‘Heal the Waters’ is a timeless effort
Don Matt and Scott Thompson have been harmonizing together for more than 45 years. “We made our own first cassette in 1980,” Don said. “We went to a studio in Harrison and made our first album. Just the two of us. We set three microphones up and played for about an hour-and-a-half. We didn’t even edit; we just took what he had. We did it all at once.”
Don has written more than 100 songs and said their style of song and lyric would most closely be defined as folk music. Their amount of production makes them as prolific of songwriters that Eureka Springs has ever known., and the longevity of their duet has stood the test of time. However, it is their message that is truly timeless: Heal the Water!
Don and Scott only play original songs and don’t play covers. Their originals are mostly written on guitar accompanied with ukulele harmony, and Scott now rotates between ukulele and handpan drums. On request, they play medieval tunes from the 1100s. Don will pull out his great-granddaddy’s fiddle and Scott plays recorder. “We just look it up on YouTube and learn it by ear. Usually, Don learns it on the fiddle, and I do the harmonies,” Scott said.
“Barbara Harmony, Pat Costner and Doug Stowe were the catalysts for the National Water Center back in 1979-80,” Don said. They opened an office down from the post office where Quicksilver used to be, on the right-hand side of that building.
Don tells about the day he was sweeping the floors at city hall when Doug Stowe came through.
Doug: “We’re doing this National Water Center thing, we need you to write us a song.”
Don: “I don’t really do that kind of thing. I’ve never written a song for somebody like that.”
Doug: “Well, you could try.”
Don: “What do you have in mind?”
Doug: “I got a title. Heal the Water.”
Don: “I’ll work on that.”
The National Water Center was founded in 1979 by Pat Costner and Barbara Harmony. Their mission was to heal these once healing springs and restore Leatherwood Creek to its pristine state. Costner and Harmony published a magazine, Aqua Terra, and a book, We All Live Downstream.
“We hope to enter the new millennium with a strong network of water workers devoted to a new and appropriate concept of water use where we all enjoy the blessings of clean water. Remember, we all live downstream. Heal these waters!” Barbara Harmony wrote.
“The most important issues of our time are water and peace,” Costner wrote. “Both are survival issues. Both require that we learn to live thoughtfully and cooperate with each other, forever. Every action we take, whether in the political, social, economic or environmental sphere, affects and is affected by the water.”
Group W
Don Matt was custodian at the Eureka Springs City Hall from 1979-2020. “In those days I lived at 79 1/2 Spring, above Beau Satori’s old shop, really close to the Group W bench,” he said. “I lived on the third floor, and I’d have my window open at night and there would be people down there on that bench singing all night long. People just hung out there. We had a chief of police when I first moved here named John Tyson, he was a cowboy singer, a baritone. He played the guitar and sang. He would roll up in his green Dodge Ram he called the Green Lizard. He’d park it, get out and sit there and play music with people on the bench. The chief of police! It was cool.”
Land Trust 1994
In 1994, nine people, including Don Matt, pooled resources to purchase 400 acres. They named it Ninestone Land Trust, and in 1996, it was incorporated.
“My wife and I are actually the only people who live there right now. It’s set up to go on after we’re gone,” Don said. “We created it with specific rules, a land use plan. We partnered with Ozark Regional Land Trust. And became 501(c) (2), so our non-profit can hold the title to the land.
“It’s not in anybody’s name, it will outlast us. I am president of a five-member board. The 400 acres can’t be broken up. The other board members, other than my wife, have expertise in land restoration for natural communities. They help guide us. 1994, incorporated in 1996, thirty years.
“The whole point was to create a non-profit title holding company that had restrictions on what could be done with land. It can’t be subdivided. Keeping it intact protects the different ecological zones. We have a mile-and-a-half of creek and several springs. If you keep it whole and don’t break it up, it’s much better for all the flora and fauna living there.
“When my mom and dad were first married, they were dealing with World War II, and they fell in love. They made it through and had a beautiful life, which included me. I think about that success and their endurance and the love they brought through. Even though it was bad for them, they kept that love.”
Heal the Water
Heal the water, give her your love
Heal the water, there’s still time enough
To give her back the sparkling colors blue
And give her the purity she once gave to you
She’s given and given and given, ‘til she just can’t give no more
She’s scarified her precious life, and she will sacrifice for us no more
We must heal the water, as she has healed you.
Heal the water, it’s the least you can do
For all the life she’s given you
Imagine her beautiful and make it come true.
“Thank you for listening. I love writing music and making songs, but they are really not finished until you get to hear them,” Don said.
Don and Scott play every Wednesday from 4:30 to 6 at the Library Annex Building:
When it’s nice they sit in the garden next to the library. When it’s not so nice, they play in one of the meeting rooms.