Hill Country Revue and Blues Evolution

The Mississippi Allstars Mixed With Burnside

Hill Country Revue

If you’ve never heard of the Mississippi Allstars, there is a good chance you’ve never heard modern blues.  But if you pass on Hill Country Revue, you’re just plain crazy.  These guys are bad asses.

Read more as we learn more about the band, their music, and the history.  Learn about their ties with R.L. Burnside, the blues music scene, and more.  Finally, download a full length feature song (MP3) of theirs and formulate your own opinion.

This is one group you don’t want to miss.

Blues, like all music, has an ever changing need to evolve.  But, at the same time, blues is that one genre of music where it is just as important to keep the roots as it is to change.  Answering the question “Where can the blues go from here?”, Hill Country Revue has stepped in.

A modern blues band (with a little southern rock) derived of Mississippi Allstars members Cody Dickinson and Chris Chew, this band makes it claim to be “the modern blues band for the new generation”.  The recipe?  Simple.  Take the roots of blues music that the band grew up on, add a little edge, mix a little soul, and blend it with that famous Burnside touch.

The idea for the band comes from a show the North Mississippi Allstars did at the Bonnaroo Festival in 2004. Joining the band that day were brothers Duwayne and Garry Burnside, their father R.L. Burnside, Othar Turner’s Rising Sun Fife &Drum Band, JoJo Herman from Widespread Panic and Chris Robinson of the Black Crowes. Also on stage was the Dickinson brothers’ famous father, Jim, who has played with or produced artists ranging from the Rolling Stones, Aretha Franklin and Bob Dylan to Big Star, the Replacements, Alvin Youngblood Hart, the Radiators and Mudhoney.

The show was also the last time good old R.L. Burnside performed in public.  

Gary Burnside, the youngest son of legendary blues rocker R.L. Burnside, wrote most of the material for Hill Country Revue’s debut album.  The album, “Make a Move” released on the Razor & Tie label, is sure to spark interest in the blues community.  This is down home blues rock at its finest.  The band is currently on tour, and even does a few shows with Dave Matthews Band.

For tour dates, and more information, you can visit their official site here.

Make A Move Album

The importance of this band, however, is more than perhaps they even know.  After the large migration of  blues from the hills and back country of Mississippi to Chicago, along with the blues “electrification”, country style blues fell off the radar of the main stream audience.    Even today, it’s hard to find a down-home country style blues player who has a record deal and tours the nation.  Hill Country Revue, however, could be the band to bridge the gap.  By combining the emotion and soul of old school Mississippi blues with a modern sound and edge, country blues may very well be reborn.  If ever there was a method to bring the old school blues to the younger generations, this is it. 

As the blues continue to evolve, especially from Mississippi style country blues, one can’t help but be excited.   

To listen to Hill Country Revue, simple download this free MP3 and give it a listen.   It’s “Alice Mae”,  You can right click on the link and save the file as well.  Give them an honest listen, and post your comments.

There is also a video on You Tube available.  You can check that out as well.

Coming soon, this site will feature a CD review as well for the entire album.  During that time, we will also host a CD giveaway.  Stay tuned for more information to follow.