Duncan Mag Spring 24

DUNCAN

A CUP OF JOE AND A SHOW AT JITTERS

DUNCANITE RIDES THE WAVES OF FAITH

THE SOUND IN OUR SOUL MUSIC SCENE STRUMS ON IN DUNCAN

VHR: HOPE BEYOND THE SOUND

FROM THE EDITOR

It’s been a while since we highlighted the music scene in Stephens County. Specifically, it’s been since Linda Provost’s magazine she produced in the summer of 2020. Jon Williams & The Coin Toss made the cover that edition.

So when Advertising Executive Jason Hodges came to me and said he wanted to spotlight the melody and music in the area, I was excited. Since 2020, so many new sounds have come to Stephens County.

We can think of quite a few new additions to the scene, some of which made this book and some of which didn’t, but still keep Stephens County jamming out all the same.

For starters, let’s highlight the ones we featured in this ensemble.

Ken Bates, who owns Guitar Bazaar in Duncan, has been in love with music for as long as he can remember. Bates has performed in many bands and on many instruments. Now, he runs the storefront of Duncan’s local guitar shop and his music hall not only offers lessons but brings talent and shows to the Chisholm Mall on a routine basis.

It seemed only natural to feature not only the man behind the strings, but also his music shop, which offers everything a young instrumental musician could need — including sound space.

Then, there’s Think Ability, which for the last two years has brought in country artist Neal McCoy to help raise funds for

its vocational program and to further its mission. McCoy, who is well known for many country songs, has his own nonprofit and was eager to come to the Duncan area in 2023 and then return again this year to help boost one of Stephens County’s favorite nonprofits.

We also learned about Waves of Faith and Dale Rochell, a country gospel singer, ahead of producing this edition. Rochell has performed in many group and duet settings but only recently broke out into his solo career around the time of the pandemic. He’s now on a national tour and spreading the song of God everywhere he goes.

Finally, we featured a first person account on Duncan Little Theatre’s Raise the Roof production. Former Banner reporter and now freelancer Linda Provost has participated in the show for the last few years after reporting on it when the show originally began. Provost takes us through her love for the production and what it means to not only Duncan Little Theatre and its organization, but to the cast — or family — who put it together each summer. It’s a show you won’t want to miss.

But aside from this book, there are so many others who make a big difference in the music scene here.

The Freewheelin’ Southwest Music Festival has kept talent coming to the Stephens County Fair and Expo center for the last few years. The annual event brings a multitude of bands to

The song in our souls

the stage and even some family fun in the form of corn hole tournaments, family friendly activities and vendor offerings.

Then there’s the Chisholm Trail Arts Council with its CTAC Live! Concert Series throughout the year. The CTAC offering has brought some big names and a variety of acts to the stage for Stephens County for too many years to count.

There are also some music studios in the area, including one run by Veronica Hodgson — Hodgson Studio of Music and Drama — which produces many of the singers native to the Stephens County area.

We can’t forget about people like Kyler Shelby who brings musicians to town or Shane McLennan with Summer Breeze. We also can’t forget about all the talent who received recognition at this year’s Duncan Area Arts Hall of Fame. You can find the pictures of the winners toward the end of this book.

We also couldn’t close out our book without an ode to Jon Williams & The Coin Toss. The band lost a member, Robert Bilbrey, last summer. May he rest in peace and the music scene never forget his contributions and passion for the song in each of our souls.

I challenge each of you to something. When you think of Stephens County and then you think of other places, remember how much homegrown talent we have right here. Our community is truly rich and blessed with our art community. It’s something you won’t find out in the great wide world very often.

CHARLENE BELEW

MEET OUR CONTRIBUTORS

EDITOR

CHARLENE BELEW

Charlene, also known in the community as Charlie, is the Managing Editor for The Duncan Banner and Duncan Magazine. She obtained her bachelor’s degree in Journalism from Cameron University, where she also held multiple positions with The Cameron Collegian, which ended with her serving as the Managing Editor in 2014-2015. Charlie has served two tenures with The Banner. Her first began in 2014 with an internship through Oklahoma Press Association and culminated in 2017 as News Editor. Her second began in 2018 when she returned as a staff writer and she resumed her editorship in 2020.

Although she has spent much of her life growing up in Lawton, Charlie has always felt a special call to the Duncan and Stephens County community. She adopted a dog from Stephens County Humane Society’s Take Out Tuesday program with The Banner in 2019 and also participates as a member of the Duncan Rotary Club. In 2021, Charlie led The Banner to the first Sequoyah Award from the Oklahoma Press Association since its last in 2012. She has taken home multiple awards for editorial writing and news writing, and most recently swept Oklahoma Press Association’s design competition for Semi- and Tri-Weekly publications. She had her first child, Anja Selene Cross, in January 2024.

PUBLISHER CRYSTAL CHILDERS

Crystal joined The Banner staff in 2013 as an advertising executive. She was promoted to Advertising Manager in 2017 before becoming General Manager in 2020 and then Publisher in August 2023.

Crystal has won numerous awards from the Oklahoma Press Association in ad design, most recently a first and third place win for large ad space design in 2022 along with second place for small ad space design.

Born and raised in Duncan, Crystal graduated from Duncan High School in 2001, joining a long line of Duncan graduates in her family. Crystal is an active member of Faith Church along with several community groups, including the Duncan Noon Lions Club. She is a proud supporter of the Stephens County Humane Society and all Duncan Demon sports from the many years her children participated.

