Helena is located in Phillips County, Arkansas. In 2011 the Pryor Center began conducting video interviews with former and current residents of Helena. They told stories of Helena in its heyday as a thriving, diverse community and international port on the Mississippi River. Cotton cultivation, bustling sidewalks, busy shops for every need, slot machines in the drugstores, traveling minstrel shows, and religious groups as diverse as the population made Helena one of the largest, most exciting cities in Arkansas. Phillips County was home to seven Confederate generals, and Helena was the site of the Battle of Helena on July 4, 1863. Large-scale cotton industries that were reliant on black sharecropping and slave labor sustained the economic engine of the Arkansas and Mississippi Deltas. Over the past century, racial tensions, the great Mississippi flood of 1927, mechanized, industrialized cultivation of agriculture, and the recruitment of labor by northern cities in the United States contributed to a declining population.
Helena's music venues incubated the blues genre and the longest-running, and still running, blues radio program in the world, King Biscuit Time, which helped plant the seeds for rock and roll. The annual King Biscuit Blues Festival remains the premier blues festival in the world.
The Pryor Center began interviewing musicians and recording symposia at the King Biscuit Blues Festival in 2015. Eric Gorder, whose photography is featured in the slide show on this page, had been recommending attention to the festival for nearly a decade before the Pryor Center was able to attend.
When Pryor Center staff arrived at Bubba’s Blues Corner on Cherry Street in the fall of 2015 to determine interview space and set equipment, blues historian Donald Wilcock was there. He graciously accepted the offer to sit in the interviewer's chair that year, and he returned to the chair in 2016. Collaborations with Eric and Don continue.
#1: The "Biscuit is Back" banner displayed at the 2010 Arkansas Blues and Heritage Festival heralding the return of the name King Biscuit Blues Festival in 2011
© Eric Gorder 2010; egorder@gmail.com
#2: Dave “Honeyboy” Edwards performs at the Arkansas Blues and Heritage Festival; 2005
© Eric Gorder 2005; egorder@gmail.com
#3: Sam Myers onstage at the Arkansas Blues and Heritage Festival; 2005
© Eric Gorder 2005; egorder@gmail.com
#4: Bubba's Blues Corner, Helena, Arkansas; 2015
© Pryor Center for Arkansas Oral and Visual History, University of Arkansas
#5: Sweet Betty Journey performs at the Arkansas Blues and Heritage Festival; 2006
© Eric Gorder 2006; egorder@gmail.com
#6: Bob Corritore performs on the main stage at the Arkansas Blues and Heritage Festival; 2009
© Eric Gorder 2009; egorder@gmail.com
#7: Pinetop Perkins (right) and Bob Margolin finish up a performance on the main stage at the Arkansas Blues and Heritage Festival; 2009
© Eric Gorder 2009; egorder@gmail.com
#8: Street performer and onlookers on Cherry Street in downtown Helena, Arkansas, during the Arkansas Blues and Heritage Festival; 2006
© Eric Gorder 2006; egorder@gmail.com
#9: Dave Riley performs on the main stage at the Arkansas Blues and Heritage Festival; 2006
© Eric Gorder 2006; egorder@gmail.com
#10: Anson Funderburgh performs at the Arkansas Blues and Heritage Festival; 2006
© Eric Gorder 2006; egorder@gmail.com
#11: Bobby Rush (left) with Sonny Payne at the Bobby Rush Appreciation Day event, which was held at Southbound Pizza during the King Biscuit Blues Festival; Helena, Arkansas, 2016
© Pryor Center for Arkansas Oral and Visual History, University of Arkansas
