Category: Columns

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Independence Day weekend live music

Look for the sunny side of life

Independence Day weekend live music

By TERRY JOE WILES

Ya know, it still amazes me of all the courage and commitment that it took to separate from the British Colonies and start a Republic that’s still the greatest country on this planet.

The change was violent and cost many lives. But the founders knew exactly what they didn’t want from their experience under the rule of England. And the freedom that they fought and died for 247 years ago is what we celebrate on this Fourth of July! Change is what started this country and some change is necessary today to allow for all people to live together in peace. The only thing that I can do to help maintain this freedom is make myself useful to that cause. So, my advice is to be a good example: Stand for the flag, Say the Pledge of Allegiance and mean it, Love this country enough to teach the history, good and bad, to the kids. My prayers are for peace, no wars- Strong and fair leadership- understanding, not division. Let Freedom Ring!

Live music in LeFlore County area

Wow! I kinda had a patriotic moment. Enjoy the fireworks, they are a favorite memory from childhood. But, please, remember the veterans and other neighbors that might have an issue with the loud booms and bright lights. PTSD is real. Be a good neighbor. And think of pets, yours and the neighbors. They can be terrified of all the racket. My $1,000 squirrel dawg is gun shy because of the week long, day and night racket. She can tree them, I just can’t shoot’em. So be mindful of those around. AND be safe. No bottle rocket battles.

Tuesday night enjoy live jazz music at the LeFlore County Museum starting at 6:30 p.m. the concert is free and refreshments will be served. The Al Grzech Band will be there.

Live Music this weekend- “The Shady Oak Tribadours”- Scot Francis, Joel Billy, Dennis Dooley and Larry Taylor will be at a birthday party at Sheila’s What’ya Do Y’all Bar and Grill on Thursday. Then at the Knotty Pint Saturday Bike Night in Fort Smith on July 1. Music is from 3-6 pm. the 4th of July They will be part of one of the biggest celebrations in our area. Freedom Fest in McAlester. With food, games, activities for the “ungens” and lots of live music.

Dawn’s Diner in Red Oak will be helping with the Independence Day celebration Saturday. There’s a parade, activities for the whole family, fireworks, followed by a street dance. “Big Marty and the Dirty Dogs” will play for the dance. It’s a great time. On Friday, “59 South” will play for the dance at Dawn’s. It will be cool inside and plenty of good food and great music.

Over in Hackett, Arkansas, Crocky’s Cafe will have live music starting Friday. “Big Rev” will rattle the cage with some loud and meaningful words and music. Then on Saturday, music from “Paden Baggette”. This singer/songwriter will bring his best. Both nites start at 6 p.m.

“Earl Hearon and the Sound of Country” will be the music to dance to Saturday. It will be the Independence Day celebration for the dance hall. Music starts at 7 p.m.

“Live Wire” ft. Felisha McKenzie will be layin’ it down at M J’s Bar and Grill in Chism, Arkansas Saturday. Just a short drive East of Charleston. Music from 8 to midnight!

Big doings also in McCurtain Saturday will be itsr Independence Day celebration. Live music from noon til 4 p.m. “South 49”, the very best new band around. I mean “new” like IF ya don’t count the year or so of hard work and practice and just plain ole paying their dues. These guys have a sound of their own makin’. It’s got country, rock, red dirt, just get down to it kinda music all mixed into a great show. They are getting some breaks as opening act for some big names at the Majestic. And if they can stand the test of trials and time, big thangs are gonna happen. They have some tunes on You Tube and all the music streaming thing-a-ma-jigs. Check’em out!

I am also proud to announce that my good friends, “Oklahoma Moon” are booking gigs again. Maybe just not as many this time around. Their first show will be at Neumiuir’s Whippoorwill Restaurant on July 7 from 7-10 p.m. Glad they are picking again.

