Straight from the Mississippi Mud

An Interview with the North Mississippi Allstars

First Appeared in The Music Box, June 2002, Volume 9, #6

Written by John Metzger

The North Mississippi Allstars could have been named anything, and there would be little doubt as to where the band’s roots lie. After all, hill country blues is the basis for the group’s sound, and its sets and albums are peppered with songs by Fred McDowell, R.L. Burnside, and Junior Kimbrough. But the band hardly stops there as elements of everything imaginable — including classic rock, punk, gospel, and psychedelic pop — seem to waft through the music that spans the group’s first two albums Shake Hands with Shorty and 51 Phantom. It’s a unique sound that allows the band to appeal to a wide audience. Said guitarist Luther Dickinson, "We came up from a community of musicians and different types of roots music from Mississippi and Memphis. I also grew up listening to Black Flag and Van Halen and watching MTV."

"Being able to span the ages as far as the people who like our music is definitely part of our strength, and it’s what is going to give us longevity as a band," adds his brother Cody.

The North Mississippi Allstars was founded in 1996 by the Dickinson brothers, who also happen to be sons of legendary Memphis producer-musician Jim Dickinson. Not surprisingly, Luther and Cody grew up surrounded by a wide array of music and musicians, all of which, no doubt, has had a huge influence on their style. Said Luther, "We were always fascinated by guitars and tape machines. Our dad taught Cody [to play] K.C. Jones on the guitar when he was 4 or 5."

"Musically, as kids, we were rocking out and playing whatever we wanted — any type of music we were into at the time or whatever we could write. Then every once in awhile, we would have to back him up on a show. So, we would have to learn all different types of roots music — early rock ’n‘ roll, soul, rockabilly, country...all types of different roots music because that’s his bag. It took a long time, but eventually I came around and became fascinated with the hill country blues. I’d been playing slide, finger pickin’, and open tuned guitar all my life — but when I finally came to it from my own angle, it was very natural because I grew up with it."

In a sense, it was Luther’s rediscovery of the hill country sound that was the birth of the North Mississippi Allstars. He and Cody quickly brought onboard longtime friend Chris Chew to play bass. Said Cody, "We all went to the same high school. He would go to our shows at these shady punk rock clubs in Memphis. He was definitely interested in music. He didn’t play the bass at all as far as I know. But [when] he started playing with us, that’s basically where he picked it up. He’s amazing. He progressed really fast."

The trio spent the next several years developing its sound and performing live as much as possible, including twice-a-week, four-hour shows on Memphis’ famed Beale Street. By the time, the group recorded its debut Shake Hands with Shorty, the trio had clearly gelled. The album received rave reviews and surprising radio support, considering it featured many extended jams and no original songs. Said Luther, "It’s been a pleasant surprise right from the jump."

The group quickly returned to the studio to record its sophomore effort 51 Phantom, which took the band in many new directions. For one, it featured many original compositions. And, its songs were more concise; its arrangements more focused. Said Luther, "The biggest difference is that Shake Hands with Shorty was all material that we grew up playing and material that we’d been playing live for years. So, we knew exactly how we wanted to do it. With 51 Phantom, we were trying to stretch our boundaries, and we had new songs that we hadn’t been playing live that much. That’s when we brought our father Jim into the fold and let him sculpt the overall shape of the record."

"The funny thing about that is that 51 Phantom, in reality, is more of a live record," he added. "The majority of it was recorded with all three of us in the room playing live — first or second take. The production makes it sound more like a studio record."

Throughout all this, the band has continued to tour relentlessly, performing close to two hundred shows a year. "[The road] has really turned into our home in a way," said Luther. "Cody said something that stuck with me: ‘The music that we play — not only is it rooted in our home, but it’s turned into our home.’"

For a time, keyboardist Garry Burnside had joined the North Mississippi Allstars, but the resulting sound wasn’t quite what the Dickinsons wanted. They found their answer in Garry’s older brother Duwayne. Said Luther, " We’ve been searching for the right fourth member for years. Having Duwayne in there — he’s so good and he’s so smooth. He’s just got a nasty, hardcore, aggressive blues sound in his lead guitar playing, which is a good contrast to me. I don’t play blues; I’m a rock ‘n’ roller. But Duwayne is hardcore blues. He’s got a great singing voice, great guitar work. He plays drums. And not only that, he’s a really wise guy. He’s almost from the old school, and he keeps us straight. He’s a good thing to have with us."

As for what’s next for the North Mississippi Allstars, the band is anxious to get back into the studio to record its third album. Said Cody, "It’s going to really span everything — the whole, full dynamic of the band — all the different kinds of music that we play and everything we touch on at our shows and even in the studio."

"This new record is going to have to be a double because it’s going to stretch all the boundaries," added Luther. "There’s going to be more traditional hill country blues that we’re reinterpreting. There’s going to be original blues that Duwayne Burnside has brought into the band. People are just going to eat it up. I’ve been writing and Cody’s been writing, so we’ve got modern rock and pop-psychedelic stuff that’s going to be in there too. It’s going to be all-encompassing. Maybe some blues purists who didn’t like 51 Phantom — there will be something for them on the next one. We just can’t help it. We’ve been musicians all our lives, and we just keep growing."

Shake Hands with Shorty is available from
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Copyright © 2002 The Music Box