pickin' & grinnin'.

I've been knee-deep in the Oklahoma country music scene for Oklahoma Today's first annual country music issue.

I know where Red Dirt musicians like to dine, I have a new appreciation for Roger Miller, have developed a crush on Blake Shelton, and, next week I get to go to Tulsa and talk to Roy Clark about his favorite instruments - the man is a musical genius, and the clip above (sent to me by Walker who has become addicted to watching Youtube videos of him, direct gchat quote: "im super super super jealous, he's probably legitimately more talented than anyone else we'd ever meet") is further proof.

I think Roy Clark is a good metaphor for Oklahoma: cheesy and Hee Haw and Branson on the outside, real and genuine and a phenom at the guitar, banjo, fiddle, harmonica, and mandolin on the inside. Maybe that's stretching it.