Music at Noon, 2nd Fridays, May-July, at the Center for Missouri Studies

Join us for a free music series at the State Historical Society of Missouri on the 2nd Fridays of May, June, and July from noon to 1 p.m. Enjoy live music on Hirsch Plaza, the north entrance of our headquarters at 605 Elm St., Columbia. We have a variety of musicians that will play songs as we welcome warmer weather and more sunshine. Bring a lawn chair and enjoy music over the noon hour. In case of rain, we’ll move inside our building lobby.

Here's the lineup:

May 9 at noon: Rochara Knight & the Honey Doves draw inspiration from the soulful sounds of the Motown era, and the swing and blues of Mid-Missouri, to create a sound all their own, incorporating doo-wop vibes, rock, and jazz influences into their music. Rochara's roots in Detroit contribute to the vintage style, blending smooth melodies with powerful storytelling.

June 13 at noon: Anthony Wilkerson delivers sad songs with a silver tongue, a feeling encompassed by his signature honkytonk sound. From a slow waltz to an upbeat two step, Wilkerson always brings a full range show to wherever he sets up shop. The Missouri singer/songwriter draws influence from artists such as Marty Robbins, Hank Williams, Ray Price and many other honkytonk heroes that came before him. These sounds combined with his own original style make for something truly special and captivating.

July 11 at noon: Since 2000 the Bait Shop Boys have been covering bawdy blues and Jumpin’ Jazz from the first half of the last century. When pressed to explain, they call their music “Hillbilly jazz”. Famous for catchy call back tunes, audience participation is irresistible. They became known for unplugging and sauntering table side to flirt with the crowd during the 2 years they were the house band at Les Bourgeois bistro. The current lineup includes Mathew Bossaller on standup bass, Kyle Brown on Dobro, Dirk Burhans on electric guitar, Mike Dulak on fiddle and Steve Andsager on vocals and rhythm guitar.