure that their furry friends’ are healthy and safe. The extreme heat in Oklahoma can be much worse for our pets. Those with dark coats, geriatric or obese pets, and those with shorter muzzles require extra caution.

• Provide a sufﬁcient amount of water for your pet at all times! If your pet is outdoors, make sure the water does not get too hot in their bowl. • Limit your dog’s sun exposure by walking them in the early morning and evening when temperatures are lower. • Pet fur acts as a sunscreen in itself, so the shorter your pet’s hair, the more susceptible they are to sunburn. Please consider before grooming, and if you must shave your pet, try to do it early in the summer, giving the hair time to grow out. • If your pet has short hair, pink skin and/or white fur, they will be especially vulnerable to sun damage. • Pavement and asphalt can get especially hot and burn your pet’s paws, which is why it’s best to walk your dog when it’s cooler out, or keep them on grass and sidewalk.

Bert Johnson, D.D.S. 4715 E. 91st St. Tulsa, OK 74137 918.744.1255 www.cosmeticdentistintulsa.com

Rodney Robards, DVM Southern Hills Veterinary Hospital 2242 E. 56th Pl. Tulsa, OK 74105 918.747.1311 www.southernhillsvet.com Views expressed in the Professionals do not necessarily represent the views of Oklahoma Magazine, Schuman Publishing Co. or its afﬁliates.

To be included in the Professionals, call 918.744.6205.

Amy Kesner, PhD, LPC, LADC

LICENSED PROFESSIONAL COUNSELOR

WEIGHT MANAGEMENT SPECIALIST

MEN’S STYLE CONSULTANT

I have been with my current girlfriend for more than three years and seem to have an ongoing problem related to her lack of affection toward me. We have discussed this several times, and she says she will change, but the dog gets more attention than me. Should I give up, or can she change?

I’ve recently heard of TNS Serum by SkinMedica®. I understand it is a highly effective skin care treatment that uses “growth factors.” What, exactly, does this mean, and why is it so good for skin care?

I have a pretty good wardrobe when it comes to business dress, but I never have the right things to wear when it comes to everything else. What should I be wearing?

The healthiest, most gratifying relationships are achieved when two people see each other for who they truly are, ﬂaws and all. A good relationship supports and nurtures your true self. A strong indicator of a healthy, long-term relationship is not the frequency of your partner touching you, but how often she touches you in response to your touch. We all bring issues and personality quirks with us to a relationship, and certainly a struggle with showing affection could be related to past baggage. If your girlfriend is aware of your needs and truly strives to do better but does not, there is probably an underlying issue that may be discovered through therapy and self-reﬂection. Often there is a miscommunication between partners of what is a demonstration of love. For example, she may cook your favorite meal and you take the dog for walks. Each may do these things to demonstrate love for the other but may not be received as such a message. Couples need to understand what each individual needs to feel loved. This problem between you and your girlfriend is solvable but the best chance of success may be to seek professional help.

Amy Kesner All Things Psychological 5500 S. Lewis, Suite 5505 Tulsa, OK 74105 918.691.2226 www.allthingspsychological.com dramykesner@gmail.com

TNS Serum is a potent treatment with more than 110 physiologically balanced growth factors that have been clinically proven to improve textural smoothness and reduce coarse and fine wrinkles. Many people don’t realize that a wrinkle is really a small wound in the skin. Stem cell therapy utilizes “young” cells, or “growth factors,” to help reproduce healthy cells already in the skin. The cells in the skin receive the message to create proteins, carbohydrates and lipids to help repair fine lines, wrinkles and restore and maintain firmness and elasticity. Yet another incentive to consider SkinMedica® is its recent acquisition by Allergan®. Now, patients who purchase SkinMedica®, Botox® or Juvederm® can earn significant savings under Allergan’s Brilliant Distinction program. We want you to love the skin you’re in and invite you to call for a complimentary skin care consultation to find out more about the best skin care treatments available to you.

Malissa Spacek

Dr. James R. Campbell D.O. and Malissa Spacek, Founder BA Med Spa & Weight Loss Center 500 South Elm Place Broken Arrow, Oklahoma 74012 918.872.9999 www.baweightspa.com

PR & MARKETING CONSULTANT

PHYSICAL THERAPY

I have a small advertising budget. What is the quickest way to grow my business so I can increase my budget?

I experienced a fracture in my elbow approximately eight months ago. The doctors tell me my fracture is healed, but I am still unable to move my elbow properly. I am limited with using my arm to brush my hair or reach around to my back. Would Occupational Therapy be beneﬁcial for regaining the function and movement in my elbow?

Referrals are tremendously powerful and offer your business a chance to grow like no other. People would rather do business with people they Jessica Dyer know, or know of, than with strangers. After all, few things are more reassuring than a positive endorsement from someone you know and trust. Ask for referrals; there's nothing pushy about it. Getting a referral is the highest compliment you can receive, and people won’t give them to you unless you deserve it. One of the most powerful ways to elicit referrals is to give them generously yourself. Most people will appreciate the referral, and it may inspire them to respond in kind. Always thank someone who has given you a referral. Send them a note, keep them informed of your progress and maybe even treat them to lunch. Referrals, partnered with sharp advertising, creative marketing and smart social media can exponentially grow your business.

Jessica Dyer Emerge Marketing & PR 11063-D S. Memorial Dr. #445 918.925.9945 Jdyer@emergempr.com www.facebook.com/EmergePR

Shelly Walentiny, OTR/L, CHT

I recommend visiting with your doctor further about starting Occupational Therapy on your elbow as soon as possible. With therapy, we have many different options in treating your problem. I recently started treating a patient that is approximately six months from an elbow fracture with limited movement due to soft tissue restrictions. Treating your elbow is very important because a limitation in the elbow joint will often lead to pain and problems with the shoulder and wrist joint due to compensatory strategies with the use of the extremity. With Occupational Therapy, we can address your deﬁcits using modalities, soft tissue mobilization, stretching and often splinting techniques to mobilize your extremity and assist with gaining functional use of your elbow.

Shelly Walentiny, OTR/L, CHT Excel Therapy Specialists 918.398.7400 www.exceltherapyok.com

A majority of men – young and old – are unaware of a “social wardrobe.” Men typically have what it takes to get through a week of work, but when it comes to events outside of the office, they aren't as confident or prepared. Socially, every guy needs a solid navy or black suit, a tan or navy performance blazer (sports coat), a pair or two of higherquality, dark-colored jeans, a structured pair of khakis and a variety of check, stripe and solid dress shirts and polos. Now don't stress; it takes time to build a “core” wardrobe, and if you chose quality with a classic look, it will last. Shoes truly are the most evaluated elements of a mans wardrobe. Choose three pairs, one in each color black, brown and English tan. Your belt should always match your shoes. Finally, when in doubt, go with the best fit, not necessarily the most expensive. From high end to off the rack, you make the clothing, the clothing doesn't make you.

Autumn Pohl

Autumn Pohl Independent Style Consultant J.Hilburn Men’s Clothier 918.407.4024 www.autumnpohl.jhilburn.com Autumn.pohl@jhilburnpartner.com

PROFESSIONAL CLEANING SERVICE What is the best method for removing pet stains from my carpet? Removing stains is the most effective way to eliminate pet odor. You should ﬁrst place towels over any liquid and blot by stepping on them. Buy a bacteria/enzyme digester from a pet store Amy Bates to use on fresh stains. These digesters work slowly, so it is important to leave the solution on as long as the directions say and follow the manufacturer’s recommendations. Use enough solution to eliminate the urine that has penetrated through the carpet. Cover the area with plastic to make sure the spot does not dry out. As a ﬁnal step, you should mix a solution of one cup of vinegar to a gallon of warm water and rinse the area. You should avoid using steam cleaners and make sure to invest in a high-quality pet odor neutralizer.

