North Mississippi Allstars
Encyclopedia
North Mississippi Allstars is a Southern rock
/blues
jam band
from Hernando, Mississippi
, founded in 1996. The band is composed of brothers Luther Dickinson
(guitar, vocals) and Cody Dickinson (drums, keyboards, electric washboard), and Chris Chew (electric bass guitar
). In addition to the guitar, Dickinson also plays a cigar box guitar
called the "lowebow." Duwayne Burnside, who formerly played second guitar in the band, is a son of R. L. Burnside
(who also played on some of the band's tracks).
Allstars' first release, Shake Hands With Shorty, was nominated for a Grammy Award
for "Best Contemporary Blues Album". Since then, 51 Phantom and Electric Blue Watermelon have received nominations in that same category. The group also won a Blues Music Award for "Best New Artist Debut" in 2001.
The band made their network television debut in 2000 on Late Night with Conan O'Brien
. They also served as the house band for a short period in 2004 on Last Call with Carson Daly
.
The band now backs up and tours with John Hiatt
. They have released an album
with him entitled Master of Disaster
. All the members of the Allstars have also teamed up with Robert Randolph and John Medeski
to form The Word
.
In November 2007, Luther Dickinson joined The Black Crowes
as lead guitarist, and has appeared on their albums Warpaint
(2008), Before the Frost...Until the Freeze
(2009) and Croweology
(2010). Luther Dickinson currently devotes his time to both the Black Crowes and the North Mississippi Allstars. Cody Dickinson has also started a side project, Hill Country Revue, featuring Daniel Coburn, Kirk Smithhart, Doc Samba and Ed Cleveland. They are sometimes joined by Luther Dickinson and members of the Burnside family. They have released two albums, Make A Move (2009) and Zebra Ranch (2010).
Luther and Cody Dickinson's father was the Memphis musician and record producer, Jim Dickinson
. He, besides releasing music in his own name, worked with Ry Cooder
, Bob Dylan
, the Rolling Stones
, and Primal Scream
. Jim Dickinson also set up the Zebra Ranch recording studio
complex during the 1990s in Hernando, Mississippi. His career spanned more than four decades before he died on August 15, 2009.
The band currently (2011) opens for Robert Plant
and the Band of Joy
on their concert tour.
Southern rock
Southern rock is a subgenre of rock music, and genre of Americana. It developed in the Southern United States from rock and roll, country music, and blues, and is focused generally on electric guitar and vocals...
/blues
Blues
Blues is the name given to both a musical form and a music genre that originated in African-American communities of primarily the "Deep South" of the United States at the end of the 19th century from spirituals, work songs, field hollers, shouts and chants, and rhymed simple narrative ballads...
jam band
Jam band
-Ambiguity:By the late 1990s use of the term jam band also became ambiguous. An editorial at jamband.com suggested that any band of which a primary band such as Phish has done a cover of be included as jam band. The example was including New York post-punk band Talking Heads after Phish performed...
from Hernando, Mississippi
Hernando, Mississippi
Hernando is a city in central DeSoto County, Mississippi. The population was 6,812 at the 2000 census. The 2006 census estimate reflects a population of 10,580. Hernando is the county seat of DeSoto County, the second-most-populous county in the Memphis metropolitan area. US Hwy 51 and the I-55...
, founded in 1996. The band is composed of brothers Luther Dickinson
Luther Dickinson
Luther Dickinson is the lead guitarist and vocalist for the North Mississippi Allstars as well as lead guitarist for The Black Crowes...
(guitar, vocals) and Cody Dickinson (drums, keyboards, electric washboard), and Chris Chew (electric bass guitar
Bass guitar
The bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick....
). In addition to the guitar, Dickinson also plays a cigar box guitar
Cigar box guitar
The cigar box guitar is a primitive chordophone that uses an empty cigar box for a resonator. "Guitar" refers to the traditional instrument and to a string bass. The earliest predecessors had one or two strings compared with the three or more used in today's models...
called the "lowebow." Duwayne Burnside, who formerly played second guitar in the band, is a son of R. L. Burnside
R. L. Burnside
Not to be confused with R. H. Burnside, stage director.R. L. Burnside , born Robert Lee Burnside, was an American blues singer, songwriter, and guitarist who lived much of his life in and around Holly Springs, Mississippi. He played music for much of his life, but did not receive much attention...
