Oklahoma Gazette - Let the Legislative Games Begin

THE SECOND REGULAR SESSION OF THE 60 LEGISLATURE CONVENES FEBRUARY 2, 2026 TH

Election Slate For The Sooner State

What you need to know ahead of this year’s elections.

By Drew Williamson

As campaign registration deadlines loom, June primary elections are shaping up to determine who will be on the final ballot in the Sooner State’s General Election this coming November.

Will this election cycle go by quickly, or will it drag on like a really bad cold?

Regardless, let’s take a look at who’s running for what in the elections that Oklahoma County voters will be most focused on.

United States Senate: Republican incumbent Markwayne Mullin is heavily favored to win and runs unopposed in the primary. Mullin will be opposed in November by the winner of the Democratic Primary, which features candidates N’Kilya Thomas, Troy Green, and Jim Priest. In my opinion, Mullin is a lock to win and will consolidate more power in the United States Senate as an official “Trump Whisperer.”

United States House of Representatives Congressional District 5: Stephanie Bice is the Republican incumbent and enjoys the advantage against Democrat

Jena Nelson, who is best known for being the person most Oklahomans wish to have voted for against Ryan Walters in 2022. CD5 has been a GOP seat for many years, only interrupted for two years, after Kendra Horn upset Steve Russell in 2018. However, just 15 months ago, Bice won by a large margin over another Horn (Madison) in a much talked about race that was never really close.

Oklahoma’s other four congressional districts are also up for grabs, but each looks to solidly favor the Republican incumbents: Kevin Hern-CD1, Josh Brecheen-CD2, Frank Lucas-CD3 and Tom ColeCD4. Most of these candidates are unopposed in the Republican Primary and all of them have Democratic opponents, none of whom, as of now, seem capable of an upset victory.

Statewide races promise to bring the most excitement. However, this will most likely be in the June primaries, which could cause some early summer fireworks.

Governor of Oklahoma: The Republican list of nominees is very crowded: Chip Keating announced

Advocate for Oklahoma’s Children

As we head into the 2026 legislative session, it is imperative that lawmakers listen to the experiences of Oklahomans.

By Joe Dorman

In the most recent Annie E. Casey Foundation KIDS COUNT Report, Oklahoma ranks 46th in the nation for child well-being. The same number as our entry into the U.S. as a state, in case you need a memory tool to help remember that.

For as long as I can remember, we have ranked in the 30s or 40s.

Oklahoma’s 2025 Categorical Rankings for Children:

• Economic Well-Being: 40th

• Family & Community: 40th

• Health: 43rd

• Education: 48th (ranked near last in reading and math proficiency)

Each year, the Oklahoma Legislature convenes their annual session to pass a state budget––the only requirement they have under the Oklahoma Constitution––and to discuss and shape laws which impact our residents.

With the annual public filing deadline met last week, the team at the Oklahoma Institute for Child

his candidacy alongside Attorney General Gentner Drummond, Former House Speaker Charles McCall, and Former State Senators Mike Mazzei and Jake Merrick. Rounding out the crowd is a former New Mexico City Manager from Mangum, Leisa Mitchell Haynes.

Drummond seems to be the leading candidate in early polls, unless it’s one paid for by Charles McCall. but it seems the primary voters will coalesce around Drummond, Keating and the former Speaker.

Running unopposed as Democratic nominee is State Representative and House Minority Leader Cyndi Munson.

Lieutenant Governor : Equally crowded is the Republican primary roster of candidates, led by a former House Speaker T.W. Shannon. Shannon entered the race recently, after an absence from politics and a stint as an advisor to the Department of Agriculture. Although heavily favored, Shannon will be contested by State Auditor Cindy Byrd, Businessman Victor Flores, State Representatives Brian Hill and Justin Humphrey, and State Senator Darrell Weaver.

On the Democratic side of the ballot will be Kelly Forbes and Candice Jay.

litical perspective or if a healthy dialogue can shed light on a different perspective that they might not have considered, I want them to know that they can rely on OICA to provide information that is datadriven and reliable.

Attorney General: Term limited former State Representative Jon Echols will square off against political newcomer and Secretary of Energy & Environment Jeff Starling in the Republican Primary.

Former Assistant U.S. Attorney Nick Coffey is running unopposed in the Democratic primary, hoping to provide formidable opposition to the Republican primary winner in November.

State Treasurer: Incumbent Todd Russ is running for re-election and has yet to draw either a Republican opponent in the primary or a Democrat hoping for an upset in November.

State Auditor: This race is wide open as Cindy Byrd is term-limited and running for another statewide office. Republican Melissa Capps, a longtime deputy in the Auditor’s Office and Director of the Performance Audit Division, is the only declared candidate from either party.

As if this is not enough to ponder, there will be multiple state senate and house seats in the metro area up for grabs, which will be much more clear after the filing period deadline in April.

made yourself an advocate. That is the first step in working to improve Oklahoma to a place better than 46th for children.

Advocacy (OICA) spent the weekend going through this year’s proposed bills. There were 1,578 bills submitted by state representatives and 996 filed by state senators. This is combined with the more than 2,500 pieces of legislation carried forward from last year, many of which deal directly with children and families.

Many bills submitted will try to address the above problems, but some of them will make the situation worse. It is not because the authors of the bills are bad people; their bills simply neglect a wellrounded perspective on the reality of child well-being in Oklahoma.

I share this with you as I truly believe that lawmaking is a process that requires citizen input. Policymakers simply do not know what they do not know, and must be willing to listen to trusted opinions on various topics.

In the nine years I have been at OICA, I have worked to ensure that our organization can be a trusted voice on children’s policy. Whether they see issues from the same po-

Now, the challenging part is finding those people who are willing to step up, sharing their lived experiences, and help create well-rounded policy. Lawmakers need to see policy from all perspectives to decide what is the best pathway forward, even if the policy is not the end-all, be-all answer. Additionally, lawmakers should not only represent those who elected them. Rather, they should share knowledge with all of their constituents to keep them all better informed.

Now for the ask: I want you to find out who your state senator and state representative are and offer yourself as a resource expert in your profession or your lived experience. They are easy to find: go to oklegislature. gov, fill out the information to “Find my Legislator”, and then reach out via email. Or, simply stop by their office at the Oklahoma State Capitol. Keep your introduction brief, but ensure your offer is compelling. They might not take you up on the offer, which is something to remember when elections come back around. If they are receptive, you have now

Joe Dorman serves as the Chief Executive Officer for OICA. He also served House District 65 as the state representative for 12 years, which included parts of Caddo, Comanche, Cotton, Grady, and Stephens Counties, and was a nominee for Governor of Oklahoma in 2014.

The Oklahoma Institute for Child Advocacy was established in 1983 by a group of citizens seeking to create a strong advocacy network that would provide a voice for the needs of children and youth in Oklahoma, particularly those in the state’s care and those growing up amid situations that put their lives and future at risk.

It’s Only a Game

A review of coach Darrel Johnson’s recent memoir.

By James Biscone

Oklahoma’s red dirt has a way of shaping people. It teaches work, endurance, and the belief that nothing worth having comes easy. Darrel Johnson is an unmistakable product of Oklahoma: formed by old wooden gym floors, small towns, big dreams, and a faith that never fully left, even when tested to its breaking point.

Johnson’s basketball resume spans decades and reaches levels that few coaches ever touch. An Oklahoman through and through, he rose from high school coaching to national prominence, winning two NAIA national championships and earning two National Coach of the Year honors at Oklahoma City University.

In Oklahoma, when you win consistently enough, the world eventually calls. That call carried Johnson to Division I basketball at Baylor University and later into the NBA, where he spent more than two decades in scouting and front-office roles with multiple franchises.

In “It’s Only a Game,” Johnson does not write a conventional sports memoir. Instead, he traces the full arc of a human life. His climb. His fall. And his long, humbling return to faith after everything else was stripped away. It’s not a book about wins and losses. It is a reflection on ambition, identity, faith, and what remains when the wins are gone.

The early chapters of his life read like a familiar Oklahoma success story. Sports provided structure, discipline, and belonging. Baseball first, then basketball. Work ethic rewarded. Failure answered with effort. By the time Johnson reached elite levels of competition, winning had become normal. When winning becomes normal, it can quietly take over one’s identity.

Johnson writes honestly about that shift. Basketball did not simply become something he loved. It became who he was.

“I had everything,” Johnson said, in an interview with The Gazette. “Money. A great family. A career. ESPN had me as one of the top rising coaches in America. And then I had nothing. Literally nothing.”

In 1994, Johnson became the first major college basketball coach in NCAA history to be indicted by a federal grand jury over recruiting and eligibility violations. In a single moment, the climb stopped. He was fired from his position at Baylor. His contracts vanished; his reputation dissolved. The future he had built collapsed under its own weight.

“I hit rock bottom,” Johnson said.

“And I had nowhere else to go. I couldn’t pull myself out. I had to rely on the grace of God.”

Johnson’s initial introduction to Christianity was in high school, when a teammate invited him to a Baptist revival in Oklahoma City. However, the defining moment in his relationship to God came after his indictment.

“It’s Only a Game” is not about a God who rescues on demand. Rather, it is about a God who remains.

After a long and public trial, the jury returned a not guilty verdict. But, the damage was already done. Johnson returned to Oklahoma not to restart, but to survive. He came back to the red dirt that made him, this time on his knees.

“I truly thought I was going to coach again,” he said. “I thought I had a clean slate. But that wasn’t God’s plan.”

What followed was surrender, not strategy. The difference matters.

His family, who had been crowded out by ambition, came back into focus. Johnson writes candidly about regret, particularly as it relates to the intertwining of his career and identity.

“I thought my responsibility was to provide financially,” he said. “But I made basketball my mistress. Everything else became incidental.”

One of the book’s most powerful turns comes when Johnson describes coaching his son. What began as a low-paying teaching job at a small Christian school became the most meaningful chapter of his coaching life.

“The highlight of my coaching career,” he said without hesitation.

The gym was no longer a cathedral to ambition. It became a place of presence, of fatherhood, and of restored priorities.

“It’s Only a Game” is about what remains when winning is no longer enough. Johnson does not soften his language about faith. He does not point to a vague higher power. In true Oklahoma fashion, he names God plainly.

“I think we’re here to add value to creation,” Johnson said. “If my story can help one person who’s in crisis, then it’s worth telling.”

This is not a book about championships. It is about knees hitting red dirt at rock bottom. It is about surrender replacing control. And, it is about learning that identity rooted in achievement will always fail, and faith rooted in grace will not.

NON-PROFIT FOCUS

Protecting Our Wild Neighbors

Every year, thousands of Oklahomans turn to WildCare Oklahoma for help with wildlife, making the nonprofit a lifeline for animals.

By Julie Porter Scott

Based in Noble, WildCare Oklahoma operates on a scale that rivals the largest wildlife rehabilitation centers in the country. The nonprofit’s mission is broad but deeply interconnected: wildlife conservation, public education, a help desk, and the hands-on rehabilitation and release of injured, ill, and orphaned wildlife. Together, those pillars support a single goal—keeping Oklahoma’s wild animals wild, healthy, and where they belong.

