James Luther Dickinson

Acolyte of bluesmen Furry Lewis and Sleepy John Estes, sideman of Dylan and the Rolling
Stones, producer of Big Star, the Replacements and Screamin' Jay Hawkins, world-class
song bag, down-home bon vivant and fond father of several North Mississippi Allstars, Jim
Dickinson is a legend. And since no mere album could measure up against such a resume,
it's a credit to the only label ever to finance two of them that this one reaches it... More >

Acolyte of Furry Lewis and Sleepy John Estes, sideman of Bob Dylan and the Rolling Stones, producer of Big Star, the Replacements, and Screamin' Jay Hawkins, world-class songbag, downhome bon vivant, and fond father of several North Mississippi Allstars, Jim Dickinson is a legend. And since no mere record album could measure up against such a resume, it's a credit to the only label ever to finance two of them that this one reaches its shoulders. Dickinson is a roots-rocker with attitude who made his name as a piano man; always gruff-voiced and now sixty-five, he can't put across a sweet tune like "I Was a Champion" on sly smarts alone. But he's jovially horny on "Roly Poly" and "You Better Rock Me Baby." He's more broken-up than the titles of "Lonely Nights" and "I Need You" deserve. And when he caps "Dirty on Yo Mama" with a sermon about mendacity, damned if you don't believe. (Grade - ***)