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 Up and Rolling was released in 2019.
The group was formed in 1996 by brothers Luther and Cody Dickinson (sons
of Memphis musician/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. 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. The
group also won a Blues Music Award for Best New Artist Debut in 2001.
Starting in 2000, the Dickinson brothers and Chew have also participated
in supergroup The Word with Robert Randolph and John Medeski. 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. 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. The
band backed John Hiatt on the album Master of Disaster and the
associated tour in 2005.
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. During that
period, Cody Dickinson and Chris Chew formed the side project Hill
Country Revue.
Chew left the band in 2015. 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. Their 2019 album Up and Rolling was selected as a "Favorite Blues
Album" by AllMusic.