Franklin Reenactment Trip

Honey Springs Ghost interview

The Prairie County Avengers get their name from a company of Southern Volunteers raised in Prairie County Arkansas, 1862.

The Prairie County Avengers are Tom Morphew, Dustin Richardson and Preston Ware. The Avengers are supported and promoted by WRRM Recording. Lori Richardson is the marketer and promoter and Larry Rhodes is the recording technician.

Tom Morphew and Preston Ware are long-time reenactors and War Between the States enthusiasts. Both have a love for music that originates from their Southern roots. Tom and Preston began playing music together when they would meet at civil war reenactments. That led to several CDs that are quite popular at Civil War battle parks and with historians and reenactors.

The Avengers go to great lengths in insuring an "authentic sound" by extensively researching the old-time music and using period instruments whenever possible. They have had a custom, museum quality, 1850 Boucher fretless banjo built to compliment their collection of original instruments.

Recently, Tom and Preston have included "minstrel" music in addition to the civil war songs that they perform. These songs span a period of 1830s to 1890. In 2004, The Prairie County Avengers were instrumental in organizing and performing in, the "Musical Extravaganzo". This is a 2-day period music program held at Ft. Washita, OK put on by the Oklahoma State Historical Society.

Goals for 2005 include a new "Gospel" CD and playing for more reenactment dances.