Discography

Do Right, Say Right – 2021

Released November 19th on APM Records, this is the stunning new album from Mississippi MacDonald – Three times Blues Awards nominee, London-based soul-blues stylist with multiple albums to his name on a musical journey which included meeting B.B. King and Pinetop Perkins, Otis Clay and Sam Moore.

“…a sharply cut gem of an album…a terrific, heart-felt effort. This is an excellent album. Enjoy it soon and often.” Jim White, Blues Roadhouse

“Alongside convincing vocals and fretwork, Mississippi MacDonald scores a bona fide blues hat-trick by way of his punchy, pungent and extremely genre-savvy lyrics.  The London-based vocalist/guitarist exudes authority on all three fronts, backed here by solid, simpatico production. 5 stars.”, Duane Verh, Roots Music Report

“A man from England called Mississippi with an ear for the classic and an eye on the future has nailed the Chicago sound. Never mind where he’s from, it’s all about where you are now, and this is sensational. Rating 9.5/10”, Andy Thorley, Maximum Volume Music

Track Listing

  1. I Was Wrong (MacDonald)
  2. I Heard It Twice (MacDonald)
  3. It Can’t Hurt Me  (MacDonald)
  4. Drinker’s Blues (MacDonald)
  5. Let Me Explore Your Mind  (MacDonald)
  6. That’s It, I Quit     (MacDonald)
  7. If You Want A Good Cup Of Coffee  (MacDonald)
  8. Keep Your Hand Out Of My Pocket      (MacDonald)
  9. Your Wife Is Cheatin’ On Us      (LaSalle)

Guitar, Vocals: Mississippi MacDonald

Keys, Rhythm Guitar: Phil Dearing

Bass: Elliot Boughen

Drums: Mark Johnson-Brown

Backing Vocals: Lucy Dearing

Produced, Mixed and Mastered by Phil Dearing, LSound Studios, London, UK. www.lsound.london

Photography – Alan Dunkley Photography

Buy This Record
Stream This Record

This Is How It Is – 2020

From the liner notes:

1320 Willie Mitchell Boulevard Memphis is the location of Royal Studios. The music produced at that studio has profoundly influenced my musical life.

I’ve been lucky enough to meet Hi Rhythm, Otis Clay and OV Wright’s family. I’ve been to Al Green’s church and heard him preach. If Stax had the stars, then Hi had the groove.

This record is my celebration of that building and the artists, musicians and engineers who were part of a golden era. This is my thank you to them.

Mississippi MacDonald, London, 2020.

Recorded at L Sound Studios in London

Vocals, Guitar: Mississippi MacDonald
B3 Organ, Bass, Guitar: Phil Dearing
Drums: ‘Texas’ Joe McRoury
Trumpet: Jeff Brown (Jools Holland Orchestra, Nine Below Zero)
Tenor Saxophone: Alex Western-King (Jools Holland Orchestra)
Backing Vocals: Clare Portman, Kocoa Brown

Track Listing:

1. Elbow Grease
2. Talking a Little Rain
3. Blind Leading The Blind
4. I’ll Ease Your Worried Mind
5. Throw This Dog a Bone
6. If The Creek Don’t Rise
7. The Clothes On My Back
8. Let Someone Else Take It Home

All songs written by Mississippi MacDonald.

buy this record

Shake Em’ On Down – 2018

“Shake ‘Em On Down” is the second collaboration between UK Blues Singer Mississippi MacDonald and Washington State Blues Society Hall of Famer, Steve Bailey.

After the success of the “With The Soul Fixers” album of September 2017, we wanted to get back to basics – just a studio, a guitar, a few harps and a bunch of songs. Most of all though, a great friendship and a rolling tape.

Track Listing

  1. Make Me A Pallet On Your Floor (Hurt)
  2. Mixed Up Fool (Bailey)
  3. Black Snake Brown  (MacDonald)
  4. Blind Leading The Blind (MacDonald)
  5. Hand It Over  (Moore)
  6. Don’t Let Nobody Drag Your Spirit Down     (Bibb)
  7. Love In Vain  (Johnson)
  8. Shake ‘Em On Down      (White)
  9. Ain’t But One Thing      (Bailey)

Guitar, Vocals: Mississippi MacDonald

Harmonica, Vocals: Steve Bailey

Produced, Mixed and Mastered by Phil Dearing, LSound Studios, London, UK. www.lsound.london

Photography – John Bull, Rockrpix.com

With The Soul Fixers – 2017

Mississippi MacDonald and Steve Bailey: With The Soul Fixers was released in September 2017 to critical acclaim. Named as one of the IBBA top 12 picks of 2017 and Saint FM’s Blues Is Back Shows Record of the Year, the record got significant international airplay, including on BBC Radio 2’s The Paul Jones Show, who described it as a “Splendid…. a really really excellent album”.

BluesMagazine.NL said:  “Mississippi MacDonald is, despite the moniker, an English bluesman, and a guy with his feet, soul and spirit firmly rooted in the US southern blues music tradition. Joined here by US harp player, Steve Bailey, he has turned out an excellent, searing album that simply rocks and roars along from start to finish……one of those releases that come as a welcome surprise in an overcrowded blues music world these days, with genuinely top-notch writing, musicianship and grasp of just what makes a damn, fine release.”

