May 25, 1965

Sonny Boy Williamson was found dead by drummer “Peck” Curtis after Williamson had failed to arrive for a performance. He is buried in Tutwiler, Mississippi, where the birth date on his tombstone is almost certainly incorrect and the death date wrong beyond any doubt. Williamson first became famous as a blues harmonica player in 1941 on the groundbreaking King Biscuit Time radio program broadcast by station KFFA in Helena (Phillips County). His fame spread through Europe in the 1960s and has grown since his death. An annual blues festival in Helena still features his music and his T-shirt likeness in its programs.