Crystal, along with husband Mike, live in Meridian with their three children, Alyssa, Jacob and Jordan.

Crystal enjoys spending time with family and her many dogs.

TAMARA GREGOR

Born and raised in California, Tamara joined the staff at The Duncan Banner in March 2020.

As an award winning journalist, Tamara has placed for her feature stories and photography, as well as for her news and column writing over the past few years.

Tamara previously gathered her experience by interning at the South Gibson Star Times in Fort Branch, Indiana, as well as working as the editor for her college newspaper, The Collegian in Oakland City, Indiana. Her experiences continued while writing and publishing a magazine, Evoke, with a group of friends in Turlock, California. With family local to Stephens County as well in the surrounding areas of Oklahoma, Tamara moved to Duncan from Stanislaus County, jumping right into community events as a reporter. She loves to connect and engage with the community members to tell their heartfelt stories each day.

Duncan Magazine’s goal is to create a publication local to Stephens County that’s fun to read and view and created entirely by the hands of people you know. Here are the creators who use their time and talent to tell your stories.

JASON HODGES

A Comanche resident since the age of 10, Jason graduated from Comanche High School in 1991. His wife, Jennifer, followed a year behind, and the family has strong roots in the area. They have raised three daughters here, each of whom graduated from Comanche. They also have grandchildren attending school there. Jason began his career with The Banner in 2016 as a freelance photographer. Later, he accepted a full-time position in the advertising department, but he still enjoys taking photos, both for The Banner and his personal business, Hodges Photography. Jason loves his connection to the community he has now working at The Banner. He currently serves as the Comanche Chamber of Commmerce’s Vice President and can be contacted for photography work on Facebook at Hodges Photography.

LINDA PROVOST

Linda worked for The Duncan Banner for more than seven years. She covered schools, city governments and feature stories. Provost was known by her colorful hair and was called “The Unicorn of Duncan.”

Linda graduated from Oklahoma City University with a degree in Mass Communication and an emphasis on Print Media and minors in Religion and German (though she doesn’t remember much German anymore).

While at The Banner, Linda was lead reporter, interim editor and magazine manager. She has won several Oklahoma Press Association awards, including first place for columns three years in row.

Linda retired from news in 2019 and found while you can take the gal from the newsroom, the newsroom stays with you. As a result, she regularly freelances for The Banner but is a stay at home cat mom to Tuxedo Mask and Tabooli Jane and takes care of her husband, Zuriel.

‘No Doubt About It’

Neal McCoy helps boost Think Ability’s mission

STORY BY TAMARA GREGOR AND CHARLENE BELEW | PHOTOS BY TAMARA GREGOR

For the second time in two years, country artist Neal McCoy rocked the stage “All Over Again” in Duncan in an effort to boost the mission of nonprofit Think Ability, Inc. and raise funds for its cause.

On Friday, March 29, 2024, McCoy returned to Duncan with the “Same Boots” and goal: to further the cause of Think Ability and help the people it serves a “Little at a Time.”

McCoy, “Life of the Party,” brought a plethora of music, alongside

Hayden Haddock, a rising Red Dirt singer, making Duncan and the Stephens County Fairgrounds the place to be for a boot scootin’ good time. Fans in the area took the night as a chance to “Party On” and come together “Completely” to stack the cash — something Stephens County hopes will continue for some time to come.

Lexi Clark, Think Ability Marketing Coordinator and Graphic Designer, said at Think Ability, they believe in empowering individuals

with disabilities and helping them lead fulfilling and independent lives.

“We look forward to the opportunity to bring awareness to our community about Think Ability and the individuals we serve,” she said. “We are beyond thankful for the outstanding support of our first benefit concert last year, and we (were) blessed to be able to do it again.”

On McCoy’s first visit of the two in 2023, he kicked off his concert in Duncan by pulling into the

NEAL MCCOY ARRIVES TO THE STEPHENS COUNTY FAIRGROUNDS IN THE MORNING BEFORE HIS CONCERT IN 2023 TO TAKE A MOMENT TO SAY THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE WITH SOME COMMUNITY MEMBERS.

fairgrounds early in the morning ahead of the concert, to say the Pledge of Allegiance with a few community members. He took selfies, signed autographs, talked with fans and was even gifted a quilt created by a Stephens County resident. Just like the song title says, “You Gotta Love That.”

McCoy said he loves meeting the people in the towns he visits.

Despite singing the song “Every Man for Himself,” McCoy, along with his wife, Melinda, own a nonprofit organization, East Texas Angel Network, in Longview, Texas. McCoy said they just celebrated their 30th year with the nonprofit. You could say “Love Happens Like That.”

“We understand all the work it takes to get it up and running,” he said. “We love Lexi Clark who has taken the bull by the horns to organize not just what goes on on concert day, but happens year round. She also gets the feeling you get when you’re helping others.”

McCoy encourages everyone to dive deep and see everything Think Ability has to offer the community. He said the nonprofit gives “new opportunities to individuals with intellectual, cognitive and other developmental disabilities.”

In an effort to raise awareness for Think Ability, McCoy hopes his performances will bring more people together “For a Change.”

