Jumpin’ Jack Flashback: A look at the 50th anniversary of the Rolling Stones’ wild Arkansas arrest

FORDYCE, Ark. – Though there are many interesting tales of Natural State history found on the Encyclopedia of Arkansas, few are as wildly entertaining as an entry detailing the time the Rolling Stones were arrested in Fordyce 50 years ago.

What started as a scenic detour through Arkansas on the way to Dallas for guitarists Ron Wood and Keith Richards turned into chaos involving the British Embassy, an impounded Impala and a former Secret Service agent saving the day.

During the band’s 1975 “Tour of the Americas”, Wood embarked on his first outing as their guitarist, which included a July 4 concert at the Memphis stadium now known as the Liberty Bowl.

As the story goes, Richards, Wood and two others decided to go sightseeing and drive to their next concert. While cruising in their rented yellow 1975 Chevy Impala, the group stopped for lunch at the 4-Dice Restaurant and Station where they had fare like fried chicken and a T-bone steak.

Shortly after hitting the road to Texas, the Impala being driven by Richards was pulled over by Fordyce police officers and cited for reckless driving after they said they saw him swerve. Officers also said they thought they smelled marijuana and impounded the car.

After obtaining a search warrant for the vehicle, police said they did not find marijuana but discovered less than two grams of cocaine in the briefcase of one of the band’s passengers. Richards passed a sobriety test but was cited by police for carrying an illegal weapon, a hunting knife.

As people gathered outside City Hall and British Embassy officials were called, the bandmates were saved by their attorney, Arkansas native Bill Carter.

“Hundreds of people gathered outside city hall as word spread. British Embassy officials were called. Inside, the group drank soda, and Wood rode a confiscated bicycle around the halls,” the entry says. “No one spent time behind bars. Before midnight, with Carter’s help, the group was released. Richards posted $162.50; he was scheduled to appear in court August 1 but forfeited bond.”

Carter is a lawyer, former Secret Service agent, music manager and a native of Rector who worked as the band’s attorney from 1973 until 1990. After he facilitated the release of Richards, Wood and friends, they boarded a plane waiting at a local airport and managed to play their show at the Cotton Bowl the next day.  

In 2006, 31 years after the incident, Arkansas Governor Mike Huckabee issued a pardon to Richards for his reckless driving conviction. The incident was also recalled by Richards in his 2010 memoir “Life”, as well as by bassist Bill Wyman in his autobiography, calling it a “tough baptism” for Wood.

Though the band swore they would never play in Arkansas, they would eventually perform at War Memorial Stadium in 1994 and again at Alltel Arena (now Simmons Bank Arena) in 2006. Ironically, they did not perform the song “Rip This Joint”, which references Little Rock, during either appearance but did perform it during their 1975 tour.

Other Arkansas ties to the band include their performance with Howlin Wolf, and collaboration with Jim Dickinson who played piano on “Wild Horses”. Also Little Rock author and Rolling Stone contributor Robert Palmer wrote a book about the band and Arkansas-based entertainment manager Jack Nance worked with them during his career.

The encyclopedia also says that cult leader Tony Alamo, founder of the Alamo Christian Foundation, set up headquarters in Crawford County and claims that he was asked to manage musical acts including the Beatles, the Doors and the Rolling Stones.