The Future of Our Past
The OKPOP Foundation has officially completed the $18 million Heart & Soul Campaign, and the State Treasurer has now approved and certified the pledges, releasing the state’s matching funds. This milestone marks the beginning of OKPOP’s next chapter: exhibit design, fabrication, and the build-out of Oklahoma’s first museum dedicated to the global creative impact of its people.
Hello Friends and Potential Donors,
“You know, this whole campaign wasn’t just about raising $18 million – it was about backing a mission that means something. OKPOP is here to celebrate the crazy amount of creativity that comes out of Oklahoma, to tell the stories of the folks who shaped music, film, and art, and to fire up the next generation to chase their own big dreams. The way people showed up to support this blows me away. Oklahoma should be proud of what’s coming.”
Honorary Campaign Chair
We were grateful to reconnect with Oklahoma writer Connie Cronley for a video interview at OKPOP.
Connie reflected on her life as a writer, her biography A Life on Fire: Oklahoma’s Kate Barnard, and her deep admiration for Kate Barnard’s moral courage, compassion, and long-overlooked legacy.
She also shared wonderful memories of Jay Cronley, the Tulsa writer behind novels adapted into films like Funny Farm, Let It Ride, and Quick Change. Connie described Jay as “the smartest, the funniest, the wittiest, the quickest person” she had ever met, adding that being married to him was “like being married to a bottle rocket.”
From Kate Barnard’s fire to Jay Cronley’s wit, Connie reminded us how much Oklahoma storytelling has shaped our history, humor, and creative spirit.
Thank you, Connie, for helping us preserve these stories.
#OKPOP #OklahomaWriters #OralHistory #JayCronley #KateBarnard @okhistory
Today we’re celebrating the remarkable life of Norman Dolph, an Oklahoma original whose life came full circle in a way few ever do. Born on May 11, 1939, in Tulsa, Norman passed away on his 83rd birthday, May 11, 2022, leaving behind a creative legacy that stretched across music, art, technology, and culture. 
Producer. Songwriter. Painter. Inventor. Entrepreneur. And by many accounts, one of the first mobile DJs in America.
While working at Columbia Records in New York, Dolph crossed paths with Andy Warhol, who introduced him to a little-known band called The Velvet Underground. Dolph helped finance and produce their earliest studio sessions, recordings that would become part of one of the most influential albums in rock history. Warhol was so grateful that he reportedly paid Dolph with original artwork. 
From Tulsa to the heart of New York’s underground art scene, Norman Dolph proved what we say at OKPOP all the time: Oklahoma creativity doesn’t stay in one place. It travels. It shapes culture. And sometimes, it helps change music forever.
#OKPOP #NormanDolph #Tulsa #VelvetUnderground #AndyWarhol
It was awesome connecting with Michael Wittig, bass player for Tulsa-based rock band Pillar.
Michael shared stories about his musical roots, the formation and rise of Pillar, years of touring, the success of Fireproof, the challenges of life on the road, and the band’s recent reunion documented by his son Caden.
One of our favorite reflections:
“I don’t take for granted what Pillar was able to do…a very small percentage of people ever get to do that.”
And his advice for young musicians?
“Never give up…Surround yourself with other people that are better than you.”
Thank you, Michael, for sharing your story, your music, and your Tulsa journey with OKPOP.
#OKPOP #MichaelWittig #Pillar #TulsaMusic #pillarmusic @wittigworks @pillarmusic
Help us wish a happy birthday to Tulsa-born poet, musician, author, and Muscogee Nation citizen Joy Harjo.
In 2019, Harjo became the first Native American U.S. Poet Laureate, ultimately serving three terms from 2019 to 2022. Through works like She Had Some Horses, An American Sunrise, Crazy Brave, and her newest essay collection, Girl Warrior: On Coming of Age, Harjo continues to shape American literature with a voice rooted in memory, music, place, and Native experience. Her forthcoming twelfth poetry collection, Cloud Runner, is expected in Fall 2026. 
An internationally recognized artist and one of Oklahoma’s most significant literary voices, Harjo reminds us that poetry can be ceremony, witness, medicine, and song.
Happy birthday, Joy!
