Musical practices provide important insights into the interests, opinions, and beliefs of a study population. While demonstrating the role of music in historical analysis, this work also tells a narrative of the varied people and influences that shaped music and society in the Oklahoma Ozarks, from the arrival of the 'Old Settler' Cherokee in 1828 to present day folk roots rockers. The 1800s is the predominant focus of this study; however, forays are made into previous and following centuries to establish origins of musical practices and the legacies that continue today.