6 recipes from tried-and-true Tulsa cookbooks including Baked Fudge from ‘Cleora’s Kitchens’
MATTER AT MABREY
YOU MATTER AT MABREY
Laughter, joy and warmth create sacred memories during the holidays. At Mabrey Bank, we hope you cherish these moments and enjoy peace & love this season. Because if it matters to you, it matters to us.
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2 new seasonal events. Tulsa’s unofficial historian. The man behind Rhema’s lights. Exploring the art of gathering.
A Tulsa classic returns. Chef Teri Fermo gets busy. 3 places for holiday coffees. Sapulpa brewery opens.
Sparkling Christmas trees. Holiday helpers. The most stressful time of the year. Connie Cronley’s 2024 reflections.
EDITOR’S LETTER
Over the years I’ve become someone who doesn’t necessarily make resolutions. Rather I opt for goals or challenges I would like to face and achieve. I tend to jot them down on a piece of paper that gets buried in the junk drawer once our home’s rst guests of the new year make a visit.
Some of them are personal. Others are communal house projects. Many of them get shelved for another year due to timing; others for when there are a few more dollars in the bank.
As this year draws to an end I am able to say I accomplished two signi cant things. First, I was able to shave about seven minutes o my personal record at this year’s Tulsa Run. Perhaps it was the new raceday course — at along River Parks — or the treat I was going to reward myself with after I crossed the nish line — a chocolate milkshake from Braum’s. Either way, it was my fth time to walk the 15K and I’m proud I’ve started and maintained this new tradition.
e second thing I challenged myself to do was enter the baked goods competition at the Tulsa State Fair. Over the years I’ve enjoyed baking more and more. I nd it therapeutic to take a recipe, bring the ingredients together, follow the instructions and create a yummy treat for someone else to enjoy. Some of my favorite TV programs are the various baking championships on Food Network and, of course, “ e Great British Baking Show.”
My entry this year was my carrot cake recipe, which I baked over and over again in August and September to tweak some ingredients. It was really fun to visit the fair this year and see my entry in the display case with a red ribbon next to it.
One of the people with the most enthusiasm for me during this challenge was our food writer, Natalie Mikles. I feel pretty lucky to have someone like Natalie and her immense knowledge of food just a text or phone call away. When Features Editor Tim Landes and I talked to Natalie in June about this month’s cover feature concept — highlighting “vintage” Tulsa recipes — she immediately said yes and sent us ideas from
her treasure trove of dog-eared cookbooks. If you’ve been in Tulsa for any span of time or love community cookbooks, you’re sure to have one or two of these on your shelf. Natalie scoured her records and talked to local cooks who continue to use these favorite recipes. Maybe these will even help you plan your holiday meal. Find the collection of recipes starting on p. 35.
In the back of this month’s issue you’ll nd a special section close to all our hearts. My colleague Tim has put together a special tribute to Cain’s Ballroom, Tulsa’s honky tonk that is winding down its centennial year this month. Many Tulsans and artists have a special memory connected to this hallowed hall. A special thanks to music writer extraordinaire Julie Wenger Watson for her connections to help TulsaPeople get quotes from industry giants. Tim’s determination and dedication to see this project through is outstanding, and in true Tim fashion he didn’t stop there. I hope you all can make your way to OKPOP Museum from Dec. 10-15 for a special exhibit, “Capturing Cain’s History.” Tim curated a photo retrospective of photographers Richard Galbraith and Phil Clarkin that spans decades of signi cant performances. You won’t want to miss it.
‘Tis the hustle and bustle season. As the year draws to a close I hope you have the chance to take a breath and re ect. ink about all that you’ve accomplished in 2024 … and all you can achieve next year. tp
Anne Brockman EDITOR
F: 918-585-9926
PUBLISHER
City Desk
hen Amanda and Josh Stout put out a call last winter for old artificial Christmas trees to use in a future holiday display outside their art gallery in the historic Red Fork District, they never expected the feedback they would receive. After hundreds of trees of varying sizes arrived, “that’s when we started to think bigger and for a more permanent location,” Josh says. It was then the couple decided to start Route 66 Christmas Tree Farm — a year-round roadside attraction meant to be a gathering space and photo op for every age. — ANNE BROCKMAN
PHOENIX DISTRICT
“Blazing Wings of Dreams” by local artist Trueson Daugherty was installed in October in north Tulsa’s Phoenix District at 36th Street North and the Osage Prairie Trail.
‘Magic and joy’
After nearly two years of planning between Tulsa Ballet Managing Director Scott Black and TulsaGo’s Senior Managing Partner Erik-Michael Collins, the inaugural Nutcracker Festival is set for Dec. 6-7 at Expo Square’s SageNet Center, 4145 E. 21st St.
“The Nutcracker Festival exemplifies TulsaGo’s dedication to fostering local creativity, attracting visitors from near and far, and enriching Tulsa’s cultural landscape. We are proud to collaborate with Tulsa Ballet on this groundbreaking holiday attraction — the first of its kind in the U.S.,” Collins says. TulsaGo is a city guide and consumer resource that supports Tulsa’s entrepreneurial system.
Black says each year the ballet’s “Nutcracker” performances attract
14,000-15,000 attendees and he hopes this festival brings an opportunity for the whole community to interact with Tulsa Ballet. With support from the Hardesty Family Foundation, Black says the festival is a fully interactive holiday event with live music performances, a bustling holiday market, live reindeer, an indoor train, an iceless skating rink and many more surprises.
“Our aim was to fill the festival with as many unique elements as possible, ensuring every attendee finds something that sparks the magic and joy of the season,” Collins adds.
For more information and to purchase tickets, visit nutcrackerfest.com.
— CAROLINA F. BOCOCK
Critter keepsakes
River the African penguin is the star of Tulsa Zoo’s second annual limited-edition holiday ornament, which features custom artwork by a different animal each year. The ceramic keepsakes are made through a unique animal enrichment program involving paint to garner footprints.
According to Megan Meussner, Tulsa Zoo’s vice president of philanthropy, these ornaments are completely voluntary for the animals. “Depending on the species,” she says, “they will actually walk through the paint, then onto a canvas, (which) our graphic designer will take and turn it into a custom printed ornament.” Last year, the zoo debuted and quickly sold out of the 150 ornaments featuring one of their meercats.
While these ornaments serve as great Christmas gifts for family, loved ones or clients, they also support Tulsa Zoo as a fundraiser endeavor to improve the zoo.
Ornaments can be purchased online at tulsazoo.org/holiday or at the zoo’s gift shop — LISETTE BUCKMAN
December
1
DEC. 3 BOOK LAUNCH
Magic City Books welcomes Tulsa Remoter Tom Pyun as he celebrates the publication of his debut novel “Something Close to Nothing.” Pyun will take part in a Q&A moderated by Karl Jones MAGICCITYBOOKS.COM
2
DEC. 7
DARNABY ARTS AND CRAFTS SHOW
Back for its 42nd year, the Darnaby Arts and Crafts Show is the perfect place to find last-minute holiday gifts as 170 unique vendors showcase their wares. FACEBOOK.COM/ DARNABYARTSANDCRAFTS
3
DEC. 10
GRADY NICHOLS’ CHRISTMAS CONCERT
The Grady Nichols Christmas Show returns for its eighth season at the Mabee Center, featuring special guests like Andy Chrisman, Kelly Ford, and a 12-person ensemble of Tulsa’s finest musicians that includes News on 6 anchor LeAnne Taylor as she makes her theatrical debut.
MABEECENTER.COM
4
DEC. 10-15
CAPTURING CAIN’S HISTORY
In celebration of Cain’s Ballroom’s centennial and TulsaPeople’s special coverage of the milestone, we are hosting a photo retrospective at OKPOP Museum that showcases some of the biggest moments in the venue’s history shot by Richard Galbraith and Phil Clarkin TULSAPEOPLE.COM
5
DEC. 12-14
PAULY SHORE
Known for his roles in “Encino Man,” “Son-in-Law” and “Bio-Dome,” Shore will host a couple of comedy nights at Bricktown Comedy Club here in Tulsa. BRICKTOWNTULSA.COM
6
DEC. 13
A WICKED CHRISTMAS
Looking for a unique and somewhat macabre way to celebrate the holidays? A Wicked Christmas is a one-day festival celebrating the darker traditions of the holiday season, like Krampus. TINYURL.COM/YY4FXFMM
7
DEC. 14
“THE YANKEE CLIPPER”
See Oklahoma’s own William Boyd in the 1927 seafaring drama “The Yankee Clipper,” featuring a live score played by Bill Rowland on Circle Cinema’s restored 1928 theater pipe organ. CIRCLECINEMA.ORG
9
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DEC. 14
TULSA FOUNDATION FOR ARCHITECTURE TOUR OF KENDALL WHITTIER
TFA invites you to come along on a tour of the Kendall Whittier neighborhood on Route 66. With an emphasis on Tulsa’s boom days and funny local anecdotes of the past, this tour has something for everyone.
TULSAARCHITECTURE.ORG
DEC. 27
CLIFFDIVER
Hometown heroes Cliffdiver will be playing another holiday show at Cain’s Ballroom this year! The evening also features music from The Tokyo Smash, Sunfo and the Sincere Engineer. CAINSBALLROOM.COM
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DEC. 31
DISCOVERY LAB’S NOON YEAR’S EVE PARTY
Celebrate the arrival of 2025 a little early at Discovery Lab’s Noon Year’s Eve Party. This funfilled event will include music, hands-on science activities and a balloon drop of over 22,0000 balloons at the stroke of noon! DISCOVERYLAB.ORG
Kendall Whittier District
Steven Jenkins
Bob Dylan Center executive director
STORY AND PHOTO BY TIM LANDES
On a recent Saturday, Bob Dylan Center Executive Director Steven Jenkins was waiting in the lobby for a group from Texas when the front door opened and a large group started owing in. Jenkins soon learned they weren’t his Lone Star visitors, but a group of Bob Dylan fans from Indonesia.
“Nearly 40% of our visitors are from out of the country,” Jenkins says. “It’s the multi-generational family from Lithuania, or ve close friends from China who planned the trip for two years and were nally able to
make it happen. We hear that stu a lot, and it’s very gratifying.”
We spent a recent afternoon inside Bob Dylan Center, 116 E. Reconciliation Way, discussing how things are going more than two years after opening, his thoughts on the new Dylan biopic “A Complete Unknown” and what’s to come at the museum.
PEOPLE OFTEN SAY “TULSA WASN’T EVEN ON OUR RADAR” ... ey’re coming here to see the Dylan Center and the Woody Guthrie Center. en they’re getting out, and they’re
exploring what else is going on around town. Maybe that’s a concert right across the street at Guthrie Green or at Cain’s Ballroom. ey’re going to Church Studio. ey’re going to Philbrook Museum, Greenwood Rising, all of it. If we’re the gateway into wider exploration of Tulsa, that’s real success, too.
THE ARCHIVES ARE EXTENSIVE, AND MUSEUM STAFF ARE GEARING UP FOR A REFRESH IN 2026
For example, downstairs in the Columbia Records gallery, we go deep into a half dozen songs — the writing, the recording, the producing, the performance, the second and third lives that these songs have taken on over time. ere’s “Joker Man,” “ e Man in Me,” “Not Dark Yet,” “Like a Rolling Stone,” “Chimes of Freedom” and “Tangled Up in Blue.” We love not only (showcasing) those amazing songs, but (also) the stories behind them that we are able to tell by unearthing these materials from the archive. ere are other songs and the stories behind them that we’re eager to showcase.
HE HAS YET TO SEE JAMES MANGOLD’S “A COMPLETE UNKNOWN” STARRING TIMOTHÉE CHALAMET AS A YOUNG DYLAN. THE MOVIE OPENS IN THEATERS ON CHRISTMAS ... I’ve not spoken with anyone who’s seen the full lm who’s been able to share anything, so I’m just going o of the footage everyone else is. Timothée Chalamet is an extremely gifted actor and a very interesting screen presence. It’s a tough role to take on. You’re stepping into the shoes of someone who is universally recognized and pored over and imagined, and so that’s a tall task to put your own stamp on the role of someone who’s still very much with us and still telling his own story.
We had a visit from the prop master for the lm while that was all still in the works. She was looking at everything we have on display, from the types of pens he was using to the paper he was writing on. I was heartened to see that level of attention to detail.
A YEAR AGO, BDC PUBLISHED “MIXING UP THE MEDICINE,” WHICH IS A VERY COMPREHENSIVE LOOK AT DYLAN’S CAREER THROUGH ITS ARCHIVAL COLLECTION ... ere’s a shot the paparazzi got of Chalamet carrying a copy of that book around, which we really got a kick out of. Mark Davidson, who was the co-author and editor of that book along with our colleague Parker Fishel, they put an incredible amount of work and time and passion into that project. It went out far and wide. It’s been translated to many di erent languages and to see Chalamet carrying it around doing his homework, that was nice. tp
‘Tis
the Season for Travel.
(To Grandmother’s House We Go!)
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Closing gaps
Findings from the inaugural year of City’s Asian A airs Commission.
BY CONNIE CRONLEY
Mark your calendar, Tulsa. e Year of the Snake is coming and it’s going to be big. Also colorful, festive, delicious and entertaining. e Lunar New Year will be celebrated for the rst time as part of a new city commission’s initiative to celebrate Tulsa’s diversity.
Not all that long ago, the thought of local Asian American presence perhaps summoned only the image of a couple of Chinese and ai restaurants. Now, with a progressive leap, the city is home to representatives of more than 26 Asian countries, comprising 14,000 people.
is fast-growing ethnic community grew 56% from 2010-2020, says Krystal Reyes, chief resilience o cer who oversees the Mayor’s O ce of Resilience and Equity,
and now constitutes about 4% of Tulsa’s population. It spawned a new Asian A airs Commission proposed by Mayor G.T. Bynum in August 2023 and which held its rst meeting in January. e commission set goals to promote cultural awareness, gather data and strengthen employment opportunities.
“We’re focusing on the needs, gaps and opportunities within the Asian community,” says Commission Chair Sarah Gilpin, Williams communication specialist.
In operation less than a year, its research revealed:
• A high rate of absenteeism in Asian student populations in Tulsa Public Schools. “We’re working to determine why,” Gilpin says. “Is it transportation issues? Family obligations?”
• e sizeable Afghan refugee population has been underrepresented within the Asian community. Consequently, many of the commissioners connected with hundreds of Muslim families at the Eid al-Fitr festival celebrating the end of Ramadan fasting. “ e Union Multipurpose Activity Center was lled to capacity,” Gilpin says.
• e large Hmong population — a culture without a formal country — is not fully accounted for in Tulsa’s Asian numbers because many live in regions outside of Tulsa County where farmland is plentiful. ousands of people come from Oklahoma and surrounding states for the Hmongs new year festival in October.
Where do Tulsa’s immigrants come from? And why are they coming to Tulsa?
“It’s part of a national trend,” Reyes says. “(It’s) endorsed by the U.S. State Department’s refugee and resettlement program, and Tulsa is a (certi ed) Welcoming City.” is designation is given to cities helping immigrants and refugees thrive. Burmese and Vietnamese refugees began arriving several decades ago; newcomers include those from the Marshall Islands and Afghanistan. Several Tulsa nonpro ts and faith organizations are instrumental in successfully integrating refugees, immigrants and asylum seekers, notably Catholic Charities of Eastern Oklahoma, Congregation B’Nai Emunah, First Baptist Church’s Rising Village and Tulsa’s YWCA Immigrant and Refugee Program.
e Elevate East business incubator project is a public/private partnership of the George Kaiser Family Foundation, City of Tulsa and Tulsa County for the businesses and entrepreneurs of the Global District near 21st Street and Garnett Road. “It will revitalize east Tulsa,” Gilpin says.
e Asian A airs Commission is one of the newest of seven (the Beyond Apology Commission held its rst meeting in October) equal opportunity commissions appointed by the mayor to represent and advocate for women, Latinos, African Americans, Native Americans and human rights in Tulsa. e commission meets the rst Tuesday of each month (except July and December) at noon at City Hall. Commission members are Meg Chang, Sarah Gilpin, Ha Huynh, Masood Kasim, Athan Lau, Hieu Le, Bee Paredes, Parisa Pilehvar, Anna ao, Vivian Wang, Yi Zhang, Tina Tran and Cecilia Nguyen. tp
On Nov. 5 the City of Tulsa’s Asian Affairs Commission held its first Luminary Awards, which recognizes and celebrates outstanding achievements by Asian-identified individuals and businesses that have made significant contributions to education and workforce development for Tulsa’s Asian American communities. Pictured are, from left, Mayor G.T. Bynum, Commission Chair Sarah Gilpin, Nam Le of Nam Hai Market, Dayal Meshri, John Thao and Masood Kasim.
Safe and sound
BY KELLY BOSTIAN
Maryavis Howell still feels a lump in her throat as she describes a photograph of a stranger on an African safari with a cape bu alo — because the man is holding her late father’s ri e.
“Something he cherished is being cherished by someone else, and I just wouldn’t have had that experience or ability to honor my father in that way,” she says.
Howell was among the rst of many to bene t from J. Gray’s Estate Firearm Services, a Tulsa business just a year old and already with clients nationwide, grown from an idea that two lifelong outdoor enthusiasts, John Gray and Mike Fletcher, hatched over an evening of cigars and tequila.
ey have licensing and expertise traditional estate sales can’t o er, and handle rearms that gun stores don’t want to add to their inventories.
Fletcher retired in 2015 as an IT professional, but the outdoorsman and knife collector was drawn to a few more years of
happy post-retirement work at e Gadget Co. Gray is a University of Tulsa graduate with eight years in commercial real estate, but he double-majored, so to speak, behind the counter at Sports World Hunting Headquarters for nearly 10 years, starting in high school.
e two now specialize in caring for grieving clients who don’t know how to navigate these specialized appraisals and sales.
Howell says she was at a loss after she hauled her father’s collection of more than 100 guns, knives and accessories from Wyoming. But her story ended happily. Gray can tell tales of many who, without help, sold valuable rearms for pennies at a pawn shop, gun show or to a random acquaintance.
“It’s a small niche in this market, but at the same time, there’s a big need for it. e amount of business we’ve had has been phenomenal. We’ve done some marketing, but it’s been mostly word-of-mouth,” Gray says.
“If you’re not a gun or knife enthusiast, it’s overwhelming,” Fletcher says. “But this is something that someone in their family loved. It’s not just a transaction, and we’re not just someone trying to make a buck.”
Gray says they prioritize accurate inventory, appraisal with professional photographs and safe storage. ey primarily sell items through the gunbroker.com auction website.
“We’re not a traditional storefront retailer, so we’re marketing to a much broader potential audience,” Gray says. “Sometimes items get into bidding wars, and we’ve had things sell for a lot more than the appraisal price.” Learn more at jgraysefs.com. tp
» A new $24 million Family Safety Center is under construction at 2829 S. Sheridan Road that will encompass 65,000 square feet for survivors (and their children) of intimate partner violence, domestic violence, sexual assault, stalking, elder abuse and human trafficking. Construction is expected to be complete in September 2025. Campaign donations can still be made at fcstulsa.org/ hope-blossoms.
» In October Tulsa’s Steinway Piano Gallery, 3402 S. Peoria Ave., was awarded a Dealer Excellence Award and the Spirio Sales Award from Steinway and Sons for its performance in sales, customer service, technical service and more. Learn more at steinwaypianos.com.