Although based in Cleveland County, WildCare Oklahoma serves the entire state. In recent years, the organization has admitted animals from 75 of Oklahoma’s 77 counties. This year alone, the center expects to admit more than 9,500 wildlife patients, placing it among the ten largest wildlife rehabilitation facilities in the United States by annual admissions.

That figure, however, only tells part of the story. Last year, WildCare’s help desk handled more than 42,000 calls, often preventing unnecessary admissions before animals ever reach the facility.

Inger Giuffrida, executive director of WildCare Oklahoma, explains that the most common way the facility receives patients is “when an Oklahoman finds an animal that needs help and brings it to our doors. We’ve had people drive from the Panhandle with an injured barn owl, or drive all the way from Miami, Oklahoma to bring us a turtle that was hit by a car. We’re so grateful for the care and compassion that people show to these animals they could so easily ignore.”

Giuffrida stresses the importance of calling the WildCare hotline: “The help desk, staffed by live humans

every day of the year—including holidays—exists to guide Oklahomans through wildlife encounters before they escalate. Calls address everything from baby animals picked up by well-meaning residents to conflicts involving raccoons, squirrels, or beavers.” By calling the hotline, staff and trained volunteers can either help prevent callers from capturing and transporting animals that are not in danger, or provide guidance for safely getting animals to WildCare.

Once an animal arrives, care begins immediately. Since 2019, WildCare has operated a full veterinary unit, which includes a veterinarian, two veterinary technicians, and a veterinary assistant, with an additional technician position currently being added. Based on condition and species, patients are routed to emergency medical care, a nursery, or other specialized housing, following species-specific protocols.

The work is relentless, particularly during peak summer months, when intakes can reach 100 animals per day. Orphaned baby mammals are fed up to five times daily, while baby birds may require feeding every 15 to 60 minutes, depending on their stage of development. The rehabilitation process is intentionally progressive, moving animals from incubators to bassinets, indoor habitats, and eventually outdoor release enclosures. Release decisions are guided by natural behavior benchmarks, appropriate weight, and relevant survival skills.

Yet WildCare Oklahoma’s leaders emphasize that rehabilitation is not the endgame—it is the last resort. Preventing wildlife crises is where

the organization sees its greatest potential impact.

Many of the most common causes of admission—dog and cat attacks, unnecessary trapping, and habitat disruption—are preventable. There is also a wide range of proactive measures people can take to avoid many of these situations.

The center provides coexistencebased education, such as repairing broken soffits before baby season, avoiding outdoor pet food, and scheduling tree removal in November or December to prevent nest destruction. Free-roaming cats, identified as one of the most significant invasive threats to wildlife, are a major focus of the center’s public education.

Education and outreach form the backbone of WildCare Oklahoma’s long-term vision. After the help desk, education is considered the organization’s most critical program area. Last year alone, WildCare reached more than 8,000 people through in-person education, engaging an estimated 80 percent of participants directly. Social media extends that reach, focusing on factual, actionable advice and realworld guidance.

A robust volunteer program supports nearly every aspect of the organization, from animal care to rescue response. Training sessions regularly fill to capacity, though the center faces retention challenges due to its rural location. To address this, WildCare uses creative engagement strategies, including dispatching volunteers to assist elderly or disabled community members with wildlife situations they cannot manage alone.

Despite its scale and impact, WildCare Oklahoma operates with striking financial efficiency. Approximately 95 percent of all revenue goes directly to programs and services. Funding comes primarily from individual donors, supplemented by small grants and limited corporate support. The organization receives no federal, state, county, city, or United Way funding and operates without dedicated development or marketing staff. Fundraising responsibilities fall largely to the executive director, with any budget growth directed toward animal care and veterinary capacity rather than administrative expansion.

Beyond rehabilitation, WildCare Oklahoma also responds to confiscations and hoarding cases, including a recent rescue of 20 axolotls from an animal-hoarding situation. The species is functionally extinct in the wild, and many of the confiscated animals were severely malnourished or injured. Through careful rehabilitation and partnerships, every surviving axolotl was ultimately

placed in an accredited aquarium. In a state defined by its ecological richness and rapid development, WildCare Oklahoma serves as both a safety net and educator—bridging the gap between people and wildlife. By pairing intensive hands-on care with prevention, coexistence strategies, and statewide education, the organization works not just to save individual animals, but to reshape how Oklahomans live alongside the wild neighbors in their midst.

WildCare staff are available seven days a week from 9:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. to provide assistance in wildlife emergencies. Add their number to your contacts, so you’ll have it when you need it: (405) 872-9338. To learn more about WildCare Oklahoma, or to donate or volunteer, visit wildcareoklahoma.org.

How You Can Help Prevent Wildlife Emergencies

Repair broken soffits from Nov. – Feb. to keep animals from nesting indoors during baby season.

Feed pets indoors to prevent attracting wildlife to your property.

Schedule tree removal for Nov. or Dec. to prevent nest destruction.

Keep cats indoors , as freeroaming cats are one of the most significant invasive threats to wildlife. Nationally, cats kill more than one billion birds each year.

For more information on coexistence-based education, visit wildcareoklahoma.org.

chicken friedNEWS

Priority Legislation

The Oklahoma Legislature is back in session, and once again it’s bringing the kind of ideas that make you double-check the calendar to see if it’s April 1. Senate Bill 1820, courtesy of the ever-creative Shane Jett, clarifies that “pistols at dawn” are still illegal, but mutually agreed fistfights are fine—as long as no one is seriously injured. Cage match, Mullin vs. union boss? House Bill 3196, from Rep. Justin Humphrey, would create a blood bank exclusively for the “vaccine-free,” raising questions about labeling: Regular, Premium, or Uninjected. Meanwhile, Senate Bill 1284 by Warren Hamilton, the “Stripper Licensing Act,” looks tailor-made to replace lost revenue if Trump’s “No Tax on Tips” becomes law. Grab popcorn.

OSDE Opts Out

The OSDE Board quietly scrapped one of former State Superembarrassment Ryan Walters’ proudest legacies: forcing new Oklahoma teachers to pass a written U.S. naturalization test to prove they were “one of us.” The policy confused educators, immigrants, and literally everyone who already passed Oklahoma history in eighth grade. Board members reportedly decided class room competence mattered more than passing an unofficial conservativeideals commitment test. Walters was unavailable for comment, as he’s busy with attorneys, defending dozens of lawsuits he’s very likely to lose.

Trickle Down Education

In a not so surprising move for Governor Kevin Stitt’s last year in office, he now wants to repeal the income caps from last year’s educational tax credit. Recent reports show that over 90% of educational tax credit recipients already had their children in private schools, which implies this was not about school choice, but rather about cutting wealthy Oklahoman’s taxes. Maybe Governor Stitt thinks our private schools are ranked 50th and need money, instead of public schools, which are supposed to be funded with Oklahoma tax dollars.

YOUR BACKSTAGE PASS TO OKLAHOMA MUSIC

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EAT & DRINK

The New Restaurant On The Block

Chef Andrew Black’s Dougla Kitchen will offer a masterclass in culinary storytelling.

By Phoebe Grandi

On Feb. 14, Chef Andrew Black will open his fourth restaurant in Oklahoma City. With an aptly timed opening, Dougla Kitchen will be Black’s culinary love letter to his grandmother, who was the original inspiration behind the award-winning chef’s love of cooking. It will open in place of his previous venture, Black Walnut, which closed on New Year’s Eve.

Dougla Kitchen will feature elevated Caribbean and Indian dishes from Black’s childhood. From tamarind-glazed goat ribs to braised oxtail covered in a shrimp rundown sauce, Oklahoma City will experience the rich, edible history of one of its most influential chefs. “These are dishes that I grew up cooking with my grandmother, and dishes that I’ve learned throughout the Caribbean,” said Black, who at the time of this interview was freshly back from researching recipes in Trinidad and Tobago. It’s hard to capture the entire breadth of Dougla’s menu, though. This speaks, in large part, to the robust character of Caribbean cuisine, which is referenced in the restaurant’s name. “The word ‘dougla’ was a derogative word once used to describe people of mixed culture, but today it’s a word that is embraced, that we love,” Black explained. “There’s a lot of mixed culture in the Caribbean and with that comes our culture of food.”

Originally from Jamaica, Black has spent the past 20 years cultivating an impressive restaurant résumé in Oklahoma City. The names Perle Mesta, Grey Sweater, and Black Walnut are star-studded in the minds of local food critics and enthusiasts. In 2023, he rose to the top of the city’s bragging list when he won the James Beard Award for Best Chef in the Southwest.

Yet even for a chef who seems to have done it all, Dougla Kitchen proves to be the newest card up Black’s sleeve. “This could be probably [my] most significant restaurant,” Black said, excitedly. “It’s personal in the sense that I’m going to feel like I’m around [my grandmother]. I’m going to be making these dishes, and I’ll hear her voice saying, ‘No, you don’t do that…you do this.’” It was Black’s grandmother, Elizabeth Bandu, who taught the renowned chef how to cook.

Dougla Kitchen is not just a tribute to her, but a thank you letter. “It is going to be thank you for the flavors, for the ingenuity, and for the patience,” said Black. “Thank you for teaching me farm to table. In moments when I thought that we were just so poor and that we had no food, she would go in the fields and gather anything she could catch her hand on. She’d come back and over that wood fire cook the most beautiful dishes.”

Because of its intrinsically personal nature, the restaurant naturally lays at the intersection of food and memory. There is a depth to every dish that goes beyond ingredients. “Roti was a Saturday morning thing,” said Black, explaining one of the

menu’s fixtures. “That’s why Saturday is my favorite day of the week; It’s when we would wake up and clean, and then we would make roti. So to make roti now, the storytelling is in how the pieces grind, how the dough is made, how you have to rest it, then fold it, then fry it.”

And, it’s not just the food. Every aspect of the restaurant is accentuated by Black’s memories, by the fact that Dougla Kitchen is his professional return to the food and the culture that made him.

The restaurant’s staff will wear corduroy pants and vintage shirts, a nod to his father’s unofficial uniform and the gifts his grandfather would bring back from London. They will also be

wearing Clarks shoes. “Clarks were known as ‘rude boy shoes’ back home,” said Black. “When you had a pair of Clarks, you felt good.”

The pillar of Dougla Kitchen, though, is its emphasis on community. “I grew up in a home where we ate together,” Black said. “Whether we were sitting in the yard or wherever, we all ate together. So, it’s important to see people in Dougla breaking puri with their hands and enjoying it together.”

Unlike Perle Mesta where you’d need to don your best outfit, Dougla Kitchen will be much more casual. “We want people to show up and just enjoy a meal.” Thus, the emphasis shifts away from the food’s proximity to a distinguished chef, instead refocusing on the inevitable joy found in meals shared with friends and family. “It’s a place where you’re gonna see a cigar and rum dinner on the patio,” said Black, laughing.

The restaurant will be accompanied by Dougla Lounge next door, which will be a small venue featuring live music, drinks, and appetizers. “It’ll be a community,” said Black. “I want a restaurant that is community-driven.”

