October 02, 2009

Announcing The Oxford American's 2009 Music Issue

The Oxford American magazine this year will inaugurate a new concept for its award-winning and critically acclaimed annual Southern Music edition, and Arkansas will take center stage.

Beginning in 2009, The Oxford American’s Southern Music issue will focus on the musical heritage of a particular Southern state each year, 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," said Warwick Sabin, publisher of The Oxford American.  "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 2009 Southern Music issue will be available on newsstands nationwide on Dec. 1.  It will include a double-CD package.  The first CD will be 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 will be devoted exclusively to an exploration of music produced in Arkansas or by native Arkansans.  The magazine will also include 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 are being produced in partnership with the Arkansas Department of Parks and Tourism, and after the 2009 Southern Music issue is released, The Oxford American will work with the agency to hold events around the state to celebrate the musical heritage of Arkansas.

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.