» Gilcrease Museum recently won two Oklahoma Museums Association awards. Gilcrease In Your Neighborhood was commended for its outreach and education efforts, and its project From Trauma to Resilience: Learning from the Eddie Faye Gates Collection was recognized for undertaking the foundational work of sharing video interviews and photographs online from the newly donated Eddie Faye Gates Tulsa Race Massacre Collection. Learn more at gilcrease.org.
» In November the City of Tulsa marked the 100th anniversary of the Spavinaw Water Project. At Rudd Park, located in Spavinaw, new bronze placards outline the history of the project’s impact of providing clean, reliable water to the city. Other festivities included a 5K, fun run, live music and more at Mohawk Park. tp
John Gray recently started J. Gray Estate Firearm Services to help others who might be downsizing or have inherited collections safely navigate firearm and knife sales.
Be our guest
New store in Tulsa’s Market District is focused on the art of entertaining.
BY JORDAN COX
It all began at a gathering in the home of former Mayor Kathy Taylor earlier this year, where guests Todd Wade and Joe Mathis conversed about their plans for 2024. By the end of the night the idea for a retail store that invites Tulsans to build friendships and community through the lost art of hosting, celebrating and gathering with friends had been born.
“My personal passion is always about building community, and Todd and Joe do that in their profession,” Taylor says of the business partners, who serve as CEO and chief creative o cer, respectively, of Rumbledrum, an event, design and identity rm. So it seemed only tting to create a store with a people-focused mission together.
In September, the trio opened Anybody’s Guest, a shop meant to inspire patrons to venture outside of their comfort zone and invite people into their homes.
Anybody’s Guest o ers products from over 120 small business vendors at varied price points that evoke a sense of hospitality, entertainment and belonging. From decor that creates a warm and inviting space, to glassware for serving refreshments with air, to dog treats that are so enticing they may have even been sampled by the store’s human owners, the store boasts “attainable luxury,” Mathis says. “We’ve worked intentionally to have things at every price point. We want everyone in our community to feel seen and known.”
Besides a passion for cultivating personal connections, Taylor, Mathis and Wade each hold their own special tie to Route 66, along which Anybody’s Guest is situated in the Market District.
Anybody’s Guest plans to o er classes on topics such as how to host a game night and mixology.
Visit anybodysguest.com to learn more. tp
COVERS REVISITED
In November 2008, mother and son Billie and Tracy Letts appeared on the cover of TulsaPeople Magazine to discuss their humble beginnings, prolific careers and dedication to family. Tracy, at the time, had recently won a Pulitzer Prize for his play “August: Osage County,” which was later adapted into a film of the same name, starring big names like Meryl Streep, Julia Roberts, Ewan McGregor and Benedict Cumberbatch. More recently, Tracy returned to the big screen after an extended stint in the theater — both as a playwright and performer. Perhaps you’ve seen him in “Little Women,” “Ford v. Ferrari” or “Lady Bird.” On the silver screen, you might have seen him on HBO’s “Divorce.” He’s even voice-cameoed on “The Simpsons.” Billie, perhaps most well-known for her novel “Where the Heart Is,” died in 2014 after a diagnosis of acute myeloid leukemia. In 2008, she’d published her final novel “Made in the U.S.A.,” also set in small-town Oklahoma — a commonality between all her novels. One year before she died, Billie received the Arrell Gibson Lifetime Achievement Award from the Oklahoma Center for the Book. This award is presented to an individual who has made significant contributions to Oklahoma’s literary heritage. — MADISON WALTERS
Joe Mathis, Kathy Taylor and Todd Wade inside their new venture, Anybody’s Guest, located at 2219 E. 11th St.
Style and substance
Local salon’s holiday spirit extends
to helping those in need.
BY SARA PLUMMER
For many people, going to see their hair stylist is like meeting up with a friend or even a therapist, talking about their life and its ups and downs.
And for the stylists, there are times they want to do more.
“We can make people feel beautiful in the time we have them in our chair, but it’s hard sometimes when they leave and you wish you could do more,” says Francie Cawiezell, owner of Hello.Salon, 1724 E. 15th St.
Two years ago, she and one of the salon’s stylists, Cameron Frizzell, decided to do just that and started Hello.Santa, an initiative to help out a Tulsa family.
“We were talking about how expensive the holidays have become. Just buying gifts is something you have to prepare for all year. And we wondered how people who are struggling do it, so we thought we could start a fundraiser,” Frizzell says. “Within three months, reaching out to just our salon patrons alone, we raised $1,000 and we were able to help the family of a re ghter who was battling cancer.”
Last year Hello.Santa helped a family whose baby was born prematurely at 31 weeks with congenital heart disease. anks to donations from patrons and other busi-
nesses in and around Cherry Street, the initiative raised $3,000 for the family. Frizzell says once a family is chosen, a conversation is had with them to determine what exactly their needs are.
e goal for 2024 is to once again exceed last year’s total and help more people in need.
“I hear parents talk about having to make the decision of buying groceries or putting money back so their kids can have what they want for Christmas,” Frizzell says. “ ere’s so many people and businesses we work with day in and day out that have the means to donate and they love donating, so we just decided to o er them a chance to directly help a family in their own community.”
Hello.Santa has become a big project for a salon with eight sta , including Cawiezell.
“We’re tiny, but we’re mighty. We’ve got a lot of passionate people. at’s the thing I love about Hello.Salon, it’s the passion we have for what we do and the culture we have created — we don’t leave anybody behind,” she says.
Visit hellosalonok.com and click on the Hello.Santa link for more information. People can nominate themselves or another family, as well as see updates about previous recipients. Donations are also accepted for Hello.Santa through the website. tp
Twinkle time
Route 66 Christmas Tree Farm, 4077 Southwest Blvd., is the latest attraction to open along Tulsa’s stretch of historic Route 66. Its mission: to add another piece to the area’s revitalization.
“This long-abandoned space brings our goals to the forefront as we continue to redefine this historic Red Fork District,” says Josh Stout who owns the property with wife Amanda. “Data shows Route 66 enthusiasts want fun and quirky attractions to stop at along their journey. We hope to provide another opportunity for travelers and locals to stop, walk and shop here in our historic district.”
The open-air structure contains over 100 artificial trees — with more installations planned to use the 400 other trees — and features murals by Josh and a vintage car inspired by the Mother Road.
On Nov. 30, the Route 66 Alliance’s Twinkle Tour kick-off event will be held at the Christmas Tree Farm from 4-6 p.m. There will be live music, a snow machine, hot cocoa bar and swag bags for the first 100 visitors. During the holiday season the Farm will remain open daily from 10 a.m.-sunset with special festivities held during the district’s monthly arts crawl on Dec. 13.
“I’m super excited to see where it’s going to go,” Amanda says of the site that will be open year-round.
The Stouts are currently selling personalized commemorative bricks to help support the Tree Farm’s establishment. Visit route66christmastreefarm.com for more. — ANNE BROCKMAN
Josh and Amanda Stout
Hello.Salon’s Cameron Frizzell and Francie Cawiezell started an initiative to help others each holiday season.
Switching tracks
Pro motocross athlete turned singer-songwriter creates songs based on his stories.
BY JULIE WENGER WATSON
After close to two decades of motocross, Jackson Ray swapped his dirt bike for a guitar. e 19-yearold country singer-songwriter raced bikes most of his life, competing for years as a professional, but he took up music only three years ago. At rst songwriting was something he did to pass time on the road, writing tunes as he traveled to and from races. at changed after his rst gig in Gallup, New Mexico.
“I was hooked. I’ve loved it ever since,” Ray says. “I kept playing little dive bars here and there in every town where we raced.”
Eventually his love of music surpassed his love of racing, and Ray got o his bike to focus on his music career.
“I have completely retired. I don’t have any races, or anything,” he says.
FROM SOAP TO HOPE
Those who shop at Magnolia Soap and Bath Co. are not only supporting a locally-owned business, but they can also help a different nonprofit each month.
“Hope in Soap” focuses on giving back to the community. “I feel strongly about serving our community, volunteering and raising awareness for the incredible work done by local nonprofits,” says Scottie Rae Lawrence, owner of Magnolia Soap.
Each month, Magnolia Soap partners with a different charity, donating a portion to causes that are meaningful to both the business and the community. The charities also participate in the soap-making process, selecting colors and scents that reflect their vision. Nonprofits like The Stonebrook Project, Dump Dog Rescue, A New Leaf and many others have benefitted, with over $18,620 raised through these partnerships.
Magnolia Soap also works with additional nonprofits such as the Tulsa Zoo, Tulsa Christmas Parade, local schools and organizations to help them fundraise through “Hope in Soap” and special give-back events.
Looking ahead to 2025, customers are encouraged to nominate their favorite local charities, with the final selections being announced this January.
All three Magnolia Soap locations — Cherry Street, Woodland Hills Mall and Broken Arrow’s Rose District — participate in the program. Shop online at mymagnoliasoap.com. — CAROLINA F. BOCOCK
According to Ray, he writes as many as three songs a day, recording some of them at Bixby’s e Echo Studio.
“Most are my own true stories. I think every single song I have out right now is a true story that happened to me or is relatable to me,” he says. “I write a lot of stu from heartbreaks that have happened to me, or good things that have happened for me, but it also comes from other people, as well. Sometimes it comes from my buddy telling me about something crazy that happened in his life, and I’m like, ‘Man, do you mind if I write a song about that?’”
Ray released an acoustic EP in July. It included “Back by Fall,” a song he co-wrote with Garrett Gensler, his best friend and former motocross mechanic.
“ e story is from his perspective. He’s been in the Army for about a year, and he was supposed to come home in the fall to visit,” Ray says. “We wrote that song right before he left for basic training.”
He’s currently working on his next release, which will feature “Danger,” a song he co-wrote with his father, Jack Brass eld, also a musician and former pro motocross racer who now serves as his manager.
Although Ray puts in long hours during the week as a dirt contractor with his business, Joe Dirt, he’s out playing around Oklahoma and Texas most weekends, honing his craft.
“I don’t think I’ll ever not be able to get my hands dirty and go to work every day,” he says. “I’m just not that kind of guy. I love going to work. But I de nitely want to do this full time. at’s the goal.”
Find Jackson Ray on Instagram @jacksonray.music. tp
Scottie Rae Lawrence is the owner of Magnolia Soap and Bath Co., a locally handcrafted, plantbased beauty brand.
Jackson Ray often performs at his family’s downtown restaurant, Jack’s Coney Island.
MUSIC NOTES
On air
From ad placement to on-air talent, Ali Shaw knows her audience.
BY BLAYKLEE FREED
Though she’s always loved music and had a deep appreciation for hiphop, Ali Shaw — real name Alicia Farrow — never thought she’d launch a career in radio when she was growing up in Lexington, Oklahoma, where she worked in a pharmacy for her rst job.
“I’m from a really small town, so at the pharmacy, everyone knows you,” Shaw says. But instead of the pharmacist everyone
knows, Shaw became a familiar voice for Tulsans as an on-air personality, production director and music director of 105.3-FM KJAMZ, occasional live DJ and consistent ampli er of Oklahoma musicians.
After earning an associate degree in liberal studies and a Spanish translation certificate from Tulsa Community College, Shaw started work at Perry Broadcasting in 2006. Shaw landed the job as a tra c assistant at KJAMZ, and for years she ensured the commercial blocks were put together properly and aired at the right times — detailoriented work that she likens to data entry.
“I’m a music lover rst and foremost, so I was really happy that I was even in an environment where music was involved, but I never saw myself being on the other side of the tra c department,” Shaw, 49, says. “ en I started asking all those questions.”
With no formal training in the media or radio world, Shaw queued up her own path
to the mic by following her passion and shadowing mentors like her “radio brother” Aaron Bernard and “DJ godfather” Shannon1Sound
First, Shaw asked about commercial production: voiceover work, producing commercials, dubbing audio, that sort of thing. Not long after, she launched a show on the AM station as Lisa Lee, but after a stint with that moniker, Shaw’s mom and uncle helped her come up with a name that t her perfectly.
“My Uncle Tony is a huge Okie, and he’s country,” Shaw says. “When I was little, he would go, ‘Hey, Ali-Shaw.’ You know, Alicia but spaced it out.” One day my mom was like, ‘I got it,’” as she wrote the name on a piece of paper.
A sudden loss at the station thrust Shaw into the FM spotlight. “Our production director, DJ Romao, he passed away suddenly in December of 2009,” Shaw recalls. She lled in as interim production manager before earning the full-time position and eventually starting her own show.
e Weekend Rewind with Ali Shaw launched in March 2011. “I had two hours at rst, and then it grew to four,” Shaw says. “I’ve been doing my show on Saturdays since then.”
One highlight of late was hosting HipHop 918 in September at Guthrie Green. “I helped to curate it, put the artists together and decide what the lineup would be,” Shaw says. e lineup included an all-women emcee showcase dubbed the “Female Spittas.”
When she’s not sourcing talent or on the air, Shaw can be found teaching podcasting to elementary students at Solid Foundation Preparatory Arts Academy and spending time with her 3-year-old granddaughter. Her second grandchild is on the way.
She also has a few projects of her own on deck. She isn’t sure what media forms they will take yet, but Shaw is more committed to her own creative practice as time moves forward. “I was deep in prayer one day, and I was just kind of given this (message), ‘Your voice is your gift. You already know that, and you’ve been placed on this earth to amplify the voices of those who want and need to be heard,’” she says. “But what I understood from that was it’s not just about other people. It’s my voice, too.” tp
Ali Shaw got her start in the radio business behind the scenes, eventually launching her own show “The Weekend Rewind” on 105.3-FM KJAMZ. She recently helped curate an all-female emcee showcase during Hip-Hop 918.
Right place, right time
Family and Children’s Services’ CEO reflects upon his first year at the helm of the massive behavioral health care system.
STORIES BY MARNIE FERNANDEZ
Looking out the window of his 15th oor o ce in Legacy Towers, Adam Andreassen is feeling grateful. He just completed his rst year as the CEO of Family and Children’s Services and is taking a moment to appreciate his expansive view of the city.
“It has been a whirlwind of a year,” Andreassen comments. “But the role feels right, the community feels right. Tulsa is a special place.”
Andreassen’s move to Tulsa comes after longtime CEO Gail Lapidus retired in 2023. Andreassen moved from Spring eld, Missouri, where he served as the COO of a similar behavioral health care system.
Tulsa’s sense of community and collaboration has made his transition a positive one.
“ e level of interconnection in this community is unlike anywhere else I have experienced,” he says. “Public and private working together, layer upon layer making it a place where things can happen quickly.”
Andreassen has a doctorate in clinical psychology and has served many roles in the behavioral health care arena throughout his career. His passion led him to community health, where he feels he can make the most di erence by helping large-scale populations address their mental health issues.
“I’m especially drawn to community health because I want to keep people safe in their most vulnerable state,” Andreassen says. “ e ability to impact so many lives provides the most ful llment for me.”
According to Andreassen, one of the biggest challenges the organization faces is the rapid pace at which it is growing and being able to keep up with the demand. FCS currently operates 72 programs and employs almost 1,500 people.
“We’ve added 200 employees just in this past year,” Andreassen says. “We are reaching the point where workforce is becoming an issue. We need to focus resources on workforce recruitment to keep up with the demand for mental health services.”
Future plans for FCS include creating more access points through mobile clinics, partnerships and technology, expanding services for individuals with intellectual dis-
Andreassen
orders and disabilities, and providing more access to psychological testing.
“We have so much momentum right now,” he says. “Creating strategic partnerships is our crucial next step in reaching these goals.” tp
TULSA’S UNOFFICIAL HISTORIAN
Jack Frank was working as OETA’s station manager when a unique opportunity arose.
“It was the ’90s. News stations were moving to digital formats and didn’t know what to do with their film archives. I took it upon myself to preserve them and began showing them on OETA,” Frank says. “Viewers started bringing me their old home movies, and it grew from there.”
Fast forward to present day, Frank has preserved, edited (and just recently through AI technology, colorized) thousands of films spanning over 100 years.
“I feel like a detective, piecing together fragments of history,” he says, adding he found and preserved film of Charles Lindbergh in a Tulsa parade and another of Amelia Earhart visiting the Hull family in the mansion that is now Tulsa Garden Center.
Frank taught himself how to create and optimize his YouTube channel, Tulsa Films, which just surpassed 7 million views.
“It’s the best feeling when someone comments they saw their grandmother, or where their dad used to live. I love being able to provide that connection,” he says.
Ultimately, Frank would like to establish a nonprofit devoted to preserving these films. “Only a small fraction of my films are on YouTube,” he adds. “I would love to create an online database where they can be stored for generations to enjoy.” tp
Adam
Jack Frank
Vision and voice
Biannual exhibition showcases high craft art from seven-state region.
BY RYANN GORDON
“Everything is Fine” by Tulsa-based artist Maryalice Carroll is part of the VisionMakers exhibition on display at 108|Contemporary, 108 Reconciliation Way. The gallery is open noon-5 p.m., Tuesday-Saturday, and from 6-9 p.m. on the first Friday of the month.
From mixed media to sculptures, textiles, glass art and more, 108|Contemporary’s exhibits feature only craft mediums, meaning everything but paintings, drawings and photography. And the juried VisionMakers 2024 show, which kicks o Dec. 6 and runs until Jan. 25, will feature the most cutting-edge trends in high craft art by artists living in Oklahoma and the seven-state region.
“From intricate techniques to bold experimentation with materials, the artists demonstrated not only technical mastery but also a profound understanding of their chosen mediums,” says show juror Duane Reed, who owns Duane Reed Gallery in St. Louis and also hand selected each piece for VisionMakers 2024 from online submissions. “Whether the pieces were rooted in tradition or pushing the boundaries of contemporary art, each artist showcased a unique vision, voice and a high level of execution.”
108|Contemporary’s Executive Director Jen Boyd Martin says the show highlights who’s doing the best in craft in the region. “We put out a call to the seven-state region and asked for artists to submit up to three works and then those works were reviewed in what’s called a blind juried process,” she explains, noting the juror doesn’t know the names of the artists but rather makes selections solely based o image submissions.
“Duane has a long history of being a gallerist and has focused a lot on craft-based artists in his gallery,” Boyd Martin continues. “ at’s always something we look for in a juror, someone who’s worked with di erent craft mediums.”
e 2024 exhibition includes 34 established artists (from a pool of 101 submissions) selected from Oklahoma, Arkansas, Texas, New Mexico, Colorado, Missouri and Kansas. eir works represent some of the most diverse mediums in “VisionMakers” history.
One such work is “Everything is Fine” by Tulsa-based artist Maryalice Carroll, which
she says is an interpretation of the loneliness felt in a new place and the hyper-awareness of her body reacting to stress. “I titled the piece as a joke because everything was not ne, but it was the answer I gave when someone asked me how I was doing,” Carroll adds.
Located in the Tulsa Arts District, 108|Contemporary is the only organization in Oklahoma dedicated to contemporary craft. e VisionMakers show itself was founded in 1988 by the Oklahoma Arts Council because they saw a need to highlight craft-based artists.
e VisionMakers exhibition mediums to look for include mixed media, metal, ceramics, wood, paper, beads and ber.
“It will appeal to a really broad age range and demographic,” Boyd Martin says. “Sometimes if you come in and it’s a solo show or a duo show you might not connect with that person’s artwork or that medium, but when you have 30 pieces that are all made by di erent people in di erent mediums using di erent techniques, you’re going to nd something that you can connect with or respond to that maybe ts your style.”
