get past the lyrics and the melody. I tried overdubbing everything on it. I felt like a songwriter stuck with a pen -- I was too close to it and needed a new set of ears. I called Ry [Cooder] -- we'd been in touch with my Dad was sick -- and he said 'of course I'll play on it.' I sent it to him and his engineer said it took him all of five minutes."
Other veterans from Jim Dickinson's era included Spooner Oldham and Mavis Staples, who lends her vocals to 'The Meeting,' a fast-paced gospel ode. "That song was a combination of the early Staple Singers stuff and old-timey gospel blues recordings," Luther says. "We only used a couple of mics, so it sounded old fashion. Mavis was a shoe in."
Oldham lends his piano talents throughout the record, for which Luther recorded him at Muscle Shoals in a quick afternoon session. "Spooner was one of [our father's] favorite keyboard players," he says.
Throughout their career, the North Mississippi Allstars have been more aligned with a more boogie-stomp sound that some could say diluted the words behind their songs. Perceptions could certainly change with 'Kingdom' -- it's brimming with emotion in the lyrics and instrumentation, which should breathe new life into the Allstars' world.
'Keys to the Kingdom' is out Feb. 1 on the band's own label, Songs of the South.
North Mississippi Allstars' 'Hear the Hills' Video
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