For the June installment of the 2024 Pine Bluff Blues by Budweiser concert series, the oldest grandson of the legendary R.L. Burnside, Kent Burnside, made an appearance at R.J.’s Sports Bar & Grill.
A bluesman in his own right, Kent Burnside, with guitarist Matt Fuller, drummer Jacob Best and bass player brother Colin Best, kicked off their performance at 8 p.m. June 1. Once again the house was packed to capacity with blues lovers from across south and central Arkansas.
“We have a new CD titled ‘Hill Country Blood,'” he said before the performance. “We recorded it in Boot Mitchell’s Royal Studio in Memphis. It’s a great place to record where so many great artists have laid down tracks including Solomon Burke, Al Green, Bruno Mars, Wu-Tang Clan and Cedric Burnside.”
He was asked his strongest recollection of the blues pioneer, R.L. (Robert Lee) Burnside.
“We would go to Junior’s (Kimbrough) all the time. The Kimbroughs and Burnsides were like one big family,” Burnside said.
Independent reporting for Pine Bluff & Jefferson County since 1879.
Junior Kimbrough fathered 36 children while R.L. Burnside raised eight sons and four daughters with his wife Alice Mae Taylor. The family knew the elder Burnsides as “Big Daddy” and “Big Momma.”
R.L. Burnside, Junior Kimbrough and Kenny Brown are credited with developing the unique rhythmic style of Mississippi Hill Country Blues. R.L. Burnside released 18 albums during his career.
He shared his band’s upcoming gigs including a performance in Ripley, Miss., on June 8, the 52nd annual Bentonia Blues Fest on June 13, the Hill Country Picnic in Waterford, Miss., on June 28 and Morgan Freeman’s Ground Zero Club in Clarksdale on July 7.
In addition, they’ll be traveling to play engagements across Colorado in a few months as well as a return visit to Australia for the first time since 2019. When not on the road, he currently splits his time between Holly Springs, Miss., where he grew up and Des Moines, Iowa, where his children live.
The Saturday night show was Burnside’s third return in as many years as part of MK Distributor’s monthly concert series.
Port City Blues Society member Dave Sadler serves as master of ceremonies for the event. He introduced Burnside.
“We love the opportunity to expose our audience to these kinds of great artists,” Sadler said. “Born in Memphis and raised in Holly Springs, Kent is a third generation bluesman who is keeping his grandfather’s legacy alive.”
Upon completion of his introductory song, Burnside stated, “We’re gonna have a good time tonight.”
The second song was his grandfather’s composition, “See My Jumper Hanging on the Line.” A little deeper in the set he broke out another R.L hit, “Coal Black Mattie.”
During a brief intermission, Burnside shared some of what R.L taught him.
“He showed all us kids rhythm and chord structure. He would always tell me, ‘You have to find your own groove. When you find it, take that groove and ride it.’
“And he’d say, ‘No matter how famous you get in this business, never let it change you.'”
Burnside began his second set with a scorching version of Jimi Hendrix’s “Voodoo Chile.” Introducing another R.L. Burnside number, he said, “My grandfather wrote this song a long time ago. I didn’t understand it at the time because I was too young but as I got older I began to get it.” With the first few notes of “Goin’ Down South,” he said, “So let me explain it to ya’ll.”
The entire evening featured Burnside’s pick-less thumb strumming guitar style trading hot licks with his Des Moines-based guitarist Fuller while the Best brothers laid down a solid backline.
As the night progressed with the crowd moving to the groove, Burnside said, “I hope y’all are having a good time because I’m having a ball!” The crowd responded enthusiastically.