Steamboat Pilot & Today

Steamboat Springs — The North Mississippi Allstars, with their melting pot of soulful country blues and rock, will venture into the valley next Thursday bringing a glimpse into the music that rocks the meeting point of the Delta Flatlands and the Hill Country of Northern Mississippi.

At the heart of the band are brothers Luther and Cody Dickinson, sons of a legendary producer, artist and sideman Jim Dickinson. Their father opened the boys' minds to different sounds of soul and to recording studios and that let them see into the light of the music world.

After generations of "dirt floor juke," the Dickinson brothers now emit an energy that only they understand, and the audience tries to read. The band chemistry and groove has been handed down to create great Southern American blues-influenced roots music.

Over time, the brothers have been able to share the stage with well-known artists such as The Replacements, Beck, Mojo Nixon, Willy DeVille, Shawn Lane and Billy Lee Riley.

On the road, performing more than 150 shows a year, they also have partnered with Squirrel Nut Zippers, Galactic, Government Mule, Jon Spencer Blues Explosion and Medeski, Martin & Wood for their "Shake Hands with Shorty" debut album tour.

They have added guitarist and songwriter Gary Burnside to intensify their sound, while incorporating his own creativity to the "extended" family.

While the Allstars bring out their Southern rock 'n' roll jive, Jerry Joseph will belt out tunes from his newest release "Everything was Beautiful." His latest solo album is a collection of 12 songs that speak of love, loyalty and his personal history.

His bold American rock and eloquent songwriting have landed him with some of America's greatest new legends. As Rolling Stone put it: "Joseph's big, booming voice and fatalistic lyrics are matched with gutsy heartland rock."

For more than 25 years, Joseph has been writing songs and performing live, while opening for the band Little Women, a band that paved the road for Phish and Blues Traveler.

While touring in the United States and Europe, Joseph has shared the stage with Widespread Panic and Government Mule and will be touring with Chris Whitley in the spring.