Description
North Mississippi Allstars – Prayer For Peace – Vinyl Record
North Mississippi Allstars’ Prayer for Peace, released on June 2, 2017, is a deeply rooted, impassioned blend of hill country blues, Southern rock, soul, and gospel that pays tribute to the band’s musical heritage while delivering a timely social and spiritual message. Spearheaded by brothers Luther and Cody Dickinson, sons of famed Memphis producer Jim Dickinson, the album is both a celebration of regional sounds and a plea for unity and healing in a divided world.
The title, Prayer for Peace, is more than a thematic gesture—it’s a philosophical anchor for the record. In a time of escalating social tensions and political discord (particularly in the wake of the 2016 U.S. election), the Dickinson brothers set out to make a record that felt both timeless and urgent, connecting Mississippi’s rich musical history with a message of hope, resilience, and resistance.
The album is steeped in the raw, hypnotic groove of North Mississippi hill country blues, a style associated with artists like R.L. Burnside, Junior Kimbrough, and Otha Turner—all of whom have influenced the Allstars since their formation in the late ’90s. You can feel that lineage immediately in the opening track and title song, “Prayer for Peace,” where pounding drums, fuzzed-out guitar riffs, and a stomping rhythm create a trance-like, almost ritualistic sound that underlines the spiritual urgency of the lyrics. Luther’s searing guitar work and Cody’s driving percussion are at the heart of the record’s sonic power.
Throughout the album, the band honors the past while breathing new life into traditional forms. Covers like “You Got to Move” (a gospel-blues classic associated with Mississippi Fred McDowell and later the Rolling Stones) and “61 Highway” (a blues standard connected to Fred McDowell and Mississippi John Hurt) are rendered with reverence and grit. These are not museum pieces—they’re living, breathing songs infused with the Allstars’ own character and spirit.
Original tracks like “Run Red Rooster” and “Need to Be Free” show the band’s ability to write songs that sit comfortably alongside traditional material while addressing contemporary themes of liberation, injustice, and community survival. There’s a looseness to the performances that evokes the feeling of front-porch jams or juke joint parties—but the messages embedded within are purposeful and urgent.
Prayer for Peace also reflects the Allstars’ collaborative spirit. The album was recorded in a variety of legendary American studios—like Royal Studios in Memphis, Fame Studios in Muscle Shoals, and Zebra Ranch in Mississippi—and includes contributions from musical heavyweights such as Sharde Thomas (granddaughter of Otha Turner), Danielle Nicole, Graeme Lesh, and Oteil Burbridge. These guests help build a sonic tapestry that connects blues, soul, funk, and Southern rock in a way that feels seamless and organic.
One of the most compelling aspects of the album is how it balances joy and protest, groove and grit. Even when addressing heavy topics, there’s a celebratory undercurrent—a belief in the power of music to uplift, unify, and heal. It’s this spirit that gives Prayer for Peace its emotional weight and lasting resonance.
The album was well-received, praised for its authenticity, energy, and roots-conscious vision. It’s seen as one of the Allstars’ most focused and meaningful works—an album that not only preserves a tradition but uses it as a vessel for hope, cultural pride, and resistance against division.
Prayer for Peace is a modern blues record with ancient roots, crafted with reverence and urgency by musicians who are both torchbearers and innovators. It’s music that moves the body and speaks to the soul—anchored in the past but deeply engaged with the present.
Brand new, never played and still in the factory plastic sealed
Track Listing
Prayer For Peace
Need To Be Free
Miss Maybelle
Run Red Rooster
Stealin
Deep Ellum
Bird Without A Feather
You Got To Move
61 Highway
Long Haired Doney
Bid You Goodnight
