Live from Little Rock Central High: Daisy Bates Sculpture
2022-10-24 12:45 - 14:00 (America/Chicago)
Join the livestream broadcast from Little Rock Central High on Monday, October 24 at 12:45 PM to hear from two specialists on Daisy Bates and her sculpture. The program will include Dr. Charles King, president of the Daisy Bates House Museum Foundation, and Benjamin Victor, the sculptor of Daisy Bates. This is part one of the A-State Heritage Sites series on the two individuals chosen to represent Arkansas in the U.S. Capitol, the other being Johnny Cash. This program will be streamed by the Central High EAST program at the following link: https://adesandbox.arkansas.gov/st?cid=MzkzYW

Back Home with Joanne Cash Yates
2022-11-05 13:00 - 14:30 | Johnny Cash Boyhood Home, Dyess, AR, 72330
We will host a special event entitled Back Home with Joanne Cash Yates on Saturday, November 5 at 1:00 PM. This event will feature a free performance by Joanne Cash Yates in celebration of her role in the restoration of the Cash family home in Dyess, as well as the dedication of a new plaque recognizing the home’s listing in the National Register of Historic Places. Following the performance, the home will be open for free tours.
The celebration will be held in front of the Cash family home at the Historic Dyess Colony. It is free and open to the public. Feel free to bring a chair and a picnic lunch.
This celebration will also be an opportunity for the public to join in the ongoing support of the Historic Dyess Colony: Johnny Cash Boyhood Home. We’ll be announcing our new friends program, the Dyess Colony Circle, which will invite you to join a community committed to preserving our musical heritage. Membership will include exclusive merchandise, access to year-round cultural and art programs, and behind-the-scenes access at events. More details can be found here: https://dyesscash.astate.edu/the-dyess-colony-circle/
If you’d like a jump-start on this program, we’ll be inviting the first ten members at the Silver level or above to join Joanne for a private tour of the Cash family home on the morning of Nov. 5. In addition, everyone who joins at the Silver level or above during the first year of the program will receive permanent recognition in the colony Visitor Center, as well as all of the annual benefits normally associated with the program.

Artist Kevin Kresse and the Johnny Cash Statue
2023-02-10 10:00 - 2023-02-11 13:30

Birthday Celebration of Johnny Cash
2023-02-25 | Johnny Cash Boyhood Home, Dyess, AR, 72330
In recognition of Johnny Cash’s birthday on February 26, Historic Dyess Colony: Johnny Cash Boyhood Home will be giving free tours all day on Saturday, February 25.

Songwriting Retreat with Erin Enderlin
2023-03-17 18:00 - 2023-03-18 21:00 | Johnny Cash Boyhood Home, Dyess, AR, 72330
This incredible event includes one-on-one and group sessions with Artist Erin Enderlin! Enderlin’s catalog includes Alan Jackson’s “Monday Morning Church,” Lee Ann Womack’s “Last Call,” Luke Bryan’s “You Don’t Know Jack,” and a host of other songs for Randy Travis, Joey+Rory, Reba, Terri Clark, Whisperin’ Bill Anderson, and more.
Registration is due before March 1 and space is limited! A waitlist will be available after all spots are filled. For the link to register or recommended hotels in Jonesboro (if needed) contact Penny Toombs at ptoombs@astate.edu.
$275 Registration Includes:

Meals – Friday night’s dinner through Saturday night (Jonesboro and Dyess)
Plenty of snacks, drinks, and coffee
One-on-one songwriting time with Artist Erin Enderlin (Dyess)
Small group songwriting and brainstorming sessions (Dyess)
Tour of the Johnny Cash Boyhood Home (Dyess)
A Johnny Cash Boyhood Home guitar pick
An opportunity to perform your song at Native Brew Works (Jonesboro)

Hotel (if needed) is not included in registration price. Mileage from Jonesboro to Dyess is 50 miles.

Arkansas Roots Ride
2023-04-01 09:00 - 12:00 | Johnny Cash Boyhood Home, Dyess, AR, 72330
A new bicycle tour linking Arkansas State University’s Heritage Sites will begin as a part of the Arkansas Roots Music Festival on Saturday, April 1. The Arkansas Roots Ride will begin and end at the Johnny Cash Boyhood Home, and invites bicycle riders to experience the wide-open Delta spaces between the Dyess Colony and the Southern Tenant Farmers Museum at Tyronza. Registration is open now at AState.edu/ARMFride. Early registration is $50, with late registration $55.
The 30-mile out-and-back course starts on the gravel road at the Cash home. Only the first quarter mile of the course will be gravel. Check-in opens at 8 a.m., with the ride beginning at 9 a.m.
Along with a commemorative tee-shirt, ride support and snacks, and admission to both A-State Heritage Sites, riders will also receive admission to the Arkansas Roots Music Festival that begins at noon as well as a voucher for food at one of the festival food trucks.

