by Pa Rock
Word is out this morning of the passing of Marideth Sisco, one of the best known personalities in the Ozarks. An obituary blurb already posted on the internet states:
"Merideth Ann Sisco (June 15, 1943-May 18, 2026) was an American storyteller, folklorist, singer-songwriter, author, and journalist. Her work largely focused on folklore related to the native Ozark Mountains. Sisco and her music were featured in the Oscar-nominated film Winter's Bone."
Merideth, a true renaissance woman of many talents, was born in the town of Cassville in southwest Missouri and graduated from high school there in 1961. After living in a variety of states as far-flung from the Ozarks as Washington and California, she eventually returned to the land of her roots and settled in West Plains in south-central Missouri which is where I became acquainted with her. She worked for the local newspaper, The West Plains Daily Quill, for a couple of decades as an investigative reporter and one who covered environmental issues. She was also a well-known local entertainer who played acoustic guitar and performed folk songs and music native to the Ozarks.
In 2009 Hollywood came to the Ozarks to film a movie based on the novel "Winter's Bone" by the country noir writer Daniel Woodrell, who was also a resident of West Plains. The book was about the impact of drugs and poverty on rural areas, and many of the references in it were specific to Howell County where West Plains is located. Woodrell referred to the county as "Howl" in several of his works.
When Hollywood showed up to make the movie, they were not all that impressed with the county of "Howl" and decided to do most of the filming in Taney County which is east of here in the vicinity of Branson and not too far from Springfield. (There was undoubtedly more for the West Coast types to do in the evenings around Branson and Springfield than there was in West Plains!)
Most of the cast in the low-budget film were people were unknowns before and after the movie was made, with one big exception. A 20-year-old actress named Jennifer Lawrence was given the lead in the film and went on to receive her first of three (so far) nominations for an Oscar for Best Actress for her performance.
But there were two other noteworthy stars associated the film, at least as far as this gnarly old typist is concerned: Daniel Woodrell, the author of the book which gives an amazingly accurate portrayal of the sub-culture he sought to bring to light, and Merideth Sisco whose beautiful vocals helped to make the film so memorable. The opening scenes of the movie pan across the rugged Ozark landscape with Merideth singing "The Missouri Waltz" a cappella in the background. Her crystalline voice carrying Harry Truman's favorite song across the majesty of the wooded Ozark hills provides a stunning backdrop to Woodrell's tale.
The amazing voice and personality of Merideth Sisco were so captivating that a special scene was added to the movie just to incorporate her and her singing into it.
Daniel Woodrell, the author, passed away at his home in West Plains last November, and Merideth Sisco died in the same community yesterday. I never had the privilege of meeting Mr. Woodrell, but Merideth and I met in a cardiac rehab group in which we were both enrolled. We had several good conversations during the time that we were both in the group, discovering that we agreed on many things and especially those of a political nature. She was a lovely person, and I feel very privileged to have gotten to know her. I will never listen to "The Missouri Waltz" again without thinking of Merideth Sisco. She was a kind and caring human being and a songbird for the ages.
Rest in peace, old friend.
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