{"title":"R.L. Burnside","description":"\u003ch2\u003eAbout R.L. Burnside\u003c\/h2\u003e\u003cp\u003eRobert Lee Burnside was born in Harmontown, Mississippi on November 23, 1926. He spent most of his life working as a sharecropper and farmer in the Mississippi hill country, performing blues music as a side practice rather than as his primary professional activity until late in his life. He is widely cited as one of the most important figures in the contemporary North Mississippi hill country blues tradition alongside Mississippi Fred McDowell, Junior Kimbrough, and Big Jack Johnson - a regional variation of Mississippi blues distinct from the Delta blues tradition. He achieved international recognition late in life, primarily through his association with Fat Possum Records (Oxford, Mississippi-based blues label that emerged in the early 1990s) and collaboration with the Jon Spencer Blues Explosion on the 1996 album A Ass Pocket of Whiskey (controversial for its Spencer reframing of Burnside's traditional approach). His 1998 album Come On In featured remix and electronic-influenced approaches that brought him to new audiences. He died of cardiovascular disease on September 1, 2005 at age 78. His foundational influence on contemporary blues, the Fat Possum aesthetic, and broader American roots music is widely cited.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003ch2\u003eSound and style\u003c\/h2\u003e\u003cp\u003eR.L. Burnside's sound is foundational to North Mississippi hill country blues - combining blues, hill country blues, Mississippi blues, electric blues, acoustic blues, and country blues with his distinctive vocal delivery (Mississippi delta accent), virtuosic acoustic and electric guitar work (use of drone-like rhythmic patterns and single-chord vamps distinct from Delta blues twelve-bar structure), and lyrical content drawing on traditional blues themes and personal experience.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003ch2\u003eDiscography highlights\u003c\/h2\u003e\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eBad Luck City (1991, Fat Possum)\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eToo Bad Jim (1994, Fat Possum)\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eA Ass Pocket of Whiskey (1996, Matador) - with Jon Spencer Blues Explosion\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eMr. Wizard (1997, Fat Possum)\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eCome On In (1998, Fat Possum)\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eWish I Was in Heaven Sitting Down (2000, Fat Possum)\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eBurnside on Burnside (2001, Fat Possum) - live\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eA Bothered Mind (2004, Fat Possum)\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\u003ch2\u003eFor collectors\u003c\/h2\u003e\u003cp\u003eOriginal Fat Possum Records pressings of the R.L. Burnside catalog are foundational items in contemporary blues collecting.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003ch2\u003eWhere to start\u003c\/h2\u003e\u003cp\u003eListeners new to R.L. Burnside typically start with Mr. Wizard (1997) or Come On In (1998). \u003cspan class=\"related-collections\"\u003eExplore more: \u003ca href=\"\/collections\/blues-vinyl-records\"\u003eBlues\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","products":[{"product_id":"r-l-burnside-mississippi-hill-country-blues-vinyl","title":"Mississippi Hill Country Blues LP","description":"\u003cp\u003eRobert Lee Burnside, was an American blues singer, songwriter, and guitarist who lived much of his life in and around Holly Springs, Mississippi.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Wax Trax Records","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":48540806348983,"sku":"210000052505","price":24.98,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0745\/5755\/4871\/files\/images-6.jpg?v=1781154335"},{"product_id":"r-l-burnside-wish-i-was-in-heaven-sitting-down-vinyl","title":"Wish I Was in Heaven Sitting Down LP","description":"\u003cp\u003eThis RL Burnside recording is an all-time classic. Old School blues with New School studio techniques: ripping, haunting, and hypnotic.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Wax Trax Records","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":48540806414519,"sku":"210000055773","price":24.98,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0745\/5755\/4871\/files\/rl.jpg?v=1781154334"},{"product_id":"r-l-burnside-come-on-in-vinyl","title":"Come On In LP","description":"\u003cp\u003eCome On In, produced primarily by Tom Rothrock, is one of R.L. Burnside's most unique albums. Burnside creates his distinct sound by fusing his blues guitar work with dance and electronic music, incorporating sampling and looping techniques.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Wax Trax Records","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":48540806512823,"sku":"210000057333","price":24.98,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0745\/5755\/4871\/files\/burnside.jpg?v=1781154336"},{"product_id":"r-l-burnside-long-distance-call-europe-silver-vinyl","title":"Long Distance Call: Europe LP","description":"\u003cp\u003eThe 1982 recordings in Groningen, Netherlands with Leo Bruin have arrived on vinyl. Here you find RL Burnside, alone with only his guitar and his voice.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Wax Trax Records","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":48540839248055,"sku":"210000079844","price":26.98,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0745\/5755\/4871\/files\/mjitmtk0os5qcgvn-60046.webp?v=1781154448"},{"product_id":"r-l-burnside-a-bothered-mind-vinyl","title":"A Bothered Mind LP","description":"\u003cp\u003eR.L. Burnside's \"A Bothered Mind LP\" showcases the raw, emotive power that has defined his long and storied career. This collection features 13 tracks, including gems like \"Goin' Down South\" and \"Shake 'Em on Down,\" highlighting Burnside's distinctive guitar work and expressive vocals. A product of Fat Possum Records, this vinyl release captures the essence of blues with a contemporary twist, perfect for both longtime fans and newcomers to Burnside's music.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Wax Trax Records","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":48772767350967,"sku":"210000046973","price":24.98,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0745\/5755\/4871\/files\/1794811-3164744.jpg?v=1782828133"}],"url":"https:\/\/www.waxtraxrecords.com\/collections\/rl-burnside.oembed","provider":"Wax Trax Records","version":"1.0","type":"link"}