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Visit Chris Dair's web
site to hear his latest songs,
and see his videos.
http://www.chrisdairmusic.net
site to hear his latest songs,
and see his videos.
http://www.chrisdairmusic.net
Blues History of Arkansas
Arkansas Blues By Mike Dollins mike@mikedollins.biz
The Mississippi River is the state line between Arkansas and Mississippi. The infamous Blues Highway 49
crosses the Mississippi River, and winds up in the historic blues city of Helena, Arkansas home to King
Biscuit Floor Power Blues KFFA Radio, and the King Biscuit Blues Festival. The reason Arkansas didn’t get
on the blues map back in the turn of the 20th century, is the Smithsonian Institute in their quest to record
American Folk Music starting in 1902, headed down the Application trail, wound up in Tennessee and then
on down Mississippi to New Orleans. They never crossed the Mississippi River, heading westward, and thus
Kansas City Blues, St. Louis Blues, Los Angeles Blues, Oakland Bay Blues, San Francisco Blues, Seattle
Blues and Arkansas Blues didn’t make the grade. It was like black folk with African heritage, never lived
anywhere but in Mississippi and New Orleans. History is well recorded now, and from there anyone trying to
make a buck on blues starts at Clarksdale, stops in Memphis, heads northward and winds up in Chicago.
You can get that info on any album liner notes, or blues mag. Don’t get me started, and enough said for the
moment. Today, I am focusing on Arkansas Blues – You know the blues motrherland, west side of the
Mississippi River Valley and Delta. The Arkansas River joins the Mississippi River, just South of Helena,
Arkansas and Blues Highway 49 jumps the mighty muddy, a little ways Southwest from Clarksdale,
Mississippi. Welcome to Arkansas Delta Blues: Keep on jammin’ them blues brothers and sisters, it’s music
to my ears.
Arkansas Blues Legends: www.bluesguitarnews.com/ArkansasLegends
Blues Guitar News: www.bluesguitarnews.com
Blues Guitar News FaceBook: www.facebook.com/home.php?#!/pages/Blues-Guitar-
News/130791946935789?ref=mf
Ozark Blues Society: www.ozarkbluessociety.org
Ft. Smith Arkansas Blues: www.riverfrontbluesfest.org
Arkansas River Blues Society www.facebook.com/home.php?#!/profile.php?id=100001082993923&ref=ts
Become a Member of the ARBS: a 501 (c) 3 non-profit organization. Arkansas River Blues Society
Membership: $10 for single or $15 for family. Send check to Arkansas River Blues Society to P.O. Box 128,
Alexander, AR 72002 Barbara "Babs" Bearden - President, Deb Moser - Vice President, Therese Free -
Treasurer, Bonnie Parker - Secretary, Leadra Orr, Jeff Weeden, David Bogard, Mike Dollins – Board.
Contact Babs: bearden599@aol.com
Arkansas Blues & Heritage: www.bluesandheritagefest.com/sbbs
Arkansas Delta Cultural Center: www.deltaculturalcenter.com/education_programs
Spa City Blues Society: www.spacityblues.org
Arkansas Blues History: www.encyclopediaofarkansas.net/encyclopedia/entry-detail.aspx?entryID=599
Arkansas Blues on WikipediA: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arkansas_Delta
Arkansas Musicians in the Blues Hall of Fame ® : www.blueshalloffame.
com/Local_Blues_Talent/Local_Blues_Talent_of_Arkansas.html
Arkansas Blues Radio: www.kabf.org - www.kffa.com - www.kasu.org - www.kuaf.org
Arkansas Delta Boogie: www.deltaboogie.com
Arkansas Blues DJ’s: Queen of Arkansas Blues DJ’s Deb’s, Blues House Party: http://www.facebook.
com/search/?post_form_id=bdfb03ea4bf896719df7c38fe714f8e1&q=kabf&init=quick&ref=search_loaded#!
