Howard signs to be put into folksy, bluegrass song

JOSH MOSLEY/Fulton Sun photo
One of the signs of Jesse Howard hanging on a wall in the lobby of the Kingdom of Callaway Historical Society. Howard's signs will be turned to song by folk singer Mark Stevenson this Thursday at 7 p.m. at Arris' Pizza.
JOSH MOSLEY/Fulton Sun photo One of the signs of Jesse Howard hanging on a wall in the lobby of the Kingdom of Callaway Historical Society. Howard's signs will be turned to song by folk singer Mark Stevenson this Thursday at 7 p.m. at Arris' Pizza.

Mark Stevenson grew up in a small town in central Indiana. He knows the small-town type and appreciates the particular brand of strange that comes along with that.

So naturally he felt a connection to the work of noted Callaway County folk artist Jesse Howard. Stevenson, also an artist as well as a paper conservationist, came across one of Howard's famous signs and was inspired.

Instead of emulating Howard's signs, though, Stevenson decided to build on the work in his own way: Through song. The folk and bluegrass enthusiast is bringing songs inspired by Howard's work, as well as some of his other tunes, to Arris' Pizza at 7 p.m. Thursday. Admission to the event is $10.

To help the tornado-stricken people of Dumas and surroundings, donations can be made to the Delta Area Disaster Relief Fund, care of the Delta Area Community Foundation, P.O. Box 894, Dumas, AR, 71639, or through the Arkansas Community Foundation, 700 S. Rock St., Little Rock, AR, 72202.