The Arkansas Blues & Heritage Festival, formerly known as the King Biscuit Blues Festival, famously has its roots in the old "King Biscuit Time" radio program that broadcast the music of now-legends like Sonny Boy Williamson II, Pinetop Perkins and Robert Lockwood Jr. across the Mississippi Delta beginning in the 1940s.

The challenge that faces organizers as the festival heads into its 23rd year starting this Thursday, however, is how to remain true to those roots as the ranks of the first generation of blues stars diminish. It's a problem faced by all blues festivals, but supporters of the Helena-West Helena, Ark., event -- widely touted as the largest free blues festival in the world (more than 80,000 annual attendees) and the standard-bearer for such events -- are acutely aware of the dilemma.

"It's getting harder and harder to present the style of music that we started out with 23 years ago," says the festival's longtime music director Jerry Pillow. "When we started out, there were a lot of what I would consider authentic blues guys still out there like Robert Lockwood, Frank Frost and John Weston and numerous others. ... There are still a lot of great blues players in the world who want to play here. It's just that it's changed a little bit over the years."

Original "King Biscuit Time" veteran Pinetop Perkins, age 95, will return this year, teamed with his onetime Muddy Waters bandmate "Steady Rollin" Bob Margolin. And their old drummer, Willie "Big Eyes" Smith, 72, will play a pair of sets, one on his own and one with Howlin' Wolf guitar legend Hubert Sumlin, 76.

But as those artists' ages might suggest, Pillow is always looking for artists to become the next generation of blues festival stars. Carl Weathersby and Michael Burks, six-string slingers in the best tradition of players like Albert King, have become mainstays in recent years. And if they haven't already, blues fans would be wise to discover sultry California blues belter Janiva Magness.

There is also a fourth "Newcomers" stage, strictly devoted to rising young artists.

One newcomer to this year's festival is no stranger to regional music fans. Nashville-based Webb Wilder, originally from Hattiesburg, Miss., has been playing his "swampadelic" blues-country-rock blend for more than 20 years. Though the booking seems a bit of a stretch for the usually tradition-bound Arkansas event, Pillow says Wilder represents the expanding ethos of the festival.

"We're just trying to bring in quality acts," he says. "Not necessarily what some people might consider 100 percent Delta blues, but authentic music for sure. Heritage music for sure. We're now the Arkansas Music & Heritage Festival, and that gives us a little more leeway on who we want to bring in."

Pillow has also dug deep to present a few one-of-a-kind events you won't see at any other festival, including a revue of Severn Records artists, celebrating the Maryland label's 10th anniversary, and a review of artists associated with the cult Nashville R&B label Champion Records.

Pillow says the act he's most looking forward to is a guy who, at 68, is just hitting his prime.

"I always look forward to Bobby Rush," Pillow says. "He's my 17-year-old's favorite act. He loves to see him, so he cuts across all ages."

The Arkansas Blues & Heritage Festival

Oct. 9-11, in Helena-West Helena, Ark.

Admission is free.

Call (870) 338-8798 or visit bluesandheritagefest.net.

SCHEDULE

Thursday, Oct. 9

Main Stage

Noon-1:55 p.m.: Emerging Artists 2008

2-2:30 p.m.: Arsen Shomakhov 2007 Emerging Artist Winner

2:40-3:15 p.m.: The Brethren

3:25-4:10 p.m.: Trampled Under Foot.

4:25-5:25 p.m.: Mark Sallings & the Famous Unknowns with Danny Lancaster

5:40-6:55 p.m.: Reba Russell Band

7:15-8:30 p.m.: Webb Wilder & the Beatnecks

8:50-10:05 p.m.: Tinsley Ellis

10:30-11:45 p.m.: The Champions of R&B featuring Earl Gaines, Charles Walker, Johnny Jones, Al Garner, James Nixon

Friday, Oct. 10

Main Stage

Noon-1 p.m.: Earnest "Guitar" Roy

1:15-2:20 p.m.: Hamilton Loomis

2:35-3:45 p.m.: Sam Carr and the Delta Jukes with Dave Riley

4-5:10 p.m.: Carl Weathersby

5:30-6:40 p.m.: Pinetop Perkins and Bob Margolin

7-8:15 p.m.: Mem Shannon and the Membership

8:45-10 p.m.: Michael Burks

10:30-11:45 p.m.: Severn Records 10th Anniversary Soul & Blues Revue with Lou Pride, Darrell Nulisch and Tad Robinson

Houston Stackhouse Acoustic Stage

Noon-1 p.m.- Elam McKnight and Bob Bogdal

1:20-2:20 p.m.: Bert Deivert

2:40-3:40 p.m.: Samuel James

4-5 p.m.: Moreland and Arbuckle

Robert Lockwood Jr. Heritage Stage

5:30-6:40 p.m.: Freddie and the Screamers 20th Anniversary Reunion Show

7-8:10 p.m.: Arthur Williams and Eric McSpadden

8:30-9:40 p.m.: Willie King and the Liberators

10-11:15 p.m.: Guitar Mac

Saturday, Oct. 11

Main Stage

Noon-1 p.m.: Shawn Kellerman

1:15-2:20 p.m.: Eb Davis with Nina Davis, Jay Bailey and Band

2:35-3:50 p.m.: Eddie Turner

4:05-5:20 p.m.: Rick Estrin and the Nightcats

5:40-6:55 p.m.: Janiva Magness

7:10-8:25 p.m.: Anson Funderburgh and the Rockets with special guests

8:45-10 p.m.: Hubert Sumlin and Willie "Big Eyes" Smith Band

10:30-11:45 p.m.: Bobby Rush

Houston Stackhouse Acoustic Stage

Noon-1 p.m.: Davis Coen

1:20-2:20 p.m.: Roger "Hurricane" Wilson

2:40-3:40 p.m.: Ben Prestage

4-5 p.m.: Satan and Adam

Robert Lockwood Jr. Heritage Stage

5:30-6:40 p.m.: Willie "Big Eyes" Smith

7-8:10 p.m.: Bobby Rush

8:30-9:40 p.m.: Cedric Burnside and Lightin' Malcolm

10-11:15 p.m.: Mojo Buford and Don McMinn