It was such a great time getting to photograph the North Mississippi Allstars joined by extra special guests at Tipitina's during Jazzfest 2024. Luther and Cody welcomed to the stage Datrian Johnson with his dynamic voice, the super talented Joey Williams on bass (and guitar for a few songs), Shardé Thomas on fife, and Chris Mallory on bass drum. Joey has been the guitarist and vocalist for the Blind Boys of Alabama since the early 90's and was such a treat to see perform. Shardé and Chris are the RisingStarsFifeandDrumband and just absolutely bring it. The energy in the air during that show was tangible! I was just in awe of all I was able to witness that magic and am ecstatic to share some of it with you.
I have been so lucky to see these talented brothers, Luther and Cody Dickinson, play over the years, starting back in the late 90's in Mississippi. I am so glad to have reconnected with these awesome musicians and to have them back in front of my camera. These brothers work so hard playing, touring, and constantly cultivating connections with other musicians. For the entirety of their careers, they have been diving headlong into personal projects, albums, releases, collaborations, and so much more. These two are second generation creatives, sons of the legendary Jim Dickinson, producer and musician. This family has a big role in preserving and promoting the music of the deep south, the delta, the North Mississippi blues and musical traditions. I was so lucky to have been in Mississippi for high school around the time NMAS formed and have gotten to see their inspiring journey evolve over the years.
This show was an extra special opportunity for me to get to see and photograph Datrian Johnson, Asheville local, friend, and singer extraordinaire performing with this talented lineup. Keep an eye on this man as he is making magic happen, and is working on an upcoming album with Luther that drops this year. He is also working with Robert Mercurio who is and producing his solo project release that will be featuring his mentor, John Medeski, on several tracks playing keys. This man works with quite a few groups in Asheville and is constantly creating, writing lyrics, and singing his heart out, continuing the Appalachian musical tradition that he grew up surrounded by. This man is just a radiant light, supporting and encouraging those around him. He truly has the most awesome voice that once people hear him perform they often become fans. I know that was my experience and I see it happen every time I've gone to one of his shows.
Keep an eye out for all the great projects these amazing musicians are working on. Luther released a children's album in November 2023 you can find out more about by visiting here. Cody just released a solo 'Homemade' album June 21. Find out more about Cody's album visiting here.
It is my pleasure to get to share some of this magic evening with you all - here are some of my favorite photos from that show:
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