For those still grieving Dougla’s predecessor, I’m happy to tell you that Black Walnut’s most popular dishes will now be offered at Perle Mesta.

But, why did the creation of Dougla Kitchen require the closure of Black Walnut? Tangibly, the real-estate market is too steep to find another location. Ideologically, “I want a new challenge in my life,” said Black. “I was going on seven years with Black Walnut, and it was doing well. But, it’s life. Let’s risk it all and do something new in this space.”

Luckily for Oklahoma City, this challenge will result in a distinct addition to the city’s food scene. “Most times when you see jerk chicken, it just comes out with jerk sauce,” said Black. “This time, the jerk chicken comes out with mint chutney, tamarind chutney, pickled vegetables––the way we pickle them in India.”

For a chef that has already proven his ability to successfully run a restaurant, Dougla Kitchen has a different goal. “It’s not about trying to prove anything,” Black said. “It has to do with me dressing down and letting loose, diving deep into my culture without any apology. It’s me saying, ‘Here’s how I used to eat, here’s how I grew up. Take it or leave it.’”

Stefanie Embree’s Sweet Ascent

OKC Sweets owner takes the top prize on Fox’s “Next Level Baker,” elevating a local bakery to the national stage.

By Julie Porter Scott

When the final clock stopped inside the “Next Level Baker” kitchen, local bakery owner Stefanie Embree barely registered the cheers before the weight of it hit.

Embree took the top prize in the inaugural season of Fox’s “Next Level Baker” with a performance that showcased both her talent and her composure under extreme conditions. The intense finale was a four-hour marathon, requiring contestants to bake one cake tier on each floor of the show’s vertical set and then assemble the three-tier cake in a 30-minute window.

The show’s format features three very different kitchens. A basement kitchen is “the worst of the worst,” as Embree put it. The middle kitchen is very nice, while the top kitchen is state-ofthe-art, full of high-end equipment. In the first episode, teams of bakers had to rely on the luck of the draw to see which kitchen they got. Every subsequent challenge offered a chance to compete for the best kitchen, coupled with the risk of being sent home.

During the finale, cameras were everywhere, and mentors watched closely. And then, sud-

denly, a win that validated years of work done quietly, often under pressure, in a small Oklahoma City bakery. It was physically punishing and mentally relentless—the kind of challenge designed to expose cracks in both technique and temperament. But, instead, Embree delivered.

“When Gordon Ramsay called my name, it was just like this rush of emotions,” Embree said. “To win that entire competition really made it feel like: I am on the right path for my life and I am doing what I’ve been called to do.”

The win marked a turning point for OKC Sweets, the Oklahoma City bakery she owns and operates. Opened during the early months of the pandemic, the business survived a volatile stretch marked by both strong demand and punishing uncertainty. The show’s impact was immediate. Since the episodes aired, the bakery has experienced sustained sellouts, heavier daily foot traffic, and an influx of visitors traveling specifically because they saw the store on television.

Part of the appeal of “Next Level Baker” is its format. Judges don’t just critique, they mentor.

Ramsay offered concise, technical feedback and modeled what Embree described as servant leadership.

“It just happened that for three out of the first four bakes, I was with Chef Ramsay,” she said. “I spent a lot of time with him. He’s brilliant, of course, but what was so amazing about working with him was seeing his work ethic firsthand. He was encouraging us, giving us suggestions, and we could ask questions. He worked alongside us the entire time, helping us be the best we could be.”

Candace Nelson, the founder of Sprinkles Cupcakes and a legend in cooking television, was another mentor. “I was so excited to meet Candace Nelson. I always watched ‘Cupcake Wars’ and imagined what it would be like to be one of the contestants. So, to meet her in real life was just amazing,” Embree said. “A lot of things in her life resonate with me and what I’ve experienced— opening a bakery and raising children at the same time. It was just awesome to get to work with her.”

Away from the cameras, Embree balances running the bakery and being a mom to four school-age children. “I want to be someone they can look up to as a role model,” she said. “For them to see me pursuing my

dreams and working really hard while also staying kind and cheering everyone on, I think that they can be proud of me as their mom.”

The episodes aired multiple times during the holiday season, amplifying their reach. With each rerun, the bakery saw another surge, selling out daily. The momentum isn’t just about volume; it’s about options—new collaborations, expanded product lines, and the possibility of growth. It will also bring new opportunities, perhaps even future television appearances. Embree is careful not to frame the win as a finish line. The competition, she says, sharpened her discipline and reinforced the importance of fundamentals when under conditions designed to destabilize them. It also underscored her belief that kindness and competitiveness are not mutually exclusive, even in highpressure environments.

In an industry often defined by bravado and burnout, “Next Level Baker” offered a different template: excellence paired with encouragement. Embree’s performance fit that mold perfectly.

For Oklahoma City, the victory places a local bakery on a national stage. OKC Sweets didn’t become something else overnight; it simply became visible. And for Embree, the win stands as both validation and invitation, a signal that the work she’s been doing all along can carry her further than she once imagined. The cake may have been assembled on the top floor, but the foundation was built long before the cameras rolled.

If you missed the finale, you can catch all three episodes of “Next Level Baker” now streaming on Hulu. Want to taste the treats that helped crown a champion? Visit OKCSweets.com.

& DRINK

Cupid’s Night Out

Still searching for the best Valentine’s Day spot in Oklahoma City? Look no further. Ranging in cuisine and price, as well as with one old school dance, these restaurants, cafés, and venues are sure to cultivate a romantic atmosphere.

By Hope Whitmire

Oklahoma City’s dining and entertainment scene continues to impress, offering no shortage of ways to celebrate Valentine’s Day. From thoughtfully crafted menus to live music and intimate atmospheres, these local favorites set the stage for an unforgettable night. Whether you’re sharing plates, sipping wine, or catching a concert, this curated lineup of OKC spots proves that romance here goes far beyond the usual dinner reservation.

GREAT AMERICAN CROONERS

7:30 PM THURSDAY, MARCH 5

Soak in the velvety melodies and smoky rhythms of classic crooners such as Frank Sinatra, Tony Bennett, and Bobby Darin and relive the golden age of jazz! Featuring Robbie Lee and Shenel Johns, who have both graced Jazz at Lincoln Center’s stages and Downbeat Magazine’s #1 Rising Star Male Vocalist, Benny Benack III.

Elisabetta’s

7300 N Western Ave elisabettaokc.com

Take a trip around the globe while dining on handmade pasta and fresh seafood, paired with the worldly wine list Elisabetta offers. Indulge in the dark, moody atmosphere for a sophisticated dinner centered on elevated Italian cuisine.

Located inside a historic 1920s house turned art gallery, 1515 Lincoln Gallery Bistro is where Italian cuisine and contemporary art blend together to create an elevated dream date. Paired with their special Valentine’s menu is an exhibit for couples to explore following their meal.

FEBRUARY 11

BOW DUEL IN VENICE

Venice Baroque Orchestra Chouchane Siranossian, violin

Venice Baroque Orchestra and virtuoso violinist

Chouchane Siranossian present a sizzling program featuring the violin by Venice’s Baroque composers Vivaldi, Tartini, Locatelli and Veracini—all gifted at showing off the fireworks of the fiddle!

FEBRUARY 19

FROM ITALY WITH LOVE

Direct from Rome, the Three Italian Tenors sing beloved Italian opera arias from Turandot and Rigoletto and favorite love songs like “Mamma” and “Volare.” Bellissimo!

Peret’s Dessert & Coffee Bar

701 W Sheridan Ave. peretscoffee.com

In the heart of Film Row is every coffee lover’s late night spot, Peret’s. You can sip a latte or split a delicious affogato with your date on the charming second floor of the Paramount Building. The cozy, vintage living room makes it easy to slip into a caffeine-fueled conversation late into the night.

519 NW 23rd St mahtokc.com

Chef Kevin Lee’s freshest concept is sure to be one of the most soughtafter reservations this Valentine’s Day. Nestled in the heart of Uptown, MAHT’s sleek, modern atmosphere sets the tone for an unforgettable night. Skip the classic steakhouse date and let MAHT elevate the experience by blending bold Korean culinary flavors into each dish, an approach that’s guaranteed to exceed expectations.

Nonesuch

803 N Hudson Ave. nonesuchokc.com

Renowned, detail-oriented craftsmanship is just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to what makes Nonesuch so unique. The restaurant embodies Oklahoma’s mosaic of cultures to an extraordinary degree. This is a must visit date night for adventurous foodies willing to let the culinary artists guide their experience from start to finish.

Resonant Head

Hosting a “Sweetheart Dance” 400 SW 25th St resonanthead.com

For the musically inclined, head over to Resonant Head––a retrostyle intimate music venue that empowers budding artists––after dinner. They will be hosting “A Sweetheart’s Dance” featuring local indie and alternative bands, perfect for those looking to spend Valentine’s Day beneath glowing neon lights.

meat market and wine shop to bring the experience to you. @labaguettebistro

7408 N May Avenue LaBaguetteBistro.com (405) 840-3047

EAT & DRINK

At Blockman’s Chophouse, The Ingredients Matter

Meet Arcadia’s new all-wagyu steakhouse.

By Phoebe Grandi

13 weeks ago, a new neon sign popped up on America’s beloved cross-country route. Its luminous red marks the arrival of Arcadia’s own steakhouse and butchercase, situated just past the town’s famous round barn on Route 66. Blockman’s Chophouse specializes in wagyu steak, alongside high-quality poultry, rotating seafood options, and some of the largest wine and bourbon lists in the metro area—125 different bourbons and a 250-bottle wine list.

Contrary, perhaps, to the Route 66 ideology of journey over destination, the thesis of Blockman’s Chophouse is best understood by the way it ends each meal.

“We give you a piece of cafeteria sheet cake,” said James Kraham, one of the four owners of Blockman’s Chophouse. “My mother-in-law taught at Northern Hills Elementary School for years; she is a legend there. She would make [this cafeteria sheet cake] with margarine and super unhealthy ingredients. It was terrible.” he laughed. “So, we took it to a friend at Route 66 Bake Shop. She used King Arthur Flour, Callebaut Chocolate, and these fantastic ingredients. All of a sudden it was like, ‘Hey, that’s how a chocolate sheet cake should taste!’”

Blockman’s is defined by the quality of its ingredients. Maybe, though, this should be expected of a steakhouse ambitious enough to only serve wagyu.

For those less familiar, wagyu––also known as Kobe Beef––is the richest and typically most expensive beef available. Made exclusively from cows raised in Kobe, Japan, wagyu steak is known for its “marbling,” the intramuscular fat that gives the steak its distinct buttery flavor.

What Blockman’s serves is called American Wagyu, which is the cross between a wagyu bull raised in the U.S. and a more average Black Angus cow. “It is 50% as good as the real deal in Japan,” Kraham explains. “Now, that doesn’t sound like a sales pitch, but if you were to have real Kobe, you could only eat a little because it’s ultra rich. This wagyu [on the other hand] is designed for the American palate, so it still has that rich, buttery, beefy flavor, but it’s not so overpowering that it wrecks your stomach.”

