Are you from the Helena area? I lived there as a kid from 1980-1987 before moving to Memphis. It is so dead there now but I will always love the Arkansas (and Mississippi) delta. Work takes me to Helana a couple times a year and I always end up in Marvell, AR. each September for the demolition derby!
Would love to hear some history and hear some “the way it was back then” stories.
I grew up in Eastern Arkansas. I got out of the Navy in 1973 and started attending junior college in Helena and worked part time at KFFA. In January 1974 I took over the morning slot 5 to 11:30. Sonny Payne sold ads and worked on the air 11:30 to 1. During that time he did the King Buscuit Show. Once when he took a few days off I subbed for him. Years later I realized what an honor that was.
Back in the 50s and early 60s B.B. King, Ike Turner, Conway Twitty (Harold Jenkins and the Ridge Runners), Ronnie Hawkins and, of course, Elvis played live. And all of the blues greats.
I’m pretty sure KFFA was the first radio station west of the Mississippi. Very legendary. They had more records than they could store. DJ Bill Holland told me back in the 60s when he had a rock show on in the afternoon and once a month he’d announce that after school he would be throwing records out of the fourth floor window. ( We broadcast from the 4th floor of the Helena National Bank building). He said the parking lot was full.
They had all of the Sun Records 33rpm disks. Bob Wills...Bug Band...they told me I could have whatever I wanted. Stupid me, I didn’t take any. At the Delta Heritage Center they used to have a 33rpm of Elvis’ That’s Allright Mama autographed by the King. Probably still hanging on the wall.
A year or so back I stopped in to see Sonny during the show and after a while he remembered me and interviewed me on air. So glad I got to see him.
He told the story of one day during the show a man and his son were looking at pictures in the center and he and Sonny were chatting. So, Sonny told him to have a seat in front of a mic and Sonny would put him on the air.
He asked him where he was from and the man said he was from England. Sonny asked him what he did. The man said he played golf. The kid spoke up and said “He’s also a singer and musician.”
Sonny said “I didn’t get your name. What is your name?*
The man replied “Robert Plant.”. Lots of blues stars came by over the years.
The town was jumping back when I lived there. I moved away in 1976. Recently I read a building downtown had collapsed and they were trying to come up with the money to finish the demolition.
Speaking of demolition, I can’t believe they still have the Derby in Marvel.