McCoy credited “the umbrella of numerous work places that will work with these

wonderful folks and help train them in creative ways so they can contribute in their own communities” and said “our country needs more nonprofit organizations and we believe Think Ability is just scratching the surface in Oklahoma.”

He said he’s happy to be apart of this experience. You could say the nonprofit’s mission makes something move in him.

“With y’all’s help, we will grow and increase awareness for Think Ability,” McCoy said. All proceeds from the concert benefit the expansion of the Think Ability vocational program, so they can provide more job opportunities for the individuals with whom they work.

The vocational program includes the Community Garden, the Garden Market, the Garden Café, the Garden Hub and Power Print.

Clark said the funds raised from the Think Ability Benefit Concert help to provide essential resources, expand programs and create more opportunities for each one of the individuals they serve.

“Not only does it serve as a fundraiser, but this event helps us to bring awareness to Think Ability, our mission, and the services we provide, while also bringing the community together to enjoy some great entertainment,” she said.

For more information about Think Ability, Inc., visit the nonprofit on Facebook or call the Think Ability office at 580-2528000.

NEAL MCCOY IS GIFTED A QUILT FROM A STEPHENS COUNTY RESIDENT LAST YEAR. DM

NEAL MCCOY SPEAKS WITH A STEPHENS COUNTY RESIDENT WHO SHOWS OFF MAGAZINES TO THE COUNTRY ARTIST.

NEAL MCCOY POSES WITH THINK ABILITY EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR ROBIN ARTER, LEFT, AND LEXI CLARK, THINK ABILITY MARKETING COORDINATOR, RIGHT, AHEAD OF THE 2023 BENEFIT CONCERT FOR THE NONPROFIT.

STRUMMING UP THE LOVE OF MUSIC WITH STRING MAN KEN BATES

Music can move you emotionally, physically and spiritually. It can move you and those who have music in their blood. If you have the music in you from a young age like Ken Bates, it can have you dancing through life.

Maybe you know Ken now as the co-owner, teacher and “cool boss” at Guitar Bazaar, located at 2126 Highway 81 Suite B on the east side of Chisholm Mall. His partner is his brother, Max Killian, whom Bates called “the brains” of the operation as he pointed into Killian’s office while he was on the phone.

But learning more about the man behind the strings, you can see how music flowed from the beginning

STORY

KEN BATES, GUITAR BAZAAR SHOP OWNER, OPENED HIS MUSIC STORE FRONT IN 2022. THE SHOP OFFERS LESSONS, A STAGE FOR PERFORMANCES AND MORE. BATES PARTNERED WITH HIS BROTHER, MAX KILLIAN, TO MAKE THE SHOP POSSIBLE.

KAYLEE PEERY STRUMS A CHORD ON A NEW GUITAR. LESSONS ARE AVAILABLE AT THE STORE AND SOME SCHOLARSHIPS ARE AVAILABLE.

with piano lessons as young as five years old.

It was when The Beatles hit the airwaves with “I Want to Hold Your Hand.” Bates said that’s when he was “hooked.”

According to Bates, guitar is his forté – “that’s what I do.” He can play several other string instruments, including the mandolin, banjo and bass.

This came about later on in his career while playing at the entertainment town — Branson, Missouri.

“When I was there, the more instruments you could play on a show, the more money they would pay you,” he said. “And when you’re young, money is king like that.”

As a young man, Bates enlisted as a corpsman in the Navy, where he was able to audition and made the band. This allowed him to go to the Armed Forces School of Music in Little Creek, Virginia.

The Navy band took Bates all over, usually working with the recruitment department.

“I went to the Navy band in Boston, I was there for a couple of years and then they consolidated the bands,” he said. “In Boston, we marched in all of the parades. Which was kind of a ‘bad deal’ for (me)… well when you are a guitar player, usually they made you (go) into the marching band and I could play other instruments, but they still made me into a bass drum.

“Which I hated with a passion! We always ended up marching behind the policemen on horse back! I’m short – I’ve got a big drum in front of me and I can’t see my feet,” he said. “Those nice clean shoes that I worked on and polished up nice – by the end of the parade, were nasty!”

During a merger of bands, the Boston team went to duty station in Rhode Island, Bates was asked where he would like to go for his last two years. He wanted to be closer to home — Oklahoma — so they placed him in Corpus Christi, Texas.

“After the Navy, I got out and went to college and worked on my degree,” he said. “Then I spent a couple of years working with road

Guitar Bazaar more than one stop shop

Abig part of the Guitar Bazaar is having a performance space for music players of all kinds to meet.

On Tuesdays from 6 to 9 p.m. in the inside hall of the mall, the stage is open.

“We provide coffee it comes down (the hall) from Jitters. Also, the Snack Bar in the middle stays open so if people want they can eat,” Ken Bates, shop owner, said. “It’s really awesome we are able to do this. We’ve got the youngsters involved, we’ve got us old guard –all together.”

They try to have a mix of themes for the different nights.

“The first Tuesday of the month is bluegrass night,” Bates said. “Then we do one night called ‘Young Dogs’ and what it is, is a lot of younger artists, single artists, bands. We’re trying to do that more in the middle of the month, and the last of the

month, we’ve got a deal started, it’s called ‘The Class of ‘71’ but anybody … that can play or play in a group and if they like the older music, we can get ‘em down here and get everybody playing and getting ‘em involved.”

Want to play but never learned? They can help here, with four different teachers. There are some scholarships for lesson fees.

