November 30, 2009

The Oxford American Releases 11th Southern Music Issue

The Oxford American magazine's 11th annual Southern Music edition — weighing in at 192 pages and accompanied by two CDs with 52 songs — hits bookstores and newsstands nationwide on Dec. 1.

"This is another blockbuster Oxford American Southern Music issue," said Warwick Sabin, publisher of The Oxford American.  "Its 192 pages are packed with the best music writing in the country, and the CDs are another rich collection of songs that are interesting, soulful and fun."

Also, beginning this year, the award-winning and critically acclaimed Southern Music issue will annually focus on the musical heritage of a particular Southern state, in addition to covering the breadth and depth of music from the entire region.  The first state to be the object of attention will be Arkansas.

"We are very pleased to inaugurate this new concept by focusing on Arkansas," Sabin said.  "Besides being our home state, we also feel that Arkansas has never received the attention it deserves for its rich musical history and experience.  The Oxford American — with its outstanding reputation and credibility among music experts and music lovers worldwide — is in a unique position to place Arkansas among the vanguard of musical heritage sites."

The Oxford American's Southern Music issue includes a double-CD package. The first CD is a mix of Southern music representing a variety of artists and genres, as usually accompanies the magazine’s annual Southern Music issue.  The second CD is devoted exclusively to an exploration of music produced in Arkansas or by native Arkansans.  The magazine also includes a special editorial section with articles about the artists and songs featured on the Arkansas CD.

The Arkansas music CD and the special editorial section about Arkansas music were made possible through a partnership with the Arkansas Department of Parks and Tourism, the Electric Cooperatives of Arkansas and Tyson Foods.

The Oxford American's annual Southern Music issue has won two National Magazine Awards and other high honors since it was first introduced in 1999.  The New York Times once wrote, "The Oxford American may be the liveliest literary magazine in America … The CDs are so smart and eclectic they probably belong in the Smithsonian."  The Southern Music issue has showcased both famous and criminally neglected musicians, everyone from R.E.M. to the Gants, Isaac Hayes to Erma Franklin, Lucinda Williams to Karen Dalton, Carl Perkins to the Armstrong Twins, Willie Nelson to Gary Stewart, Jerry Lee Lewis to Nellie Lutcher and more.  Stanley Crouch, Peter Guralnick, Steve Martin, Rosanne Cash, Nick Tosches and Kevin Brockmeier have contributed writing to the Southern Music Issues.