HOPE – A video discussion by local music educators, a student musician and professional musicians on the impact of Black music in Hope and Southwest Arkansas offers a variety of perspectives on what all the panelists agree has been a powerful influence.
\r\nThe video “Perspectives on a Sound: A Conversation on Black Music in Hope” is a Black History Month presentation of the Hope Public Schools.\r\n
\r\nThe complete video presentation may be accessed here: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1H6yGsaQKvRrLQRkCrOMLQ646VFYOkaft/view?usp=sharing
Panelists include Hope High School junior and Bobcat bands musician Richard Ware; retired Hope Public Schools vocal music teacher Sandra Jones; former Hope Public Schools bands director and professional jazz/contemporary music performer Jeff Madlock; and 38-year southwest Arkansas broadcast radio veteran, newspaper publisher and bluegrass/gospel musician Mark Keith.\r\n
\r\nWare’s perspective on Black music education emphasized a general value to it as part of a fully-developed student experience.\r\n
\r\n“I think if we see more emphasis upon how music was developed and the history of it, I think that will not only tie Black culture to music education, it might also bring more Black students into music education but it might drive more music education for non-Black students,” Ware said.\r\n
\r\nIn her career as a music educator, Jones sees music generally a part of a “well-rounded” education.\r\n
\r\n“In terms of Black music, I am African-American, and I grew up listening to gospel music, soul music, jazz,” Jones said. “And, I think other than the more highly-dramatic operas, I love every kind of music.”\r\n
\r\nJones listed numerous Black musicians who have influenced multiple musical genres, including some from Hope such as Ketty Lester who was born Revoyda Frierson in Hope in 1934. Lester was won a music scholarship to San Francisco City College in California, and she began performing professionally, becoming a nightclub headliner touring in Europe with the Cab Calloway Orchestra.\r\n
\r\nIn 1962, Lester recorded “Love Letters” which rose to No. 2 on the R&B US (Black) chart, No. 5 on the Billboard Hot 100 (white) chart and No. 4 in Great Britain. The song has won praise from recording artists for years and Lester was nominated for a Grammy in 1963. The song has been “covered” by numerous recording artists including Elvis, Toni Tennille, and Elton John with Bonnie Rait.\r\n
\r\nJones said her use of Black music in teaching vocal music to fifth and sixth grade students at Beryl Henry Elementary School was mostly historical in context.\r\n
\r\n“I did use some spirituals and we did a couple units about jazz where we studied specific jazz artists,” Jones said. “We did some performances of popular music that was either written by or performed by African-American artists.”\r\n
\r\nKeith offered perspectives of radio personality “Big Daddy” and the popularity of Black performers locally and historically.\r\n
\r\n“He really had an interest in young people,” Keith said. “He was a people person and it did not matter who the people were.”\r\n
\r\nHe said the influence of Black gospel music remains important in southwest Arkansas.\r\n
\r\n“Everything that we hear and are exposed to that we like helps to build a bridge,” Keith said. “I think what most actively affected me were the Dr. Martin Luther King programs.”\r\n
\r\nMadlock said as a music educator he “loved being able to present music to the community from gospel and blues to jazz and rhythm and blues.”\r\n
\r\nMadlock said what he hoped his students learned was how to reach their individual passions and those shared in their community through that common experience.\r\n
\r\n“As we move forward, the ability of all students to understand the importance of Black music is an honor of the Hope Public Schools,” he said.\r\n
\r\nThe perspectives brought to that experience were built by pioneers such as Scott Joplin, according to Carol Collins-Miles, president of the Scott Joplin Support Group in Texarkana. Reared by music performers and teachers, Collins-Miles sang in choir and performed in school bands in Texarkana.\r\n
\r\n“I learned much about music at home,” Collins-Miles wrote in the Jan. 26, 2021 edition of Texarkana Monthly. “But while living in Paris, France, I was introduced to Texarkana’s legendary composer Scott Joplin, the ‘King of Ragtime.’”\r\n
\r\nThat introduction fueled an aspiration to promote Joplin’s foundational influence.\r\n
\r\n“He was the nation’s first renowned composer to sell a million copies (accumulatively) of a song,” she wrote. “His ‘Maple Leaf Rag’ original is now in the Library of Congress.”\r\n
\r\nRaised in Texarkana, Joplin is believed to have been born in the area, and Miles records a definitive biography of him in a 2017 documentary film “Scott Joplin: Hometown Hero – Texarkana USA.”\r\n
\r\nAnd, the popularity of Black musical artists and artistry continues with the performance talents and teaching of performers such as Allen Batts, of Hope, keyboardist and member of the original Albert Collins Icebreakers.\r\n
\r\nBatts recorded with Collins’ group and others such as Lacy Gibson, Eddie Clearwater, Shirley Jonson, Willie Kent, Maurice John Vaughn, Jody Williams and Lester Davenport. He currently works through the Earwig label on releases by Aaron Burton, Big Jack Johnson, Lil Ed Williams, Willie Kent, Liz Mandeville Greeson, Louisiana Red and Tim Woods.\r\n
\r\nBatts now performs in his own jazz group and teaches keyboards in Hope.\r\n
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