Welcome back. The prehistoric Spiro people, well if you’ve never heard of them they’re new to me too but these were a people who lived right here in Oklahoma back somewhere between 800 A.D. and 1450 A.D. How do we know about this you may wonder? They left the proof of their existence in the form of twelve great mounds, each full of cultural artifacts and objects related to their daily life. Chairman Dan Reeves with the National Cowboy and Western Heritage Center in Oklahoma City was recently quoted as saying “When they discovered this place (Spiro mounds) it was like the opening of King Tut’s tomb.” Friends, according to Dan and many others involved in archaeology this is the most important find in North America and the museum is currently organizing a major exhibition of artifacts from the mounds which will open in 2019. Officials are expecting people from around the world to attend so it’s going to be quite a big deal and a must see.
Another big deal is coming up on April 21st and 22nd when friends of the museum gather for the annual Wrangler Awards. As I mentioned last week, this is always a fun filled weekend and there’s still time to get tickets so give ‘em a call at (405) 478-2250 for all the info and I hope to see you there.
If you’re looking for an event a little closer to home with ties to history dating back before statehood there’s another gathering of fine folks coming up on May 13th that might fit your fancy. It’s held on Mother’s Day weekend and what better way to celebrate than with a nice dinner, music from western swing band Gypsy Twang with special guest Les Gilliam, the Oklahoma balladeer and exciting live and silent auctions. Yes, it’s time for Elder Care’s The Good, The Bad & The Barbeque out at the legendary Cross Bell Ranch. This is a place where cowboy history started in Oklahoma and the Barbeque is your chance to walk the same ground that legends walked. You can just imagine what it must have like when Gene and Kathleen Mullendore were building their three hundred thousand acre empire. The Good, The Bad & The Barbeque began nineteen years ago to raise funds for Elder Care’s many programs and services and this is still the only time that the ranch is open to the general public. For more information call Elder Care at (918) 336-8500 or visit www.eldercarebbq.com.
Looking for inspiration? On May 11th the E/E is hosting a big party at the Hilton Garden Inn to honor students from throughout the region and give out some very nice prizes to these deserving kids. OU greats Joe Washington and Greg Pruitt will be in town for the event and it’s shaping up to be a special night in Bartlesville. With limited seating I’d call the E/E sooner rather than later.
Another big event coming to Bartlesville in June is of course OK Mozart. The lineup of entertainment they just released includes many big name acts that you would expect to see in New York City but one caught my eye a little bit more than the others because I’ve had the opportunity to hang out quite a bit with him over the years. Michael Martin Murphy’s name is no secret to cowboys. A singer and guitar player, Michael has been traveling down the road many years longer than I have and like me he’s still going strong and sounding as good as ever. Murphy is always at the Wrangler Awards and I’m glad to hear he’s coming to Bartlesville. Call the OK Mozart box office at (918)366-9800 for tickets and information.
Till next time I’ll see ya down the road……