Most steakhouses will have one wagyu steak featured on their menu, usually being the most expensive offering. Given the price of the high-end beef, a menu comprised entirely of wagyu is mostly unheard of. So, how does Blockman’s pull this off? “I run a Wagyu beef company, so we just have access to it,” said Kraham. “I don’t know of any 100% wagyu steakhouses in the country. So, why not put one in Arcadia, Oklahoma?”

Kraham’s proximity to the wagyu industry has allowed the restaurant to be flexible with its pricing. While $75 for a 14oz steak certainly isn’t a casual Friday night dinner, the same cut would easily go for double that price at bigger name steakhouses. And, on top of that, those $200 wagyu steaks wouldn’t include two side dishes and Oklahoma’s best sheet cake.

Even Blockman’s side dishes boast impressive grocery lists. Their most popular non-meat dish is their mac and cheese, which is made with fresh pasta from Oklahoma City’s own Pasta Pizazz and award-winning 15-month aged Beecher’s Cheese from Seattle. “It’s a very simple menu, and I don’t think it needs to be complicated,” said Kraham. “If you’re going to make a mashed potato, make it the best mashed potato. Just simple, and perfectly executed.”

The ethos of their food being defined by quality ingredients is embodied in their butchercase. Everything they cook, from their steaks to poultry to cheese, is available to buy. The ability to see the actual meat they cook with gives the restaurant a farm-to-table feel.

This, of course, is accentuated by the 100-year-old building that houses the restaurant. “It’s kind of ugly, but not really, right?” Kraham laughed. With historic wooden walls that have been accentuated with butcher knives, the building adds an unmistakable character to the steakhouse. “We fell in love with this building. We love this location. We love this little town. We love where it sits, in conjunction to Edmond and Oklahoma City,” Kraham continued.

The structure and its location prove to be an essential component to the restaurant’s atmosphere. Once the site of Hillbilees Cafe and then a Chicken Shack, the spot has

offered various foods to those venturing down Route 66. In the mere months it’s been open, Blockman’s has hosted a variety of people—from Russians to Californians— driving the famous road ahead of its big anniversary in November. “There’s just a whole lot of randomness that comes through here,” said Kraham.

The ingredient that truly defines the restaurant, though, is not its high-end steak, quality cheese, or prime location. Rather, it’s the unique combination of expertise and friendship found between its four owners. John Carrell, Daniel Crowell, Bogie Ramirez, and Kraham have a “combined 100 years of food experience,” and each with their own strengths, as said by Kraham.

up 50 phone numbers of just new friends. That’s been the most fun thing.”

“If you stand back there by the meat case at six o’clock with the four of us, it’s a lot of talk,” Kraham said, laughing. “We just like each other. We enjoy being here, and we’d probably be here just for the heck of it.”

This sense of friendship reverberates to the guests and regulars. “I have made more new friends in the last 10 weeks than I have in the last 10 years,” said Kraham. “I have probably picked

So, what is the result of all of these high-quality culinary and atmospheric ingredients? For fans of classic American sitcoms, Sam Malone’s Boston bar in “Cheers” likely comes to mind. “If you think about the best moments of your life, there was a high probability that food and alcohol was involved. All the best things in your life took place in the ‘Cheers’ bar,” Kraham explains. “[Blockman’s] has that vibe, too.”

Book Bin go Winter Reading

Jan. 1 - Feb. 28

Slide into winter fun with hot reads and cool prizes!

Read five books to win an exclusive mug and a chance to win a prize pack with Apple AirPods, library swag and a YMCA pass.

Read 25 books to enter the grand prize drawing for an iPad, VIP tickets for Literary Voices with author Jonathan Franzen, and a YMCA membership. Prizes for adults only and while supplies last. Drawing winners must have a valid adult Metropolitan Library card in good standing on file in Beanstack.

metrolibrary.org/bookbingo

ARTS & CULTURE

Leondre Lattimore

Leondre Lattimore is an Oklahoma City-based oil painter. He was recently featured on the 2026 Forbes 30 Under 30 Art & Style list.

By Phoebe Grandi

How would you describe your art?

The first word that comes to mind is contemporary; I consider myself a contemporary artist. I like to focus on figurative representation in my work. There are a lot of other labels that I could add, but the style I try to align myself the most with is realism. Not so much making the images themselves realistic, but more so conveying some type of behavior or presence that can be relatable to everyday life. I try to capture scenes that I think are common, as opposed to ones that are super dramatic or very curated.

What inspires the images in your work?

I like to consider my images a representation of both Oklahoma culture and a regional culture. I’m trying to acknowledge a culture here that I feel like has been under-appreciated for a long time. And for me, again, it’s about capturing things that are common to lots of people. A lot of my subject matter comes from photos that I take when I’m traveling places. It could be people that I know, people that I meet. A lot of my images of cowboys, for example, come from photos that I take of cowboys that are actually in Oklahoma. I’ll go to a rodeo and just capture some images, and that’s the subject matter of my painting. That [realism] is something that I really try to stay close to.

How would you describe your art practice?

I’m an oil painter, mostly. I started off doing a lot of different things, but it wasn’t until I finished art school that I decided to focus primarily on oil painting. I really fell in love with the way the colors are and the whole process of it. I used to hate the process of oils because of how long it took, but now it’s something that I really enjoy. It’s hard to keep me away from oil paint.

You use a lot of vibrant colors in your work. What inspires that?

I’ve always been in love with the use of color in general. I love vibrant colors. I love the way that they can be eye-catching. The use of color as a means of conveying emotion or capturing a certain feeling is one of the things that I try to focus on in my work. The inspiration of Oklahoma sunsets, for example: we have a lot of color in our sunsets, and color is a way to communicate some of that feeling without actually painting a sunset.

But, it’s also me just being inspired by some of my favorite artists. And, I’ve just leaned more into it as I’ve gone along in my career.

What artists inspire you?

Amy Sherald is a huge inspiration for me in the way that she

captures color, and also how her subject matter really captures emotion. In a lot of her images, you can tell that these are real people, just existing very naturally. That’s one of the things that I try to convey with my work. Another person would be Kerry James Marshall. Local artists, like Robert Peterson who is based out of Lawton, make work that I really love. A lot of artists really inspire me; there are lots of times when these artists post images of their work, and seeing them makes me want to go into the studio and create something myself. I think that’s the most authentic way of being inspired by someone.

Could you walk me through one specific piece of art?

The first one that comes to mind is a painting I did for my last solo show, which was in the Paseo. It’s called “A Night at the Aldridge Theater.” The Aldridge Theater was an actual theater in Oklahoma City, in Deep Deuce, back in the early 20s and 30s. It’s been really fascinating for me to learn about some of the vibrant

culture that we used to have, especially with live music. Blues and jazz were such a big deal in Oklahoma City at one point. [In the piece,] I wanted people to understand that the Aldridge Theater was a real place. But, a lot of the images that I had of it weren’t in color, so I had to lean into my own perception of what that place would be like. Even the figures that are in there are friends and family that I had model for me. I was very intentional about the things that I tried to include because I wanted to be respectful of historical accuracy, while also understanding that I wanted to add some element of fantasy to it as well. I figured out a way to merge those two together to make the work still appropriate. It was a bit of a challenge, but enjoyable at the same time.

How do you feel about art as grounded in history, but also as an inherently timeless medium?

That’s the best part about it. Especially when capturing moments of history, I have times when I’m thinking, “how are people gonna receive this painting if it’s still around in 150 years, how are people gonna look at this and feel?”

I’ve tried to focus more on the present in the images that I capture. I think it can be easy to capture moments of history that have gone underappreciated or under-recognized, and I think that’s still important. But, there are also moments that are occurring now that people have to capture. Kerry James Marshall has this quote where he was essentially talking about how a lot of the art that we see has become more abstract over time. I think a lot of the contemporary art we see now is abstract. It’s really good, and I appreciate abstract art. But, one of the things that he was responding to was the notion that we are past the time of capturing people in art works, and how he disagrees with that, because there’s still so much that has not been captured. I think about that a lot, and it has become really important to my practice.

Did you always want to be an artist?

That’s kind of a tricky question. Maybe subconsciously the answer to that is yes, because I’ve always been creating art. But, it wasn’t until I finished art school that I became dead set on being an artist.

It’s still a journey. I’ve gone through so many ups and downs and back and forth moments. It has been a lot of building confidence. When I went to OCU for art school, it was a great experience. But, one of the things I always talk about is representation in terms of the other students that I was in class with. I was one of the only ones from my socio-economic background, and I was one of the only Black students in the entire art school. My Blackness is very important to my work, and it’s not something I do intentionally. It just inevitably happens when I’m capturing things that are part of my lived experience. It took a while for me to really come to terms with what I was communicating in my art, and it took a while to get my art in front of people who understood it. While I think you can appreciate something without fully understanding it, it wasn’t until I started sharing my art outside of school that I found people who related to it. Now, I can say with confidence that I love what I do and wholeheartedly believe that I’m right where I’m supposed to be. But, it wasn’t always that way.

Would you call yourself a fulltime artist now?

I wouldn’t necessarily say “full-

time” in the sense of what other people think because I have what’s considered a day job. But, my job is so connected to art. I work as a project manager for the Office of Arts & Cultural Affairs, and I help manage the city’s 1% for Art program. It’s a unique connection, even if it’s not really that closely related to my actual practice with painting. But, I’m painting pretty much every day. I go from work to home, and then I start painting. My mind is thinking about art all the time because of my day job and because of what I do outside of that. So, I would consider myself a full-time artist.

How has Oklahoma City been supportive to you as an artist?

The city has been very supportive in terms of my actual job. They love the fact that I have my own practice, which I can apply to my interactions with artists and other projects. I can lean into my own perspective when making decisions, like “how would I feel about this if I was the artist on the other side of this situation.”

In a broader sense, Oklahoma City’s art scene has grown a lot. I’m always meeting someone who’s an artist in some way, shape or form. I credit a lot of that [growth] to the resilience of artists here, being very passionate and focused on really build-

it’s starting to become more recognizable. We’ve had some people from Oklahoma City make the list before, and I think we’re going to see a lot more in the future.

What’s your favorite Oklahoma City museum, or space to see art?

The first place that comes to mind is always the Plaza District and the Plaza walls. I love the murals over there. I got to be a part of the mural festival a few years ago, and that was one of the first places that I got to show my art publicly. So, the Plaza District has a special place in my heart. There’s another spot over there called Canopy; four local artists work out of there, and it’s a really great spot to go to.

ing an art culture in Oklahoma City. And, it really has grown a lot. It’s always easy to look at a situation and think about how it can improve––and everything has room for improvement. But, it’s also a good time right now to take a moment and appreciate how far Oklahoma City has come with its art scene. I’m always meeting new artists, and that’s one of the best parts about being in Oklahoma City right now.

What was it like to figure out you’re on the Forbes 30 Under 30?

I was really excited. It took a while for it to settle, and it’s still kind of hitting me. It’s probably the biggest moment of reassurance I’ve had in my career in a while. It’s one of those things that helps remind yourself that you’re right where you need to be. And as someone who’s always thinking about the future, this was a moment for me to just stop and smell the roses, to enjoy the present.

