We're headed off on another amazing tour, this time to visit the Arkansas Delta for a music and BBQ tour that is sure to rank up there with my best trips ever. The awesome folks at Arkansas Tourism who have sponsored this trip have been nice enough to even create a playlist for this road trip. So ... instead of keeping it all to myself, I want to share it with you guys as well!
What makes me so excited about this trip is that we're going to be exploring the birthplace of rock and roll. There was a unique environment that was created in the 1950's as traditional "black music" and culture began mixing more openly with "white music" and that led to an explosion in demand for this new sound. While you might associate these acts more with Memphis and Nashville, the Arkansas Delta was a diverse community, rich with talent, where blues and country sounds came together with recording labels in Memphis that helped it spread nationally.
Stay tuned for more from our trip and make sure to follow-along on social media using #VisitArkansas as we share our journey!
Day One in the Arkansas Delta Playlist:
Delta / Helena Based Artists
- Robert Nighthawk, Bricks in My Pillow
- Robert Nighthawk, Return Mail Blues
- Conway Titty, Hello Darilin This Far Before
- Conway Titty, Rest Your Love On Me
- Conway Titty, You’ve Never Been This Far Before
- Robert Lockwood Jr., Black Spider Blues
- Robert Lockwood Jr., Steady Rollin’ Man
- Robert Lockwood Jr., Take a Little Walk With Me
- Willie Smith, Lord, Lord, Lord
- Willie Smith, Gambling Blues
- William Warfield, Ol’ Man River
- William Warfield, Simple Gifts
- Michael Burks, Empty Promises
- Michael Burks, I Smell Smoke
- Sonny Boy Williamson, Keep It to Yourself
Songs by Frank Frost / Robert Nighthawk
- Robert Nighthawk, Sweet Black Angel,
- Robert Nighthawk, The Moon in Rising
- Robert Nighthawk, Jackson Town Gal
- Frank Frost, My Back Scratcher
- Frank Frost, Lucky to Be Living
- Frank Frost, Feel Good Babe
Artists featured on the King Biscuit Time Radio Show
- Sonny Boy Williamson II, Bring It on Home
- Sonny Boy Williamson II, One Way Out
- Pinetop Perkins, How Long
- Pinetop Perkins, Sunnyland Slim
- James Peck Curtis, Jerusalem Blues
- James Peck Curtis, Bus Fare
- B.B. King, How Blue Can You Get
- B.B King, Rock Me Baby
- James Cotton, Rocket 88
- James Cotton, Cotton Crop Blues
- Ike Turner, Lone Gravy
- Ike Turner, Prancing
- Little Walter Jacobs, My Babe
- Little Walter Jacobs, Sad Horus
- Jimmy Rodgers, Waiting for a Train
- Jimmy Rogers, Standin’ On The Corner
Marianna, Arkansas Artists
- Robert McFerrin, I’m on My Way
- Robert McFerrin, Nuclear Devel
- Robert McFerrin, I Loves You Porgy
- John Weston, Side Dish
- John Weston, Monkey on My Back
- John Weston, Bubba’s Blues
Turkey Scratch Artists
- Levon Helm, The Weight
- Levon Helm, Up on Cripple Creek
- Levon Helm, I Shall Be Released
- Robert Lockwood Jr., Going Down Slow
- Robert Lockwood Jr., Train My Baby
Albert King
- Albert King, Born Under a Bad Sign
- Albert King, I Get Evil
- Albert King, I’ll Play The Blues For You
Day Two in the Arkansas Delta Playlist:
West Memphis (Arkansas) Artists
- Johnnie Taylor, Last Two Dollars
- Johnnie Taylor, Who’s Making Love
- Johnnie Taylor, Disco Lady
- Johnnie Taylor, Soul Heaven
- Chester Arthur "Howlin' Wolf" Burnett, Spoonful
- Chester Arthur "Howlin' Wolf" Burnett, Back Door Man
- Chester Arthur "Howlin' Wolf" Burnett, How Many More Years
- Chester Arthur "Howlin' Wolf" Burnett, Little Red Rooster
- The Memphis Horns (Wayne Jackson and Andrew Love), Beale Street Strut
- The Memphis Horns (Wayne Jackson and Andrew Love), Itta Bena Funk
- The Memphis Horns (Wayne Jackson and Andrew Love), These Arms Of Mine
- The Memphis Horns (Wayne Jackson and Andrew Love), Flame Out
Artists who recorded in KWEM studio
- Chester Arthur "Howlin' Wolf" Burnett (listed above)
- James Cotton, Play With Your Poodle
- Hubert Sumlin, Still Playing The Blues
- Junior Parker, Mystery Train
- B.B. King, The Thrill Is Gone
- Sonny Boy Williamson, Got The Bottle Up And Gone
- Ike Turner, She Made My Blood Run Cold
- Calvin Newborn, Blue ‘n’ Boogie
- Willie Mitchell, Groovin’
- Albert King, Born Under A Bad Sign
- Elmore James, The Sky Is Crying
- Houston Stackhouse, Cool Drink Of Water
- Bobby Blue Bland, Ain’t No Love In The Heart Of The City
- Roscoe Gordon, T-Model Boogie
- Willie Nix, baker Shop Boogie
Johnny Cash (Dyess, Arkansas)
- Johnny Cash, Hurt
- Johnny Cash, I Walk the Line
- Johnny Cash, Ring of Fire
- Johnny Cash, Folsom Prison Blues
- Johnny Cash, God’s Gonna Cut You Down
- Johnny Cash, She Used to Love Me a Lot
Blytheville Based Artists
- Trent Tomlinson, One Wing In The Fire
- Trent Tomlinson, Just Might Have Her Radio On
- Trent Tomlinson, Drunker Than Me
- Trent Tomlinson, That’s What’s Working Right Now
- Junior Walker, Shotgun
- Junior Walker, Cleo’s Mood
- Junior Walker, Shake and Fingerpop
- Junior Walker, Ame’ Cherie
- Dee Clark, Raindrops
- Dee Clark, Hey Little Girl
- Dee Clark, Nobody But You
- Dee Clark, Warm Summer Breezes
Day Three in the Arkansas Delta Playlist:
Blytheville / Walnut Ridge
- Washboard Sam, Diggin’ My Potatoes
- Washboard Sam, Washboard Swing
- Washboard Sam, Come On Back
- Ehron VonAllen (Aaron Allen), Sin Of Nature
- Ehron VonAllen (Aaron Allen), A Heavy Burden
- Ehron VonAllen (Aaron Allen), The Missing
- Sonny Burgess, Red Headed Woman
- Sonny Burgess, We Wanna Boogie
Tour the “Beatles” sites in Walnut Ridge
- The Beatles, Come Together
- The Beatles, Something
- The Beatles, Oh! Darling
- The Beatles, Here Comes The Sun
Piggott Based Artists
- Frances Greer, I’ll Follow My Secret Heart
- Frances Greer, Make Believe
- Frances Greer, Ziegeuner