Amy Bates Merry Maids 5656 S. Mingo Road Tulsa, OK 74146 918.250.7318 www.merrymaids.com MAY 2013 | WWW.OKMAG.COM

Now Open!

Los Cabos, winner of “The Best of the Best” for 7 years in a row, has their authentic Mexican cuisine now available in Owasso!

Los Cabos in Owasso

NEW!

OtheR lOcAtiOnS

(next door to Cracker Barrel)

www.loscabosok.com

9455 N. Owasso Expressway Riverwalk - Jenks • Bass Pro Shop - BA

MOTHER’S DAY

BUFFET BRUNCH

AT WATERFRONT GRILL Enjoy our wonderful Mother’s Day brunch while overlooking the Arkansas river. $36 for adults • $10 for kids 12 & under May 12, 10am – 2pm 120 Aquarium Drive • Jenks, OK www.waterfrontgrilljenks.com

Taste

FOOD, DRINK, AND OTHER PLEASURES The Meditteraneo ﬂatbread at Naples is topped with kalamata olives, spinach, sun-dried tomato, caramelized onion, feta mozzarella and balsamic reduction.

Fresh Concepts

PHOTOS BY CHRIS HUMPHREY.

A unique concept proves successful for an already successful businessman.

f you saw it in the movies, you’d never believe it. Back in the days, when President Kennedy spent the occasional night in Tulsa’s opulent Mayo Hotel, a few miles to the west a young boy was bagging groceries in a part of town where Kennedys never went. But the boy had a fire in his belly, and 40 years later, James Wilburn, that young lad from Carbondale, a Tulsa neighborhood, owned the sports-entertainment colossus Winnercomm, one of Tulsa’s biggest businesses. And now, easily rich enough to sit at the President’s table, here he is instead sitting on a banquette near the gleaming futuristic oven that dominates the elegant new Tulsa outpost of his latest business venture, a restaurant that has revolutionized the concept of kitchen design. He’s taking a short break in a workday that began, as it does every day, at 6:30 a.m. Has he fulfilled his childhood dreams? “Oh yes,” he says, “and beyond.” Perhaps this wouldn’t satisfy a Hollywood screenwriter. He’d want to make young Wilburn’s life even tougher. He’d make the kind, hardworking parents not only poor but blind. Five-year-old Wilburn would have to help them navigate. The screenwriter would add three siblings for Wilburn, the eldest, to support. He’d have Wilburn not only bag

groceries but take a second job selling Kinney shoes. Wilburn would use the salary to put himself through the exclusive Bishop Kelley high school and then take on a third job to pay his way through The University of Tulsa. But no one would believe that all this could happen, except that it did. Wilburn’s third job was driving school buses, and his workday began at 6 a.m. and ended at 9 p.m., when he would finally find time to do his homework. Shoe salesman is not your typical glamour job, but he loved it. He was willing to work hard, and he loved selling things. And when he later worked for Tulsa’s Channel 8, he became its best salesman. Many years of hard work later, Winnercomm was born. And then Ralph Desiano walked into Wilburn’s life. It was 2009. Wilburn wanted to diversify. Planning to open a restaurant in south Tulsa, he interviewed Desiano for the post of manager. “He was vastly overqualified,” says Wilburn. Desiano, who had worked for decades for restaurant companies, talked about his dream of opening a restaurant in his native town of Naples, Fla., a restaurant based on a totally new concept of efficient kitchen design. Two hours later, they were still talking, and Wilburn had agreed to be the business partner of a man he had never laid eyes on before that morning. MAY 2013 | WWW.OKMAG.COM

Taste

F AV E S

LOS CABOS MEXICAN GRILL & CANTINA

BRIAN SCHWARTZ

OKLAHOMA MAGAZINE | MAY 2013

CHRIS HUMPHREY

Create a full range of delicious and innovative meals and tidbits using only a pizza oven. It sounds like a Top Chef challenge. Happily, a top chef rose to the challenge. Desiano comes from a big Italian family of creative cooks, Wilburn explains, and his mother, his wife, his whole family, helped him. There’s pizza, of course, featuring buffalo mozzarella and a house-made sauce that uses San Marzano tomatoes from southern Italy; but the star of the show is flatbread. Whatever cuisine or flavor you’re in the mood for, says Wilburn, you can get it here. Want Indian? Try the Tikka, with chicken tikka, mozzarella, masala sauce and balsamic reduction. Japanese? Get the Ginsu, topped with Ahi tuna, avocado and wasabi cream. Jamaican barbecue? Choose the Hey Jerk, and savor pulled pork, applewood-smoked bacon, pineapples and roasted peppers basted in a Caribbean jerk sauce. Each pizza and flatbread is also available gluten-free. And don’t forget, Wilburn continues, it’s not just flatbread. There’s Osso Buco, a huge pork shank infused with demiglace and braised for hours The first Naples Flatbread opened in Naples, Fla., at the height of the recession, in a desolate mall surrounded by abandoned, bankrupt stores. But, says Wilburn “people loved the food.” The word spread, and within a few weeks, business was booming. The partners soon opened a much bigger one in nearby Estero, Fla., and now one in Tulsa. Wilburn stands, stretches. His businesses are booming, he’s rich by any standard, so why does he still work as hard as he did back in his hungry salad days? “Hey,” says Wilburn, “I’m only 60! Don’t put me in the grave yet!” 4929 E. 71st St., Tulsa. www.naplesflatbread.com

THE BUZZ

The schnitzel sandwich at Das Boot Camp.

DAS BOOT CAMP

For a taste of German beer, cuisine and relaxation, diners in Norman can report for duty at Das Boot Camp. The sister restaurant of the popular Royal Bavaria, Das Boot Camp offers a more casual atmosphere and menu without sacrificing the traditional experience for which Royal Bavaria has become known. “Over the years, many people said they wanted a lunch option,” says chef and proprietor Andy Gmeiner. “Adding TVs was also a frequent request, so they could enjoy some brats and beer and watch their favorite game. We listened, and that’s where the idea for Das Boot Camp was born.” Some of the fare may look familiar to Royal Bavaria patrons, including the famous jäger schnitzel. Others, like the schnitzel sandwich with lemon-caper aioli, fresh lemons and perfectly crispy pork, are unique to the new establishment. In addition, Das Boot Camp provides a wider selection of German sausages than was previously offered and a selection of handcrafted Royal Bavaria brews – available, of course, in das boot. 229 E. Main St., Norman. www.das-bootcamp.com – Tara Malone BRENT FUCHS

The ﬂatbread oven is the centerpiece of Naples.

