Yearly Archives: 2013

New Johnny Cash stamp issued today by US Postal Service

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cashstampJohnny Cash (1932-2003) is best remembered internationally as a country music artist, but we feel his influence just about everywhere—from rock and folk to blues and gospel. The Johnny Cash (Forever®) stamp is being issued this year as part of the exciting new Music Icons stamp series.

Resembling the appearance of a 45 rpm record sleeve, the square stamp features a photograph taken by Frank Bez during the photo session for Ring of Fire: The Best of Johnny Cash (1963). In the photo, Cash stares out at the viewer through a veil of shadow, his brooding expression fitting for an artist known to so many people simply as “the Man in Black.”

Cash found inspiration for his music in the stories of outlaws and laborers, and in his own life experience. A child of the Depression, he grew up in rural Arkansas, and the culture of that time and place—especially the Bible and gospel and country music—remained with him all his life. Themes of redemption, loneliness, love, loss, and death colored his music with a gritty realism that differed markedly from other socially conscious popular music. “I shot a man in Reno just to watch him die,” he sings famously in “Folsom Prison Blues.”

By the 1960s, Cash had become one of the top names in country music, with a string of hits that included “Cry, Cry, Cry,” “I Walk the Line,” and the Grammy award-winning “A Boy Named Sue.” Though his popularity waned in the 1970s and 1980s, Cash made a remarkable resurgence in the 1990s, culminating in several more Grammy awards. He was inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame in 1980 and the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1992.

Greg Breeding served as art director and designer for the stamp.

The Johnny Cash stamp is being issued as a Forever® stamp. Forever stamps are always equal in value to the current First-Class Mail® one-ounce rate.

Made in the USA.

Jazz in the Park: June 5 – Rodney Block

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jazzinparkThe Little Rock Convention & Visitors Bureau is kicking off a new series of free jazz concerts tonight.  Tonight’s featured musician is Rodney Block and the Real Music Lovers.

Jazz in the Park will be every Wednesday night in June and July from 5:30pm to 7:30pm. They will take place in the History Pavilion in Riverfront Park (between the Junction Bridge and Peabody Park).

Beer & Wine will be available for sale – to benefit Sculpture at the River Market…so no coolers, please. Free to attend!

Legacies & Lunch Today: Music industry legend Bill Carter

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bill_carterThe monthly Legacies & Lunch program returns today with music industry legend Bill Carter.

He will discuss his exciting, wildly varied career as an attorney, agent, and more at the Butler Center for Arkansas Studies’ Legacies & Lunch on Wednesday, June 5, at noon in the Main Library’s Darragh Center, 100 Rock Street. (For instance, when the Rolling Stones were arrested in Arkansas, they called Carter.)

Carter will talk about his childhood in Rector, Arkansas and his wild ride through the music industry, plus a stint as a Secret Service agent. As an attorney, he is noted for his work with the Rolling Stones, securing their ability to enter and tour the United States in the sixties. As an agent, he represented musical artists such as Reba McEntire, Tanya Tucker and Waylon Jennings. He also served as a Secret Service agent, which he addresses in his memoir, Get Carter. His book will be available for sale and signing at the program.

The Butler Center’s Legacies & Lunch program is free and open to the public and supported in part by the Arkansas Humanities Council. Attendees are invited to bring a sack lunch; drinks and dessert will be provided.

The Butler Center for Arkansas Studies is a department of the Central Arkansas Library System (CALS). It was founded in 1997 to promote the study and appreciation of Arkansas history and culture. The Butler Center’s research collections, art galleries, and offices are located in the Arkansas Studies Institute building at 401 President Clinton Ave. on the campus of the CALS Main Library.

For more information, call 918-3029.

June 4 Architeaser: Justice Building Rotunda

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IMG_5749Today’s photo features the rotunda of the 1976 annex of the Justice Building on the State Capitol grounds. This section was dedicated in January 1976 and was designed by Noland Blass. The circular building houses the Supreme Court chambers. It is surrounded by a hallway which wraps around the chamber and is sheathed by panels of glass .  Notice how the glass reflects the surroundings but also allows for a clear view through to the sculpture on the interior wall.

The original portion of the Justice Building was dedicated on June 10, 1958.  Before the Court Room was built, the Supreme Court held court in a temporary (for nearly 18 years) court room in the south end of the Justice Building.

On a personal note, it was in this building in 1986 that I served as Chief Judge of the Court of Appeals at Arkansas Boys State.  I don’t remember the “case” we heard or how we ruled.  But I do remember getting to wear a black judge robe over by Boys State T-shirt.

AVENUE Q at Arkansas Rep

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Avenue-QThe Arkansas Repertory Theatre closes out the 2012-2013 season with the Tony winning musical Avenue Q which begins performances this week.  Avenue Q, which won three 2004 Tony Awards including Best Musical, opens on Friday, June 7 following previews on June 5 & 6.  The production runs through June 30

Avenue Q is an adult, laugh-out-loud puppet musical that tells the timeless story of a recent college grad named Princeton who moves into a shabby New York apartment all the way out on Avenue Q. There, he meets Kate (the girl next door), Christmas Eve, Trekkie Monster, Gary Coleman and other colorful types who help Princeton finally discover his purpose in life.

