HONKY TONK: PORTRAITS OF COUNTRY MUSIC 1972-1981
- Ongoing: until Saturday, November 6, 2010
- Monday: 10:00am
- Tuesday: 10:00am
- Wednesday: 10:00am
- Thursday: 10:00am
- Friday: 10:00am
- Saturday: 10:00am
- Where: Rogers Historical Museum, Rogers
- Cost: Not available
- Age limit: Not available
HONKY TONK: PORTRAITS OF COUNTRY MUSIC 1972-1981
A Traveling Exhibition of Photographs by Henry Horenstein from art2art Circulating Exhibitions
With Arkansas country music memorabilia from the collections of the Rogers Historical Museum and the Old State House in Little Rock
September 14 through November 6, 2010
Media sponsor: Cumulus Media, Inc.
Today Henry Horenstein is well-known as a photographer, author, and educator who has published over 30 books including photo-essays, monographs, and textbooks. He has exhibited widely internationally and his work is represented in the permanent collections of many museums, including the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston, the High Museum in Atlanta, the Museum of Fine Arts in Houston, the Country Music Hall of Fame, the George Eastman House, and the National Museum of American History.
But in the 1970s Horenstein was a young photographer shooting album covers for Rounder Records. A lifelong country music fan, he used his off-hours to immerse himself in that music at show venues, music parks, and rural saloons, taking candid photographs that captured a true slice of American life. Horenstein’s photographs reveal a fascinating period in country music, when its stars received relatively little airplay, but honky tonks and country music parks thrived.
The term “honky tonk” refers to a type of bar where one could find romance, friendship, and perhaps even a brawl or two as the jukebox played Hank Williams or Lefty Frizzell. In the days before country music became big business, many young country artists began their careers playing in such establishments.
In documenting country music culture, Horenstein captured quite a few famous artists and their fans as well. Those portraits will appear with album covers, instruments, and stage costumes of country musicians connected with Arkansas. This special exhibition will be on view September 14 through November 6, and it will be sure to attract country music fans and lovers of fine art photography alike.
Two special programs have been scheduled to complement this exhibit. Students from the Benton County School of the Arts will perform bluegrass and folk music on the museum lawn on the evening of Friday, September 17, during the Third Friday Twilight Walk. A gallery talk by Dr. Robert Cochran will follow at 4 p.m. on Saturday, September 25. Dr. Cochran is the author of Our Own Sweet Sounds: A Celebration of Popular Music in Arkansas.
The Rogers Historical Museum is located at 322 South Second Street, corner of Second and Cherry Streets, in the Rogers Historic District. Hours are 10 to 5, Monday through Saturday. For more information on this and other programs and exhibits call 621-1154 or visit www.rogersarkansas.com/museum.
This event was posted Sept. 14, 2010 and last updated Sept. 28, 2010