/profile.php?id=100000656863994&v=info&ref=search
Paul Kelso on KAUF: http://www.facebook.com/search/?
post_form_id=bdfb03ea4bf896719df7c38fe714f8e1&q=kabf&init=quick&ref=search_loaded#!/profile.php?
id=560134626&v=info&ref=search
Arkansas Blues Highway 49
Blues Highway 49 begins at Gulfport, Mississippi, which is 20 miles W/O Alabama, 20 miles E/O of Louisiana,
and about 50 miles from New Orleans. Gulfport, Mississippi is a true delta city, which is on the
Gulf of Mexico, in the most southern part of the United States. For those of you that have never had a plate
full of Turnip Greens, Black Eyed Peas and Cornbread, here we go: Traveling north, the first big town is
Hattiesburg, MS, but north of that is Mississippi’s main major city; Jackson, Mississippi home to some of the
worlds best, and most famous Gospel groups, and Gospel and blues radio programming too. North of
Jackson, is Yazoo City, a much worn out blues word. Highway 49 splits at Yazoo with 49w heading northwest,
and 49 northward. They join again at the crossroads of Hwy 49 and Hwy 3 in the middle of nothing but
cotton fields as far as you can see. The closet small towns are Rome and Dublin miles away. After passing
the crossroads, you will enter Clarksdale, Mississippi, which lays claim to be the epic-center for blues
worldwide. So be it. Leaving Clarksdale you are on joint Highway 49 and 61, and they split in ten miles with
the closest little berg being Rich, Mississippi. Highway 61 continues north, crosses the Mississippi State line
into, Memphis, Tennessee. I was in one of the worst thunderstorms of my life on this stretch of highway back
in 1996. Highway 49 turns west and crosses the Mississippi River, into Helena, Arkansas. This is home to
the King Biscuit; KFFA historic Sonny Boy Williamson blues radio show. We are still in fertile cotton, and
farming country. We didn’t really call it delta when I was a kid, but referred to it as bottomland or river
bottom. Traveling north, you pass West Memphis, Arkansas by about 20 miles, and head into Jonesboro,
Arkansas. My daddy was born in house along side Highway 49 back in 1913, and he was raised on a cotton
farm between Jonesboro, and Paragould, Arkansas. From here if you stay north on 49, you will cross
Arkansas into Missouri around Moark, Arkansas. 49 and 67 are joint highways in Missouri for a few miles. 49
will branch off around Williamsville, Missouri, and Highway 49 will continue to the north, and finally end at
the historic Route 66 in Cuba, Missouri, which is now Interstate 44. Highway 67 continues northeast and
eventually joins Interstate 55, just south of St. Louis, Missouri, which is some odd 200 plus miles
southwest, away from Chicago. For those of you that got some interest out of America’s Blues Highways,
there is a MapQuest Reference below for you. America’s music Highways are Route 66, Highway 49 & 61.
Although the Interstate system has fragmented the old Highway system, many parts of these old blues roads
are still there, where Southern and Union Pacific Railroads crisscross them continuously. I’ll talk about blues
trains in a future article. Now you know the rest of the story about blues highways in America.
Arkansas Blues Trail at MAPQUEST: http://www.mapquest.com/maps/map.adp?
formtype=address&country=US&city=West+Helena&state=AR
Arkansas Blues Highway 49 at Wikipedia, encyclopedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/U.S._Highway_49
.
Arkansas Blues By Mike Dollins mike@mikedollins.biz
The Mississippi River is the state line between Arkansas and Mississippi. The infamous Blues Highway 49
crosses the Mississippi River, and winds up in the historic blues city of Helena, Arkansas home to King
Biscuit Floor Power Blues KFFA Radio, and the King Biscuit Blues Festival. The reason Arkansas didn’t get
on the blues map back in the turn of the 20th century, is the Smithsonian Institute in their quest to record
American Folk Music starting in 1902, headed down the Application trail, wound up in Tennessee and then
on down Mississippi to New Orleans. They never crossed the Mississippi River, heading westward, and thus
Kansas City Blues, St. Louis Blues, Los Angeles Blues, Oakland Bay Blues, San Francisco Blues, Seattle
Blues and Arkansas Blues didn’t make the grade. It was like black folk with African heritage, never lived
anywhere but in Mississippi and New Orleans. History is well recorded now, and from there anyone trying to
make a buck on blues starts at Clarksdale, stops in Memphis, heads northward and winds up in Chicago.
