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{{Music of the United States}}

[[Arkansas]] is a [[Southern United States|Southern]] [[U.S. state|state]] of the [[United States]]. Arkansas's musical heritage includes [[country music]] and various related styles like [[bluegrass music|bluegrass]] and [[rockabilly]].

==State songs==
Arkansas has four official [[List of U.S. state songs|state song]]s:

*State Anthem: "[[Arkansas (song)|Arkansas]]" by Mrs. Eva Ware Barnett
*State Historical Song: "[[The Arkansas Traveler (song)|The Arkansas Traveler]]" by Colonel Sanford C. Faulkner
*State Song: "[[Oh, Arkansas]]" by Terry Rose and Gary Klaff
*State Song: "[[Arkansas (You Run Deep In Me)]]" by Wayland Holyfield

Two of the official state songs are because of a [[copyright]] dispute. "Arkansas" was published in 1916 by the [[Central Music Company]], written by Eva Ware Barnett and Will M. Ramsey (though state law only credits Mrs. Barnett). It became the official song on January 12, 1917. Until either 1945 or 1949, "Arkansas" was the only official song in Arkansas. At that time, there was a copyright dispute and the state adopted "The Arkansas Traveler" as the official song, a situation that remained unchanged until 1963. In that year, the copyright dispute was resolved and "Arkansas" became official again, until 1987, when it was changed to the official state anthem. In that year, "Arkansas (You Run Deep In Me)" and "Oh, Arkansas" were officially designated state songs as well, and "The Arkansas Traveler" was designated the official state historical song.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.encyclopediaofarkansas.net/encyclopedia/entry-detail.aspx?entryID=3153 |title=Official State Songs |publisher=Encyclopedia of Arkansas |access-date=2015-10-26}}</ref>

==Arkansas politicians and music==
Two Arkansas politicians have been noted for mixing music with their campaigns for the [[President of the United States|presidency]]. [[Bill Clinton]], attorney general and 50th and 52nd [[Governor of Arkansas|governor]] of the state and later president, played the [[saxophone]], famously performing "[[Heartbreak Hotel]]" on ''[[The Arsenio Hall Show]]'' during the [[1992 United States presidential election|1992 presidential election]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://articles.baltimoresun.com/1992-12-27/features/1992362178_1_clinton-arsenio-hall-hall-show |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111213170811/http://articles.baltimoresun.com/1992-12-27/features/1992362178_1_clinton-arsenio-hall-hall-show |url-status=dead |archive-date=December 13, 2011 |title=Bill Clinton Sax Arsenio Hall &#124; Bill Clinton's sax solo on 'Arsenio' still resonates MEMORABLE MOMENTS – tribunedigital-baltimoresun |publisher=Articles.baltimoresun.com |date=1992-12-27 |access-date=2015-10-26}}</ref> [[Mike Huckabee]], 54th governor, plays the [[bass guitar]], and his campaign in the [[2008 United States presidential election|2008 presidential election]] has prominently featured [[cover song]] performances by his band [[Capitol Offense (band)|Capitol Offense]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.foxnews.com/on-air/personalities/mike-huckabee/bio/#s=h-l |title=Breaking News &#124; Latest News &#124; Current News |publisher=FoxNews.com |access-date=2015-10-26}}</ref>

==Genres==

===Indigenous music===
{{main|Indigenous music of North America}}

===Classical===
Composer [[Florence Price]] was born in Little Rock in 1887.

The Arkansas Symphony Orchestra was founded in 1966.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.inarkansas.com/listing/123604/arkansas-symphony-orchestra |title=Little Rock Soirée &#124; Fashion, Parties, Fundraisers, Events &#124; The Who's Who in Arkansas &#124; Little Rock Soiree Magazine |publisher=Inarkansas.com |access-date=2015-10-26}}</ref> When the orchestra was founded, a local bank held the organization responsible for the debts of previous attempts at organizing an orchestra. Ten individual members assumed responsibility for the debt, and so the orchestra was formed, led by experienced [[conducting|conductor]] Vasilios Priakos. Today the Orchestra is conducted by Geoff Robson. They have an extensive outreach and education program. In February 2012, [[George Takei]] performed with the group in a [[Holocaust]] memorial.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.todaysthv.com/news/article/194527/2/George-Takei-to-perform-with-Arkansas-Symphony-Orchestra?fb_ref=artsharetop |title=George Takei to perform with Arkansas Symphony Orchestra &#124; thv11.com |publisher=Todaysthv.com |date=2012-02-06 |access-date=2015-10-26}}</ref>

===Country, bluegrass, and folk music===
Traditional folk instruments include the [[fiddle]] and [[banjo]] as well as [[guitar]], [[mandolin]], [[Appalachian dulcimer|dulcimer]] and [[autoharp]].