“Sure I’ve got to sell guitars and amps and strings and things to pay the bills but I wanna give too,” Bates said. “I have students that I teach who get ... scholarships because I want them here. I want them all. I want the ‘gifted’ ones; I want the one who just want to have fun at it. There’s a lot worse things you can do with your time than play a guitar, play a piano.”

Bates said he’s looking for more teachers.

“First, you’ve got to have people

bands. I worked all over the place –Myrtle Beach, North Carolina, North Dakota, South Dakota, Nebraska, New Mexico, Nevada –played in Las Vegas a lot. I did that for about four or five years and then came back and worked on my degree some more.”

Bates graduated with a degree in human resources with a concentration in juvenile justice.

“I ended up working with adults,” he said. “I worked in prisons and around the corrections field for almost 10 years. I had a prison band at one point.”

Through life, the notes of music were a balm to his soul during strife and the cherry on top during joyful times.

“Music has always been there for me,” he said. “Music is a sense of relief, it just makes me happy.

“Music is like laughter for the soul. It doesn’t matter how good you are at it or what level you’re on; if you enjoy doing it, do it and do it with love. Playing music makes you smile and it makes you happy. The Lord said, ‘Make a joyful noise’ – it doesn’t say it has to be perfect. That’s what it’s all about.”

Bates shares his talents with his church the Freedom Biker Church and serves on the praise team.

who know what they’re doing and second, I have to do a background check on them, so I know about them, ‘cause I’m not going to let anybody around kids that I don’t know about,” he said.

The classes aren’t the only things expanding.

“I am truly blessed, we’ve been open two years and expanding over here (to a neighboring store),” he said. “Our online business is growing like gangbusters. I told my brother, ‘you usually have to wait two or three years for a store to make a profit,’ I said ‘we could have in a year if I waited a little bit longer’ but we’re doing stuff we love.”

Right now the space next door is being transformed as an extension of the store with its very own archway between. Bates pointed out where new features would be like “amp island” and a larger worker shop for guitar tech Micheal Desmarais.

“We have custom made guitars,” Bates said. “We’re putting in a Kef system, it will have this best audio sound so when you come into the store you’ll be hearing it at its best.”

Walking further into the space, Bates opened a door.

“This is going to be the ‘acoustic’ room,” Bates said as he clapped and created a strong reverberation. “We wanted it real ‘live’ for this room. For acoustic, you need that quality to hear them as they really are.”

A bonus with a dedicated room is temperature and humidity control for the mostly wooden guitars.

Making the store inviting is also on Bates’ mind.

“I realized I could be a working musician, making a living,” he said. “A lot of time if I wasn’t playing music I worked in music stores and hung out with other musicians. It’s a networking kind of situation — that’s another thing about the store. We want to network with people that want to do this.”

Bates’ love for music is infectious and through his store, that love might go on and on just like the beat.

For more about Guitar Bazaar, to see when events are and more, visit the shop’s website at www.kbgb.org. DM

MAX KILLIAN ENDS HIS PHONE CALL TO FIND A PHOTOGRAPHER BEHIND HIM. KILLIAN IS KEN BATES’ BROTHER AND PARTNER AT THE GUITAR BAZAAR AND BATES CALLS KILLIAN “THE BRAINS” OF THE OPERATION.

A CUP OF JOE AND A SHOW

Jitters brewing up coffee, inclusivity and art all under one roof

STORY BY TAMARA GREGOR | PHOTOS BY TAMARA GREGOR AND SUBMITTED

Creating a positive and inclusive culture, engaging the community in music and arts, and doing it all over a good cup of coffee is the plan for the new owners of Jitters Coffee House.

Cristobal (Cris) Alaniz, co-owner, said he took over ownership for Jitters Coffee House in January 2024, along with business partner, Carl Pevehouse.

Alaniz said they want to make the coffee house a safe and inclusive place for everyone.

“I want people to come here and

have good conversation, good experience,” Alaniz said. “The point of making it so inclusive is so different kinds of people can come together — that’s the only way that you can make anything happen.”

He said he would like this to be a place to bring people together in a positive way.

Alaniz said he moved to the area in October 2023 from Houston, Texas.

“It only took that long for me to fall in love with this place and the way it operates for the city,” he said. “I came from a big city and I’m much

more enjoying the small town life.”

When the opportunity came, Alaniz said it was kind of a “sink or swim moment” for him.

“We’re just making it happen,” he said.

Coming from Houston, Alaniz said he made music himself for seven years, managed a few artists and did a few tours.

Because of his love for and background in music, it’s no surprise Jitters Coffee House will host events, including musical performances from artists, DJs, bands and more.

CARL PEVEHOUSE, JOSEPH TIBBETS AND CRISTOBAL ALANIZ AT JITTERS COFFEE HOUSE IN DUNCAN. ALANIZ AND PEVEHOUSE TOOK OVER OWNERSHIP FOR JITTERS COFFEE HOUSE IN JANUARY 2024.

But the goal for Alaniz is more. To become a community hub for the public, the brewhouse will also put on comedy shows, trivia nights and more — anything to draw in a diverse clientele.

“We want to mix it up,” he said. “We want it to still be a music hub — we just want more people to feel comfortable coming and we want to support other kinds of art as well.”

Alaniz said he loves the arts and wants to share different types of art with the community.