Well, that ain’t all I got to say BUT it’s a good place to stop. Contact me at 918-649-5736 or tj.wiles61@outlook.com. Support live music when ya can. Have a fun and safe 4th of July!

This is Terry Joe Wiles’ first column for us. If you are glad to see he is writing for us, let him know with a comment on the post. If you would like to write a column or cover civic news in any LeFlore County, CONTACT us. This column and more also appear on our daily newsletter, LeFlore County’s only daily publication. Subscribe for $5 per month or $50 per year and never miss one of our stories.

 

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Hymnology

Hymnology

By LEON YOUNGBLOOD

      Simply stated, I am not a fan of most contemporary Christian music.  I was once invited to a church service with an assurance I would be “blessed.” 

I went, and inside the spacious building, the first thing I noticed was the band.  There were two young fellows with electric guitars, a middle-aged bassist, two ladies at two electric pianos, a man with a saxophone, three vocalists and a restless, antsy young man in a large plexiglass cube, which to me was a curiosity.  There was the typical noise of the audience, and the sort of sounds bands make coming from the stage as they prepared their assault. 

They fooled with their instruments for a few moments, then suddenly, they exploded!  They informed the congregants, “Our God is an awesome God, He reigns in the power of love,” but I had to take their word for it, ‘cause I got out and away from that head-splitting racket as quickly as I could.  I saw why the drummer was confined in his cube, though.  He was beating on those drums like they had insulted his mother, so he was going to kill them.  Obviously, he was penned up to keep the audience safe, and well—Keith Moon would have been impressed.  At that moment, I wickedly felt all they needed was for one of the band members to bite the head off a bat and they could sign up with Ozzy Osbourne.

BRIAR CIRCLE

      I was a little disgruntled.  As I was driving away, God spoke to me in His still, small voice and settled me down.  I wanted to not be judgmental.  To each his own, I guess, and I did not want to go so far as to say those people were not worshipping the Deity in their own way.  It was not for me, though.  Doubtless, there were brethren somewhere at that moment passing rattlesnakes around as a testament of their faith in God’s tolerance of idiots doing stupid things.  If that’s how they want to worship, fine.  It’s well and good for them, but don’t hand me any snakes

      And I do not want blaring music during worship services I attend, either.  Had that church’s band merely turned their volume down, perhaps I would have been more charitable, 

      It may be I’m just too old and set in my ways.  I like the hymns I grew up with.  Awesome God is a good song, but How Great Thou Art somehow does more to create a sense of awe for me.  There are contemporary Christian songs (I can’t call them “hymns”) that my father-in-law derided as being “7-11” songs—“Seven words and eleven choruses.”  He lamented the shallowness of modern lyricists, too, in one of our conversations, but here, I had to be fair.

      “Have you ever heard God of Earth and Outer Space?” I asked.  He had not, so we “Googled” it.  He agreed, it was one of the worst things to come out of the 1970s.

      Still, I like the old hymns best, and it doesn’t take much to stir certain lines and choruses to the surface of cherished recollections: “On a hill far away stood an old rugged cross, the emblem of suffering and shame.  But I love that old cross where the dearest and best for a world of lost sinners was slain!”; “He’s got you and me, brother, in His hand, He’s got you and me, sister, in His hand, He’s got you and me, brother, in His hand, He’s got the whole world in His hand!”’ “’Twas grace that taught my heart to fear, and grace my fears relieved.  How precious did that grace appear, the hour I first believed!”; “Oh, come holy angel band, come and around me stand!   Then take me away on snow white wings to my eternal home!”; “Jesus loves me, this I know, for the Bible tells me so!”; “Praise God from Whom all blessings flow, praise Him all creatures here below, praise Him above, ye heavenly host, praise Father, Son and Holy Ghost!  Amen.”; “Precious memories, unseen angels, sent from somewhere to my soul.  How they linger, ever near me, and the sacred past unfolds.”.

      But I could go on like this for miles.  Maybe we’ll resume with this subject next week.    

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