It’s lavish, flashy and fun. Outside, the graceful curves of a tile roof sit atop a brightly painted Spanish colonial facade. Step inside, and it’s a street fair in Guadalajara. Mariachi bands stroll and strum while happy diners call for just one more frozen margarita. There’s south-of-the-border ambiance: soaring columns hewn from cantera stone imported from central Mexico, mellow light cast by wrought-iron multi-tiered chandeliers, the sound of water purling in Spanish-style stone fountains, gentle pastel-hued wall tiles from Mexico. “You’ll feel like you’re on vacation,” says Jimmy Blacketer, co-owner with his brother, Jeb, of the new Los Cabos location in Owasso. “Just walk in, and you’ll be happy.” The Blacketers started the party in 2005 with Los Cabos at Riverwalk in Jenks. Two years later, the Broken Arrow branch dazzled diners with its soaring ceilings, vast indoor hacienda-style courtyards and outdoor dining areas in a charming Jimmy Blacketer stands in front of Los Cabos’ newest restaurant, lakeside setting. These two located in Owasso. branches are as busy as ever, and now Owasso joins them. The menu at all three is similar. “It’s mostly Tex-Mex,” says Blacketer, “with a bit of Sonoran and coastal thrown in.” One satisfying dish not on the menu but always available by request is the Vaquero: steak with cheese enchiladas topped with two fried eggs. 9455 N. Owasso Expressway, Suite O-P, Owasso. www. loscabosok.com – Brian Schwartz

What do you want to eat? Check out our online restaurant guide at www.okmag.com

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HEALTHY AND LIGHT

In our obsession to be healthy, fit and trim, we go to great lengths and occasionally do crazy things to achieve our goals. However, if the ultimate goal truly is to get healthy, shed pounds and lessen the chances for disease, the Mediterranean Diet is a sound idea because scientists have studied its effects for 50 years. The Mediterranean Diet emphasizes eating less red meat and more fish, poultry, beans, grains, eggs, fruits and veggies. Unsaturated fats like olive oil, canola oil and even avocado replace saturated fat. The diet is based on the traditional way that people from the Mediterranean coastal region have eaten for thousands of years. Studies have found that those areas have fewer incidents of obesity and chronic disease due to a healthier lifestyle. – Jill Meredith

W H AT W E ’ R E E AT I N G The Option 2 Breakfast Sandwich at Foolish Things Coffee Company.

CHRIS HUMPHREY

Taste

S I M P LY H E A LT H Y

The Breakfast Sandwich Option 2 Foolish Things Coffee Company

Coffee shops are popping up in downtown Tulsa like tulips in springtime. Not that we’re complaining; coffee shops are like snow flakes: Each one is unique and brings something different to the table. At Foolish Things, business people and students from nearby TCC co-mingle and enjoy

the eatery’s coffee drinks as well as a simple but flavorful menu. Think ingredients on fresh bread and crisp salads with complementing dressings; think “brain food.” The Option 2 on Foolish Things’ menu is a stack of egg, fresh mozzarella, fresh tomato and spinach between an English muffin. What a pleasant way to start the day. 1001 S. Main St., Tulsa. www.foolishthingscoffee.com

Lemony Tabouli 1/2 c. bulgur wheat 3/4 c. water 1 1/4 c. chopped ﬂat-leaf parsley 1 tbsp. chopped mint 2 Roma tomatoes, diced 1/4 c. peeled and ﬁnely chopped cucumber 1/4 c. fresh lemon juice 3-4 tablespoons olive oil Salt and pepper to taste In a medium bowl, combine bulgur and water. Cover with plastic and allow to sit for two hours. In the meantime, chop vegetables and place in a large bowl. After two hours, drain any excess water from the bulgur, and add bulgur to the bowl of vegetables. Add the lemon juice and olive oil. Stir and add salt and pepper to taste. Cover with plastic and let chill overnight.

OKLAHOMA MAGAZINE | MAY 2013

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Tea and Pastry

T, An Urban Teahouse

Tea has been around for thousands of years. The drink of both royalty and commoners, it’s a unifying force that comes in a variety of options. At T, one may find just about any type of tea desired. Owner Kristy Jennings has scoured the globe to bring the best back to her shop in

BRENT FUCHS

Makes 4-5 servings

Oklahoma City, and indeed she has. From Chai and black teas to green, white, herbal and oolong teas, there’s tons to choose from. Loose-leaf teas are ready for purchase, or you can enjoy a cup of tea steeped in-house with a few of T’s delectable pastries. Consider it a scaled-down version of high tea. 7518 N. May, Suite D, Oklahoma City. www. urban-teahouse.com

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Entertainment G R E AT T H I N G S T O D O I N O K L A H O M A

Kidzone activities are just part of the fun at Tulsa International Mayfest.

PHOTO COURTESY TULSA INTERNATIONAL MAYFEST.

Stare A Little Longer

Art anchors the tents of Tulsa’s Mayfest.

ho doesn’t enjoy a good turkey drumstick, funnel cake or roasted almonds coated in cinnamonsugar bliss? Festival food is always sure to draw the masses, but art has the power to make one linger long after the party’s over. Tulsa International Mayfest returns to the streets of downtown Tulsa Thursday, May 16-Sunday, May 19. It’s the four days out of the year when the corporate workforce peering down all those one-way streets don’t feel quite as lonely since many Tulsa residents visit the many booths along Main Street as well as Third and Fourth streets during the day. Fine artists from Tulsa and other parts of the country display their skills in painting, sculpture, photography and many other fields. Also of note, artisans working in less conventional media to make one-of-a-kind ornaments for the home are also home among the fine artists, like a happy community. And that’s what Mayfest is – a temporary home to creativity. At the indoor galleries, you’ll find the

Mayfest Youth Art Gallery, a dedicated space and wing of the festival that fosters development of young talent, which ensures the festival’s future. We could mention that the festival has some superb music acts headed to the stages – Monte Montgomery and John Fullbright (see In Concert) on May 16, Royal Southern Brotherhood (line-up on the Mayfest website) with Jason Isbell and the 400 Unit on May 17, and Will Hoge with Uncle Lucius on May 18. But concerts are just part of the fun. Also look for cool Kidzone activities and live performances from area dance, theater and music groups on the various stages. Mayfest is a long-time tradition going back to 1973. When you think of all the artists who have shown their work, it amounts to a significant cultural contribution. Here’s to many more! For more on Mayfest, schedules and about the juried art, go to www.tulsamayfest.org. KAREN SHADE MAY 2013 | WWW.OKMAG.COM

Entertainment

Calendar

PERFORMANCES

IN CONCERT

SPORTS

FAMILY

ART

CHARITABLE EVENTS

COMMUNITY

Paul McCartney at the BOK Center

The Carper Family

bluedoorokc.com

Metric

com

May 1 Blue Door. www.

May 2 Cain’s Ballroom. www.cainsballroom.

James McCartney

bluedoorokc.com

May 2 Blue Door. www.

ZZ Top May 2 First Council Casino, Newkirk. www. zooamp.com Jewel May 3 Hard Rock Tulsa Hotel & Casino. www.hardrockcasinotulsa.com Funtcase and Cookie Monsta

May

3 Cain’s Ballroom. www.cainsballroom.com

The Piano Guys

PERFORMANCES Celtic Woman When public TV asks its viewers annually for funding to keep its shows on the air, it helps to put a little Irish cream on top. The sweet and majestic song of Celtic Woman is a staple of the pledge drive, one that many fans look forward to every time. The all-woman musical ensemble of Irish musicians and singers makes a stop in Oklahoma during this year’s big tour, which takes singers Chloë Agnew, Lisa Lambe and Susan McFadden along with lighter-than-air fiddler Máiréad Nesbitt all across the continent and Europe, too. Singing plenty of Celtic traditional pieces, the ensemble also throws in a good portion of contemporary work. To us, every bit is magic. The show is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. Thursday, May 16, at Oklahoma Civic Center Music Hall’s Thelma E. Gaylord Performing Arts Theatre, 201 N. Walker Ave. Tickets are $36-$69 each, available at the box office and online at www.okcciviccenter.com.

