Welcome to the Encyclopedia of Arkansas

This Day in Arkansas History

July 25, 1995

St. Francis County native gospel, blues, and country singer Charlie Rich died. Rich was probably the most musically gifted of the first generation of rockabilly stars. Sustained success eluded him until 1973, when two blockbuster hits, “Behind Closed Doors” (No. 1 on the country charts) and “The Most Beautiful Girl” (No. 1 on both the pop and country charts), earned him a Grammy award and the Country Music Association’s Male Vocalist of the Year award.

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About the Encyclopedia

The CALS Encyclopedia of Arkansas is a free, authoritative source of information about the rich history, geography, and culture of Arkansas. It is updated regularly to ensure the people of Arkansas have an accurate and accessible resource to explore our heritage. We invite you to browse our text entries and media galleries to learn more about the people, places, events, legends, and lore of the 25th state. We are continually adding new entries, photographs, maps, videos, quizzes, lesson plans, and more, so check back frequently to see what’s new.

New to Arkansas?
New to Arkansas?

Our overview page covers everything you would want to know about our beautiful state, including state symbols, demographics, and more!

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