Songwriters & Tour Riders

Singer-songwriter Parker Millsap celebrated ten years of his album The Very Last Day earlier this year. The then-23-year-old musician from Purcell, Oklahoma was near the beginning of the his career when he released the doomsday-themed album.Now at 33, Millsap reflects on being a working class musician and where its taken him.On this episode, Parker Millsap talks about the first working musician he ever met and how becoming one has changed him.

Kalyn Fay made her way back home after graduating with a Master of Fine Arts in Printmaking from the University of Arkansas to take a job curating Native Art at the Philbrook Museum of Art in Tulsa. She recently left that position to pursue music full-time, and this spring, released her first album in seven years.Ahead of her live recording in July at The Church Studio in Tulsa, the Cherokee folk musician came to KOSU to perform her song "Windsong" and talk about her latest album ᎠᎾᏒᎤ (Garden) and why she decided to leave her full-time job of nearly five years.

Traindodge's Jason Smith formed the band with bassist Chris Allen and his younger brother Rob Smith in 1996 when the places for a punk band to play in Oklahoma ranged from houses, convenience stores, and bowling alleys.30 years later, Traindodge has kept chugging along. They released their eighth LP The Alley Parade in 2023 and will be playing Resonant Head in Oklahoma City on Saturday, July 11. Later this fall they will be opening for Chat Pile at Tower Theatre in Oklahoma City.On this episode, Jason Smith talks about the 1990s punk scene in Oklahoma and their album The Alley Parade.

When Ramsey Thornton graduated college during COVID, he wasn't sure what to do. He just wanted to do something with music.He enrolled into a masters of history program at Oklahoma State University to study the history of the banjo and worked as an intern at the Bob Dylan Center in Tulsa.But while juggling academics and music, he soon found work playing drums, banjo and guitar for numerous different Oklahoma artists and bands like Ken Pomeroy, Wilderado and Keyland.He released his debut album, I Called It!, in May 2026 and played two sold out shows at Drifters Theater in Tulsa.

Johnny Mullenax didn't expect playing a weekly brunch show in Tulsa would help launch his touring career. Now he's playing at festivals and stages across America and Europe.In this episode, Johnny Mullenax talks about starting the bluegrass brunch, touring, and plays his song 'Used to Work For a Living.'