Arkansas Roots Music Festival at the Johnny Cash Boyhood Home
2023-04-01 12:00 - 17:00
Join us April 1st at the Johnny Cash Boyhood Home for an afternoon of Roots music performances! Live music begins at 12:00 PM and ends at 5:00 PM. Performers include The Casey Penn Band, Rachel Ammons, Wyly Bigger, Marybeth Byrd, and The Tina Cossey Band. Food vendors include Tacker’s Shake Shack and J & B’s Twizted BBQ. Live demonstrations include a blacksmith and woodcarver. The admission fee is $30 for ages 18 and over and free for under 18. Donated adult beverages provided Native Brew Works will be available to those 21 and over. Bring your chairs and come on out with family and friends to our Arkansas Roots Music Festival!

No coolers allowed inside gates. We will be enforcing the university’s clear bag policy.
Tickets at DyessCash.AState.edu/tickets

Johnny Cash Boyhood Home Summer Concert Series at Native Brew Works
2023-05-13 19:00 - 21:00 | Native Brew Works, 515 South Gee Street, Jonesboro, arkansas
Join us as we kick off the Johnny Cash Boyhood Home’s summer concerts at Native Brew Works with Cory Jackson! Admission is free, just come on out to this community event and enjoy the music!

Sponsored by Judd Hill Foundation, Arkansas Electric Cooperative Corporation, KASU, and A-State’s Delta Symposium within the Department of English, Philosophy, and World Languages

Johnny Cash Boyhood Home Summer Concerts at Native Brew Works
2023-06-10 19:00 - 21:00 | Native Brew Works, 515 South Gee Street, Jonesboro, arkansas
Join us for the Johnny Cash Boyhood Home’s summer concerts at Native Brew Works with TRIPPP! Admission is free, just come on out to this community event and enjoy the music!
Sponsored by Judd Hill Foundation, Arkansas Electric Cooperative Corporation, and KASU.
Native Brew Works, 515 South Gee Street, Jonesboro

Johnny Cash Boyhood Home Summer Concerts at Native Brew Works
2023-07-08 19:00 - 21:00 | Native Brew Works, 515 South Gee Street, Jonesboro, arkansas
Join us for the Johnny Cash Boyhood Home’s summer concerts at Native Brew Works with Akeem Kemp! Admission is free, just come on out to this community event and enjoy the music!
Sponsored by Judd Hill Foundation, Arkansas Electric Cooperative Corporation, and KASU.
Native Brew Works, 515 South Gee Street, Jonesboro

Sunken Lands Songwriting Circle
2023-08-12 17:00 - 21:00 | Fowler Center, 201 Olympic Drive, Jonesboro, Arkansas, 72401
A new performance series will be presented by the Historic Dyess Colony: Johnny Cash Boyhood Home. The Sunken Lands Songwriting Circle will be held in Riceland Hall at Fowler Center, located at 201 Olympic Dr., Saturday, Aug. 12. This event will be hosted by Rosanne Cash along with performers Rodney Crowell and Sarah Jarosz, with accompaniment by the acclaimed guitarist and songwriter John Leventhal. Proceeds will benefit the ongoing preservation and operation of the boyhood home.
The evening reception will begin at 5 PM in the Grand Hall with Cash-themed drinks by Delta Dirt Distillery, hors doeuvres, and a silent auction. The concert will begin at 7:00. Ticket prices begin at just $43 plus fees. Following the concert, there will be a meet-and-greet with the artists for VIP ticket holders ($98 plus fees).
Sponsored by Judd Hill Foundation, Electric Cooperatives of Arkansas, and Lost Forty Brewing.

Mama Cash's Pumpkin Bread
2023-10-28 17:00 - 19:00 | The Grange, 15 South Jefferson Street, Wilson, ar, 72395

Baking Pies Like Mama Cash
2023-12-09 17:00 - 18:30 | The Grange, 15 South Jefferson Street, Wilson, ar, 72395
Using Mama Cash’s recipes, participants will each make their own pineapple or chocolate pie (two of Johnny’s favorites) in the kitchen at The Grange in Wilson, AR, followed by a tour of Historic Dyess Colony: Johnny Cash Boyhood Home. Registration information is coming soon!

