Mississippi
Medford bluesman Ryan Lee Crosby captures the moody sounds of Bentonia, Mississippi on new album
Ryan Lee Crosby felt struck by lightning thrice in his life.
At age 13, when he first picked up a harmonica to play the blues. (“It was a struck-by-lightning second, the place I knew, ‘Oh, I’m going to be a musician.’”)
Once more, round 2012, when he first heard an outdated recording from Bentonia, Mississippi blues musician Skip James.
“He sang in a falsetto voice, performed in a minor tuning, had a really haunted sound. I wasn’t conscious of the Bentonia custom, and once I heard it, it was like rising from fog,” says Crosby. Bentonia blues, a regional model of Mississippi blues, is characterised by an open minor guitar tuning; a moody, high-and-lonesome sound.
“The third lightning bolt second I had, round 2012, was once I started to surprise what it would sound prefer to play raga on the guitar, and what the overlap was with the Mississippi blues,” says Crosby. Raga is Indian classical music.
The Medford bluesman’s new album, “Winter Hill Blues” (out June 3) — named after Winter Hill in Somerville, the place he was dwelling on the time — channels the moody blues of Bentonia, Mississippi, the North Mississippi blues, and sees a little bit of Hindustani slide guitar.
As a fan of Delta blues, I normally take heed to tracks that crackle and pop with age— Son Home, Charley Patton, Robert Johnson. There aren’t many Gen Y New Englanders enjoying old-style Mississippi blues.
So what first intrigued me about Crosby is how uncommon he’s on paper: a 42-year-old former English main and post-punk rocker from Medford, who can channel Thirties Mississippi.
Whereas he’s clearly moved by that haunted minor key that defines Bentonia blues — and counts Grammy-nominated 74-year-old Bentonia legend Jimmy “Duck” Holmes as his mentor — “Winter Hill Blues” exhibits he’s well-versed in different blues types.
A foot-tapping, head-nodding opening monitor, “I’m Leaving,” and some different tracks smack of Junior Kimbrough. A couple of are North Mississippi, whereas the brooding title monitor (and others) epitomize that Bentonia sound.
As Crosby describes it, Bentonia blues carries a “brooding, ethereal, moody sound. Numerous the standard lyrics cope with the satan, or a supernatural high quality. There’s one thing very haunted about it.”
His monitor “Going to Bentonia” — “Going to Bentonia, I’m gonna put my ft within the grime/ I’m going to seek out the foundation of all my harm” — seems like one thing of an album thesis. Crosby visits Bentonia a couple of instances a yr, what he calls therapeutic journeys, typically to go to his mentor, Holmes.
Probably the most private track right here could also be “Was it the Satan” about his mom, who died in 2016.
“My mother I don’t speak about too publicly, however she had an extended historical past of psychological sickness. She’s a central determine for me in my musical life,” Crosby tells me in our current cellphone interview.
He sings on the monitor: “Was it the satan who made her suppose that approach/ Was it the satan who made her act that approach/ It was the satan who modified my Mama’s thoughts… For she beloved us all, however nonetheless she stated goodbye.”
“She’s kind of proper on the heart of that” track, Crosby says. “I really feel like my relationship with the South, going to the South, has loads to do with my mother, as a result of she lived within the South on and off for the final 15, 20 years of her life.” Going to Mississippi “helps me as an individual,” he says. “Going to Bentonia to be taught from Jimmy ‘Duck’ Holmes is a part of my means of therapeutic.”
“There was numerous rigidity in my family rising up, and music opened the door to emotions of freedom, energy and wonder.”
Ryan Lee Crosby
Born in Maryland in 1980, Crosby grew up in Fairfax, Virginia. His household moved to Avon, Connecticut in 1991. Crosby moved to Boston in 1998, at age 18, to attend Northeastern College. He deliberate to main in music enterprise.
“I switched out fairly quietly. I don’t suppose I’m very business-oriented,” he says with a chuckle. So he studied English, and began the Boston-based post-punk rock group Most cancers to the Stars in 2000. They performed space golf equipment — T.T. the Bear’s Place, The Center East, Lizard Lounge — till breaking apart in 2004.
“Themes of sickness and therapeutic actually began to emerge for me in my relationship to music round that point. That was an enormous a part of what that band was about,” Crosby says.
His father died of bone most cancers in 2007; his mom died 9 years later.
Music, he says, has been his lifelong “outlet… a refuge from struggling.” Rising up, “I used to be simply going by means of issues numerous younger individuals are — feeling remoted, lonely, not sure learn how to relate. There was numerous rigidity in my family rising up, and music opened the door to emotions of freedom, energy and wonder.”
