The Ozark CD Project
Since 1997, we have been bringing the stories of folks we've met in the Ozarks to life though song. We've finally created a CD/booklet of these songs with the help of Jones Television and an Arkansas Heritage grant. The grant is allowing us to perform 12 FREE concerts around the state in the places these folks hail from. All the proceeds from the CD/booklet raised in Arkansas will go to an organization called Play It Again, Arkansas to get banjos, fiddles and guitars into the hands of rural, under-served children!
One of the songs in this concert, celebrates the late Benson & Fleecy Fox from Leslie , Arkansas. Benson was a writer for The Ozarks Mountaineer for decades. On one of their many visits to Leslie, Benson and Fleecy told about their early marriage and living in the ‘weaning house'. The ‘weaning house' was a small dwelling the parents would build for a new couple. They would give them a couple of acres, a bluetick hound and a mule so they could ‘practice' married life before getting out on their own. We wrote a song based on the story they told of the weaning house and sing it in the form of a duet. We were proud to sing it to Benson just before his passing and his response was priceless.
There is a story from Snowball, Arkansas that is changing and growing with each telling, as is the folk tradition. The version that we heard of and researched around the town of Snowball became part of this project. Our song tells of a young ex-slave boy named Willie who was found by a confederate soldier on his way home to Snowball. The soldier taught Willie how to be a stone mason and apparently Willie helped to build much of the town of Snowball . When he died he was buried in the Snowball cemetery in an unmarked grave. There is a wonderful twist to the story that you will have to get the CD to learn.
Not too far down the road from Mountain View lives another character from this project. Violet Hensley is from Yellville , Arkansas . She was voted an Arkansas Living Treasure a few years back. Violet carves fiddles and always puts a rattlesnake rattle in each one. She said her Ma told her that the fiddle was the Devil's instrument and the rattle would keep him away. Violet plays the fiddle on top of her head, Donna says she's working on that technique but it may take a while. The song they penned for Violet is called “Devil Snake”.
This is just a sampling of the jewels on this CD. In this world of homogenization, where everything from coast to coast looks, sounds and tastes the same, we are passionately serving up a bit of Ozark culture for you to sit back and savor!
Schedule of FREE shows for Still on the Hill's Ozark CD
Oct. 18th, 2008 7:00 PM
Lake Dardanelle State Park
Russellville, AR
Contact Sarah Keating sarah.keating@arkansas.gov
479-890-7475
Oct. 25th, 2008 3:00 PM
Mt. Magazine State Park-Visitor's Center
Paris, AR
Contact: Lori Spencer lori@hotmail.com
Nov. 1st, 2008 Time TBA
Ozark Botanical Garden
Fayetteville, AR
Contact: Sarah King sarahking@bgozarks.org
Nov. 8th, 2008 1:00 PM
Ozark Folk Festival- Auditorium
Eureka Springs, AR
Contact: Janet Alexander eurekafestivals@gmail.com
Nov. 14th, 2008 7:00 PM
Fred Berry Conservation Educational Center
Yellville, Ar
Contact: Marilyn Doran mdoran@agfc.state.ar.us
Nov. 16th, 2008 (Sunday) 3:00 PM
Lyons Collage
Batesville, AR
Contact: BAAC Batesville Area Arts Center
Colleen Jackson pcjackson3@yahoo.com
Nov. 22, 2008 Time TBA
Oark Public School Theatre
Oark, AR
Contact: Grace Jackson sjackson@jasper.k12.ar.us
Dec. 6th, 2008 1:30 PM
Bentonville Public Library-Walmart Room
Bentonville, AR
Contact: Heather Hayes hhays@bentonvillear.com
Jan. 17th, 2009 7:00 PM
Lyric Theatre
Harrison, AR
Contact: Rick Hinterthuer rickhint@gmail.com
April 2009 Date and Time TBA
Ozark Folk Center
Mountain View, AR
Contact: Carl Adkins www.ozarkfolkcenter
April 2009 Date and Time TBA
Shiloh Museum
Springdale, AR
Contact: Allyn Lord alord@springdaleark.org
One more concert TBA
