Show Me Folk News

Nov. 28, 2010

Tribute to Bryan Culpepper

We are very sad to hear that Bryan Culpepper, award-winning park ranger at Ozark Scenic Riverways, passed away on November 25, 2010 at home in Van Buren. Bryan was well-respected and -loved universally. We have counted him as a stalwart friend and will miss him greatly. His family, friends and colleagues are in our thoughts and prayers. Photo from Missouri Folk Arts Program archives You can find an obituary for Bryan Culpepper here: http://www.mcspaddenfh.com/obituary/758024…

Aug. 15, 2010

Tribute to Ahmad Alaadeen

Master jazz saxophonist Ahmad Alaadeen died on August 15, 2010, and MFAP staff attended his funeral service at Tuesday, August 17 at 10 am at Watkins Brothers Memorial Chapel in Kansas City, Mo. Jazz Times published an obituary by Dawn DeBlaze at that time. photo courtesy of Ahmad Alaadeen Enterprises About eleven months later, on what would have been his seventy-seventh birthday, Sunday, July 24, 2011, MFAP director Lisa Higgins had the opportunity to attend a tribute to Alaadeen in Grandview, Missouri. The three hour program was designed to showcase Alaadeen’s extraordinary life, excellent artistry,…

Aug. 12, 2010

Tribute to Mitch Jayne

More sad news when we learned that Mitch Jayne passed away on August 2, 2010 in Columbia. Mitch was quite the community scholar and storyteller, though he was best known as a member of The Dillards (known to many as the Darling Family on “The Andy Griffith Show”).   Photo by Julie Youmans for Missouri Folk Arts Program As a member of the Missouri Folk Arts Program’s former project Missouri Performing Traditions, Mr. Jayne often toured the state to share stories based in his life in the Ozarks. In a program for the 1995 Old…

March 19, 2004

Tribute to Bob Holt

Old-time fiddler Bob Holt died in March 2004. Below is a PDF with a brief tribute and links to the obituary his family published and his NEA Heritage Fellow profile at the Masters of Traditional Arts website. That profile includes video and audio, and many will recognize also the friends Bob took along to Washington, DC in the video from the 1999 NEA Heritage Fellows Concert. Master Artist Bob Holt…

Aug. 6, 2003

Tribute to Edna Mae Davis

In 2003, we were saddened to learn of the passing of Edna Mae Davis, a master square/jig dancer and square dance caller in Missouri’s Traditional Arts Apprenticeship Program in 1987, 1988, 1989, and 1990. You can read the tribute staff wrote at that time by clicking the link below. Master Artist Edna Mae Davis…