John Carter and Ana Cristina Cash Concert
2024-02-25 19:00 - 20:30 | Fowler Center, 201 Olympic Drive, Jonesboro, Arkansas, 72401
Join Johnny’s son, John Carter, and his wife, Ana Cristina Cash, for an amazing concert on Sunday, February 25. Tickets are available now at https://bit.ly/JohnCarterCashConcert. This concert kicks off the 50th Governor’s Conference on Tourism. Attendees tickets are included in registration. The concert is open to the public.

Arkansas Roots Music Festival
2024-04-06 12:00 - 17:00 | Johnny Cash Boyhood Home, Dyess, AR, 72330
Join us April 6th at the Johnny Cash Boyhood Home for an afternoon of Roots music performances! Live music begins at 12:00 PM and ends at 5:00 PM. The admission fee is $35 for ages 18 and over, $10 for 13 through 17-year-olds, 12 and under free. Bring your chairs and come on out with family and friends to 4791 West County Road 924, Dyess.
Performances by Nightwing, Posey Hill, Marty Ray Project, and Jason D. Williams!
Tickets

Watch the Eclipse at the Johnny Cash Boyhood Home in Dyess, Arkansas
2024-04-08 | Johnny Cash Boyhood Home, Dyess, AR, 72330
2024 Solar Eclipse Festival
at the Johnny Cash Boyhood Home
Join us at the Johnny Cash Boyhood Home to experience the Great North American Eclipse, April 5-8, 2024. Primitive camping will be available for a weekend of special events, highlighted by the eclipse on April 8. Evening entertainment will be available at nearby Wilson, Arkansas.
To purchase, click the buttons below or visit the Johnny Cash Boyhood Home A-State Marketplace. See the breakdown of opportunities below.
Quick links: Roots Ride | Roots Music Festival | NASA Lunch & Learn | Tailgating | Camp the Weekend

Saturday, April 6: Arkansas Roots Ride and Arkansas Roots Music Festival
Arkansas Roots Ride
The Arkansas Roots Ride begins at 8:00 AM on April 6. This supported ride will connect the Johnny Cash Boyhood Home and the Southern Tenant Farmers Museum. Participants will receive a t-shirt, lunch, and admission to the Arkansas Roots Music Festival that afternoon. Tickets are $55 in advance or $60 after March 15. For more information and to buy tickets, click here.
Buy Tickets for the Arkansas Roots Ride
Arkansas Roots Music Festival
The Arkansas Roots Music Festival will begin at the Johnny Cash Boyhood Home at noon on April 6 and will feature an afternoon of live music from Arkansas artists. Food trucks will be available, and participants will be able to tour the Boyhood Home (tour included in ticket price). Tickets are $35 for participants 18 and over, $10 for ages 13-17, and free for ages 12 and below.
Musical lineup includes: Nightwing, Posey Hill, Marty Ray Project, and Jason D. Williams
Buy Tickets for the Arkansas Roots Music Festival

April 7: Eclipse Lunch & Learn with NASA scientist Dr. Les Johnson
Join us at noon for a lunch and learn with NASA scientist Dr. Les Johnson. Dr. Johnson will share the science of solar eclipses. This event is perfect for children. Following Dr. Johnson’s talk, he will be available for a book signing, and the colony Administration Building and Visitors Center will be open for tours. Tickets are $15 and space is limited.
Buy Tickets for the Lunch & Learn

April 8: The Great North American Eclipse
Either join us in Dyess to watch the eclipse or use us as a home base to explore the area. The partial eclipse will begin at Dyess at approximately 1:38 PM a will last approximately 2 hours and 37 minutes. The eclipse will peak at 99.38% totality at approximately 2:57 PM. For more detailed eclipse tracking, click here.
Reserve a Tailgating Spot
Tailgating style spots are available for April 8. Each spot is 20’x20’ and includes four pairs of Johnny Cash Boyhood Home eclipse glasses. Chemical toilets will be available, but participants should plan to provide their own food. Rental of the spot for that day is $150. For information on special accommodations for school or commercial tours, please contact the museum.
Reserve a Tailgating Spot

April 5-8: Full Weekend Primitive Camping Package
A Full Weekend of Events
Camping package includes four nights of primitive camping (Check-in after noon on April 5 and check-out before 11 AM on April 9). Spaces are 20’x20’ gravel spaces. Chemical toilets and potable water are available, but no other services are available except during the specified events. No RV hook-ups are available. All equipment and vehicles must fit in the 20’x20’ space.
Package also includes:

4 tickets to Arkansas Roots Music Festival,
4 tickets to Lunch and Learn event, and
4 pairs of Johnny Cash Boyhood Home eclipse glasses.