You can get that info on any album liner notes, or blues mag. Don’t get me started, and enough said for the
moment. Today, I am focusing on Arkansas Blues – You know the blues motrherland, west side of the
Mississippi River Valley and Delta. The Arkansas River joins the Mississippi River, just South of Helena,
Arkansas and Blues Highway 49 jumps the mighty muddy, a little ways Southwest from Clarksdale,
Mississippi. Welcome to Arkansas Delta Blues: Keep on jammin’ them blues brothers and sisters, it’s music
to my ears.
Arkansas Blues Legends: www.bluesguitarnews.com/ArkansasLegends
Blues Guitar News: www.bluesguitarnews.com
Blues Guitar News FaceBook: www.facebook.com/home.php?#!/pages/Blues-Guitar-
News/130791946935789?ref=mf
Ozark Blues Society: www.ozarkbluessociety.org
Ft. Smith Arkansas Blues: www.riverfrontbluesfest.org
Arkansas River Blues Society www.facebook.com/home.php?#!/profile.php?id=100001082993923&ref=ts
Become a Member of the ARBS: a 501 (c) 3 non-profit organization. Arkansas River Blues Society
Membership: $10 for single or $15 for family. Send check to Arkansas River Blues Society to P.O. Box 128,
Alexander, AR 72002 Barbara "Babs" Bearden - President, Deb Moser - Vice President, Therese Free -
Treasurer, Bonnie Parker - Secretary, Leadra Orr, Jeff Weeden, David Bogard, Mike Dollins – Board.
Contact Babs: bearden599@aol.com
Arkansas Blues & Heritage: www.bluesandheritagefest.com/sbbs
Arkansas Delta Cultural Center: www.deltaculturalcenter.com/education_programs
Spa City Blues Society: www.spacityblues.org
Arkansas Blues History: www.encyclopediaofarkansas.net/encyclopedia/entry-detail.aspx?entryID=599
Arkansas Blues on WikipediA: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arkansas_Delta
Arkansas Musicians in the Blues Hall of Fame ® : www.blueshalloffame.
com/Local_Blues_Talent/Local_Blues_Talent_of_Arkansas.html
Arkansas Blues Radio: www.kabf.org - www.kffa.com - www.kasu.org - www.kuaf.org
Arkansas Delta Boogie: www.deltaboogie.com
Arkansas Blues DJ’s: Queen of Arkansas Blues DJ’s Deb’s, Blues House Party: http://www.facebook.
com/search/?post_form_id=bdfb03ea4bf896719df7c38fe714f8e1&q=kabf&init=quick&ref=search_loaded#!
/profile.php?id=100000656863994&v=info&ref=search
Paul Kelso on KAUF: http://www.facebook.com/search/?
post_form_id=bdfb03ea4bf896719df7c38fe714f8e1&q=kabf&init=quick&ref=search_loaded#!/profile.php?
