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
FRIDAY’S THE DAY! 🍍🌊
Join us for August’s free OKPOP-IN celebrating the creative impact of SpongeBob SquarePants creator Stephen Hillenburg!
📅 Friday, August 7
⏰ 5–7:30 p.m.
📍 OKPOP | 422 N. Main St., Tulsa
The evening includes:
🎤 A special Q&A with Tom Kenny and Derek Drymon
🤝 Meet & Greet following the conversation
🥤 Free themed dirty sodas
🗄️ An OKPOP collections spotlight
🛍️ Special SpongeBob merchandise
✨ And more!
Free and open to everyone. Standing room only, so arrive early and spend your First Friday with us under the sea!
#OKPOP #StephenHillenburg #TomKenny #DerekDrymon #SpongeBobSquarePants
We’re deeply saddened to learn of the passing of Oklahoma songwriting legend Terry “Buffalo” Ware.
A gifted songwriter, guitarist, and collaborator, Buffalo helped shape Oklahoma’s rich musical legacy through decades of creativity, generosity, and quiet excellence. We were honored to sit down with him and preserve his story through an oral history interview for the Oklahoma Historical Society archives and future OKPOP exhibits.
If you’re looking for a meaningful way to celebrate his remarkable life and career, we encourage you to seek out his memoir, Man with Guitar and Amp: A Sideman’s Memoir, released just last month. It’s a fitting reflection on a life spent making music, supporting fellow artists, and leaving an enduring mark on countless songs and stages.
Our thoughts are with his family, friends, collaborators, and the many musicians whose lives he touched.
Thank you, Buffalo, for the music, the stories, and the legacy you leave behind. 🎸 @okieguitar
We recently connected with Matt Abts, longtime drummer for Gov’t Mule, for an OKPOP life history interview.
Born at Fort Sill, Matt shared stories from a remarkable life in music, from receiving his first drum set while living in Panama and playing paid gigs at 14, to working with Dickey Betts and Ronnie Montrose and helping form Gov’t Mule with Warren Haynes and Allen Woody.
He reflected on the listening, trust, and fearlessness behind improvisation:
“It’s a conversation between the instruments.”
Matt also spoke candidly about life on the road, the physical toll of decades of touring, the loss of Allen Woody, and how Gov’t Mule transformed grief into the landmark Deep End project.
A proud Oklahoma native, Matt shared his love for Cain’s Ballroom, Leon Russell, and the Tulsa Sound, and his hope to heal and return to the road.
Thank you, Matt, for sharing your creative journey with OKPOP and helping us preserve another important chapter of Oklahoma music history.
#OKPOP #MattAbts #GovtMule #OklahomaMusic #oklahoma @mattabts1
It was an honor to welcome Chief Eganwale Amusan—author, and history recovery specialist—to OKPOP for an oral history interview.
Our conversation explored the enduring legacy of Greenwood and Black Wall Street, the importance of historical recovery, the power of place, and why preserving authentic stories matters. We also discussed Oklahoma’s remarkable network of historic All-Black Towns, the role communities play in shaping culture, and how museums can help ensure these stories remain visible for future generations.
One thought from Chief has stayed with us:
“This is an American story, not a Black story.”
And another that beautifully captures the responsibility we all share:
“Let our children inherit the truth about who we are and what we’ve contributed.”
At OKPOP, we believe creativity doesn’t emerge in a vacuum. It grows from people, places, communities, and lived experiences. By preserving oral histories like Chief Amusan’s, we’re not only honoring the past—we’re helping inspire future generations to understand the places that shaped Oklahoma’s extraordinary cultural legacy and the people who continue to shape its future.
Thank you, Chief Amusan, for sharing your wisdom, your scholarship, and your passion for ensuring these stories are never forgotten.
#OKPOP #Greenwood #BlackWallStreet #AllBlackTowns #Tulsa @chief.amusan
In less than one week! 🍍✨
Join us on First Friday at OKPOP for a free special event celebrating the extraordinary imagination and lasting legacy of Stephen Hillenburg—the Oklahoma-born marine biologist, animator, and creator of SpongeBob SquarePants.
Special guests Tom Kenny, the voice of SpongeBob, and acclaimed animator and director Derek Drymon will share stories about Hillenburg’s creative journey, the making of one of the world’s most beloved animated series, and the power of creativity to inspire generations.
📅 Friday, August 7 5-7:30pm
📍 OKPOP in downtown Tulsa
🎟️ Free and open to the public
Come celebrate creativity, animation, and the remarkable impact of Stephen Hillenburg.
#OKPOP #FirstFriday #StephenHillenburg #SpongeBobSquarePants #TulsaEvents @tomkennyog @derekdrymonart
Today we celebrate the birthday of Roy Milton (1907–1983)—a pioneering drummer, singer, bandleader, and one of the architects of rhythm & blues.
Before becoming an R&B legend, Milton honed his craft in Oklahoma as a member of Ernie Fields’ Royal Entertainers. He later moved to Los Angeles, formed The Solid Senders, and launched one of the most successful careers in early R&B.
With 19 Top 10 R&B hits, including classics like “R.M. Blues” and “Hop, Skip and Jump,” Roy Milton helped bridge the worlds of swing, blues, and the emerging sound of rock and roll. His energetic performances and infectious rhythms influenced generations of musicians and helped define the sound of postwar American popular music.
From Oklahoma stages to the national spotlight, Roy Milton’s legacy continues to echo through the history of American music.
#OKPOP #RoyMilton #RhythmAndBlues #OklahomaMusic #MusicHistory
In honor of #NationalGoldenGirlsDay here is a photo from our collection featuring two Okies on the Tonight Show: Rue McClanahan and Roy Clark!
On August 25th, 1977, Roy Clark was the guest host, stepping in for Johnny Carson, with actress Rue McClanahan as one of the guests. This was a few years before she would star as Blanche Devereaux on the hit sitcom, Golden Girls. #goldengirls #ruemcclanahan #royclark
Today, on his birthday, we remember Charlie Christian—an Oklahoma City-raised musical revolutionary who didn’t simply play the electric guitar. He transformed what the instrument could be.
Before Christian, the guitar was largely confined to the rhythm section. Through amplification, fluid single-note lines, and a horn-like approach to improvisation, he brought it to the front of the band as a powerful lead voice. In doing so, he helped establish a musical vocabulary that generations of jazz, blues, rock, and popular guitarists would inherit.
Christian developed his gifts in Oklahoma City, attending Douglass High School and growing within the remarkable musical culture of Deep Deuce. After joining the Benny Goodman Sextet in 1939, his sound reached audiences across the country and helped point jazz toward the emerging language of bebop.
His national recording career lasted only a few years, and he died at just 25. Yet few musicians have ever changed the role of an instrument so completely—or in so little time.
Charlie Christian’s influence extends far beyond jazz. He helped make the electric guitar a defining voice of modern popular music, opening possibilities that musicians are still exploring today.
Happy birthday to one of Oklahoma’s most important and influential musical innovators.
#CharlieChristian #JazzGuitar #OklahomaMusic #JazzHistory #OKPOP
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
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