Luther Dickinson

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Luther Dickinson
Luther Blind Willie McTell.jpg
Dickinson at the Blind Willie McTell Festival September 2021
Background information
Birth nameLuther Andrews Dickinson
Born (1973-01-18) January 18, 1973 (age 51)
Memphis, Tennessee, US
Genres Blues, rock
Occupation(s)Musician
Instrument(s)Guitar, vocals
Years active1987–present
Labels New West, Tompkins Square
Website www.lutherdickinson.com

Luther Andrews Dickinson (born January 18, 1973) is the lead guitarist and vocalist for the North Mississippi Allstars and the son of record producer Jim Dickinson. He is also known for being a guitarist for The Black Crowes. He hosts Guitar Xpress on the Video on Demand network Mag Rack.

Contents

Career

He was born in West Tennessee to Mary Lindsay and Jim Dickinson, a Memphis record producer. Dickinson grew up playing concerts and gaining recording experience with his father and brother, Cody. The family moved to the hills of North Mississippi in 1985. Dickinson made his recording debut in 1987, playing a metal-influenced guitar solo on "Shooting Dirty Pool" on The Replacements' album Pleased to Meet Me , which his father was producing. Dickinson befriended the musical families of Otha Turner, R. L. Burnside, and Junior Kimbrough. They were the inspiration for Luther and Cody Dickinson to form the North Mississippi Allstars in 1996. The North Mississippi Allstars have been nominated for three Grammy Awards in the Best Contemporary Blues category. Dickinson produced two records on Otha Turner, Everybody Hollerin' Goat and From Senegal To Senatobia. [1]

In November 2007 Dickinson joined The Black Crowes. His recording debut with the band was on Warpaint in 2008, [2] and he has since appeared on the 2009 Black Crowes release Before the Frost...Until the Freeze . [3] Dickinson decided not to join The Black Crowes for their 2013 tour. [4] Dickinson currently tours with the North Mississippi Allstars [5] and as a member of the Southern Soul Assembly.

In 2014, Gibson issued a signature model for him, the Luther Dickinson ES-335, with the most notable modification being the P-90 pickups replacing the standard humbuckers. [6]

Jazz critic Ted Gioia chose Blues & Ballads: A Folksinger's Songbook, Volumes 1 & 2 (New West, 2016) for the eleventh spot on his list of the top 100 albums of the year. [7]

His 2019 joint recording with Sisters of the Strawberry Moon, Solstice, was chosen as a 'Favorite Blues Album' by AllMusic. [8]

Discography

Solo

78 rpm

As member

With DDT

With Gutbucket

With North Mississippi Allstars

With The Word

With Jim Dickinson

With The Black Crowes

With John Hiatt

With South Memphis String Band

With The Hill Country Revue

With The Wandering

With Bash & Pop

With Sisters of the Strawberry Moon

As guest

With Calvin Russell

With Jimbo Mathus

With Jon Spencer Blues Explosion

With Othar Turner

With John Hermann

With Lucero

With Bob Frank

With Jim Lauderdale

With others

Awards and nominations

YearNominee / workAwardResultRef.
2020 Up and Rolling Grammy Award for Best Contemporary Blues Album Nominated [12]
2016 Blues & Ballads (A Folksinger's Songbook: Volumes I & II) Grammy Award for Best Traditional Blues Album Nominated
2012 Hambone's Meditations Grammy Award for Best Folk Album Nominated
2010 Onward and Upward Grammy Award for Best Traditional Folk Album Nominated
2005 Electric Blue Watermelon Grammy Award for Best Contemporary Blues Album Nominated
2002 51 Phantom Nominated
2000 Shake Hands with Shorty Nominated

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References

  1. "Othar Turner, Mississippi Master of the Fife, Is Dead at 94". New York Times. Retrieved 11 October 2018.
  2. Drozdowski, Ted, Deep Roots: Black Crowes Guitarist Luther Dickinson Archived 2011-08-19 at the Wayback Machine August 2008, Gibson.com. Retrieved March 2011
  3. Grierson, Tim, Black Crowes Before the Frost Until the Freeze Review rock.about.com. Retrieved March 2011
  4. Berndtson, Chad Berndtson Interview | Chris Robinson Talks CRB, The Crowes & More Published 4/8/14 jambase.com
  5. "Rich Robinson & Luther Dickinson Team Up In Boulder". Jambase.com. Retrieved 11 October 2018.
  6. Ross, Michael (March 2014). "Gibson Memphis Luther Dickinson ES-335". Guitar Player . pp. 118–19.
  7. Gioia, Ted. "The 100 Best Albums of 2016". Tedgioia.com. Retrieved 9 February 2017.
  8. "Favorite Blues Albums | AllMusic 2019 in Review". AllMusic . Retrieved December 24, 2019.
  9. "Luther Dickinson | Credits | AllMusic". AllMusic. Retrieved 9 February 2017.
  10. Seasick-Steve-Love-Peace at Discogs (list of releases) Retrieved 27 November 2020.
  11. Gunther, Marty. "Peter Parcek – Mississippi Suitcase | Album Review". Bluesblastmagazine.com. Retrieved April 5, 2021.
  12. "Luther Dickinson". Grammy . November 23, 2020. Retrieved April 7, 2021.