id=560134626&v=info&ref=search
Arkansas Blues Highway 49
Blues Highway 49 begins at Gulfport, Mississippi, which is 20 miles W/O Alabama, 20 miles E/O of Louisiana,
and about 50 miles from New Orleans. Gulfport, Mississippi is a true delta city, which is on the
Gulf of Mexico, in the most southern part of the United States. For those of you that have never had a plate
full of Turnip Greens, Black Eyed Peas and Cornbread, here we go: Traveling north, the first big town is
Hattiesburg, MS, but north of that is Mississippi’s main major city; Jackson, Mississippi home to some of the
worlds best, and most famous Gospel groups, and Gospel and blues radio programming too. North of
Jackson, is Yazoo City, a much worn out blues word. Highway 49 splits at Yazoo with 49w heading northwest,
and 49 northward. They join again at the crossroads of Hwy 49 and Hwy 3 in the middle of nothing but
cotton fields as far as you can see. The closet small towns are Rome and Dublin miles away. After passing
the crossroads, you will enter Clarksdale, Mississippi, which lays claim to be the epic-center for blues
worldwide. So be it. Leaving Clarksdale you are on joint Highway 49 and 61, and they split in ten miles with
the closest little berg being Rich, Mississippi. Highway 61 continues north, crosses the Mississippi State line
into, Memphis, Tennessee. I was in one of the worst thunderstorms of my life on this stretch of highway back
in 1996. Highway 49 turns west and crosses the Mississippi River, into Helena, Arkansas. This is home to
the King Biscuit; KFFA historic Sonny Boy Williamson blues radio show. We are still in fertile cotton, and
farming country. We didn’t really call it delta when I was a kid, but referred to it as bottomland or river
bottom. Traveling north, you pass West Memphis, Arkansas by about 20 miles, and head into Jonesboro,
Arkansas. My daddy was born in house along side Highway 49 back in 1913, and he was raised on a cotton
farm between Jonesboro, and Paragould, Arkansas. From here if you stay north on 49, you will cross
Arkansas into Missouri around Moark, Arkansas. 49 and 67 are joint highways in Missouri for a few miles. 49
will branch off around Williamsville, Missouri, and Highway 49 will continue to the north, and finally end at
the historic Route 66 in Cuba, Missouri, which is now Interstate 44. Highway 67 continues northeast and
eventually joins Interstate 55, just south of St. Louis, Missouri, which is some odd 200 plus miles
southwest, away from Chicago. For those of you that got some interest out of America’s Blues Highways,
there is a MapQuest Reference below for you. America’s music Highways are Route 66, Highway 49 & 61.
Although the Interstate system has fragmented the old Highway system, many parts of these old blues roads
are still there, where Southern and Union Pacific Railroads crisscross them continuously. I’ll talk about blues
trains in a future article. Now you know the rest of the story about blues highways in America.
Arkansas Blues Trail at MAPQUEST: http://www.mapquest.com/maps/map.adp?
formtype=address&country=US&city=West+Helena&state=AR
Arkansas Blues Highway 49 at Wikipedia, encyclopedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/U.S._Highway_49
.
Sunshine Sonny Payne, the first ever All Blues DJ in the world,
in Helena, Arkansas on KFFA radio.
http://sunshinesonnypayne.com/
in Helena, Arkansas on KFFA radio.
http://sunshinesonnypayne.com/
Sonny holding my CD that was voted #1
Arkansas Blues CD for the IBC in 2008
Arkansas Blues CD for the IBC in 2008
| - - P R E S S R E L E A S E - - Arkansas Delta & Bayou Musicians Cruize Brothers Band Inducted into the Blues Hall of Fame 2011 See, and hear the Cruize Brothers MP3's and Videos playing blues classics at: www.mikedollins.biz/CruizeBrothers As seen on ABC TV. Voted Best Arkansas Blues CD at the 2008 International Blues Challenge, by the Blues Foundation. President Dan Marolt DanMarolt@blueshalloffame.com Announces the Cruize Brothers were inducted into the National Heritage Blues Hall of Fame, for 2011. A lifetime achievement in the blues; Performing, and Networking worldwide. www.blueshalloffame.com Complete Bio, Interviews and References at: www.mikedollins.biz/Press For further information on the legendary Cruize Brothers 30 Year history email us at at: cruizebrothers@mikedollins.biz The band is