In the mid-‘90s the world discovered the power and distinctive sounds of North Mississippi blues via the recordings of R.L. Burnside, Junior Kimbrough, and Otha Turner. These elder statesmen have all since passed, but their music lives on through their contemporaries, family members, and disciples.
The festival was the brainchild of Potts Camp resident Kenny Brown who has witnessed first-hand the world-wide appeal and influence of Hill Country Blues through his long tenure with R.L. Burnside and travels with his own band. In starting the festival he wanted to provide an event in which artists would be honored at home with the same high acclaim they experienced globally.
Brown’s goals were solidified through the formation of the non-profit organization North MS Hill Country Picnic, Inc. The goal of the organization is to enhance appreciation and educate the general public about the native art form of North Mississippi Hill Country blues music through performance, preservation, and interpretation. The 2013 festival lineup included all of the major contemporary artists with direct ties to the three men noted above.
Beale Street Caravan favorites, the North Mississippi All Stars, are with us this week with a very special set from the 2013 N. Miss. Hill Country Picnic in Potts Camp, MS. It’s an electrifying, living, breathing musical experience with some incredible players sitting in. BSC contributor Robert Gordon stops by to tell us about the story of Hi Records.
About the artists:
