Tennison talks about early Texarkana tunes
A Saturday lecture at the Museum of Regional History will give insight into a Texarkana topic that resonates strongly today—namely, music.
Dr. John Tennison will serve as guest lecturer for “Early Music of the Texarkana Region: Joplin & Others Before Him,” starting at 2 p.m. The talk isn’t a formal part of the Scott Joplin Regional Music Celebration today and Saturday, but it was scheduled with the knowledge that celebration was planned for this weekend.
During the talk, Tennison will survey many topics related to Texarkana’s music history, including more recent figures like classical pianist Lois Towles and founding Temptations member Otis Williams, about whom he’ll share fresh research. He’ll explore many genres of music in his discussion.
Tennison will discuss music from this area dating from 1836 to 1885, including a Caddo Indian instrument documented to have been played in the 1840s and 1850s. It’s an instrument Tennison said was mentioned in the film “12 Years a Slave.” He’ll also discuss instruments brought to the area by settlers.
“The scope of the talk is really quite broad,” Tennison said.
Tennison’s talk will stretch to 5 p.m., and he will break it up into 45-minute sections.
He believes some of the information will surprise people. “It will be a lot of fun,” he said, noting how enthused he is about the process and methodology of looking into obscure matters like these.
“I hope some of the enthusiasm will come across to my audience,” Tennison said.
The Texarkana native, forensic psychiatrist and musicologist will also share modern recordings of 19th century musical selections, jumping back and forth to some degree between the 1800s and 1900s, he said, as he examines a broad variety of instruments and styles.
Tennison said he’ll likely spend a lot of time on Joplin, the famous ragtime composer born in this area, addressing some misconceptions and beliefs that warrant skepticism. There are persistent questions that pop up
time and again about Joplin, he explained.
“In addition to audio recordings, I have never-before-seen videos that I’m going to be showing during my presentation,” Tennison said. One of those recordings includes a talk with the late local music legend Jerry Atkins. It’s footage from a 2004 interview he conducted with Atkins, a longtime champion and promoter of jazz music here.
About Towles, he believes she might be the most famous classical pianist to ever grow up in Texarkana. “Lois Towles is a fascinating person,” Tennison said. There’s been discussion about adding a plaque dedicated to her in the Walk of Fame Park near the Arkansas Municipal Auditorium.
Tennison says Towles deserves to be as well known as other musicians from Texarkana. “I’m really just trying to increase awareness of her,” he said.
(Admission: free for TMS members, $5 for non-members. Seating is limited. More info and reservations: 903-7934831 or at Eventbrite.com.)