Neither of his mother and father labored as musicians, however “there’s music within the bacgrouknd of my household. Apparently, my father performed the clarinet and saxophone, however I by no means noticed or heard him do it. My mother may sing very well. My grandmother was a singer. My great-grandparents had been entertainers. My great-grandfather, within the golden age of Hollywood — if you happen to see these films the place there’s 10 guys dancing within the background — he was a type of dancers. My great-grandmother was a burlesque dancer.”
With each his mother and father dying comparatively younger, “their tales are an enormous a part of how I relate to music.”
Shortly earlier than his mother died, Crosby started journeying to Mississippi. After her loss of life, he discovered the treks helped him heal “from the lack of my mother and father, from simply the struggling of being a human being. There’s one thing about happening there that’s…a part of an understanding of what my very own life means to me.”
“My mother was, on account of a southern Baptist church neighborhood, preoccupied with angels and devils,” that are additionally themes of basic Bentonia model music, he stated.
“I really feel I can interact with that materials from the angle of conversations that I might have with my mother. [In] ‘Was it the Satan,’ I sang about my mother throughout the language of the Bentonia repertoire.”
As for what strikes him about Bentonia blues particularly, that’s “one thing that goes into my coronary heart, that’s onerous to articulate. The Bentonia model thins the veil between the worlds. [It’s] a mysterious music that helps me to really feel the current spirit. There’s one thing about spending time with Jimmy that feels good for me on a soul stage. I feel there’s simply one thing in how the music is performed that enables me to really feel like myself.”
Whether or not he’s enjoying raga music or Mississippi blues, Crosby doesn’t “suppose by way of style, however by way of the fundamental qualities of music,” Crosby says. “The types I like, they don’t have numerous chord modifications. There’s a hypnotic droning, generally meditative high quality to the music that results in a meditative state, a transcendent expertise.”
Offered by ONCE, Ryan Lee Crosby can have a “Winter Hill Blues” CD launch present at The Rockwell in Somerville on Could 22.
STARKVILLE, Miss. (AP) — From the moment Jeff Lebby arrived in Starkville, the first-time head coach has preached that a show is coming to Mississippi State.
The Bulldogs certainly put on a show for game one of his tenure, as MSU had 450 yards of total offense and ran away with a 56-7 victory on Saturday against Eastern Kentucky. It gave the coach his first career win and kicked off a new era of football.
“One of the coolest things for myself and my family, the fans showed out. Over 10,000 students showed up and hung with us through the rain. They did an unbelievable job creating the energy,” he said.
All three phases scored for the Bulldogs with touchdowns on offense, defense and special teams.
On offense, quarterback Blake Shapen debuted the new scheme with a 15 of 20 showing as the Baylor transfer found the end zone three times through the air and had 247 yards. On the ground, Shapen led the team with seven carries for 44 yards and a rushing score.
“I felt like it was a good day for us,” Shapen said. “There are obviously some things we can clean up and get better at, but overall it was a great start to the season. I’m just thankful for this opportunity at a new place and I know a lot of guys feel that way.”
The Bulldogs (1-0) had four wide receivers score touchdowns as Jordan Mosely had five catches for 104 yards and a touchdown and Kevin Coleman had five catches for 88 yards and a score. Coleman also had five punt returns for 117 yards.
MSU scored touchdowns on its first two possessions before a rain storm dampened the progress. The Bulldogs were back in the end zone in the second quarter on a Creed Whittemore 41-yard end around and then back-to-back touchdown passes to Coleman from 23 yards away and freshman Mario Craver for 54 yards.
Special teams got in on the mix with a blocked punt from JP Purvis — recovered by Craver — and another true freshman in defensive back Elijah Cannon who had a 51-yard pick-6.
“It’s fun to see those guys go out there and make some plays. It’s a players’ game, players have got to make the plays,” Lebby said. “Fun for our sideline, fun for our guys to be able to see them make plays late in the game like this.”
EKU (0-1) scored a touchdown in the final seconds of the first half but was held scoreless in the final two frames. The Bulldogs allowed 130 second half yards. Despite running 19 more plays than State (76-57) the Colonels were outgained 450-285 with the Bulldogs averaging 7.9 yards per play.
“There are plenty of things that we have to clean up. We’ve got to play better, we’ve got to play cleaner,” Lebby said. “So much good, but so much to clean up. That was the message in the locker room.”
BIG PICTURE
EKU: The Colonels were simply overmatched, but the Colonels have a manageable schedule coming down the line.
Mississippi State: The Bulldogs have been searching for excitement and the team has it – at least for game one. State picked up nearly 500 yards of offense and showed explosiveness on that side of the ball as Lebby’s offense did its thing. There is a rough schedule on the horizon, but it appeared fun again for the Bulldogs.
