Following two years of cancellations and downsized rescheduling, the 41st annual Cotton Belt Fest returns under the theme "Full steam ahead through 2022."
In addition to the other activities in downtown Fordyce on April 16-23, a musical lineup is set. Thanks largely to the financial contributions of 19 local corporate sponsors, the quality of entertainment remains on a nationally recognized scale and free to all comers.
Beginning at 7 p.m. April 21, the well-known Gospel group 11th Hour will take the main stage on the Dallas County Courthouse Square.
April 22 at 5 p.m., Austin, Texas-based Americana group Pope performs, followed by Little Rock six-piece band Arkaholics at 6:15 p.m.
From 8-9:30 p.m. April 22, Texas singer/songwriter Ray Wylie Hubbard takes the stage. Hubbard is best known for two of his iconic compositions, "Redneck Mother" and "Snake Farm."
His newest long-play release is "Co-Starring Too" on Big Machine Records. This is a followup of the previously released "Co-Starring." On this pair of records, Hubbard appears with musical greats including Ringo Starr, Joe Walsh, Steve Earle, Winona Judd, Pam Tillis, Elizabeth Cook, Paula Nelson, Chris Robinson, Ashley McBride, Ronnie Dunn, Hayes Carll, and James McMurtry.
Hubbard's touring band includes his son, Lucas Hubbard, on lead guitar and Kyle Schneider on drums.
On April 23, activities launch with the annual 8 a.m. FOTCB 5K run. From 11 a.m. to noon, the Cotton Belt parade begins stretching the length of town, proving to be one of the largest such displays in the state.
At noon, the Fordyce High School band, Red Storm, will begin the entertainment on the courthouse square with the national anthem and Redbug fight song. At 12:30 p.m., Little Rock rockers Black Water Bayou will take the stage to present both original compositions and classic covers like Credence Clearwater's "Born on the Bayou."
Following at 1:45 p.m., Memphis-based Coday Records recording artist B.B. Queen will present an hour-long set of original Blues music.
At 3 p.m., a special presentation by the Fordyce High School choral group, Symphonic Voices, will perform four numbers.
Two outstanding Fordyce citizens will be honored: long-time, now-retired Fire Department Chief Roy Wayne Moseley, and 90-plus year-old World War II veteran and oldest living former Redbug football player Dusty Lansdale.
At 3:45 p.m., Little Rock resonator slide guitar virtuoso Ben "Fonky Donkey" Brenner and band will bring their blend of Blues originals to the stage. The group features popular Little Rock mainstays Lance Womack on drums, Gil Franklin on guitar, Lynn Fitzgerald on bass and Curtis J.J. Adams on keyboard.
The 5 p.m. hour will see a second offering from Memphis' Coday Records in the form of Willie White and band. White performs a variety of his own numbers strictly in the Blues genre.
The final act before the featured performer will be Arkansas singer/songwriter Billy Jeter. Jeter is completing his fifth long-play recording available on both CD and old-school vinyl. Jeter is a native of Wabbaseka near Bobby Rush's childhood home. Both songwriters draw heavily from their early life on farms in the Arkansas Delta.
To cap off a full day of blues, rock and occasional country songs, two-time Grammy Award recipient Bobby Rush and his band will perform all-original blues numbers penned and performed by the master bluesman himself. Rush will appear on the main stage from 7:30-9 p.m.
Rush was crowned by Rolling Stone magazine as "the King of the Chittlin' Circuit" in reference to his having made his musical bones performing in honky-tonks across the South for decades before blues became the internationally popular genre it now is. He is currently promoting his autobiography, "Ain't Studdin' Ya," and working on a Broadway play based on his life experiences.
Rush helped establish the numerous blues festivals that dot the map year-round by donating his talents to the fledgling upstarts that now attract thousands annually.
At age 87, he is the oldest continually touring blues artist remaining from a long list. As Rush often quips, "If I'm not the oldest, I'm the ugliest."
OTHER EVENTS
The annual Fordyce on the Cotton Belt Beauty Pageant will be held in the high school Little Theatre beginning at 2 p.m. April 16.
The Gospel Explosion will take place at 7 p.m. April 19 on the Courthouse Square, while April 20 at 7 p.m. will see the Community Youth Rally in the Fordyce Civic Center.
Harkening back to the festival's railroad-based origins, the largest traveling model train exhibit will be on display from 9 a.m. until 4 p.m. April 22 in the Temple Baptist Church Family Life Center and again all day April 23. This phenomenal spectacle of operating small-scale railroads includes the world's largest example of Lego model trains. The exhibit occupies 16 tables.
One of the largest draws of the festival includes the 5 p.m. April 22 Redbug Reunion Rally in the Fordyce Civic Center. Current and former Fordyce residents and their families from all corners of the globe return to celebrate their heritage and football traditions. The event sees new inductees introduced to the Redbug Sports Hall of Fame and Fordyce Hall of Honor.
The weekend also includes a classic car show, arts and crafts displays, a 6:30 p.m. April 22 rodeo in the Rex Wylie Arena, baggo tournament, a vast variety of food vendors, Johnson Brothers Carnival, the Dr. H.A. Nutt Redbug Alumni Golf Tournament and the long-running Dallas County Museum Garden party beginning at 5 p.m. April 22 at the circa 1910 vintage Wynne/Phillips House on the corner of Fourth and Pine streets.
Big Machine recording artist Ray Wylie Hubbard is an internationally known Texas singer/songwriter whose repertoire includes such well-known compositions as “Redneck Mother” and “Snake Farm.” (Special to The Commercial/Richard Ledbetter)