#12: Lucious Spiller with his guitar at the age of 4
© Pryor Center for Arkansas Oral and Visual History, University of Arkansas
#13: Don Wilcock interviews Zac Harmon at Bubba's Blues Corner during the King Biscuit Blues Festival; Helena, Arkansas, 2015
© Pryor Center for Arkansas Oral and Visual History, University of Arkansas
#14: Close-up of a customized gas-can guitar onstage during a performance by James “Super Chikan” Johnson at the Arkansas Blues and Heritage Festival; 2006
© Eric Gorder 2006; egorder@gmail.com
#15: Michael Burks performs at the Arkansas Blues and Heritage Festival; 2006
© Eric Gorder 2006; egorder@gmail.com
#16: Paul Thorn performs at the Arkansas Blues and Heritage Festival; 2010
© Eric Gorder 2010; egorder@gmail.com
#17: Robert Lockwood Jr., the only individual taught to play the guitar by Robert Johnson, performs onstage at the Arkansas Blues and Heritage Festival; 2006
© Eric Gorder 2006; egorder@gmail.com
#18: James “Super Chikan” Johnson performs at the Arkansas Blues and Heritage Festival; 2006
© Eric Gorder 2006; egorder@gmail.com
#19: Bill “Watermelon Slim” Homans performs at the Arkansas Blues and Heritage Festival; 2006
© Eric Gorder 2006; egorder@gmail.com
#20: Signboard on Cherry Street advertising an upcoming performance by Cedell Davis during the King Biscuit Blues Festival; Helena, Arkansas, 2015
© Pryor Center for Arkansas Oral and Visual History, University of Arkansas
#21: Kenny Neal (right) being interviewed by Don Wilcock (left) and Scott Lunsford at the King Biscuit Blues Festival; 2016
© Eric Gorder 2017; egorder@gmail.com
#22: Bob Margolin performs at the Arkansas Blues and Heritage Festival; 2009
© Eric Gorder 2009; egorder@gmail.com
#23: Blind Mississippi Morris performs on Cherry Street in Helena, Arkansas, during the Arkansas Blues and Heritage Festival; 2009
© Eric Gorder 2009; egorder@gmail.com
#24: Bobby Rush (left) talks to Sonny Payne at the Bobby Rush Appreciation Day event, which was held at Southbound Pizza during the King Biscuit Blues Festival; Helena, Arkansas, 2016
© Pryor Center for Arkansas Oral and Visual History, University of Arkansas
#25: Pinetop Perkins enjoys a performance at the Arkansas Blues and Heritage Festival; 2005
© Eric Gorder 2005; egorder@gmail.com
#26: Reba Russell performs on the main stage at the Arkansas Blues and Heritage Festival on a cool October day; 2009
© Eric Gorder 2009; egorder@gmail.com
#27: Christina Vierra of Mississippi Bigfoot being interviewed by Don Wilcock during the King Biscuit Blues Festival; Josh Colvert on camera; 2016
© Eric Gorder 2017; egorder@gmail.com
#28: Willie “Big Eyes” Smith performs on the main stage at the Arkansas Blues and Heritage Festival; 2009
© Eric Gorder 2009; egorder@gmail.com
#29: Historic Malco Theater on Cherry Street; Helena, Arkansas, 2015
© Pryor Center for Arkansas Oral and Visual History, University of Arkansas
#30: Charlotte Taylor performs at the King Biscuit Blues Festival; 2015
© Eric Gorder 2015; egorder@gmail.com
#31: B.B. King performs at the Arkansas Blues and Heritage Festival; 2010
© Eric Gorder 2010; egorder@gmail.com
#32: Bob Margolin (guitar), Bob Stroger (bass), and Pinetop Perkins (keyboard) perform at the Arkansas Blues and Heritage Festival; 2009
© Eric Gorder 2009; egorder@gmail.com
#33: A drum corps marchs into tent city during the Arkansas Blues and Heritage Festival; 2006
© Eric Gorder 2006; egorder@gmail.com
#34: Bob Corritore (left) and Bob Stroger onstage at the Arkansas Blues and Heritage Festival; 2010
© Eric Gorder 2010; egorder@gmail.com
#35: Reba Russell being interviewed by Don Wilcock during the King Biscuit Blues Festival; 2016
