R.L. BURNSIDE (1926-2005) was a charismatic singer and guitarist, in the deepest Mississippi Hill Country tradition. 

He learned and was greatly influenced by Fred McDowell, and also played in the style of John Lee Hooker. A lot happened in his 78 years. He was first recorded in 1967 by George Mitchell, and went on to make several records for various European labels. 

Later in his life, in the 1990s, he was crossover hit with his recordings on the Fat Possum label, with his own band and the Jon Spencer Blues Explosion. A farmer, fisherman, and family man, he had many children, several of which played music. I met him in the early 1990s, he was very kind, and funny, known for his toasts and jokes as well as his hypnotic, trance-inducing style.

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Photo thanks to Time Zone.