(who also played on some of the band's tracks).
Allstars' first release, Shake Hands With Shorty, was nominated for a Grammy Award
Grammy Award
A Grammy Award — or Grammy — is an accolade by the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences of the United States to recognize outstanding achievement in the music industry...
for "Best Contemporary Blues Album". Since then, 51 Phantom and Electric Blue Watermelon have received nominations in that same category. The group also won a Blues Music Award for "Best New Artist Debut" in 2001.
The band made their network television debut in 2000 on Late Night with Conan O'Brien
Late Night with Conan O'Brien
Late Night with Conan O'Brien is an American late-night talk show hosted by Conan O'Brien that aired 2,725 episodes on NBC between 1993 and 2009. The show featured varied comedic material, celebrity interviews, and musical and comedy performances. Late Night aired weeknights at 12:37 am...
. They also served as the house band for a short period in 2004 on Last Call with Carson Daly
Last Call with Carson Daly
Last Call with Carson Daly is an American late night talk show that is broadcast on NBC. The show is hosted by Carson Daly, the half-hour show featuring celebrity interviews, documentary-style coverage of a topic, and musical performances. Last Call airs weeknights at 1:35 a.m. Eastern / 12:35 a.m....
.
The band now backs up and tours with John Hiatt
John Hiatt
John Hiatt is an American rock guitarist, pianist, singer, and songwriter. He has played a variety of musical styles on his albums, including New Wave, blues and country. Hiatt has been nominated for several Grammy Awards - although he has never won- and has been awarded a variety of other...
. They have released an album
Album
An album is a collection of recordings, released as a single package on gramophone record, cassette, compact disc, or via digital distribution. The word derives from the Latin word for list .Vinyl LP records have two sides, each comprising one half of the album...
with him entitled Master of Disaster
Master of Disaster
Master of Disaster is singer-songwriter John Hiatt's eighteenth album, released in 2005. The North Mississippi All-Stars back up Hiatt on this album.-Track listing:All tracks written by John Hiatt#"Master of Disaster" – 5:26...
. All the members of the Allstars have also teamed up with Robert Randolph and John Medeski
John Medeski
Anthony John Medeski is an American jazz keyboards player and composer. Medeski is a veteran of New York's 1990s avant-garde jazz scene and is known popularly as a member of Medeski Martin & Wood...
to form The Word
The Word (band)
The Word is an instrumental jazz rock/Sacred steel/gospel blues/Southern rock jam band. The supergroup included well-known musicians: Robert Randolph , John Medeski , and all three members of North Mississippi Allstars - Luther Dickinson , Cody Dickinson , and Chris Chew .The Word developed from a...
.
In November 2007, Luther Dickinson joined The Black Crowes
The Black Crowes
The Black Crowes are an American rock band formed in 1989. Their discography includes nine studio albums, four live albums and several charting singles. The band was signed to Def American Recordings in 1989 by producer George Drakoulias and released their debut album, Shake Your Money Maker, the...
as lead guitarist, and has appeared on their albums Warpaint
Warpaint (The Black Crowes album)
Warpaint is a 2008 album by blues-rock band The Black Crowes. Released on March 3, 2008, it was the band's first studio album in almost seven years, and its first with new members Luther Dickinson and Adam MacDougall, as well as the first to be released on the band's own Silver Arrow Records label...
(2008), Before the Frost...Until the Freeze
Before the Frost...Until the Freeze
Before the Frost...Until the Freeze is a 2009 double album by blues-rock band The Black Crowes. It was recorded before a live audience at Levon Helm's Woodstock, NY studio, The Barn in late February and early March, 2009....
(2009) and Croweology
Croweology
Croweology is an acoustic-based album by rock band The Black Crowes, released on August 3, 2010. The set includes twenty tracks from the band's career, covering their albums from Shake Your Money Maker to Lions in mostly acoustic rearrangements, featuring a cover of the Chris Ethridge and Gram...
