Oklahoma Swingin’ Country - RSU School of Country Music

[William Smith]

In the Tulsa area, reruns of a TV program called Oklahoma Swingin’ Country will air from time to time. The premise was that the Rogers State College School of Country Music would put on live music from local bands and college faculty. The faculty included some great musicians.

Can anyone provide some history on the school or the show? It is highly entertaining to watch in my opinion. I recommend watching as several episodes are posted on youtube.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KPHVGrZ ... 6&index=10

This link will take you to an episode featuring the best steel player I know of.

[Larry Jamieson]

During 1974 and 1975 I attended what was then called the "Hank Thompson School of Country Music" at Claremore Jr. College in Claremore Oklahoma. It was a two year program that led to an associates of arts degree. At the Time, George Highfill and Bill Cheatwood were the primary instructors. George later went on to have a good career as an artist and headlined concerts in Europe. Gene Crane gave me private steel guitar lessons. I played in a traditional country band with other students and we did several shows at area high schools to recruit other students. There as also a "Countrypolitan" band made of of students that played edgier stuff. Bill Cheatwood formed a bluegrass band of students interested in that genre called the "Funny Band." They did bluegrass and folk type music. Once a year, Hank Thompson visited the school and Spoke to some classes and put on a show in the evening. I was fortunate to have Ken Downing as a music theory teacher at the college, He was a jazz musician, sax and piano player and music arranger from the Tulsa area. He was a very cool and knowledgeable teacher. I met my wife in the theory class. We were the two who knew what was being taught so we got together. Ken ran a jazz band of students and I played trombone in that band. There were several very talented students at the school. I also played with George Highfill and Wally Beech in another band outside of school on weekends. George played Harmonica and had done sessions in Nashville before coming to Claremore.
I did graduate and went on to Oklahoma State University with my wife so she could get a teaching degree. I studied Radio, Television and Film and worked at OSU for 7 years in TV production after I graduated. Later, I heard that George Highfill had moved on and Darell Magee was teaching there.

[William Smith]

Thanks for that, Larry. I bet it was a priceless experience.

Do you know what happened to the school?

[Jerry Overstreet]

Don't know anything about the school but I really enjoyed JD Walter's steel playing there. Great standards and big band tunes there on the C6.

Lots of long leads and instrumentals.

I had kind of forgotten, but I believe JD played with Hank T.

Thanks for that link William.

[Larry Jamieson]

Claremore Jr. College became Claremore College, then Rogers State College, then Rogers State University. At some point they probably dropped the country music program. There is a school, East Tennessee State University that offers a program of study in Bluegrass, Country and American music. A year or 2 ago I saw a bluegrass band in concert that was made up of students from that school. Berklee college has a program of study in roots music.

[Paul King]

That is some good music. The man playing steel sure does a great job too.

[William Smith]

Yes, sir. I was fortunate enough to get to play some gigs with him over the years. Everyone I have spoken with who has dealt with JD thinks very highly of him.

There is an episode linked below where they play Little Rock Getaway (at time 25:15). If that isn't good music then I don't know what is.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5UjTbKqGUvg