Performances Tulsa Camerata: Concierto de Música Latina May 2 Philbrook Museum of Art is the

place to be for this final concert of the season for Tulsa Camerata chamber music ensemble. The night explores the music of Latin composers from Spain and the Americas. www.tulsacamerata.org

OKC Phil: Cirque de la Symphonie

May 3-4 The Oklahoma City Philharmonic takes you to the cirque of aerialists and acrobats in stunning displays of physical feats along with musical whimsy and elegance at the Oklahoma City Civic Center Music Hall. www. okcphilharmonic.org

A Grand Night for Singing

May 3-11 The collaboration of composer Richard Rodgers and lyricist Oscar Hammerstein II is celebrated by American Theatre Company in this revue of their best-known and loved Broadway pieces at the Tulsa Performing Arts Center. www.myticketoffice.com

Off the Floor: Creations in Studio K May 3-12 Once again displaying a passion for

contemporary dance, Tulsa Ballet presents three world premiere pieces by choreographers Matthew Neenan, Nicolo Fonte and Tulsa Ballet principal Ma Cong at Tulsa Ballet Studio K. www.tulsaballet.org

New York Polyphony May 4 Choregus Productions brings the vocal chamber ensemble praised internationally for its complex and rich sound to the Cascia Hall Performing Arts Center. www.choregus.org West Side Story

Thru May 5 Celebrity Attractions brings Leonard Bernstein’s breathtaking

OKLAHOMA MAGAZINE | MAY 2013

musical of street gangs in New York City and true love to the Tulsa Performing Arts Center in a new touring production. www.myticketoffice.com

Boeing-Boeing May 10-18 Theatre Tulsa flies high at the Tulsa Performing Arts Center with a comedy of a jet-setting ladies’ man, his three fiancées – all airline hostesses – and a sudden change in the flight schedule. www.theatretulsa.org

with dancing and food trucks parked nearby. www. myriadgardens.org

Tulsa Boy Singers Spring Concert

May 31 Join the choir for its 2013 concert in selections from Schubert, Tallis and Carmichael at Tulsa’s Trinity Episcopal Church. www.trinitytulsa.org

Greater Tuna

May 31-June 16 City Rep Theatre

May 20 This chorus of Tulsans from all walks of life and professions come together to sing at this month’s Musical Mondays Concert for the LIFE Senior Services at the Cascia Hall Performing Arts Center. www.seniorline.org

Wise Guys

May 31 One of Oklahoma City’s favorite local bands plays a free show on the Great Lawn at Myriad Botanical Gardens to the tune of fun

Herman’s Hermits Starring Peter Noone May 3 River Spirit Casino. www.riverspirittulsa.

com

Pokey LaFarge May 4 All Soul Acoustic Coffeehouse. www.allsoulcoffeehouse.com Jewel May 4 Riverwind Casino, Norman. www. riverwind.com Ra Ra Riot

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May 6 Cain’s Ballroom. www.

REO Speedwagon, Styx and Ted Nugent May 8 BOK Center. www.bokcenter.com Aaron Carter May 8 Vanguard Music Hall. www. thevanguardtulsa.com

Ben Rector

May 9 Cain’s Ballroom. www.

Jason Aldean

May 10 BOK Center. www.bokcenter.

cainsballroom.com

com

May 10-12 Blue Door. www.

cainsballroom.com

Casino, Concho. www.zooamp.com

May 11 Lucky Star

Ben Taylor

May 11 Vanguard Music Hall. www. thevanguardtulsa.com

Joe Difﬁe, Aaron Tippin and Sammy Kershaw May 11 Osage Casino, Sand Springs.

and

Talk of Tulsa Show Chorus

May 3 Lucky Star Casino, Concho. www. zooamp.com

Turnpike Troubadours

May 16 Oklahoma City Civic Center Music Hall opens the doors to the international music showcase of Celtic music and song. www.okcciviccenter. com May 18-23 Join the Brightmusic Chamber Ensemble for this four-concert festival of music from Schubert plus a newly commissioned work by American composer Christopher Theofanidis at Oklahoma City’s St. Pauls’ Episcopal Cathedral and All Souls’ Episcopal Church. www.brightmusic.org

ZZ Top

Pop Evil and Texas Hippie Coalition May 11 Cain’s Ballroom. www.

Celtic Woman

Schubert

May 3 Blue Door. www.bluedoorokc.

bluedoorokc.com

Philharmonic bids farewell to another season with this finale and orchestral showcase of Wagner, Strauss and Tchaikovsky at the Oklahoma City Civic Center Music Hall. www.okcphilharmonic.org

Festival:

Patrice Pike

com

John Fullbright

OKC Phil: A Globetrotter’s Guide to the Orchestra May 11 The Oklahoma City

Spring Friends

May 3 Hudson Performance Hall. www.dcfconcerts.com

The New Frontier at Gilcrease Museum

Company takes on the comedy masterpiece of two actors tackling all the characters in the little West Texas town of Tuna in this classic staging at Oklahoma City Civic Center Music Hall. www.cityrep.com

Fleetwood Mac Alkaline Trio cainsballroom.com

com

Roger Clyne & the Peacemakers

May

15 The Shrine. www.tulsashrine.com

In Concert bokcenter.com

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One More Time: A Tribute to Daft Punk May 12 Cain’s Ballroom. www.cainsballroom.

May 1 BOK Center. www.

May 1 Cain’s Ballroom. www.

Monte Montgomery with John Fullbright May 16 Tulsa International Mayfest.

www.tulsamayfest.org

Jason Boland & the Stragglers 17 Cain’s Ballroom. www.cainsballroom.com

May

Royal Southern Brotherhood with Jason Isbell & the 400 Unit May 17 Tulsa

International Mayfest. www.tulsamayfest.org

The Beach Boys

www.riverspirittulsa.com

May 17 River Spirit Casino.

Jerry

Seinfeld May 17 Stand-up comedy at the Oklahoma City Civic Center Music Hall. www. okcciviccenter.com

Jimmy Webb

bluedoorokc.com

Opeth

com

May 17-18 Blue Door. www.

May 18 Cain’s Ballroom. www.cainsballroom.

Will Hoge with Uncle Lucius

May 18 Tulsa International Mayfest. www.tulsamayfest.org

Daryl Hall and John Oates May 23 Hard Rock Tulsa Hotel & Casino. www.hardrockcasinotulsa.com Kevin Welch com

May 24 Blue Door. www.bluedoorokc.

The Temptations May 24 First Casino, Newkirk. www.zooamp.com

Council

Backwoods Bash Music & Camping Festival May 24-27 Lorenzo, Sam and the

Stylees, Steve Liddell Band, more on Lake Keystone near Prue. www.backwoodsbash.com

Rocklahoma 2013 May 24-26 Guns N’ Roses, Alice in Chains, Korn, Bush, Cheap Trick, Bullet for My Valentine, more at Pryor’s Catch the Fever Festival Grounds. www.rocklahoma.com The Black Crowes May 25 Hard Rock Tulsa Hotel & Casino. www.hardrockcasinotulsa.com Tulsa Music Festival

May 25 Admiral Twin, Pop Machine, Black Kat Benders, the Blazer Band, more at the Guthrie Green. www.tulsamusicfestival.com

B.B. King

May 25 First Council Casino, Newkirk. www.zooamp.com

Delta Rae

May 28 Vanguard Music Hall. www. thevanguardtulsa.com

Paul McCartney

www.bokcenter.com

Zeds Dead

cainsballroom.com

May 29-30 BOK Center.

May 30 Cain’s Ballroom. www.