(2010). Luther Dickinson currently devotes his time to both the Black Crowes and the North Mississippi Allstars. Cody Dickinson has also started a side project, Hill Country Revue, featuring Daniel Coburn, Kirk Smithhart, Doc Samba and Ed Cleveland. They are sometimes joined by Luther Dickinson and members of the Burnside family. They have released two albums, Make A Move (2009) and Zebra Ranch (2010).
Luther and Cody Dickinson's father was the Memphis musician and record producer, Jim Dickinson
Jim Dickinson
James Luther "Jim" Dickinson was an American record producer, pianist, and singer who fronted, among others, the Memphis based band, Mudboy & The Neutrons.- Biography :...
. He, besides releasing music in his own name, worked with Ry Cooder
Ry Cooder
Ryland Peter "Ry" Cooder is an American guitarist, singer and composer. He is known for his slide guitar work, his interest in roots music from the United States, and, more recently, his collaborations with traditional musicians from many countries.His solo work has been eclectic, encompassing...
, Bob Dylan
Bob Dylan
Bob Dylan is an American singer-songwriter, musician, poet, film director and painter. He has been a major and profoundly influential figure in popular music and culture for five decades. Much of his most celebrated work dates from the 1960s when he was an informal chronicler and a seemingly...
, the Rolling Stones
The Rolling Stones
The Rolling Stones are an English rock band, formed in London in April 1962 by Brian Jones , Ian Stewart , Mick Jagger , and Keith Richards . Bassist Bill Wyman and drummer Charlie Watts completed the early line-up...
, and Primal Scream
Primal Scream
Primal Scream are a Scottish alternative rock band originally formed in 1982 in Glasgow by Bobby Gillespie and Jim Beattie and now based in London. The current lineup consists of Gillespie, Andrew Innes , Martin Duffy , and Darrin Mooney...
. Jim Dickinson also set up the Zebra Ranch recording studio
Recording studio
A recording studio is a facility for sound recording and mixing. Ideally both the recording and monitoring spaces are specially designed by an acoustician to achieve optimum acoustic properties...
complex during the 1990s in Hernando, Mississippi. His career spanned more than four decades before he died on August 15, 2009.
The band currently (2011) opens for Robert Plant
Robert Plant
Robert Anthony Plant, CBE is an English singer and songwriter best known as the vocalist and lyricist of the iconic rock band Led Zeppelin. He has also had a successful solo career...
and the Band of Joy
Band of Joy
The Band of Joy are a rock band from England. Various lineups of the group performed from 1965 to 1968 and from 1977 to 1983...
on their concert tour.
Releases
- Shake Hands With Shorty (2000)
- 51 Phantom (2001)
- Polaris (2003)
- Tate County (Hill Country Blues) (2003) Private Release
- Hill Country Revue: Live at Bonnaroo (2004)
- Instores & Outtakes [EP] (2004)
- Electric Blue Watermelon (2005)
- Screwed & Chopped [EP] (2005)
- Keep On Marchin' - Live In Burlington, VT (2007)
- Mississippi Folk Music - Volume One (2007)
- HernandoHernando (album)Hernando is the sixth studio album released by American jam band North Mississippi Allstars. The band briefly toured the album across America in 2008.- Track listing :# Shake - 3:01# Keep the Devil Down - 3:51# Soldier - 5:59# Eaglebird - 2:17...
(2008) - Boulderado - Live At The Fox (2008)
- Do It Like We Used to Do (2009, 2CD+DVD live set)
- Live In The Hills - Bootleg (2010)
- Keys To The Kingdom (2011)
External links
- Jim Dickinson's Web Site and the private release of Tate County(Hill Country Blues)
- Review of Tate County(Hill Country Blues) at Jambands.com
- Hill Country Revue Official Website
- North Mississippi Allstars collection at the Internet ArchiveInternet ArchiveThe Internet Archive is a non-profit digital library with the stated mission of "universal access to all knowledge". It offers permanent storage and access to collections of digitized materials, including websites, music, moving images, and nearly 3 million public domain books. The Internet Archive...
's live music archive