Blankslate, an indie band from Colorado, is slated to perform April 18.

“I’m super excited about that,” Alaniz said. “They are awesome.”

He said they will bring another artist, Beau Turrentine, out of Oklahoma City as well.

“It’s going to be a pretty good show,” he said. “It’s like, really good coffee shop kind of vibes.”

One thing Alaniz said he likes about the area musicians is everyone is open to collaborating without any expectations.

He said he just wants people to have a safe space to express themselves.

Pevehouse said they will continue to host stand-up comedy shows, private venues, foosball tournaments and more.

“We’re going to be doing a VHS movie night,” Pevehouse said.

Aside from comedy and live music nights, Jitters works with the Duncan Public Library to host trivia nights.

Jitters Coffee House also coordinates with vendors at Chisholm Mall for events, as well as with Ken Bates with the Guitar Bazaar.

Alaniz said they want to bring back the open mic nights and they are an in search of musicians and artists.

He said the coffee house is a safe place to bring art and express yourself “no matter what you do — whether you’re a comic, a painter, a musician.”

The love of community is expressed at the java hut in other ways, too. One of them is food.

Community members can come grab a free meal Monday through

Saturday with a food section provided by David Harrison.

Alaniz said he appreciates how people can come together over the staples, like a good meal and coffee. He said he’s received offers from other community members to help out with this food table as well.

“That’s one thing I’m really impressed about, because there was a point in my life where I was homeless and I didn’t have a lot of help,” Alaniz said. “It’s tough. Someone can have a job, a car and a place to live

and their fridge be empty.”

Pevehouse said he’s looking forward to continuing the outreach program and providing food, putting on coat giveaways and doing it all around a cup of coffee.

Alaniz said he’s opened up the coffee house to other art forms as well.

In March, Jitters brought in a coffee and canvas night hosted by Mikayla and DJ Tey. Alaniz said they plan to host more coffee and canvas nights in the future.

DYLAN BLACK SINGS DURING A NIGHT WITH FUTURE PREDECIDED DURING ONE OF JITTERS COFFEE HOUSE LIVE MUSIC NIGHTS.

Jitters Coffee House offers an array coffees.

Alaniz said they use 100% Arabica beans and use mostly dark roast. He said the dark roast really focuses on flavor.

Aside from coffee, Jitters offers lemonades and Rockstar energy drinks. Alaniz said they eventually want to offer sodas.

They are looking to book more shows in the future.

Jitters Coffee House is open from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Friday and 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday with hopes to expand hours. The shop is located at 1206 N. Highway 81 inside the Chisholm Mall in Duncan.

For more information about bands or comedy shows, visit jitterscoffeelounge.square.site or find Jitters Coffee House on Facebook and Instagram.

TREYTON WATKINS PLAYS DURING A LIVE MUSIC NIGHT WITH FIELD DRESSED AT JITTERS COFFEE HOUSE IN DUNCAN.

TREYTON WATKINS AND MADDOX FOSTER PLAY AT A LIVE MUSIC NIGHT WITH MEANSTUMP AT JITTERS COFFEE HOUSE.

Riding the Waves of Faith Solo career takes country gospel singer on national tour

STORY BY TAMARA GREGOR | PHOTOS SUBMITTED

“It’s been an unbelievable journey,” Dale Rochell said as he continues to take Waves of Faith Country Gospel Music Ministry on the road day after day.

Born and raised in Duncan, Dale Rochell, alongside his wife, Janell, began his solo career in 2019.

Rochell said when the pandemic hit in 2020, churches shutdown,

schools shutdown, businesses shutdown and he didn’t know just how much singing he would get to do.

“We sang 77 dates that year,” Rochell said. “We sang anywhere from theaters, to the back of pickups or on flatbed trailers and in rodeo arenas — we sang everywhere.”

He said they sang in smaller

DALE ROCHELL, SOLOIST FOR WAVES OF FAITH COUNTRY GOSPEL MUSIC MINISTRY, PERFORMS AT THE ARK IN WILLIAMSTOWN, KENTUCKY. ROCHELL BEGAN HIS SOLO CAREER IN 2019.

churches, such as cowboy churches, as well as larger venues.

“It’s continued to grow since,” Rochell said. “We do about 160 dates a year now.”

Rochell said they travel the country and put a lot of miles on the map.

Residing near Duncan for pretty much his entire life, Rochell said he’s moved three times here and there, but he’s came back every time.

“Now, I live in Marlow,” he said. “This is home. Stephens County is our home.”

Over the past 10-12 years, Rochell said they’ve done a lot of singing — in churches and choirs, youth groups, praise bands, praise groups and more.

Rochell credited his cousin, Weylin Bohannon, who first pulled him out of his shell and pushed Dale toward the front of the stage to sing one day.

Dale never actually performed solo until about five years ago.

“We traveled with a group, a family band — Hinsons, out of Hendersonville, Tennessee,” Rochell said.

He’s known the Hinsons since 1980 and traveled with the second generation from 2018 to December 2019.

“We traveled with them about two to three years all over the country singing and helping — kind of a road manager,” Dale said.

When they got off the road in 2019, Rochell felt called to go solo. He said he would have never thought at age 65 he would be doing what he is doing and getting to travel the country and meet people.

“Whether it’s a church of two, three or four, or two or three thousand,” he said.

