The storied legacy of Mississippi hill country blues lives on in Cedric Burnside – a legacy that is etched into his blood.
“I come from a very musical family,” Cedric says, referring to his musical lineage of father Calvin Jackson – a well known blues drummer – and grandfather RL Burnside, a renowned blues guitarist.
“My big daddy RL Burnside was one of the greats of the hill country blues and I’m so glad to be part of that bloodline, and definitely glad to keep this music going.”
Though carrying on the name and music of his grandfather, Cedric rejects the notion he somehow has to fill the shoes inherited from him. “I feel like I am hill country blues, just as much as my big daddy was, but I have to say he opened the door for the whole Burnside family as well as other great musicians who love this style of music, hill country blues,” he says.
“To fill his shoes, I actually think that’s impossible. I would never try to fill his shoes, but I will always play this music because this is my life and this is really all I know.”
Cedric Burnside brings the true spirit of Mississippi hill country blues to Australia in May for Blues On Broadbeach (Gold Coast) as well as a string of theatre shows.
“Man, I’m looking very forward to it,” Cedric says. “Australia would have to be one of my favourite places to visit so I really can’t wait to get over there.
“I always do a duo, a two-piece with guitar and drums, and this will pretty much be the same except that I’ll be playing mostly guitar on these sets. Normally I play mostly drums because drums are my first instrument, but these sets will be me on guitar mostly.”
With hill country blues being a particularly raw form of blues, Cedric has enjoyed the way Australians have responded to and embraced his music over the years coming here. “It’s cool coming over to do it the way I wrote it and not have to sound it out to somebody and let somebody else play it for me,” he says.
“[Australians] have been really responsive to the music and they show a whole lot of love for the hill country blues, and I have to say this: Australia is by far one of my favourite countries to visit and I’m looking so forward to coming over there. Hill country blues is very raw and it’s very unique and it’s definitely very real.”
A father of three, Cedric intends to pass the Burnside legacy onto his daughters; his eldest is currently majoring in music, much to Cedric’s joy. For now though, he's determined to carve his own place in the heritage of hill country blues.“As I keep his music going, I always love to play some of my big daddy’s music as well to let people know where I got it from,” he says.
“But to say that is to say this: I play this music because I love it but I also want to make my own mark. Before I leave this world I want people to know me as Cedric Burnside and not just ‘RL Burnside’s grandson’.”
Cedric Burnside plays Blues On Broadbeach (Gold Coast) 17 May.
Cedric Burnside Australia Tour 2019
Sat 11 May - Bridge Hotel (Castlemaine)12-13 May - The Spotted Mallard (Melbourne)
Wed 15 May - Caravan Music Club (Melbourne)
Thu 16 May - The Lansdowne Hotel (Sydney)
Fri 17-18 May - Blues On Broadbeach (Gold Coast)
Sun 19 May - Junk Bar (Brisbane) – two shows including a matinee.
