Rock Town USA
- John-Michael Scurio
- 9 hours ago
- 5 min read
Some places hum. Some places sing. But Eureka Springs? She wails.
... and not in that clumsy, overproduced, top-40, got-a-hook-but-no-heart kind of way. No, she wails like a saxophone in the French Quarter at 2 a.m., like a porch banjo in the hollers of Appalachia, like a gravel-throated singer negotiating the pollen-filled air at The Gravel Bar. She wails because the music that lives here (in our hills, in our hearts, in our once-healing waters) is the real deal.
It’s easy to get swept up in the sparkle of Nashville with its rhinestone cowboys and machine-made melodies; New Orleans with its brass-and-bayou bravado; Memphis, where every guitar seems to hum with the ghosts of the blues. And I get it. I love those cities. I do. I’ve wandered down Bourbon Street and stood in silence on Beale. I’ve even closed my eyes in the Ryman and felt the floorboards tremble with memory. (Goosebumps)
Eureka Springs, Arkansas
Eureka Springs is not trying to be any of those places.
Eureka isn’t a copy. She’s the masterwork.
And here? Music doesn’t just play. It lives.
2025
You don’t need a major label or a fancy tour bus to bring the house down in Eureka. You just need a front porch, a crowd with ears open wide, and maybe a washboard or two.
Our town is so proud of our live music scene that we crafted our very own, hometown red-carpet extravaganza to honor our merry music makers. The Eureka Springs Music Awards launched in April 2025 and it was a huge hit honoring soloist of the year, band of the year and music venue of the year. Check out the 2025 award winners here.
In this homage-post, please allow me to shine a warm spotlight on just a few of our homegrown heroes keeping the musical pulse of Eureka strong.
Opal Agafia & The Sweet Nothings
Opal doesn’t just perform — she summons. With a voice that shimmies somewhere between Bonnie Raitt and Janis Joplin, Opal is Arkansas born and bred, and her band blends Ozark Mountain soul, folk, and gritty Southern rock like a moonshine cocktail you’ll never forget. They’re regulars at the Auditorium downtown and have even headlined at Hillberry Music Festival, just up the road a piece.
Skye Pollard and The Family Holler
Grit. Gravel. Glory. Skye’s voice sounds like it’s been dipped in a jar of molasses and rolled in Ozark clay. With storytelling lyrics and a signature rhythmic stomp Skye pulls you in and holds you tight. It’s mountain music with a rebel heart.
Chucky Waggs & The Company of Raggs
If Eureka Springs had a musical mascot, it might just be Chucky. Part troubadour, part circus conductor, part carnival preacher, Chucky Waggs brings a raw, unfiltered, almost punk-blues energy that somehow still feels like a backwoods front porch jam. Washboards, banjos, and stompin’ feet, it’s all there, baby.
Jesse Dean
There’s something magnetic about Jesse Dean. His voice carries a low-slung, Southern honesty, like a midnight drive on a dusty backroad. With roots deep in blues, Americana, and that soulful grit you can’t fake, Jesse doesn’t just sing songs, he lives them. His guitar work is both precise and raw, evoking the spirits of the Delta with every note. Catch him at The Gravel Bar, Gotahold Brewing, or just strumming under a sycamore in Basin Spring Park, either way, you're in for a treat.
The NightTimers
Local legends, The NightTimers is the moody, moaning, slow-burn of Eureka’s soul. They blend jazz, groove, and a touch of noir into something intimate and unforgettable. Whether you're sipping bourbon in a candlelit bar or dancing under string lights downtown, if The NightTimers are playing, the night belongs to you.
Mountain Alice
Dark, dreamy, and defiantly original, Mountain Alice conjures up the sound of the Ozarks through a cosmic lens. With poetic lyrics and haunting instrumentation, Alice's Appalachian gothic folk-rock is equally suited for candlelit listening or barefoot dancing in the grass. This music is as mysterious as the mountains that raised an Alice -- layered, echoing, and deeply felt.
Jenna and the Soulshakers
This powerhouse brings the heat. Jenna and the Soulshakers fuse Southern soul, funk, and a big ol’ helping of blues into something that makes you want to shake that money maker. Jenna’s vocals fill the soul. When they hit the stage, it’s not a show, it’s a celebration of life. Right here. Right now. In the moment.
Sprungbilly
Here’s where Eureka gets to show off her hillbilly chops. Sprungbilly is pure Ozark gold. This fast-pickin’, high-energy bluegrass is straight from the holler. Fiddle, banjo, mandolin, it’s all there, played with joy and just enough mischief to keep your boots tappin’. This is what a campfire sounds like when it’s got rhythm.
The Bad Jacksons
Tight, brassy, and endless flowy hair, The Bad Jacksons blend jazz, funk, and vintage swing into a sound that’s somehow both retro and right-now. Whether they’re crooning a smoky ballad or jumping into a New Orleans-style jam, these cats bring class to every note. Put on your sharpest hat and find ‘em at The New Delhi Café ... it’s always a smooth ride.
The Alex Hawf Revue
The heartbeat behind so many local projects, Alex Hawf is a genre-defying multi-instrumentalist, producer, and sonic shaper who wears as many hats as Eureka has porches.
Whether he’s behind the mic, mixing board, or a dozen instruments at once, Alex delivers a vibe that’s authentic, electric, and uniquely Eureka. He’s the kind of artist who can make your soul hum and your brain light up, sometimes at the same time. You’ll find his fingerprints on some of the most interesting sounds coming out of this town.
Red Oak Ruse
Rooted in Americana with a wild rock ‘n roll edge, Red Oak Ruse is everything you want from a backwoods barn party and a moonlit road trip — all in one band. Their harmonies are as tight as their bootlaces, and their lyrics are dipped in Ozark storytelling.
DiMe Trip
These guys are the psychedelic thunderstorm rolling over the hills. Loud, layered, and dripping in distortion, DiMe Trip gives off cosmic rock vibes straight from another planet ... and it just so happens that planet is Eureka Springs.
Wesley Allen & The Modern August
Wes is polished, poetic, and emotionally charged. Modern August walks the line between indie alt-rock and Southern storytelling. He is soulful and cinematic, think modern angst with Ozark roots, served with an acoustic flourish and a full Southern heart.
This, my friends, was just a small selection of the dose of live music that is here in this small town in Northwest Arkansas.
Eureka Springs is not just a music town; it’s a music movement. From front porches to festival stages, late-night jam sessions to polished acts at The Auditorium, these locals aren’t just playing music ... they’re building a legacy.
Because our Eureka? She's got rhythm, raw talent, hillside acoustics and now an awards show ... and she's just getting started.❤️
