Autographed RL Burnside (1926 - 2005) Mississippi Country Bluesman, Xerography Illustration by Derek Hess

I had the honor to see R.L. Burnside deliver the modernized country blues sound with an electric band several times, at the Euclid Tavern in Cleveland for this show, and the Grog Shop, and other venues. He always had the same amazing rhythm guitar player, and one of his sons or grandsons would play drums, while another rounded out the rhythm section on bass. This was a great Fat Possum show, with T Model Ford opening, and I think that was also the same bill I was lucky enough to see Rockabilly wild man Hazel Adkins! At least I know I saw him the same week at the Euclid Tavern.

R.L. was incredible live, a great guy, and was kind enough to sign my Derek Hess flier when I asked. Derek was a machine, he not only designed amazing fliers for the shows, going way above and beyond to promote them, but he was also the main guy booking every act of every genre you can imagine at the Tavern. He did it all, and was one of the first artists who helped elevate street art to fine art gallery status, long before Banksy. I highly recommend collecting Derek's color lithographs, which have appreciated as well as expected, a superior talent such as Derek. If you are lucky enough to get an original pen and ink, that is gold.