Theme: "I'm a Ding Dong Daddy from Dumas"
The song title has been adopted by Dumas, Arkansas, as the basis for our annual summer festival which began in 1980. The song was popular around 1930 and was recorded later by Phil Harris. There are many stories about the origin of the song, but we like this one. During the 1920's and 30's, excursion river boats complete with live orchestra were up and down the Mississippi River. They often stopped at Arkansas City (within the county). People would come from a wide area, to attend the dance and enjoy a short cruise on the river. The story went that one young man from Dumas dearly loved to dance and never missed attending a dance. This song was written with him in mind.
Verse:
I reckin you all don't know me at all,
I just got here today...
My home is way down in a little town, its not so far away.
Every body for miles around
Calls me by my name
Now that I am in your fair town,
You must do the same, for I'm a
Chorus 1
Ding Dong Daddy from Dumas
You ought to see me do my stuff.
I'm a clean cut fellow from Homer's Comer You ought to see me strut.
I'm a caper cuttin'cuttie,
Got a gal named Katie,
She's little heavy laden but I call
Her Baby,
I'm a Ding Dong Daddy from Dumas, You ought to see me do my stuff.
Kicking off the Ding Dong Days fun day at Memorial Park each year, the festival theme song is sung by Skippy Leek of Dumas.
The
current string of Ding Dong Daddy and Ding Dong Mama honorees began in 1983,
when the late M.E. McDonald and Rosalyn Ross Blagg were honored.
The festival royalty - no longer associated with a costume contest - has been
known as Ding Dong Daddy and Ding Dong Mama ever since.
The complete list of past honorees includes:
1979 - Loral “Popeye” Adcock*, Miss Lemoine Nuckols*, Ross Adcock and Britany
Garrett, costume winners.
1980 - C.L. “Curly” Birch*, Mrs. Sadie Bowers* and Shane Riley, costume winners.
(Mayor Billy Free* declared the adults Ding Dong Daddy and Ding Dong Mama.)
1981 - Skippy Leek and Margaret Cagle* and Bambi Vorhease, costume winners.
1982 - Steve Schexnayder, Carol Leonard and Shane Riley, costume winners.
1983 - M.E. McDonald* and Rosalyn Blagg.
1984 - Pat and Martha Clark.
1985 - J. Michael Jones and Mary Martin.
1986 - Dr. Van Dunn and Kathryn Chambless.
1987 - Herman Vickers and Charlotte T. Schexnayder.
1988 - Merle Peterson* and Deloris Peterson.
1989 - Mike Russell and Linda Rankin.
1990 - Charles Holloway and Freda Ellenburg. (Bobby Weaver* was named Honorary
Ding Dong Daddy for the festival.)
1991 - J.D. Martin and Carolyn Kelley Porter.
1992 - Don Rash and Mary Howard.
1993 - Rev. Fred Hunter and Ercle Lee Bridwell.
1994 - Raymond and Emily Riggins.
1995 - Desha County Judge Mark McElroy and Debbie Shea.
1996 - Ken Shea and Linda Weatherford.
1997 - Terry G. Hawkins and Ruby Shinn.
1998 - Benny M. Estes and Elsie Phillips.*
1999 - Melvin J. Schexnayder and Maedene Weser.
2000 - Bill Shea and Glenda Owen.
2001 - Ricky Helton and Rhonda Beatty.
2002 - David Byrd and Dixie Newton.
2003 - Doug Weatherford and Mary Jo Tucker.
2004 - Lynn and Romona Weatherford.
2005 - Bill and Shirley Teeter.
2006 -
Hardy Peacock and Norma Johnson.
*Denotes deceased