The Perry depot on Feb. 22, 2020 after being moved to a new location, which is still along the tracks.
Nearly three years after the idea was proposed to move a Rock Island Railroad depot in Perry, Arkansas to keep it from being torn down, a significant milestone has been reached in the project. Last month the 101-year-old passenger and freight station, which was along the railroad’s Sunbelt Line between Memphis and Tucumcari, New Mexico, was moved to a new location. A foundation was then constructed underneath the building. The next priority is to raise money to replace the roof.
I’ve written an update on the project and how people can help by making donations. This really was a long shot idea that has come together thanks to a lot of supporters who realize the significance of this old building. READ MORE.
With just over two weeks before Arkansas takes part in Super Tuesday on March 3, presidential politics, including race, dominated most of the conversation on this weekend’s episode of Arkansas Week. We also discussed Little Rock getting its first medical marijuana dispensary, nine months after they began opening elsewhere in the state. I joined state Rep. Fred Allen (D-Little Rock) and Hendrix College political science professor Jay Barth to talk about the issues with host Steve Barnes.
This show was aired just as AETN (Arkansas Educational Television Network) announced it will be adopting a new name, Arkansas PBS, which Barnes discusses at the end of the program. The rebranding reflects the growth of digital platforms to watch programming beyond the six broadcast television signals that make up the network. The new name officially goes into effect on Feb. 28.
A highlight of every concert I’ve seen by Willie Nelson has been hearing him introduce members of his longtime band, then when he gets to drummer Paul English, sing “Me and Paul,” written about some of their experiences. English officially joined the “family,” as Nelson called his band, in 1966, though they met a decade earlier. So I was sad to see that English died on Wednesday, Feb. 12, 2020 after suffering from pneumonia. He was 87.
Paul English brushes the snare drum during “Me and Paul” on Oct. 5, 2012 in Jonesboro, Arkansas. Willie Nelson was among performers at that year’s Johnny Cash Heritage Festival. Photos: Michael Hibblen
While covering the annual Johnny Cash Heritage Festival on Oct. 5, 2012, I was able to shoot photos of Nelson and family from the pit in front of the state. The festival raises money to restore and maintain Cash’s boyhood home in Dyess, Arkansas. Cash and Nelson had long been friends, performed together in the supergroup the Highwaymen, and released a live album together in 1998 — the incredible VH1 Storytellers, in which they alternated stories and songs. So it seemed a natural that Nelson would perform to help support the project for his late friend’s home, which had its roots in a New Deal program during the Great Depression.
Willie Nelson at the Oct. 5, 2012 concert in Jonesboro, Ark.
As I heard Nelson introduce “Me and Paul,” it was great to see a spotlight shine on the drummer, providing amazing lighting to get a photo of English in his signature hat and black outfit. I interviewed Nelson in 2005, with audio and photos of that, as well as photos from the 2012 concert at this link.
English had a colorful history, not only providing rhythm for Nelson, but also serving as his protector. The Oxford American (which is based in Arkansas) detailed that history in a 2015 article titled “Watching Willie’s Back,” which delved into the many roles English held over the years. That included being road manager, and in the early years, being the strong-armed collector of payments from club owners for the band. Armed with a pistol in his boot, he was prepared to protect anyone that threatened Nelson or the band. RIP Paul English.
This is the online home of news veteran Michael Hibblen. I've worked as a reporter, editor and manager for newspapers, radio and TV stations around the country, with this website telling the story of my career. Also featured on this site are outside interests I've researched, primarily about radio and railroads. The views expressed here are my own and might not reflect those of my employers. Today I work for Newsroom Ventures as an editor and reporter for its six newspapers.
Preserving the Rock Island Depot at Perry
Since 2017, I've been part of a group working to preserve the former Rock Island Depot at Perry, Arkansas. To keep it from being demolished, we raised money to move the depot to an adjacent lot, still alongside the tracks, which is now owned by the city. The building has since been listed on the National Register of Historic Places and our group has become a 501(c)(3) nonprofit.
LEARN MORE ABOUT THE PRESERVATION OF THE DEPOT.
My Book
Released by Arcadia Publishing in 2017, Rock Island Railroad in Arkansas delves into the history of the railroad, which once had a huge footprint in Arkansas. The book features historic photos and tells the story of the Rock Island, which was shut down in March 1980. READ MORE ABOUT MY BOOK.
For 13 years, from May 2009 to December 2022, I worked for NPR station KUAR-FM 89.1 at the University of Arkansas at Little Rock. That included 10 years as News Director while continuing to anchor and report. You can read and hear reports from that time on Little Rock Public Radio's website.