Rochell said they’ve sang at large venues, The Ark in Williamstown, Kentucky, and had a tour in Alabama and Mississippi, New Mexico, Texas and more.

“We’ve really enjoyed where God’s taken us and where we are and what’s going on,” he said.

While growing up in Stephens County, Rochell said they were always in church and it played a key

role in his upbringing. He said his parents sang in a quartet in a small Free Will Baptist Church.

“I was around music and musicians all my life with my grandparents, my parents, aunts and uncles, gathering up for a family jam session nearly weekly when I was growing up,” he recalled.

Rochell said he learned to play the guitar and drums at a young age.

“We had banjos, guitars — three to five, a bass guitar and sometimes fiddles and drums,” he said.

“(I remember) my grandparents and family playing and singing till all hours of the night — many times with lots of emotions and tears,” he said.

It was in his teen years, Rochell said he became active with youth ensemble at church.

“Singing and learning many parts of harmony,” he said. “As I got older, I sang in the praise and worship team or with the choir — depending on what we had going at the time.”

Rochell said these things he was taught have now come to fruition and it’s taken him to new heights in

the music world.

Over the past few years, Rochell said they produced four albums.

“The Lord blessed us,” he said. Rochell said they got hold of a song written by George and Bubba Straight, which was released in the United Kingdom in 1997. He said they reached out to the duo, obtained a license and the publishing rights to record it.

“We recorded it last year on our album and it went number one in August in the Country Gospel charts,” he said. “Three Nails and a Cross.”

Rochell said it’s a great song for them and they get a lot of requests for the song.

With 10 songs in the Top 10 in the last few years, Rochell said several other songs have continued to climb the charts into the Top 40 and Top 20.

In October 2023, Rochell said the song, “I’m no Stranger to the Valley” hit number one.

“Ironically, when we recorded that song we were in the studio, we laid everything down, we changed up two or three different songs and

WAVES OF FAITH DALE ROCHELL’S FOURTH ALBUM “HOME.” HOME FEATURES ITS TITLE SONG, “HOME” ALONG WITH “STRONG HOLD,” “SOMEONE I GOTTA HAVE” AND “ALWAYS ENOUGH.”

then we were looking for just one song to fill in the album,” he said. They recorded the song and it made it to the top.

“I thought it was just going to be a filler song for the album and it made number one,” he said. “We are so blessed to have that as well.”

Rochell said they are booked a year out and have dates for 2024.

With another album ready to release, Rochell said they have more concert dates coming, as well as a Hinsons Tribute Album in the spring.

Before taking the solo route in 2019, Rochell was involved with different quartets, praise groups and bands for around 15 years.

“It’s been great,” he said. “We’ve had chances to go places we’d never thought (or) ever dreamed … It’s been a phenomenal journey.”

He said they do what they do because they felt called by God. He said he was sitting on the back porch of their house in Duncan one day and the phone kept ringing and emails came in wanting him to sing.

Rochell has toured in several states: Oklahoma, Texas, Arkansas, Louisiana, Kentucky, Tennessee, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Maryland, New Mexico and more.

During these tours and playing music, Rochell said they get to see people’s lives changed and see people make decisions.

“We just thank the Lord everyday for the opportunities given to us to go and be able to share and maybe just pour God’s love into them,” he said.

He said part of their mission is to share and connect with people through a song, a testimony or whatever the Lord latches on his heart.

“To watch souls walk the aisle to the altar, or even see pastors share their heart of why they too are hurting and need just a little more God,” he said. “Many out there are hurting still today — we see it often.”

In 2024, Rochell received a nomination, as a soloist, for favorite male vocalist for the Gospel Music Fanfare hosted in Alabama.

DALE ROCHELL PERFORMS AT THE 50TH ANNUAL GOSPEL SINGING EVENT IN SEMINOLE, OKLAHOMA. ROCHELL WON MALE VOCALIST OF THE YEAR, CGMA 2023.

DALE ROCHELL PERFORMS AT A COWBOY CHURCH EAST OF WACO IN HUBBARD, TEXAS.

VON HAWKS RISING

STORY BY TAMARA GREGOR | PHOTOS SUBMITTED

Many people have a love for music and many others have a passion for making a difference in the lives of those who need it most. For the members of Von Hawks Rising, that love and that passion marry together and the group rocks out and raises funds for a good cause at the same time.

Local band VHR (Von Hawks Rising) plays music and while doing so, helps families who care for their children with health issues by raising funds to help offset some of the costs endured.

VHR, an Oklahoma-based rock band and non-profit organization well known in Stephens County, puts together popular events such as Rock ’n’ Rides and the Rockin’ the Roof Benefit Concert to help families in the community.

The goal of the rock cover band is to provide “entertainment throughout the region to help families with children under 18 years of age with a serious medical condition or traumatic experiences.”

Band members currently include: Stephanie Wall, singer; Josh Rice, singer; Kade Golleher, lead guitarist; Donnie Berry, bass; David Pollock, guitar and keys; Allen Gates, drummer; Eddie Mullins, sound engineer; and Michael Murillo, production/AVL engineer.

Stephanie Gates, VHR Volunteer Events Coordinator, said they have a lot of people behind the scenes who volunteer to help with each of the events and fundraisers they do.

Gates said throughout their events, they’ve raised $62,000 for nine “families of children impacted by severe illness or trauma” across Oklahoma with “as many as 12 different diagnosis across the state with a 300 mile radius.”