The cast includes Will Holly, Bailey Means, Kathleen Choe, Jimmy Kieffer, Ethan Paulini, Shaleah Adkisson, Chad Burris and Leah Monzillo.  Lauren McClendon, Henry Melhorn and Mary Katelin Ward are understudies.

The production is directed by Robert Kolby Harper.  Rick Lyon, who worked on and starred in the original production of Avenue Q is the puppet designer and puppet coach.  The other members of the design team include Christopher Pickart (scenery), Shelly Hall (costumes), Daniel Davisson (lighting), Allan Branson (sound), Lynda J. Kwallek (properties) and Mike Nichols (technical director).  Michael Rice is the music director.

Avenue Q features a Tony winning book by Jeff Whitty and a Tony winning score by Jeff Marx and Robert Lopez.  It was originally directed by Fayetteville native Jason Moore (who received a Tony nomination for his direction).

Sculpture Vulture: Playing Ball

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IMG_4042The Sculpture Vulture returns as a regular Sunday feature this summer.  Summertime is a great time for running, biking and playing golf.  Today’s sculpture is ”Playing Ball” which is located in the Rebsamen Road Roundabout near bike trails, running trails and the Rebsamen Golf Course.

Sculpted by Kevin Robb, it is 16 feet high and fabricated in stainless steel.  Landscape designer Chris Olsen donated the design and maintenance of the landscaping for the roundabout.  The project was made possible by the City of Little Rock, Sculpture at the River Market and Keep Little Rock Beautiful.

Kevin Robb forms stainless steel into contemporary sculptures, creating works of art that bring a feeling of life and quiet energy to both indoor and outdoor spaces. A wonderful sense of intimacy is created for viewers as they observe the large, flowing shapes held firmly into positions that defy gravity.

These large scale stainless steel sculptures are distinguished by their smooth, graceful edges and seamless metal intersections, revealing the high caliber welding involved. The swirl patters on the stainless steel are distinct of Kevin Robb.

HPAA Announces Seven to Save

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seventosaveThe Historic Preservation Alliance of Arkansas’s 2013 list of Arkansas’s Endangered Places is comprised of two antebellum houses, a neighborhood school, a grand orphanage with pastoral grounds, a service station shaped like an oil can, a turn of the century commercial building that housed an opera house and two Mid-Century Modern gems.

The Historic Preservation Alliance of Arkansas announced the list in front of the historic William E. Woodruff House in Little Rock on May 23.

“The 2013 list of endangered places highlights distinctive sites throughout Arkansas that represent important aspects of Arkansas’s culture and history. Though each circumstance is difference, each of these places is important to the community where it is located and each is worth saving,” said Vanessa McKuin, executive director of the Historic Preservation Alliance of Arkansas, a statewide non-profit organization.

“By calling attention to these sites now, we want to encourage local action to rehabilitate and maintain these important places.” said McKuin. “By listing these properties, we hope to bring attention to the places and to encourage local support and involvement in these preservation efforts throughout the state.”

Named to the list were:

  • Hantz & Durst Houses, 1950 & 1951, 855 & 857 Fairview St., Fayetteville, Washington County
  • Ferguson House, 1861, 416 North 3th Street, Augusta, Woodruff County
  • Frith-Plunkett House, c. 1858, 801 Main Street, Des Arc, Prairie County
  • Park Hill Elementary School, 1924, 3801 JFK Boulevard, North Little Rock, Pulaski County
  • Roundtop Filling Station (Happy’s Service Station), 1936, Old Highway 67, Sherwood, Pulaski Co.
  • St. Joseph’s Home, 1910, 6800 Camp Robinson Rd., North Little Rock, Pulaski County
  • Wynne Opera House, c. 1900, 218 S. Front Street, Wynne, Cross County

The Arkansas’s Most Endangered Historic Places list highlights historically and architecturally significant properties throughout the state that are facing threats such as deterioration, neglect, insufficient funds, insensitive public policy, and inappropriate development. The Alliance solicited nominations from residents and organizations across Arkansas.

The Alliance launched Arkansas’s Most Endangered Historic Places in 1999 to raise awareness of the importance of Arkansas’s historic properties to our state’s heritage. Previously-listed places listed include the Johnny Cash Boyhood Home in Dyess, the Donaghey Building in Little Rock, Bluff Shelter Archaeological Sites in Northwest Arkansas, the Westside Junior High in Little Rock, the Woodmen on Union Building in Hot Springs, the Packet House in Little Rock, the Stephen H. Chism House in Booneville, and the John H. Johnson House in Arkansas City.

The Historic Preservation Alliance is the statewide non-profit organization dedicated to preserving Arkansas’s architectural and cultural heritage. For more information about the Alliance and becoming a member, contact Vanessa at 501-372-4757, vmckuin@preservearkansas.org, or visit preservearkansas.org.