searching for a new Agent. Their old agent retired in 2011. Interested, send them an email. April 1 & 2, The Cruize Brothers will appear at Big Red's, Blues Bayou Restaurant and Club, on the Arkansas side of the Mississippi River, in Blues Epic Center Helena, AR. Blues Bayou, 115 Cherry Street, Helena, AR 72342 870-338-8839 http://www.facebook.com/pages/Blues-Bayou-Restaurant-Blues-Club/137490426271842?sk=info Blues Bayou on FaceBook The Cruize Brothers play both kinds of music; Rhythm and Blues Catch them on FaceBook at: www.facebook.com/CruizeBros For booking and scheduling, please email the band at cruizebrothers@mikedollins.biz Thank you L-R Mike Dollins-Guitar, Guido Ciardetti-Bass, Ed Bowman-Vocal, Brad Messer-Drums Ed Bowman was born in the Bayous, along the Arkansas River Delta between the Arkansas and Mississippi Rivers. Although the youngest member, has the deepest roots to the authentic heritage of blues through birth and environment. He is called the "Real Deal." A true American Folk Art blues singer from the delta land USA. Mike Dollins' daddy MC Dollins was born along Historic Blues Highway 49, just outside of West Memphis, Arkansas on a cotton plantation in 1913. After the great depression, his dad migrated by John Steinbeck's Grapes of Wrath to California where Mike was born in San Diego. Spent summers on his Arkansas uncle's farms. Tired of Southern California life in the fast lane, moved back to the Arkansas Delta to be near his family. Brad Messer from Dallas, was schooled in the Texas Blues that produced Lightnin' Hopkins, T Bone Walker, Stevie Ray Vaughan and Freddy King. A much in demand stage and studio drummer, Brad is a practicing attorney, and handles the bands contracts and affairs. Guido Ciardetti, owner of Guido's Vintage Guitars & Hot Springs Music, is well known in the vintage guitar and Dallas guitar show circuits. Born in blues rich Chicago, eventually migrated to warmer weather in Dallas, where he played with such greats as Buddy Miles and Kenny Neal. JAM Music Publishing ASCAP Brought to you by: Blues Guitar News and Arkansas Blues Legends: www.bluesguitarnews.com Read by 50,000 Blues Friends worldwide. The mother ship blues network and Hot Links. Hot Springs Music, Vintage Guitars: www.mikedollins.biz/GuitarShop Hot Springs Music Hot Line: 501-625-ROCK Guido Vintage Guitars: vintageguitarguru@yahoo.com 501-655-6168 |
Welcome to Blues Guitar News. A lot of folks are coming over now from FaceBook,
and according to our last look at the site checker, more than 56,185 blues folks have
joined us on our blues site. Not your normal main stream media, hyped up blues site,
but more down to earth street level working blues musicians focused site. We like to
"Share the Hog," and shout out about others from a worldwide base. Sorry, our email
is so tremendous, we try to answer everyone, and we can't possibly post all the
hundreds of blues requests we get daily on this site. We do our best to give our
readers a great slice of pie of blues from around the world. Check out the back issues,
and Hot Links which will take you many days to discover all the thousands of blues
contacts we've collected. Not a lot of BS, but real deal blues you can use. Mike
and according to our last look at the site checker, more than 56,185 blues folks have
joined us on our blues site. Not your normal main stream media, hyped up blues site,
but more down to earth street level working blues musicians focused site. We like to
"Share the Hog," and shout out about others from a worldwide base. Sorry, our email
is so tremendous, we try to answer everyone, and we can't possibly post all the
hundreds of blues requests we get daily on this site. We do our best to give our
readers a great slice of pie of blues from around the world. Check out the back issues,
and Hot Links which will take you many days to discover all the thousands of blues
contacts we've collected. Not a lot of BS, but real deal blues you can use. Mike
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Mike's dad was born on a cotton
plantation, just West of West Memphis,
Arkansas along highway 49, in July 27th
of 1913. Now that's as blues as it gets.
plantation, just West of West Memphis,
Arkansas along highway 49, in July 27th
of 1913. Now that's as blues as it gets.
| Cruize Brothers "Live" pure, raw and down to earth real. |
