Fans of the Helena, Arkansas based Blues Festival formerly known as the
"King Biscuit Blues Festival" started a grassroots effort to "Keep the
Biscuit" in Helena after a New York Company and Memphis based Performa
Entertainment forced the non-profit Helena festival to stop using the
name. .
"The grassroots efforts started with personal letters to the two
businesses from talent agents and artist" stated Wayne Andrews,
Director
of the Festival in Helena," but now the fans are angry and have started
an
online petition to alert music fans to the confusion about the name and
it's move to Memphis." The petition has quickly circulated and has now
reached Europe with 2,000 names and comments. New comments are being
added every minute.
The King Biscuit name started in Helena when a local flower company
sponsored the first blues show which featured African American
performers.
This radio show introduced the blues to a wide audience and made many
of
the blues legends we know house hold names. In the 1980's a non profit
group launched the "King Biscuit Blues Festival" honoring this ground
breaking radio show, and the blues. "The town thought they had the
right
to use the name after signing a contract with the radio station that
broadcast the King Biscuit radio show." But a New York Company acquired
the name through purchases and court action against the Helena radio
station owner and stopped the festival from using the name after
failing
to reach a licensing deal.
"Fans are letting the new owners of the name know that it is not just a
name but something very personal to music fans. New York and Performa
of
Memphis may own the name but they don't own the history of the name."
commented Wayne Andrews
"This on-line petition has enabled us to share with music fans the
story
of how our name was taken from us and give the fans a voice." stated
Wayne
Andrews.
To see the petition:
http://new.PetitionOnline.com/Biscuit/petition.html