Martina McBride

May 31 Hard Rock Tulsa Hotel & Casino. www.hardrockcasinotulsa.com

Sports Tulsa Shock

www.wnba.com/shock v. Atlanta May 9 (preseason) v. Washington May 27

Oklahoma

Defenders

www.

oklahomadefenders.com v. Kansas May 11 v. Kansas City May 18

OKC RedHawks

www.okcredhawks.com v. Nashville May 1-2 v. Tacoma May 7-10 v. Salt Lake City May 11-14 v. Omaha May 28-31

ART 5x5 at the TAC Gallery Before the Brady District became the arts magnet that it is now, it was the colorful district of concertgoers, milk trucks and visitors to one of the coolest art shows in town. The Tulsa Artists Coalition Gallery’s annual 5x5 Show continues to be one of Tulsa’s biggest shows around, with more than 250 small works of art exhibited and for sale to the public. Artists are invited each year to paint a canvas for the TAC fundraiser. They pick up materials in Tulsa and Oklahoma City and donate the finished works. Each 5-inch-by-5-inch canvas is displayed on May 5, except that this year’s show opens on May 3 just in time for the Brady Arts Crawl, the first Friday of each month. And each work is only $55. That should turn on your inner collector. The show runs through May 25, but most will be snagged the first weekend, as the lines into the gallery prove every year. Learn more at www.tacgallery.org. Combat MMA May 18 Mixed martial arts combat fighting featuring Oklahomans Brian Foster and Daniel Roberts plus Casey Phelps, Chavous Smith and others at the SpiritBank Event Center. www. spiritbankeventcenter.com

Mini Masters: Art Parts

Warrior Dash

The Emperor’s New Clothes

May 18 Hold fast for this big race filled with obstacles that only the mighty will prevail. The state’s only Dash takes place at Moore’s Flying M Ranch in Inola. www.warriordash.com

Xtreme 5k May 19 Children and adults are encouraged to tackle all the obstacles in this race that includes mud pits, walls and other obstructions at Camp Loughridge in Tulsa. www.xtreme5k.com Phillips 66 Big Championship May

Baseball

22-26 The Chickasaw Bricktown Ballpark welcomes the Big 12’s top eight teams playing to qualify for the championship. www. okcallsports.org

Tulsa Drillers

www.tulsadrillers.com v. Arkansas May 8-9, 11-12 v. Springfield May 13-16 v. NW Arkansas 17 v. Midland May 22-24 v. Frisco May 25-27

of Color Rodeo May 4 Competitors take on challenges in bull riding, calf roping, steer wrestling, bronco busting and many other events, including Pony Express relays, barrel racing and junior categories. Look for cultural entertainment also at Oklahoma State Fair Park. www.okstatefair.com

The Cavanal Killer May 11 Can you take the five-mile walk/run to the top of Poteau’s Cavanal Hill? Oh yeah, it’s also “World’s Highest Hill” with a gain of 1,500 feet in altitude. www.poteauchamber.com Full Moon Run

May 18 After the sun sets, enjoy the family-friendly atmosphere of this evening run through Tulsa River Parks that ends at Veterans Park with a party for participants and spectators. www. riverparks.org/fullmoonrun

May 2-5 Clark Youth Theatre presents a musical adaptation of the humorous fable by Hans Christian Andersen on the stage of the Henthorne Performing Arts Center. 918.746.5065

Reading Rainforest May 10 Children’s story hour takes place in the Crystal Bridge Tropical Conservatory at the Myriad Botanical Gardens. www. myriadgardens.org Miss Nelson is Missing

Thru May 10 Based on the hilarious children’s book of the same name, the comedy of an out-of-control classroom and their desperate teacher is presented by Oklahoma Children’s Theatre on the Oklahoma City University campus. www.oklahomachildrenstheatre.org

Art

Adventures Ongoing Children 3-5 experience art every Tuesday morning at the Fred Jones Jr. Museum of Art, Norman, with special guests. Go online for schedules and other information. www. ou.edu/fjjma

Cowboys

Color Me Rad 5k (OKC) May 11 No one crosses the finish line of this run at Oklahoma State Fair Park with a clean shirt as colorful powders rain down. www.colormerad.com

May 3, 9-10, 16-17 Little ones study the basics of art and explore their own abilities at Gilcrease Museum. Go online for details and complete schedule. www.gilcrease.utulsa. edu

Chuck Wagon Gathering & Children’s Cowboy at the National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum

NCAA Women’s Series May 30-June

College

World

1 The best of women’s college fast-pitch softball play at the ASA Hall of Fame Stadium, OKC. www.okcallsports.org

Family Kids Dig Books: Here We Go!

May 2, Storybook hour is fun as children learn about other cultures at Gilcrease Museum. www.gilcrease.utulsa.edu

Second Saturdays Ongoing Families enjoy the Philbrook Museum of Art and participate in art activities for free on the second Saturday of every month. www.philbrook.org Tiny Tuesdays and Art Ongoing Guest artists at the

Drop-in

Oklahoma City Museum of Art Education Center help families with young children create together and understand the museum artworks the third Tuesday of each month through May. Drop-in Art is open Saturdays from 1-4 p.m. www.okcmoa.com

Art The Exodus: From Tulsa May-June This exhibit

Judea

explores the many migrations of Jewish communities throughout history

OKC Gay Pride Festival & Parade and the effects of politics, economics and prejudice on settlements. www.jewishmuseum.net

Art Bike Tulsa 2013 May 1-31 The National Multiple Sclerosis Society presents the third annual art installation featuring colorful, uniquely designed bicycles to be displayed at the YMCA of Greater Tulsa’s Downtown location. Event coincides with Tulsa International Mayfest. www.nationalmssociety.org L’Chaim – To Life! May 1-June 2 Tulsa Artists’ Guild opens a new exhibit of work at the Sherwin Miller Museum of Jewish Art with imagery celebrating the Jewish expression, “To Life!” www. jewishmuseum.net 2013 Show

Contemporary

Realism

May 2-June 1 Tulsa’s M.A. Doran Gallery presents its annual show of work in the contemporary realism vein. www.madorangallery.com

5x5

May 3-25 The Tulsa Artists’ Coalition Gallery brings back its popular fundraiser event with small, original art for sale at $55. www.tacgallery.org

Christo and Jeanne Claude: The Tom Golden Collection Thru May 5 Bartlesville’s

Price Tower Arts Center highlights a collection of work donated by the late art patron Tom Golden by artist duo (and his friends) Christo and Jeanne Claude of their astonishing art installations and photographs from around the world. This traveling exhibition is organized by the Sonoma County Museum in California. www. pricetower.org

MAY 2013 | WWW.OKMAG.COM

Entertainment

Fire: A Global Movement to Empower Women and Girls is a World Literature Today photography exhibit showcasing the work of Phil Borges as he examines gender issues around the world through a lens. Exhibit is at the Fred Jones Jr. Museum of Art at the University of Oklahoma, Norman. www.ou.edu/fjjma

Utica Square Spring in the Square

Into the Void Thru July 28 The exhibit features work from printmaking artists such as Victor Vasarely, who take the viewer on a visual sensory experience at the Fred Jones Jr. Museum of Art on the University of Oklahoma campus in Norman. www.ou.edu/fjjma Pablo Picasso’s Woman in the Studio Thru Aug. 15 The Fred Jones Jr. Museum of

Art on the University of Oklahoma campus in Norman has the Picasso masterpiece from 1956 on loan from the St. Louis Art Museum. Also look for the work to be displayed along with Picasso pieces from the FJJMA permanent collection. www.ou.edu/fjjma

A Fresh Take: William S. and Ann Atherton Art of the American West Gallery Thru Dec. 31 Art work by Charles M.