I would like to see this as something that speaks to the broader art scene here in Oklahoma City. I can think of 30 other artists in Oklahoma City that are just as deserving of a recognition like this. Artists have been around Oklahoma City for a long time; this isn’t a new thing. But, I think

I like The Oklahoma Contemporary museum a lot as well. I love how accessible it is. It’s important now, more than ever, that we are being intentional about how we break down some of the barriers to art. With all of the great things that we’ve said about how the art scene is growing locally and nationally, there are a lot of local and national arts organizations that are losing funding and receiving pushback. To have a space like The Contemporary that is able to operate in such a way that people don’t have to pay to go enjoy it, it’s a really big deal.

What is your advice to younger artists?

Just keep creating. If you are finding yourself in a space where you don’t have a lot of support––although it’s easier said than done––do what you can to get around people who do support what you do. Have confidence in yourself, but also have other people around you that have confidence in you as well. Never be afraid to put yourself out there and make connections. And again, just keep creating. You never know what will happen. Everyone’s path is different. Never compare yourself to others; comparison is the thief of joy. Just stay focused on what you want to do and really appreciate the art that you bring to the world, because it’s important and it’s unique, because it comes from you.

Leondre Lattimore can be found online at leondrelattimore.com and on social media @leondrelattimore.

ARTS & CULTURE

Ten Years Later, The Beat Goes On

Ryan

By Julie Porter Scott

By the time the lights come up at the end of a Speakeasy Dance Party, the floor is slick, the crowd is hoarse, and no one seems remotely concerned with how they look—or how they will look on social media. Ten years later, the formula is still working.

This January marks the 10th anniversary of the Speakeasy Dance Party, a once-a-month DJ night that has become one of Oklahoma City’s most enduring nightlife institutions.

The event on January 31 will be the 125th individual party. Organizers estimate that they’ve hosted more than 25,000 attendees and, even ten years on, the party reliably draws a few hundred dancers each time it lands on the calendar.

“It’s wild to think it’s been ten years,” said organizer Ryan Drake. “We’ve been doing this once a month for so long that it just became part of people’s routines.”

That consistency—same bar, same ethos, same low barrier to entry—has been the backbone of the party’s longevity. From the start, the event wasn’t designed as a one-off or a trendy pop-up. It was meant to be repeatable, accessible, and unpretentious: a place people could return to month after month. Attendees get to party like it’s 1999, as the $5 cover charge has remained unchanged since the beginning.

Early on, that repeat attendance surprised even the organizers. The music was largely the same from show to show, especially during the first three or four years, when playlists leaned heavily on 1990s and early-2000s hits. Instead of burning people out, the familiarity became part of the appeal.

“People kept coming back, even though they knew exactly what they were going to hear,” Drake said. “That was when we realized the consistency mattered more than constantly reinventing it.”

The party’s origins are tied closely to the venue it’s hosted in, 51st Street Speakeasy. The first DJ night coincided with a change in ownership and Speakeasy’s reopening after a short closure. “It’s been cool to see that I’ve been a part of it throughout this whole

ten years. They’ve had the bar for a decade, and I’ve been doing the party for the same amount of time,” Drake said. It’s a good pairing; the party doesn’t feel imported—it feels embedded.

Musically, the early inspiration came from high-energy mashups and crowd-driven DJ culture.

Drake counts Girl Talk among his favorite artists and tries to bring that energy to the monthly event. The party is the antithesis of “scene culture”—the kind of

event ecosystem went dark.

For more than a year, the future of the party—and the venue itself—felt uncertain. Speakeasy survived the shutdown, but the dance floor sat empty. During the hiatus, Drake stockpiled new material, collecting remixes and tracks he planned to unleash once it was safe to return.

That return came in June 2021, and with it, a noticeable shift in the room.

“The crowd got younger,” Drake said. “A lot of the people who came for the ’90s stuff didn’t really come back, and we started seeing more 20-somethings.”

Rather than resist the change, Drake adapted. While the party still preserves its core hits— music that, in some cases, is now 30 years old—the timeline has expanded. Post-COVID playlists have moved steadily toward 2010s and even 2020s tracks, reflecting the audience now filling the floor.

“We knew if we wanted it to keep going another ten years, we had to evolve a little,” Drake said. “It’s been hard to figure out how many iconic songs to play, and how much of the more recent stuff, like Charli XCX or Chappell Roan, I can add in.”

What hasn’t changed is the party’s accessibility. Admission remains $5, with the sole exception of New Year’s Eve when it bumps to $10—perhaps the best deal in town on a night when many proprietors charge $100 just to get in the room. Marketing flyers and online promotions are produced in-house, maintaining a DIY spirit that predates the city’s current themed-party boom.

For some, the party has brought more than an excuse to dance. “I’ve been the DJ at two different weddings for people who met at my dance party,” Drake said.

curated nightlife experience built around being photographed and observed rather than participated in. Instead, the goal is a sweaty, dive-bar dance floor where the only expectation is a raucous good time.

That approach was tested, like everything else in hospitality, in March 2020. Speakeasy held what would become its last pre-pandemic party just days before venues across the city shut down. Within a week, the entire live-

The January anniversary show, set for the last Saturday of the month, will nod to both past and present. The night will feature a return of pre-COVID tracks alongside the current rotation, plus a few celebratory touches and the same packed-room energy that has defined the party since its earliest nights.

Party #125 doesn’t come with a dramatic reinvention. Instead, it reflects what Ryan Drake’s Speakeasy Dance Party has always done best: show up, turn it up, and let the crowd take it from there.

“Ten years in, it still feels good,” Drake said. “As long as people keep dancing, we’ll keep doing it.”

Streaming Romance

A collection of vintage romances to keep you warm this Valentine’s Day.

By Phil Bacharach

Valentine’s Day is around the corner, but how elaborate do you really want to get in this economy? If you’re not in the 1% club, the costs of an expensive restaurant, roses, or even a heart-shaped box of chocolates can make celibacy sound like a bargain.

For buffs of both film and love, here are some nifty movie romances of yesteryear worth streaming this Valentine’s Day.

“The Lady Eve” (1941)

No one in 1940s-era Hollywood made romantic comedies with as much sparkling wit and sophistication as Preston Sturges, and yet the celebrated writer-director knew when to include a perfectly timed pratfall. Nowhere is his genius more apparent than in his masterpiece, “The Lady Eve.” Barbara Stanwyck plays Jean Harrington, a con artist aboard an ocean liner with her sights set on seducing and fleecing Henry Fonda, the hopelessly naive son of a wealthy family. Stanwyck’s sexiness and shrewdness are a perfect foil for Fonda’s aw-shucksism, with terrific comic support from Charles Coburn as Jean’s crooked father. Silly, seductive and charming in equal measure. (Available for rental on YouTube)

“Now, Voyager” (1942)

In this beloved melodrama, actor Paul Henreid lit two cigarettes, handed one to Bette Davis, and prompted a nation of lovelorn

smokers to do the same. “Now, Voyager” stars Davis as Charlotte Vale, a frumpy and depressive unmarried (an “old maid” to use the unfortunate parlance of the film) living under the thumb of a nastily dominating mother (Gladys Cooper). Claude Rains plays a nurturing psychiatrist who helps Charlotte find a new lease on life, even if the movie suggests that all she needed was a makeover. On a cruise, Charlotte falls hard for the unhappily married Jerry (Henreid), and sparks fly. Director Irving Rapper was known for gorgeous soapers, and “Now, Voyager” is among his most agreeably soapy. (Available for rental on YouTube)

“An Affair to Remember” (1957)

Director Leo McCarey’s remake of his own “Love Affair” (1939) is unabashedly romantic and wisely bets on the charisma of its stars. High-profile playboy Nickie Ferrante (Cary Grant) and highsociety dame Terry McKay (Deborah Kerr) meet on a transatlantic cruise ship (evidently, luxury liners were the meat markets of the World War II generation). Nickie has a fiancé and Terry is in a long-term relationship, but the pair’s chemistry is immediate and strong. They disembark in New York, agree to break up with their significant others, and vow to reunite in six months at the top of the Empire State Building. If it were only that simple. Prepare for a dramatic turn. “An Affair to Remember” can still elicit a few waterworks. (Available for rental on YouTube)

“The Cranes Are Flying” (1957)

One of the great works of Soviet cinema, “The Cranes Are Flying” is propaganda that also happens to be a stirring love story. The starry-eyed plans of young lovers Boris (Aleksey Batalov) and Veronika (Tatiana Samoilova) are put on hold with Russia’s entry into World War II. Boris bravely enlists in spite of his girlfriend’s entreaties. Uh-oh. Boris’s weaselly cousin (Aleksandr Shvorin), who avoids military service, has designs on the beautiful Veronika. Sacrifice and suffering follow. Director Mikhail Kalatozov and cinematographer Sergey

Urusevsky were unparalleled masters of using camera movement to reveal character and heighten emotion. Winner of the Palme d’Or at the 1958 Cannes Film Festival, the picture is aided mightily by Samoilova. Her deeply felt performance made the actress an international phenomenon. (Available for streaming on HBO Max and Criterion Channel)

“Petulia” (1968)

Filmmaker Richard Lester might not have known it at the time, but when he ventured to San Francisco in 1967 for a movie shoot, he was creating one of the great cinematic time capsules of a watershed moment in American society. “Petulia” is steeped in the sights and sounds of the time: mod fashions, psychedelic rock, hippie culture, etc. And yet the film doesn’t simply delineate Sixties artifacts; it finds the counterculture of that era being swallowed by wealth, commercialism, and consumerism. At the fore is a compelling love story. George C. Scott’s Archie Bollen is a surgeon who becomes entangled with the recently married Petulia Danner. Played by the luminous Julie Christie, Petulia is Holly Golightly with a hallucinogenic twist––capricious to the point of combustible. These lonely, bored

lovers are desperate to find passion in a world teeming with things but little heart. (Available for rental on YouTube)

“Crazy Love” (2007)

Boy meets girl. Boy loves girl. Boy loses girl. Girl meets someone else. Boy commits despicable act of spite and jealousy. Boy resolves to win girl back…once he serves out his prison sentence. “Crazy Love” isn’t your conventional love story. The documentary from directors Dan Klores and Fisher Stevens chronicles the strange relationship of Burt Pugach and Linda Riss. In the 1950s, Burt, a wildly successful New York lawyer, struck up a whirlwind romance with Linda, a ravenhaired beauty 10 years his junior. Then Linda, learning that Burt had a wife and child, abruptly broke off the affair. In the summer of 1959, Burt had three goons toss lye in Linda’s face, an attack that left her blinded and disfigured. And yet that was far from the end of this twisted saga. On its surface, “Crazy Love” is the tabloid-friendly tale of a bizarre courtship, but at its core is a tale of obsession and the fear of being alone. (Available for streaming on Kanopy and Plex; for rental on YouTube)

