Exhibit: Historical society unveils Leon Russell collection

The Associated Press Leon Russell at a news conference Jan. 29 in Tulsa, Okla. The Oklahoma Historical Society has acquired a large collection of works by the legendary musician and native Oklahoman that are intended for display in a planned pop-culture museum in Tulsa.

TULSA, Okla. - The Oklahoma Historical Society announced recently it had acquired a collection of more than 4,500 items connected to musician and native Oklahoman Leon Russell that are intended for a planned pop-culture museum in Tulsa.

The donated collection features thousands of photos, more than 1,300 audio recordings, 100 video recordings and old concert programs and tickets, among other things. But the display is contingent on the Legislature passing a $42.5 million bond issue to build the so-called OKPOP Museum in downtown Tulsa.

The 70-year-old Russell, with his trademark white hair and scraggly beard, sunglasses and cowboy hat, appeared onstage at a news conference that announced the collection.

Russell's responsible for helping pioneer the Tulsa Sound and worked with musicians ranging from Frank Sinatra to Elton John. He was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2011. Along the way, the flamboyant "Master of Space and Time" title stuck.

"I usually got arrested in this area and now I get a museum?" Russell said. "Who knew? And now the good people of Oklahoma want to build a magnificent museum to honor me and others like me. God is good, amen and amen."

The museum will be a 75,000-square-foot, four story building dedicated to Oklahoma artists.

Bond proposals, especially for museums, have faced fierce resistance from a growing group of conservative lawmakers opposed to the idea of adding to state debt. Last year, a proposed $20 million bond issue to fund the museum passed the Senate before getting derailed in the House.

It'll likely be the same this year in the House, where Republicans now enjoy a 72-29 advantage. But Democrats also have said they will refuse to support any bond issue.

But supporters of the museum gathered at the news conference said they were confident they would have support from lawmakers.

Source: http://readingeagle.com/article.aspx?id=451876

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