#joyharjo #poet #okpop #oklahoma @joyharjoforreal
So much fun connecting with Chris O’Dell, an Oklahoma-born trailblazer whose journey led from Owasso to the center of rock-and-roll history.
Chris shared stories from Apple Corps, The Beatles, the rooftop concert, the Concert for Bangladesh, and tours with George Harrison, The Rolling Stones, Bob Dylan, Fleetwood Mac, and many more.
One favorite reflection:
“The thing I’m probably most proud about is being a female who really broke through the glass ceiling in the music industry in the late ’60s, early ’70s.”
And her advice for future creatives?
“Just say yes.”
Thank you, Chris, for sharing your story, your memories, and your Oklahoma roots with OKPOP.
#OKPOP #ChrisODell #Oklahoma #MusicHistory #WomenInMusic @piscesapplelady
We were grateful to connect with John Convertino for a life history video interview at OKPOP.
Best known as the drummer for Calexico, John shared a thoughtful, wide-ranging conversation about his musical journey, from his early childhood in a family gospel group to the development of his distinctive brush technique, the formation and evolution of Calexico, soundtrack work, theater projects, solo recordings, collaboration, and his deep reflections on Oklahoma roots.
Born in Mineola, New York, John moved to Oklahoma around age seven and grew up in a musical home where classical, Broadway, gospel, and family performance all shaped his earliest understanding of music. From early church performances and family cover-band gigs to the creative communities of Los Angeles and Tucson, his path became one of listening, adapting, and finding space within the music.
Throughout the interview, John reflected on collaboration as one of the essential forces in his work.
“The secret sauce of collaboration is that you are allowing yourself to be influenced and open,” he shared.
He also spoke beautifully about restraint, dynamics, and the importance of listening deeply:
“What’s in between the notes is just as important, maybe more important than the notes themselves… Give the music, mind, and heart space.”
John’s story is also deeply connected to place. Speaking about Oklahoma, he reflected:
“I think of Oklahoma and that word roots. I think of the earth… the music just, I mean JJ Cale in particular, just really is so earthy…”
These interviews are preserved through the Oklahoma Historical Society archive and help inform future OKPOP exhibit storytelling. We’re honored to help preserve John Convertino’s voice, creative journey, and Oklahoma connection for generations to come.
#OKPOP #OklahomaMusic #JohnConvertino #Calexico @gi_gi_1958 @casadecalexico
Happy Hanson Day! On May 6, 1997, Hanson released their breakout album Middle of Nowhere, launching one of Oklahoma’s biggest global pop stories.
Later, then-Governor Frank Keating officially declared May 6 as Hanson Day in Tulsa to commemorate the album’s release and celebrate three Tulsa brothers whose music reached audiences around the world.
Middle of Nowhere, featuring “MMMBop,” went on to sell more than 10 million copies worldwide.
From Tulsa to the world, Hanson helped show that Oklahoma creativity can go anywhere.
#OKPOP #Hanson #HansonDay #Tulsa #MiddleOfNowhere @hanson
May the Fourth be with you from OKPOP.
Today’s Selections from the Vault highlight the Archie Goodwin archive at OKPOP. Goodwin, who grew up in Tulsa, helped shape comics across Marvel, DC, Warren, and beyond, including major contributions to Star Wars comics and newspaper strips.
From galaxies far, far away to superheroes, horror, fantasy, and adventure, Goodwin’s work reminds us that Oklahoma storytellers have helped build some of pop culture’s biggest imagined worlds.
The Force is strong in the archive.
#MayTheFourth #StarWarsDay #ArchieGoodwin #OKPOP #ComicsHistory
Donate
Your charitable donation directly contributes to OKPOP’s future, we are grateful for your support! Donations to support the OKPOP Museum may be made to the OKPOP Foundation, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. Donations are tax deductible as allowed by law.
Donations may be made through the secure online donation form or mailed to:
OKPOP Foundation
422 North Main Street
Tulsa, Oklahoma 74103
If you have questions about additional gifting options, please contact Abby Kurin at akurin@okpopfoundation.org
*Required fields.
Note: Fees for online processing are a necessary part of online giving and vary based on donation amount and type of card used. The fees charged by the credit card processor will be subtracted from the donation amount.