Senate Concurrent Resolution 534

A CONCURRENT RESOLUTION RECOGNIZING THE NORTH MISSISSIPPI ALLSTARS BAND AS UNOFFICIAL MUSICAL AMBASSADORS FOR THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI AND WELCOMING THEM ON THE OCCASION OF THE MISSISSIPPI TOURISM ASSOCIATION LEGISLATIVE RECEPTION ON JANUARY 27, 2016.

WHEREAS, the North Mississippi Allstars formed in 1996. The band was the product of a special time for modern Mississippi country blues. Brothers Luther and Cody Dickinson soaked up the music of their father, Memphis legend Jim Dickinson, and absorbed the North Mississippi legacy while playing and shaking it down in the juke joints with their blues ancestors. R.L. Burnside, Junior Kimbrough, Otha Turner and their musical families were at their peak, making classic records and touring the world. Eventually, Luther (guitar, vocals) and Cody (drums, vocals) formed the North Mississippi Allstars and pioneered their own brand of blues-infused rock and roll; and

WHEREAS, the North Mississippi Allstars released their debut album, "Shake Hands With Shorty," in the spring of 2000. Their debut proved to be a success and earned them a Grammy nomination for "Best Contemporary Blues Album." After earning two more Grammy nominations in the same category for "51 Phantom" (2001) and "Electric Blue Watermelon" (2005), the North Mississippi Allstars earned the reputation as one of the most intriguing acts to emerge from the loam of Southern blues and roots rock; and

WHEREAS, in 2008, after five studio albums and more than a decade touring together, the Dickinson decided to branch out and pursue other projects. In 2009, Luther teamed up with Alvin Youngblood Hart and Jimbo Mathus to form the South Memphis String Band. The trio has toured across the country and released two albums since then. In 2012, Luther formed "The Wandering," a five-piece fold band featuring Shannon McNally, Amy LaVere, Valerie June and Sharde Thomas (Otha Turner's granddaughter), and released their debut album record "Go On Now, You Can't Stay Here." He also recorded and released a solo acoustic album, "Hambone's Meditations," which received a 2013 Grammy nomination for "Best Folk Album"; and

WHEREAS, the brothers reunited in 2010 to record "Keys to the Kingdom" after the passing of their father. Jim had always told them, "You need to be playing music together. You are better together than you will ever be apart." Inspired by his words, Luther and Cody went into the family's home recording studio Zebra Ranch to create a record that could help them cope with the loss and rejoice in his honor. Most recently, Luther and Cody have toured extensively with Robert Plant & The Band of Joy, headlined major festivals and toured internationally as a headliner and with Ian Siegal as part of "The Mississippi Mudbloods." They also released two live bootleg records, 2011's "Live in the Hills" and 2012's "Live in the Hills Volume II," both recorded at the Annual North Mississippi Hill Country Picnic in Potts Camp, Mississippi; and

WHEREAS, the North Mississippi Allstars are at times joined by Lightnin' Malcolm, Alvin Youngblood Hart, the legendary Chris Chew, and a host of other talented musicians. Luther and Cody continually expand the tradition of the Mississippi hill country blues that has inspired them from the beginning, but as "Rolling Stone" aptly notes, "the Allstars may be children of tradition, but they are digging deep in undiscovered country"; and

WHEREAS, in 2013, the North Mississippi Allstars released their new career-defining record "World Boogie Is Coming." The album marked a return to the band's blues-infused rock & roll roots and pays homage to hill country legends and songwriters like R.L. Burnside and Junior Kimbrough. Produced at their own Zebra Ranch Studio in Hernando, Mississippi, and featuring special guest appearances by Robert Plant, Duwayne and Garry Burnside, Alvin Youngblood Hart, Sharde Thomas, Chris Chew, Steve Selvidge, Lightnin' Malcolm and others. "World Boogie Is Coming" is the record that perfectly ties it all together, fusing all the elements that have made the Allstars special while pushing the band's sound further into the future than ever before; and

WHEREAS, it is with great pride that we acknowledge the musical excellence of these talented Mississippi Musicians who have brought artistic excellence to the evolving music community of the State of Mississippi:

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE SENATE OF THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI, THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES CONCURRING THEREIN, That we do hereby recognize the North Mississippi Allstars Band as unofficial Musical Ambassadors for the State of Mississippi and welcoming them on the occasion of the Mississippi Tourism Association Legislative Reception on January 27, 2016.

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That this resolution be presented to the North Mississippi Allstars and made available to the Capitol Press Corps.