Preserving the Ozarks at the Library: Concerts, book signings and more

Preserving the history and culture of the Ozarks is the charge of the Library's Local History & Genealogy Department. Stop into the Library throughout May to experience stories of the people, places and events that shaped the region and discover how those stories are being preserved and shared.

The Creek Rocks Concert

Tuesday, April 30, 7 p.m. at the Library Center. The Creek Rocks' debut CD, “Wolf Hunter,” is a collection of traditional but newly-interpreted folk songs inspired by the work of two Ozarks folklorists, John Quincy Wolf of Arkansas and Max Hunter of Springfield. Join The Creek Rocks as they showcase songs from “Wolf Hunter” and share some of their sources, from well-known songwriters like Johnny Mullins to everyday Ozarkers whose voices would otherwise be lost to history. CDs will be available for purchase and signing.

Hillbilly Music in the 1950s: Si Siman and “Ozark Jubilee”

Thursday, May 2, 7 p.m. in the Library Center auditorium. As executive producer of “Ozark Jubilee,” Si Siman had to sell country music to ABC television executives who viewed the Ozarks as a backwoods region and repeatedly tried to change or cancel the show because of its “hillbillyisms.” Dr. Kitty Ledbetter, co-author of “Broadcasting the

Ozarks: Si Siman and Country Music at the Crossroads,” will look inside Siman's efforts to shape the “Ozark Jubilee” to their demands and his role in introducing country music and the Ozarks to viewers across America. Books will be available for purchase and signing. Presented in partnership with the State Historical Society of Missouri.

Sketches from Springfield: A Cartoon History

Thursday, May 9, 7 p.m. in the Library Center auditorium. Cartoons have been shaping the conversation around Ozarks culture and Springfield happenings for generations. From well-known newspaper cartoonist Bob Palmer to “hillbilly” cartoonist Art Omans to photographer Betty Love's years-long stint as a newspaper staff artist, join Local History Associate Konrad Stump as he explores how these remarkable cartoonists captured history and shares how the Library's archives are preserving their work. Art Omans' prints will be available as a gift for donations made to the Library Foundation's Preserving Ozarks History Endowment throughout May.

Additional programming throughout May will include “On Tour: Great Concerts in the Ozarks,” “Music & Memories Along Route 66,” “Stories from the Scene,” and “Ozarks Women in Media.” Visit thelibrary.org to learn more about this series.

Vickie Hicks is the community relations director of the Springfield-Greene County Library District. She can be reached at vickieh@thelibrary.org.