Bill Young, Ozark Folk Center general manager, Mark Rector, Mountain View Schools superintendent, Conjie Williams, Chair of the Committee of One Hundred, DeAnne Gillespie, Music Roots instructor, and Committee of One Hundred members: Janice Sutton,
Pam Simmons Setser and Jean Jennings.
This Ozark Folk Center 50th Anniversary Legacy Photo is in memory of Conjie Williams.
Love, Carol Kick, member of the Committee of One Hundred
Establishing the Music Roots program within the school system was the brainchild of Danny Thomas and, over the years, folk music has permeated all generations literally saving the musical culture of this community. Mr. Thomas was the superintendent of the Mountain View School District when he applied for a career orientation grant in 1997. The goal of the grant was to create a career path for young people in this small town known for folk music. Beginning in 4th grade, free lessons are available to students during the school day and free loaner instruments to take home.
The program brought together the schools, the Ozark Folk Center, and local financial support. Elliott Hancock was then music director at the Folk Center and he created the template for music lessons. Mountain View School and the Committee of One Hundred for the Ozark Folk Center provided initial financial support with the Mountain View Bluegrass Association, Ozark Traditions, and Senator Missy Irvin adding to those efforts over the years. Some donors have included Music Roots in their estate planning through the Committee of One Hundred and the community at-large has been supportive through financial contributions and participation.
Danny Thomas’ vision of folk music as a career path has been realized, likely beyond his initial dreams! Because of Music Roots, folk music is embedded across generations and throughout the community. Families have moved here to provide this setting for their children. More than 20 groups of young musicians have formed where they learn stage presence and how to work as a band. Some of the youth groups have gone on to play at festivals, competitions, and win awards. Even for those who do not make it to the stage, they have a start with an instrument that will last a lifetime.
Kai Perry, Music Roots student
Photo, courtesy Mark Moller
Student enrollment in Music Roots ranges between 50 to 130 students per year over the past 25 years. A conservative estimate would put the total number of students between 1,500 and 2,500. The impact goes beyond the students in the program as it is common to see kids as young as 7 or 8 years old walking with child-size instruments on their way to and from private music lessons. The impact goes beyond the students as music teachers, classroom teachers, parents, extended families, and the community at-large participate as audience members and gain an appreciation for preserving the folk culture of the Ozarks.
This point-of-pride has a broad reach as budding musician groups perform at the Governor’s Mansion, the State Capitol, and arts venues throughout the state. This, in turn, promotes Mountain View as a tourism destination and family-friendly place to live. The Music Roots program has helped preserve folk music and culture, strengthened academic
achievement,[i] and supported the creative economy and quality-of-life.
Dave Smith, instructor and host of Ozark Highlands Radio, with Music Roots students.
Music Roots is a force in the creative economy through (1) music teacher salaries, (2) music group performance payments, and (3) instrument purchase and repair. Additionally, young musicians delight audiences and appeal to crowds at the Ozark Folk Center and the historic courthouse square. Crafts and folk music go hand in hand as visitors support the artisans represented at the Arkansas Craft Guild retail store and take classes at the Arkansas Craft School.
Music Roots celebrates its 25th anniversary in 2023 and folk music educational opportunities have spread throughout Stone County. Pre-pandemic, the Music Roots program was in Mountain View, Rural Special and Timbo Schools and even during the pandemic, private lessons continued. Students who first learned how to play in the Music Roots program have become professional musicians, some have taught folk music, and some still play folk music even as they have gone on to other careers. A declining folk music scene in the 1990s is now a vibrant music destination for musicians of all ages.
Danny Thomas’ idea to teach folk music in the schools spread through the region and in 2020 musicians were the highest ranking creative job in Stone County and music instrument sales and repairs—in tiny Stone County—reached 1.7 million dollars.[ii] He continues to inspire youngsters when he plays the banjo at the Ozark Folk Center and brings them up on stage to pluck and play, ever the art loving educator!
“One day I saw something neat in the hallway at school. A boy was carrying a laptop and just behind was a girl carrying a dulcimer. I thought, here in the present, the past and the future are so close together…I liked it.” Danny Thomas, former Mountain View Schools superintendent and grant writer for the original career orientation grant that started the Music Roots program.
Entry by Lenore Shoults with input from Judy Munn, Danny Thomas, and the Arkansas Legislative Art & Technology Boot Camp report.
[i] On the 2012 SAT, students who participated in music scored an average of 31 points above average in reading, 23 points above average in math, and 31 points above average in writing. (College Board SAT, 2012 College-Bound Seniors: Total Group Profile Report. https://secure-media.collegeboard.org/digitalServices/pdf/research/TotalGroup-2012.pdf Table 18, Page 9 (accessed August 26, 2020).
[ii] Westaf Creative Vitality Suite, 2022. Report prepared for Arkansans for the Arts as part of Act 577 Legislative Art + Technology Boot Camp. (Accessed October 26, 2022,https://arkansansforthearts.org/arts-tech-bootcamp/arkansas-legislative-arts-technology-bootcamp.html)
The Committee of One Hundred Tribute Wall recognizes contributions to the preservation of Ozark folk culture.
If you would like to help preserve the folk culture of the Ozarks, consider a
The Committee is made up entirely of volunteers so, except for transaction fees, all of your donation funds music, craft, or the herb gardens and, as a 501c3 entity
your donation is tax deductible!
This is an excellent program that benefits the community while teaching the students how to play an instrument and how to perform. The Ozark Folk Center stage gave the students an opportunity to exhibit those skills to the public. It has been missed these past three years. With the rebirth of the Music Roots program, it is important that the Ozark Highland Theater reopen to the public in order for this project to keep benefitting the students and the community.