Gather Round: Meet the Special Guests of Our Virtual Holiday Showcase
As the year comes to a close, we invite you to join us for an evening rooted in music, storytelling, and shared traditions. Gather Round: A Virtual Holiday Showcase brings together artists and culture bearers whose work reflects generations of lived experience, creative exchange, and community connection. In this post, we are honored to introduce a few of the special guests joining us, and to share more about the voices and histories that shape this celebration. Join us tomorrow, December 16, at 7:00 PM for this virtual gathering.
John Lomax III
Grandson of pioneering folklorist John Avery Lomax, John Lomax III grew up surrounded by music. His father, John Avery Lomax Jr., co-founded the Houston Folklore Society in the Lomax den when John was just seven years old. Uncle Alan Lomax and Aunt Bess Lomax Hawes would often gather there, each bringing their own special magic.
After a 50-year career in many aspects of the music business, including managing Townes Van Zandt and Steve Earle, John helped bring the mastery of David Schnaufer, “America’s Dulcimer Champion,” to national prominence.
At 78, John began performing professionally, creating a solo show based on the Lomax family’s 149-year musical history. John sings a cappella, tells stories, shows images, and bangs on a cowbell in his unique performances.
He made his Grand Ole Opry debut on Friday, December 5, singing “The Streets of Laredo,” backed by Riders in the Sky.
Allan Chapman
Allan Chapman is a sixth-generation Texan, born and raised on a working cow-calf ranching operation, the Blue Goose Ranch in Knox County, Texas. He graduated from Texas Christian University with a BA and MA in English Literature.
After teaching for a year at Oklahoma State University, Allan moved to Nashville, where he was hired as a staff songwriter for Tree Publishing and later United Artists Music Publishing and EMI. During this time, he wrote songs for artists including Kenny Rogers, The Oak Ridge Boys, George Jones, and Diana Ross. He is a three-time Grammy nominee.
Allan is a Spur Award recipient from the Western Writers of America and was nominated by the International Western Music Association for Songwriter of the Year and Song of the Year Awards in 2023 and 2024. He is also a bronze winner of the International Woodyfest Song Festival.
Allan is proud to be a member of the Texas Folklore Society Board and of the recognition of his Texas Folklore Society song, which he wrote for the organization. He resides in Wise County, Texas, where he continues a ranching tradition that spans more than 200 years.
Anthony Dopsie
Anthony Dopsie is a gifted accordionist and an integral member of Rockin’ Dopsie Jr. and the Zydeco Twisters, proudly carrying forward the legacy of his father, the legendary Rockin’ Dopsie Sr. Raised in the heart of Louisiana’s vibrant zydeco tradition, Anthony grew up surrounded by the rhythmic pulse and rich cultural heritage of Creole music.
From an early age, Anthony recognized his father’s influence and aspired to follow in his footsteps. Over the years, he has developed his own distinct style on the button accordion, earning respect as both a tradition bearer and an innovator.
Alongside his siblings, Anthony was inducted into the Louisiana Music Hall of Fame, a testament to the Dopsie family’s enduring contributions to zydeco music and their role in preserving and advancing this treasured art form.
