Editor’s note: This story appears courtesy of Richard Ledbetter.

2026 marks the 45th year for Fordyce on the Cotton Belt Festival.

The brainchild of Joe Bill Meador, he began organizing a heritage and music fest in Fordyce in the early ‘80’s, getting off to a less than spectacular start in 1981.

Then Meador recalled the Johnny Cash Bi-centennial concert in Rison’s Wildcat Stadium. On a rainy afternoon, March 20, 1976, Cash entertained a crowd of 10,000 on the football field. During the ’76 performance, he wore two different Nudie Cohen designed black suits. Each of those suits were donated by Cash with one now on display in the Old State House Museum in Little Rock and the other in a specially designed Lexan case in the Cleveland County Courthouse.

From all indications on that momentous day, Cash was deeply devoted to his birthplace and heritage in south Arkansas. Meador figured he could tap into that love of family ties to bring Cash and his entourage to neighboring Fordyce.

Hairbrained as most folks considered the idea, a persistent Meador reached out to Johnny’s cousin Marie Cash, who taught school in Fordyce before retiring. Through her influence with the Man in Black, Meador managed to persuade one of the all-time great country music icons to give his time and talents to launch a fledgling event in a small town next to the Cotton Belt Railroad just eight miles from Cash’s birthplace near Kingsland.

On April 24, 1982, a mere six years following the historic Rison concert, Cash and wife June Carter Cash along with his entire band, including a young mandolin playing Marty Stuart, performed a two hour program to a packed Fordyce High School Gymnasium. Cash was highly animated, clearly enjoying himself while dancing, singing and playing from one side of the stage to the other throughout the evening.

Following the performance, just as he had done in Rison with the Cleveland County Historical Society in March of ’76, Cash donated all proceeds from his ‘82 concert to Fordyce on the Cotton Belt Fest Committee, providing the seed money that led to four and a half decades of the event, missing only one year in 2020 due to Covid-19.

Meador faithfully served as director of the annual festival until stepping down after 2014.

Cash set an impressive precedent of important entertainers who have graced the Dallas County Courthouse stages during the fourth weekend of April ever since. Among those who have regaled crowds over the years are Jerry Clower, Boxcar Willie, Jim Ed Brown, Bobby Rush, Jason D. Williams, Ray Wylie Hubbard and James McMurtry.

The tradition continues in 2026 with noted rising star bluesman D.K. Harrell headlining Friday April 24 and Americana icon Paul Thorn on Saturday the 25th.

The weekend entertainment schedule begins at 5:00 pm Friday with Port City Blues Players until 6:00.

Carolina Davis will perform her acoustic act during band turnarounds.

Fresh from their appearance at Memphis International Blues Challenge, the Tina Cossey Band take the stage from 6:15 to 7:45.

Following in the B.B. King tradition while forging his own path, D.K. Harrell brings his unique blues stylings back to Fordyce for the first time since 2023. He caps off the evening from 7:45 to 9:15 Friday.

Saturday kicks off with the FOTCB 5K run at 8:00 am. An antique car show will fill the Methodist Church parking lot at 4th and Main Streets while the blocks surrounding the Courthouse will host a full carnival by Johnson Brothers as well as arts & crafts, numerous food vendors and one of the state’s largest model train displays in the Temple Baptist Church Family Life Center.

Beginning at 11:00 and running until noon, the annual Cotton Belt parade will launch from the old Cotton Belt Railroad depot on 1st Street, winding its way up Main to 4th Street to proceed several blocks west terminating at Beach Grove Baptist Church on Oakley Street.

At straight up 12:00, the music on the Courthouse Square resumes, starting with Covington Creek Band from noon to 1:30.

Emma Miller will display her acoustic talents from 1:45 to 2:45, followed by New Orleans powerhouse vocalist, Katrice “Butterfly” Newbill delivering her dynamic stage presence from 3:00 to 4:00.

Folk-roots-blues-Americana singer/songwriter Billy Jeter will perform original composition with his full band from 4:15 to 5:45.

Paul Thorn is an Americana, Southern rock, country blues artist from Tupelo, Mississippi who has built an outstanding singer/songwriter reputation, touring the country sharing wit and wisdom with his laid back, electrifying delivery. He brings his full band to the Cotton Belt outdoor stage from 6:00 to 7:30 Saturday evening. Thorn will share material from his dozen long play albums as well as songs from his new record, “Life is Just a Vapor.”

The festival offerings culminate with an award winning San Francisco based blues-rock husband and wife duo, Lucky Losers, who bring their west coast blues-rock compositions to Fordyce for the first time from 7:45 to 9:15.

Other activities during the weeklong celebration include the Cotton Belt Beauty Pageant April 18, Gospel Explosion April 21, more gospel music April 23, the H.A. Nutt Redbug Golf Tournament Friday morning along with the Dallas County Museum, Wynne-Phillips House Garden Party Friday afternoon and the Redbug Reunion Rally Friday evening April 24.