01/21/2026
Hortonfest weekend celebrates Oklahoma music and a birthday
From TulsaPeople Magazine - Article by Julie Watson
The nonprofit Horton Records will celebrate two decades of supporting Oklahoma musicians with Hortonfest, a weekend of music, food and community Jan. 23-25.
The organization, which is run entirely by volunteers, has released more than 120 titles from Oklahoma artists, distributing over 150,000 CDs and albums worldwide. It also books more than 100 shows on behalf of Oklahoma musicians annually, resulting in $50,000 paid directly to those artists each year.
“Artists who have debuted with Horton Records in the last 20 years are now international ambassadors for Oklahoma music,” says Stanton Doyle, executive director of The Church Studio, citing musicians like Jesse Aycock, Carter Sampson, Paul Benjaman and Seth Lee Jones, as well as Ken Pomeroy, who released two albums on Horton Records and is now associated with the prestigious Rounder Records label.
Horton Records has worked with both Doyle and Katie Dale, executive director of the nonprofit Red Dirt Relief Fund, on numerous events and collaborations. They believe that the organization has helped expand appreciation for Oklahoma artists and their music well beyond the State’s borders.
“Horton Records has provided a platform of opportunities for local artists to realize their dreams and for Oklahoma voices to be heard around the world,” Dale says.
The organization, which is run entirely by volunteers, has released more than 120 titles from Oklahoma artists, distributing over 150,000 CDs and albums worldwide. It also books more than 100 shows on behalf of Oklahoma musicians annually, resulting in $50,000 paid directly to those artists each year.
“Artists who have debuted with Horton Records in the last 20 years are now international ambassadors for Oklahoma music,” says Stanton Doyle, executive director of The Church Studio, citing musicians like Jesse Aycock, Carter Sampson, Paul Benjaman and Seth Lee Jones, as well as Ken Pomeroy, who released two albums on Horton Records and is now associated with the prestigious Rounder Records label.
Horton Records has worked with both Doyle and Katie Dale, executive director of the nonprofit Red Dirt Relief Fund, on numerous events and collaborations. They believe that the organization has helped expand appreciation for Oklahoma artists and their music well beyond the State’s borders.
“Horton Records has provided a platform of opportunities for local artists to realize their dreams and for Oklahoma voices to be heard around the world,” Dale says.
The festivities kick off Jan. 23 with an all-ages free show at VFW Post 577, 1109 E. Sixth St., with performances from Tulsa’s Seth Lee Jones, gritty blues-rock from Chicago’s The Steepwater Band, and funky, improvisational explorations from Milwaukee guitar wizard, Greg Koch and the Koch-Marshall Trio. Dustin Pittsley and Jesse Aycock’s Higher Education closes the night.
Saturday’s concert at Cain’s Ballroom, 423 N. Main St., coincides with the birthday of Horton Records’ founder and president, Brian Horton. The all-ages show features some of Horton’s favorites, including roots music guitar heroes JD Simo and Luther Dickinson, Austin’s Ian Moore, and Mike Mattison and Trash Magic, led by the Grammy-award winning singer for Tedeschi Trucks Band, Mike Mattison.
Of course, the evening also boasts plenty of local representation with The Tulsa Revue, featuring John Fullbright, Benjaman, Aycock, Jacob Tovar and some special guests. The weekend celebration closes with a free show at noon on Sunday, Jan. 25 at Fassler Hall (304 S. Elgin Ave.) for those 21-plus featuring Austin-based Greyhounds as well as Pilgrim and Brad Absher. For more information, visit hortonrecords.org.
Saturday’s concert at Cain’s Ballroom, 423 N. Main St., coincides with the birthday of Horton Records’ founder and president, Brian Horton. The all-ages show features some of Horton’s favorites, including roots music guitar heroes JD Simo and Luther Dickinson, Austin’s Ian Moore, and Mike Mattison and Trash Magic, led by the Grammy-award winning singer for Tedeschi Trucks Band, Mike Mattison.
Of course, the evening also boasts plenty of local representation with The Tulsa Revue, featuring John Fullbright, Benjaman, Aycock, Jacob Tovar and some special guests. The weekend celebration closes with a free show at noon on Sunday, Jan. 25 at Fassler Hall (304 S. Elgin Ave.) for those 21-plus featuring Austin-based Greyhounds as well as Pilgrim and Brad Absher. For more information, visit hortonrecords.org.