Conway's annual Toad Suck celebration kicks off this week along with the 40th anniversary of a song written about the festival many moons ago, Toad Suck Country.
The area hidden gem was recorded by the Story brothers, Merrell and Jerrell Story.
There are lots of tales about how Toad Suck Daze got its name. The toe tapping tune dates back to its creation.
“We thought we were going to be famous,” said Melissa Story, Merrell’s daughter.
This family’s history helped establish an area tradition still celebrated in 2018.
Bob Green wrote the song Toad Suck Country in 1977.
The record is about a well-known spot at the Arkansas River where Perry and Faulkner counties meet.
“The old Toad Suck would carry boats and stuff by and get off, then keep going,” Merrell Story said.
He and his identical twin brother, Jerrell, are the voices behind the timeless tune.
“We traveled to Russellville to let them record it. Back then it was a big thing to record your own song. We all had stacks and stacks of little 45s,” said Justin Story, Jerrell’s son.
The family still owns many original copies of the record.
Toad Suck Country was a hit embraced by the community and played on the only radio station in town at the time.
“We just made a bunch of records and distributed them out,” Merrell added.
More than 100,000 people gather in the streets of downtown Conway for Toad Suck Daze every year.
Toad Suck Country became an unofficial theme song for the event.
The Story Family is working to keep the record and its history alive.
“We still have memories of my dad and my uncle is still alive. We also have several copies of the record that we get to play,” said Justin.
Toad Suck Daze has been hosted in its current location in downtown Conway for about 25 years.
The event starts this Friday, and admission is free.