You and your family and friends are invited to attend an old-fashioned, up-tempo Ozarks Jamboree to be held on Friday, May 12th from 7:00 to 9:00 p.m. in the new John Goodman Amphitheater (JGA) on the main Springfield campus of Missouri State University. This event, the first public event to be held in JGA, is free and open to the public, but registration is required.

Jeff Houghton will serve as the host with the most. Originally from Iowa City, Iowa, Jeff is a 4 time Emmy Award winning television host. He’s also a speaker, writer, and improviser. Jeff hosts The Mystery Hour, that recently wrapped after 10 seasons on FOX, ABC, NBC, and CW affiliates across the country. 

The musical line-up for the evening includes:

• David Scrivner, who will be joined by three fellow musicians, grew up near Mansfield, Missouri. David won the 2019 Grand Champion Award at the Arkansas State Old Time Fiddle Contest, sponsored by the Ozarks Folk Center in Mountain View, Arkansas. He plays for contra dances and is also well-known as a square dance fiddler.  He plays for events throughout the Ozarks and regularly participates in the jam sessions held in McClurg, Missouri on Monday evenings, which he has been doing since he was in high school.

• Abbey Waterworth is a native of Clever in Christian County. She is a musician and singer/songwriter who comes out of a musical family deeply influenced by traditional Ozarks music. She performs in the Springfield area with a repertoire of Americana music including Ozarks, bluegrass, blues, and country. She is an alumna of Missouri State University.

• The Honkytonk Renovators is a high-energy band that plays traditional Americana music combining several genres, including country, bluegrass, and rock. The band formed in Springfield in 2009 at Pappy’s Place, one of the oldest BBQ restaurants in this part of the state. They perform regularly in Springfield and throughout the Ozarks region. One of the latest additions to the band is Emalee Flatness, a fine fiddle and guitar player with a beautiful voice, and best of all, she is a recent graduate of Missouri State!