© Eric Gorder 2017; egorder@gmail.com
#36: Pinetop Perkins performs at the Arkansas Blues and Heritage Festival; 2009
© Eric Gorder 2009; egorder@gmail.com
#37: Charlie Musselwhite onstage at the Arkansas Blues and Heritage Festival; 2010
© Eric Gorder 2010; egorder@gmail.com
#38: Food vendors and hungry blues fans on Cherry Street at the King Biscuit Blues Festival; Helena, Arkansas, 2016
© Pryor Center for Arkansas Oral and Visual History, University of Arkansas
#39: Dr. John performs at the Arkansas Blues and Heritage Festival; 2010
© Eric Gorder 2010; egorder@gmail.com
#40: Close-up of Lucille, B.B. King’s guitar, on the stage at the Arkansas Blues and Heritage Festival; 2010
© Eric Gorder 2010; egorder@gmail.com
#41: Marcia Ball performs at the Arkansas Blues and Heritage Festival; 2010
© Eric Gorder 2010; egorder@gmail.com
#42: Audience listens to Don Wilcock interview Bobby Rush at Bubba's Blues Corner during the King Biscuit Blues Festival; Helena, Arkansas, 2016
© Pryor Center for Arkansas Oral and Visual History, University of Arkansas
#43: Joseph William “Pinetop” Perkins performs on the main stage at the Arkansas Blues and Heritage Festival; 2005
© Eric Gorder 2005; egorder@gmail.com
#44: Mighty Mike Schermer performs at the Arkansas Blues and Heritage Festival; 2010
© Eric Gorder 2010; egorder@gmail.com
#45: Bobby Rush signs autographs at the Bobby Rush Appreciation Day event, which was held at Southbound Pizza during the King Biscuit Blues Festival; Helena, Arkansas, 2016
© Pryor Center for Arkansas Oral and Visual History, University of Arkansas
#46: Paul Thorn performs at the Arkansas Blues and Heritage Festival; 2010
© Eric Gorder 2010; egorder@gmail.com
#47: Street vendor sign on Cherry Street at the King Biscuit Blues Festival; Helena, Arkansas, 2016
© Pryor Center for Arkansas Oral and Visual History, University of Arkansas
#48: Don Wilcock interviews Christina Vierra at Bubba's Blues Corner during the King Biscuit Blues Festival; Helena, Arkansas, 2016
© Pryor Center for Arkansas Oral and Visual History, University of Arkansas
#49: Pinetop Perkins waits to perform at the Arkansas Blues and Heritage Festival; 2010
© Eric Gorder 2010; egorder@gmail.com
#50: Reba Russell performs at the Arkansas Blues and Heritage Festival; 2010
© Eric Gorder 2010; egorder@gmail.com
#51: Historic Malco Theater on Cherry Street; Helena, Arkansas, 2015
© Pryor Center for Arkansas Oral and Visual History, University of Arkansas
#52: Bobby Rush performs on the main stage at the Arkansas Blues and Heritage Festival; 2005
© Eric Gorder 2005; egorder@gmail.com
#53: Dr. John performs at the Arkansas Blues and Heritage Festival; 2010
© Eric Gorder 2010; egorder@gmail.com
#54: Audience listens to Don Wilcock interview Bobby Rush at Bubba's Blues Corner during the King Biscuit Blues Festival; Helena, Arkansas, 2016
© Pryor Center for Arkansas Oral and Visual History, University of Arkansas
#55: Reba Russell performs on the main stage at the Arkansas Blues and Heritage festival; 2009
© Eric Gorder 2009; egorder@gmail.com
#56: Taj Mahal performs at the Arkansas Blues and Heritage Festival; 2010
© Eric Gorder 2010; egorder@gmail.com
#57: Blues fans at the Southbound Cafe during the King Biscuit Blues Festival, Helena, Arkansas; 2015
© Eric Gorder 2015; egorder@gmail.com
#58:
© Pryor Center for Arkansas Oral and Visual History, University of Arkansas
#59: Don Wilcock interviews Bobby Rush at Bubba's Blues Corner during the King Biscuit Blues Festival; Helena, Arkansas, 2016
© Pryor Center for Arkansas Oral and Visual History, University of Arkansas