In addition to thought-provoking high craft, 108|Contemporary also has become known for o ering supplemental material that encourages visitors to engage with the art deeper, like visual scavenger hunt checklists. And don’t forget to grab a take-home craft kit to extend the fun. tp
Jen Boyd Martin is the executive director of 108|Contemporary, which will showcase the 2024 VisionMakers. The exhibition was founded in 1988 by the Oklahoma Arts Council to highlight craft-based artists.
Season’s readings L
9 books with local connections perfect for gift-giving this holiday season.
BY CAROLINA F. BOCOCK
“What A Rock Can Reveal”
BY MAYA WEI-HAAS
Award-winning science writer and geologist Wei-Haas introduces kids to the world of rocks and minerals. The hardcover book is perfect for readers aged 6-9. Inquisitive little minds will love the illustrations and scientific discovery.
“Ghosts of Crook County”
BY RUSSELL COBB
In the early 1900s, white men exploited the oil boom in Oklahoma by defrauding and murdering Native property owners. Cobb explores one such case involving local entrepreneur Charles Page and his deceptive pursuit to obtain a land allotment assigned to a young Muscogee boy named Tommy Atkins The account highlights the greed-driven exploitation and the dubious legacy of a boy who might never have even existed.
ooking to adopt a cozy new holiday tradition? Take a page from the Icelanders and incorporate Jolaboka od — or “Christmas Book Flood” — in which new books are given and received on Christmas Eve before being read and enjoyed together into the night. To add a Tulsa spin to it, make it a book by a local author — from captivating ction, insightful nonction, inspiring memoirs or engaging children’s books, these local voices o er fresh perspectives and engaging stories that are sure to enrich any reading list.
“The Universe in 100 Colors”
BY TYLER THRASHER AND TERRY MUDGE
The science of color is explored in this book by Tulsans Thrasher and Mudge. Arranged in a gradient sequence, 100 different naturally occurring and synthetic colors are displayed in two-page spreads. The book includes a brief introduction to color theory, a glossary and notes.
“The Extinction of Irena Ray”
BY JENNIFER CROFT
This debut novel offers a hilarious and thought-provoking exploration of art, fame, the natural world and language’s power. It presents an unforgettable adventure through one of Europe’s last great wildernesses, as its small but diverse cast grapples with the shocks of love, destruction and creation.
“The Pursuit of Pizza”
BY TONY GEMIGNANI, LAURA MEYER, NICK, BOGACZ AND MIKE BAUSCH
Pizza, anyone? You don’t need to be a pro to make a great pizza. The World Pizza Champions have broken down their award-winning recipes into manageable steps. Each recipe is accompanied by full-color photography and instructional video QR codes.
“Guarding the Future: The Life of R. James Woolsey”
BY BOB
BURKE AND BARRY EPPERSON
Tulsa native Woolsey is a former director of the Central Intelligence Agency, arms control negotiator, Under Secretary of the Navy and adviser to four American presidents — Carter, Reagan, H.W. Bush and Clinton. Those interested in cybersecurity, national security or the energy industry will find this book intriguing.
“Stewart the Goat”
BY DR. REBEKAH HARTFIELD
The local veterinarian’s new book takes young readers on a journey to help diagnose and treat pets and ranch animals, sparking curiosity about different species, medical conditions and the vital work of veterinarians.
“Sketchbook Diaries”
BY STEVE LIGGETT AND SHIRLEY ELLIOTT
A memoir documenting one man’s career of creating, presenting and defending contemporary art in Oklahoma. $500 package includes gift certificates for:
“Socks”
BY JD MCPHERSON
Inspired by the musician’s memorable holiday album, this picture book humorously celebrates the classic “bad gift” in this playful extension of his song. tp
Ida Red
Travers Mahan » Poppi’s Spa » Sushi Hana » Rabbit Hole Bar
SPEAKING
tion for his nationwide operation.
e ministry initially occupied a building on North Utica Avenue, where Hagin and his wife brie y lived upstairs.
This little light of mine
Rhema’s founder started a Christmas light tradition more than 40 years ago that still illuminates the Broken Arrow campus.
BY MICHAEL OVERALL
Too weak to get out of bed with a deformed heart in April 1933, 17-year-old Kenneth Hagin felt himself descending into the depths of the earth until he saw the gates of hell.
Hagin would later testify a voice called him back to his body, but he soon felt himself descending again. On the third trip toward hell, Hagin called out to Jesus to save him.
Raised Baptist in McKinney, Texas, north of Dallas, Hagin went to church every week but his deathbed vision gave his faith a newfound zeal that would stay with him the rest of his life. Doctors had not expected him to live past infancy, and Hagin considered it a miracle he not only survived into adulthood, but fully recovered from what was said to be a fatal heart condition.
Hagin preached his rst sermon in August 1936 at a small church north of McKinney. He was only 19 years old when he became a full-time pastor and would go on to lead several small-town churches over the next 12 years.
“I’ll preach from the Red River to the Gulf of Mexico,” Hagin told people at the time, but his ministry would end up taking him a lot farther.
By 1949, he was a traveling evangelist with a nationwide following and, along with Oral Roberts, he popularized faith healings and helped spark a worldwide charismatic movement.
e Kenneth E. Hagin Evangelistic Association moved to Tulsa in September 1966, when he wanted a more central loca-
But he needed more space after the Rhema Bible Training College opened in 1974 and Hagin moved his o ces to Broken Arrow, starting out with 55 acres near Kenosha Street and 145th East Avenue. e campus would eventually grow to more than 150 acres and add a church with one of the largest congregations in the metropolitan area, partly to give Bible students a real-life place to gain experience.
Rhema, however, became best-known across Tulsa for a Christmas tradition that started in 1981 when Hagin strung 30,000 lights across the front of the school and some nearby shrubs, covering an area of about 400 feet.
e annual display has grown steadily ever since, now covering 110 acres with more than 3 million twinkling lights synchronized with Christmas music playing through loudspeakers. Nearly half a million visitors a year come from all across Oklahoma and nearby states to tour the “Rhema Christmas Lights.”
e tradition started as the ministry’s way of giving back to the community, Hagin once told a newspaper reporter.
“We don’t believe in a lot of fanfare,” he said. “We believe in doing what God wants us to do.”
Hagin died Sept. 19, 2003, at age 86.
Today the ministry is still going strong with Hagin’s son Kenneth W. and his wife, Lynette, as senior pastors. tp
News on 6 meteorologist Jim Giles, left, with Rhema Bible Church Senior Pastors Kenneth W. and Lynette Hagin and grandsons at a previous lighting ceremony.
DECEMBER
CHARITABLE EVENTS
COMPILED BY MADISON WALTERS
1
Nog O
Benefits Emerson Elementary Art Department. thetulsaartsdistrict.org/ annual-nog-off
1, 7-8
Tree Lot
Benefits Cascia Hall Preparatory School. casciahall.com
Benefits Women Helping Other Women. whownetwork.org
Tulsa Christmas Parade
Benefits The Outsiders House Museum and Soldier’s Wish. tulsachristmasparade.org
Thank
Tech tenant
In 1951, the Sunray Oil Corp. began planning the development of an o ce building on the northeast corner of East Ninth Street and South Detroit Avenue. In May 1952, the 823 S. Detroit building opened.
It was initially home to Sunray Oil Corp. and the Standard Insurance Co. However, after only 20 months in the building, Sunray sold the building to its co-tenant and moved to a bigger building across the street.
Standard Insurance Co. leased space in the building to other companies, many of which were in the petroleum industry. Standard insured some of the largest rms in
Oklahoma including Phillips Petroleum Co. and its former co-tenant Sunray Oil Corp.
In 1957, under the direction of Standard Insurance founder Ben Voth, the company ordered one of the rst IBM Ramac 305 computers. e Ramac (random access memory accounting machine) was significant because it was the rst computer to have a random-access disk drive. e computer was geared for smaller companies like Voth’s, which became the rst insurance company in the nation to use one. It assisted with data processing at a faster rate and was more up to date with statistical information.
By 1964, Voth was an insurance man turned computer entrepreneur who invested in a Dallas company called University Computing Co. He o ered them o ce space in the building and soon it became the computer headquarters for Tulsa. It even o ered computer programming courses at one point in time.
Voth authored a biography, “A Piece of the Computer Pie,” that follows his introduction to computer technology and his investment in University Computing Co. UCC continued to grow and eventually left Tulsa but went on to become a major player in the computer industry in the 1970s and ’80s. tp
STORY AND COMPOSITE IMAGE BY PATRICK MCNICHOLAS
The 823 S. Detroit building was originally constructed in 1951 as an office building for Sunray Oil Corp. In this photo from December 1967 it was home to University Computing Co. Over the years it housed multiple other businesses and had many names. Today it is known as the Cathedral District Business Center.
Jade Clack, Cam Matthews, coach Angie Nelp and Delanie Crawford inside Donald W. Reynolds Center
HIGH EXPECTATIONS
Led by coach Angie Nelp, TU women’s basketball continues its ascent. BY
LACEY TAYLOR
REGULAR SEASON GAMES CONTINUE THROUGH MARCH 4. For more information and tickets for the upcoming season, visit tulsahurricane.com/sports/ womens-basketball. READ Q&AS WITH PLAYERS DELANIE CRAWFORD, CAM MATTHEWS AND JADE CLACK AT TULSAPEOPLE.COM.
In the fast-paced game of basketball where the scoreboard is often the focus, coach Angie Nelp ensures her team is known for more than just the game’s score. It’s about a culture of love, trust, work and growth as young women leaders. That philosophy has paid off on the court.
Nelp enters her fourth season as The University of Tulsa’s head women’s basketball coach. She has won the most games of any Tulsa coach in their first three seasons and in a historic 2023-2024 season, Nelp posted the school’s best record in 19 years at 25-10, which was better than the other three Division 1 teams in the state. The university rewarded her with a contract extension through the 2029-2030 season.
There are more eyes on women’s college basketball than ever and more eyes on TU women’s program as it looks to continue its ascent. The team is led by 3-point sharpshooter Delanie Crawford, who earned conference honors last season for most improved player. She enters this season as a member of the preseason American Athletic Conference First Team as chosen by league coaches and also was named to the 2025 Becky Hammon Mid-Major Player of the Year watch list.
The Piedmont, Oklahoma, native who was recruited by the previous coaching staff instantly gelled with her new coach and the two have grown together.
“She’s a tremendous coach. I’ve been around basketball my whole life, and she’s got one of the smartest basketball minds I’ve ever been around,” Crawford says. “She’s going to push you, and she’s going to want the best from you all the time.”
With success comes opportunity, and in today’s game that includes a transfer portal with access to talent that can help fill much needed holes. Jade Clack was one of the best high school players in Texas and played a season at Texas Christian University before looking for a new opportunity. She had never been to Tulsa. She’s now a starting forward for the Golden Hurricane.
“Going into the portal, I wanted to find a coach who’s going to pour everything into me. A coach who sees me doing big things on the court and then helps build that motivation. During the
recruiting process, Angie texted me every day, called me every day, was the first person to put me on a visit. I could just tell how bad she wanted me here. Why would you go somewhere where you’re not wanted?” Clack says. “That was my main thing, whatever coach is heavy on me, whatever coach just wants to make me the best player I can be. That’s where I was going to go, and that’s what Angie showed me. She’s still showing it to me to this day. She just understands me and my personality.”
Nelp got her basketball beginnings at Canadian High School in Canadian, Oklahoma, where in 1998 she was named Oklahoma Gatorade Player of the Year. From a decorated college career at Colorado State University (1998-2002) to two seasons with the National Women’s Basketball League’s Colorado Chili and one season with 08 Stockholm in Sweden, Nelp then crossed over to assistant coaching at Arkansas (as a graduate assistant), Marquette, Mercer and Rice universities before landing at Arizona State (2017-2021) — creating winning seasons and setting records all along the way to helming her own program and finding success at TU.
In addition to big wins in the 2023-2024 season over teams from the AAC, SEC, Big 12 and Big East, Nelp’s players have earned two WBCA All-America honors, two Women’s Basketball Coaches Association Region Finalists, one AAC Player of the Year, one AAC Most Improved Player of the Year, one AAC Freshman of the Year, four AAC All-Conference awards and three AAC All-Freshman hoopers. Senior Maya Mayberry was honored with the AAC Ambassador Award, which recognizes sportsmanship, ethical behavior, fair play and integrity, along with community service off the court.
It’s mid-October and the team is in final preparations for the season that starts in November when we sat down with Nelp to learn more about her and the rise of the TU women’s basketball team.
With proven success and promising preseason polls, she looks both to the past and her upbringing on the court to the present and keeping a lasersharp focus on player growth as the team sets its sights on reaching March Madness.
DOES BASKETBALL GO BACK A FEW GENERATIONS FOR YOU? FAMILY VALUES AND BASKETBALL SEEM TO GO HAND IN HAND. DO YOUR KIDS PLAY? Yes! We have three boys (JJ, Louis and Harrison) and a girl (Ellie Kaye) who all play. My husband, Jake, was a college basketball coach for a long time, my parents played, and I also remember as a kid seeing a brochure with a photo of my grandma playing in a state tournament in Oklahoma. So yeah, it’s in our heritage for sure. Growing up in a small, rural town, everybody played basketball. It was so fun. I’m the fourth
of five siblings and it was my goal to beat my older brother and sisters at everything, including basketball.
“I look at what our team did last year in postseason play, the attendance, the competitiveness, the wins … but behind that is the support of the community and our fan base. There’s so much momentum we feel when we go into games. We know there’s more in store.”
— ANGIE NELP
WOMEN’S BASKETBALL IS MORE POPULAR THAN EVER RIGHT NOW. AS SOMEONE WHO HAS BEEN INVOLVED IN THE GAME FOR TWO DECADES, CAN YOU REFLECT ON ITS POPULARITY? The platform for women’s basketball right now is so high and so enormous, in the WNBA, the college game and, honestly, in Tulsa too. I look around and see the great players across the country with Nike sponsorships and big ads that draw a lot of attention, and I think, we wouldn’t have that without those who stepped into the spotlight before us. Those who came before us, pressing forward and doing all the grunt work.
I look at what our team did last year in postseason play, the attendance, the competitiveness, the wins … but behind that is the support of the community and our fan base. There’s so much momentum we feel when we go into games. We know there’s more in store.
One of the most exciting things is when you’re driving home and you see these kids out in their yard, as young as 5-, 6- and 7-year-olds, in different jerseys, shooting hoops. So, it’s not just the spotlight and the attention that’s there. It’s the way a community is gathering around something that can create opportunity for young girls.
HOW DO YOU DESCRIBE YOURSELF AS A COACH? I strive to be a 360-degree coach. It’s about so much more than just Xs and Os. We all love the competition and the game of basketball but being able to be a coach that helps these young women be leaders, helps them be people who are going to be selfless and serve in the community and give
back to younger generations — those are what you hope for your team. The end results are flashy and fun, and it’s what everybody sees, but on a day-today basis helping our young women grow in every area of their life, not just in basketball, is what we strive to do.
HOW DO YOU SELL “THE TULSA EXPERIENCE” TO YOUNG PLAYERS AS PART OF THE RECRUITING EXPERIENCE? TU is a place where we can give our student athletes everything — a prestigious academic education centered around individualized opportunities. We mimic this mission in athletics. We individualize everything we do in our program to help each player be their best. When we talk about the city, Tulsa is amazing. What I love most about Tulsa is that it has everything you can imagine — restaurants, pro sports, a small town and great big city feel all backed by a supportive community. That’s so appealing, right? Everyone wants to be able to feel welcome and thrive where you are, and that’s certainly our community in Tulsa and at TU.
DO YOU HAVE ANY PREGAME RITUALS OR SUPERSTITIONS? I don’t really have any superstitions, but I think you’ll find I am really a stickler for routines. We’re huge in our program on preparation. Preparation creates success, right?
I will say this, if I have an outfit and we’ve lost the game, I’m probably never going to wear it again. But sometimes, I’ll look at a jacket, remember the game and say, “it’s redemption time” and bring it back into the fold.
WHAT IF YOU HAVE A WILDLY SUCCESSFUL GAME? DO YOU KEEP THE OUTFIT? Absolutely! I’ll never throw that one away! tp
CHRISTMAS CLASSICS
These tried-and-true recipes are Tulsa staples that are the perfect addition to any holiday table.
Some of the best recipes come from spiral-bound books. No photographer or food stylist had a hand in them. No formal test kitchen was used to check for quality. e dogeared pages of community cookbooks aren’t going to win a James Beard Award — but that’s not why we hang on to them.
We keep these books because of the familiar names attached to the recipes, to the memories of meals featuring their dishes and for the preservation of all that is good, dependable and worth carrying on.
And in Tulsa, we have some of the best local cookbooks, crowdsourced often by women in churches and synagogues, nonpro ts and service groups. e recipes are good any time of the year, but it’s around the holidays when our nostalgia and wistfulness lead us back to the familiar recipes of neighbors, old friends, moms and grandmothers.
We pored over our own favorite Tulsa community cookbooks and passed down Tulsa-centric recipes, pulling together some of the best for a special Christmas dinner, TulsaPeople style.
STORY BY NATALIE MIKLES PHOTOS BY MICHELLE POLLARD
COOK’S COLLAGE
Perhaps the most iconic Tulsa cookbook is “Cook’s Collage,” the Junior League of Tulsa’s inaugural 1978 cookbook that’s sold more than 58,000 copies. In Tulsa in the 1980s, it seemed everyone had a copy. is book is packed with recipes that are still relevant today. From the rst recipe in the book (Judy’s Camembert in Croute) to the last (Caribbean Chocolate Rum Balls), they hold up to today’s cooking standards. is isn’t a church casserole kind of cookbook — though there’s not a thing wrong with those. But the food in “Cook’s Collage” is slightly elevated, as if each contributor gave her very best recipe.
“Junior League of Tulsa cookbooks have had a signi cant impact on our community,” says Loree Faucett, sustaining member of the Junior League of Tulsa. e rst recipe a 14-year-old Justin ompson (chef and restaurateur) cooked for his father was from a Junior League cookbook. Faucett continues, “‘Cook’s Collage’ featured recipes from beloved restaurants across Tulsa — some of which are now no longer around.”
Barbara Overmyer Johanson’s Atomic Salad from “Cook’s Collage” is one of the most loved recipes from the book and is a favorite for Tulsan Kelly Karlovich. She often makes it to go along with a steak, picnic potatoes (also from “Cook’s Collage”) and a glass of red wine.
“I remember my mom making this salad when I was growing up, and I still love to serve it today,” she says.
e recipe makes enough for a crowd, so plan on 1 or 2 pounds of spinach plus another half to 1 pound of romaine, spring mix or your favorite local lettuce.
Atomic Salad
Serves 8
3 garlic cloves, minced
1/4 teaspoon dry mustard
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
2 tablespoons lemon juice
2 tablespoons Parmesan cheese
1/2 cup salad oil
Fresh spinach
2 di erent kinds of lettuce
Cherry tomatoes or tomato wedges
Croutons
In the bottom of a large salad bowl, combine rst seven ingredients. Taste for additional garlic or dry mustard. It should be spicy, and extra dry mustard usually does the trick.
Place lettuce and spinach on top of mixture. Do not toss. When ready to serve, put in croutons and tomatoes and toss.
Note: is recipe can be prepared the day before. Cover and keep in refrigerator.
Salad bowls courtesy Williams Sonoma
GOURMET OUR WAY
Cascia Hall Preparatory School’s cookbook “Gourmet Our Way” was a hit from the time it arrived in 1995. People loved the recipes from the home kitchens of fellow Tulsans but also the recipes in each section from chefs from some of Tulsa’s best restaurants. Some of those restaurant recipes were thought to be top secret and tightly held until publication. Cascia Hall likely sold hundreds of copies of the book for the St. Michael’s Alley White Chili recipe alone.
