HELENA-WEST HELENA, Ark.-The show has done more broadcasts than both the Grand Ole Opry and American Bandstand-more than 17,500 broadcasts since 1941. Now the longest running daily radio show in America is set to mark another milestone-75 years of King Biscuit Time.
Since the start, the show has been broadcast live on 1360 KFFA-AM in Helena. In 1992, the show moved to broadcasting from the Depot on Missouri Street, and then moved again in 2000 to its current home inside the Delta Cultural Center in historic downtown Helena.
"Sunshine" Sonny Payne has been the longest running host of the show, serving as the primary host for 65 of the 75 years the show has been around. Only recently did the 90-year-old host make his job part-time, having staff at the Delta Cultural Center fill-in for him when he's not feeling up to it.
"When I get up in the morning, I just thank the good Lord above I've got a job and a place to sleep, and something to eat," said Payne.
A humble man, born and raised in Helena, Payne was not the first host of the show nor was he the first choice to become host.
KATV reports that Payne would help with the very first broadcast behind the scenes. He would get the chance to finally fill-in in 1942 by accident, when the host of the show back then, had stepped away from the microphone too long and a live commercial needed to be read. Payne would work with the station doing sales before leaving to serve in the Army.
After Payne's stint in the Army and a brief music career of his own as a base player in a band, Payne would come home to the Arkansas Delta to take the reign as full-time host of King Biscuit Time in 1951.
The show would get its start in November 1941, after another Sonny-blues musician Sonny Boy Williamson approached the owner of KFFA about broadcasting a locally produced blues show.
"One day my boss said, 'we're going to have to have a sponsor,'" recalled Payne.
KFFA would look to Interstate Grocer in Helena for some sponsorship dollars. The owner of Interstate Grocery, Max Moore, said he didn't have the money, but a quick call to one of his vendors got the money ball rolling. Interstate wanted to advertise the flour it sold-King Biscuit Flour-and the name's stuck.
"So we started off with, 'Pass the biscuits, it's King Biscuit Time-sponsored by King Biscuit Flour,'" said Payne.
King Biscuit Time would end up being one of the first shows in the area to promote blues music produced and sung by African-American musicians. The genre was able to transcend segregation in the Delta.
Payne recalls the days of Sonny Boy Williamson and Robert Lockwood Jr. who would help form the original studio band that played on King Biscuit Time live every day Monday through Friday. The show would continue to have big name musicians perform live in studio. Today, Payne does most of the music playing on CD.
Today, King Biscuit Time is also broadcast online on KFFA.com, leading to bigger national and even international following of the country's oldest blues radio shows. Payne says he's had visitors from Germany, England and from all over the United States come to see his show live in person.
Countless guests have stopped by over the years as well. Major musicians like Elvis Costello visit regularly. Frank Sinatra stopped by, as well as Muddy Waters and Jimmy Rogers. BB King was a dear friend of Sonny Payne's.
But despite all of the celebrities that have spent time with Sonny Payne in his more than six decades of broadcasting, he claims to have no favorites.
"I don't have bests," said Payne. "When they devote their time to talking on air with me-that's best enough."
King Biscuit Time will celebrate 75 years of broadcasting on Nov. 21.