Campers may add the Arkansas Roots Ride to their package for a $30/person supplement by contacting ptoombs@AState.edu.
Cost
The rate for the full weekend package $400. There are no partial packages available. Payment is due at time of booking and is non-refundable. Please read our camping rules before booking.
Purchase a the Full Weekend Package

Join our Email List
To join our email list for updates, sign up below Eclipse Weekend UpdatesName:Email:Phone:Subject:Message:.

Sunken Lands Songwriting Circle 2024
2024-08-24 17:30 - 20:30 | Fowler Center, 201 Olympic Drive, Jonesboro, Arkansas, 72401
We are excited to announce the lineup for the 2nd Sunken Lands Songwriting Circle August 24, 2024!
* Rosanne Cash * Brandy Clark * John Hiatt * John Leventhal *

Details:
* Presale date for members April 15

Members at any level will receive a special access code for the presale.
Circle Club & above members will receive their code for 10%-20% off tickets.
Want to find out about membership? Click here.

* On sale for general public May 1

What’s new this year?

All tickets receive access to the reception with heavy hors d’oeuvres inspired by Carrie Cash’s cookbook, custom cocktails provided by Delta Dirt Distillery, beer, and wine.
All tickets for VIP seating will receive a special item signed in advance by the artists. No need to stand in a long line.
A 10th Anniversary After Party! Limited add-on tickets are available on Ticketmaster for a celebration of the Johnny Cash Boyhood Home’s 10th Anniversary starting at 8:30 PM at Embassy Suites. Featuring desserts, a champagne toast, remarks by Rosanne Cash, and a bespoke gift. Ticket price includes a tax-deductible donation to the Johnny Cash Boyhood Home.

Life on the Mississippi Reading Retreat
2024-09-07 09:00 - 16:00 | Southern Tenant Farmers Museum and Johnny Cash Boyhood Home
The Life on the Mississippi Reading Retreat will be held on September 7, 2024. The two books are Mark Twain’s Life on the Mississippi, published in 1883, and Rinker Buck’s Life on the Mississippi, published in 2022. Twain and Buck both traveled down the Mississippi River and chronicled their experiences. Twain reminisces on his life training as a steamboat captain in 1850s and writes about his travels along the Mississippi in 1882. Buck travels down the Ohio and Mississippi Rivers on a flat boat in the late 2010s to gain a deeper understanding of how the west was opened and its critical part in the development of the U.S. economy in the 1800s.
Participants will start the day with a tour of the Southern Tenant Farmers Museum at 9 AM, followed by a discussion of Twain’s Life on the Mississippi, and enjoy a sharecropper’s lunch of beans, fried potatoes, cornbread, cobbler, and sweet tea. After lunch, participants will travel to the Historic Dyess Colony, only a 15-minute drive away, for a discussion of Buck’s work followed by a tour of the Johnny Cash Boyhood Home and Dyess Colony Administration Center.
The cost of the retreat is $80. Members of the Dyess Colony Circle will receive a code to register at a discounted price. Registration includes copies of the two books, lunch, and tours of both museums. Upon registration, arrangements will be made to either ship the reading material or for local pickup. For questions on the retreat or membership, please email ptoombs@astate.edu or call 870-972-2893. Tickets available at https://bit.ly/Life_on_MS

Sunken Lands Songwriting Circle
2025-09-12 19:00 - 20:30
Rosanne Cash will host the third annual Sunken Lands Songwriting Circle and will be joined by Trisha Yearwood, with accompaniment by John Leventhal. The event will be held at 7 p.m. on Friday, Sept. 12, in Riceland Hall of Fowler Center.
Description: A pre-sale for Boyhood Home Museum members will start on Tuesday, July 1. Tickets will go on sale to the general public on Tuesday, July 8. Tickets will be available for purchase through the A-State box office and through Ticketmaster, https://bit.ly/SLSC_2025 . Prices for Sunken Lands tickets will be available at three levels, including silver, gold and platinum. Silver tickets will be priced from $35 to $75. Gold tickets will be $150, and platinum tickets will be $250. There will be different options for ticket purchasers, including special offerings such as a pre-show reception for gold ticket purchasers and an afterparty for those who purchase platinum tickets. For more information about the Sunken Lands Songwriting Circle, contact the A-State Heritage Sites office at 870-972-2803.

Birthday Celebration of Johnny Cash
2026-02-26 | Johnny Cash Boyhood Home, Dyess, AR, 72330
In recognition of Johnny Cash’s birthday on February 26, Historic Dyess Colony: Johnny Cash Boyhood Home will be giving free tours all day on that date. We will also be serving desserts from Mama Cash’s recipes, so stop by for a sweet treat!