Another favorite, which is perfect for a Christmas Eve family dinner, is the Chicken Piccata from Chef Steve Bailey at e Green Onion. We made it as written, but added capers. It’s good with or without the paprika.
Chicken Piccata
Serves 2-4 and can easily be doubled
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1 cup our
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
2 (6- to 8-ounce) boneless, skinless chicken breasts
3 tablespoons vegetable oil
1/2 cup white wine
1/3 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
1/2 teaspoon freshly chopped parsley
1/2 teaspoon paprika
2 tablespoons capers
Melt butter and lemon juice together and set aside.
Into a small paper bag, place our, salt, pepper and garlic, and shake to blend. Add chicken to bag and shake to coat. Pour oil into skillet and heat to 325 degrees. Place chicken in pan, and brown on each side. Pour wine in pan and simmer until tender.
Top with Parmesan and place in broiler for 3 minutes to brown. Remove and top with lemon butter, parsley, paprika and capers.
OKLAHOMA EXTENSION HOMEMAKERS
e Oklahoma Extension Homemakers (now Oklahoma Home and Community Education) group has long been an excellent source for some of the best recipes in the state. We especially love their vegetable recipes, and though these green beans would be good any time of year, they’re especially pretty on a Christmas table. We added Parmesan cheese and swapped the oil to olive oil to make them extra delicious.
Christmas Green Beans
Serves 4
1 1/2 pounds fresh green beans, trimmed (or frozen)
2-3 cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
2 tablespoons diced pimentos (from a jar)
1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese
2 bacon slices, cooked and crumbled
Preheat oven to 425 degrees. In a large bowl combine green beans, garlic, oil, salt and pepper, stirring to coat the green beans.
Spread in a single layer on a baking sheet. Bake in preheated oven until tender, 15-20 minutes, stirring halfway through. Remove from oven, and sprinkle with pimentos and Parmesan. Place back in the oven and cook a minute or two to melt the cheese and warm the pimentos.
Remove from oven, and sprinkle with cooked bacon.
CLEORA’S KITCHENS
Cleora Butler’s beautiful book, “Cleora’s Kitchens,” doesn’t fall into the community cookbook category. But it’s a book that can’t be overlooked. e book, published by Council Oak Books in 1985, is a masterpiece, using recipes to help tell the story of race relations, Tulsa history and behind-the-scenes tales from some of the most prominent families in Tulsa in a sophisticated way.
Butler, the child of plantation cooks in slavery and post-slavery days, moved to Oklahoma in 1902. She grew up in Muskogee, learning to cook on a wood stove from her parents and grandparents, says Sally Dennison, co-publisher of the book. Butler moved to Tulsa in 1923, two years after the Tulsa Race Massacre, to work as a live-in cook’s assistant in a white family’s home.
“Until she died at age 84, Cleora cooked and catered for Tulsa’s wealthiest and most prominent citizens, both Black and white,” Dennison says. “Cleora’s career and book is part of Tulsa’s legacy as much as is the ugly legacy of 1921 and Jim Crow. In her story and her recipes, the two Tulsas, North and South, were able to join hands over a shared
love of beauty and beautiful, delicious food.”
What better way to celebrate Butler’s life than by making her wonderful food? Of all her recipes, she’s perhaps best known for her Baked Fudge, which she made at her Greenwood bakery, Cleora’s Pastry Shop, and then later at e Garden in Utica Square. It was at e Garden that Butler’s Baked Fudge took on a life of its own, becoming one of the most iconic Tulsa desserts in history, only rivaled by Pennington’s Black Bottom Pie.
“ e baked fudge has always been the star of the recipes in the book, and we must have suspected it would be because we printed up Baked Fudge recipe cards and used them as promotional items when we launched the book,” Dennison says.
It’s especially nice for Christmas served with peppermint ice cream.
Baked Fudge
Serves 9-12
4 eggs
2 cups sugar
1 cup (2 sticks) butter, melted
4 heaping tablespoons cocoa powder
4 rounded tablespoons our 1 cup pecans, broken into large pieces
2 teaspoons vanilla
Whipped cream, for serving
Beat the eggs well, adding the sugar and butter and beat well again.
Sift the cocoa and our together. Add broken pecan pieces. Fold into butter mixture. Mix in vanilla.
Pour into 9-by-13-inch Pyrex dish or tin pan. Set dish in a pan of hot water (enough to come 1/2 inch to 1 inch up on the sides of pan). Put the dish, still in the pan of hot water, into oven. Bake in a preheated 325-degree oven for 45 minutes-1 hour.
Note: e fudge will have the consistency of rm custard and will be crusty on top. Serve with a dollop of whipped cream on each piece.
Candy cane cloth napkin courtesy Margo’s
NUTCRACKER SWEETS
You can practically hear the “Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy” playing when you thumb through the Tulsa Ballet eatre Guild’s 1983 book “Nutcracker Sweets.” Every page of this book, with contributed recipes from Tulsa Ballet patrons, friends and dancers, is a delight.
Recipes like Nancy Meinig’s Bourbon Balls and Liddy Doenges’ Macaroon Pudding are must-haves for the holidays. Another wonderful recipe from the book is Joanne Woodward’s Holiday Fudge.
Holiday Fudge
Makes 3 dozen pieces
2 tablespoons butter
2/3 cup evaporated milk
1 2/3 cups sugar
2 cups miniature marshmallows
1 cup chocolate chips
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 cup chopped nuts
In a saucepan over medium heat, combine butter, evaporated milk and sugar. Bring to a boil. Cook 5 minutes, stirring constantly. (If using a candy thermometer, mixture should reach the soft ball stage or 235 degrees.) Remove from heat.
Stir in marshmallows, chocolate chips, vanilla and nuts. Stir briskly for 1 minute (until marshmallows are melted). Pour into buttered 8-inch square pan. Garnish with pecan or walnut halves. Visit TulsaPeople.com for peanut butter fudge from “Cook’s Collage.”
ere’s something so festive about serving punch at Christmas. Whether it’s a warm spiced tea punch or a cool cranberry and ginger ale punch, it’s a nice treat to serve under the twinkling lights of a holiday party. A great one from “Nutcracker Sweets” is Anne Mobley’s Drosselmeyer’s Punch, named for the eccentric toy maker and godfather to Clara in the “Nutcracker” ballet. It’s a spiked punch, but it’s easy to swap the wine for ginger ale and omit the bourbon. We slightly adapted the original recipe to t a smaller punch bowl, but this recipe can easily be doubled.
Drosselmeyer’s Punch
Serves 30
1/2 cup bourbon
1/2 cup grenadine syrup
2 cups cranberry juice cocktail
1 (12-ounce) can frozen lemonade
1/2 cup sugar
1 large bottle club soda
1 bottle Moscato wine
Mix all ingredients except the soda and wine. Refrigerate up to 3 days in advance.
Refrigerate soda and wine, and add to base just before serving. tp
Tray and cloth napkin courtesy Margo’s
A LA CARTE
Winter warm-ups
Seasonal selections at local co ee shops.
BY NATALIE MIKLES
GYPSY COFFEE HOUSE is a good place for warming up with a coffee drink under the twinkling lights and ornaments decorating the space. Try the Christmas Cookie Latte — a butter cookie latte with whipped cream and sprinkles — for a sweet, coffee treat. The Gingerbread Oat Chai, made with oat milk, is also popular. If you have kids in tow, try the Chocolate Candy Cane made with hot cocoa and peppermint. 303 Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd. • 918-295-2181 • gypsycoffee.com
Here’s a drink you’re going to want to get your hands on for the holidays. There’s a whole lot to love in the Candy Cane Latte at COPPER KEY COFFEEHOUSE in Bixby. White peppermint mocha is topped with whipped cream and sprinkles. We’re also fans of the Christmas Cookie Cold Brew made with cookie butter. If you’re not into coffee, try the rooibos cinnamon apple tea. 4 W. Dawes Ave., Bixby • 918-938-0446 • facebook.com/copperkeycoffeehouse
House-made syrups make the coffee drinks at FOOLISH THINGS extra special. And around the holidays, Foolish Things makes must-have seasonal drinks, like the Gingerbread Latte with a not-toosweet syrup made with ginger and spices. Or customize your own drink. We like Foolish Things’ mocha with a bit of peppermint syrup. While there, try a pumpkin muffin or chocolate chip cookie. 1001 S. Main St. • 918-857-2326 • foolishthingscoffee.com tp
SAPULPA SUDS WHAT THE ALE
Sapulpa’s James Calley Brewing Co. is the first brewery in Creek County.
The name came from the founders, James (Jim) Dilley and brewmaster Randy Calley, both of Sapulpa.
Originally the 1915 building housed a livery stable and was an oil field equipment manufacturing facility that made moldings and castings. Some of those moldings are now on display to showcase the building’s history.
While the brewery has brought new life to this old building, the owners hope it also adds to the new energy in the historic downtown.
The brewery, located at 117 E. Hobson Ave., is unique, too. There are multiple five-barrel systems from Canada you can see from your barstool. The system uses one vessel to mash, boil, ferment, carbonate and serve. This saves water and energy. It also eliminates the need for a walk-in cooler (which nearly all breweries have to keep kegs cold), as the system also cools the beer right before it is dispensed from the tap. Six of these units sit behind the bar used to serve customers.
An on-site restaurant sells gourmet sandwiches, pizzas and wings.
“It’s a place to make friends. It’s a place to hang out. It’s family friendly. We love kids coming in,” Calley says. “We wanted to give back to the community. If we can make money, we want to give it back in the form of events for the city so they can benefi t from people coming to visit.”
Learn more at jcbrew.com. — TOM GILBERT
James (Jim) Dilley and Randy Calley
Christmas Cookie Latte at Gypsy Coffee House
SPREAD CHEER and CHEESE
Agood holiday appetizer will make you a top-tier host during the holidays. Amidst the cookies and sweets, it’s nice to have a great savory recipe you can pull out for cocktails with friends or to stave o hungry family before your holiday meal.
We’re fans of cranberry meatballs (which you can make ahead in a slow cooker), baked brie with toasted pecans and maple syrup, and marinated feta, to name a few. Another appetizer we’re loving this holiday season is a whipped goat cheese with dates and bacon. Served warm, it’s savory and gooey, dippable or spreadable — and sure to make cocktail hour a little more merry and bright.
— NATALIE MIKLES
You might have seen variations of this spread online. Here’s our version, but feel free to improvise with your favorite herbs or cheese.
HOLIDAY GOAT CHEESE SPREAD
8 slices bacon, chopped
2 shallots, thinly sliced
1 teaspoon brown sugar
1 tablespoon plus 1-2 tablespoons hot honey, divided
Salt and pepper
12 Medjool dates, pitted and roughly chopped
1 (12-ounce) log goat cheese, room temperature
4 ounces cream cheese, room temperature
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon chopped fresh rosemary
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Combine chopped bacon, shallots, brown sugar, 1 tablespoon honey and a little salt and pepper. Place in an even layer on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Scatter dates around the bacon mixture. Bake 8-10 minutes, until the bacon is crisp.
In a food processor, combine the goat cheese, cream cheese, olive oil, and a pinch of salt and pepper. Pulse until smooth and creamy.
In a small bowl, combine 1-2 tablespoons honey and rosemary.
Spoon the whipped goat cheese mixture onto a plate or shallow serving bowl. Top with the warm bacon and dates. Drizzle with the honey and rosemary. Serve with bread or crackers. tp
Return of a Tulsa classic
Dinner service at the storied Warren Duck Club returns this month as the DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel at Warren Place restaurant welcomes dinner guests to a space transformed into a holiday wonderland by Amber Marie and Co. and a curated menu by new Executive Chef Sebastian Matheja
Appetizers include a roasted butternut squash soup, a ginger-shrimp crostini and an arugula salad with cold smoked duck breast — a nod Matheja says is to the restaurant’s historic menu. Entrees include a braised beef short rib, Atlantic cod, free-range chicken and vegetarian pasta. For dessert, guests can choose from a bourbon bread pudding, apple crumb tart and pecan pie. Five specialty cocktails will be served at the restaurant and at the hotel bar, Creekside, with $2 of every drink sold before Dec. 22 going to support Saint Francis Children’s Hospital, located just across the street.
The decorated Warren Duck Club is looking to attract Tulsans and dinner guests to reintroduce them to the restaurant, according to Complex Marketing Manager Emma Madigan. She encourages diners to make reservations through Jan. 5. via the restaurant’s Open Table page for the decorated dinner service.
The Warren Duck Club revamp is all part of a recent $20 million head-to-toe renovation of DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel at Warren Place, 6110 S. Yale Ave.
— ANNE BROCKMAN
Teri and toffee
Holiday magic takes many forms, including in the kitchen. Everyone needs a few tricks to make the holidays more sparkly and more joyful without all the labor.
One of my must-haves for Christmas giving — and to keep around my house for the holidays — is Teri Fermo’s Chocolate Almond To ee. Fermo, a chef and caterer in Tulsa for 20 years, is known for her longtime presence at the Tulsa Farmers’ Market and in people’s homes catering delicious feasts. But it’s her to ee that keeps her busy every holiday season.
And that means Tulsans can be the bene ciaries of all the work it takes to make this rich, classic to ee — buttery with roasted almonds and enrobed in your choice of milk or dark chocolate.
Fermo understands the science behind perfect candy making. She has degrees from the Culinary Institute of America in New York City and Le Cordon Bleu in London and Paris where she studied baking
and pastry. And as much as cooking for her is about science, precision and execution, it’s as much about giving and connection.
at’s especially true around the holidays when longtime customers (more like friends) pop into her shop, Bohemia, at 3309 S. Harvard Ave. De nitely check the hours on her Facebook page before stopping in, though.
It’s in that shop — adorned with a decidedly bohemian mix of art and color, cultural touchstones, religious relics and Okie fusion — that Fermo makes the to ee, the velvety soups, the sauces and the appetizers that will ease your holiday lift. Must-haves include Filipino lumpia eggrolls, stretchy pralines with Himalayan pink rock salt, spicy cayenne cashew brittle, turmeric potatoes and hummus. And the to ee! It’s great for gift giving or for holiday self-care.
Recently Fermo also started concierge chef services for those traveling to Tulsa who want food ready-to-heat at their vacation rental or hotel suite. —
NATALIE MIKLES
Teri Fermo
Sugar cookie martini
Apple crumb tart
Braised beef short rib
GLUTEN-FREE MENU
The winners of TulsaPeople’s annual A-LIST Readers’ Choice Awards create delectable dishes for those seeking gluten-free fare.
CHIMERA 212 N. Main St. 918-779-4303 chimeratulsa.com
NEFF BREWING 321 S. Frankfort Ave. 918-367-0640 neffbrewing.com
COFFEE HOUSE ON CHERRY STREET 1502 E. 15th St. 918-779-6137 chocstulsa.com
QUE GUSTO 105 N. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd. 918-851-2989 quegustotulsa.com
HOLÉ MOLÉ 1529 E. 15th St. 539-867-2164 instagram.com/holemoletulsa
TOP SELLER From a variety of homemade sandwiches, meals and snacks, the Guido comes out on top as the market’s bestselling sandwich. The Guido — served hot with beef tenderloin, chicken, or cheese and tomato — satisfyingly fills with a flavorful blend of melted provolone cheese and a garlic cheese melt, absorbing into the ciabatta bun (a gluten-free bun option also is available). The roasted tomatoes in the center add a pop of color and fresh sweetness.
WINTER WARMUP Pair your hot sandwich with a cup or bowl of the soup of the day. Choices change daily — broccoli cheese is especially divine. Look in the to-go fridges for homemade soups including chicken noodle, potato, sausage queso, flamed tomato and cowboy stew. They are available year-round with plenty of gluten-free options.
PARTY PICKUPS While running holiday errands and refueling on cheesy Guido goodness, go ahead and make your life a little easier by also grabbing one of Lambrusco’z wildly popular casseroles to pop in the oven before a party. Casseroles come in two sizes and include beef and cheese lasagnas, chicken enchilada, the Mary Brett casserole, Tex-mex and breakfast casseroles. — LISETTE
New and unwrapped Christmas gifts for kids ages 0-18
Volunteers to sponsor a family for Christmas • Canned soup Canned pasta • Monetary donations for utility assistance
To donate: Missy Brumley • missy.brumley@bixbyoc.org 918-366-1025 • bixbyoutreach.org
77 E. Breckenridge Ave., Bixby
Paper towels • Individually packaged snacks
Individual hand soap pump bottles • Copy paper Exam gloves (powder free, latex free, size medium)
To donate: Christian McLain • cmclain@clarehouse.org 918-893-6150 • clarehouse.org
7617 S. Mingo Rd.
Toothpaste and toothbrushes • Underwear and socks (adult and kid-sized) • Bags of rice and beans • Shaving cream and razors • Deodorant and body wash
Copy paper • Teacher supplies (Expo markers, Sharpies, Post-it Notes) • Uniform bottoms and underwear for elementary students • Gift cards (gas, food) for student incentives and teacher appreciation Laundry detergent
To donate: Brena Meadows Thrash brena@foundationfortulsaschools.org 918-746-6600 • foundationfortulsaschools.org 3027 S. New Haven
Boxed mac and cheese • Boxed cereal • Peanut butter and jelly (no glass jars) • Spaghetti Sauce (no glass jars) Pasta noodles
To donate: Megan Quickle • mquickle@baneighbors.org 918-251-7781 • baneighbors.org
Peanut butter • Rice • Canned fruit • Canned vegetables • Individually pre-packaged meals (mac and cheese, hamburger helper, etc.)
To donate: Ambika Krishnan • akrishnan@okfoodbank.org 918-936-4535 • okfoodbank.org 1304 N. Kenosha Ave.
Men’s clothing • Hygiene products for men and women Winter accessories (blankets, coats, gloves, etc.) Women’s clothing
To donate: Justin Miles • jmiles@grandmh.com 918-313-0116 • grandmh.com 6333 E. Skelly Dr.
thanks you for giving!
Men’s and women’s winter coats • Men’s and women’s jeans • Thick socks • New men’s and women’s underwear Blankets
To donate: Sydney Nesvold • sydney@citylightsok.org 918-204-3593 • citylightsok.org
1018 W. 23rd St.
Winter coats for children and adults • HUGS (hats, underwear, gloves, socks/scarves) • New, unwrapped children’s toys • Toiletries • Monetary donations
To donate: Jessica Hayes • development@fcsok.org 918-600-3815 • fcsok.org
650 S. Peoria Ave.
Bottled water • Apple sauce • Peanut butter Snack bags • Pull-top canned good
To donate: Regan Leake • reganl@foodonthemoveok.com 918-779-4300 • foodonthemoveok.com 4829 E. Apache St.
Hand warmers • Feminine hygiene projects Body wipes • Socks • Juice boxes
To donate: Jeff Burdge • jeff@hopetesting.org 918-749-8378 • hopetesting.org
4720 E. 51st St.
TO PROVIDE NEEDED ITEMS FOR TULSA NONPROFITS
Peanut butter • Cereal • Canned fruit Soup • Beans (dried or canned)
To donate: Carissa Gutierrez • cgutierezz@irongatetulsa.org 918-879-1702 • irongatetulsa.org
501 W. Archer St.
Hygiene products (lotion, shampoo, conditioner, body wash, etc.) • Items on their Amazon wish list • New, twin bedding (bed in a bag) • New or gently used kitchen utensils (pots, pans, etc.)
