North Mississippi Allstars

American southern rock and blues band

North Mississippi Allstars

The 2003 lineup of North Mississippi Allstars as pictured on their album Polaris (L-R: Duwayne Burnside, Luther Dickinson, Chris Chew, Cody Dickinson)

Background information
Origin| Hernando, Mississippi, U.S.
Genres| Southern rock, blues rock, jam band, folk blues
Years active| 1996–present
Labels| Tone-Cool, Artemis, Ato, Songs of the South
Members| Luther Dickinson
Cody Dickinson
Past members| Carl Dufrene
Duwayne Burnside
Chris Chew[1]
Website| www.nmallstars.com

North Mississippi Allstars is an American blues and southern rock band from Hernando, Mississippi, founded in 1996. The band is currently composed of brothers Luther Dickinson (guitar, lowebow, vocals) and Cody Dickinson (drums, keyboards, electric washboard, vocals). Their most recent album Still Shakin'  was released in 2025.

## History

[edit]

The group was formed in 1996 by brothers Luther and Cody Dickinson (sons of Memphis musician and producer Jim Dickinson), along with bassist Chris Chew, with the intention of combining the blues and bluegrass of the North Mississippi region with rock and other modern forms.[2] Their first album Shake Hands with Shorty was nominated for a Grammy Award for Best Contemporary Blues Album. Their later albums 51 Phantom and Electric Blue Watermelon have received nominations in the same category.[3] The group also won a Blues Music Award for Best New Artist Debut in 2001.[4]

Starting in 2000, the Dickinson brothers and Chew have also participated in supergroup The Word with Robert Randolph and John Medeski.[5] The band made its network television debut in 2000 on Late Night with Conan O'Brien and served as the house band on the program Last Call with Carson Daly for a short period in 2004.[6] Guitarist Duwayne Burnside, son of Mississippi blues musician R. L. Burnside, has often collaborated with the group, and was added as an official member in 2003–2004.[7] The band backed John Hiatt on the album Master of Disaster and the associated tour in 2005.[2]

North Mississippi Allstars albums are known for featuring many guest stars; for example, their 2005 album Electric Blue Watermelon included guest appearances by Lucinda Williams, Robert Randolph, the Dirty Dozen Brass Band, and traditional musician Otha Turner. Luther Dickinson joined the Black Crowes in 2007 and devoted time to both bands until 2011; he appeared on three Black Crowes studio albums.[8] During that period, Cody Dickinson and Chris Chew formed the side project Hill Country Revue.[9]

Chew left the band in 2015.[10] Since then, the Dickinson brothers have led the group with a rotating cast of supporting musicians. Their 2017 album Prayer for Peace reached number one on the Billboard Blues Albums Chart.[11] Their 2019 album Up and Rolling was selected as a "Favorite Blues Album" by AllMusic.[12]

## Members

[edit]

Current members

* Luther Dickinson – guitar, vocals, cigar box guitar, drums, bass (1996–present)
* Cody Dickinson – drums, percussion, vocals, guitar, synthesizer (1996–present)

Former members

* Chris Chew – bass, vocals (1996–2015)
* Duwayne Burnside – guitar, vocals (2003–2004)

Timeline

## Discography

[edit]

Main article: North Mississippi Allstars discography

### Albums

[edit]

* 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, live)
* Electric Blue Watermelon (2005)
* Paradise Boston, Ma 11.12.05 (2006, Instant Live)
* Keep On Marchin': Live in Burlington, VT 11.11.05 (2007, 2 CDs live)
* Mississippi Folk Music \- Volume One (2007)
* Hernando (2008)
* Do It Like We Used to Do (2009, 2 CDs and DVD live set)
* Boulderado: Live at the Fox (2010, 2 CDs live)
* Live in the Hills 6.26.10 (2010, official live bootleg as North Mississippi Allstars Duo)
* Keys to the Kingdom (2011)
* Live In The Hills II 6.24.11 (2011, official live bootleg)
* World Boogie Is Coming (2013)
* Freedom & Dreams with Anders Osborne (2015)
* Prayer for Peace (2017)[13]
* Up and Rolling (2019)
* Set Sail (featuring Lamar Williams Jr.) (2022)
* Still Shakin' (2025)

### EPs

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* Shimmy She Wobble (2000)
* Instores & Outtakes (2004)
* Electric Blue Watermelon Screwed and Chopped EP (2005)
* Upstairs At United, Vol. 4 (2012, live)

Wikimedia Commons has media related to The North Mississippi Allstars.