Roots and Rhythm Bus Tour
2026-02-28 09:00 - 19:00 | Johnny Cash Boyhood Home, Dyess, AR, 72330
Step aboard for an unforgettable journey on February 28 into the heart of the Mississippi Delta, where music, agriculture, and history intertwine. This curated day trip from Memphis explores the stories that shaped American culture—from the fields of the Delta to the birthplaces of legendary sounds. Our tour begins with Backbeat Tours bus pickup at the West Memphis Welcome Center at 9 AM. The first stop is Sun Studios, where Johnny Cash began his professional music career. Next, we journey to the Southern Tenant Farmers Museum in Tyronza, which highlights the lives of farm families and the Southern Tenant Farmers Union. Following, will be our birthday celebration at Historic Dyess Colony: Johnny Cash Boyhood Home. After a tour of Johnny’s boyhood home, we will celebrate with lunch at Dyess Colony Circle followed by desserts from Mama Cash’s recipe book (Johnny’s favorites, of course). Our last stop will be the Village of Wilson, a beautifully revitalized Delta town rich in character, history, and local charm. Dinner at The Wilson Café includes Mama Cash’s buttermilk fried chicken, creamy mashed potatoes, country pole beans, bread, and salad. Afterwards you will enjoy a signature cocktail inspired by Johnny’s hit song “Ring of Fire” – a bold, spicy vodka blend. The evening ends back at the West Memphis Welcome Center at 7 PM.

Tickets are $195 each and space is limited, so act fast and secure your spot today!

Arkansas Roots Music Festival: Roots of Sister Rosetta Tharpe
2026-04-11 | Johnny Cash Boyhood Home, Dyess, AR, 72330
Join us as we commemorate the life, legacy, and lasting influence of the Godmother of Rock ’n’ Roll and Arkansas music legend Sister Rosetta Tharpe. Born in the Delta and raised on gospel, Tharpe revolutionized American music by blending sacred gospel with electric guitar and blues-infused rhythms—paving the way for rock, soul, and rhythm & blues.
This festival brings together musicians from Arkansas to honor her groundbreaking artistry and fearless spirit. Featuring live performances by Erin Enderlin, Mae Estes, Reverend Greg Spradlin, and the Delta Soul Singers, this year’s Roots Festival highlights the musical traditions that shaped Sister Rosetta’s sound and the generations of artists she influenced—from Johnny Cash and Elvis Presley to Little Richard and beyond.
Use the link below to purchase tickets.
Bit.ly/ARMF_2026

Ragged Old Flag: Johnny Cash and the American Experience
2026-08-03 08:00 - 2027-02-01 17:00 | Johnny Cash Boyhood Home, Dyess, AR, 72330
Join us as we celebrate America 250 with a new exhibit, Ragged Old Flag: Johnny Cash and the American Experience. Explore the story of American history and patriotism through the powerful music and message of Johnny Cash.
Through lyrics, photographs, artifacts, and historical context, visitors will experience how Johnny Cash’s music captured the complexities of loving one’s country while challenging it to live up to its highest ideals. The exhibit highlights how patriotism can be expressed not only through pride and tradition, but also through conscience, compassion, and courage.
Ragged Old Flag invites visitors to reflect on what it means to be American—and how music can tell our national story in ways history books alone cannot.

Sunkenlands Songwriting Circle
2026-09-11
Join us for our annual Sunkenlands Songwriting Circle, an intimate concert at the Fowler Center at Arkansas State University. This year’s artist will be revealed later this year, so keep checking in to see what we have in store! Admission information will likewise be revealed closer to the event.

Red Dirt with Red Wolves Tailgate concert: Part I of our Red, White, and Blue concert series
2026-10-01 | Arkansas State University
For America 250, we will be administering a Red, White, and Blue concert series. The first concert will be a red dirt country tailgate concert as part of an A-State football game. More information will be available in due time, so keep checking back in for updated information.

White Christmas: Part II of our Red, White, and Blue concert series
2026-12-01
Join us for a night filled with joy and merriment for the holidays! For part II of our Red, White, and Blue concert series, we will administer a Christmas concert. Details will become available closer to time, so keep checking in for updates!

Bluegrass Monday at the Collins Theatre: Part III of our Red, White, and Blue concert series
2027-01-25
Join us for a night of good old fashioned bluegrass music as we partner with KASU to bring you Monroe Crossing at the historic Collins Theatre in Paragould, Arkansas.