To donate: Hillary Sutton • development@resonancetulsa.org 918-587-3888 • resonancetulsa.org 1608 S. Elwood Ave.
MP3 players without Internet access • Clock radios Box briefs (S-XXL) • White T-shirts (S-XXL) Black socks (9-11, 10-12 and 13-15)
To donate: Kylee Nash • tbhinfo@tbhinc.org 918-245-0231 • tulsaboyshome.org 2727 S. 137th W. Ave., Sand Springs
Adult winter coats • Adult winter gloves
Adult shoes • Adult socks • Adult clothes
To donate: Preston Shatwell • tulsacares@tulsacares.org 918-834-4194 • tulsacares.org 3712 E. 11th St.
Toys + books for students aged 0-6 • Paper Goods: paper towels, toilet paper, copy paper, resume paper • Trash bags (all sizes) • Cleaning supplies: Lysol wipes, hand soap/hand sanitizer • Batteries (AA, AAA, 9V)
To donate: Lucy Foster • Lfoster@littlelighthouse.org 918-664-6746 • littlelighthouse.org
5120 E. 36th Street
Hygiene items (toilet paper, toothbrushes, soap, etc.) Feminine hygiene products • Diapers • New backpacks and school supplies • Peanut butter, cereal or pineapple
To donate: Sharon Catalano • Scatalano@restorehope.org 918-582-5766 • restorehope.org 2960 Charles Page Blvd.
Men’s and women’s shoes • Men’s and women’s coats with hoods • Men’s underwear and jeans • Backpacks Bath towels
To donate: Monica Martin • mmartin@tulsadaycenter.org 918-582-5766 • tulsadaycenter.org
To donate: Susan Kenny • development@voaok.org 918-307-3021 • voaok.org 9605 E. 61st St.
Visit TulsaPeople.com for more information.
Blankets • LED light bulbs • Photoelectric smoke detectors • Cat and dog toys • Dog leashes
To donate: Nicholas Bryant • nicholas@mowtulsa.org 918-922-8247 • mealsonwheelstulsa.org
5151 E. 51st St.
Gift cards for Walmart, Sam’s Club, Chewy • Clay litter trash bags (preference for Hefty, Glad or Sam’s Club) 8 ½ x 11 white printer paper • Postage stamps
To donate: Linda Holland • cats@streetcatstulsa.org 918-298-0104 • streetcatstulsa.org
6520 E. 60th St.
Shampoo and conditioner • Body wash • Paper plates Toilet paper and paper towels • Pads and tampons
To donate: Brittany Stokes • info@tulsagirlshome.org 918-248-0202 • tulsagirlshome.org
To donate: Caroline Olsen • colsen@yst.org 918-382-3461 • yst.org
311 S. Madison Ave.
Lifestyle
HOME HEALTH TRENDS
CRYSTAL CHRISTMAS
Linda James Antiques, located inside Windsor Market at 6530 E. 51st St., has special antiques in stock for the holiday season: Czech crystal Christmas trees. The handcrafted trees come in multiple sizes, from 3-12 inches, and range in price from $50-$500.
“These are prewar items made in the 1930s and ’40s,” says proprietor Linda James , who has specialized in imported European antiques for over 25 years. She has carried the trees each holiday season for the past 10 years.
“Customers love giving them as gifts, or for adding one each year to their own collection.”
The trees are available through December. Find them in the front display cases at Windsor Market. — GEORGIA BROOKS
Make a statement
Third area location for local jewelry store marks nearly three years in Brookside.
BY ANNE BROCKMAN
The sparkle in Joel Wiland ’s eye when talking about his love of the jewelry business can only be matched by the sparkle found in the cases that line his newest J. David storefront location in Brookside.
“My heart has always been to service everybody’s jewelry needs and goals,” says Wiland, who in 1995 opened his rst jewelry store in Broken Arrow after getting his start making tulip rings at the age of 15. “I love the fact that this is a 6,000-year-old industry. It wasn’t until really just about 120 years ago that it became centered around a product. Prior to that it was centered around a symbol.”
Wiland considers himself in the communications business. His sta work with each customer to nd just what they are looking for and help them convey what they want to say with their purchase. As a full-service in-house jeweler, the store’s services include custom design.
“It isn’t about a dollar amount,” he says. “It’s about a moment in time that you’re going to represent with this piece so it can say something to the person that is (receiving it), whether it’s being given as a gift or it’s even a self-purchase. You’re buying it for a reason — to say something.”
While wedding and bridal jewelry is a signi cant portion of J. David’s business, and it can certainly be found at the Brookside location, Wiland has stocked the midtown showroom with several fashion and couture options for shoppers.
e shop’s No. 1 fashion line is Gabriel and Co., featuring several of the biggest trends in jewelry including stacking necklaces, bracelets and rings.
J. David is now the exclusive carrier of the Tulsa-based Vintage Pearl brand, which is o ered at the Brookside location as well as Wiland’s Broken Arrow and south Tulsa locations. He loves that the line allows customers to personalize their item for a custom, one-ofa-kind piece of a ordable jewelry. tp
SHOP FAVORITES
Diamond stud earrings are a bestseller at J. David Jewelry. Starting at $200.
Stackable rings by Gabriel and Co. come in a variety of styles and combinations. Starting at $350.
Vahan bracelets are highly durable, making each piece suitable for everyday wear.
Kendra and Joel Wiland, owners of J. David Jewelry
COMING IN FEBRUARY 2025
The 40th edition of VISION TULSA
That’s a wrap
Janna Lemons is obsessed with Christmas. Her friend and business partner, Jessica Gross , finds wrapping gifts therapeutic and has a keen eye for holiday design. From their shared interests came their business, Put A Bow On It, a local service that helps clients with gift buying, wrapping and decorations during the holidays, as well as similar services year-round with corporate and personal gifting.
“There’s nothing better than a beautiful package under a tree,” Gross says. This time of year is busy for the duo as they work with clients to gift wrap according to chosen themes and styles inspired by the family’s aesthetics and favorite colors, a home’s design and knickknacks, or the owner’s personality. From their massive inventory of papers, bows, ribbons and flourishes, they can even create themes for each child or gift recipient. Both self-taught wrappers, Lemons says she learned a few tricks from her mom.
Vision Tulsa is an important economic development publication for the City of Tulsa and Tulsa Regional Chamber published annually by Langdon Publishing. 2023
Contact adservices@langdonpublishing.com for sponsor profile rates and details.
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The pair pick up the gifts from the client and deliver them back wrapped. “You’ll never see two gifts that look alike,” Lemons says. All of this fills a passion for each woman. “I love that you can take something basic and turn it into something beautiful,” Gross says.
“I get lost in it,” Lemons adds. “There’s so much chaos in daily life. At the end of the day I can forget about everything else. I get so excited to make a beautiful package.”
Find more information on Instagram @putabowonittulsa or email putabowonittulsa@yahoo.com.— ANNE BROCKMAN
Give the gift of a meal and a connection Join us in bringing warmth and kindness to Tulsa’s homebound seniors
Janna Lemons and Jessica Gross are the owners of Put A Bow On It, a local service that helps customers with gift wrapping and decor year-round.
Heart start
A young heart attack survivor advocates for early detection.
BY ABIGAIL SINGREY
For 30-year-old Ranae Goleman, a sharp pain in her back in August 2020 was the rst sign of trouble.
As the pain spread to her side and chest, she tried to manage the symptoms at home. But when breathing became di cult, she visited her primary care doctor, who ran tests but couldn’t pinpoint a cause. With an
Ranae Goleman suffered a heart attack at age 30 and now encourages others to advocate for themselves and early detection.
appointment to a pulmonologist scheduled for Feb. 10, 2021, Goleman resorted to sleeping in a recliner and using steam to ease her coughing and clear her lungs, but nothing seemed to help.
en, two days before her appointment, Goleman woke up in excruciating pain. Desperate for relief, she tried using ice
packs and went to work, determined to push through. But the pain and breathing di culties persisted.
“I was having a heart attack at work and just ignoring it,” she says.
After she started having dizzy spells, she nally went to the hospital. Testing revealed two of her three main arteries were completely closed o , and the third was 90% blocked. Goleman was rushed into an emergency triple bypass surgery at Oklahoma Heart Institute.
“I later found out that if I had waited 24 hours more, I would have been dead,” Goleman says. “Now I have a second chance at life to share my story and bring awareness of what I went through. If I can help save one other person, that will have been worth it.”
Her message is especially timely, as heart attacks tend to surge during the colder months. In fact, more people die from heart attacks in the nal week of December than at any other time of year, according to the American Heart Association.
One reason may be that people delay getting treatment, not wanting to miss holiday festivities by spending the time in the hospital or a doctor’s o ce. e holidays also frequently bring travel and changes in normal routines and diets, all of which can increase risk factors, AHA says. Winter weather also has been found to constrict arteries, amplifying already existing problems.
Goleman urges people of any age to get cardiac tests if they’re having health issues, as cardiac issues can often be misdiagnosed in young people. For Goleman, her doctors rst focused on the possibility of adultonset asthma, losing potentially valuable time. A primary care doctor can order a treadmill stress test, then additional testing such as a CT scan or MRI of the heart, if necessary. A primary care physician can help determine the right test for each person’s situation.
“It’s not going to hurt you to get checked out, and it might save your life,” Goleman says. “Just because you look healthy on the outside doesn’t mean you’re healthy on the inside.” tp
BEYOND CITY LIMITS
Holiday road
A festive weekend getaway is easily achievable with these 4 destinations.
BY RHYS MARTIN
When I was a kid, every Christmas we would drive through Rhema in Broken Arrow and look at the impressive light display. Our family still keeps that tradition going but we try to do something di erent every year, too. It feels like more than ever there are so many things to do in the region each holiday season … it’s hard to decide on where to go!
Wichita’s GLOBAL HOLIDAY MARKET was inspired by traditional markets in European cities like Vienna and Prague. More than two dozen cultures are represented at this Dec. 14 event in Naftzger Park, with unique wares and a variety of foods on
o er. Lots of Kansas makers set up shop, too, as a part of this festive patchwork of artisans. Other multicultural experiences like dance and music are featured throughout the daylong event, which is as much about celebrating unity as it is nding that perfect, unique gift. e park is in the heart of downtown Wichita, which makes it easy to build an entire weekend trip out of a drive to the Sun ower State.
Hallmark Christmas movies have become an annual tradition in many homes, but did you know there’s an entire HALLMARK CHRISTMAS EXPERIENCE not too far from Tulsa? Take a drive to Kansas City and check it out — it’s the rst year! Until Dec. 23, you can visit the Hallmark HQ to peruse an exclusive market, enjoy themed food and drinks, and even go ice skating! ere’s also a community mural project sponsored by Crayola so everyone can leave their mark on this one-of-akind experience. More activities, movie meet-and-greets and other events will be happening throughout the month; check out experiencehallmarkchristmas.com for the latest information.
A little closer to home, the town of Chickasha has a leg up on other Christmasthemed events thanks to local artist Noland James. A prototype lamp he made in art school caught the attention of a man who eventually became part of a Hollywood production team, who then made it forever famous by including it in the 1983 movie “A Christmas Story.” To celebrate this unique cultural contribution, Chickasha built a 50-FOOT-TALL LEG LAMP and makes it the centerpiece of its holiday festivities. Shannon Springs Park here also features an impressive Festival of Lights with more than 3.5 million twinkling lights on display!
Yukon’s CHRISTMAS IN THE PARK keeps growing every year and has brought people to Oklahoma from all across the country. A massive Christmas light display covers almost three miles, starting at Yukon City Park. Sel e stations are scattered along the way, including one with Czechers the Polar Bear! If you don’t feel like walking, there’s also the Santa Express tractor-pulled train. As you might have guessed from the bear, Yukon is proud of its Czech heritage. If you take a trip down on Dec. 7, you can also enjoy the annual Czech Christmas Market along with the rest of their holiday o erings. Get some trdelník (a sweet pastry with cinnamon and nuts) from a vendor — you won’t be disappointed! tp
Chickasha’s 50-foot-tall leg lamp, Wichita’s Global Holiday Market (inset, left), Yukon’s Christmas in the Park (inset, right)
For those who have had a bumpy year
BY CONNIE CRONLEY
Some years are like that, aren’t they?
Everything seems to go wrong and then even more bad luck hits.
Everyone else in the world is singing sea chanties and dancing the polka while you drag misery chained to your ankle. I saw a Halloween costume like that: a toy child attached to a woman’s ankle and dragging on the ground behind her like a toddler having a tantrum.
I’ve had a bumpy year, and I didn’t take it well. Some days I was King Lear shaking my sts at the thundering heavens. Other days I was Sarah Bernhardt, collapsed on a swooning sofa.
Occasionally, I was the psalmist crying out, “How long, O Lord, how long?”
Costuming for these di erent personas was challenging.
Not that I didn’t have cause. ere were the sad ones: my cat Isabelle died in February and in September my dog Bucky died. ere were the costly ones: car repair, tree removal, plumbing issues, appliance
replacement. ere were the tedious ones (computer hacks), the heavy ones (too many funerals) and the ghastly ones (rats living under the house).
Plus, the universal ones: catastrophic weather stories, politics like extreme atmospheric pressure and unspeakable world a airs. No wonder someone coined the term “exhausted majority.”
In my foul mood I began to rewrite cliches about positivity:
• If you step out into the world, the world will step forward to greet you. If you do not step out into the world, you can lie on the sofa and read. at’s nice, too.
• Never, ever give up. Never, ever give in.
But if you do give up or give in Overreact and make a great drama. At least you get that out of it.
• Ask yourself, will this matter a year from now?
Damn tootin’ it will.
One cranky day I decided a major cause of my aggravation was other people. e term “thoughts and prayers” gets a bad rap, but what annoying people need are intercessory prayers and I’m going to write them.
I’ve started a list:
• For those who don’t have the courage of their convictions
• For those who have no convictions
• For those who squander their talent (or youth or fortune)
• For those who do not say thank you
• For those who want someone else to do everything for them
• For those who do not listen
• For those who are not authentic
• For those who carry a smoldering grudge
• For those who do not subscribe to newspapers
• For those who never laugh
I don’t have any text for the prayers yet, just the titles. ese are to be intercessory prayers for lightweight o enses. For the big ones — mistreatment of animals, abuse of children, dishonesty, cruelty of any kind — I’m still hellbent on vengeance.
I once said I wished people came with labels — like hot dogs — so we would know what’s in them. My wish has come true. Social media does that for us. I know what people are when they trumpet their opinions in Facebook posts. en I realize (a) that one is ignorant and misguided and (b) this one is mean-spirited. Good information to have.
Facebook has been good for me this year because it’s helped me face some hard truths about myself. Here are some things I’ve learned:
• I’m not going to remember the many uses for vinegar.
• I’m never going to salvage, strip and re nish an old piece of furniture.
• I don’t care how many times Ben A eck and Jennifer Lopez get married and divorced.
I do believe in restorative creative e orts, however, so I put on a happy face and wrote a poem for myself:
ere was a lass from T-town
So often hit and knocked down
By the bumps and strife
Of everyday life
Ohpoorme was her pronoun.
As this bumpy year staggers to a close, I’m taking life one limerick at a time. tp
with top-of-theline amenities and state-of-the-art security. Enjoy access to shared spaces for hosting and entertaining on the 10th floor. $2,495,000
2111 E 26th Street | 5 Beds | 5 Full & 3 Half Baths | 6,326 sq.ft. | 2 Car Garage
This elegantly updated Utica Square home offers timeless charm and modern luxury. The stunning kitchen with Carrera marble and a wet bar flows into a family room overlooking a backyard oasis with a pool and outdoor kitchen. Inside, enjoy a paneled office, a first-floor guest suite, a luxurious master suite with dual walk-in closets, and a basement club room with a wet bar.$ 2,995,000
3121 S Rockford Drive | 5 Beds | 4.5 Baths | 5,653 sq.ft| 3 Car Garage
Seller offering $50,000 towards a rate buydown or decorating allowance. This custom Midtown home features a first-floor primary suite, office/guest room, and a theater/game room with a bar, plus new carpet, paint, and beautiful landscaping. A back gate provides convenient access to Zink Park. $1,275,000.
LauraBryant
a true oasis with a heated pool, spa, fire features, and a covered patio with a wood-burning fireplace, along with a fire pit, builtin grill/bar, and a dog run. Inside, enjoy an open Living Room with floor-to-ceiling windows, a chef’s Kitchen with a large quartz island, and a Primary Suite featuring vaulted ceilings and a spa-like Bath. $ 1,595,000
2200
Utica
Discover luxury living in one of Tulsa's most exclusive highrise buildings, located across from Utica Square. This elegant penthouse offers 1 bedroom, 1.5 baths, and boasts dramatic ceiling heights, abundant natural light, and stunning views of Cascia Hall and Utica Square. Enjoy 24-hour security, private garage parking, an
4416 S Orange Avenue | 5 Beds | 4 Full & 2 Half Baths |
5,228 sq.ft | 3 Car Garage
Welcome to this stunning Berwick Fairways home, featuring a grand entry, updated kitchen, and cozy family room with a fireplace. The primary suite offers hardwood floors and a redesigned closet, while the outdoor area boasts a pool, fire pit, and built-in grill. Additional features include a game room, theater, and whole-home water filtration system. $1,200,000
2617 E 40th Street | 3 Beds | 3.5 Baths | 3,912 sq. ft. |
2 Car Garage
Beautiful midtown home with completely new kitchen, updated primary bed and bath and amazing outdoor living space! 3 bed, 3.5 baths, 2 living, office and bonus room. Primary bed on first floor with two walk in closets, separate tub and shower as well as two toilet closets. Upstairs has two ensuite bedrooms with bonus room. Outdoor living has FP, refrigerator, grill, sink and large covered patio. $929,000.
a spacious chef's kitchen, open concept living, sunset views from the upstairs game room, and a deep covered outdoor living area with fireplace, all on a quiet tree-lined street near shopping, dining, and parks. $1,250,000
Luxury high-rise condo living in the heart of Downtown Tulsa, with only eight units remaining! Customize finishes and select views at The Davenport, which offers 29 units with top-of-the-line amenities and state-of-the-art security. Enjoy access to shared spaces for hosting and entertaining on the 10th floor. $995,000
3631 S Gary Pl | 4 Beds | 3 Baths | 2,384 sq. ft | 2 Car Garage
Welcome to this beautifully updated fourbedroom, three-bath home in the sought-after Ranch Acres neighborhood. Featuring an open kitchen, modernized bathrooms, and a spacious backyard, this home perfectly balances comfort and style in a prime location.
$485,000
Located in Highland Point at Stone Canyon, this 2019 transitional/modern home features an open-concept living area, a luxurious primary suite, a media room, and a large 1.15-acre lot with an outdoor kitchen. Neighborhood amenities include a resort-style pool, clubhouse, stocked lake, park, amphitheater, beach, fishing pier, and trails around the lake from the Patriot Golf Course. $990,000
landscaped lot. 4 bedroom home plus game room (or could be 5 bed). Office and primary bedroom suite down. Formal and informal dining options. Large updated kitchen. Nice laundry room and half bath down. Vaulted great room with wet bar. All bedrooms are generously sized and have walk in closets.
PENDiNG
PENDiNG
PENDiNG
LUXURY PROPERTY GROUP
Call any of the Luxury Property Group Realtors about one of these homes, or any property that you have an interest in. We will provide you with superior personal service with the highest integrity.