Located in the [[Ozark Mountains]], the town of [[Mountain View, Arkansas|Mountain View]] bills itself as the "Folk Music Capital of the World". There is an Arkansas Entertainers Hall of Fame, which includes musicians like [[Ronnie Dunn]], [[Melvin Endsley]], and [[Al Green]].

[[Jimmy Driftwood]] and Beau Renfro.

Indie Folk group Little Chief is made up of former University of Arkansas student Matt Cooper and is based out of Fayetteville.

===Gospel===
[[Gospel music]] is very popular in Arkansas. Because of the racial tension extant since slavery in the Delta region, gospel music has had a tremendous influence in the lives of African Americans in Arkansas.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=77ztfoytKEQ  |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211212/77ztfoytKEQ| archive-date=2021-12-12 |url-status=live|title=Al Bell on Gospel Music roots in the Delta. Arkansas Mississippi River region. 2012 lecture Part 9 |date=27 February 2012 |publisher=YouTube |access-date=2015-10-26}}{{cbignore}}</ref> While Blues is dominated by men, it is the women of Arkansas who have led the way in gospel music. Gospel composer, singer, pianist, arranger [[Roberta Martin]] was born in [[Helena, Arkansas|Helena]]. The Brockwell Gospel Music School in [[Brockwell, Arkansas]] in Izard County, has been offering a two-week summer course in Gospel music since 1947.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.encyclopediaofarkansas.net/encyclopedia/entry-detail.aspx?entryID=5 |title=Brockwell Gospel Music School |publisher=Encyclopedia of Arkansas |access-date=2015-10-26}}</ref>

===Blues and R&B===
[[Country blues]] singer and slide guitarist [[Casey Bill Weldon]] was born in [[Pine Bluff, Arkansas|Pine Bluff]]. Blues pianist [[Roosevelt Sykes]] was born in Elmar. [[Jump blues]] singer [[Jimmy Witherspoon]] was born in [[Gurdon, Arkansas|Gurdon]]. [[Electric blues]] and [[Chicago blues]] artist [[Willie "Big Eyes" Smith]] was born in [[Helena, Arkansas|Helena]].  Guitarist, singer, and songwriter [[Pat Hare]], born in [[Cherry Valley, Arkansas|Cherry Valley]], served as a sideman at [[Sun Records]] in Memphis. [[Billy Lee Riley]], born in [[Pocahontas, Arkansas|Pocahontas]], and [[Sonny Burgess]], born near [[Newport, Arkansas|Newport]], also recorded for Sun.

[[West Memphis]], just across the Mississippi river from [[Memphis, Tennessee]], has its own thriving music scene. When [[Beale Street]] would shut down for the night, performers like [[B. B. King]], [[Ike Turner]], [[Junior Parker]], and [[Elmore James]] came to 8th street in West Memphis. [[Wayne Jackson (musician)|Wayne Jackson]] even said once that "the Memphis sound was born over the river".<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.memphisdailynews.com/editorial/ArticleEmail.aspx?id=50207 |title=West Memphis Mojo Rises |publisher=Memphis Daily News |access-date=2015-10-26}}</ref> Jackson was born and raised in West Memphis as was [[Chicago blues]] artist [[Junior Wells]].  The West Memphis R&B scene was an integral part of the [[Civil Rights Movement]] of the 1960s.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.waxpoetics.com/features/know-place-legacy-martin-luther-king-jr-people-city-memphis/ |title=The legacy of MLK to the people and city of Memphis |publisher=Waxpoetics.com |date=2015-01-19 |access-date=2015-10-26}}</ref>

