TULSA SOUND BLUES LEGEND, JIMMY MARKHAM, INSPIRES LEON RUSSELL'S "SHOOTOUT ON THE PLANTATION."

Church Studio LEGENDS interview featuring the late Jimmy "Junior" Markham. Jimmy was a huge supporter of our plans to revitalize the studio and honor the legacy of his life-long friend, Leon Russell. We loved our time with Jimmy for this interview. His wit and humor were always a joy! His knowledge of Leon's beginnings and passion for all things Leon Russell is interesting and inspiring. Sadly; Jimmy passed away before he had an opportunity to see the completion of The Church Studio's historic renovation that he references at the end of the interview.

Location: The Church Studio in Tulsa, Oklahoma
Artists: Jimmy (Junior) Markham
Producer and Interviewer: Teresa Knox
Edited By: Grassfire Creative
Stinger Music: Written and Recorded by Cade Roberts

Artists and Places Mentioned in this Interview:
Leon Russell
Carl Radle
Chuck Blackwell
Bill Boatman
Denny Cordell
Georgie Fame
Phoebe Snow
Tommy Overstreet
Don Preston
Jl.J. Cale
David Gates
Shelter People
Tom Russell


Jimmy “Junior” Markham was born in Pryor, Oklahoma in 1941 and passed away in 2018. Markham listened to blues radio and records of Roy Orbison and Elvis Presley. In 1956, as a teenager, he got the chance to see his idol play at the Expo Square Pavilion at the Tulsa State Fair[3]. Markham remembers it as the day that "Ruined my life" Markham even got the chance to meet his idol "I walked back in there and looked up and there’s Elvis Presley. I visited with him. He wanted to know where the bathroom was, and we went to the bathroom. Actually, his first words were, “Do you know where a guy can take a piss around here?” I said, “Yeah, follow me”. Markham spent much of his childhood on the North side of Tulsa going into clubs underage with a note from his parents[6]. This allowed Markham to see B.B. King, Billie Holiday, Ray Charles, Little Richard, and Jackie Wilson.

After being convinced by his friend Leon Russell, Markham left Tulsa in the early ‘60s for Los Angeles. Drummer David Teegarden would later join them about 6 months after Markham and Russell were out there. They all lived in the same house. During this time, Markham was a trumpet player. He played trumpet since he was in grade school in Chouteau, Oklahoma. Markham got a recording contract for Capitol Records. This is where Markham met Graham Parsons from The Flying Burrito Brothers and became a regular opener for them. Markham also met Bobby Keys, The Rolling Stones keyboardist and saxophonist. These tapes from Capitol are assumed to be lost. While out on tour in 1962, a drummer named Bill Boatman told Markham that he should learn to play the harmonica to go along with Jimmy Reed songs the band was covering. Markham returned to Tulsa in 1969.

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