MUSICIANS

• Tommy Allsup, guitarist/bass player, 6500+ recordings, played with Johnny Lee Wills Band, Bob Wills & the Texas Playboys, The Southernaires, Buddy Holly & The Crickets, Rockabilly Hall of Fame, 1999 Grammy Best Instrumental Performance, Asleep at the Wheel. Born in Claremore, Nov. 24, 1931.
• *Gene Autry*, Songwriter (200+, Back in the Saddle Again), radio/TV/movie star. Born Tioga, Texas, raised in Oklahoma. 1907-1998.
• Hoyt Axton, folksinger, songwriter, Duncan, Mar. 25, 1938.
• Chet Baker, jazz trumpet musician, Yale, 1929-1989.
• Michael Been, singer/songwriter/guitarist. Formed band,The Call, born and raised in Oklahoma.
• Carl Belew. Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame ( Lonely Street, Am I That Easy To Forget). 1931-1990, Salina.
• Elvin Bishop, 15 solo albums, Fooled Around and Fell in Love. Tulsa, 1942.
• Ralph Blane, composer/lyricist, Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas, Meet Me in St. Louis, Best Foot Forward, Broken Arrow, 1914-1995.
• Noel Boggs. One of world's greatest steel guitar players. 1917-1974, Oklahoma City.
• Johnny Bond. Songwriter, singer, guitar player for Gene Autry on Melody Ranch from 1940-1957. A member of Nashville's Songwriter's hall of fame, his compositions include: Hot Rod Lincoln, Oklahoma Waltz, Cimarron, Ten Little Bottles. 1915-1978, Enville.
• Mike Brewer. Folk rock artist, (One Toke Over the Line), Oklahoma City, 1944.
• Garth Brooks, country music superstar, Yukon, Feb. 7, 1962.
• Albert Brumley. Prolific songwriter composed over 800 gospel and sentimental songs. Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame, Gospel Music Hall of Fame (Turn Your Radio On, I'll Fly Away). Oct. 29, 1905, Spiro.
• Anita Bryant, singer, political activist, Barnsdall, Mar. 25, 1940.
• J.J. Cale, prolific songwriter, singer (After Midnight, Guitar Man), Tulsa.
• Jeff Carson. Country singer/songwriter (Not On Your Love)
  December 16, 1963, Tulsa.
• Gary Chapman. Country/Christian, 1996 Dove Award, Male Vocalist of the Year. Aug. 19, 1957, Waurika.
• *Charlie Christian*, jazz guitarist, member of Benny Goodman Sextet, born in Dallas, moved to Oklahoma City as an infant, 1916-1942.
• *Roy Clark*. Versatile country entertainer. Born Virginia, lives in Tulsa.
• Color Me Badd, Oklahoma City-based R&B band, formed in 1987 (I Adore Mi Amor, All 4 Love), winners of an American Music Award, two Soul Train Awards and 3 Grammy nominations.
• Joe Diffie, country musician.
• Big Al Downing. Legendary 50's Rock & Roll pioneer. Centralia, 1940.
• Ronnie Dunn, country singer/songwriter (Boot Scootin' Boogie), Tulsa.
• Nokie Edwards, guitarist, played with The Ventures (Walk Don't Run) from 1959-1967, and again from 1972-1984. Lahoma.
• Ty England. Young country singer/guitarist, played with Garth Brooks 6 years, two solo CDs. Dec. 5, 1963, Tulsa.
• Ernie Fields, big band musician, Tulsa.
• Flaming Lips, Oklahoma City-based alternative rock band.
• For Love Not Lisa, rock band formed in Oklahoma City (Slip Slide Melting).
• Dallas Frazier. Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame, Grammy Winner
  (Alley Oop, There Goes My Everything, Elvira, True Love Travels on a Gravel Road). Oct. 27, 1939, Spiro.
• The Gap Band, Tulsa-based soul trio, funk, R&B, 70's and 80's.
• David Gates, musician, the band Bread, Tulsa, 1940.
• Vince Gill, country superstar, Norman, April 12, 1957.
• Wardell Gray. Jazz tenor saxophonist, Oklahoma City, 1921-1955.
• Woody Guthrie, folksinger/songwriter, Okemah, 1912-1967.
• The Hansons,Isaac, Taylor and Zac, rising young "alterna-alterna rock" stars (MMMBop, first poptop 10 hit). Tulsa.
• Gus Harden. 1983 Best New Female Artist, Academy of
  Country Music Awards (After the Last Goodbye, All Tangled Up In Love). 1945-1996, Tulsa.
• Roy Harris, symphonic composer, 200+ works, Chandler, 1898-1979.
• Wade Hayes. 1995 Billboard Top New Country Artist ( Old Enough to Know Better, On a Good Night). Apr. 20, 1969, Bethel Acres.
• Michael Hedges, new age composer, musician. Enid. 1954-1997.
• Becky Hobbs. Songwriter/singer (Angels Among Us, It's a Cheating Situation). Jan. 24, 1950, Bartlesville.