#60: Charlotte Taylor performs at the King Biscuit Blues Festival; 2015
© Eric Gorder 2015; egorder@gmail.com
#61: James “Super Chikan” Johnson performs at the Arkansas Blues and Heritage Festival; 2006
© Eric Gorder 2006; egorder@gmail.com
#62: Don Wilcock (right) being interviewed by Scott Lunsford during the King Biscuit Blues Festival; 2015
© Eric Gorder 2015; egorder@gmail.com
#63: Matt Stone performs at the King Biscuit Blues Festival; 2015
© Eric Gorder 2015; egorder@gmail.com
#64: Food vendors and hungry blues fans on Cherry Street at the King Biscuit Blues Festival; Helena, Arkansas, 2016
© Pryor Center for Arkansas Oral and Visual History, University of Arkansas
#65: Unidentified musician on Cherry Street during the King Biscuit Blues Festival; 2015
© Eric Gorder 2015; egorder@gmail.com
#66: Detail of cane used by Pinetop Perkins; 2009
© Eric Gorder 2009; egorder@gmail.com
#67: From left: Bubba Sullivan, Zac Harmon, Reba Russell, Don Wicock, and Matt Marshall at The Blues Symposium held at the historic Malco Theater on Cherry Street during the King Biscuit Blues Festival; Helena, Arkansas, 2015
© Pryor Center for Arkansas Oral and Visual History, University of Arkansas
#68: John Mayall performs at the King Biscuit Blues Festival; 2016
© Eric Gorder 2017; egorder@gmail.com
#69: Bobby Rush signs autographs at the Bobby Rush Appreciation Day event, which was held at Southbound Pizza during the King Biscuit Blues Festival; Helena, Arkansas, 2016
© Pryor Center for Arkansas Oral and Visual History, University of Arkansas
#70: Reba Russell performs on the main stage at the Arkansas Blues and Heritage Festival; 2009
© Eric Gorder 2009; egorder@gmail.com
#71: Don Wilcock interviews Bobby Rush at Bubba's Blues Corner during the King Biscuit Blues Festival; Helena, Arkansas, 2016
© Pryor Center for Arkansas Oral and Visual History, University of Arkansas
#72: Blues fans in front of Bubba's Blues Corner during the King Biscuit Blues Festival; Helena, Arkansas, 2015
© Pryor Center for Arkansas Oral and Visual History, University of Arkansas
#73: Pryor Center interview space at Bubba's Blues Corner during the King Biscuit Blues Festival; Helena, Arkansas, 2015
© Pryor Center for Arkansas Oral and Visual History, University of Arkansas
#74: B.B. King performs at the Arkansas Blues and Heritage Festival; 2010
© Eric Gorder 2010; egorder@gmail.com
#75: Bubba Sullivan (right) at the Bobby Rush Appreciation Day event, which was held at Southbound Pizza during the King Biscuit Blues Festival; Helena, Arkansas, 2016
© Pryor Center for Arkansas Oral and Visual History, University of Arkansas
#76: Don Wilcock in front of the historic Malco Theater on Cherry Street during the King Biscuit Blues Festival; Helena, Arkansas, 2015
© Pryor Center for Arkansas Oral and Visual History, University of Arkansas
#77: Flowers at the front door of the Gist Music Store; King Biscuit Blues Festival; Helena, Arkansas, 2015
© Pryor Center for Arkansas Oral and Visual History, University of Arkansas
#78: Dr. John performs at the Arkansas Blues and Heritage Festival; 2010
© Eric Gorder 2010; egorder@gmail.com
#79: Pryor Center interview space at Bubba's Blues Corner during the King Biscuit Blues Festival; Helena, Arkansas, 2015
© Pryor Center for Arkansas Oral and Visual History, University of Arkansas
#80: John Mayall performs at the King Biscuit Blues Festival; Helena, Arkansas, 2016
© Pryor Center for Arkansas Oral and Visual History, University of Arkansas
#81: 6Kenny Neal onstage at the King Biscuit Blues Festival; 2017
© Eric Gorder 2017; egorder@gmail.com
#82: Lucious Spiller performs on Cherry Street during the King Biscuit Blues Festival; Helena, Arkansas, 2015
