For Arthur by Elizabeth Moen The teenaged Arthur Russell left Oskaloosa in 1968. He was a musical prodigy (cello and piano), a hippie vagabond and a spiritual seeker. He moved to a Buddhist commune in San Francisco, passed his high school equivalency, then became Allen Ginsberg’s accompanist and perhaps lover. Five years later, he hopped […]
Don McLeese
Marty Stuart talks about his Fabulous Superlatives, decades of music-making and touring with Chris Stapleton in advance of Des Moines show
Having pulled the highest attendance at the Iowa State Fair of any modern Grandstand concert, Chris Stapleton has already conquered the state of Iowa. As he arrives again at Des Moines’ Wells Fargo Arena on June 22 though, audiences would be remiss not to pay special attention to one of his openers, Marty Stuart. Not […]
Book Review: ‘Bang Bang Crash’ by Nic Brown
Once a drummer, always a drummer? When Nic Brown landed a fellowship to enter the very selective Iowa Writers’ Workshop (where he earned his MFA in 2006), he figured his drumming days were done. He didn’t want to reference his years on the rock circuit with his new friends in Iowa City. At parties, the […]