CALENDAR

FILM

Vertigo Mimosa Movie Feb. 1, 11am, Flix Brewhouse flixbrewhouse.com

Blade Runner Live Feb. 2, 7pm, Tower Theatre towertheatreokc.com

Mr. Burns, A Post-Electric Play Feb. 5-7, 7:30pm, Mitchell Hall Theatre calendar.uco.edu

Sound of Falling Feb. 6-8, OKC Museum of Art okcmoa.com

Little Amélie or the Character of Rain Feb. 6-8, OKC Museum of Art okcmoa.com

Marty Supreme Feb. 12-19, OKC Museum of Art okcmoa.com

Wuthering Heights Mimosa Movie Feb. 15, 11:45am, Flix Brewhouse flixbrewhouse.com

Twilight FanFest Feb. 23, 6pm, Flix Brewhouse flixbrewhouse.com

Kilgen Theatre Organ Performance featuring the silent film “Safety Last” (1923) with Brett Miller Feb. 23, 7pm, Okla. History Center okhistory.org

Pride & Prejudice Mimosa Movie Feb. 28, 11am, Flix Brewhouse flixbrewhouse.com

COMEDY

Tony Rock Feb. 5-7, Bricktown Comedy Club bricktowncomedy.com

Sean Fogelson - That One Mailman Feb. 11, Bricktown Comedy Club bricktowncomedy.com

David Spade: I Gotta Feel For It Feb. 19, 7pm, The Criterion criterionokc.com

Gary Owens No Hard Feelings Tour Feb. 22, 7:30pm, The Criterion criterionokc.com

Jeff Allen - The Human Condition: We’re Still Not There Yet! Feb. 25, 7pm, Bricktown Comedy Club bricktowncomedy.com

Mae Martin: The Possum Feb. 26, 6pm, Tower Theatre towertheatreokc.com

VISUAL ARTS

The Cowboy: An Immersive Journey National Cowboy Museum nationalcowboymuseum.org THROUGH MAY 3

ArtNow 2025: Materials & Boundaries Oklahoma Contemporary Art oklahomacontemporary.org THROUGH FEB 14

Love Takes Root: An Orchid Engagement

Myriad Botanical Gardens myriadgardens.org THROUGH MAR 1

American Surrealism

Oklahoma City Museum of Art okcmoa.com THROUGH MARCH 22

Various Views: Artists Eye the Landscape 1515 Lincoln Gallery 1515lg.com FEBRUARY 5-MARCH 28

Paul Reed: A Retrospective Oklahoma City Museum of Art okcmoa.com THROUGH APRIL 12

Eduardo Sarabia: Green Vines Oklahoma Contemporary Art oklahomacontemporary.org THROUGH APR 13

Jakian Parks: The Black Land Oklahoma Contemporary Art oklahomacontemporary.org THROUGH JUNE 1

Paseo First Friday Gallery Walk Feb. 6, 6pm, Paseo Arts District thepaseo.org

Access for All at OKCMOA Feb. 8, 12pm, OKC Museum of Art okcmoa.com

Second Friday Norman Art Walk Feb. 13, 6pm, Norman Arts Council normanarts.org

Public Exhibition Tour of American Surrealism Feb. 26, 6pm, OKC Museum of Art okcmoa.com

PERFORMING ARTS

Canadian Brass Feb. 3, 7:30pm, Armstrong Auditorium armstrongauditorium.org

St. Olaf Choir in Concert Feb. 3, 7:30pm, St. Paul’s Episcopal Catherdral stolaf.edu/tickets

Shen Yun Feb. 7-8, 2pm & 7pm, OCCC Visual and Performing Arts Center Theater shenyun.com

Beehive - The 60s Musical Feb. 11-March 1, Lyric Theater lyrictheatreokc.com

Venice Baroque Orchestra with violinist Chouchane Siranossian Feb. 11, 7:30pm, Armstrong Auditorium armstrongauditorium.com

Chicago Feb. 12-15, University of Central Ok calendar.uco.edu

Adèle Wolf’s Valentine Follies Feb. 14, 8pm, Civic Center Music Hall okcciviccenter.com.evenue.net

OKC Phil presents “The Fire of Love: Romeo and Juliet” Feb. 14, 7:30pm, Civic Center Music Hall okcphil.org

OKC Phil presents “Musical MoodsFeelings You Can Hear!” Feb. 15, 2pm, Civic Center Music Hall okcphil.org

Three Italian TenorsFrom Italy with Love Feb. 19, 7:30pm, Armstrong Auditorium armstrongauditorium.com

OKC Ballet presents “Romeo & Juliet” Feb. 20-22, Civic Center Music Hall okcballet.org

The Ghosts of Gatsby and The Old Maid and the Thief Feb. 27–Mar. 1, Mitchell Hall Theatre calendar.uco.edu

Ken Ludwig’s “Moriarty” Feb. 27-Mar. 15, Carpenter Square Theatre carpentersquare.com

OKC Phil presents “Classical Mystery Tour” Feb. 27 & 28, 7:30pm, Civic Center Music Hall okcphil.org

SPORTS

OKC Thunder vs. Orlando Magic Feb. 3, 7pm, Paycom Center nba.com/thunder

Prairie Classic Quarter Horse Show Feb. 4-8, Oklahoma State Fair Park okqha.org

OKC Indoor Rowing Challenge Feb. 7, 8am-2pm, Riversport riversportokc.org

OKC Thunder vs. Houston Rockets Feb. 7, 2:30pm, Paycom Center nba.com/thunder

OKC Thunder vs. Milwaukee Bucks Feb. 12, 6:30pm, Paycom Center nba.com/thunder

OU Sooners Women’s Basketball vs. Florida Gators Feb. 12, 6pm, Lloyd Noble Center soonersports.com

OU Sooners Men’s Basketball vs. Georgia Bulldogs Feb. 14, 3pm, Lloyd Noble Center soonersports.com

Monster Jam Feb. 14-15, Paycom Center paycomcenter.com

Nadia Comaneci International Gymnastics Invitational Feb. 20-22, OKC Convention Center bartconnergymnastics.com

OKC Thunder vs. Brooklyn Nets Feb. 20, 7pm, Paycom Center nba.com/thunder

OU Sooners Men’s Basketball vs. Texas A&M Aggies Feb. 21, 7:30pm, Lloyd Noble Center soonersports.com

OKC Thunder vs. Cleveland Cavaliers Feb. 22, 12pm, Paycom Center nba.com/thunder

OU Sooners Women’s Basketball vs. Tennessee Vols Feb. 22, 1pm, Lloyd Noble Center soonersports.com

OU Sooners Women’s Basketball vs. Arkansas Razorbacks Feb. 26, 6pm, Lloyd Noble Center soonersports.com

OU Sooners Women’s Basketball vs. Arkansas Lady Razorbacks Feb. 26, 6pm, Lloyd Noble Center soonersports.com

OKC Thunder vs. Denver Nuggets Feb. 27, 8:30pm, Paycom Center nba.com/thunder

HAPPENINGS

Full Moon Sound Bath Feb. 1, 6pm, Myriad Botanical Gardens (Every full moon) myriadgardens.org

Full Moon Yoga at Mix-Tape Feb. 2, 7-8:30pm, Factory Obscura factoryobscura.com

Sunday Gospel Brunch Feb. 1, 12pm, The Boom (Sundays) facebook.com/TheBoomOKC

Chocolate Decadence Feb. 5, 6:30pm, Leadership Square downtownokc.com

An Affair of the Heart Feb. 6-7, State Fair Park okcspringaoth.com

Oklahoma Rubik’s Cube Convention Feb. 7, OKC Convention Center okcconventioncenter.com

Downtown Walking Tour Feb. 7, 9:30am, First National Center (Saturdays) okc.tours/downtown-tour

Guided Walking Tour Feb 13, 1pm & Feb 28, 10am, Myriad Botanical Gardens (Monthly) myriadgardens.org

LOVE! on the Plaza

Feb. 13, 6pm, Plaza District plazadistrict.org

V-Day Bash & Art Show

February 14, 8pm, Factory Obscura factoryobscura.com

Oklahoma RV Showdown

Feb. 20-22, Oklahoma State Fair Park okcrvshows.com

YWCA’s Galentine’s Day Brunch

Feb. 21, 10am, Embassy Suites ywcaokc.org

Girls Day Out Spring OKC

Feb. 21, 9am-5pm, OKC Fairgrounds Centennial Building revolve-productions.com

Lunar New Year: Year of the Horse Feb. 21, 11am-2pm, Myriad Gardens myriadgardens.org

2 Hip Chicks Roadshow

Feb. 27-28, State Fair Park 2hipchicksroadshows.com

OKC Spring Remodel & Landscape Show

Feb. 27-Mar. 1, OKC Convention Center homeshowcenter.com

MUSIC

Nothing More Feb. 3, 6:30pm, The Criterion criterionokc.com

INZO: Mirrorverse Tour

Feb. 4, 7pm, Tower Theatre towertheatreokc.com

Electric Pony: INZO Afterparty Feb. 4, 10pm, Ponyboy ponyboyokc.com

Night Cap

Feb. 5, 7pm, Beer City Music Hall beercitymusichall.com

Slade Coulter & Brayden Stewart Feb. 6, 7pm, Beer City Music Hall beercitymusichall.com

YDG Feb. 6, 7pm, OKC Public Farmers Market discopresents.com

Tank and the Bangas

Feb. 6, 7pm, Tower Theatre towertheatreokc.com

LETDOWN

Feb. 6, 8pm, Resonant Head resonanthead.com

Shortt Dogg

Feb. 6, 8pm, University of Central OK calendar.uco.edu

Eli Young Band Feb. 6, 8pm, Riverwind Casino riverwind.com

New Edition Way Tour with Boyz II

Men & Toni Braxton in Concert Feb. 6, 7pm, Paycom Center paycomcenter.com

Heated Rivalry Night - Club 90’s Feb. 7, 9pm, Tower Theatre towertheatreokc.com

Round Barn Rendezvous

Feb. 8, 12-4pm, (Second Sundays) Arcadia Round Barn arcadiaroundbarn.com

TOBYMAC with Crowder & Jeremy

Camp: Hits Deep Tour

Feb. 11, 7pm, Paycom Center paycomcenter.com

Greg Volker

Feb. 12, 8pm, The Blue Door bluedoorokc.com

The Warped Band

Feb. 12, 6pm, Beer City Music Hall beercitymusichall.com

TX2

Feb. 13, 6pm, Beer City Music Hall beercitymusichall.com

Matt Axton & Bad Moon

Feb. 13, 8pm, The Blue Door bluedoorokc.com

Playboy Manbaby

Feb. 13, 8pm, Resonant Head resonanthead.com

Heartstrings & Harmonies

Feb. 13, 9pm, Ponyboy ponyboyokc.com

Straight Tequila Night: ’90s Country Tribute

Feb. 14, 7pm, Tower Theatre towertheatreokc.com

Ordinary Elephant

Feb. 14, 8pm, The Blue Door thebluedoorokc.com

UCO Jazz Ensembles in Concert Feb. 16, 7pm, University of Central Ok calendar.uco.edu

The Cowboy: An Immersive Journey offers a one-of-a-kind historical experience, developed through years of creative collaboration. Exclusive to the National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum in Oklahoma City, the exhibit explores the landscapes, lives, and legends that shaped the American West. On view through May 3.