JENKS WEST
Unbelievable opportunity to own 5 acres near Jenks West Schools with a gated, hilltop home offering stunning views and a peaceful country feel. This spacious property features a formal living/dining area, a large master suite with a private study, and a walk-out basement game room leading to an inground pool. With multiple balconies, a new roof, fresh exterior paint, and convenient access to shopping and highways, this home is the perfect blend of tranquility and convenience. 833 W 91st Street S, Tulsa, OK 74132. $ 995,000
SIGNAL HILL
This newly renovated home sits on an acre (m/l) of land in gated Signal Hill. Beautiful finishes, new flooring, electric, plumbing, all surfaces and fixtures. Chef's kitchen with eating area and large Butler's pantry. Formals. Dog washing station. This home is spectacular with a 20+ car garage! 5011 E 84th Street. $1,850,000.
MIDTOWN
2 bed, 2 full bath brick house in Midtown. Beautiful hardwood floors, granite kitchen, inside laundry, master bedroom has ensuite bath. Sit outside on your wood deck and enjoy the backyard. Great location with close access to Utica Square, Highways, Grocery Store and Hospital. 2416 E 20th St. $325,000
SAPULPA
Fabulous cul-de-sac lot in Ashlane Estates! Ashlane is a newer luxury neighborhood near Hwy 75, Creek Expressway & just 15 minutes from Tulsa Hills shopping. Enjoy hilltop views, mature trees, a neighborhood pond with a fountain and the option to bring your own builder for your dream home! 13405 Laney Road. $79,900
TIM HAYES 918 -231-5637 thayes@mcgrawok.com
GORDON SHELTON 918- 697-2742 gshelton@mcgrawok.com
Twin Coves Resort on Grand Lake will not disappoint! This lake home offers three lovely bedrooms and two remodeled bathrooms, a living room with a wood burning fireplace, a Florida room with outrageous views of Grand Lake and all the way across the lake to the famous Shangrila, kitchen has granite and tons of storage, this mostly furnished home has over 1,200 s.f. of outdoor living space with trex decking, two patios and a covered front porch, when not outside enjoying the peace and quiet, head to a one-slip covered boat dock that holds a 28 foot boat, lift included. The home has a 4-year-old roof and has recently been painted. This lake home is turnkey and ready to be enjoyed at its finest! VRBO is not allowed. $499,000
MIDTOWN
A renovated 3 bedroom, 2.5 bath home in the heart of Midtown Tulsa! New roof over house and garage, new gas range, new heat and air on first floor, new hot water heater. Close to Utica Square, St John Hospital, and private schools! 2,593 sq ft. 2120 E 24th St. $660,000
CROSBIE HEIGHTS
Perfect view of Arkansas River and Riverpark's East Trail. Build the home of your dreams overlooking Charles Page Blvd. You can also build a multi-family dwelling! Very close to the vibe of Downtown Tulsa. W 7th Street. $95,000
WiSHiNG YOU A HAPPY HOLiDAY SEASON! GiVE ME A CALL iF YOU ARE LOOKiNG TO BUY OR SELL!
918-515-0306 | erojas@mcgrawrealtors.com
Stunning one owner home with great curb appeal. Full brick, custom built, large corner lot, 3 car
Stunning one owner home with great curb appeal. Full brick, custom built, large corner lot, 3 car garage. Beautiful hardwoods, open entry leads to formal dining or office, kitchen with island & garage. Beautiful hardwoods, open entry leads to formal dining office, kitchen with island & breakfast room. Living with fireplace. Primary connects to utility room for easy access. Spa like breakfast room. Living with fireplace. Primary connects to utility room for easy access. Spa like bathroom with tub and separate shower. 3 beds upstairs with open game room. Huge walk out attic. bathroom with tub and separate shower. 3 beds upstairs with open game room. Huge walk out attic. Large outdoor shed. Full privacy fence. upgraded insulation. New fence, storm shelter installed 2018. Large outdoor shed. Full privacy fence. upgraded insulation. New fence, storm shelter installed 2018.
DiSCOVERYLAND RANCH
DiSCOVERYLAND RANCH
19501 WEST 41ST ST | SAND SPRiNGS, OK 74063
Event Venue (seats approximately 200-250)
Amphitheater (seats approximately 1,500+)
Guest House (4 bedrooms, 3.5 bathrooms)
Shop & Storage Building
$ 4,500,000
Gazebo & Pavilion
Special Usage Permit
Parking Capacity = 840 Spaces
21 Acres
BIG NEWS!
We are proud to share that Langdon Publishing recently received nine honors in the 2024 Society of Professional Journalists Oklahoma Pro chapter awards. We are proud of these awards (pictured here) which reflect TulsaPeople’s journalistic excellence and quality. We congratulate our skilled and talented team and contributors!
FIRST PLACE OUTSTANDING MAGAZINE
FIRST PLACE BEST PR PUBLICATION
FIRST PLACE
OUTSTANDING MAGAZINE ILLUSTRATION/GRAPHIC
Ashley Guerrero
SECOND PLACE
OUTSTANDING MAGAZINE PHOTOGRAPHY
Greg Bollinger
SECOND PLACE
OUTSTANDING MAGAZINE COVER
Madeline Crawford and Michelle Pollard
SECOND PLACE
OUTSTANDING MAGAZINE PAGE DESIGN
Madeline Crawford
SECOND PLACE
OUTSTANDING MAGAZINE STORY
Tim Landes
THIRD PLACE
OUTSTANDING COLUMN/COMMENTARY
Connie Cronley
THIRD PLACE
OUTSTANDING MAGAZINE PHOTOGRAPHY
Greg Bollinger
PHOTO BY CHUCK FOXEN
from top
Jay Ferguson by Richard Galbraith; Iggy Pop by Richard Galbraith; Chappell Roan by Phil Clarkin; Johnny Mullenax by Tim Landes; Paul Cauthen by Phil Clarkin; Jack White by Greg Bollinger; Pat Benatar by Richard Galbraith; Shakey Graves by Greg Bollinger
A TULSAPEOPLE SPECIAL EXHIBITION PRESENTED BY TULSA FMAC AND OKPOP MUSEUM WITH SUPPORT FROM APERTURES PHOTO AND ZIEGLER ART & FRAME
Capturing Cain’s History
RICHARD GALBRAITH’S HISTORIC PHOTO OF STING.
DECEMBER 10-15, 2024
Open until 8 p.m. before Cain’s concerts OKPOP Museum
422 N. Main St.
ONE MORE SONG!
It’s the distinct loud thumping sound of more than 3,000 feet on the springless, yet springy hardwood oor before the headlining act returns to the stage for an encore.
It’s the unforgettable moments like Phoenix’s omas Marrs hanging from the rafters during an Edge Christmas Bash. Or a midnight kiss as Colter Wall plays a sold-out crowd into a new year. Or when Jack White made his debut as a member of Dead Weather, and he too became seduced by the historic venue and returned and returned again, including a surprise pop-up show this year (on my birthday!).
It’s saying you survived a rock ‘n’ roll show inside a building with no AC that had been sitting in 110-degree heat all day.
It’s the fact you got to see the Black Keys with only a few hundred other people and Dr. Dog open for them a few years before they’d become a headliner.
It’s standing under the neon sign as the bulbs light up and go out trying to capture the moment with friends as a friendly concertgoer snaps the pic for you.
It’s where you make friends standing in line to get in, standing near the stage waiting for the opener to start and standing in line for a beer (which used to come in six packs for $12).
It’s the place the bands love to play and the fans love to see them.
It’s where favorite acts like Jason Isbell, Gary Clark Jr. and Wilco play multiple nights in a row and sell them out.
It’s where Horton Records serves up chili and tunes each November.
It can be red dirt, indie, hip-hop, country, rock ‘n’ roll, bluegrass or heavy metal, and it’s always a great time when you are surrounded by 1,699 fellow fans.
As you can tell, I love Cain’s Ballroom.
It meant the world to me that I could tell all of the Rodgers family this when I sat down with them in the side room to begin the process of writing our 2023 Tulsan of the Year story (an excerpt is included in these pages). A big reason I’ve called Tulsa home for nearly two decades is Cain’s Ballroom. ere are so many reasons why we all love Cain’s Ballroom. I’m most grateful for the fact I can keep going to shows and hearing new music mixed with old favorites. New memories and new reasons to love the timeless honky tonk. ank you to Alice, Chad, Hunter and the late Doc Roc Jim Rodgers for doing all you’ve done to make Cain’s what it is and ensuring it will continue to be the greatest live music venue for decades to come.
Enjoy this collection of stories and images looking back at just a few of the many memorable moments that have occurred at 423 N. Main St. We couldn’t possibly capture them all. Plus there are a lot more to come.
Happy 100 to the best venue in America!
See y’all in line soon.
TIM LANDES FEATURES EDITOR
Jack White plays Cain’s Ballroom Nov. 12, 2024
Phoenix performs during the 2017 Edge Christmas Concert
‘We could see the history reawakening’
Music has been a large part of my life since I was in elementary school, but buying Cain’s was a jump into another world.
Growing up in Kirkwood, Missouri, a suburb of St. Louis, I remember watching “American Bandstand” and “Soul Train,” and I had an older brother, so music was always on. I bought 45s and danced in my bedroom. Mitch Ryder and the Detroit Wheels’ “Devil with the Blue Dress On” was my favorite. roughout the years, my music tastes have ranged from Broadway, Peter Paul and Mary, the Beach Boys, Eva Cassidy and Stevie Wonder to Led Zeppelin, Rolling Stones, Guns and Roses, and Lenny Kravitz, but I had never heard of country or Western swing music.
I graduated from the University of Tulsa and lived in Oklahoma City and Muskogee before moving to Tulsa with my former husband, Jim Rodgers. After our oldest son, Chad, took a chance on running the Hardwood, a sports bar near TU, we decided to expand our “experience” into a music venue. We were ready to sign on another space when we saw that Cain’s was for sale. It was a real punch in the gut walking in the front doors and being met by dripping dropped ceilings, buckets under leaks, a horrible stench, no AC and cigarette smoke. Undeterred, we continued forward with no idea of what we were undertaking, or the signi cance of what we were doing. Our intention was to make some renovations and open to the public as quickly as possible. Music!!! But that was not to be. As we learned more about what this nondescript building once was, it became clear that it would take more than just “some” renovations to restore the venue. Everything was important now, and architectural plans, restoration and renovations were much more important. e original bouncy pine oor (80 years old when we bought the building in 2002) in the “log cabin” design, stage and curtains, equipment, photographs, sconces, disco ball and star, bar, entry etc. — all needed to be addressed. Tulsans and the national and local preservationists were afraid we were just going to gut the place. Opening quickly was not going to happen. But we could see the history reawakening.
e work has never stopped since we took over ownership over two decades ago. ere have been many challenges and many unforgettable great moments. Now here we are celebrating 100 years of Cain’s Ballroom. Chad and Hunter have done an outstanding job bringing so much great music to Tulsa and keeping the spirit of what Bob Wills started alive and well.
ere are more memories to be made.
Enjoy the shows!
ALICE RODGERS OWNER
“Every time Wilco plays at Cain’s I nd myself on stage thinking about how lucky we all are that we get to stand on stage alongside the ghosts of Bob Wills and Sid Vicious. A national treasure that is beyond being frozen in an amber museum, it remains a vibrant part of our culture facilitating great shows by new bands and artists. Cain’s is still doing what it was designed to do, better than anywhere else.”
“Cain’s Ballroom is the heartbeat of Tulsa’s music scene. It’s not just a venue but a guardian of our unique musical heritage, breathing life into our local tourism and magical essence.
Cain’s is where the past and the present collide, making every show a piece of living, breathing music history. The Church Studio would not be what it is today without its faithful companion, Cain’s Ballroom.”
— Asher Patel ’24 Holland Hall has let me do it all: cross country and the play and Student Council. There’s mutual trust with students and faculty. My time management skills will help me to succeed in college.
Where the music lives
Throughout history, music has had a way of helping people come together, highlighting the cultural language that is resonating at the time and nding a way to fuse our many layers of life experience and background together in shared celebration and connection. Music has this amazing power, and the experience of live music elevates this core attribute to its more visceral, its most vibrant. Oklahoma has had a special place in the cultural landscape of America, placed at a crossroads of the Mother Road — Route 66 — and the deep roots of grit and pioneer spirit, which birthed many native creators. ese creators helped to de ne our local landscape, from Bob Wills who adopted Tulsa as his home, to our landmark western poets like Woody Guthrie who re ected a changing time and the search for identity against the backdrop of the Great Depression.
Places for music matter, and for our little piece of red-dirt America, no place has helped gather and celebrate our local roots and the road warriors passing through to sell their wares more than the dusty dance hall called Cain’s Ballroom.
For a state barely a century old, it is di cult to nd any four walls that have stood strong throughout that time, but Cain’s Ballroom has done just that. In the early days of birth it evolved from a dance hall for the emerging Western swing, merging the big band era with the cultural textures of Western American country music, born from the dusty strings of rural America. As a gathering place for live music and the dominating format of radio broadcast, it became a destination for the dancehall craze, and for legends in the making. I heard rst-hand the tale from iconic guitar player and inventor Les Paul of his personal quest to Cain’s Ballroom to witness Mr. Wills in the esh, as Les sought to carve out his place as a guitar player in his own right. On this fateful night Les hit black ice on the highway and found himself severely injured risking his ability to ever play guitar again. Articulating his passion for the craft, Les famously had the doctor set his arm at a 45-degree angle, so even with limited mobility from that point forward, he ensured he could still play his beloved guitar. Much like Cain’s Ballroom, Les de ned the idea that the music nds a way to survive.
Into the mid-century and through the ’60s and ’70s, Tulsa was de ned by new locally rooted icons like Leon Russell, JJ Cale
and Bread, as well as guests like the storied Sex Pistols st ght with the backstage wall and the new generation of “Tulsa Sound” in uenced artists like Bob Dylan. As the decades stacked, the “road-warriors’ living room” reputation of Cain’s Ballroom was established, making it a mark of achievement for any touring musician worth their salt to know its vaunted four walls. At some point the sheer act of survival builds prestige, but survival is not to be underestimated, it is an act of will and of de ance against the forces of downturn — a high-water mark which speaks to the intrinsic value of standing in the wake of changing times.
From legendary bandleaders like Paul Sha er, to indie darlings Wilco, blues prodigy Jonny Lang, to Tulsa treasure, guitarist, inventor and recording engineer (and longtime owner of the Church Studio) Steve Ripley, they all have a connection to Cain’s. As I set out to build a career in music whether across the oceans in Europe, south to Latin America or to the far coasts of the States, if we were talking to people about Tulsa, we were talking about Cain’s Ballroom.
Cain’s is always a thread, remembered because it feels like it was made for music. e room, in all its imperfection, low stage rigging and steel beams spanning the wooden arched ceiling sets the stage for a good time. Few rooms left in the country approaching 2,000 guests are simply an open at oor, wide enough to evolve quickly from an open Western dance hall, to a seated intimate acoustic set, to a raucous mosh pit of indie punk rockers. Each style and human gathering feel equally at home in the Ballroom.
Into the ’80s, ’90s, 2000s and beyond, Cain’s just keeps outlasting the years. Wonderful new ownership by the Rodgers family and their Doc Roc Productions breathed new life into the building, and in the growing season of casinos and mobile distractions, the room on Main Street thrives.
I am 41 years old, and after performing music and touring for 32 years, I have played more concerts at Cain’s than any other venue in the world. I know it well, both on stage and o .
My 18th birthday was spent at Cain’s Ballroom seeing Willie Nelson. Seeing Willie there was something special — you could feel it in the room and he was the epitome of the touring artist, playing two back-to-back nights at one of his favorite venues.
e room was lled with every type of person, old and young, country fans, Americana fans, punk rockers and musos — this is the magic of Willie Nelson, and it occurs to me that is a great metaphor for Cain’s Ballroom. It has its origins in country music and American roots, with the style and location and background, but its intrinsic authenticity, welcome to all who come to its doors, and the special moments created there are what make a place (or an artist) into a treasure. at night, after the show we were invited back to say hello to Willie. Welcomed on to the bus, parked just behind the loading doors I am now very familiar with (parking my own tour bus), we entered the lounge of the king of the road. e smoke quite literally was in the air, his well-known love of cannabis, the Western-styled wood paneling and warm stain made the room feel like a mobile saloon as much as a tour bus — it was perfection. With his signature warmth, Willie welcomed us on to the bus and shared a smile for a photo. He generously o ered me a smoke, but I turned him down thinking of the example I might set (oh how Oklahoma times have changed!), but I thanked him. I stood in the lounge of the bus with the legend, and thought to myself, this is the sanctuary that makes the mobile life possible. Even with a moving rodeo, the cowboy nds a home.
Musicians and creators are a strange breed. We live for the creation and the high, we depend on the adoration of the local music fan in every new place. We love every place we get to visit, but get itchy feet if we stay too long. Something inside of the music knows it has to keep being shared, and if you want to come back to the sound or resounding applause you have to leave rst.
e music can’t be contained, but the best places have an identity and a part of this riotous substance. Great cultural places become a part of the story, they become a sanctuary. e good ones do what the music itself does — they welcome everyone who crosses their path, and they evolve to carry a di erent meaning for each of their guests. ey are the Rebel, and the Ambassador.
We need to celebrate the things that bring us together, more than the things that divide us. We need to have places which remind us where we came from and where we hope to go in the future. We need places like Cain’s Ballroom, 100 years and counting, Where e Music Lives.
“I don’t really know what to say about Cain’s Ballroom that hasn’t already been said. What I would say is the magic behind the magic has always been the people that own, manage and run Cain’s Ballroom. It would not be what it is in the ‘modern era’ without Larry Shae er and the Rodgers family, under the guidance of Hunter and Chad, and the entire sta . When the doors open and the lights go on and a band takes the stage, the magic of that space comes alive. But, what people don’t see are the countless hours spent by Cain’s Ballroom sta and the extended support team before the show and after the show to make those few hours onstage magical. That work usually isn’t glamorous, it can be tedious and sometimes it’s even contentious. But, at the end of the day, that work is essential and rewarding, enabling the magic of Cain’s Ballroom to touch people around the world. Horton Records feels fortunate to have the opportunity to work with the Cain’s Ballroom team and provide opportunities to Oklahoma artists to experience the magic of that stage. Congratulations on 100 years and all the best for the next 100!”
Hanson plays at Cain’s Ballroom in October 2021.
Johnny Mullenax performs at Horton Records’ annual Rock-N-Folk-N Chili Cooko in 2023. Horton Records, a local nonprofit record label, has hosted the cooko for the past 11 years. The event features numerous local bands on stage while restaurants compete in the chili cooko .
How Bob Wills made Cain’s Ballroom famous
BY MICHAEL OVERALL
Live from the KVOO studio, a special broadcast started at 3 o’clock in the morning on Dec. 1, 1934, with Bob Wills and His Texas Playboys taking requests from a sleepy nationwide audience. e response, despite the late hour, quickly overwhelmed telephone switchboards, forcing Southwestern Bell to divert local calls to handle the ood of long-distance callers.
It’s hard to overstate Bob Wills’ popularity in the mid1930s. But when his Texas Playboys rst came to Tulsa in February 1933, the cash-strapped band members all had to share a one-bedroom apartment. Wills nonetheless agreed to pay $10,000 a year to buy 30 minutes of daily air time on KVOO, Tulsa’s most popular radio station at the time. e arrangement created a grueling schedule for Wills as the he continued touring across Oklahoma and nearby states, always rushing back to Tulsa between gigs for his daily radio show at 12:30 p.m. He once complained he had slept only six hours in three days. But the show made him hugely popular. When the live audience outgrew KVOO’s studio, Wills moved the daily broadcast to the Cain’s Ballroom in 1935, and his fame rubbed o on the venue.
