Local Music Scene

Tulsa has a rich local music history, literally pioneering music genres from western swing in the 1930s, to the "Tulsa Sound" in the 1970s (when Eric Clapton's rhythm section were all Tulsans), to pop and alternative music today.

Catch a live show in town, and you might hear someone in the crowd say "The guy on bass played for Clapton on tour" or "These guys opened for Aerosmith."

That's because many Tulsa-based musicians become successful on the national stage, like Brooks & Dunn, Hanson, and Caroline's Spine, but they always find their way home to play for the local fans.

Tulsa has some outstanding venues to hear live music, from the legendary Cain's Ballroom to the historic Brady Theater to dozens of smaller joints, many of which are 18-and-over clubs.

If you'd like to see for yourself, check out who's playing this week, published every Friday by TulsaWorld.com.