Russell, Frederic Remington and Charles Schreyvogel among others are newly reinstalled in the National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum. www. nationalcowboymuseum.org

Americana

Collection Ongoing National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum’s Dickinson Research Center. www.nationalcowboymuseum.org

COMMUNITY Spring Festivals It’s spring, and you can almost smell the kolache in the air. Prague’s annual salute to Czech pastry isn’t the only place to find a celebration of art, food and outdoor festivities everyone in the family will enjoy. Bixby BBQ ‘n’ Blues Festival, May 3-4, brings the smoky goodness you’ve been craving since the Northern Hemisphere last rotated this close to the sun. There’s more grilled goodness to be had at Claremore’s Boots & BBQ Festival, May 10-11. Ethnic food is abundant. Check out Germanfest, May 3-5, with the German-American Society of Tulsa as well as the Prague Kolache Festival, May 4, plus Tabouleh Fest, May 11, with Bristow’s Lebanese community. Looking for all-American savory? El Reno’s Fried Onion Burger Day Festival is May 4. Let’s not leave out some of our favorites: The Stilwell Strawberry Festival is set for May 11 in the Adair County town. The Blue Dome Arts Festival paints T-Town May 17-19, while Utica Square blooms with color for Spring in the Square, May 18. Find more information about these events as well as the many others happening this month in the community section of our calendar. 52nd Annual Young Arkansas Artists Exhibition Thru May 5 This popular children’s

art exhibition showcases the work of Arkansas students from kindergarten through twelfth grade at the Arkansas Arts Center in Little Rock. www.arkarts.com

Herb Ritts: Beauty and Celebrity

May 9-July 28 Oklahoma City Museum of Art brings the iconic work of famed photographer Herb Ritts known for his innovation in fashion photography, celebrity portraiture and classical treatment of the nude to its halls. www.okcmoa.com

An Enduring Legacy: Photos of the Otoe-Missouria People Thru May 12 A

photographic record of the Oklahoma tribe headquartered at Red Rock is on exhibit at the National Cowboy & Western

17 Oklahoma Contemporary (formerly City Arts Center) presents an exhibition of photographic portraits by pop and rock star Bryan Adams of various celebrities and personalities. www.cityartscenter.org

The New Frontier May 19-Sept. 29 Gilcrease Museum brings back its show of Native American history and culture previously on display at the Palazzo Pitti museum in Florence, Italy. The show contains 200 works from George Caitlin, Woody Crumbo, Edward S. Curtis and others. www.gilcrease.utulsa.edu Bending, Weaving, Dancing: The Art of Woody Crumbo Thru May 19 More than 55 original works by the celebrated artist go on display for this special Gilcrease Museum exhibit of work, which is significant also for spreading knowledge of Native American culture and traditional perspectives. www. gilcrease.utulsa.edu

Site Unseen Thru May 19 The Hardesty Arts Center’s first artist in resident art exhibition features the photographs by Eyakem Gulilat taken of Tulsa’s Greenwood District and the artifacts of the Tulsa Race Riot of 1921. www.ahhatulsa.org Lineages

Thru May 24 The “art show of generations” features the work of artistic families in a variety of media and genres at Your Design in Broken Arrow. www.facebook.com/yourdesign.ba

Aphrodite and the Gods of Love Jewel at Hard Rock Tulsa Hotel & Casino Heritage Museum. www.nationalcowboymuseum.org

Tulsa Artcar Weekend May 16-19 The Artcars are coming, and they’re just as lively as ever for this annual Living Arts of Tulsa event that brings together creativity with mobility all around Tulsa. www. livingarts.org Frank Lloyd Wright’s Samara: A MidCentury Dream Home May 17-Sept. 8 The

1952 home designed by Wright for Catherine and Jon Christian in West Lafayette, Ind., is explored as art in an exhibit at the Price Tower Arts Center. www. pricetower.org

Bryan 100

Adams:

Exposed

Thru

May

OKLAHOMA MAGAZINE | MAY 2013

Thru May 26 Philbrook Museum of Art exhibits more than 120 sculptures, ceramics, artifacts and jewelry pieces from Boston’s Museum of Fine Arts, works from mythology, history and all-things from the story of the goddess of love. www.philbrook.org

American Chronicles: The Art of Norman Rockwell Thru May 28 More than

50 original paintings and 100 Saturday Evening Post covers by one of the world’s most recognizable artists go on exhibit at Crystal Bridges in Bentonville, Ark. www. crystalbridges.org

University of Tulsa School of Art Alumni Art Show Thru May 31 Work from

14 students graduating between 2002-12 in painting, ceramics, mixed media, sculpture, drawings and prints are on exhibit at the Zarrow Center for Art and

Scissortail

Gallery Ongoing Fritz White, Clark Kelley Price, Jim Gilmore, Linda Besse and Jim Smith are just a few of the artists with works on display. www.scissortailart.com

First Friday Gallery Walk

Ongoing The galleries of OKC’s Paseo Arts District welcome all each month. www.thepaseo.com

2nd Friday Circuit Art

Ongoing A monthly celebration of arts in Norman. www.2ndfridaynorman.com

Education. gilcrease.utulsa.edu

Art Exhibits in the Garden Thru May 31 The third installment of the Free Fine Art Series at the Myriad Botanical Gardens presents the work of Oklahoma artists Bert Seabourn and J. Don Cook, and exhibit is free. www.myriadgardens.org Don Reitz and Marko Kratohvil

Thru June 1 Artspace at Untitled gallery in Oklahoma City exhibits the ceramic works of Reitz and contemporary sculptures of Kratohvil as a study of form, function and perception. www.artspaceatuntitled.org

The National Weather Center Biennale Thru June 2 The first art exhibition of its

kind, this international, juried art show features works about the weather and how it shapes life. Look for it at the Fred Jones Jr. Museum of Art at the University of Oklahoma, Norman. www.ou.edu/fjjma

Advancing American Art and the Politics of Cultural Diplomacy Thru June 9 Originally assembled to combat Communism but later deemed un-American, this exhibit of modernist paintings still stands as testament of America’s artistic coming of age. A March 1 symposium opens the event at the Fred Jones Jr. Museum of Art on the University of Oklahoma campus in Norman. www.ou.edu/fjjma

Red Earth Master Artist Show Thru June 28 Work created by prominent American Indian artists for this art show leading up to the annual Red Earth Native American Festival go on exhibit in the Red Earth Museum. www.redearth.org Rendezvous Artists’ Retrospective Exhibition and Art Sale Thru July 14 Gilcrease Museum’s exhibition and sale of fine art is back this time with new pieces from featured artists Martin Grelle (painter) and Herb Mignery (sculptor) as well as many others for sale. www.gilcrease.utulsa.edu

Bookworks III Thru July 21 Philbrook Museum of Art continues its exploration of books as art with a mix of sculptural bookworks and collaborations between artists, craftsmen and authors to discover the range of book art. www.philbrook.org Stirring the Fire

Thru July 28 Stirring the

OKC Phil’s Cirque de la Symphonie at OKC Civic Center Music Hall

Weekends On Us

Ongoing Free admission to the National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum the first full weekend of every month. www. nationalcowboymuseum.org

Charitable Events Bowl for Kids’ Sake Thru May Teams raise money for Big Brothers Big Sisters of Oklahoma and enjoy fun at the lanes with pizza and prizes. www. bbbsok.org Oklahoma Tribute to Excellence May 2 The Arthritis Foundation honors community and business leaders at the Skirvin Hotel. www.arthritis.org/oklahoma Philbrook Garden Party

