Artists
Winnie Cooper
is a Vocalist/Songwriter whose emphasis is Country Music, and other styles. Her family is originally of Native American background and she is very culturally influenced; it shows in her haunting, expressive singing. She has written much of her own songs, including the Nashville awarded "Never Meant to Be", songs which she has graced the stages with at the Route 66 Festival, in Clinton, the Coleman Theater and many other venues.
Janet Cox
is a Country and Contemporary Singer who has been performing since age 11 and became a "Rising Star" at age 13. She has performed at Branson, Lorreta Lynn's Ranch, Oklahoma Rodeo Opery, Graceland and for the Oklahoma City Thunder, to name a few. She was a regional winner 3 times in the Country Showdown. Janet shares this in common with Winnie Cooper, that she has performed with Rte 66 Rising Stars since its inception.
James Ruggles
is a Classically trained Concert Violinist with his Masters of Arts Degree in Music Performance from Western Washington University. He is Vice President of Route 66 Rising Stars Inc. James also was President of Tulsa Friends of Chamber music where he had concerts of many different styles represented: Classical, Jazz, Flamenco, Folk and Fusion genres all on each concert. A few years back, Michael Anthamatten and James forged together their two organizations, with Michael's Rising Star Productions and Route 66 Rising Stars, in order to bring out the early American Music aspect. It would of course, incorporate Folk ("Americana") but also Blues and Country, with some creative license for its Songwriters. James has in the past worked with in small ensembles and solos: Don Ryan, Eldon Shamblen and other members of The Texas Playboys, Asleep at The Wheel, The Four Seasons, The Lettermen, David Gates, Michael Martin Murphey, Jimmy Webb and many others.
Amy Sebran
is a Folk Singer Guitarist that flourished the Tulsa scene for many years. She started professionally in the late 1960's and during the 70's and 80's toured the Holiday Inns in New England with Impressario Sammy Pagna. She for 7 years played at Shotgun Sam's Pizza in Tulsa, which was a very popular restaurant/toast of the town. She also played most great venues including: The Petroleum Club, Steak & Ale, Benali's, Diamond Jack's, St. Michael's Alley and many others. Being an incredibly dynamic performer, Amy has written lots of her own songs, in the American Folk idiom.
Joesf Glaude
is a Jazz and Classical Guitarist, who specializes in Jazz but is very versatile. For the past few years he has played as a soloist in Swing, 30's & 40's torch songs and Country Western. Joesf has played in many music festivals in the Southwest and appeared in House Concerts in every state in America. He has put out 50 CDs.
Johnny Beard
is a Spanish Flamenco Guitarist who specializes in Traditional Flamenco stylings. He is a member of his dancing daughter's Flamenco dance/singing group i flamenco Tulsa, and Reflejos Flamencos. They have performed many times at The Tulsa Performing Arts Center and in various music festivals including the Taos Festival.
BLACK CLASSICAL COMPOSERS
Performed by James Ruggles, Violinist and Pianist Accompianists Dolores McCreary, and the esteemed Cathy Venable. Vocal concerts by Cathy Venable.
COMPOSERS:
William Grant Still
was born in Woodville Mississippi and lived his childhood in Little Rock Arkansas. His last house (now the William Grant Still Museum) is in Flagstaff Arizona on Rte 66! A Black Classical composer of mostly Symphonies and Operas; he composed many other genres as well. Most of his music is Classical in a Blues vein rather than Jazz-like, as Gershwin had done. Still wrote 6 full operas and 5 Symphonies, other symphonic works, and much combinations of Chamber Music. Many of his Art songs/Arias from these works have also been transcribed to solo instruments such as violin. He has not only been hailed as "The dean of black Composers", but also was the first blacpk musician to have conducted the Los Angeles Philharmonic and New York Philharmonic.
Scott Joplin
was a Ragtime Jazz Piano Composer. Being from St. Louis, (which is on Rte. 66), Scott Joplin's music very much reflected the times, many times flashing forward in time as well as backward. The barrel house piano style had been coming about in bars in the old west, and it was a style that was improvisational, and yet came to be written down by 1895 (Scott Joplin's and others' works), a few years after the St Louis World's Fair "music showcase". Joplin wrote the extremely famous "Maple Leaf Rag", "Solace" and many others, but most famous eventually (75 years later) was his "The Entertainer" from his 1 opera and this was presented in The movie, "The Sting".
Art Deco Classical Compositions and Native American Classical Composers:
The music of Jerod Tate, Native American Composer. Art Deco Classical Compostions of Francis Poulenc and Igor Stravinsky.
Performed by James Ruggles, Violinist, Pianists Dolores McCreary, the esteemed Cathy Venable and others.
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