===Jazz===
[[Jazz]] artists born in Arkansas include pianist and bandleader [[Alphonse Trent]] from Fort Smith, trombonist [[Snub Mosley]] born in Little Rock, pianist and composer [[Walter Norris]] born in Little Rock, [[Joe Bishop]] born in Monticello, saxophonist [[Pharoah Sanders]] born in Little Rock, [[free jazz]] tenor saxophonist [[Kalaparusha Maurice McIntyre]] born in Clarksville, tenor saxophonist [[Red Holloway]] born in Helena, tenor saxophonist and bandleader [[Hayes Pillars]] born in North Little Rock, [[Oliver Lake]] born in Marianna, pianist [[Bob Dorough]] born in Cherry Hill, bassist [[James Leary (musician)|James Leary]] born in Little Rock, pianist [[Art Porter, Sr.]] and saxophonist [[Art Porter, Jr.]] born in Little Rock, and [[Amina Claudine Myers]] born in Blackwell.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.encyclopediaofarkansas.net/encyclopedia/entry-detail.aspx?entryID=5037 |title=Jazz |publisher=Encyclopedia of Arkansas |access-date=2015-10-26}}</ref>

===Rock===
[[Sister Rosetta Tharpe]] from [[Cotton Plant, Arkansas|Cotton Plant]] was a gospel artist who achieved crossover success and became a [[rock and roll]] pioneer, influencing among many others fellow Arkansas native [[Johnny Cash]] from [[Kingsland, Arkansas|Kingsland]]. [[Sonny Burgess]] was another Arkansan who influenced the rock and roll industry as an artist for [[Sun Records]] in adjacent [[Memphis, Tennessee]]. Arkansas early rock and roll was typically [[rockabilly]] music influenced by [[Zydeco]] music and [[blues]].<ref name="encyclopediaofarkansas1">{{cite web|url=http://www.encyclopediaofarkansas.net/encyclopedia/entry-detail.aspx?entryID=5050 |title=Rock and Roll Music |publisher=Encyclopedia of Arkansas |access-date=2015-10-26}}</ref>

Arkansas [[garage rock]] and [[psychedelic music]] of the 1960s has been reexamined by Psych of the South with ''Lost Souls''.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.psychofthesouth.com/ |title=Home |publisher=Psych of the South |access-date=2015-10-26}}</ref>

===Independent and local===
While Arkansas is known for its southern styles of music, there is a much younger style coming from the state as well. In the late 1990s, and early 2000s, there were many [[rock music]] groups, as well as [[pop rock]] groups. One of the best-known bands from this time would be multi-platinum-selling rock band [[Evanescence]], which has origins in Little Rock.

In the 1970s and 1980s, Little Rock became the home of a thriving punk and [[Heavy metal music|metal]] music scene. The 1990s DIY scene was captured in the 2007 film ''[[Towncraft (film)|Towncraft]]''. As the trends have changed, [[post-hardcore]] and [[metalcore]] bands such as [[Norma Jean (band)|Norma Jean]] gained popularity. [[Doom Metal]] is represented by [[Pallbearer (band)|Pallbearer]] from Little Rock, while [[Rwake]] is known for southern [[sludge metal]]. [[American Princes]] from Little Rock show the [[indie rock]] side of Arkansas.

Young Freq is a rapper from Little Rock working with local independent label Roc Town Music Group, formed in 2013.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.sonicbids.com/band/roctownmusic/ |title=About Roc Town Music Group |publisher=Sonicbids.com |access-date=2015-10-26}}</ref>

Tommy Riggs (Tom Payton) is an Arkansan singer, piano and keyboard player who had several bands while performing around the state in the 1960s and 1970s. He also was working as a radio DJ (as Tom Jones) at the time, on [[KCLA (defunct)|KCLA]], during 1968 through 69 and as Tom Payton on [[KXLR]] in North Little Rock in 1964, and in 1966 at [[KAAY]]. During this period, he promoted himself as Tom Payton and the Kingpins, Tom Payton with The Playboys, and several other names. He recorded while he was Rock Robbins from KAAY on the Little Rock label MY Records in 1966. Two songs from the session were released on a 45 rpm record, "My Little Girl" and "Good Lovin'".