## Awards and nominations

[edit]

Year  | Nominee / work  | Award  | Result  | Ref.

|
|
|
|

2020 | Up and Rolling | Grammy Award for Best Contemporary Blues Album | Nominated  | [14]
2020  | Blues Music Award for Blues Rock Album  | Nominated  | [15]
2018  | Prayer for Peace | Nominated
North Mississippi Allstars  | Blues Music Award for Band of the Year  | Nominated
2005 | Electric Blue Watermelon | Grammy Award for Best Contemporary Blues Album | Nominated  | [14]
2002 | 51 Phantom | Nominated
2001  | Shake Hands with Shorty | Blues Music Award for Best New Artist Debut  | Won  | [15]
2000 | Grammy Award for Best Contemporary Blues Album | Nominated  | [14]

## References

[edit]

1. ^ "Ron Johnson Has Replaced Chris Chew in North Mississippi Allstars". Jambands.com. November 19, 2015. Retrieved June 30, 2017.
2. ^ a b "North Mississippi Allstars | Biography & History". AllMusic. Retrieved May 13, 2021.
3. ^ "North Mississippi Allstars". GRAMMY.com. December 15, 2020. Retrieved May 13, 2021.
4. ^ Wiederhorn, Jon (May 25, 2001). "B.B. King, Shemekia Copeland Top Winners At W.C. Handy Blues Awards". MTV News. Archived from the original on April 29, 2015. Retrieved April 7, 2015.
5. ^ "Album Premiere: The Word _Soul Food_". Relix Media. April 27, 2015. Retrieved May 13, 2021.
6. ^ Huver, Joshua (June 9, 2017). "North Mississippi Allstars to bring Southern heat to the Independent, GAMH". The Bay Bridged - San Francisco Bay Area Indie Music. Retrieved May 13, 2021.
7. ^ "Duwayne Burnside | Biography & History". AllMusic. Retrieved May 13, 2021.
8. ^ "Luther Dickinson Joins the Black Crowes". glidemagazine.com. November 28, 2007. Retrieved May 13, 2021.
9. ^ "Cody Dickinson and Hill Country Revue Make a Move". Jambands. June 28, 2009. Retrieved May 13, 2021.
10. ^ "Ron Johnson Has Replaced Chris Chew in North Mississippi Allstars". Jambands. November 19, 2015. Retrieved May 13, 2021.
11. ^ "Blues Music: Top Blues Albums Chart". Billboard. Retrieved June 30, 2017.
12. ^ "Favorite Blues Albums | AllMusic 2019 in Review". AllMusic. Retrieved December 24, 2019.
13. ^ Leggett, Steve (September 3, 2013). "World Boogie Is Coming – North Mississippi Allstars | Songs, Reviews, Credits, Awards". AllMusic. Retrieved October 20, 2013.
14. ^ a b c "North Mississippi Allstars". Grammy. November 23, 2020. Retrieved April 4, 2021.
15. ^ a b "Awards Winners and Nominees". Blues Foundation. enter North Mississippi Allstars in Nominee Name, then click SEARCH.`{{cite web}}`: CS1 maint: others (link)

## External links

[edit]

* Official website
* North Mississippi Allstars at AllMusic
* Zebra Ranch studio Archived September 22, 2020, at the Wayback Machine
* Hill Country Revue Official Website
* North Mississippi Allstars collection at the Internet Archive's live music archive

Authority control databases

International|

* ISNI
* VIAF

National|

* Germany
* United States

Artists|

* MusicBrainz

*[Ref.]: References