Happy Birthday, George Grantham 🎂🥁

Born January 20, 1947, in Cordell, Oklahoma, George Grantham is a drummer and singer best known as a founding member of Poco—and a key voice in shaping country-rock.

Grantham began his professional journey at just 18, joining the Denver-based folk-rock group Boenzee Cryque, where his musicianship and harmony singing stood out. After that band dissolved, he followed guitarist Rusty Young to Los Angeles, where sessions with Richie Furay and Jim Messina led to the formation of Poco. Across more than a dozen albums, Grantham’s drumming and distinctive harmonies became central to the band’s sound.

Beyond Poco, he played drums on Neil Young’s 1969 self-titled solo debut and recorded with artists including Ricky Skaggs, Richie Furay, Ronnie McDowell, and Steve Wariner. After leaving Poco in 1978, he later returned for reunions and recordings—including Legacy (1989) and Running Horse (2002).

From Cordell to the world stage—celebrating an Oklahoma original whose rhythm and voice helped define an era. @officialpocoband #poco #georgegrantham #okpop ...

On Martin Luther King Jr. Day, we reflect on the life and legacy of Martin Luther King Jr. by recognizing those who stood beside him and carried his work forward— including Xernona Clayton, a trailblazing civil rights leader, broadcaster, and Oklahoma native, born and raised in Muskogee in 1930.

Clayton was a close associate and trusted ally of Dr. King, working alongside him during the Civil Rights Movement and helping advance key efforts for justice and equality. After his assassination, she continued his mission by championing civil rights, representation, and opportunity—especially through the power of media.

In broadcasting history, Xernona Clayton broke barriers as one of the first Black women executives in American television, shaping public-affairs programming in Atlanta and opening doors for more inclusive storytelling on air. She later founded the Trumpet Awards, honoring excellence and leadership in the Black community.

From Muskogee to the national stage, her story reflects how the movement extended beyond one leader—and how Oklahoma-connected voices helped carry Dr. King’s vision forward.

#MLKDay #XernonaClayton #OklahomaHistory #BroadcastPioneers #OKPOP ...

Before the flaming skull. Before the motorcycle.
There was a cowboy.

The original Ghost Rider debuted in 1949 in Magazine Enterprises’ Tim Holt #11, created by writer Raymond Krank and artist Dick Ayers. Inspired by the hit song “(Ghost) Riders in the Sky,” the character turned a traditional Western into something supernatural.

In that first story, Rex Fury survives being thrown into the “Devil’s Sink” and returns wearing a glowing white costume—no mask at first—using the idea of a “ghost rider” to frighten outlaws into surrender.

The Western Ghost Rider ran through the early 1950s before fading away, but the idea lived on. Marvel later revived the name in 1967 with a new Western hero, Carter Slade, long before the biker version most fans know today.

And the Oklahoma connection:
Western star Tim Holt later lived in the Shawnee area and is buried in Harrah, Oklahoma.

#OKPOP #TimHolt #GhostRider #oklahoma ...

The new documentary Counting Crows: Have You Seen Me Lately? was directed by Amy Scott—Oklahoma born and raised. Amy is a director-editor known for deeply human, music-driven storytelling. Her work includes Hal (Sundance 2018) and Sheryl, chronicling the life of Sheryl Crow, along with directing projects for MasterClass and artists across film and music. From Oklahoma to Los Angeles, Amy continues to export powerful creative voices to the world.

🎶 And yes—we’ve also been spinning Spaceman in Tulsa by Counting Crows right here at OKPOP. #oklahoma @amyelizscott ...

This week, we had the honor of sitting down with Francisco Treviño — Tulsa musician, singer-songwriter, cultural leader, and longtime advocate for Hispanic arts and history — to record his story for the Oklahoma Historical Society archive and future OKPOP exhibits.

From learning English through rock and folk music after immigrating in 1978, to buying his first guitar at Roy Clark Music, to founding and shaping Casa de la Cultura as a home for inclusive cultural expression, Francisco’s journey is one of music as bridge, memory, and community.

We talked about:
🎸 Music as identity and language
🏛️ Preserving Tulsa’s Hispanic history (pre-statehood to today)
🎶 Children’s songs, mariachi, bolero, and spiritual music
📻 Spanish-language radio and Tulsa’s evolving music ecosystem
❤️ Passing culture forward through education, storytelling, and song

These stories — and voices like Francisco’s — are exactly why OKPOP exists. We remain grateful.

#OKPOP #OklahomaMusic #TulsaStories #CasaDeLaCultura #OralHistory CreativeLegacy CommunityCulture MusicAsMemory ...

We recently sat down with singer-songwriter Kierston White to talk about her Oklahoma roots, songwriting, and the community that shaped her.

From growing up in Bethel Acres to finding her voice through the Woody Guthrie Folk Festival, Kierston shared how early influences—country, grunge, punk, church harmonies, and her brother Bryon White (The Damn Quails)—helped form her sound. She also talked about the Norman scene, collaborating with other artists, and recording her first record in 2014.

Beyond music, Kierston is also an ICU nurse and a graphic designer/visual artist—creating artwork, posters, and logos for fellow musicians while continuing to write songs rooted in simplicity and truth.

More soon from this interview—grateful for her time and story. 💛

#OKPOP #OklahomaMusic #NormanOK #SingerSongwriter #CreativeCommunity OralHistory OklahomaCreatives @misskierston ...