On Sunday, October 15th, more than 50 Oklahoma musicians will gather at Mercury Lounge and Venue Shrine at 18th and Boston in Tulsa to play the eighth annual “Skinnerfest” celebrating the life and songwriting tradition of Oklahoma Music Hall of Famer, Tom Skinner. The festival will benefit Red Dirt Relief Fund’s Financial Assistance fund to aid music creators facing unavoidable emergencies.
This year’s lineup represents a mix of Skinner’s Red Dirt friends and “Tulsa Sound” musicians including Wednesday Night Science Project with Red Dirt Rangers, Johnny Mullenax’s Bluegrass Brunch & Friends, King Cabbage Brass Band, Saugeye, Soup, Osage County, And Then There Were Two featuring Cassie Latshaw, Damion Shade & the Boom Bap Chorus, Kevin Price & the Closers, Barton, Long & Sweeney and a host of singer songwriters including Drew Winn, Travis Kidd, Megan Marlene, Joey Frendo, Carl Carbonell, Tom Pevear, Steve Hamby, Dakota Murillo, Joe Mack, Annie Paine and more. A full schedule by venue will be announced at the end of September.
The day begins at noon with a limited-capacity VIP Brunch at Shrine (additional ticket required) featuring King Cabbage Brass Band, Oklahoma’s New Orleans-style brass band, who will lead a second-line parade to Mercury Lounge after their set to kick off the festival in full swing.
Brunch tickets include a Cajun buffet and a complimentary limited-release “Skyline Radio Light American Lager” created for the fest by Heirloom Rustic Ales. Named after a popular Skinner’s tune, “Skyline Radio,” this light American lager will feature label art by local designer, Thom Self, who also created the festival poster and t-shirt.
According to Red Dirt Relief Fund Executive Director Katie Dale, “Skinnerfest celebrates the vibrant creative culture in Tulsa that Tom Skinner was a beloved part of. Our goal is to create a unique experience for fans with local music, art, food and drink while employing as many local creatives as we can in the process. We are grateful to our local partners for making this all possible!”
Part of that local creative showcase that is new to the festival this year is “Art that Rocks,” an exhibition and sale featuring visual artworks created by musicians that will take place from 2-6pm in the Shrine parking lot. The day will also include a live auction of a guitar signed by the lineup and a live painting by local artist and member of the band Brothers Moore, Bobby Moore.
Skinner was often quoted for his description of Red Dirt music as “more of a brotherhood and a community thing than it is necessarily a style.” This festival seeks to celebrate that community in a safe festival atmosphere that will surprise music fans of all genres by showcasing all Oklahoma talent. Skinner was inducted into the Oklahoma Music Hall of Fame just four months before his death on July 12, 2015.
Red Dirt Relief Fund is a non-profit organization that provides a safety net of critical assistance to Oklahoma music professionals. Since it began in 2012, Red Dirt Relief Fund has granted over $750,000 to more than 800 music creators in 39 Oklahoma counties including $305,000 in COVID relief grants.
Skinnerfest is supported by The Collaborative, Tulsa Film, Music, Arts & Culture, White Claw, Tulsa Dental Center, District Bicycles, Osage Casino, Brut Hotel.
Tickets can be purchased at reddirtrelieffund.org/skinnerfest starting at $25. The event is 21+. The Art that Rocks exhibit is free and open to all ages.
Visit reddirtrelieffund.org/skinnerfest, friend Red Dirt Relief Fund on Facebook or follow @reddirtrelief for more information and festival updates.
For media or sponsorship inquiries, please contact Katie Dale at reddirtrelieffund@gmail.com or 918-407-4599.
