WorldofBlues.com

Imagine being inspired to pick up a guitar for the first time at 22 after hearing John Lee Hooker play Boogie Chillin’ in 1948, heading over to your neighbor Mississippi Fred McDowell to learn how its done and thinking about your cousin-in-law done good Muddy Waters. Add to the mix a move to Chicago that saw three of your family members murdered and you may see where Robert Lee Burnside was coming from by the time he had any commercial success in the 80′s and 90′s. Thats what I was thinking about when I listened to this 1984 video.

Look a little deeper into R. L. Burnside’s life and music you can see how the punk rockers may have seen him as a idol of influence and you’d understand how the style moved to this:

R. L. Burnside may not be everyones cup of tea but the man survived what I suspect few of us could and lived to make a significant contribution to modern music. When he was told he had to stop drinking, apparently he could not longer play the guitar. I spent a long time trying to appreciate R. L. Burnside as the innovative force he was in the evolution of blues I guess, but music most certainly. It wasn’t until I listened to this ablum that I finally got it and learned to appreciate the feeling and powerful emotion that this man into his music.

Now if there is one R.L. Burnside every blues fan must own – I’d have to say Come On In is the one.