Saving the Sound of the South with Reggie James and Anthony Ball

What if the most important music school in America was never a school at all? We sit down with Reggie James and Anthony Ball of Music Moves to trace a living lineage, from church choirs and blues basements to a modern ecosystem designed to keep Arkansas talent local and thriving.

We start with a clear definition of community as culture: barbershop stories, Sunday mornings, and the sounds that move with you when life moves you. Reggie and Anthony break down how the black church trained generations of musicians and engineers to read the room, master every style on the setlist, and lead under pressure. That’s the apprenticeship model the industry quietly relies on, and it’s why losing mentors isn’t just sad, it’s a technical risk to the craft.

Then we zoom into Arkansas. So much of what shaped American music was born here, exported under duress, and later rebranded elsewhere. The duo shows how preservation becomes power when you pair history with access: school tours, usable curriculum, and stages where beginners and pros learn together. Enter The Music Depot in downtown Rogers, a jazz-and-blues room built as a ladder, not a pedestal; open jams, university mentors, and nights designed to pass the torch in public.

This is a playbook for building a music ecosystem: stack A, B, and C rooms, invite faculty and elders, reward curiosity, and be radically authentic. Bring your grill and your degrees. Share the mic and the method. Above all, know your why. Purpose will carry you through slow nights, tight budgets, and long buildouts, because the mission, preserving black music while growing new voices, outlives any one person.

Ready to help? Do the next right thing. Book a local opener, sponsor a lesson, show up for a jam, or share the story that made you pick up an instrument. If this resonated, tap follow, leave a review, and send it to someone who once handed you a chord, a chart, or a chance.