May 3-4 Philbrook Museum of Art hosts “Gatsby in the Garden,” celebrating the museum’s 75th anniversary, with entertainment and food by exclusive chefs on the museum grounds. www. philbrook.org

Run for the Roses May 4 The Kentucky Derby-themed party and auction event at Expo Square’s Pavilion benefits the Tulsa Boys’ Home and its work to give shelter, structure, supervision and treatment to its young clients. www.tulsaboyshome.org Walk MS Oklahoma City

May 4 The walk for the National Multiple Sclerosis Society and research into curing the disease will be at the Oklahoma City Zoo. Also look for expo event. www.nationalMSsociety.org

Equality Gala May 4 Join Oklahomans for Equality for cocktails, dinner and auctions as supporters party for equality and community at the Tulsa Convention Center Ballroom. www.okeq.org March for Babies May 4 The annual walk to support the March of Dimes and healthy babies takes place at the Myriad Botanical Gardens. www. marchforbabies.com

Great Strides Walk

May 4 The Cystic Fibrosis Foundation’s Sooner Chapter invites you to the annual family outing at the Route 66 Park at Lake Overholser to promote health and research into cystic fibrosis. www.cff.org/

New York Polyphony at Cascia Hall Performing Arts Center

Senior Star Round Up

May 5 Western swing rules the dance floor at Cain’s Ballroom once more at this special event benefiting LIFE Senior Services. www.seniorline.org

Old Bags Luncheon

May 6 Enjoy a unique champagne luncheon, fashion show and silent auction of more than 300 new and gently used designer handbags and accessories at Southern Hills Country Club to benefit Crosstown Learning Center. www. crosstowntulsa.org

Tulsa Boys’ Home Golf Classic

May 6-7 The annual golf tournament and fundraiser for the Tulsa Boys’ Home will be at Patriot Golf Club in Owasso. www.tulsaboyshome.org

Business

Excellence Dinner May 7 Look for the cocktail reception, silent auction and dinner benefiting Junior Achievement Tulsa at the Tulsa Convention Center, where QuikTrip CEO Chet Cadieux will be honored. www.tulsa.ja.org

Goodwill Luncheon

Annual

Awards

May 7 Goodwill Industries of Tulsa’s annual luncheon recognizing outstanding individuals in the community and organization will be at the Tulsa Southern Hills Marriott Hotel. www.goodwilltulsa.org

Harwelden Awards & Gala May 9 The Arts & Humanities Council of Tulsa honors individuals and organizations for contributions to local arts at Harwelden Mansion. www.ahct.org Gutter Dance 10 May 9 Participate or just show up at Sooner Bowling Center in Norman to watch this fun bowling benefit that raises money for the J.D. McCarty Center’s camp scholarship fund for children with developmental disabilities. www.jdmc.org Go Red for Women Luncheon (Tulsa) May 10 Enjoy a special luncheon with the

American Heart Association at the Tulsa Convention Center with great company and words on preventing heart disease and stroke in women at this annual event. www.heart.org

Ostrich Egg Breakfast

May 11 Breakfast is served with omelets made to order by Zoo Friends at this event supporting the Oklahoma City Zoo. www. zoofriends.org

Holland Hall Golf Tournament

May 13 Play through for the good of Holland Hall schools and its programs. www.hollandhall.org

SPORTS Tulsa Shock To say that the Tulsa Shock has a challenging season ahead of it is like saying it can get pretty windy in Oklahoma. Tulsa’s WNBA team finished last season with a 9-25 record, but just as people began to turn their heads away, the Shock made a charge in the last half of the season to break a dismal 15-game losing streak. With so many “ifs” in the air for the Shock – “If Australian center Liz Cambage returns to play,” “if the WNBA draft picks prove strong,” “if Head Coach Gary Kloppenburg can get the season off right” – it may be too much to expect of a team still reeling through a change of faces to dominate the field. It would not, however, be impossible to stand behind them and see where the team can go from here. With a preseason game against Atlanta set for 12:30 p.m. Thursday, May 9, at the BOK Center, 200 S. Denver Ave., it’s a good place to start. Go to www.wnba.com/shock for the team’s schedule and to purchase tickets. cocktails at Cedar Ridge Country Club supports the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation. www.cff.org/chapters/tulsa

Women Against MS Luncheon

May 15 The annual luncheon of the Oklahoma chapter of the National MS Society includes a guest speaker and discussion with lunch at the Jim Thorpe Event Center. www.nationalmssociety.org

Fondue Fandango

Allied Arts and Oklahoma’s cultural community at the Oklahoma City Golf & Country Club. www.alliedartsokc. com

The Center Polo Classic May 18 The Center for Individuals with Physical Challenges hosts an all-new event at Mohawk Park. Enjoy a champagne brunch, stomp the divots and watch the ponies and riders play a great match. www.tulsacenter.org

Green Country Arabian Classic

May 2-5 Expo Square once again hosts the show of Arabian horses demonstrating their skills in classes (working cow horse, reined cow horse, Western pleasure riding, hunter hack and more). www.gcaha.org

2013 Arthritis Walk

Red River Classic Morgan Horse Show May 2-5 Competitions in dressage and in

May 18 Join the Arthritis Foundation in a stand and walk to fund research into the disease at Frontier City. www.arthritis. org/oklahoma

Bixby BBQ ‘n’ Blues Festival

March for Babies

EGI Jewelry, Beads & Gem Show May 3-5 Vendors in jewelry, gemstones, beads and minerals set up at Oklahoma State Fair Park. www.okstatefair.com

Great Strides Walk

Germanfest

May 18 The Cystic Fibrosis Foundation’s Sooner Chapter invites you to the annual family outing at Tulsa’s Centennial Park to promote health and research into cystic fibrosis. www. cff.org

Dining in the Dark

May 18 The night at the National Cowboy Hall of Fame and Museum includes a silent auction, dining and other activities all performed blindfolded (optional). www.hcbokc.org

May 13 Take a swing for Prevent Blindness Oklahoma at Oak Tree National and help the long-standing nonprofit continue providing free vision screenings to children throughout the state. www.preventblindnessok.org

Rhinestone Cowboy May 23 Glitz up the boots and a pair of jeans for a night of entertainment and fun with the Volunteers of America at the Renaissance Tulsa Hotel & Convention Center. www. voaok.org

The CF Golf Classic in Memory of Tom Boyd May 13 The annual sporting event which

Home Run for the Homeless

May 29 Tulsa celebrities play ball at ONEOK Field for the Tulsa Day Center for the Homeless and its mission

the historic George M. Murrell Home near Tahlequah. www.okhistory.org

Prague Kolache Festival May 4 Czech heritage is celebrated with a two-hour parade, traditional dress, dancing, polka music, a carnival, pony rides and food (including kolache bread) on Prague’s Main Street. www.praguekolachefestival.com Tulsa’s Blue Dome Arts Festival

Morgan and Andalusian breeds will be at Oklahoma State Fair Park. www.okstatefair.com

May 18 The American Heart Association brings guests and supporters from the community together at the Skirvin Hilton to fight heart disease. www.goredforwomen.org

38th Annual Swing for Sight

includes breakfast, lunch, an awards party, dinner and

26th Annual May Festival of the Arts May 1-31 Eureka Springs’ month-long

celebration of the arts features parades, art walks and artist demonstrations. 479.253.9704

May 18 The annual walk to support the March of Dimes and healthy babies takes place at Oral Roberts University and the Mabee Center. www.marchforbabies.com

Chip in for the Arts Golf Tournament May 13 Players chip in and putt for

Community

May 16 Enjoy this evening helping to preserve Harn Homestead, a surviving piece of Oklahoma’s territorial days. www.harnhomestead.com

