Thursday, time for a cover.
"Wish I Was In Heaven Sitting Down" is a tune written by Delta blues guitarist R. L. Burnside, he was one of the paragons of state-of-the-art Delta juke joint blues. The guitarist, singer, and songwriter was born November 23, 1926, in Oxford, MS, and made his home in Holly Springs, in the hill country above the Delta. He lived most of his life in the Mississippi hill country, which, unlike the Delta region, consists mainly of a lot of small farms. He learned his music from his neighbor, Fred McDowell, and the highly rhythmic style that Burnside plays is evident in McDowell’s recording as well. Despite the otherworldly country-blues sounds put down by Burnside and his family band, known as the Sound Machine, his other influences are surprisingly contemporary: Muddy Waters, John Lee Hooker and Lightnin’ Hopkins. But Burnside’s music is pure country Delta juke joint blues, heavily rhythm-oriented and played with a slide.
Like jazz, the blues has its share of late bloomers -- artists who didn't start recording or didn't become well-known until they were well into their 50s or 60s. R.L. Burnside is very much a late bloomer; the Mississippi bluesman was born in 1926, but it wasn't until the 1990s that he started to enjoy the publicity he deserved. Recorded in 2000, "Wish I Was in Heaven Sitting Down" finds the veteran singer continuing to be fairly unpredictable at 73. Essentially, this album falls into the Mississippi blues category -- Burnside maintains the earthy, down-home rawness that people expect from Mississippi country-blues.
Today's cover is made by Duluth, Minnesota, country blues musician Charlie Parr. Charlie plays a Mule resonator, National resonator guitar, a fretless open-back banjo, and a twelve-string guitar, often in the Piedmont blues style. He is married to Emily Parr, who occasionally adds vocals to his music.
Enjoy Charlie Parr's cover of R.L. Burnside's "Wish I Was In Heaven Sitting Down".
Upcoming Dates
Thu, MAR 12 Icon Lounge + Events Sioux Falls, SD
Fri, MAR 13 Mankato Brewery North Mankato, MN
Sat, MAR 14 The Nordic Brewing Co Monticello, MN
Thu, MAR 19 Miner Brewing Company Hill City, SD
Fri, MAR 20 Schmiggity's Live Music & Dance Bar Steamboat Springs, CO
Sat, MAR 21 Brues Alehouse Brewing Co. Pueblo, CO
Sun, MAR 22 Liberty Bar Telluride, CO
Wed, MAR 25 Lulu's Downstairs Manitou Springs, CO
Thu, MAR 26 Steve's Guitars Carbondale, CO
Fri, MAR 27 OP Rockwell Cocktail Lounge & Music Hall Park City, UT
Sat, MAR 28 Treefort Music Fest Boise, ID
Sun, MAR 29 Treefort Music Fest Boise, ID
Fri, MAY 1 Mid West Music Fest Winona, MN
Fri, JUN 12 Blue Ox Music Festival Eau Claire, WI
Sun, AUG 23 Moon Dance Music Festival Gleason, WI
Thu, AUG 27 Pine Creek Lodge Livingston, MT
More info @
Official Charlie Parr Web
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