Braid My Hair

Braid My Hair

Editorial Reviews
<"b00008gke42999"> About the Artist
Elam McKNight hails from West Tennessee and this is evident in the raw, soulful style in which he plays Blues, from the heart and soul, uncorrupted. Elam grew up in the small farming town of Yorkville, TN and began playing guitar after he heard Robert Johnson. He states the music "affected me like nothing before or since." Elam now lives near Nashville and broke onto the scene after he began sitting in on a Blues Jam on 2nd Avenue hosted by Hypnotic Casey Lutton, a Nashville Blues Veteran, Michael Thorn, and Steve Johnson. Elam and the trio found an affinity and had an understanding from the beginning that everyone involved had the utmost respect for Deep Blues. Elam has a penchant for Delta Blues and plays slide guitar in the tradition of Muddy Waters and Robert Johnson. His performances have been called "Soul stirring events." Elam McKnight is currently working on his first studio effort, Braid My Hair, with Michael Saint-Leon of Nashville's Switchyard Studios! and on location in Chulahoma, Mississippi. Anticipated release is January of 2003. When Elam McKnight takes the stage it is an event replete, always, with an All-star lineup of seasoned Blues and R&B veterans. Following is a list of musicians (and their credits) who regularly takes the stage or record with Elam on his journeys into Deep Blues: Hypnotic Casey Lutton (guitar) has played with blues legend Homesick James, Rufus Thomas, Bo Diddley and others. He toured France and Italy with Blues queen Marion James and produced her acclaimed album Marion James and the Hyptnotics. Michael Thorn (bass) is from Jackson, MS. He grew up playing southern rock and "chitlin'" circuit R&B, which is evident in his soulful bass performances. He played with Dorothy Moore (Misty Blue) and Percy Sledge (When A Man Loves a Woman) as well as many other blues, country and rock acts. Thorn has made several trips to Europe with various artists and is actively involved in playing sessions in the Nashv! ille area. Cedric Burnside is a drummer of unreal force and power. He keeps the Mississippi North Hill Country Blues Pulse thumping for R.L. Burnside (who happens to also be his Grandfather) and other Fat Possum Recording artists. Cedric's thunderous work can be heard on R.L. Burnside's albums Mr. Wizard, Ass Pocket of Whiskey, and the most recent Burnside on Burnside. Cedric has performed and recorded with the North Mississippi Allstars. Cedric has also recently lent his drumming force to works by Kenny Brown, guitarist for R.L. Burnside, and Jo Jo Herman (Widespread Panic). He has jammed with Elam and blasted his way through three songs on Elam's forthcoming album, of which were recorded completly "Old School Style" in a house in the middle of Chulahoma, Mississippi. Elam describes Cedric as someone he had an instant affinity with and "not only is he a great drummer but cool as the other side of my pillow."Gary Burnside (son of RL) is beyond belief, a drummer, guitarist, and! bassist, he plays each instrument with a funky soulful-ness all his own. Gary carries the musical traditon of the North Hill Country in his blood and it coarses through his whole aura. Gary was the former bassist for the late great Junior Kimbrough and has lent his skills to works by The North Mississippi Allstars on Shake Hands with Shorty and there soon to be released album. Gary held the bottom down on three songs on Elam's record with Cedric and pummeled through the songs effortlessly. Gary has his own group, the Burnside Inspirations, and is currently wrapping up his first solo album with Luther Dickinson of the North Mississippi Allstars. Elam states "Gary and Cedric just get it. You don't have to explain anything to those two cats, just hit record! It's in 'em and it is going to come out and when it does you better back back up and get ready to duck!" Ronnie Godfrey (Piano/Organ) is as seasoned a southern musician as you will find. He has played with numerous Blues,! R&B, Country, and Southern Rock acts most notabl

<"b00008gke44999"> Album Description
Braid My Hair is the debut album from Elam McKnight. It is an exploration into Deep Blues and Elam refers to the overall sound produced on this album as "Roots Blues". "This is common folk’s music. It is inspired by the times of old when music was a vibe thing and capturing a performance was the goal and not whether it sounded polished enough." Three tracks on the album feature Cedric and Gary Burnside (Grandson and Son of Living Blues Legend R.L. Burnside.) "I met Cedric(drums) in Nashville one night and he invited me to Mississippi to jam. I did and met Gary(bass) who is also a wonderful musician. They are both steeped in the Hill Country sound and it was obvious once we hit it off that I needed them to contribute their piece to the overall project. You can tell instantly the tracks they played on and one of the things I like about those recordings is that they were done in a house in Chulahoma, way back in the country. That is about as raw as you can ! get. And with those two it is like ‘one, two, three go’ and you better hang on!"

Also joining Elam on his excursion into Deep Blues is "Hypnotic" Casey Lutton, a Nashville Blues veteran and former member of the Hypnotics. "Casey holds court over a Monday night jam that I began attending and he is one of the major reasons this album was even made. The guys (Casey, Steve Johnson-drums, and Michael Thorn-bass) knew I was trying to record an album and Casey said ‘let us be your backup band.’ I was more than happy to oblige." Also included are Ronnie Godfrey (piano and keys) and Zach Reynolds (Harmonica). "Both Ronnie and Zach are like hot sauce over an already good plate of food."

All but two of Braid My Hair’s tracks were written by McKnight and the album is like a classic car with all the added features, built for comfort and speed. "We run the gambit. You have Delta like Braid My Hair and Terraplane Blues (Robert Johnson), Soul with Sugar Cane, Hill Country Stomp with Crying Shame, Miss Maureen, and Three Legged Dog. Then you have some Roots acoustic numbers like Bob Zarecor Blues (a song about Elam’s Grandfather), Devil Got Religion and alternate versions of Miss Maureen and Three Legged Dog. I wanted to make an album I would like to listen to. One that has all the bells and whistles."

Braid My Hair, Music, Elam McKnight, Blues rock all the way. Elam McKnight's song writing talent is more than evident and take this CD release to the room of fine listening. Elam sings with everything he has to offer. Blues never felt so good. (4 out of 5 stars)" ---Roots Music Report

Braid My Hair

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