North Mississippi Allstars
Michael Emanuele
The four members of North Mississippi Allstars.
North Mississippi Allstars
Now in its 30th year, this collective of roots, blues and rock musicians is anchored by brothers Luther (guitar and vocals) and Cody (drums, keys, vocals) Dickinson. The current lineup also includes Joey Williams of the Blind Boys of Alabama and “Ray Ray” Holloman, who plays guitar for Eminem. Last year, the band released Still Shakin’ — a diverse yet rollicking record that harks back to the North Mississippi Allstars’ 2000 debut, Shake Hands with Shorty. Live, these guys change up the setlist and play plenty of well-chosen covers.
media release: General Admission Standing Room Only: $25ADV / $30DOS
Reserved Balcony Seating: $35ADV / $40DOS
media release: North Mississippi Allstars returned in 2025 with Still Shakin’ via New West Records. The 11-track album was produced by Luther & Cody Dickinson. Still Shakin’ follows their acclaimed 2022 album Set Sail, which No Depression said was “their most soulful, funky creation to date.”
To make their twelfth album, the North Mississippi Allstars went back to the beginning—namely, their 2000 debut, Shake Hands with Shorty. Luther Dickinson says, “Still Shakin’ is a celebration of our life-changing first album, which we released 25 years ago, and a love letter of appreciation to everyone who supported us and kept us in the game all these years. Touring this album cycle into 2026 will mark thirty years since we started North Mississippi Allstars, and we couldn’t resist commemorating those anniversaries with a new record. In the spirit of our debut, we recorded Mississippi classics that despite inspiring us to start the band in 1996, we have yet to record. We also wanted to feature our fantastic band mates Joey Williams and Rayfield “Ray Ray” Hollman who inspire us to no end. Their contributions elevate NMA to new heights.” Still Shakin’ is a daringly inventive expansion of that album, showing how much the Dickinson Brothers have grown in the last 25 years. The point wasn’t to re-create the sound of Shake Hands with Shorty, but to recapture that spirit of invention and excitement. Back in the day, the Allstars came up with the phrase Modern Mississippi Music to describe their collision of styles and attitudes: an obsession with Mississippi Hill Country and Sacred Steel cross-bred with their stoner/punk/psychedelic jams. Still Shakin’ embodies that idea with every note and incorporates wild explorations, weird experiments, and unexpected influences into their sound.
Relix premiered the video for the album’s title track, which was shot at the family’s beloved Zebra Ranch Studio, Willie Mitchell’s Royal Studio, at the Boulder Theater, and features footage supplied by North Mississippi Allstars fans. Of the song, Luther Dickinson said “Still Shakin’” is a testament to our chemistry and collaboration with bandmates, Joey and Ray Ray. The music came together easily, improvising in the studio and I began recording the lyrics as they came to me, day after day, out on the road, in hotel rooms, using my kid’s plastic karaoke mic. The song is filled with inside jokes from the last 30 years and gratitude to our fans for keeping us in the game.”
A collective of musicians by design, the North Mississippi Allstars have never had a set-in-stone lineup. Instead, as their name suggests, they’ve always welcomed anyone who might push the music in new directions. Still Shakin’ includes a new generation of North Mississippi musicians: Robert Kimbrough, son of Junior Kimbrough, and Duwayne Burnside, son of R.L. Burnside. It also features Kashia Hunter on steel guitar, Grahame Lesh, son of Grateful Dead founding member Phil Lesh (whom Still Shakin’ is dedicated to), as well as the current Allstars touring lineup: Joey Williams (the Blind Boys of Alabama), and Rayfield “Ray Ray” Holloman (Eminem, Ne- Yo). Luther adds, “We are proud to represent the Memphis Music Underground, the Community of North Mississippi musicians and be a part of the modern-day touring culture. We always keep one eye on the road ahead, in the moment at hand, while anticipating the future. The other eye is on the rear-view mirror, reflecting the elders and their repertoire night after night. Our music evokes home, which is nice, since we travel so much. The locations change but music itself is our constant. We look forward to the next 25 years of North Mississippi World Boogie.
Luther and Cody Dickinson started the North Mississippi Allstars in 1996. They were inspired by their father, the legendary producer & musician Jim Dickinson, as well as their neighbors and elders, such as R.L. Burnside, Junior Kimbrough, Otha Turner, and Fred McDowell. Luther’s first national tour was playing guitar for Burnside in 1997, when he was touring A Ass Pocket of Whiskey and selling out shows throughout North America. Luther says, “That experience blew my mind. R.L., Kenny Brown, and Cedric Burnside taught me how to tour. Cody and I have been on the road ever since.” Three decades later, the North Mississippi Allstars are still a touring force and will be throughout the US and Europe on the Still Shakin’ tour this year.