UP NEXT
Eastern Kentucky travels to Western Kentucky on Sept. 7.
Mississippi State travels to Arizona State on Sept. 7.
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A commercial passenger bus driving through Mississippi on its way to Mexico ran off a highway and overturned early Saturday, killing seven people and injuring dozens. The accident occurred on Interstate 20 east of Vicksburg, CNN reports. A total of 37 people were taken to hospitals in Vicksburg and Jackson, the Mississippi Highway Patrol said. A 6-year-old boy and his 16-year-old sister were among those killed, per the AP. “Anytime you have people injured or killed, it’s tragic, but when you have a situation like this where you have multiple fatalities and multiple injuries, it makes it even worse,” said Warren County Sheriff Martin Pace.
The bus, a 2018 Volvo, is owned by Autobuses Regiomontanos, which transports passengers between Mexico and the US, a company spokesperson said. The company is based in Monterrey, Mexico, Miranda Fernandez said. Its website lists several US locations; it’s not clear where the trip had originated. “All of the passengers go through proper immigration checkpoints and must show their passports or visas to enter either Mexico or the United States,” Fernandez told CNN. (More bus accident stories.)
Mississippi
What channel is Mississippi State football vs EKU on today? Time, TV schedule for Week 1 game
Mississippi State football opens the 2024 season with FCS opponent Eastern Kentucky on Saturday at Davis Wade Stadium.
The Bulldogs open Year 1 of the Jeff Lebby era with a lot of unknowns. Saturday’s game will be a good chance to find some answers.
Mississippi State QB Blake Shapen will make his first start in maroon and may have a big season in Lebby’s offense.
Here’s how to watch the Mississippi State football vs. Eastern Kentucky game today, including time, TV schedule and streaming information:
Mississippi State vs. EKU will broadcast nationally via streaming on SEC Network+ and ESPN+ in Week 1 of the 2024 college football season. Kevin Fitzgerald and Charlie Strong will call the game from the booth at Davis Wade Stadium. Streaming options for the game include ESPN+, ESPN’s subscription streaming service.
- Date: Saturday, Aug. 31
- Start time: 5 p.m. CT
The Mississippi State football vs. Eastern Kentucky game starts at 5 p.m. CT Saturday from Davis Wade Stadium in Starkville, Mississippi.
Clarion Ledger reporter Sam Sklar’s prediction: Mississippi State 50, Eastern Kentucky 10
Saturday will be a celebration of sorts for Lebby’s first game. The Bulldogs will come out hungry with something to prove on offense after last season. MSU will grab a big lead early and Blake Shapen won’t need to play a single snap in the fourth quarter.
Odds courtesy of BetMGM as of Thursday, Aug. 29
- Odds: N/A
- O/U: N/A
- Money line: N/A
- Aug. 31: EKU, 5 p.m. on ESPN+ and SEC Network+
- Sept. 7: at Arizona State, 9:30 p.m. on ESPN
- Sept. 14: Toledo, 6:30 p.m. on ESPN2 or ESPNU
- Sept. 21: Florida, 11 a.m. on ABC or ESPN
- Sept. 28: at Texas, TBD
- Oct. 5: OPEN DATE
- Oct. 12: at Georgia, TBD
- Oct. 19: Texas A&M, TBD
- Oct. 26: Arkansas, TBD
- Nov. 2: UMass, 3:15 p.m. on SEC Network
- Nov. 9: at Tennessee, TBD
- Nov. 16: OPEN DATE
- Nov. 23: Missouri
- Nov. 29: at Ole Miss, 2:30 p.m. on ABC and ESPN+
- Dec. 7: SEC Championship Game in Atlanta, 4 p.m. on ABC
- Record: 0-0
- Aug. 31: Mississippi State, 5 p.m. on ESPN+ and SEC Network+
- Sept. 7: at Western Kentucky, 6 p.m. on ESPN+
- Sept. 14: West Georgia, 5 p.m. on ESPN+
- Sept. 21: Morehead State, 5 p.m. on ESPN+
- Sept. 28: Robert Morris, 1 p.m. on ESPN+
- Oct. 5: OPEN DATE
- Oct. 12: at Southern Utah, 3 p.m. on ESPN+
- Oct. 19: at Abilene Christian, 3 p.m. on ESPN+
- Oct. 26: Utah Tech, 2 p.m. on ESPN+
- Nov. 2: at Tarleton State, 6 p.m. on ESPN+
- Nov. 9: Central Arkansas, 1 p.m. on ESPN+
- Nov. 16: at Austin Peay, 1 p.m. on ESPN+
- Nov. 23: North Alabama, 1 p.m. on ESPN+
- Record: 0-0
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