Still In Love

Concert series celebrates Buffalo River

NWA Democrat-Gazette/JASON IVESTER Kelly and Donna Mulhollan are in the midst of a concert series titled “Still a River.”
NWA Democrat-Gazette/JASON IVESTER Kelly and Donna Mulhollan are in the midst of a concert series titled “Still a River.”

Kelly Mulhollan was born and raised in Northwest Arkansas. He tried leaving, he says, but "I always felt the Ozarks pulling me back like a magnet."

His wife, Donna, left San Francisco at 18 and traveled the country as a "road warrior" -- an itinerant musician. "But when I ended up in Arkansas, my roots just went deep right away."

FAQ

‘Still a River’

WHEN — 7 p.m. Feb. 3

WHERE — Starr Theater at the Walton Arts Center in Fayetteville

COST — $8; only a few tickets remain available at presstime

INFO — 443-5600 or stillonthehill.com

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See Still on a Hill play at https://youtu.be/JN….

Together, their band Still on the Hill has spent the past 20 years capturing the mystery and magic of the land they love in story songs with titles like "Ode to Mr. Boze." Along the way, they've become historians and activists of a sort, making sure people remember how the state's treasures have been saved -- or lost -- or irrevocably changed. Two programs are ongoing -- "Instrument Makers of the Ozarks" and presentations on the unique handmade instruments made by craftsman Ed Stilley. That one will be presented in April at the International Folk Art Museum in Santa Fe and is the topic of an exhibit currently on show at the Old State House Museum in Little Rock.

But most recently, those songs have told the tales of the Buffalo in a CD and concert series titled "Still a River." The title was a no-brainer, Kelly Mulhollan says, coming as it did on the heels of their Beaver Lake project, "Once a River."

"We got spoiled with the 'Once a River' project," he says, "because it was funded. We were able to play for free and give away 100 CDs at each performance. So when we started on 'Still a River,' we obviously wanted to repeat that.

"We put out feelers in the community, and money started coming in," he marvels. "Then the heavyweights got involved and made larger donations -- the Buffalo River Watershed Alliance and the Ozark Society Foundation, the original organization that helped save the river.

"After all that happened, all we had to do was write the songs, and Donna is a song-writing machine."

Donna looks pleased by the compliment but deflects the praise, explaining that she "bumped into" Ken Smith's book, "The Buffalo River Country," and found everything she needed. She even points to passages where she quoted him directly in her lyrics.

"We dedicated the whole project to Ken, who we believe is the much unsung hero of the fight for the Buffalo," Kelly Mulhollan says. "Ken does not have the charisma that Neil Compton was so known for, but he was likely just as important in the fight. Lots of folks also don't realize that Ken has been quietly heading up the creation of the Buffalo River Trail for 35 years. He's our hero!"

Donna Mulhollan says the songs -- "Ponca to Pruitt," "Granny Henderson," "Sam's Throne," "Bee Bluff" and more -- were finished in just a couple of months. With CD recorded and in hand, Still on the Hill set out to do a dozen free shows, again giving away 100 CDs per show.

"One thing that made this all so real was meeting people at the shows related to the people we were singing about," Kelly Mulhollan says with wonder in his voice. "It's my favorite thing we've ever done."

Donna Mulhollan remembers a Huntsville elementary student who was so fascinated by "Granny Henderson," he set out to find her cabin. "How cool is that?!"

In the midst of that first dozen concerts, the Buffalo River Watershed Alliance sought additional funding, "and they got it, so that allowed us to do a whole 'nother chapter," Kelly Mulhollan says. This time, Still on the Hill will target small communities around the Buffalo -- Mount Judea and Deer are first on the list -- and then go further afield into the rest of the state. The Feb. 3 performance at the Walton Arts Center is an anomaly, he admits. The show isn't free -- although at $8 it's inexpensive -- but it ties together two weeks of WAC programming for students.

"Really, it's our only Fayetteville show," says Donna. "We won't be home for awhile."

Asked what's next, the two look at each other with equal measures of puzzlement and anticipation.

"I'm going to be real sad when this is over," Kelly says. Then he muses, "But I've been thinking about songs about state parks..."

NAN What's Up on 01/27/2017

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