Friday, December 17, 2010

Living in the Delta and The Blues

The Delta, what is it, where is it and where does it end and begin? There is so much to see and experience in the 15 county region that can take you driving on top of Crowley's Ridge  which we can see  from our front porch. The unusual Ridge that is found among the flat lands of the Delta; the land change came from the Ice Age  which was carved out from torrential rains, its been building further over the last 12 million years by glacier gravel and windblown loess.

Along  Crowley's Ridge (Stone Lake)

Beginning in Missouri, just below Cape Girardeau, and forms a crescent shape ending at Helena-West Helena in Arkansas which was divided until 2001.The history of this town named Helena is not only vast but has gone through what many southern towns did after the Civil War the pains, gains and trials of the civil rights to the music that started across the Mississippi and sailed right to Helena, AR in the '40's. Go to Arkansas Delta Byways for more information about the Delta of Arkansas.

Delta Cultural Center Cherry St.
One of the birthplaces of the Blues is Helena, we have the longest running AM radio show in history: King Biscuit Time which continues to be broadcast daily on Delta Broadcasting’s KFFA 1360 AM. November 21, 1941, King Biscuit Time featured legendary blues artists Sonny Boy Williamson and Robert Jr. Lockwood playing live in the studio. The show was named after the locally distributed King Biscuit Flour and because the show features live bands and singers it influenced four generations of the Delta blues and three generations of rock artists. 
http://www.deltaculturalcenter.com/ for schedule of events and Blues history.


B.B. King receiving Key of the City
  One of the biggest music fests in the Nation-The King Biscuit Blues Fest celebrated the second weekend of October with the grand opening on Thursday and ending on Saturday. You can walk to the festivities from Magnolia Hill Bed and Breakfast and never worry about parking or traffic if there ever was any.  October 2010 was their 25th year, the fest opened with the king of the blues that still has a booming voice B. B. King. The second evening featured legendary  Dr. John and multitudes of bands that overtook our downtown with band comptitions all day long making it a musical extravaganza. Our historic downtown was full of music, laughter, food and comradely for the music that came before rock 'n roll, rap and Jazz.

Come visit Helena Arkansas, stay at our Bed and Breakfast and experience Southern Hospitality and one of the birth places of the Blues. Little towns in the USA-lets bring them back to where they belong! Loving living in the Delta and more than anything we have been welcomed here with open arms and hearts.
"You have to understand a bit about the poetry of the blues to know where the references are coming from"
Van Morrison

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