© Pryor Center for Arkansas Oral and Visual History, University of Arkansas
#83: Bobby Rush with a fan at the Bobby Rush Appreciation Day event, which was held at Southbound Pizza during the King Biscuit Blues Festival; Helena, Arkansas, 2016
© Pryor Center for Arkansas Oral and Visual History, University of Arkansas
#84: Don Wilcock interviews Chris Pitts at Bubba's Blues Corner during the King Biscuit Blues Festival; Helena, Arkansas, 2015
© Pryor Center for Arkansas Oral and Visual History, University of Arkansas
#85: Blind Mississippi Morris performs in front of the Delta Cultural Center on Cherry Street in Helena, Arkansas, during the Arkansas Blues and Heritage Festival; 2009
© Eric Gorder 2009; egorder@gmail.com
#86: Bobby Rush (left) with Sonny Payne at the Bobby Rush Appreciation Day event, which was held at Southbound Pizza during the King Biscuit Blues Festival; Helena, Arkansas, 2016
© Pryor Center for Arkansas Oral and Visual History, University of Arkansas
#87: Samantha Fish performs on the main stage at the King Biscuit Blues Festival; Helena, Arkansas, 2015
© Pryor Center for Arkansas Oral and Visual History, University of Arkansas
#88: Cajun food on Cherry Street at the King Biscuit Blues Festival; Helena, Arkansas, 2016
© Pryor Center for Arkansas Oral and Visual History, University of Arkansas
#89: Christina Vierra of Mississippi Bigfoot being interviewed by Don Wilcock during the King Biscuit Blues Festival; 2016
© Eric Gorder 2017; egorder@gmail.com
#90: Willie “Big Eyes” Smith performs on the main stage at the Arkansas Blues and Heritage Festival; 2009
© Eric Gorder 2009; egorder@gmail.com
#91: Bobby Rush (left) with Scott Burton at the Bobby Rush Appreciation Day event, which was held at Southbound Pizza during the King Biscuit Blues Festival; Helena, Arkansas, 2016
© Pryor Center for Arkansas Oral and Visual History, University of Arkansas
#92: King Biscuit Blues Festival's tent city; Helena, Arkansas, 2016
© Pryor Center for Arkansas Oral and Visual History, University of Arkansas
#93: Reba Russell performs on the main stage at the Arkansas Blues and Heritage Festival; 2009
© Eric Gorder 2009; egorder@gmail.com
#94: Don Wilcock interviews Christina Vierra at Bubba's Blues Corner during the King Biscuit Blues Festival; Helena, Arkansas, 2016
© Pryor Center for Arkansas Oral and Visual History, University of Arkansas
#95: Blind Mississippi Morris performs at the King Biscuit Blues Festival; 2016
© Eric Gorder 2017; egorder@gmail.com
#96: Chris Pitts (center) being interviewed by Scott Lunsford (left) and Don Wilcock during the King Biscuit Blues Festival; 2016
© Eric Gorder 2017; egorder@gmail.com
#97: Bob Margolin (guitar) and Bob Corritore (harp) perform at the Arkansas Blues and Heritage Festival; 2009
© Eric Gorder 2009; egorder@gmail.com
#98: John Mayall performs at the King Biscuit Blues Festival; Helena, Arkansas, 2016
© Pryor Center for Arkansas Oral and Visual History, University of Arkansas
#99: Chris Pitts (2nd from left) being interviewed by Scott Lunsford (left) and Don Wilcock; Josh Colvert on camera; King Biscuit Blues Festival, 2016
© Eric Gorder 2017; egorder@gmail.com
#100: Robert Finley performs at the King Biscuit Blues Festival; 2016
© Eric Gorder 2017; egorder@gmail.com
#101: Johnny Sansone (center) being interviewed by Scott Lunsford (left) and Don Wilcock during the King Biscuit Blues Festival; 2016
© Eric Gorder 2017; egorder@gmail.com
#102: Bubba's Blues Corner doorstop; Helena, Arkansas, 2015
© Pryor Center for Arkansas Oral and Visual History, University of Arkansas