Cain’s became known nationwide as “the home of Bob Wills and His Texas Playboys.”
At one show in March 1937, the Tulsa Tribune counted fans from as far away as Claude, Texas; Spring eld, Missouri; and East St. Louis.
e daily broadcasts ended in 1942, when Wills moved to California to pursue a movie career. He died May 13, 1975, at age 70.
“We
Cain’s
- Tim and Ashley Jackson
In the 1930s, Cain’s Dance Academy hosted dances and weekly performances by Bob Wills and the Texas Playboys. This longstanding gig is what earned the dance hall the moniker “The House That Bob Built” and “The Carnegie Hall of Western Swing.” The site joined the National Register of Historic Places on Sept. 4, 2003.
Proud supporter of
CAIN’S BALLROOM and Tulsa live music
The moments that changed Larry Shae er’s life and that of Cain’s Ballroom’s
BY TIM LANDES
It was meant to be. It had to be.
Of course nobody would have expected a farm boy growing up outside of Tulsa o a rural road called Coyote Trail would someday bring the wild raucous rockers Sex Pistols to town. en there was e Ramones and a very young band called Van Halen, plus teens from Ireland known as U2 and a group of young LA rockers known as Metallica. ose were all many years away, but there were signs along the way that it was always meant to be that Larry Shae er would own Cain’s Ballroom.
Little Larry would rise out of bed to help with the cows and horses. ere was a tractor to be ridden, but rst there was music to be heard.
“I recall in those days always hearing a radio because my mother was very much a music fan, so I started hearing it at about six o’clock in the morning every day. Music was ingrained in me,” he says.
On Saturday nights in little Larry’s house, his parents would host card games with their extended family. ere were always fresh baked cookies and lots of talk
about how great Bob Wills was when he played Cain’s.
“I heard about how Cain’s Ballroom is the best place to hear music, and Bob Wills and the Texas Playboys were a religion. at was ingrained in me, too,” says the 75-yearold as he sits at his desk, gold records and old concert posters surrounding him on his o ce walls.
One Saturday a month was reserved for going to town and doing the shopping. He and his mom were walking downtown as they approached the long-lost Cimarron Ballroom.
“O in the distance I saw this tall guy walk out the alley. It was maybe noonish, and he had rhinestones all over his jacket and down the sides of his pants. When the sun hit those rhinestones, it looked like a laser show. I asked my mom ‘Who’s that?!’ and she said ‘Well, that’s Leon McAuli e.’ It was ‘Take it away, Leon!’ at’s my rst impression of starting to get the fever.”
In 1958 he started taking steel guitar lessons from Dick Gordon. en there was an obsession with e Ventures that led to e Beach Boys until mop-top Brits e Beatles
made their American television debut in 1964, which led to Shae er and a group of high schoolers forming a band called e Undertakers the following morning. en there was his band Gyspy Fat that toured regionally.
On June 7, 1970, Shae er entered Tulsa’s Assembly Center Arena to watch Jimi Hendrix play guitar a few months before his untimely death. How life changing was that experience? It made Shae er realize “I’m really just a damn common guitar player” who needed to do something di erent with his life.
Shae er joined the Army and was out a year later, bailing hay in Pawnee County. “I literally had no direction except drinking booze and dropping a little acid here and there. A good lifestyle,” he says as he laughs.
en came a phone call from Gene Crownover, who led the house band at Cain’s Ballroom, then owned by Marie Myers. “She was very sentimental about Cain’s. She just really wanted to relive those glory days of Bob Wills, but Tulsa had moved south by then and Cain’s was caught on the wrong side of the tracks. She was failing miserably,” Shae er says.
Crownover was looking for a steel guitar player and had heard Shae er “could play fairly well.” “ at was just questionable, so I tried to talk him out of it,” he says. Crownover convinced him to come to Cain’s and audition. It would be the Shae er’s rst time to enter the building.
“It was on a Saturday afternoon, and when I went through those double doors into the ballroom, it a ected me immediately, like ‘What the hell is happening here?!’” he says. “It gave me a little chill up the back of my neck. I got up and I played half of one song with Crownover, and he stopped me and says, ‘You’re right. You’re not good enough to play.’ Of course I had no idea I would buy the building ve years later.”
Not long after the failed audition Shae er reconnected with old classmate David Miller, who had been playing music in Lubbock, Texas, which led to Shae er being connected with promoter Howard Ragland, who needed someone in Tulsa to help him promote his traveling Beatles documentary. Ragland instructed Shae er to go to the airport and pick up the yers, posters and tickets and get to work. “ at was my rst paid gig,” he says. “I made $50, and I’m in show business.”
It was the summer of 1971 and 105 degrees as Shae er was walking through the hay eld lost in thought about how he had to start his own promotion company
Larry Shae er in his Little Wing Productions o ce in Sand Springs.
DALLAS NIKEL, GENERAL MANAGER
CHRIS NIKEL, FOUNDER
TINA NIKEL, VICE PRESIDENT
MITCH NIKEL, FIXED OPS DIRECTOR
because he had to be in the music business. He believed he wasn’t a good enough musician to make it big, but he saw an opportunity to do something like Ragland did. He pulled together all the dollars and coins he had to start Little Wing Productions named after a favorite Hendrix song.
“I worked out of a little barber shop up in Prattville, Oklahoma. It was a six-seater with a payphone outside on the sidewalk,” he says. “I had the last seat in the line of barber chairs with a shower curtain hanging between number ve and six chairs.”
He’d rack his brain on what bands he should bring to town, then plug in quarters, dimes and nickels into the payphone as he called agents in New York and Los Angeles. Most never returned his call. Many coins were spent.
“I nally got an agent in New York to talk to me — Bill Elson. I told him what I wanted to do, and I had no experience even though I fudged a ton of ad hoc projects,” Shae er says. “He nally said, ‘I got an act that I can give you. I’ll sell you Black Oak Arkansas.’ I’d heard of them. Wasn’t exactly my favorite act, but it was someone who nally o ered me to buy a show.”
He littered the Tulsa State Fair with concert yers. “Walking the Midway all hours of the fair, because in those days, you could pretty much spot who was a music person. ey smelled like patchouli, wore leather fringe jackets and they had long hair.”
Come the day of the show at what was then the Tulsa Municipal eater (now
Tulsa eater), Shae er, also a parking attendant at the time to help pay the bills, was parking cars at a downtown lot till 11:30 a.m. and decided it was time to quit that gig for good. He had taken out a $3,500 bank loan (his 1950 Harley Davidson and ’65 Volkswagen as collateral) to pay for the concert. It sold out. He pocketed $5,000 and was on his way. ere was a Merle Haggard show. en there was Blue Oyster Cult and Foghat.
In late 1975, Elson called Shae er again and had an o er. e young guitarist Peter Frampton was about to release an album that would be a big deal. Elson wanted to know if Shae er knew of a place in Tulsa that could hold at least 20,000 fans for a tour stop in June 1976. Shae er said the old stock car track (now Fair Meadows) could handle it. He was on the hook for a Frampton Comes Alive show that included Carlos Santana, Gary Wright and Natural Gas on the bill. en came a call Cain’s Ballroom was on the market. e 27-year-old once again pulled together all the coins and bills he had to put down $3,000 earnest money on the $60,000 sale price with a short deadline to pay the rest.
“I just happened to sell 32,000 tickets for that (Frampton) show, and I had a big chunk of money just in time to run over and close the deal on Cain’s. It was such a close deal,” he says. “ at’s how I got Cain’s. I didn’t know what I was going to do with it, but I now owned it.”
In the ensuing years, Shae er would take his knowledge of promoting rock ‘n’ roll acts and bring them into the ballroom. He’d work with the agents and book their up-and-coming acts at Cain’s, while booking the agency’s bigger acts in bigger venues throughout the region.
“I paid Van Halen I think $1,500,” Shae er says. “I paid Bon Jovi $500. I paid Sex Pistols $500. ey went broke on the road, and I had to cough up another $500.” Shae er worked with some of the biggest names in music, had more money than he could imagine, lived the excessive rock ‘n’ roll lifestyle and by the end of the 1990s was broke and forced to sell Cain’s Ballroom. Over two decades later and over 50 years in the business, Little Wing Productions continues on. Shae er continues to use the same Rolodex he did when he started. Some of the numbers no longer work, but some still do.
“I’ve run out of money and been near bankruptcy many times since then,” Shae er says as he chews on a cigar. “I tell people my whole 53 years in this business, I’ve been one foot ahead of the wolf chasing me. It’s still that way, but maybe I like it that way. I was never really into how rich I could get. I just had to keep going even up to this minute. It was just money meant the ability to do more. And that’s what it is.” Read a Q&A and watch a video with Shaeffer about his Cain’s years at TulsaPeople.com.
Larry Shae er in the early years of owning Cain’s Ballroom. He continues to use the same Rolodex containing five decades of talent managers, agents and artist contact info.
Vintage artwork from Shae er’s collection of Cain’s memorabilia
CONTINUED FROM P. 74
You can’t celebrate 50+ years of KMOD without Cain’s Ballroom!
KMOD is honored to celebrate 100 years of Cain’s!
Hey Cain’s, you rock!
My favorite photos: Richard Galbraith
BY RICHARD GALBRAITH AND TIM LANDES
Richard Galbraith has always loved live music. Growing up in Enid, where he still resides, Galbraith often had to travel to see bands. As soon as he’d get o work, he’d drive or catch a ride by hitchhiking the times he didn’t have his own car. Often in the 1970s and 1980s, the destination was Cain’s Ballroom to see the hottest rockers in music along with some of the upand-comers. He’d carry his trusty Minolta SRT 101 (then the 102) along with a Vivatar 70-210 millimeter lens and either a 35 millimeter or 50 millimeter lens. Most the time it was black and white lm.
Galbraith captured some of the biggest moments in Cain’s history as a fan. He befriended then Cain’s owner Larry Shae er, who would often give Galbraith tickets for the shows in exchange for photos.
We asked Galbraith to choose some favorite images from those legendary nights at
2. Sex Pistols “That morning we drove over from Enid so we were in the o ce before the band arrived — I think they got there around 10 or 11. We hung out in the o ce and the band were fairly quiet during that time. We really didn’t know what to expect. That evening we met photographer Bob Gruen before the show and shared a few drinks. There was a bomb threat at one point and a bail of hay sent as a joke, I guess. Tulsa band Bliss opened the show, being the only date on the tour to have an opening band. I think Annie Leibovitz was on my right during the show, there must have been a pro photographer from every music magazine there. During the show Sid (Vicious) (pictured) was jumping around and hit a security guard in the back of the head, after the song Sid bent over and told the security guard that he was sorry and had not meant to hit him. Kind of the reason I chose a picture of Sid, despite all the bad press there was also a good side to him.”
and then a
Cain’s Ballroom.
3. The Police “I was more of a rock person but this was another show I was happy that a friend wanted to come see. The Police played two shows at Cain’s that we came to
third date was canceled (along with the rest of the tour). I guess Sting is the most famous of the band so I decided to include him here.”
1. Joe Cocker “I always felt it was an honor to see someone that had played Woodstock in front of so many people, so getting to snap pictures of Joe Cocker just feet away was almost surreal. I can still remember the overhead blowers blowing cool air.”
5 6 7
4. Van Halen “I very seldom made my way into soundchecks but after taking several o ce shots of the band members clowning around I decided to take a chance and follow the band into the main Ballroom area for soundcheck and I felt fortunate to have been able to get several images of the band.”
5. “I was able to capture a few shots of Eddie and Alex Van Halen clowning around with one of Larry’s cardboard guitars. It’s one of my favorite images of the brothers.”
6. Metallica “This is from a 1985 show at Cain’s with Armored Saint after WASP had left the tour. I found it hard to pick a photo but decided to show Cli (Burton). The band went outside, and they were looking at my wife’s 1960 Rambler Station Wagon. Looking back I wish I had asked to take some pictures of them by it. In 1986 while on a visit to LA to see a friend, we ran by the Rainbow as the band was coming out and Cli had held the door for us. I wish I had asked if they remembered Cain’s. They were opening for Ozzy (Osbourne) that night. I think it was a few months later that Cli was killed in the bus accident.”
7. Leslie West “This was one of the first shows I did at Cain’s after meeting Larry in 1975. I had driven by on the highway going though Tulsa and always thought it had something to do with Cain’s Co ee. But getting to take pictures of Leslie West was an honor getting to see someone from the Woodstock era.”
JANUARY 2023
This was first published on Jan. 11, 2023 on TulsaPeople.com in honor of the 45th anniversary of the legendary Jan. 11, 1978 Sex Pistols concert at Cain’s Ballroom.
The Sex Pistols at Cain’s
Q&A with photographer Roberta Bayley and writer John Holmstrom as they reflect on a special night in Tulsa.
BY TIM LANDES
It was 45 years ago Wednesday (Jan. 11) that Roberta Bayley made her rst and only visit to Tulsa as part of the traveling circus that was the seven-date Sex Pistols American tour.
Bayley was on assignment for Punk magazine along with founder/reporter John Holmstrom. She had joined the tour a few days earlier in Texas. At shows in San Antonio and Dallas, the photographer stood toward the back of the room to steer clear of the violence occurring near the stage, where photographers typically did their work. at changed when she got to Cain’s.
“ e best thing about Tulsa is it was the rst show where Roberta Bayley could take pictures of the band live,” Holmstrom says. “It was the best photo op for the photographers because back then a place like Randy’s Rodeo (in San Antonio), you’re taking your life in your hands getting near the stage because people were really violent.”
Bayley is best known for her photos of the New York punk scene as it exploded in popularity. She started documenting the scene while working the door at the legendary CBGB. Bayley shot the iconic black-and-white Ramones self-titled debut album cover and took extensive photos of Blondie and lead singer Debbie Harry She did it all in a decade from 1976-1986 before moving on to new adventures.
Bayley and Holmstrom took part in Q&As to commemorate the anniversary.
It’s been 45 years since you spent an evening in Cain’s Ballroom for a show that has become very much a local legend. What do you remember of that night?
ROBERTA BAYLEY: It was snowing or lightly snowing. ere were all these Jesus freaks outside picketing. ey had these Xerox pages saying, you know, Jesus will su er if you go to see this band, or you’ll go to Hell, one of those types of things.
Let me see because I got this magazine out. It was:
“No future for you so says Johnny Rotten and it’s not all lies. Punk rock exposes the joke of man trying to save himself from the curse. e soul that sins will surely die so says God, and he can’t lie.”
I didn’t realize it was rhyming. (Laughs) ey weren’t having a big e ect, but they were outside the show, which we hadn’t seen before.
I remember that being a pretty good show because for photography I judged a lot by whether I could take pictures easily. Some of the gigs were easier than others. I think I got a lot of good pictures at Tulsa because I could get up closer to the stage. It wasn’t so packed. at’s when my pictures are better unlike at Randy’s Rodeo. I didn’t want to go to the front at all. I thought I would die. So I didn’t get close to the stage at all. It was really packed and that’s the show that there were people throwing beer cans and you know, a lot of rednecks and kind of antipunk people because it was Texas.
It’s always hard in a club to shoot if people really crowd the stage and maybe they weren’t crowding toward the stage that much. ere was no photo pit or anything like that. I think I got some good shots at that one. I shot a lot of pictures there.
O the top of your head what comes to mind when I mention that show?
JOHN HOLMSTROM: It is the show where we have the Jesus freaks outside warning me I’m gonna go to Hell if I step into Cain’s Ballroom. We published the famous yer that they had (in Punk No. 14).
e show was uneventful. It was really the mellowest on the entire tour. e crowd was bored. It was the only show I was at where people got bored and left. It was also the only show where everybody
was kind of dressed in that hippie out t with the are jeans and you know, the faded blue denim all that stu and the annel shirt.
e Pistols were at their best with a crowd that either loved them or hated them, and in Dallas and San Antonio they put on that kind of show. Baton Rouge was pretty good. Memphis was weird because they were delayed for like ve hours. And of course Winterland (the nal show venue in San Francisco) was a disaster.
e best thing about Tulsa is it was the rst show where (Punk photographer) Roberta Bayley could take pictures of the band live. It was the best photo op for the photographers because back then a place like Randy’s Rodeo (in San Antonio), you’re taking your life in your hands getting near the stage because people were really violent. ere’s a photo from Dallas, which was the show before this. It was where the roadies were beating the crap out of the people in the front. I felt in danger at times from the security for the Sex Pistols. I really felt threatened because you had Altamont happening 10 years before, but that was kind of what was happening in rock ‘n’ roll. at kind of started a whole thing where security started getting out of control until Dead Heads getting the shit knocked out of them and killed by security in New Jersey. I mean, really bad stu .
I don’t think I was able to buy a beer there (at Cain’s).
That was the only time you’ve been to Cain’s?
HOLMSTROM: I’m a cartoonist. I work from home. at was the only rock ‘n’ roll tour I’ve ever been on. I didn’t have the money. Journalists don’t usually.
Some things have changed at Cain’s, but a lot hasn’t. There are still the country portraits on the walls of the venue.
HOLMSTROM: Oh really? I’m so curious. I love that. I always tell people how strange that was. What a contrast! ere’s Roy Rogers. Well, Johnny Rotten is on stage. I’ve mentioned this to music people, and they say, “Wow, Cain’s Ballroom! at’s such a great place to play!” I hear this from metal bands and other musicians.
The Sex Pistols perform inside Cain's Ballroom on Jan. 11, 1978. It was the sixth of seven U.S. tour dates before the band broke up.
Sid Vicious performs inside Cain's Ballroom. After the show he'd punch a hole in the wall that can still be seen today.
ITHE ICONIC SHIRT AND SPECIAL MERCH
BY JULIE WENGER WATSON
f you’re from Tulsa, chances are you recognize that classic logo. The circle with the word “Cain’s” in a cursive font and a star dotting the letter “i” is a brilliant bit of branding that’s both timeless and contemporary in its simplicity.
While its origin is lost to history, the logo is ubiquitous. You might even own your own tee or hoodie. Musicians Jason Isbell and Chrissie Hynde do, along with countless fans inside and outside the state.
As part of its centennial year celebration, Cain’s has teamed up with TGI Promo, a Tulsabased promotional company with nationwide sales, to create some unique merchandise honoring the venue’s history and its significant anniversary. While there are still plenty of shirts, sweatshirts, hats and patches bearing the classic logo to choose from, there is also a full line of centennial merch.
The 100 Year Collection includes an array of clothing adorned with a special centennial logo featuring an electric guitar, a psychedelic silicone pint cup and metallic stickers. There are also tanks and tees with an eye-catching Scissor-tailed Flycatcher logo depicting Oklahoma’s state bird perched atop the classic “Cain’s” script.
For fans who like to wear history, the new “Playboy” tee is inspired by a vintage postcard from the venue’s archives, while the “Easton & Main” collage design is a nod to the storied venue and one of its favorite musical acts, the Turnpike Troubadours.
Whatever your style, if you’re a fan of Tulsa’s Timeless Honky Tonk, there’s never been an easier time to represent. Check out the entire line at cains-ballroom.tgipromo.com. Some items are available for a limited time at Meadow Gold Mack, 1306 E. 11th St., Suite A and B.
Jason Isbell, right, can often be seen wearing a Cain’s shirt on his Instagram account.
Cain’s Ballroom merchandise can be purchased at the box o ce.
Cain’s Ballroom co-owners Chad and Hunter Rodgers outside their venue in late 2022.