• Wanda Jackson, country singer, (In the Middle of a Heartache, Right or Wrong). Oct. 20, 1937, Maude.
• Toby Keith, country superstar, born Clinton, lives Moore, July 8, 1961.
• Barney Kessel. Noted jazz guitarist/improvisationist, has played with Artie Shaw's Gramcercy Five, Oscar Peterson Trio and Charlie Parker. Muskogee, Oct. 17, 1923.
• Joel Levine, Music Director, OKC Philharmonic. Born Oklahoma City.
• Susie Luchsinger. Christian Country Music Association Female Vocalist of the Year, 1994, 1995, and 1996 Dove Country Album of the Year nomination. Nov. 8, 1957, Chockie/McAlester.
• Mel McDaniel, 1985 nominated CMA single of the year, Baby's Got Her Blue Jeans On. Checotah, Sept. 9, 1942.
• Barry McGuire. Singer/songwriter, original member of the New Christy Minstrals, star of Broadway musical, "Hair". Songs include Green, Green and Eve of Destruction. Oklahoma City, Oct. 15, 1935.
• Reba McIntyre, country superstar, McAlester, Mar. 29, 1955.
• Jay McShann, jazz pianist, Confessin' the Blues, Muskogee, 1916.
• Eddie Miller. Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame (Release Me, Thanks A Lot, There She Goes). 1919-1977, Camargo, Okla.
• Ralph Moon. Session guitarist/songwriter (Crazy Arms, Falling for You), played with Waylon Jennings from 1970 until a few years ago. Duncan.
• Alan Munde, one of world's leading banjo players, Norman.
• Kenny O'Dell. Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame, notable compositions include 1973 CMA Song of the Year, Behind Closed Doors, and Beautiful People, Mama He's Crazy). Born early 1940's, Oklahoma.
• Bonnie Owens. Country singer, 1965 CMA Female Vocalist of the Year, 1970 CMA Vocal Duo of the Year (with husband Merle Haggard). Oct. 1, 1932, Blanchard.
• Billy Parker. Country musician-turned DJ, Country Music Disc Jocky Hall of Fame, Lifetime Achievement Award, Oklahoma Assoc. Broadcasters. Tulsa native.
• *Tom Paxton*. Folksinger/songwriter. Born Chicago, raised Bristow.
• Oscar Pettiford, Double bass player and bandleader, Okmulgee, 1922-1960.
• Patti Page, singer, Tennessee Waltz, Claremore, Nov. 8, 1927.
• Carl Radle. Bass guitarist, played with Mad Dogs & Englishmen, Derek & the Dominos, Layla, Eric Clapton and Delaney & Bonnie & Friends. Oklahoma City, 1942-1980.
• Jimmy Rushing, musician, Oklahoma City, 1903-1972.
• Leon Russell, Tulsa.
• Jean Shepard. Pioneer female country singer and regular on Grand Ole Oprey (A Dear John Letter, Satisfied Mind, Two Hoops & A Holler). Nov. 21, 1933, Paul's Valley.
• Billy Simon. Country/inspirational singer/songwriter, member 4Runner quartet. Cleveland, OK.
• Kay Starr, singer, hits include Wheel of Fortune, Rock 'n' Roll Waltz, Dougherty, July 21, 1922.
• Hank Thompson, "King of Western Swing", Brazos Valley Boys. Born Sept. 3, 1925, Sand Springs (?), now resides in Waco, Texas.
• Floyd Tillman. Country singer/songwriter (It Makes No Difference Now, I Love You So Much it Hurts, Slippin' Around), 1976 inducted into Nashville Songwriter's Hall of Fame, 1984, Country Music Hall of Fame. Ryan, Dec. 8, 1914.
• Pinky Tomlin. Lyricist (The Object of My Affection), orchestra leader. Sept. 9, 1907, Eureka Springs, Okla.
• The Tractors, Tulsa-based country rock band.
• *Merle Travis*. Country swing (Smoke! Smoke! Smoke! That Cigarette, Capital Records 1st million seller). 1917-1983, born Kentucky, lived in Tahlequah at time of his death.
• Dwight Twilley. Rockabilly singer (I'm On Fire), has been called an "overlooked American pop genius". Tulsa, June 6, 1951.
• Jimmy Webb. Prolific singer/songwriter, and the only artist to have won Grammy awards for music, lyric and orchestration. National Academy of Songwriter's 1993 Lifetime Achievement Award. Songs include McArthur's Park, Galveston, By the Time I Get to Phoenix, All I Know, The Highwayman, The Moon's A Harsh Mistress, Up, Up and Away, Wichita Lineman. Elk City, Aug. 15, 1946.
• Bryan White. 1996 Top New Male Vocalist, Academy of Country Music Awards (Love is the Right Place). Feb. 17, 1974, Lawton.
• Claude Williams, been called "the last of the great swing fiddlers", Muskogee, 1908.
• Kelly Willis. Alternative country, nominated Top New Female Vocalist of 1994. Oklahoma-born.
• Heath Wright. Lead vocalist, Ricochet. Apr. 22, 1967, Vian, OK.