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
We recently connected with Chris Cleveland for a life history interview for the Oklahoma Historical Society state archive and future OKPOP exhibits.
From growing up in Tulsa’s church music scene, to founding Stars Go Dim, to navigating hearing loss while building a career in music, Chris shared an honest and inspiring look at the road behind the songs.
He reflected on mentors, long nights on the road, selling out Cain’s Ballroom, balancing life and touring, and the lessons he’s learned about persistence, craft, and protecting your voice—both creatively and professionally.
“Grow where you’re planted… take every opportunity you can find here.”
#OKPOP #OklahomaHistory #TulsaMusic #StarsGoDim #OklahomaCreatives @starsgodim
Big congrats to our friend Evan Hughes on May 15 officially being declared Evan Hughes Day by Tulsa Mayor Monroe Nichols.
Check out I’ve Been Blessed By Evan Hughes, the Tulsa-made docu-dramedy directed by Abbie de Vera.
#OKPOP #EvanHughes #Tulsa #OklahomaFilm #TulsaArts @evanbhughes
It was an honor to spend the day with artist and visionary Gary Panter, capturing a video interview about his Oklahoma roots, creative journey, and the winding road that led from the early Los Angeles punk scene to Pee-wee’s Playhouse and beyond.
Gary shared stories of the teachers, influences, risks, and wild turns that shaped his career, but one idea kept rising to the surface: creativity belongs to everyone. His encouragement was simple but powerful… embrace your inner artist, stay curious, and keep making.
Thank you, Gary, for your honesty, your imagination, and for reminding us that creativity is not reserved for a select few. It’s something all of us carry.
#OKPOP #GaryPanter #OklahomaCreatives #PeeweesPlayhouse #CreativityForEveryone @gary.panter
We were grateful to reconnect with Oklahoma writer Connie Cronley for a video interview at OKPOP.
Connie reflected on her life as a writer, her biography A Life on Fire: Oklahoma’s Kate Barnard, and her deep admiration for Kate Barnard’s moral courage, compassion, and long-overlooked legacy.
She also shared wonderful memories of Jay Cronley, the Tulsa writer behind novels adapted into films like Funny Farm, Let It Ride, and Quick Change. Connie described Jay as “the smartest, the funniest, the wittiest, the quickest person” she had ever met, adding that being married to him was “like being married to a bottle rocket.”
From Kate Barnard’s fire to Jay Cronley’s wit, Connie reminded us how much Oklahoma storytelling has shaped our history, humor, and creative spirit.
Thank you, Connie, for helping us preserve these stories.
#OKPOP #OklahomaWriters #OralHistory #JayCronley #KateBarnard @okhistory
Today we’re celebrating the remarkable life of Norman Dolph, an Oklahoma original whose life came full circle in a way few ever do. Born on May 11, 1939, in Tulsa, Norman passed away on his 83rd birthday, May 11, 2022, leaving behind a creative legacy that stretched across music, art, technology, and culture. 
Producer. Songwriter. Painter. Inventor. Entrepreneur. And by many accounts, one of the first mobile DJs in America.
While working at Columbia Records in New York, Dolph crossed paths with Andy Warhol, who introduced him to a little-known band called The Velvet Underground. Dolph helped finance and produce their earliest studio sessions, recordings that would become part of one of the most influential albums in rock history. Warhol was so grateful that he reportedly paid Dolph with original artwork. 
From Tulsa to the heart of New York’s underground art scene, Norman Dolph proved what we say at OKPOP all the time: Oklahoma creativity doesn’t stay in one place. It travels. It shapes culture. And sometimes, it helps change music forever.
#OKPOP #NormanDolph #Tulsa #VelvetUnderground #AndyWarhol
It was awesome connecting with Michael Wittig, bass player for Tulsa-based rock band Pillar.
Michael shared stories about his musical roots, the formation and rise of Pillar, years of touring, the success of Fireproof, the challenges of life on the road, and the band’s recent reunion documented by his son Caden.
One of our favorite reflections:
“I don’t take for granted what Pillar was able to do…a very small percentage of people ever get to do that.”
And his advice for young musicians?
“Never give up…Surround yourself with other people that are better than you.”
Thank you, Michael, for sharing your story, your music, and your Tulsa journey with OKPOP.
#OKPOP #MichaelWittig #Pillar #TulsaMusic #pillarmusic @wittigworks @pillarmusic
Help us wish a happy birthday to Tulsa-born poet, musician, author, and Muscogee Nation citizen Joy Harjo.
In 2019, Harjo became the first Native American U.S. Poet Laureate, ultimately serving three terms from 2019 to 2022. Through works like She Had Some Horses, An American Sunrise, Crazy Brave, and her newest essay collection, Girl Warrior: On Coming of Age, Harjo continues to shape American literature with a voice rooted in memory, music, place, and Native experience. Her forthcoming twelfth poetry collection, Cloud Runner, is expected in Fall 2026. 
An internationally recognized artist and one of Oklahoma’s most significant literary voices, Harjo reminds us that poetry can be ceremony, witness, medicine, and song.
Happy birthday, Joy!
#joyharjo #poet #okpop #oklahoma @joyharjoforreal
So much fun connecting with Chris O’Dell, an Oklahoma-born trailblazer whose journey led from Owasso to the center of rock-and-roll history.
Chris shared stories from Apple Corps, The Beatles, the rooftop concert, the Concert for Bangladesh, and tours with George Harrison, The Rolling Stones, Bob Dylan, Fleetwood Mac, and many more.
One favorite reflection:
“The thing I’m probably most proud about is being a female who really broke through the glass ceiling in the music industry in the late ’60s, early ’70s.”
And her advice for future creatives?
“Just say yes.”
Thank you, Chris, for sharing your story, your memories, and your Oklahoma roots with OKPOP.
#OKPOP #ChrisODell #Oklahoma #MusicHistory #WomenInMusic @piscesapplelady
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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