KFFA (AM)

KFFA (1360 AM) is an American radio station licensed by the FCC to serve the community of Helena, Arkansas. The station is owned by Delta Broadcasting, which is owned by Jamie and Nancy Howe, and Otis Howell, all of whom live in Helena. [cite web |work=Federal Communications Commission |title=Application Search Details |url=http://fjallfoss.fcc.gov/cgi-bin/ws.exe/prod/cdbs/forms/prod/cdbsmenu.hts?context=25&appn=101231586&formid=323&fac_num=16518]

Historical role

In November 1941, Helena's first radio station KFFA went on the air. Station Manager and part owner Sam Anderson, offered to sell a block of time to a group of blues musicians on the condition that they obtain a sponsor - and Max Moore, owner of Interstate Grocer Company that distributed King Biscuit Flour, agreed to sponsor the showcite book | first=Edward | last= Komara | year=2006 | title=Encyclopedia of the Blues | edition= | publisher= Routledge | location= | id=ISBN 04 15926998] - thus was born King Biscuit Entertainers and the beginning of King Biscuit Time.cite book | first=Robert | last= Palmer | year=1981 | title=Deep Blues | edition= | publisher= Penguin Books Ltd. | location= | id=ISBN 0-14-006223-8 ]

The program was first broadcast on November 21 1941 and featured blues artists Sonny Boy Williamson and Robert Lockwood, Jr. playing live in the studio. Other musicians who played on the show included the pianist Pinetop Perkins and guitarist Robert Nighthawk. [cite web |url=http://www.kingbiscuittime.com/ |title=King Biscuit Time Website |accessdate=2006-10-31] Musicians such as guitarist Hound Dog Taylor would stop by for occasional appearances. [cite web |url=http://www.keno.org/hound_dog_taylor/bio.htm |accessdate=2006-11-18 |title=Hound Dog Taylor Biography]

These KFFA broadcasts, heard in the towns of Nighthawk, Lockwood, and Sonny Boy, were a draw to young southern blues artists who came to Helena to hang around and learn. Jimmy Rogers and Little Walter, later central to the sound of the Muddy Waters band, were among them.

The KFFA studios were on the second floor of the Floyd Truck Lines building, a rickety old structure. The program was broadcast from there for 20 years until the building was condemned and the studio moved to modern quarters on the top floor of the Helena National Bank Building.

The show opened with the announcer's words, "Pass the biscuits, 'cause it's King Biscuit Time!"

With more than 15,000 broadcasts, this show has influenced several generations of blues, rock, and pop musicians. It is now called the King Biscuit Flour Hour.

The program is broadcast weekdays at 12:15 PM local time and recordings of the show are available for download from the internet at the KFFA station web site.

Notes

External links

* [http://www.kffa.com/index.cfm?CustomerID=11&CustomPageID=169&CFID=197148&CFTOKEN=73700302 KFFA Website]
* [http://www.kingbiscuittime.com/radio.html King Biscuit Radio]
*
*
*
* [http://www.nps.gov/history/delta/blues/sites/helena_sites.htm National Park Service History of the Blues historic sites]