North Mississippi Allstars' Do512 Lounge Session, "Let It Roll"
POSTED BY  Chase Hoffberger ON Sep 29, 2011

The adage that blues are passed down through generations is no more true than in the case of North Mississippi Allstars. The Delta revivalist trio, founded in 1996 by guitarist Luther Dickinson and his brother, drummer Cody, learned the ways of the blues from their father, legendary Memphis guitarist Jim Dickinson, who instilled in them a great sense of pride for their region's most iconic export. 

It's an instance that made the conditions surrounding February's Keys to the Kingdom all the more poignant. Faced with Jim's failing health and eventual death, Luther and Cody decided to make the album as an ode to their father, recording as a duo in one room the way they would when they were still kids. Speaking with AMW, elder brother Luther called the sessions one of the strongest songwriting cycles that he's ever experienced. 

"Most of the songs just came pouring out," he said. "They were really the most honest, heartfelt songs that I'd ever written - and I wasn't even trying to. I can never steer the direction of the songs that I write; I just have to take them as they come." 

One song to show up on the album is the slow, timeless rumble "Let It Roll," which North Missisippi Allstars showcased during their recent stop at the Do512 Lounge during Austin City Limits weekend. Shortly after, AMW spoke with Dickinson about the album, what it's like to play with his brother, and two taco stands across the street from a strip club on South Congress. 

Watch "Let It Roll" and read our interview below.

Austin Music Weekly: I'm a big fan of any band that involves brothers. 

Luther Dickinson: It's amazing how many there are. For us, it really cuts down on a lot of rehearsals. We can maneuver our way through musical situations just by brotherly instinct and telepathy, or minimal eye contact, as opposed to a group of relative strangers. We can keep it loose and flexible.

AMW: Has bassist Chris Chew started to pick up on that telepathy? Is he sort of an honorary Dickinson now?

Dickinson: [Laughs] No, he's very much his own self. He's doing his thing. You know, for over a year now, for periods of time Chris has been working, driving tour busses. We've been playing as a duo. When Chris told us that he had to go to work we totally understood. Personally, I'd rather play as a duo than try to replace Chris. He is our bass player. That's our identity that the three of us created. So I'd rather do something new as a duo with my brother than try to replace him. Even though he is his own identity, we still have a special chemistry together. 

AMW: The sibling thing is especially poignant here because you made this album for your father, who recently passed away. What kind of approaches did you take to the songwriting that made this one different?

Dickinson: The songwriting was the strongest songwriting cycle that I've ever experienced. Most of the songs just came pouring out. Some came to me in one whole idea as a finished song, and some came up just as we were dealing with the situation of our father being sick and then passing away. They were really the most honest, heartfelt songs that I'd ever written. And I wasn't trying to. I can never steer the direction of the songs that I write; I just have to take them as they come. 

We cut the record as a duo really fast. I was sitting right in front of Cody, and we knocked it out really fast. All of the guitars are live, and some of the vocals are live. That was something that dad and The Black Crowes instilled in us. That's how you make a rock and roll record; it's best to count to four and hit record. At least those are the kinds of records I like. 

AMW: It seems as though the two-man approach is a style that really emanates from north Mississippi and embodies the sound that was created in that region.

Dickinson: Yeah, definitely. You've got RL Burnside and his family and Junior Kimbrough and his family: It really comes down to country blues played on an electric guitar with a drummer. And you're tuning the guitar looowwwww, and there's finger picking. Bass is being played on the guitar, so it's a lot easier to play with just a guitar that way. 

AMW: Was it a thrill to work with people like Mavis Staples and Ry Cooder on this album?

Dickinson: Mavis is amazing. They were both first takes. It's just such a moment. Mavis was so cool. We did one take and she was like, "Well, you want me to try it again?" We're like, "No way, that was great! Let's fix this and this." She's all, "Oh, bless you're heart. Some people will ask me to sing alll day." No ma'am. 

Ry Cooder, same thing. First take. That song, "Ain't No Brave," was one of those songs that came to me in one thought. I woke up one morning and wrote the song. That night, before we went to bed, I wrote the melody. But that was as far as I could take it. I couldn't interpret the song any other way than just a simple songwriter type of style. I needed an outside musician to interpret the song and take it somewhere further, and so we called Ry Cooder and he just knocked it out of the park. 

AMW: You were recently in town for Austin City Limits. Were there any specific spots you tried to hit or made sure to stop by during your visit?

Dickinson: I gotta get the name of this place right… I took a picture of it. There's a taco stand across the street from Exposé; two taco stands. 

AMW: Across from the strip club?

Dickinson: Yeah, yeah. I didn't go in there. I went to the taco stand a few times; both nights I was in actually. They were awesome. 

My wife's asking me what Exposé is right now. [Laughs] 

I always go to Polvo's, but those taco stands were off the hook!