April 12 at 2:00 pm - 3:00 pm
Free
On Sunday, April 12, 2026, at 2:00pm in the Betty Strong Encounter Center auditorium, Gary Zalud and Dan Holtz will present Heroism on the Plains: Story Songs of Courage and Determination. Admission is free, but freewill donations encouraged.
Their program includes songs about fascinating stories from Nebraska and Great Plains history. Their songs include stories about homesteaders, Native Americans, World War II heroes, natural wonders and more. The duo brings Nebraska and plains history alive through their acoustic-electric renditions of Holtz’s and Zalud’s story songs.
Holtz and Zalud, whose musical collaboration goes back to their days growing up in Ord, NE, now perform as “Flatwater Reunion,” after recently re-connecting. They played together in a musical group named “Calico,” nearly 50 years ago.
Dr. Holtz is a Peru State College Emeritus Professor of English; Dr. Zalud is Emeritus Professor of Literacy Education and was the longtime Chair of Curriculum and Instruction at the University of South Dakota in Vermillion. In the year 2000, Holtz was the recipient of the Nebraska State College System Teaching Excellence Award and has given more than 500 musical, historical-storytelling programs statewide and beyond through the sponsorship of Humanities Nebraska. Zalud received the USD School of Education 2015-16 Excellence in Service award for impactful work with school districts in North and South Dakota, Nebraska, Minnesota, Wyoming and Iowa.
