What song will rock Oklahoma?
What song will rock Oklahoma?
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By George Lang
Published: September 3, 2008
When online voters choose the Official Oklahoma Rock Song, it will be from a list of 10 finalists covering six decades of rock 'n' roll — all created by artists with strong Oklahoma roots.
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The finalists, announced Tuesday in a press conference at the Oklahoma History Center, are:
• "After Midnight" by J.J. Cale.
• "Heartbreak Hotel" by Mae Boren Axton.
• "Oklahoma" by The Call.
• "Never Been to Spain" by Hoyt Axton.
• "Move Along" by the All-American Rejects.
• "Home Sweet Oklahoma" by Leon Russell.
• "Endless Oklahoma Sky" by John Moreland and the Black Gold Band.
• "Walk Don't Run" by the Ventures.
• "Do You Realize?" by the Flaming Lips.
• "Let's Have a Party" by Wanda Jackson.
The finalists were chosen by the Official Rock Song Advisory Panel, a group appointed by Gov. Brad Henry; Speaker of the House Chris Benge, R-Tulsa; state Senate Co-Presidents Pro Tempore Mike Morgan, D-Stillwater, and Glenn Coffee, R-Oklahoma City; the Oklahoma Historical Society and the Oklahoma Film and Music Office.
The panel includes longtime KOMA disc jockey Ronnie Kaye, radio personality and Oklahoma Travel Net reporter Lacey Lett, musician Steve Ripley, OklahomaRock.com blogger Ryan LaCroix, Professor Hugh Foley of Rogers State University and the Oklahoma Music Hall of Fame, Dfest co-founder Angie DeVore-Green, and Phil Bacharach, journalist and deputy press secretary for Governor Henry.
Jill Simpson, director of the Oklahoma Film and Music Office, said that Oklahoma's music heritage is a strong source of pride for the state.
"We have such rich and varied heritage and that palette is so broad, that we're just thrilled to bring another aspect to light, which is our rock heritage," Simpson said.
Kaye, who was honored in January by Henry for his 50 years as a deejay, said the list was a testament to the impact of Oklahomans in rock 'n' roll.
Voting for the final selection will continue at www.oklahomarocksong.org through Nov. 15. The winning song will be announced during the next legislative session. The Oklahoma History Center will commemorate the state's rock 'n' roll history with an exhibit titled "Another Hot Oklahoma Night," opening May 2, 2009.
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