This was the 20th anniversary of the King Biscuit Blues Fest held in Helena Arkansas each October. It originally started out as October fest way back in the day. This year The Sonny Boy Williamson Blues Society was forced to hand over $15,000 to a New York company or use a different name. It will always be The Biscuit to me.
To this writer the ingredients that go into making the Biscuit are some very special people. It is a big blues fest in a small town. There is plenty of character to go around from the vendors, the staff, the volunteers the locals, (city and region) and the sponsors that really make it possible. Helena is the home of the Delta Cultural Center and the King Biscuit radio broadcast by "Sunshine" Sonny Payne.
I was part of the Set-Up crew, they call us "The Walking Dead" it was one heck of a ride. If you have the time, at some point in your life, help set-up, work on, or volunteer for a blues fest somewhere. It is a fantastic experience for a blues lover, likely one of the best of my life.
Unofficial guestimates marked the 20th Anniversary as the third best attended and possibly the largest single performance crowed ever for Mr. Bobby Rush on Saturday night. Mr. Rush played well into the night and morning hours. He had his audience right where he wanted them and it may have been one of his best performances. The audience was not to be outdone and got as much out of Mr. Rush as they could (including his girlfriends draws).
The best night of the living blues to date is Friday Oct 7th 2005. It started out with Sam Carr & The Delta Jukes, Larry McCray, Billy Branch & The Sons of the Blues (Carl Weathersby was a special guest with both Billy and McCray), PineTop Perkins (Alvin Jett & The Phat Noiz Band on Emerging Artist Stage), Mr Walter "Wolfman Washington, Bobby "Blue" Bland, and ending with James Cotton. Sam Carr started at 1pm, James Cotton ended after midnight.
Little Jimmy Reed unofficially kicked off the Biscuit at 10:30 am, 233 Cherry Street , the corner of Cherry and Elm, Thursday morning October 6th. Some of my favorite acts were; James Cotton with Tom Holland on Guitar, Billy Branch and the Sons of the Blues, Alvin Jett and The Phat Noise Band, Bobby "Blue" Band and the Rebba Russell Band kicking off The last day of the fest on Saturday. I also really enjoyed Rocky Lawrence and David Honeyboy Edwards. Diunna Greenleaf and The Mercy Blues Band were absolutely outstanding. Lonnie Shields and the band were also very good as was Big Red and the Soulbenders (another emerging artist and the winner or the Arkansas Arts Council Award for the best emerging Arkansas blues band).
This blues fest is like no other. There are plenty of acts to catch in tucked away places and right there on the street. It is close quarters, it is down home, and the sweet smells of a Bar-B-Que cook-off, vendors cooking and the raw smell of the hallowed Arkansas/Mississippi sacred ground fill the blues air.
Having been around all week I was really impressed with two young curly head white boys no older than 16. Jason and Kane Heiser, or something like that, totally blew me away with their talent and determination to produce music and to do the grunt work to make it possible. I saw them play every day of the fest. I even saw them jamming with some of the greats at Hopston MS. for the Pinetop Homecoming. God Bless The Blues!
At blues fests such as this one, a fan can not help but miss more than they see. One person I did see was Cedell Davis. Mr. Davis has some major problems with his hands but that did not prevent him from helping keep the blues alive. If you can get your hands on a Cedell Davis CD or DVD, buy it. Cedell is an old cat with many more health problems today than just his hands. Please support the "Donate a Penny" Fund for medical expences for blues musicians.
Lets switch gears.
Lets just say you love the blues and ya wanna go to a laid back place, enjoy it and have fun. Helena / West Helena is the place to go in the first or second week of October 2006.
Hotel reservations may be hard to come by, but you must plan early and put money down to reserve a hotel room. It will be well worth it if you need a room.
Lets just say you love the blues and you have a camper (or can afford to rent one). Put this on your agenda, hands down, no second-guessing. If you don't trust my opinion, ask others and form your own.
Lets just say you love the blues, and are willing to camp-out to hear it. Helena Firemans Camp Ground is the place to do it. $40 for the whole weekend, camper or tent, and the rumor is hot showers next year, (Thank You Brad). There was a larger blues crowd but about 100 less paying campsites this year in "Tent City".
My first biscuit was the best. It made me want another. The second biscuit reminded me of my first and left me wanting for more. There are some real friends that you can make that you just haven't met yet. When you finally do, you and they will be back. I'd guess that you will find them in Helena Arkansas in the first or second weekend of October.
The weather really cooperated this year, although I did almost get hit by lightning on Sunday morning early in "Tent City". There was a double rainbow Saturday evening just before the sun went down letting all us blues fans know that we are blessed to love such great music and events like this one. The few drops of rain reminded us of past fests and how lucky a blues lover was to be in Helena Arkansas Oct.6-8 2005.
Props out to Bunkies Breakfast, 409 Cherry Street, Isle of Capri Casino, Rayne Gordon, Robin, John, Rosie, Wayne , Jerry, Greg, The Sonny Boy Society and "Friends of the Biscuit", The Delta Cultural Center, Blackoak, Harry Larry, The Bushes (you know who you are ), Rich Cobb, Mayor Mike of Tent City, The Helena Fire Department, Jackson / Jim & Jimmy & crew, The State Of Missippi, The State of Arkansas, the fans, Pasquale's Tamales, Coco Distributing and other fine vendors and sponsors. The workers, the volunteers and most of all the Artists that play the music we love.
See ya in Helena 2006 ! Helena-yeah !
To get more information on the Sonny Boy Williamson Blues Society or the Arkansas Blues and Heritage Fest (formerly known as "The King Biscuit Blues Fest") can be found at the following web site http://www.bluesandheritage.com . For more info on the Delta Cultural Center go to www.deltaculturalcenter.com.
www.davidmadlener.com/bluesfestX.php
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