Famous Folk from Howell County
Gilbert Ray 'Speck' Rhodes
Gilbert Ray 'Speck' Rhodes was born in West Plains, Missouri on July 16, 1915. He was a country music comedian and entertainer. Read more
Robert Bruce "Bob" Ferguson, Sr
Robert Bruce "Bob" Ferguson, Sr. was an American songwriter, record producer and Choctaw Indian historian who was born in Willow Springs, Missouri on December 30, 1927. Read More
Daniel Woodrell
Daniel Woodrell (born March 4, 1953) is an American crime fiction writer. He has written eight novels, most of them set in the Missouri Ozarks. Woodrell coined the phrase "country noir" to describe his 1996 novel Give Us a Kiss,[1] and this term has often been used since to categorize his writing. Woodrell lives in West Plains, MO. Read more
Senator Chuck Purgason
Senator Purgason was born in West Plains, Missouri, on May 19, 1960, and graduated from West Plains High School in 1978. In addition to his legislative duties, Sen. Purgason is the founder and owner of Ozark Wings Hatchery and Hunting Preserve. He resides on the family farm with his wife, Janet, and three children, Robert, Tracey, and Cory.
Steve Cropper
Steve "The Colonel" Cropper (born October 21, 1941) is an American guitarist, songwriter and producer who was part of Stax Records house band Booker T. & The MG's. He was ranked #36 on Rolling Stone Magazine's Top 100 Guitarist of All Time. He was born in Willow Springs, Missouri. Read more
Orland Kay Amstrong
Orland Kay Amstrong (October 2, 1893 – April 15, 1987) was a Republican United States Representative from Missouri's 6th congressional district from January 3,1951 to January 3,1953. He did not seek re-election in 1952. Armstrong was born in Willow Springs, Missouri. Read more
Foster May
Foster was born in Willow Springs, Missouri, in 1905, and attended Scottsbluff High School and the University of California. Foster was an aggressive, controversial figure during the 1930's. He was an announcer at KFOR in Lincoln Nebraska before joining WOW in Omaha. Read more