Burnside Family to invade Moe’s Lakeview in Birmingham

Reprinted From Magic City Blues News with permission by author Roger Stephenson

Probably the largest ever gathering of the premier family of Southern Blues will occur at 8pm on Friday, September 11^th at Moe’s Original BBQ & Blues Revue in Birmingham’s Lakeview district. On that date R.L. Burnside’s sons Gary, Dwayne, Dan & Joe Burnside together with grandson Kent and brother-in-law Calvin Jackson are coming to town to sing for their BBQ supper. The musical achievements of this illustrious group would fill several books. Gary and Dwayne played with the North Mississippi All-Stars. Gary is front man for Burnside Exploration. Dwayne played with his father RL’s band Sound Machine Groove and has had his own band Mississippi Mafia. Kent Burnside is currently touring with his band the New Generation. Calvin Jackson started drumming with RL when he was only sixteen and later formed his own band Mississippi Bound. Jackson cannot be beat in the hill country style of drumming identified as peculiar to the north of Mississippi. His methods have partially been handed down from one of the oldest styles of percussion in the South, the fife and drum bands. These origins have resulted in an upbeat Blues with an infectious beat that makes it hard to sit still. It’s a music that is equally at home on the front porch, at a blues festival or at Birmingham’s Nick.

How did it happen that these great musicians are coming to Moe’s? First Cedric Burnside, Kent Burnside and RL Burnside’s adopted son Kenny Brown, Dan Burnside & Gary Burnside have all played at Gip’s Place. They carried the word back to the rest of the family that here was one of the last great juke joints. They also said how the people in Bessemer and Birmingham loved their music. Lenny Madden, the Master of Ceremonies at Gip’s, saw how well they were liked and suggested to Kent Burnside that perhaps all the family should come on over. Kevin Witherington, owner at Moe’s Original BBQ & Blues Revue, heard of this and said he’d love to host the event. Kent Burnside visited Moe’s for some BBQ and loved it. So, he talked with the family about the idea and they agreed they wanted to come to Birmingham to see the folks here and have some BBQ.

Only 80 seats are available. Tickets are available in advance at Moe’s Original BBQ & Blues Revue Lakeview for $20 each and walk up tickets if standing room only space is available are $10.

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