Over the past few years, VHR has provided funds for kids such as Kalani Beehler, Silas Joe-Lee Cortez Wiles, Jeremy Murillo, Lincoln Harrell, Tucker Stephens, Treason Tookes, Alexus Campbell, Kamdin Jones and Eli Strutton.

JOSH RICE, SINGER, PERFORMS DURING A VON HAWKS RISING CONCERT PERFORMANCE.

Since May 2021, they’ve put on 22 shows or fundraisers.

“We have five more scheduled so far through October for 2024,” Gates said.

Gates said VHR will open applications again at the end of March.

With fundraising for Silas, the most recent beneficiary, complete, VHR will present his family soon, as well as choose a new family from the applications in the upcoming months

Part of the process to choose a family comes from VHR’s ACTS Team.

The ACTS Team looks for families who meet the qualifications and have a child under 18 who has been subject to a severe illness or major trauma in their lifetime.

Beverly Brown, with the ACTS Team, said choosing a recipient each time can be a challenge.

“We look at various aspects of

a child’s situation, including the complexity of their illness, family and community support and financial needs,” Brown said. “No child is more deserving than another, but we look for things that indicate a greater need and we pray for guidance.”

The team reviews nominations with the committee by looking at the funds the family receives throughout the year, if they’ve applied before and different criteria, before voting.

A recommendation is made for the family with the most votes and sent to the board for the final decision. After a decision is made, the selected family is contacted and presented a check.

Gates said as soon as they can present a check to a selected family, they open the application process up again and begin raising money for the next family.

VHR will appear next in Duncan as the entertainment for the Duncan

Chamber of Commerce Banquet on April 12.

“The Chamber Banquet will be a fun event since it is set up like a big awards event,” she said. “The band will be playing between the award presentations.”

She said it feels great to be apart of a community who gives so much of itself.

VHR’s Amplify Sponsors are key to what they do. They include Shavers Development Company, Hillary Communications and Bearded Man Jerky. To help hit their goals, VHR raises funds via donation, merchandise sales and the yearly Rockin’ the Roof concert and car show, as well as performances throughout the year.

To become a sponsor, contact Gates at 580-656-0222 or email vonhawksrising@gmail. com. For information about the band or about donating, visit www. vonhawksrising.com. DM

TRaising the Roof with DLT

STORY BY LINDA PROVOST | PHOTOS BY TAMARA GREGOR

his story of mine might be odd for both of us. I have written columns before, I have written news before... I have never done a “news column.”

Basically, The Banner asked me to write about my love for a Duncan Little Theatre (DLT) show known as Raise the Roof, but also present factual information.

I have been in the show for three years (going on four years now).

Picture it, Duncan, Spring 2019.

Then blue and purple haired reporter Linda talks to two people in her beat (that’s “reporter” for “area of coverage”).

A new show was going to be added in the summer as a special fundraiser for failing infrastructure in property owned by the organization.

The show name was literally what they hoped to accomplish — raise the roof.

DLT owns two buildings in Duncan: the Costume Shoppe/office on Main Street and a larger storage on Willow Ave.

In a 2019 interview, Leigh McEntire, then DLT president, explained what roof they were trying to raise.

“We also have a building on Willow and in that building, we house furniture, we house sets and things like that, that we use for our productions,” she said. “Unfortunately our roof is leaking — not just a little but a lot. So what do theatre people do when they need to raise money to fix something? They do a show! So from this ‘Raise the Roof’ was born.”

The show was an idea by Tana Calhoun to revive a long tradition for Duncan.

“This was something I had wanted to do for a long time — basically I was wanting to bring back a concept like Civic Capers,” Calhoun said. “I used to be involved years ago and Civic Capers helped fund the

LINDA PROVOST, LEFT, PERFORMS IN A PREVIOUS RAISE THE ROOF PRODUCTION WITH HER DLT FAMILY.

Simmons Center. I was wanting to do something like that for Duncan Little Theatre. We have the perfect opportunity because we need(ed) repairs for our Willow location so that’s what this is, it’s a variety show, it’s not a Broadway show — it’s a show full of fun. It has dancing, it has skits, singing, it has songs through the ages.”

And as per usual, I went and did a review and loved it. I loved variety shows like the Cher Show, The Muppets, In Living Color, Mad TV and sometimes SNL. I think they are some of the best shows, because if you don’t like one act or song, it doesn’t drag down the show as a whole.

The next year was 2020 and that postponed the show. This is the year I was in my first full show for DLT as I retired in April 2020.

I was part of the Dessert Theatre at the Marlow Opera House and I had so much fun.

The next year, I went to the auditions for Raise the Roof, and did 10 minutes of stand up and got in.

Tana is the driving force behind Raise the Roof and is happy to say the show raised enough funds to

repair the roof after two years. And Raise the Roof is raising funds for more things DLT needs, according to Tana.

“We did raise that money, and DLT kept the show in line up,” she said. “It’s now a fundraiser for all things needed to improve Duncan Little Theatre: If there are more improvements on our buildings, it helps buy more equipment and things – like for our karaoke nights at the brewery, our own sound pieces for venues without them. Even at the Simmons Center, we are using our own spotlights, our own over ear mics and things like that — that’s wear and tear on those mics and they don’t last very long.”

Raise the Roof has been able to help DLT create some savings, which for a nonprofit is greatly appreciated.

