January 14, 2010

'Oxford American' Takes On Arkansas

From National Public Radio's World Cafe:

Issue 67 of the magazine Oxford American is a big deal. It's a concise look at the best and brightest in Southern music over the years, particularly in Arkansas. A formidable task, to say the least, gathering this list of songs and artists meant delving into the known and not-so-known. From Johnny Cash to Arkansas native Larry Donn (who's comparatively unknown, but whose music is quite popular in Europe), this issue covers it all.

Oxford American is a nationally distributed publication based in Conway, Ark. It first hit the shelves in 1992 and has gone on to win two National Magazine awards, among many other accolades. Its documentation of the South is thorough, examining its vitality through the written word, visual art and song.

On this episode of World Cafe, host David Dye sits down with editor Marc Smirnoff about this latest music-focused issue. The two ran through numerous musical treasures that have come out of the magazine's home state, including Levon Helm, Little Beaver and the aforementioned Larry Donn.