Go Red for Women Luncheon

Heritage Herb Day in Mountain View, Ark.

to shelter and support Tulsa’s homeless. www. tulsadaycenter.org

May 3-4 This family event gets smoking with more barbecue and great music at Bixby’s Washington Irving Memorial Park. www.bixbyrotarybbq.com

May 3-5 Enjoy authentic German bites and entertainment at this spring festival of German folk dancing, culture and more at the GermanAmerican Society of Tulsa building. www.gastulsa.org

Elote Cinco de Mayo May 4 Luchadors match masks and run their mouths, but also look for plenty of fun activities at Elote in downtown Tulsa. www.elotetulsa.com El Reno Fried Onion Burger Day Festival May 4 The name says it all for the 25th

annual event celebrating a city tradition going back to the 1900s plus the world’s largest fried onion hamburger in downtown El Reno. www.elrenoburgerday.wordpress. com

Downtown Edmond Arts Festival

Heritage Herb Day May 4 Ozark Folk Center State Park in Mountain View, Ark., hosts a plant sale, country tea, old-time music and more in conjunction with National Herb Day. www.ozarkfolkcenter.com

Lilac Festival

ONA Coin & Currency Show May 4-5 The Oklahoma Numismatic Association’s annual coin show will be at Oklahoma State Fair Park. www.okstatefair.com

May 3-5 Artists exhibit their work for sale at this annual event that includes festival food, children’s activities, live music and street entertainers. www.downtownedmondok.com May 4 Downtown Claremore lets you plant your own lilac bush in honor of Will Rogers among activities including a car show, art show, live entertainment, gardening event and children’s activities. www.claremore.org

1800s Lawn Social May 4 Re-enactors in Civil War-period dress teach visitors teach visitors the Virginia Reel and Quadrille on this day of activities that includes picnic lunch and festivities on the lawn of

Oklahoma City Toy & Doll Show

May 4-5 the 37th annual spring show features the Oklahoma Springtime Train & Hobby Show with other offerings at Oklahoma State Fair Park. www. okstatefair.com

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102

OKLAHOMA MAGAZINE | MAY 2013

SPECIAL PROMOTION

Black Gold Gala

Experience “Oil Baron Elegance” at the Tulsa Historical Society’s inaugural Oil Barons Ball.

ark your calendars for June 7 as the Tulsa Historical Society hosts a new fundraising event, the inaugural Oil Barons Ball. Meant to evoke the spirit of Tulsa’s “Golden Age,” the event offers an elegant and fun evening of dinner, dancing, drinks and plenty of surprises.

PHOTO BY NATALIE GREEN.

History of the Event For years, the main fundraiser for the Tulsa Historical Society has been its annual Tulsa Hall of Fame induction dinner. While that event remains a pillar of the Historical Society’s fundraising efforts, they thought it was time to create a new fundraiser that appealed to a broader audience. “With the Hall of Fame, we recognize people in the community that have done great things,” says G.T. Bynum, honorary co-chair of the ball as well as a city councilor for Tulsa’s District 9. “This event (The Oil Barons Ball), while aimed at celebrating our history and the history of Tulsa’s oil and gas industry, is also an opportunity to attract younger Tulsans.” The Oil Barons Ball will be held on the grounds of the Tulsa Historical Society’s Travis Mansion, a facility perfectly suited for theme. Travis Mansion was constructed in 1919

as one of two mansions built by brothers David and Samuel Travis, who had made their fortunes in the oil industry. The Tulsa Historical Society purchased the mansion in 1997. Along with being headquarters of the Tulsa Historical Society, it is also a museum that showcases the history of Tulsa. “We have this wonderful, rich history of oil barons that have laid the foundations of this wonderful community that we have and we want to celebrate it,” says Michelle Place, executive director of the Tulsa Historical Society.

A New Experience

Those who have helped plan the inaugural Oil Baron’s Ball are, standing, from left: Amanda Duenner, commitee member; Meredith Miers, development director at Tulsa Historical Society; Dan Woodul, event co-chair; Susan Peterson, committee member; Susan and G.T. Bynum, honorary chairs. Seated, from left: Michelle Place, executive director of Tulsa Historical Society, and Bruce Guthrie, director, Chet Baker Foundation.

out that this event will bear little resemblance to more “traditional” fundraising galas. “Everyone planning it wanted it a little more novel and innovative, says Susan Bynum, event co-chair. “We don’t want guests to be able to experience this anywhere else.” After dinner, guests will enjoy the music of Oklahoma City band Stars on the lawn of the mansion. Proceeds from the ball will go to underwrite the Historical Society’s educational programs. To Place, the story of Tulsa, the highs and lows of the city and its oil and gas industry, are great lessons to ensuring Tulsa’s future is bright. “It’s real people and real life stories of accomplishment and heart break and what it takes to pick yourself up and start all over again. The lessons of heritage that we’ve been given in this wonderful city is that it’s our responsibility to make this continue to be a great city for those that come after us.”

As guests arrive they will have the chance for photos with a variety of classic cars that will be on display for the event. Attendees will then enjoy a cocktail hour inside the museum complete with a live jazz band as well as some MORGAN BROWNE surprise visitors. After cocktails, dinner catered by Tulsa’s Palace Café will take place outdoors in an air-conditioned tent, this being Oklahoma in June after all. “There will be a seated dinner but it’s not the kind of dinner where we tie you Friday, June 7 • 7:30 p.m. to your chair for a couple of hours,” says For more information, visit www.tulsahistory.org Place. “It’s not that kind of event.” or call 918.712.9484 Indeed, the planners are quick to point

Vintage Tulsa: Oil Barons Ball MAY 2013 | WWW.OKMAG.COM

103

IN PERSON

Reviving Rock ‘n’ Roll

AS TOLD TO JAMI MATTOX 104

OKLAHOMA MAGAZINE | MAY 2013

PHOTO BY BRENT FUCHS.

started (broadcasting Juke Joint Revival) in January 2010. A friend of mine told me that she heard Ferris (O’Brien, founder of local radio station The Spy) was looking for someone to do a specialty rockabilly show. She thought that I would be pretty good at it since I owned a lot of rockabilly records. I went into The Spy to audition, and I got it. “Juke Joint Revival” is a roots music show. I play current artists as well as some jump blues and primitive rock ‘n’ roll. My record collection has grown quite a bit since the show started; people send me lots of records, and I’ve found some more rare records and recording artists just searching for songs to play on the show. To me, it’s just rock ‘n’ roll. I like to dig deep and get to the root of things. I like a lot of different music, but I like roots music with a beat you can dance to, and a lot of that was influenced by rock ‘n’ roll. I listened to a lot of that when my stepfather owned the So Fine club. I was exposed to old stuff. I wanted to dig deeper into that music to find out what it was all about. A couple of my all-time favorite artists are the Bellfuries and (the late) Nick Curran, which are both current. Some older artists I enjoy are Bunker Hill, Charlie Feathers and Bo Diddley. I really like the music a lot, and I like the idea of radio. I like the idea that people are driving and flipping through the channels hearing the same old stuff, and then someone hears something and stops and says, “Hey, what is this?” I want to share (my love of music) with other people. I plan on sticking with The Spy, and I love the station. They’ve always been so good to me. If I were to ever do another show, it would be on The Spy; but I put all my effort into Juke Joint, and it seems to be working out okay for me.

Jenni Vienta is better known as Juke Joint Jenni, host of “Juke Joint Revival” on The Spy. Her show airs on Friday nights from 7 to 9 p.m. on KOSU.

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