Graham Barham

Feb. 19, 7pm, Beer City Music Hall beercitymusichall.com

The Rumours Feb. 19, 7pm, Blue Note okcbluenote.com

Kyle Dillingham & Peter Markes Feb. 19, 7pm, University of Central OK calendar.uco.edu

Taylor Hunnicutt Feb. 20, 7pm, Beer City Music Hall beercitymusichall.com

Reverend Horton Heat Feb. 20, 7pm, 89th Street Collective 89thstreetokc.com

Luke Bulla & Jared Tyler Feb. 20, 8pm, The Blue Door thebluedoorokc.com

North By North Feb. 20, 8pm, 51st Street Speakeasy 51stspeakeasy.com

Souled Out Feb. 20, 8pm, University of Central Ok calendar.uco.edu

Dylan Gossett - The Westward Tour Feb. 20, 8pm, Riverwind Casino riverwind.com

Dirty Red & The Soul Shakers Feb. 20, 9pm, Alley Club facebook.com/thealleyclubokc

Bob Schneider Feb. 21, 6pm, The Blue Door thebluedoor.com

Rascal Flatts: Life Is A Highway Tour Feb. 21, 7pm, Paycom Center paycomcenter.com

The Jauntee Feb. 21, 8pm, Resonant Head resonanthead.com

Mac McAnally Feb. 21, 8pm, University of Central Ok calendar.uco.edu

Daniel Donato’s Cosmic Country Feb. 22, 7pm, Tower Theatre towertheatreokc.com

Carvin Jones Band Feb. 25, 7:30pm, Beam Live beamlive.club

Wade Forster Feb. 28, 7pm, Beer City Music Hall beercitymusichall.com

Christopher Cross Feb. 28, 8pm, Riverwind Casino riverwind.com

For full calendar listings, go to okgazette.com. Add your event at okgazette.com/community

An Evening of Oklahoma Women in Rock

“Girls

Gone Rad” turns Resonant Head into a celebration of local women-fronted bands.

By Hope Whitmire

On Jan. 16, Tulsa-based rock band Labadie House put on their second “Girls Gone Rad” show in Oklahoma City. When the doors to Resonant Head opened, the mid-century, Wes Anderson–esque venue began to fill up with patrons of all ages clad in dyed hair, thick eyeliner, and platform shoes. The look of the crowd made it clear this was a night for loud guitars and louder feelings. They eagerly anticipated the night’s stacked bill, featuring female-led acts Diva, The Burn Notice, Honduh Daze, and closing act Labadie House.

Kristy Emory, lead singer of Labadie House, created the concept of “Girls Gone Rad” in 2019 after noticing that other female-focused shows were not highlighting a variety of genres.

“There is nothing wrong with those acts but I just felt like, where are the punk bands? Where are the metal bands? Where are the rappers? We have so many good musicians to showcase, so I try to make sure that each of the shows are as eclectic as possible,” said Emory.

This was the first GGR show at an all-ages venue, which meant a lot to Emory. She had recently heard that some audience members wished that they could bring their daughters to a show. That feedback has given the event a whole new meaning for her, to be able to give little girls something to aspire to.

Despite the reputation Oklahoma often receives, the state is home to a wide range of creative artists, many of them women with passion, purpose, and stories to tell. “Girls Gone Rad” exists to celebrate exactly that.

OKC alt-rock band Diva was the first to command the stage. Their opening song, “Fade Away,” began with zero subtlety as lead singer Maddy Foster belted out the first line, immediately setting the tone for the night. She performed with overwhelming energy and confidence, paired with clear vocal agility that appeared effortless despite its range. Her warm, powerful vocals were evidence of one of her artistic inspirations, Hayley Williams.

Diva’s drummer, Sarah Stubblefield, only recently joined the band after meeting Foster while volunteering at Rock and Roll Camp For Girls OKC, a summer camp that teaches young girls and nonbinary

kids how to play instruments.

“It was a universe thing,” said Foster. “Sarah came in and was really the missing piece we needed. It skyrocketed from there.”

Stubblefield and Foster have both had disheartening experiences as women in the music industry. Stubblefield recounts numerous times during soundchecks when the men running sound would disregard her input.

“That’s why we do stuff like this,” said Stubblefield. “It’s so important to rally together and have this community. We love being involved in anything that has to do with women in music.”

Foster describes how, as a woman in music, you have no choice but to be confident in your own ability. “There are a lot of ‘no’s,’ a lot of people who aren’t going to believe in you or trust that you are capable.”

With the first set finished the crowd was ready for more

The Burn Notice is described as “pop punk but a little heavier” by lead singer, Brittney Ragland. “I don’t really feel like the world and our country support women very much. It is good to have stuff like this to show girl power. We are strong, powerful, and artistic,” she said.

While having a good time is the top priority of their music, the band also enjoys incorporating political themes, with lyrics like, “We won’t give in until there’s no one left to fight / Arm in arm we are united / We use your hate to bind us tight.”

Ragland’s neon green hair was complemented by the pink and pur-

reflected the realistic feeling that no matter the context, you are constantly being sold something. The audience clearly followed the narrative and related to it on some level. Laughter and supportive cheers followed their rants in between each song. The performance was hard and heavy, yet seamlessly wove in the band’s message with clear intention.

McIntosh’s experience as a woman in music has evolved over the years. While she believes things are improving and people are becoming more open-minded, representation remains important. Even now, there are still occasional diminishing responses from male audience members.

ple stage lights as she wailed into the mic, while a friendly mosh pit formed in the crowd. The audience loosened up with the mixture of pushing and dancing, fueled by the band’s electrifying performance.

The next act was the most experimental of the night, genre-wise. So experimental, in fact they coined their own genre, calling it “dealership noise punk”.

Honduh Daze is a concept duo originally created in Los Angeles but now based in Tulsa. They had been asked to perform at a previous Tulsa GGR show, but had to opt out due to scheduling conflicts. When the opportunity arose again, they made it work by any means necessary. “If we could get more women in the scene it would be amazing, especially on stage and fronting. We are happy to be here.” said front woman Marie McIntosh.

The concept of the band is that the duo works for Honda and is forced to sell cars in between songs or else they will be disbanded because they can’t pay their bills.

“Everything is written out from start to finish. There’s a story throughout the whole set, humor blended in addition to our songs. We are trying to talk about capitalism and art, and how those worlds aren’t really working out. We try to do it in an entertaining way that makes people think about it, that is the goal,” Mcintosh explained.

The added element of comedy created an amusing juxtaposition: listening to a hardcore anti-capitalist punk song bookended by an immediate plea to buy a Honda. It

“After finishing a set, a guy will come up to me, look at my pedal board, then look at my drummer, and will ask him about it. He is playing the drums. He doesn’t know what this is and you just saw me playing it.” McIntosh recounts.

Labadie House capped off the night with a high-volume, passionate performance. Emory used every inch of the stage, singing each syllable with conviction and delivering full theatrics. Every woman leading a band that night had a distinct performance style. Though they differed from one another, each mesmerized the audience in her own way.

“I remember playing a show when I first started out and carrying equipment in and someone’s said ‘oh honey, you don’t have to do that.’ I was like ‘well I’m actually in the band so I do have to.’ They just said ‘yeah right’ and laughed. That was in 2010, they just couldn’t imagine a female doing anything on stage with the boys and keeping up with them,” Emory recounts. “It’s gotten so much better.”

No energy was spared, even with it being the final performance of the night. The vocal performance alone could have blown the roof off. “It’s like screaming in a pillow for me, I don’t have to scream in a pillow cause I can scream on stage,” she laughed.

There is no set date for the next “Girls Gone Rad” show, but Emory is already thinking ahead to future lineups. In the past, GGR has also incorporated visual artists, and she plans to bring that element back. Ultimately, her goal is to continue inspiring women to get involved in music. “Go in your garage, grab a guitar and go for it.”

The Guitarist From Midwest City

SHINE on Oklahoma Music interviews Hadley Hockensmith.

By Brian Maughan

Shortly after being born in Atlanta, Hadley Hockensmith moved to Midwest City. Known for being a guitarist’s guitarist, Hockensmith became a world renown musician, session player, and songwriter. He toured the globe as Neil Diamond’s guitar player for 34 years. When Diamond retired from touring, Hockensmith moved back to Oklahoma City where he still resides.

An extended video interview was released this month as part of the SHINE on Oklahoma Music series on YouTube. The video shows lots of great concert footage and vintage photographs as he discusses his incredible life in music.

In the late 60s, Hockensmith joined a fellow Oklahoman to start the 3rd Avenue Blues Band, where was noticed as a talented musician. Soon, he was in-demand for many recording sessions. He has appeared on albums by Paul Anka, Glen Campbell, Jan & Dean, Ray Charles, and fellow Okie BJ Thomas.

The late gospel legend, Andraé Crouch, first took Hockensmith out on the road as part of his touring band. In addition to his work on the road, he played on Crouch’s records and provided original songs for him to record.

While working with Crouch, he joined an incredible lineup of extraordinary musicians to form a band called Koinonia. Koinonia means communion, or fellowship in Christian bond. It was a fitting band name for a group of both devoted Christians and successful musicians. The other members of the group came from Steely Dan, Michael Jackson,

Ricky Skaggs, Smokey Robinson, and Chicago. They were the supergroup of touring musicians and under their own name produced nine albums and multiple world tours.

Following Elvis Presley’s death, Hockensmith’s drummer Ron Tutt was hired by Neil Diamond. Tutt convinced Diamond to listen to Hockensmith and, eventually, Diamond offered him a lead guitarist position. That gig lasted 34 years as they played every iconic stage throughout the world, with Hockensmith just eight feet from Diamond.

Hockensmith kept his own solo work going as well. His compositions were recorded by Michael McDonald, Gordon Lightfoot, Conway Twitty, and America, in addition to gospel tunes recorded by legendary Christian artists Debbie Boone, Amy Grant, and the Winans.

Throughout his career, he has appeared on major television shows, including Johnny Carson’s Tonight Show, the Today Show, David Letterman’s Late Show, the Jimmy Kimmel Show, Ellen Degeneres’ Ellen Show, and the Phil Donahue Show.

A career highlight for him was having Elton John and Leon Russell tap Hockensmith to be the guitarist on their duet album The Union. The two music geniuses thought that the person best for their lone musical collaboration album was none other than Hadley Hockensmith. And, the success of that album helped propel Rusell into his rightful place in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.

Thankfully for music fans, Hockensmith hasn’t let retirement keep him from writing and recording songs. From his home in the Deer Creek area, he is still producing and helping artists hone their talents.

FIRST FRIDAY GALLERY WALK

Friday, Feb. 6, 2026 | 6-9pm

In the Paseo Arts & Creativity Center at 3024 Paseo Gallery I: Jaime Lynn Henderson Gallery II: PAA Members’ Show Gallery III: Amber Bachiochi Thompson & Joi Bachiochi

Paseo Arts District has

food, art classes & plenty of shopping!

