Three days after Memphis luminary Jim Dickinson died, his oldest son Luther opened the doors to the family-owned Zebra Ranch and recorded these soulful songs. The Sons of Mudboy stands as homage to Jim Dickinson’s old band, Mudboy & the Neutrons. Musicians on this album include Sid Selvidge (guitar/vocals), Jimmy Crosthwait (washboard/vocals), Jimbo Mathus (guitar/mandolin/banjo), Steve Selvidge (guitar/vocal), Paul Taylor (bass) and Shannon McNally (vocals).
Only two microphones were used during these sessions. Ardent Studio’s John Fry mastered the analog tracks. With only a few exceptions, each song was recorded in one take. The inspiration for the title of this album originated from the legendary Sam Phillips who wrote this about Jim Dickinson:
“Shade of inspiration is the ever-present glint in Jim D’s eye
Hearing strange noises that others let pass by.
Music that make you shout walk the backs of gospel benches,
Makes you moan yes, even cry
It could be—it may be
It is Jim D’s soul of sound
Bouncing off the sky…”
Luther wrote the opening track, a dobro driven “Let It Roll”, on the first day of the sessions. “Angel Band” resembles an old Library of Congress recording. “Where The Soul of Man Never Dies” evokes Delaney Bramlett’s Motel Shot vibe, and this rendition delivers a timeless tune for The High Priest of Memphis Mojo. Luther learned “Leaning On the Everlasting Arms” as a boy at the Memphis Second Avenue Baptist Church.
Luther’s mom sang to Jim “His Eye Is On the Sparrow” during his final days at the hospital. “You Got To Walk That Lonesome Highway” resonates like some hymn on Sunday morning.
The Dickinson Family loved Mississippi Fred McDowell, and “Keep Your Lamp Trimmed and Burning”, stands as one of three McDowell numbers on this collection. Luther’s guitar work on “Trimmed and Burning” proves incandescent. “Softly & Tenderly” counts as another tune Luther learned at The Second Avenue Baptist Church. This composition distills gospel, country and blues music into one pure sound.
“Up Over Yonder” exudes a lighthearted, peaceful message that lingers long after the song ends. Luther’s guitar mastery of Fred McDowell’s style shines on the swampy “Back Back Train”. The final track on Onward and Upward, an old Otha Turner gem, “Glory Glory”, serves as compelling evidence for Jim Dickinson’s eternal musical spirit.
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Interview with Luther Dickinson in Insured Beyond The Grave Vol. 2
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Amy LaVere’s Anchors & Anvils (Produced by Jim Dickinson)
The Black Crowes: Before the Frost…Until the Freeze
One of Jim Dickinson’s Final Interviews in Insured Beyond The Grave