Cowtown Shut Down
By: Kelsey Haynes
July 13, 2013
Americana music; that’s what Eric Howell, Honky
Suckle banjo player called it.
“It’s a bunch of American music blended together,”
Howell said.
Howell has been with Honky Suckle for close to five
years. The band consists of: drummer and vocalist Adam
Howell, banjo player and vocalist Eric Howell, bass player
Dave Smith and harmonica player Kyle Young. This group
of old friends from Springfield, Mo. kicked off their nationwide tour at the Old Cowtown Museum. They opened up
for the popular Wichita band Carrie Nation and the Speakeasies at the Stomp & Holler benefit concert.
“You won’t just want to sit for the evening” said
David Abbott, manager of earned income for the museum.
Abbott has been with Cowtown for 11 years.
This was the second annual Stomp & Holler benefit
put on by Cowtown.
Teddy Barlow, museum curator and head of all
music and entertainment, says the purpose of the benefit
concert is “to try to get people to remember that Cowtown
is here and it’s still alive.” She has been trying to get Carrie
Nation to play at Cowtown for a while.
“The crowd that comes with them is wonderful,”
Barlow said.
According to Abbott, the benefit drew in about 200
people last year. They hoped to get more than that this
year.
“I expect some great music and some stomping and
hollering,” Barlow said. That expectation definitely came to
pass.
“It’s a neat spot to play,” Howell said. His band had
never played at Cowtown before, but they come to Wichita
often. To Honky Suckle, Wichita is “like a second home.”
According to Barlow, the Old Cowtown Museum has
been around since about 1953 when the first buildings were
collected. It became Cowtown around 1960. Three-quarters
of the buildings are from the 1800s, including the city of
Wichita’s first church, first jail and first house.
“We accidentally educate people,” Barlow chuckled.
Mike Blakely, novelist and country-folk singer will
perform at the museum on July 19 at 8 p.m. Tickets are $15
in advance and $18 at the door.
“Cowtown is still alive,” Barlow said.