“We didn’t want to change the name because we didn’t want to confuse them on what it was,” she said.

The show tends not to need many royalties which is one of the reasons it was used as a fundraiser.

“We’ve been able to purchase certain licenses so everything at Raise the Roof and DLT is all ‘legit.’ We

have the rights for everything,” Tana said. “Addams Family alone was $40,000.”

When show fees are as much as many people take home a year, the fundraisers make more and more sense.

When I first started, I was nervous. Yeah, many of these people “knew of me,” but it didn’t mean I would fit in. Fitting in has never been a strong suit of mine. I tend to be “too much,” “too loud,” “too opinionated.” But I wasn’t too much, because there were other people like me — funny, ready to be silly and uplifting to each other.

The Raise the Roof cast has called ourselves a family and not a cast for a while now.

Road trips have been organized to support cast members in different productions during the year. We have a few birthdays during the rehearsal stage of the show and sweets are brought in (a gluten free option too for someone).

We’ve had weddings, births and deaths – it’s amazing to know that the answer to all three events is

usually a casserole.

I think a lot of that goes to Tana’s loving and friendly spirit. She truly is a light in dark places. I get a little weepy around the show because my dad was able to come to a show before he died. And he raved about how fun it was and donated a good chunk. He was proud I was still making people laugh.

I didn’t know this until Tana told me, but I am her “guaranteed laugh maker,” which I didn’t know how to take and I am sure I said something self-deprecating.

Everyone is able to do as much or as little as they want, which I think Tana does deliberately as we tend to try and all be in as many things as we can. Also, if you can’t do something physically, you are encouraged to try it another way or just skip it. That can make my bad knee very happy sometimes.

We have young kids, older adults, developmentally different cast mates and everyone is given a place to shine. This is a show that might be worth looking into if you’ve always

wanted to do theatre but never got to try. For me, this was the perfect way to get back into something I loved but was repeatedly told “I didn’t have the looks for. Going to a performing arts school and auditioning outside my major was such a bad idea.

But jokes on them! I am part of an annual show that does good for my adopted community, and is a big part of my social life.

Many thanks to Pete for letting us steal his Tana during the summer, and for joining in the lunacy too.

I am trying to talk my older sister into joining us for Raise the Roof, so we may relive our days putting on plays in the living for our parents.

The show usually takes place in June. For those who want to try their hand on stage, be on the lookout for tryouts. For those who want some good entertainment, make sure to come join us at the Simmons Center this summer so we can once again Raise the Roof.

DLT PERFORMERS DURING A PREVIOUS RAISE THE ROOF PRODUCTION AT THE SIMMONS CENTER.

April 5-7

April 6 NBHA Barrel Race

Happy Hens Auction

April 13-14

Ultimate Calf Roping

April 17-20

Dorper Sheep Show & Sale

April 19-20

EBC Two Bulls Challenge

April 26-27

Plain Dirt Farms Texoma Spring Classic Longhorn Sale

April 27 Happy Hens Auction

May 3-4

May

May

May 4 Midget Wrestling

May 10-12 Team Roping

May 11 Happy Hens Auction

May

May 31-June 1

June

June 15-22

June 27-29

June 28-29 COBA Pig Show

FACES

ARTS HALL OF FAME CELEBRATES THE ARTS

The Duncan Area Arts Hall of Fame celebrated the arts and those who have made major accomplishments and hit milestones in the art community in Stephens County. The celebration in January brought entertainment and a multitude of awards.

Photos by Jason Hodges

FACES

DLT GETS SPOOKY WITH THE ADDAMS FAMILY

“They’re creepy and they’re kooky / mysterious and spooky / they’re all together ooky / The Addams family.” The tune from the classic came to Duncan in 2024 thanks to Duncan Little Theatre (DLT). The production is based on the book by Marshall Brickman and Rick Elice, with music and lyrics by Andrew Lippa.

Photos by Tamara Gregor

FACES

CTHC’S COWBOY CHRISTMAS GALA DEEMED A MEGAHIT

The Chisholm Trail Heritage Center’s (CTHC) inaugural Cowboy Christmas Gala showcased its education program and its need for expansion this month with its newest fundraising event on Dec. 7. The next Cowboy Christmas Gala will take place Dec. 5, 2024, at the Simmons Center.

Photos by Tamara Gregor

FACES

DAEDF CELEBRATES SUCCESSES AT BANQUET

Duncan Area Economic Development Foundation (DAEDF) hosted its annual banquet Feb. 29 to showcase its successes and accomplishments over the past year, which included its work with Model1 Commercial Vehicles, Inc.

Photos by Tamara Gregor

FACES

HALO WEEK BREAKS RECORD, RAISES OVER 36K

Duncan High School’s Student Council revealed the total raised during the 2024 HALO Week events on Monday, March 4. DHS raised $36,750 for recipients including Beautiful Day Foundation, Kindred Community, Duncan High School Special Olympics, Pitt Hopkins Foundation and DHS student Dylan Harty.

Photos by Tamara Gregor

DUNCAN

THROUGH A LENS

PARTING SHOT

IN LOVING MEMORY OF ROBERT BILBREY, NOV. 30, 1973 - MAY 25, 2023. BILBREY PERFORMED WITH JON WILLIAMS & THE COIN TOSS.

PHOTO SPECIAL TO THE BANNER