Arkansas's rock and roll scene is served by a free monthly magazine launched by Peter Read on December 8, 1980, called ''Night Flying''.<ref name="encyclopediaofarkansas1"/>

==Notable musicians from Arkansas==
{{div col|colwidth=30em}}
*[[Kris Allen]] ([[Jacksonville]] and [[Conway, Arkansas|Conway]])
*[[Black Oak Arkansas]] ([[Black Oak, Arkansas|Black Oak]])
*[[Big Bill Broonzy]] (Lake Dick)
*[[The Browns]] (Sparkman)
*[[Michael Burks]] (Camden)
*[[Glen Campbell]] (Delight)<ref>{{cite news |last1=Pollak |first1=Michael |title=Glen Campbell, Whose Hit Songs Bridged Country and Pop, Dies at 81 |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2017/08/08/arts/music/glen-campbell-dead.html |work=The New York Times |date=8 August 2017 | access-date=20 August 2024}}</ref>
*[[Johnny Cash]] (Dyess)
*[[Willie Cobbs]] (Smale)
*[[CeDell Davis]] (Helena) 
*[[Jimmy Driftwood]] (Mountain View)
*[[Melvin Endsley]] (Drasco)
*[[Amy Lee]] (Little Rock)
*[[Adam Faucett]] (Little Rock)
*[[Lefty Frizzell]] (El Dorado)
*[[Al Green]] (Forrest City)
*[[Ronnie Hawkins]] (Fayetteville)
*[[Levon Helm]] (Turkey Scratch)
*[[Barbara Hendricks]] (Stephens)
*[[Zilphia Horton]] (Spadra) 
*[[Louis Jordan]] (Brinkley)
*[[Tracy Lawrence]] (Foreman)
*[[Living Sacrifice]] (Little Rock)
*[[Ashley McBryde]] (Mammoth Spring)
*[[Justin Moore]] (Poyen)
*[[Conlon Nancarrow]] (Texarkana)
*[[Ne-Yo]] (Camden)
*[[Joe Nichols]] (Rogers)
*[[Pallbearer (band)|Pallbearer]] (Little Rock)
*[[PMtoday]] (Jacksonville)
*[[Florence Price]] (Little Rock)
*[[Collin Raye]] (DeQueen)
*[[Charlie Rich]] (Colt)
*[[Almeda Riddle]] (Cleburne County) 
*[[Rwake]] (North Little Rock)
*[[Pharoah Sanders]] (Little Rock)
*[[Nick Shoulders]] (Fayetteville)
*[[Willie "Big Eyes" Smith]] (Helena)
*[[Les Spann]] (Pine Bluff) 
*[[William Grant Still]] (Little Rock)
*[[Johnnie Taylor]] (Crawfordsville) 
*[[Sister Rosetta Tharpe]] (Cotton Plant)
*[[Trusty (band)|Trusty]] (Little Rock)
*[[Conway Twitty]] (Helena) 
*[[Soophie Nun Squad]] (North Little Rock)
*[[Roosevelt Sykes]] (Elmar) 
*[[Deas Vail]] (Russellville)
*[[Washboard Sam]] (Wheat Ridge) 
*[[Junior Walker]] (Blytheville) 
*[[William Warfield]] (West Helena)
*[[The Wedding (band)|The Wedding]] (Fayetteville)
*[[Welles (musician)|Welles]] (Ozark)
*[[Peetie Wheatstraw]] (Cotton Plant)
*[[Baby Face Willette]] (Little Rock)
*[[Bankroll Freddie]] (Helena) and (Conway)
{{div col end}}

==Festivals==
Among Arkansas's most prominent modern musical festivals is Riverfest, a [[music festival]] held along the Arkansas River in downtown [[Little Rock]]. Riverfront Blues Festival, Ft Smith Arkansas in June. Riverfest has been held annually since 1978. The [[King Biscuit Blues Festival]] is held each October in Helena. It has been ongoing since 1986. The festival seeks to celebrate and preserve the rich blues history of the region.

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20041209192326/http://arkansassymphony.aristotle.net/ Arkansas Symphony Orchestra]
*[http://www.netstate.com/states/symb/song/ar_songs.htm More information on Arkansas's state songs]

{{Arkansas}}

[[Category:Music of Arkansas| ]]
[[Category:Music of the United States by state|Arkansas]]
[[Category:Music of the Southern United States|Arkansas]]