Exhibit 99 (a)
                                 NBC BANK CORP.
                              100 West Grove Street
                            El Dorado, Arkansas 71730
                                __________, 1999

Dear Stockholder:

         You  are  cordially   invited  to  attend  a  special  meeting  of  the
shareholders  of NBC Bank Corp. (the "Company") to be held at the offices of the
Company, 100 West Grove Street, El Dorado,  Arkansas 71730, on June __, 1999, at
10:00  a.m.,  as  set  forth  in the  attached  Notice  of  Special  Meeting  of
Shareholders,  for the  purposes  of voting  upon a proposed  merger of NBC Bank
Corp. with and into Simmons First National Corporation (the"Merger") pursuant to
the terms of an  Agreement  and Plan of  Merger,  dated  March 22,  1999 and the
proposal to adopt the Arkansas Business Corporation Act of 1987. Pursuant to the
Merger,  shareholders  of the Company will receive  4.1638 shares of the Class A
common stock of Simmons First National  Corporation for each share of the common
stock of the Company held, other than shares held by dissenting shareholders and
the  payment of cash in lieu of the  issuance  of  fractional  shares of Simmons
stock.  Consummation  of the Merger will terminate the existence of the Company.
The election to be governed by the  Arkansas  Business  Corporation  Act of 1987
will be effective only if the Merger is approved.

         Accompanying  this letter is a Notice of  Shareholders  Meeting,  Proxy
Statement  (which  includes  in Annex III,  A.C.A.  ss.4-26-1007,  a part of the
Arkansas  Business  Corporation Act of 1987 concerning  dissenter's  rights) and
Proxy. You are urged to read these materials  carefully and promptly.  The Proxy
Statement  contains  descriptions  of  the  Merger  and  the  merger  agreement,
financial  information  about the  Simmons  and the  Company  and other  related
information.  Only by reading  the entire  Proxy  Statement  will you be able to
obtain  sufficient  information to enable you to make an informed decision about
how to vote on the Merger.

         The owners of at least a  two-thirds  of the shares of common  stock of
the Company outstanding on April __, 1999 must be voted in favor of the Plan and
the Amendment in order for this action to be approved. In view of the importance
of the  meeting,  it is  highly  recommended  that your  shares be  represented,
whether or not you are able to attend in person.

         The  Company's  board of  directors  has  approved  the  Merger and the
Agreement and recommends  voting FOR approval of the Merger and FOR the adoption
of the  Arkansas  Business  Corporation  Act of 1987.  You are urged to vote FOR
these propositions and to complete,  date, sign and return the enclosed proxy in
the envelope provided.

         I look forward to visiting with you at the meeting.

                                                     Very truly yours,

                                                     James D. Cook
                                                     Chairman of the Board