Brian Maughan serves as Oklahoma County Commissioner, Dist 2 and does a series of interviews with Oklahoma music stars for the Oklahoma History Center called SHINE on Oklahoma Music.

PUZZLES

By Rena Coehn / Edited by Will Shortz

‘‘This Is Your Brain on Drugs,’’ e.g., for short 89 Romance author Jimenez

90 One of 2,214 for Babe Ruth

‘‘Shrek!’’ author William

Common item at a checkout line, informally 96 No. 1 spot in London?

97 Honkers without horns

99 It might come with a shell

100 Go over again

103 List of restaurant offerings for kids not yet 3 years old?

SUDOKU

107 Kerfuffle 108 Oodles

109 Someone who might issue a travel warning?

110 ‘‘Roger that!’’

112 Name that means ‘‘pink’’ in Spanish

114 Relative of a husky

118 Wedding planner’s aid?

122 ‘‘5 stars’’

123 It might raise a bunch of dough

124 Stab of pain 125 Values

126 Businesses offering mud masks

127 Pulls the chain of, so to speak DOWN

1 Word on either side of ‘‘or no’’

2 Overrun

3 Add electronically, in a way

4 Like a really big fan 5 Go wrong

6 Bad thing not to get (especially at the office?)

7 Starbucks order 8 ‘‘Silentium ____ aureum’’ (‘‘Silence is golden’’)

9 High degree 10 ‘‘Is it time to rethink this relationship?’’ 11 Hilarious thing 12 Like George H.W. Bush, but not George W. Bush 13 Starters’ followers 14 Businesses whose employees work standing up 15 Carry in 16 ‘‘Chiseled’’ features 17 Destiny in life 18 Hippocratic oath followers, for short 21 ‘‘Stop! That hurts!’’

24 Car financing figs.

29 List shortener

32 Janelle of ‘‘Hidden Figures’’

34 Breathable fabric used in mosquito nets

35 ____ child

36 What a bad student might play

37 Menzel of Broadway

38 Guitar string material

39 Fish traditionally in the British dish pie and mash

41 What kitsch exhibits

46 ____ Lama

47 Part of a bedtime routine

49 Healthy, fiber-rich snack

50 Where some bills originate

51 Former transportation secretary Elaine

52 Chinese competitor of Amazon

54 Loses freshness

56 ‘‘In that case …’’

57 Grp. that Sweden joined in 2024

59 Vegas

60 Sensation

61 Removes from the top of one’s profile, as an Instagram post

in the

contains the numbers 1 through 9. www.printmysudoku.com

62 Hearts or spades, but not diamonds

68

69 Classic Orson Welles protagonist

70 Ameliorates

71 Via

72 Feature of undermixed batter

73 Greek god whose name becomes a flower if you move the first letter to the end

74 Golden Globe nominee Rooney

79 ‘‘V,’’ to a violinist

80 Padmé Amidala’s home planet in ‘‘Star Wars’’

81 ‘‘If only!’’

82 Steel girder

83 Bête ____

84 Images that can rip off human creators, perhaps

85 Pretzel topper

90 Trees with heart-shaped leaves

91 Creature, cutesily

93 Candies that crack with a crunch

95 Last of the 13 original colonies to be founded

97 Some lawn ornaments

98 Part of E.N.T.

100 Kicked oneself for

101 Prettifies

102 500 mg 2x/day, e.g.

104 Source of a natural sweetener

105 Last name shared by three actors on ‘‘Schitt’s Creek’’

106 Russian denials

111 The Panthers of the A.C.C.

113 Midwest college city

114 Not around, informally

115 Hirt and Hirschfeld

116 Día de ____ Reyes Magos

117 They’re often depicted with green skin, for short

119 Something much needed after an all-nighter

120 Today preceder

121 Leave speechless

NEW YORK TIMES CROSSWORD PUZZLE ANSWERS

Puzzle No. 1228, which appeared in the December 2025 issue.

PUBLISHER

EXECUTIVE

EDITOR-WRITER

Phoebe Grandi pgrandi@okgazette.com

COPY EDITOR AND CREATIVE DIRECTOR

Leslie A. Spears

PRODUCTION EDITOR AND BUSINESS MANAGER

Angela Clark Little aclarklittle@okgazette.com

SPRING

Hope Whitmire hwhitmire@okgazette.com

DISTRIBUTION distribution@okgazette.com

ADVERTISING

advertising@okgazette.com

405-528-6000

REVENUE

Vanessa

vwear@okgazette.com

ACCOUNT

Gina

gnichols@okgazette.com

Lynissa Catlin lcaitlin@okgazette.com

CONTRIBUTORS

WRITERS

Phil Bacharach

James Biscone

Joe Dorman Brian Maughn Julie Porter Scott

EDITOR Eleanor Harris

ILLUSTRATOR Steve Hill

FREE WILL ASTROLOGY: FEBRUARY

ARIES (March 21-April 19): In 1953, Edmund Hillary of New Zealand and Tenzing Norgay of Nepal became the first climbers to trek to the summit of Mount Everest. They both said later that the climb down was as important and challenging as the ascent. The lesson: Achievement doesn’t end when you reach the peak. Aries, you may be nearing or have just passed a high point of effort or recognition. Soon you will need to manage the descent with aplomb. Don’t rush! Tread carefully as you complete your victory. It’s not as glamorous as the push upward, but it’s equally vital to the legacy of the climb.

TAURUS (April 20-May 20): Aurora borealis occurs when highly charged particles from the Sun strike molecules high in the Earth’s atmosphere, causing them to glow. The display that looks like gorgeous magic is actually our planet’s invisible magnetic shield and upper atmosphere lighting up under the pressure of an intense solar storm. Dear Taurus, I think your life has a metaphorical resemblance. The strength you’ve been quietly maintaining without much fanfare has become vividly apparent because it’s being activated. The protection you’ve been offering and the boundaries you’ve been holding are more visible than usual. This is good news! Your shields are working.

GEMINI (May 21-June 20): “Nothing in excess” was the maxim inscribed on the ancient Temple of Apollo at Delphi. “Moderation is a chief moral virtue,” proclaimed the philosopher Aristotle. But I don’t recommend those approaches for you right now, Gemini. A sounder principle is “More is better” or “Almost too much is just the right amount.” You have a holy duty to cultivate lavishness and splendor. I hope you will stir up as many joyous liberations and fun exploits as possible.

CANCER (June 21-July 22): When sea otters sleep, they sometimes hold each other’s paws to keep from drifting apart. This simple, instinctive act ensures they remain safe and connected. I

suggest making their bond your power symbol for now, Cancer. You’ll be wise to formulate a strong intention about which people, values, and projects you want to be tethered to. And if sea otters holding hands sounds too sentimental or cutesy to be a power symbol, you need to rethink your understanding of power. For you right now, it’s potency personified.

LEO (July 23-Aug. 22): To be healthy, we all need to continually be in the process of letting go. It’s always a favorable phase to shed aspects of our old selves to make room for what comes next. The challenge for you Leos is to keep showing up with your special brightness even as parts of you die away to feed new growth. So here are my questions: What old versions of your generosity or courage are ready to compost? What fiercer, wilder, more sustainable expression of your leonine nature wants to emerge? The coming weeks will be an excellent time to stop performing the hero you used to be and become the hero you are destined to become.

VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22): The Haudenosaunee people practice “seventh-generation thinking”: making decisions based on their impact seven generations into the future. You would be wise to incorporate the spirit of their visionary approach, Virgo. Here’s the problem: You’re so skilled at fixing what needs urgent attention that you sometimes neglect what’s even more important in the long run. So I will ask you to contemplate what choices you could you make now that will be blessings to your future self. This might involve ripening an immature skill, shedding a boring obligation that drains you, or delivering honest words that don’t come easily. Rather than obsessing on the crisis of the moment, send a sweet boost to the life you want to be living three years from now.

LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22): Are you open to the idea that new wisdom doesn’t always demand struggle and strain? In the days ahead, I invite you to move as if the world is deeply in love with

you; as if every element, every coincidence, every kind pair of eyes is cheering you forward. Imagine that generous souls everywhere want to help you be and reveal your best self. Trust that unseen allies are rearranging the flow of fate to help you grow into the beautiful original you were born to be. Do you dare to be so confident that life loves you?

SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21): Psychologist James Pennebaker did studies showing that people who write about traumatic experiences for just 15 minutes a day show improved immune function, fewer doctor visits, and better emotional health. But here’s a key detail: The benefits don’t come from the trauma itself or from “processing feelings.” They come from constructing a narrative: making meaning, finding patterns, and creating coherence. The healing isn’t in the wound. It’s in the story you shape from the wound’s raw material. You Scorpios excel at this alchemical work. One of your superpowers is to take what’s dark, buried, or painful and transform it through the piercing attention of your intelligence and imagination. The coming weeks will be an excellent time to do this.

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21): In Jewish mysticism, *tikkun olam* means “repair of the world.” This is the idea that we’re all responsible for healing what’s broken. But the teaching also says you’re not required to complete the work; you’re only asked to not abandon it. This is your message right now, Sagittarius: You don’t have to save everyone. You don’t have to heal everything, and you don’t even have to finish the projects you’ve started. But you can’t abandon them entirely, either. Keep showing up. Do what you can today. That’s enough. The work will continue whether or not you complete it. Your part is to not walk away from your own brokenness and the world’s. Stay engaged.

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19): The Talmud teaches that “every blade of grass has an angel bending over it, whispering, ‘Grow, grow.’” I

sense that you are now receiving the extra intense influence of your own guardian angels, Capricorn. They aren’t demanding or threatening, just encouraging. Please tune into their helpful ministrations. Don’t get distracted by harsher voices, like your internalized critic, the pressure of impossible standards, or the ghost of adversaries who didn’t believe in you. Here’s your assignment: Create time and space to hear and fully register the supportive counsel. It’s saying: *Grow. You’re allowed to grow. You don’t have to earn it. Just grow.*

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18): In ecology, there’s a concept called “keystone species.” This refers to organisms that have a huge effect on their environment relative to their abundance. Remove them, and the whole ecosystem shifts. I bring this up, Aquarius, because I believe you are currently functioning as a keystone species in your social ecosystem. You may not even be fully aware of how much your presence influences others. And here’s the challenge: You shouldn’t let your impact weigh on your conscience. You don’t have to sacrifice yourself as you carry out your service. Instead, ask how you can contribute to the common good while also thriving yourself. Ensuring your well-being isn’t selfish; it’s essential to the gifts you provide and the duties you perform.

PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20): I foresee a dose of real magic becoming available to you: equivalent to an enchanted potion, a handful of charmed seeds, or a supernatural spell. But owning the magic and knowing how to use it are two different matters. There’s no promise you will instantly grasp its secrets. To give yourself the best shot, follow a few rules: 1. Keep it quiet. Only share news of your lucky charm with those who truly need to hear about it. 2. Before using it to make wholesale transformations, test it gently in a situation where the stakes are low. 3. Whatever you do, make sure your magic leaves no bruises behind.

TODD GLASS