Louisiana Soundtrack Experience Music Series to Kick Off in Shreveport

Louisiana's Lt. Governor Jay Dardenne, on behalf of the Louisiana Office of Tourism, and The Oxford American Magazine have partnered to present five Louisiana Soundtrack Experience events around the state. The inaugural event, "From Elvis to Hank to Johnny: Celebrating 65 years of the Louisiana Hayride," will take place Saturday, Feb. 23 at the Municipal Auditorium in Shreveport, Louisiana. The event is free to the public.

It will begin with a panel discussion, at 2 p.m., moderated by Alex Rawls, guest editor of The Oxford American Magazine. Speakers for this discussion include: blues/southern soul expert and historian Ron Hardy, musician and music history enthusiast Dan Garner, radio host and Murco Records recording artist Eddie Giles, The Louisiana Hayride Band's Maggie Warwick, concert promoter and former Disc Jockey Ken Shepherd, and Dirtfoot vocalist J. Bratlie.

The panel discussion will be followed at 4 p.m. by a showing of the Louisiana Public Broadcasting film "Sunshine by the Stars," highlighting the history of Louisiana music.

At 7 p.m., the concert will begin with opening act Dirtfoot, a popular local band. "We have Texas swing, New Orleans influences, and, of course, the blues and jazz," Bratlie said. "There is a real metal and rock music scene in Shreveport. All of that mixes together to create this weird, bizarre, unique sound that we have."

Dirtfoot has performed across the South and Midwest in venues ranging from festivals to taverns to concerts. The band has toured with Primus, Cornmeal, and The Giving Tree. Dirtfoot has been featured in Music Connection Magazine and the Louisiana Public Broadcasting premier of "Music Voyager."

Dirtfoot's performance will be followed by a special tribute to Frank Page, famed announcer for the Louisiana Hayride. The Hayride, popular between 1948 and 1960, was a CBS radio music broadcast on the 50,000-watt KWKH. Affectionately known as the "Cradle to the Stars", the Hayride launched the careers of stars like Elvis Presley, Hank Williams, Sr., and Johnny Horton.
The headline performance of the evening is the Louisiana Hayride Band featuring Maggie Warwick and her special invited guests. Warwick's song "Reconsider Me" was featured on the "Oxford American's" Louisiana music cd compilation released in December 2012.

"From Elvis to Hank to Johnny: Celebrating 65 years of the Louisiana Hayride" is free to the public.