TULSAPEOPLE ARCHIVE: JANUARY 2023
In January 2023, TulsaPeople named the Rodgers family our Tulsan of the Year. Included here is an excerpted version of that feature. Five months after the publication of the article, Dr. Jim Rodgers died. His celebration of life was held inside Cain’s Ballroom.
Custodians of Tulsa’s music history
For the past 20 years Cain’s Ballroom has been owned and managed by the Rodgers family who have become stewards to one of Tulsa’s —— and the nation’s —— most iconic music institutions.
BY TIM LANDES
It’s been 20 years since the Rodgers family rst hosted a show inside the historic music venue that Bob Wills made famous nearly 90 years ago when he started playing music for Cain’s Dance Academy.
In those two decades, Cain’s Ballroom, 423 N. Main St., has hosted over 2,000 shows featuring hundreds of musicians of all genres, some of them playing the intimate venue multiple times before moving up to arenas like BOK Center or bigger. Some keep coming back because of the great sound, the fully engaged audience and the history that envelopes everyone when the lights go down and the rst chord is struck.
TAKING ON THE CHALLENGE
In late July 2002, Dr. Jim Rodgers and then wife, Alice, were watching the 10 o’clock news on channel 6 instead of their usual channel 2 when it was reported Cain’s Ballroom was up for sale. According to that report, “the asking price is $685,000 and includes a one-of-a-kind
spring-loaded dance oor and a bar area with a walk-in cooler. More than 320 musicians have performed over the years in the historic building.”
Born and raised in Tulsa, Jim loved music, but he never went to Cain’s. He’s a rock ‘n’ roll guy, and during his younger days he says the ballroom was known for hosting country and Western swing music, plus there was a period of shuttered doors in the 1960s and into the ’70s. Jim graduated from the University of Tulsa in 1972 and then attended medical school at the University of Oklahoma, where he focused on neurosurgery. He started his medical career in Muskogee from 1981 to 1989 before returning to co-found Tulsa Spine and Specialty Hospital. He pivoted to private practice in 2001 and retired in May 2022.
As the blue light of the news played across his face that summer night, Jim couldn’t stop thinking about the opportunities and possibilities that could come if he and Alice saved Cain’s.
At the time, his son Chad was operating Hardwood Bar and Grill across from
TU’s Skelly (now Chapman) Stadium, but the lease was coming to an end, and the Rodgers family was looking to invest in downtown property. ey had looked at the property that would soon become Flytrap (now Whiskey 918) and were about to sign the contract for it when Cain’s suddenly became available.
e next morning Jim called to arrange a tour for him and Alice.
“We walked in, saw the portraits on the wall, and then realized looking around this is a special place, but it’s not really been taken care of,” Jim says. “So there were two reasons for buying it: one is to preserve it forever, and the other is I always loved music. I love rock ‘n’ roll.”
By the end of the week he and Alice held the keys to the storied doors. ey’d soon turn them over to their boys.
Chad was the only person in the family who experienced shows at Cain’s. While in high school at Holland Hall, he attended a show in the mid ’90s to see classmate David Terry and others perform in a band (pre-Aqueduct). He returned again in the late ’90s for a Train concert.
Soon they’d learn how much history had occurred within the walls and how much work and money they’d have to spend to make it the iconic venue music fans love today.
“My mom called me and said, ‘We bought Cain’s,’ and I said, ‘What is Cain’s?’” Hunter says.
UNDER CONSTRUCTION
“When we bought Cain’s, we just wanted to x it up enough so we could open it,” Alice says. e problem was the building was not up to code and needed numerous repairs.
ere was a drop ceiling comprised of old white tiles that needed to be removed. Sprinklers and a re alarm needed to be installed. Additional lighted exits needed to be added. e room needed a fresh coat of paint. e doors needed push levers installed. e plumbing needed to be replaced. e restrooms needed to be overhauled because the men’s room had two troughs and the women’s had two stalls and two sinks.
Historically the ballroom rarely held shows in the summer because there was no air conditioning. e Finnertys (brothers who owned Cain’s from 1999-2002) had installed two portable units on the north side of the building that Chad says were connected to air ducts that ran into two holes cut into the side of the building. ose had to go.
ey took on a previously booked show for the fall of 2002, then in early 2003 hosted Blake Shelton, Willie Nelson and Queens of the Stone Age before shutting down for renovations before a fall grand re-opening with Dwight Yoakam set for Oct. 1, 2003.
ey installed a new stage, new sound and lighting, tore out the old ceiling to expose the rafters. ey added air conditioning and heating and expansive restrooms. A research trip to Austin’s music scene led to the creation of a second-level mezzanine based on something Chad saw
at Antone’s Nightclub. ey also purchased the warehouse space next door from David Sharpe for $100,000 that became space for another bar, a second smaller stage and a catering kitchen that today houses Mac’s Barbecue.
Chad, then 25, was o cing out of a trailer that sat where Davenport Lofts exists today. When he wasn’t busy painting, he was begging bands to book a date. en Hunter showed up with an audio engineering degree from Full Sail University, which he says he has never used.
“So they’re 25 and 21, had no idea what they were doing, and now look what they’ve done,” Alice says.
“It was on-the-job training for them,” Jim adds.
Chad called on local alt-rock band Mad Verb’s Je Martinson and Mike Jameson to help them out early on with some bookings because they were the only people he knew with any experience. eir rst booking was e Charlie Daniels Band.
“I came back, and Chad had already been here for almost a year,” says Hunter, who focuses on ticketing and operations and splits marketing duties with his brother. “I just got thrown into it. I didn’t look for another job and just started helping him. He had Je and Mike working with them until Je moved on to manage JJ Cale and then we took it all on ourselves.”
Renovations and restorations dragged on through the summer and into the fall of 2003.
Alice, Hunter, Chad and Jim Rodgers
“I remember being pretty nervous we weren’t going to be ready,” Chad says. “Luckily the City approved everything at the last minute. It was down to the day before Dwight Yoakam was to play for a sold-out crowd.”
e boys were o and running. On Feb. 28, 2004, as Bob Dylan closed his sold-out show with “All Along the Watchtower,” Chad says it was then he knew they were on to something good.
“ at was the rst time where I was like, ‘holy moly,’” Chad says. “It made me also realize the renovations really were worth all this money we put into it. Like there’s something there. ere’s really something there. If someone as huge as Bob Dylan is going to play here, we were going to make it.”
ONE OF THE BEST PLACES TO SEE A SHOW IN AMERICA
Chad found a successful formula in booking popular country acts like Cross Canadian Ragweed and Pat Green, while mixing in up-and-coming rockers from the thriving indie scene. e brothers partnered with Camel Cigarettes to host young bands like e Black Keys and Kings of Leon, which both would go on to play a trio of shows before needing the BOK Center seating to meet demands when they returned to Tulsa. Jim says the KOL shows remain his favorite.
In the pre-social media age, they relied on word-of-mouth, traditional advertising and street teams to hang posters on poles. It also wouldn’t be unusual to see Alice commuting across Tulsa promoting shows like G. Love and the Special Sauce from stoplight to stoplight.
“I would drive around with concert posters in the back window of my car,” says Alice as she laughs at the memory. “I also started Ida Red (in 2007 at the Brookside location) to help sell tickets.”
In 2005, Cain’s ranked No. 27 in ticket sales in Pollstar Pro’s worldwide ranking for club venue (under 3,000 capacity).
In the ensuing years acts like e Strokes (Hunter’s favorite show), e Avett Brothers, Beck , OneRepublic, Tech N9ne, Sonic Youth, Girl Talk, Ghostland Observatory, Luke Bryan, Lucinda Williams, Wilco, Interpol, e National, TV On e Radio, Run the Jewels, Tame Impala, Phoenix, Gary Clark Jr. and Post Malone played the venue. Some, like Jason Isbell, often can be seen on social media sporting the Cain’s logo shirt that has remained a top-selling merch item for over a decade. e multitude of shows and all that dancing nally compromised what was
long rumored to be a spring-loaded wood dance oor. ey replaced the ooring and learned there were no springs. It was replaced again in 2017.
On April 22, 2010, e Dead Weather took the Cain’s stage and launched into “60 Feet Tall” as they played a 16-song set in front of a sold-out crowd. It was the rst time Jack White played the venue and in Tulsa. He loved it so much he returned to the Cain’s numerous times to play sold-out shows, including three nights in October 2019 with his band e Raconteurs, which Alice and Chad recall as their favorite shows.
“I can’t thank him enough for what he’s done for us,” says Chad about White. “You never know what one artist’s experience here will lead to who else comes or who else all of a sudden has interest.
Yahoo News in 2011 ranked Cain’s as one of the best 10 venues in the nation. CNN followed suit in 2012 (and again in 2017) and by 2013 Cain’s was ranking in the Top 15 nationally for ticket sales according to Pollstar Pro.
In January 2020, Los Angeles Times’ Christopher Reynolds ranked Cain’s Ballroom as the fourth best place to see live music in America. e times have changed and bands are now begging Chad and Hunter to play Cain’s. ere’s lots of love for the little old music joint on Main Street that needed lots of love itself 20 years ago when Jim and Alice purchased the building.
“It’s a miracle that we bought it, then it’s a miracle that we threw it at (Chad and Hunter) and said, ‘Here you take care of it,” Jim says.
“It is a miracle they’ve done what they’ve been able to do,” Alice adds. Chad and Hunter Rodgers enjoy their jobs, but also understand the responsibility they have to the music, Tulsa and Cain’s Ballroom.
“Someone called us custodians of this church,” Chad says. “It feels amazing, but it feels like a lot of pressure. ere’s so much history in this room we call it a living museum, and we have to take care of it. We want to keep making it better.”
Hunter and Chad backstage with Nappy Roots
Jim, Hunter, Don Henley and Chad
My favorite photos: Phil Clarkin
Phil Clarkin shot his rst show at Cain’s in April 2010 and became the house photographer a decade later. He has documented hundreds of concerts and compiled thousands of images. We asked him to choose ve of his favorite photos that weren’t all live band shots and share the stories behind them.
1. Cain’s Exterior Swirled (Sept. 26, 2018) “This photo was shot on my way into a Ghostland Observatory show. I had some time to kill and wanted to try and shoot an exterior photo that represented the light and sound that was about to take place inside Cain’s later that night. For you photo nerds this is a single exposure with the zoom being moved while the shutter was open.”
2. Billie Joe Armstrong (June 20, 2021) “During the pandemic myself and some of my closest friends were lucky enough to be locked away in Cain’s Ballroom broadcasting live shows to the internet with no audience in attendance. When things started to open back up one of the first shows at the Ballroom was a surprise tour rehearsal show from Green Day that sold out instantly. It was so incredible to be in a sold-out room again with one of the greatest rock ‘n’ roll bands of my generation. It was a night I will never forget.”
3. Front To Back (April 14, 2022) “This image was shot during a tech package shoot I did to send to band management so they can familiarize themselves with our facility. I laid on my back with a 15 mm fisheye lens and was able to capture in one image the stage, the entrance, the star and all the portraits.”
4. Legend’s View (Jan. 1, 2024) “To begin the first day of the 100-year anniversary celebrations we welcomed the annual Hangover Ball. This was a special one that saw the closing set featuring four legends of country music. It was an honor for me to walk onstage and take photos while Robert Earl Keen, BJ Barham, Cody Canada and Evan Felker traded songs.”
5. Honky Tonk Laser Beams (Nov. 12, 2022) “This shot is of The Floozies, which I have had the honor to work with and befriend over the years starting in their early days as a band. Their lighting designer, Chandler Thomann, is one of my favorite LDs to photograph as well. I love the juxtaposition of the modern laser production cutting through the 100-year-old metal rafters.”
LIKE FAMILY
BY JULIE WENGER WATSON
When you talk to the staff at Cain’s Ballroom, one word you often hear is “family.” It’s a close-knit group at the venue, and many employees have worked together for years. However, for bartenders David and Meredith Standingwater, the meaning of family is literal. The couple recently celebrated 30 years of marriage; a number only rivaled by their years of employment at Cain’s — 25 for David and close to 15 for Meredith. For the pair and their two children, the Ballroom is literally a “home away from home.”
“They’ve grown up around this,” says David of their son, Ashton, and daughter, Autumn, who’ve worked at the venue on a few occasions themselves over the years.
“When David started here, I think Ashton was a year-and-a-half, or 2 years old, and Autumn came after, so they don’t know anything different,” Meredith says. “Our kids have had their senior pictures made here. They call (Cain’s Production Manager) Brad (Harris) ‘Uncle Brad.’”
David, who also works for the Cherokee Nation, even credits his job at Cain’s for helping ease some of the challenges of parenting.
“This building is the reason our kids are so grounded. I got to bring home some extra money so she (Meredith) could stay home and make sure they were taken care of. Her jobs have always revolved around the school system, so she was always with our children,” he says.
“It paid for wrestling, cheerleading, extra stuff they may not have been able to do,” says Meredith, who still works as a substitute teacher in the Chouteau school system.
The Standingwaters express great appreciation for both bar manager David Ward and the Rodgers family, who own the venue. Each has particularly fond memories of Jim Rodgers, who died in 2023.
“He was my boss, but he was just like a friend too. He kept things really friendly, family- and friend-oriented,” David says. “Doc (Jim) and Alice (Rodgers) have two great kids. They (Hunter and Chad) learned from their mom and dad, and just like our kids, they’re doing very well in their life. Those boys took this place, and I think they exceeded their mom and dad’s expectations.”
For the Standingwaters, in many ways, Cain’s is synonymous with home.
“I love that it’s multi-generational here,” Meredith says. “They come in and it will literally be grandparents, parents, kids. I meet people that have come back because they met here. It’s the stories. It’s the history.”
David agrees.
“When you walk into this room and you see the same seven bartenders that you see every show, it’s home. You see the same people running the stage, running the lights, running the sound. You see it every time you come here. That’s comforting to people. That’s why this place is so welcoming.”
David Standingwater
UNOFFICIAL ARCHIVIST
BY JULIE WENGER WATSON
Alifelong music fan, Shawn Emig turned his passion into employment 17 years ago when he took a job at Cain’s Ballroom.
“I just thought it was cool,” says Emig of his desire to work at the venue. “I didn’t really think I had any musical talent, so I didn’t think the odds of me getting on stage were real good, but I just wanted to be a part of it. I wanted to be around it. I like rock ‘n’ roll. I like concerts. I thought, ‘Well, if I could build that, if I could move that gear, if I could do all that, that would be amazing.’ So I kept hounding them and kept volunteering. And here we are.”
Most show nights, you can find Emig working the door, scanning tickets and answering questions. Over the years he’s done everything from stagehand work to box office sales, all on top of his day job working in quality assurance for a food manufacturer, which means his workdays often start as early as 5 a.m. and don’t end until late evening. For Emig, the long hours are worth it.
“I’m getting chills just thinking about it. There’s just a vibe in this room,” he says. “It’s just a box with a wood floor, but there’s something in this wood; there’s something in these bricks that just feels different. I’ve been to some other cool venues, some legendary venues, and I don’t get the chill or the vibe that you can get here.”
One of Emig’s favorite things about working at Cain’s is the stories.
“It doesn’t happen every show, but you hear stories from folks,” he says. “They’ll come in wide-eyed, and they’ll say, ‘Oh my gosh, my grandmother, my grandpa, my mom, my dad, me, whomever.’ You know, people have a lot of memories here, so it’s really cool to hear those.”
A collector of sorts, Emig has been saving concert memorabilia — ticket stubs, posters, set lists since he was 14. As a result, he serves as an unofficial Cain’s archivist, amassing 13 large three-ring binders full of ephemera from shows he’s worked or attended. He’s also explored most corners of the venue, sorting through a century’s worth of clutter to find some real gems, including a letter written and signed by Bob Wills, the founder of Western swing and the musician who first put Cain’s on the national map.
“I hope this venue lasts another 100 years,” Emig says. “I hope it stays an independent venue. I hope it never changes.”
Shawn Emig
30 years of alternative rock
Q&A with 104.5-FM The Edge’s Chuck Stikl
BY TIM LANDES
For three decades Chuck Stikl has been the voice of local alternative rock radio as a DJ on 104.5-FM e Edge. During that time the radio station has partnered with Cain’s Ballroom for hundreds, if not thousands, of shows, including annual Edge Christmas shows for nearly a decade.
Stikl has been witness to some of the most legendary moments in modern Cain’s history, and sharing all of them would ll its own book. Here are some of the highlights he’s witnessed.
What was your rst Cain’s show? I think it was a Nixons show which were our home state buddies. It was always a special time with Nixons because they would do special stu with us and all that. Back in the ’90s you didn’t have access to the bands like you do now. You didn’t have any social media with them. Nobody had any access. Even at radio stations you were lucky to get them to maybe sign a few things and take a picture
or two and that was it. It wasn’t like it is now, where we can do a meet and greet before or after every show and all that kind of stu .
What’s another early show that stands out to you? I remember Foo Fighters coming through in ’97, and I remember, and Dave Grohl remembers this as well: how hot it was in Cain’s Ballroom because there was no air conditioning. It was just a sweat box. We’re talking 130 degrees inside that place, and people just dropping. ere’s nothing you can do. It was hot, but it was so exciting!
ere were big ones all the way through because Cain’s Ballroom was always a special place. Especially with our bands, you say the name Sex Pistols, everybody’s ears perk up. I don’t care who’s coming through town, all of a sudden they have a new favorite venue.
Jack White comes here and loves the art deco, but then really loves Cain’s Ballroom. It’s something that’s been fun to watch happening the last 30 years.
How many Cain’s shows do you think you’ve seen over the years? Oh, my God! What do you think that number would be? Some months I do ve or more sometimes. e lean months, you know January, February are not that great. I’ll say I average ve a month, which is 70 a year times 30, which is 2,100. Oh my! I’m gonna have to buy Chad and Hunter (Rodgers) a real nice Christmas present. I still pay for tickets sometimes, but I did not pay for a lot of those tickets.
What’s your all-time favorite Cain’s show? Oh that’s so hard! Every week I have a di erent answer for this, which is crazy, too. Sometimes I feel like I’m so spoiled! Who gets to see Green Day while they’re touring stadiums and goes, “Well, hold on a second, we think we’ll just play Cain’s for this night.” And that was right after the pandemic. I don’t know if it’s my favorite or not, but it will always be one that sticks out to me because we hadn’t seen shows in a while.
My favorite Christmas show that we’ve done ever is Phoenix (in 2017). Phoenix playing Cain’s Ballroom was a magical, epic night. And the fact that when you’re talking to these guys beforehand, these French men just are enamored by how great Cain’s Ballroom is. It’s great seeing somebody appreciate the place, and it takes on a whole new meaning when guys who have never been there before and really not toured smaller cities in the States before, really fall in love with it to the point where they wanted to play there again the next year, and it was so close to happening!
In your opinion, what makes Cain’s Ballroom so special and so unique compared to all the other music venues in America? I think what’s really exciting and what makes it so great is it is a living legend. It keeps making these new memories of these newer and newer and newer bands. ere aren’t a lot of venues that old and especially in a city the size of ours. I don’t think you can really name o another one like that, and that’s what makes it so special. And the fact these artists from all over the world know it, love it and want to keep playing here. e younger ones get on board, and they go, “Yes, I agree with everything they say,” and then it just builds and builds and builds and builds and builds. I think the greatest thing about Cain’s is it’s not done. at’s the greatest thing about Cain’s Ballroom. It’s 100 years old and it’s not done. We’ve got a lot more to go.
