KOSU's LaCroix makes an impact on the state's music scene
Wednesday, December 18, 2024
Media Contact: Mack Burke | Associate Director of Media Relations | 405-744-5540 | editor@okstate.edu
Music serves a different purpose for everyone.
Some use it to convey a message, others to elicit emotion and some just to feel good, but no matter how they use it, they can all agree it brings people together.
In Oklahoma, KOSU plays a pivotal role in community camaraderie.
As director of audience and content development for KOSU, Ryan LaCroix, aka the Oklahoma Music Man, manages music events and supports festivals throughout Oklahoma, like the Norman Music Festival or the Oklahoma Rock Show. He’s a constant driving force for KOSU, with Gov. Kevin Stitt awarding him the Governor’s Media in the Arts Award in December 2023.
Musicians statewide share their appreciation and gratitude for LaCroix’s work on the Oklahoma Music Minute, as he supports all kinds of local music and bands and gives them a platform to share their sound. The show airs at 6:19, 8:19 and 11:38 a.m., and in the afternoon at 3:18 and 5:18 p.m.
“We heard our songs on the radio, which just felt really good. At first, it just felt like, ‘Oh, that’s really sweet.’ But then they just kept playing them and having thoughtful things to say about it. It sort of guides your process and creating,” said Danny Davis, lead artist of the band Husbands.
For many up-and-coming musicians, garnering attention sparks their desire to continue making music. LaCroix does this by creating a space for artists to showcase their talent, acting as a middleman between the audience and the musician.
“He’s just such a constant pillar of Oklahoma music, and he should be recognized as such,” said Beau Jennings, eponymous frontman of Beau Jennings and the Tigers.
LaCroix’s love of music goes back to being a teenager, having friends who were in high school bands and going to concerts. The more concerts he attended, the more he wanted to experience. He realized there wasn’t a single platform to find where all the concerts were, so he created his own.
LaCroix created a one-page website listing all upcoming concerts and events in Oklahoma. As the site grew, he added message boards, giving people a place to discuss music, review albums and report on the news.
It all started as a hobby for LaCroix, but since 2012, he has been making a living and career out of it.
Graduating with a bachelor’s in journalism from the University of Oklahoma, LaCroix works to instill honest reporting values within KOSU and creates a culture that emphasizes creativity.
“It’s largely about making sure that we’re meeting people where they are,” LaCroix said. “Bringing that information to them, whether it is on the radio or online or social media, all those different things, making sure they’re available to those folks, that’s largely my mission.”
LaCroix works with multiple reporters on his team who specialize in different areas of Oklahoma, such as water quality, Indigenous affairs and mental health. They all work to distribute information to as many people as possible so they can be aware of what’s happening around them.
“I believe that this mixture of news and music is wanted by a lot of folks, that being able to provide independent news and independent music is something that a lot of people are looking for,” LaCroix said.
He has written articles for Oklahoma Today magazine highlighting the unique music that originates in Oklahoma and authored two essays about Oklahoma music for the Oklahoma Music Society.
“He’s just such a constant pillar of Oklahoma music, and he should be recognized as such.”
LaCroix also manages a few local Oklahoma music festivals and events during the year to help give a platform for bands founded in the ’90s through the ages to those that are brand new to the scene. These events are a way to bring the Oklahoma community together to support people doing what they love.
“I get to hear from bands that are doing huge things, artists like Wyatt Flores or Kaitlin Butts, doing huge things out in Nashville that are from here. Or it can be just somebody who is simply in their bedroom, cooking away and recording something great in their closet. All those things can coexist together on our show,” LaCroix said.
Many Oklahomans are incredibly grateful for his service to the Oklahoma music scene, ensuring that his listeners can hear homegrown music daily while finding new artists they may want to support.
“We can’t be afraid to fail. I think everybody in every walk of life fails, right? So, once you accept that, it’s now … how do we create that thing? We can’t be paralyzed by our own fear. That’s a huge reason why I think all of us still do it, because we get to try new things,” LaCroix said.
Photos by: Ellie Piper
Story by: Darby Rains | STATE Magazine