Prolific southern/blues rock band North Mississippi Allstars are back in the Music City tonight, April 1 at City Winery for two shows in one night! These are two separate shows that require separate tickets, with one early show scheduled for 6:30 p.m. and a late show at 10 p.m. Tickets range in price from $45-$65 for each, and they both feature a performance from legendary electric blues harmonica player Charlie Musselwhite. Whether you get there early or opt to rock the night away, make sure you don’t miss out on an evening of soulful and mind-blowing music.
NORTH MISSISSIPPI ALLSTARS
Formed two decades ago, in 1996, North Mississippi Allstars are made up of siblings Luther and Cody Dickinson, the sons of Memphis blues legend Jim Dickinson. The boys grew up soaking in the Memphis and north Mississippi scene, and learned to play with that vibe in the famed juke joints with their likeminded kinfolk. Over their twenty year career, they’ve amassed a pretty epic catalog of work. Starting with their Grammy nominated Shake Hands with Shorty, the Allstars have gone on to release nine LPs, five live records, two EPs, and a two disc live DVD. Separately, the brothers have been a part of side projects (notably, Luther spent a sting in The Black Crowes), contributed to film and television endeavors, and collaborated with all manors of high-profile artists. However, together the North Mississippi Allstars really shine, previously serving as the house band for Last Call with Carson Daly, pulling double duty as the backing band for John Hiatt, touring with the likes of heavy-hitters such as Robert Plant and the Dave Matthews Band, and collaborating with John Medeski and Robert Randolph as festival favorites The Word. Their latest release, last year’s Freedom & Dreams, continues their proud and powerful tradition that will hopefully last another two decades.
CHARLIE MUSSELWHITE
Said to be the inspiration behind Dan Aykroyd’s famed character in Blues Brothers, Mississippi electric blues harmonica phenom and bandleader Charlie Musselwhite first rose to prominence in the 1960s. Born in Mississippi and raised in Memphis, Musselwhite was teen during the birth of rock and roll in the ’50s, bearing witness to the rise of artists like Elvis Presley, Jerry Lee Lewis, and Johnny Cash firsthand, learning from his surroundings and supporting himself through blue collar work. Charlie eventually relocated to Chicago, cutting his teeth in the flourishing blues scene, and brushing shoulders with many of the greats, all the while living in the basement of Jazz Record Mart. Around the time he first found a taste of widespread solo success in the ’60s, he made the move to San Francisco, and used the advantage of less competition to grow his presence, going on to release countless albums. Musselwhite has been inducted into the Blues Music Hall of Fame, raking up 35 Blues Music Awards and 11 Grammy nominations (including a win in 2014), and has navigated through a variety of stylistic shifts, collaborating and performing alone the way with the cross-genre likes of Hot Tuna, Ben Harper, Cyndi Lauper, Tom Waits, and, of course, the North Mississippi Allstars. We’re not entirely clear on whether Charlie will play with the Allstars the whole time, separately, or something in between, but what we know for sure is you do not want to miss this show!
North Mississippi Allstars and Charlie Musselwhite will perform two sets tonight, April 1 at City Winery. The early show begins at 6:30 p.m. (5:30 p.m. doors), and tickets are available for $45-65. The late show begins at 10 p.m. (9 p.m. doors), and tickets are also available for $45-65.
