You’re in a field full of faces, hollering cries, and a chorus of voices. Hums stir the air around you and with it your soul. The thrumming of drums beats with your heart, a chord struck with the gravity of blues. Not far off, brass instruments pierce the summer air, too, and somewhere else you can just make out the rhythm of another tune.
Arkansas’s cultural heritage rests largely in the folk music of the mountains and the gospel and blues of the Delta.From the hills to the plains, these genres of music were never completely isolated, even if they did develop more or less on their own.
Anthony Ball of Music Moves Arkansas grew up in the gospel and blues culture of West Memphis. Ever since he can remember, music has been in his bones.
Anthony started at the University of Arkansas in 2007 with a full ride for music. During that time, he balanced life as a student and community member, getting involved with a local church and the Boys and Girls Club.
Having just moved from one part of the state to another, the diversity of music, genres, and artforms led to a culture shock. At the same time, Anthony was captivated. He wanted to bring it all together.
A music production business soon emerged from Anthony’s love for music, his love of people, and his wife’s encouragement. A musician himself, he transitioned from waiting for shows to organizing his own events.
Anthony was keenly aware of the gravity of music and art. When people come together to express their creativity, solar systems of culture and diversity fall into orbit. Out of that awareness, Soul Night was born. This R&B event included open mics for poetry as well as music.
In order to bring more people together, Anthony started establishing a network of musicians within a three-hour radius. The further he went along, the more he realized a need for structure.
Anthony used his artistic vision to help him organize. His business expanded into the private sector, setting up bands to play for corporate events. He talked about the importance of having a well-rounded roster of musicians, including DJs and classical musicians.
In formalizing the business model for what was truly a passion for art and community, Anthony became convinced of the intertwined natures of art and education. And when he attended the Music City Conference in Lafayette, Louisiana, in 2019, his perspective on art and music shifted in a similar way.
“This conference was all about how to take music and build a city on the economic side,” Anthony said. “It was a paradigm shift for me. I’ve always looked at music as bringing people together, but I didn’t think of it as an economic driver.”
To support the arts community in Northwest Arkansas, Anthony started Music Moves that year. Music Moves is a nonprofit organization that focuses on preserving and celebrating Black music and art. It was also his way of building a city of music back at home.
“When I got back, I was like, ‘Man, I want to build up the arts community,’” Anthony said. “I was mostly in the private sector looking out into the public sector, but there were all these amazing musicians, and not enough opportunity.”
Anthony highlighted the importance of cultural representation and the need for curriculum in schools to teach about music and its benefits. Through Music Moves, he brought his own culture to life in Northwest Arkansas all the way from the Delta. Music of all kinds has been shown to increase the quality of life.
When artists from all over converge, they find the harmony necessary to weave their distinct cultures into a single community.
“Music is one of the most unique unifiers,” Anthony said. “It has a gravitational pull.”
Anthony believes that everyone is an artist within. At its core, art is an expressive unit of the human soul. It presents itself in a multitude of ways, as unlimited in form as the human heart is in feeling. Art is the physical embodiment of the human imagination.
“Slow down and express yourself a little bit more,” Anthony encouraged. “The universe is always speaking to us—God is always speaking to us—and art is simply for those who are listening.”
In all of his efforts, Anthony continues to create an ecosystem of art, music, and culture in Northwest Arkansas. From representing his own culture, to encouraging the representation of others, he is a music man through and through who wants to help everyone find the beat of their own drum.
So, whether that summer night takes you to a concert, festival, celebration (perhaps all put together at the Music Moves Freedom Festival on June 20th), or even if you’re just sitting at home, feel the music. Let the distinct notes meet you where you are, slow yourself down, and let the vibrations of the cosmic rhythm find you in your heart.
When people come together to express their creativity, solar systems of culture and diversity fall into orbit.