Tulsa ranks in the top 10 music scenes in the U.S.
BY JENNIFER CHANCELLOR World Scene Writer
Tuesday, March 27, 2012
3/27/12 at 5:41 PM
Tulsa is one of the country’s top 10 cities with the best music scenes, according to research from Livability.com.
If you remove the three “obvious” cities with runaway populations of musicians and people — Nashville, New York City and L.A. — the aural landscape takes on a richness and depth that’s not always visible at first glance.
“People have a vast array of things to do in bars and concert halls to arenas, and a whole lot of it is centered around live music,” said Chad Rodgers, general manager of the 1,700 capacity Cain’s Ballroom and its side venue, Bob’s, which holds about 350.
Great local music cities top out with Athens, Georgia; Minneapolis and Portland, Ore. They are followed by Chapel Hill, N.C.; Omaha, Neb.; Cambridge, Mass. and Fort Worth.
Rounding out the top 10 are Madison, Wis.; Tulsa and Concord, Calif.
Livability.com picked the 10 cities that won praise for the number and quality of music venues, independent record stores and local musicians, and its ability to attract and produce talent. It also considered other variables, including a vibrant nightlife and higher education opportunities.
“To be in the top 10 nationally, wow,” Rodgers said. “This is success that every city hopes for — or should hope for.”
Paige Reese, BOK Center director of sales and marketing, agrees.
“The fans in Tulsa have shown great support in music, which brings in great acts,” Reese said. She said she was “especially happy” that events like the Rock ‘n Rib Festival and Mayfest also were named by the site for their strong community support.
There’s a music outlet to suit every size, every sound and every personality, said Danny Finnerty, director of entertainment for the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Tulsa.
“Tulsa has a long-standing tradition of offering an outstanding and diverse live music scene. We’re proud of the positive impact The Joint has had in bringing more national acts to Tulsa and providing music fans more opportunities to see the bands they love.”
Famous Tulsa-area musicians include Leon Russell, Garth Brooks, Roy Clark, Sam Harris, Dwight Twilley, David Gates (Bread), J.J. Cale, Flash Terry, Tommy Allsup and others.
Back in the ‘30s, Texas western swing musician Bob Wills and his Texas Playboys also made the area their home — and Cain’s Ballroom famous.
Associated Images:
Tulsa is one of the country’s top 10 cities with the best music scenes. Livability.com picked the 10 cities that won praise for the number and quality of music venues, independent record stores and local musicians, and its ability to attract and produce talent. It also considered other variables, including a vibrant nightlife and higher education opportunities.
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