King Biscuit Time

Beginning not long after Helena, Arkansas’s KFFA first went on the air in November 1941, The King Biscuit Time radio program was born. Wanting to promote his performances over the radio, Sonny Boy Williamson convinced Interstate Grocer Company owner Max Moore to sponsor a radio program during the lunch hour on this new radio station. Seeing this as mutually beneficial, the 15-minute daily weekday program advertised the company’s King Biscuit Flour as well as upcoming blues gigs.

Originally featuring Williamson and Robert Jr. Lockwood, the program’s popularity led to the formation of the “King Biscuit Entertainers,” featuring Williamson with Houston Stackhouse, Peck Curtis, Willie Love, Pinetop Perkins, and others. In 1947, the Interstate Grocer Company began using Sonny Boy Williamson’s likeness on their bags of corn meal.

Empty sack from 10-pound package of "Sonny Boy Cream Extremely Fancy White Corn Meal, Degerminated. Packed for and Guaranteed by Interstate Grocer Co., Helena, Ark." Package features an illustrated Sonny Boy Williamson II, holding a harmonica, sitting on a giant ear of white corn.

Unopened 2-pound package of "Sonny Boy White Corn Meal. Packed by Helena Wholesale Inc., Helena, Ark." Package features an illustrated Sonny Boy Williamson II, holding a harmonica, sitting on a giant ear of white corn.

An empty 2-pound bag of Sonny Boy White Corn Meal is covered by signatured from blues musicians.

An empty 2-pound bag of Sonny Boy White Corn Meal is covered by signatures from blues musicians.

Photo features seated men playing acoustic guitar (2), piano, and drums. Sonny Boy Williamson II holds a harmonica and stands at the microphone with the show's announcer. (L to R) Joe Willie Wilkins, Joe “Pine Top” Perkins, Sonny Boy Williamson, announcer Hugh Smith, James “Peck” Curtis, and Houston Stackhouse. Three large bags of King Biscuit flour and Sonny Boy meal sits on the floor at the base of the microphone, next to a sign for "King Biscuit Time". Sign on the wall reads, "Listen King Biscuit Time over KFFO Helena, WROX Clarksdale, Miss., 12 Monday thru Friday, King Biscuit flour, Sonny Boy meal". Photo is inscribed to Bill Donoghue by Hugh Smith, announcer of the King Biscuit Time radio show broadcast, and signed by Pine Top Perkins. "Ivey S. Gladdin '41" is in bottom right corner.

King Biscuit Time, 1941. Photo by Ivey S. Gladdin.

(L to R) Joe Willie Wilkins, Joe “Pine Top” Perkins, Sonny Boy Williamson, announcer Hugh Smith, James “Peck” Curtis, and Houston Stackhouse.

Photo is inscribed to Bill Donoghue by Hugh Smith, announcer of the King Biscuit Time radio show broadcast, and signed by Pine Top Perkins.

King Biscuit Time, 1941. Photo by Ivey S. Gladdin.

Sonny Boy Williamson, KFFA owner Sam Anderson and Robert Lockwood Jr. pose with a bag of King Biscuit flour. "Ivey S. Gladdin '41" is in bottom right corner. Signed by Robert Lockwood, Jr.

Display case included a photo, an LP record, a painting, and a poster. Promotional photo of Sonny Boy Williamson with Houston Stackhouse and Peck Curtis; Recording of the King Biscuit Radio Hour. Text under LP record: "The only known fully recorded episode of the King Biscuit show was preserved by Chris Strachwitz on this recording he made at KFFA in 1965. (Arhoolie 530 A)"; Painting of Sonny Boy Williamson performing on the King Biscuit Time radio program, signed by “Jimmy Stewart ’90”; Poster, 1987 King Biscuit Blues Festival. Text under poster: "Since 1986, Helena, Arkansas has hosted the annual King Biscuit Blues Festival."

Display case contents:

Promotional photo of Sonny Boy Williamson with Houston Stackhouse and Peck Curtis
Recording of the King Biscuit Radio Hour.
- Text under LP record: "The only known fully recorded episode of the King Biscuit show was preserved by Chris Strachwitz on this recording he made at KFFA in 1965. (Arhoolie 530 A)"
Painting of Sonny Boy Williamson performing on the King Biscuit Time radio program, signed by “Jimmy Stewart ’90”
Poster, 1987 King Biscuit Blues Festival.
- Text under poster: "Since 1986, Helena, Arkansas has hosted the annual King Biscuit Blues Festival."

Mississippians