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Big Bill Broonzy
Blues musician Big Bill Broonzy served as an ambassador sharing the blues with international audiences across Europe and influencing...
Jul 10, 20244 min read


Anshe Emeth
On March 13, 1867, Anshe Emeth became the first Jewish congregation to receive a charter from the Arkansas state legislature. Anshe Emeth...
Jul 3, 20245 min read


Joshua Altheimer
Hailing from Pine Bluff, Arkansas, Joshua Altheimer was among the most talented pre-World War II blues pianists. He played alongside “Big...
Jun 26, 20242 min read


Elmore James
His signature slide electric guitar opening laid the foundation for his eleven-year recording career, with nearly 80 titles released on...
Jun 19, 20244 min read


The Incomparable Smokie Norful
Pine Bluff native Smokie Norful is a world-renowned recording artist, musician, composer, pastor, and entrepreneur who has launched the...
Jun 5, 20243 min read


Leroy Alfred Johnston
Pine Bluff native and World War I veteran, Leroy Alfred Johnston, was a member of the Harlem Hell Fighters military band that introduced...
May 22, 20244 min read


Queen Sylvia Embry
Hailing from Arkansas, Queen Sylvia Embry was among Chicago’s few professional female blues singers and bass players, recording albums,...
May 15, 20242 min read


Bobby Rush
With over six decades in the music industry, racking up awards and playing alongside greats like Muddy Waters, Little Walter, Etta James,...
May 8, 20245 min read


Carl McVoy, Jerry Lee Lewis, & Boogie-Woogie Music
Pine Bluff resident Carl McVoy, a rockabilly musician, was instrumental in introducing his younger cousin Jerry Lee Lewis to the...
May 1, 20243 min read


Bootlegging in Pine Bluff
During Prohibition, bootlegging was popular along Pine Bluff’s bayou. Many poor African Americans were arrested on bootlegging charges...
Apr 24, 20243 min read


William Froug
Arkansas native, William Froug, spent his life cultivating his two passions, producing popular television series like The Twilight Zone,...
Apr 17, 20244 min read


James “Taildragger” Jones
After decades spent performing the Blues, James “Tail Dragger” Jones is best remembered for his magnetic performances and his decorated...
Apr 10, 20243 min read


Edward H. Wilson & Harlem’s Hotel Olga
Pine Bluff native, Edward H. Wilson opened the Hotel Olga in Harlem in 1920. From the 1920s and 30s, Hotel Olga became the unofficial...
Mar 27, 20243 min read


Richard Berry Harrison
Richard Berry Harrison was an actor and teacher of the dramatic arts and elocution at several colleges including Branch Normal College,...
Mar 13, 20244 min read


George W. Thomas & Boogie-Woogie Music
George W. Thomas was the first to publish boogie-woogie songs, which were key in the development of Country Music, Rhythm and Blues, and...
Mar 6, 20243 min read


Miles Davis and his Jefferson County Roots
Miles Davis, one of the most influential musicians in the development of jazz music, got his early love for music while spending time at...
Feb 14, 20245 min read


John Brown’s Allies & the Battle of Pine Bluff
John Brown, an abolitionist, led the American abolitionist movement in the years preceding the Civil War. Among his allies were August...
Feb 7, 20245 min read


Sam Cooke & the Launch of his Career in Pine Bluff
Legendary soul artist Sam Cooke got his start performing with the Soul Stirrers in Pine Bluff. Image Credit: www.Biography.com Samuel...
Feb 1, 20244 min read


Joseph Merrill
Joseph Merrill was a successful businessman and philanthropist who aided in the creation of Merrill School, one of Pine Bluff’s early...
Jan 24, 20243 min read


Shop Local. Eat Local. Spend Local. Enjoy Local.
With the holidays quickly approaching you might want to look around town for some one-of-a-kind gifts. Shopping locally is a great way to...
Dec 13, 20232 min read
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