Top 100 Oklahoma Artists of all Time

[kmf563]

Is anybody else following this list that's being compiled by oklahomarock??
So far it has been very interesting to me and I'm anxious to see who is going to be at the top of this list.

It is a list of the top 100 Oklahoma musicians of all time. They are doing this in honor of the centennial and release 5 new artists on the list per day. I'll find what they have released so far and share.

here is a link too:
Oklahoma Rock Newsblog » Blog Archive » Top 100 Oklahoma Musicians: 100-96

[kmf563]

100. David Terry of Agueduct
99. Susie Luchsinger
98. PC Quest
97. Jay 'Hootie' McShann
96. Pillar

95. Caroline's Spine
94. Jimmy LaFave
93. Barry McGuire
92. Cozad
91. Don Cherry

90. Wayman Tisdale
89. Elvin Bishop
88. Kellie Coffey
87. Gus Hardin
86. Lee Wiley

85. Jacob Fred Jazz Odyssey
84. Debris
83. Spade Cooley
82. Carl Radle
81. Bob Childers

80. Watermelon Slim
79. Ty England
78. Albert Brumley
77. Phil Seymour
76. Tommy Allsup

[kmf563]

75. Moon Martin
74. Cross Canadian Ragweed
73. Ricochet
72. The Five Americans
71. Henson Cargill

[Misty]

Jimmy Lafave and Cody Canada numbers 94 and 74? What moron is putting this list together?

[kmf563]

70. For Love Not Lisa
69. Keith Anderson
68. Big Al Downing
67. Wade Hayes
66. Pretty Miss Norma Jean

[kmf563]

65. Hanson
64. Joe Don Rooney
63. Lowell Fulson
62. Hinder
61. Cal Smith

(This is by far the WORST group I have had to post. Really? Hinder? They beat Watermelon Slim and Jimmy? I agree Misty...who is making this list from Oklahoma Rock and what exactly are they compiling this list off of? Is it fame, fortune, albums, ....what? I don't get it. Great. I'm sure the top 5 will be fantastic.)

[Misty]

Woody Guthrie will probably not make the cut and Garth or Reba will be #1.

[kmf563]

60. Michael Been of The Call
59. The Nixons
58. Jimmy Webb
57. Restless Heart
56. Dwight Tilley

[Misty]

Tonight I saw a red red rose in a yellow moon..........hey I actually like Restless Heart.

[kmf563]

hehe. Misty I forgot they even existed until now. I do remember that song...and their big hair. lol.

Yay Nixons.

[Misty]

Yes, I remember the days when the level of my crush grew based on hair size. Bigger hair=bigger crush. Suddenly I really want to see the Van Halen jump video.....

[Oh GAWD the Smell!]

Yes, I remember the days when the level of my crush grew based on hair size. Bigger hair=bigger crush. Suddenly I really want to see the Van Halen jump video.....

Whitesnake + Tawny Kitaen in the video = RAWR.

[kmf563]

55. Sheb Wooley
54. Color Me Badd
53. Blake Shelton
52. All American Rejects
51. Leona Mitchell


"oooh oooh...i wanna sex you up." those are just good lyrics.

Man. This is the most eclectic awesomest group so far. yes i said awesomest.
I love a big cup of sarcasm in the mornings.

[Misty]

Ok, now I know whoever is making this list is seriously smoking some crack. This list is a testament to the fact that drugs are bad ummmmmmmkay????????

[Misty]

Oh, and last night I was listening to 30 Seconds to Mars with headphones and singing at the top of my lungs so I apologize to everyone who lives in the Paseo area. I was trying to scream and sing like Jared.

[kmf563]

lol. your singing was probably better than anything that came out of this group of artists.

...i know ryan from oklahomarock is making the list. i'm starting to think it's just a list of his personal favorites.
maybe i should make my own!

[djryanla]

You're right, I loooooove me some Color Me Badd. I had a bacon, egg and sarcasm toaster sandwich for breakfast.

Like any list, this one is arbitrary. It isn't an exact science, but some of the factors I looked at were albums sold, bands influenced, shows played, longevity, national prominence, etc.

The only real mistake I feel I've made so far is placing Jimmy Webb too low. Maybe Jimmy LaFave should have been higher -- probably higher than CCR or Bob Childers, in fact. And I wouldn't argue with someone saying Don Cherry should have been higher either.

If anything, I had to guard against my personal biases. If I was doing this just for me, Hinder and most of the Nashville country wouldn't even make the list. I actually thought on sales alone, Hinder should be higher, but I couldn't do that. In fact, I cut a lot of my personal favorites in the end because I couldn't justify leaving out some other artists.

But, I'm glad you guys are keeping up with it and voicing your opinions on it. I hope you'll keep doing that for the next 50.

[Misty]

I didn't know you were in our OKCTalk world, I'm sorry for saying you smoke crack

I will sing a special 30 Seconds To Mars set for you tonight

[kmf563]

thanks for chiming in and explaining ryan!! makes a little more sense now.
and i'm glad to hear this isn't your personal taste in music chart...i was starting to worry about you. lol.

yes, i intend on following you through the entire list...looking forward to it.

and on a sidenote - that sandwich sounds good, i'm starving.

....and i still have that CMB song stuck in my head.

[djryanla]

I didn't know you were in our OKCTalk world, I'm sorry for saying you smoke crack

It's okay. I do smoke crack!

I will sing a special 30 Seconds To Mars set for you tonight

Please don't.

[ErinKay]

Like any list, this one is arbitrary. It isn't an exact science, but some of the factors I looked at were albums sold, bands influenced, shows played, longevity, national prominence, etc.

If that's some of the factors you looked at then in my opinion, Joe Don Rooney should have been MUCH higher. Rascal Flatts is EVERYWHERE! They sold 550,000 albums in their first week. They're constantly on tour and on the top of the charts, whether it be for album, single or video. If they aren't #1, they were JUST falling from #1 or have one coming up quick. Just my opinion though. I'm kind of a country nut though so I guess i'd say Blake Shelton and Keith Anderson should have been higher too!

Please don't jump on me now. I'm just a big Rascal Flatts fan.

[djryanla]

I also dinged Oklahomans that were just one or two members in a non-Oklahoman band. Otherwise The Call would have been much higher. Probably Rascal Flatts too.

About half of the Top 50 are country artists. That should tell you something about our state's music history and how newer artists like Keith Anderson and Blake Shelton didn't stand a chance.

[kmf563]

50. Kay Starr
49. Johnny Bond
48. The Tractors
47. Bryan White
46. Otto Gray and his Oklahoma Cowboys

[kmf563]

45. The Collins Kids
44. Mae Boren Axton
43. Jimmy Rushing
42. Jean Shepard
41. Tom Paxton


This must be the songwriting group. Great choices. If you don't know who these people are, you should do some research. In case you guys aren't aware - Ryan gives a description of each of these artists on his list along with some song samples, any links, and any videos he can find for the artists up on the list. I put a link in the first entry, but here's another.

Oklahoma Rock Newsblog » Blog Archive » Top 100 Oklahoma Musicians: 45-41

[kmf563]

40. Defenestration
39. Byron Berline
38. Merle Kilgore
37. Junior Brown
36. Joe Diffie