WA Blues Society: From the opening bars of “I’d Rather Be Blind, Crippled & Crazy,” which is performed as a tribute to O.V. Wright, Mississippi’s stellar vocals shine as do his guitar chops…….Mississippi seamlessly blends his blues with elements of R&B and country making for a unique sound. Very highly recommended”

Recorded at L Sound Studios in London and Studio North, Seattle US

Vocals, Guitar: Mississippi MacDonald
B3 Organ, Piano, Guitar: Phil Dearing

Harmonica: Steve Bailey

Bass: Glynn Evans
Drums: ‘Texas’ Joe McRoury
Trumpet: Jeff Brown (Jools Holland Orchestra, Nine Below Zero)
Tenor Saxophone: Alex Western-King (Jools Holland Orchestra)
Backing Vocals: Lucy Dearing

Track Listing:

1. I’d Rather Be (Blind, Crippled & Crazy) (Hodges, Malone, Carter)
2. Call Me Mississippi (MacDonald)
3. Cool Water (MacDonald)
4. Could Have Been Alright (MacDonald)
5. Daddy Don’t Pray Anymore (Stapleton)
6. Slim Pickin’ (MacDonald)
7. Running Out On Me (MacDonald)
8. Matchwood (MacDonald)

9. James Booker’s Blues (MacDonald, Dearing, Booker)

buy this record

Dress For The Money – 2016

Dress For The Money is the third studio album from London’s Mississippi MacDonald and The Cottonmouth Kings. Produced and recorded at L-Sound studios in 2016, Mississippi MacDonald and the CMKs are joined by special guest musicians Phil Dearing, Lucy Dearing and Jason Melville.

The record features 9 tracks, 7 penned by Mississippi himself. The title track, Dress For The Money is based on Mississippi’s insistence that the band are dressed sharply for the stage, following BB King’s sage advice to all bluesmen, “…always dress like you’re going to the bank to borrow money…”.  He’s right – those T-Shirts and Levi’s will never do…..

The record is upbeat, joyous and full of good time music. Blacksnake Brown and Big Man, Red Suit are up-tempo Chicago Style, Even If It Makes Me Poor evokes the spirit of Johnnie Taylor as Mississippi sings about something he’s just got to have, and Too Much, Too Little, Not Enough is back to old school Otis Rush style blues.  The album also includes a 70s Stax style workout – “This Old City”, commissioned as a theme for the Defenders TV Podcast, and Mississippi’s gospel infused tribute to Freddie King’s version of “Ain’t Nobody’s Business”.

Track Listing

  1. Dress For The Money
  2. Too Much, Too Little, Not Enough
  3. Big Man, Red Suit
  4. Ain’t Nobody’s Business
  5. Blacksnake Brown
  6. Even If It Makes Me Poor
  7. This Old City
  8. When It All Comes Down
  9. Bonus Track: Ain’t Nobody’s Business (Special 20 Mix)

Guitar, Vocals: Mississippi MacDonald

Guitar, Piano, B3 Organ, Drums: Phil Dearing

Harmonica: Rossco Blues

Bass: BC Black

Backing Vocals: Lucy Dearing, Jason Melville

Produced, Mixed and Master by Phil Dearing, LSound Studios, London, UK. www.lsound.london

buy this record

American Accent – 2015

American Accent is the second studio album from London’s Mississippi MacDonald and The Cottonmouth Kings. Produced and recorded at L-Sound studios in 2014-15, Mississippi MacDonald and the CMKs are joined by special guest musicians Adam King, Sasha Jacques, Lucy Randall and Phil Dearing.

The record features 8 tracks and is a journey from Chicago through to the southern USA. 6 tracks were  Mississippi MacDonald originals,  evoking the excitement of Otis Rush’s Chicago sound, the Memphis coolness of Albert Kings Stax period and the strut of Austin Texas. In addition, “If I could only hear my Mother Pray Again” celebrates the sheer joy of southern Gospel music.  

The first single will be “You Said You Were Leaving” – a cautionary tale for those of dubious morals. The title track, which closes the album, is a tribute to Mississippi’s friend, Scottish folk musician Nick Keir who passed away in 2013. The band have taken Nick’s song and given it the full electric church treatment. “They’ll never play it on the radio, unless you sing in an American Accent”….

Recorded at L Sound Studios in London

Vocals, Guitar: Mississippi MacDonald
B3 Organ, Piano, Guitar: Phil Dearing
Drums: ‘Texas’ Joe McRoury
Bass: BC Black

Harmonica: Rossco Blues

Backing Vocals: Sasha Jacques

Track Listing:

  1. My Kinda Woman
  2. You Said You Were Leaving
  3. Heading South
  4. Ballad of Pat Hare
  5. The Blues Ain’t All That Bad
  6. Someday
  7. If I Could Only Hear My Mother Pray Again
  8. American Accent
buy this record

Devils Chain – 2014

This is where it all began, back in 2014. Devil’s Chain was recorded in 2014 at LSound Studios in Eltham, featuring 8 Mississippi MacDonald tracks, with BC black on bass, and Rossco Blues on Harmonica. The title track was inspired by a Johnny Cash 1968 Christmas TV Special, where June Carter-Cash issues Johnny a stern warning – “Every dollar you earn…..is a link in the Devil’s chain”

Track Listing

  1. Alan Jackson’s Got Something Wrong
  2. Devil’s Chain
  3. Wine, Women and Song
  4. Television
  5. Red Hot Mama
  6. Hey Brother, Where’d you get that shirt?
  7. All Kinds Of Crazy
  8. Red Hot Mama – Cottonmouth Kings Mix