Steve Ripley’s Red Dirt Roots - Part 1

Steve Ripley is a genuine Oklahoma icon. Over the coming months, you’ll be able to read about Ripley’s early years, his tenure at The Church Studio, his time with his band The Tractors, and his work to preserve Oklahoma music before his passing in 2019. This is done to honor Ripley and his contributions to Oklahoma music and The Church Studio.   Read More

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by Deborah McLaren

Deborah McLaren, an author from Oklahoma, has written about community development for magazines, online media, radio, and TV. Her book "Rethinking Tourism and Ecotravel" was a groundbreaking critique of global mass tourism and its impacts on rural communities and Indigenous Peoples. It’s been translated into several languages. Deborah is also keenly interested in music and has contributed her skills to the Clinton Inaugural Celebration, the New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival, the Cedar Cultural Center in Minneapolis, and The Church Studio in Tulsa. One of her favorite projects has been writing about Steve Ripley.