The week of April 21-26 saw the 43rd annual Fordyce on the Cotton Belt Festival fill downtown streets with music lovers, sports fans, alumni and visitors from as far away as Sheridan, Wyo.
Activities filled the roster every day from bingo to a community-wide youth rally, a gospel explosion; an antique car show on the Methodist Church parking lot; the annul Dr. Hugh Albert Nutt Memorial Golf Tournament at the Fordyce Country Club; a two-night rodeo in the Rex Raney Arena, sponsored by the Fordyce Riding Club; and the Redbug Reunion Rally in the Fordyce Civic Center.
The Redbug Reunion Rally sees induction of the latest candidates to the Dallas County Sports Hall of Fame. This year’s honorees are Hubert Langley of Sparkman, for his basketball achievements, and Judge Tom Wynne, who lettered in golf and football as a Redbug in high school and attended Harvard University on scholarship.
Wynne still holds two Harvard records for the longest field goal at 51 yards and the most pass interceptions in a game.
Wynne’s class of 1965 held its 60th reunion in the 300 Club at 300 Main St. following the rally.
Independent reporting for Pine Bluff & Jefferson County since 1879.
On April 25, the music began with Zach and Poppa Binns playing.
Evening activities culminated on the courthouse stage as two sons of Mississippi Hill Country blues legend R.L. Burnside brought their unique guitar stylings to a large crowd of listeners.
The Garry Burnside Band featuring Tesa Daniels on vocals was followed by older brother DuWayne Burnside and his Burnside Style Band to top off a full evening. Reagan Harvill also contributed a pair of numbers for the crowd’s enjoyment between Burnside sets.
Events April 26 began with a morning 5K run and a parade led by this year’s grand marshal, Mike Fordyce.
Fordyce is the great-grandson of the town’s namesake, Samuel Wesley Fordyce. He and his friend traveled from their home in Sheridan, Wyo., to participate in the annual Dallas County Museum Garden Party and lead the parade that launched from the historic Cotton Belt Railroad depot.
Music began on the courthouse square April 26 with Rock City Jukebox followed by two local duos — Roots & Revolt, and Hayden Ford with Kaylyn Butler.
Port City Blues Players took the stage with Sierra Hempstead performing a solo number in the interim before the 2025 headliner kicked off his two-hour, 15-minute set. Piano legend Jason D. Williams, with his band, gave an animated, high energy show that had fans dancing in the street.
Next up were Carli Green and Phil Wallace showcasing their talents followed by a trio of lifelong musicians from Camden who have come together to form the super group, The Camden Panthers.
Between them, Charles Tuberville, Lance Womack and John Davies have a combined musical career totaling better than 125 years.
Their performance was followed by a longtime regional favorite band, Octember, to round out the night.
Despite persistent forecasts predicting rain throughout the weekend, the weather proved cooperative, holding off until the last outdoor act concluded at 9 p.m. April 26.
In addition to weekend festivities on the outdoor stages, a new feature of the celebration began at the 300 Club one block up the street from the courthouse square.
As the rain finally arrived to wash the streets of Fordyce, Little Rock-based Arkadelics, featuring hometown favorite Bob Wagnon, capped off the annual observance with a four-hour performance for two dozen die-hard fans ending at midnight.
Another member and founder of the Arkadelics, Wightman Harris, went on to Hot Springs the following day to receive the Glover Award for his song, “Perfect Dance,” in the category of “Outstanding lyrical creativity in the category of Americana/Folk Music.”
