The current lineup of Alice in Chains has hit a stride on its third album together, Rainier Fog. From left to right: guitarist/vocalist William DuVall, drummer Sean Kinney, guitarist/vocalist Jerry Cantrell, and bassist Mike Inez.
Jerry Cantrell and William DuVall embrace the past and move forward on Rainier Fog, the guitarists’ third album together and a fitting tribute to Emerald City.
It's been five long years without a release from Alice in Chains. And with harder music disappearing from the airwaves, rock 'n' roll was desperate for their return. Well, return they have. Rainier Fog, the band's latest offering of haunting harmonies, pummeling guitar work, and dark imagery, is sure to instantly grab the attention of all AIC fans. But the band's new-found ability to embrace their past with a triumphant look forward separates this album from anything in their lauded catalog.
As this incarnation of the band—guitarist/vocalist Jerry Cantrell, guitarist/vocalist William DuVall, bassist Mike Inez, and drummer Sean Kinney—drops their third full-length album, it's hard to believe they've been together longer than any of the band's previous lineups. And in fact, Cantrell and DuVall were actually sowing the seeds years prior.
As part of Cantrell's touring solo band in the early 2000s, DuVall had all the opportunity he needed to learn the ins and outs of Cantrell and the late Layne Staley's unique sound. “2001 and 2002 were heavy groundwork years," DuVall says. “Everything happening now is a result of that."
But it wasn't an easy road getting to now. Throughout the band's career, it has been infamously plagued by addiction, the passing of bandmates [original frontman Staley in 2002 and original bassist Mike Starr in 2011], and the loss of friends and notable musicians who shared the '90s spotlight on Seattle.
It's a history that weighed particularly heavy on Rainier Fog. “I was thinking about Chris Cornell who had just passed the month before," laments DuVall. “Of course, I was also thinking about Layne Staley. And of course, I was thinking about Cobain."
But times do change, and wounds do begin to heal. And for what may be the first time, the rays of hope and celebration are able to cut through the cement-thick grooves and minor-key dirges that fill Rainier Fog. It's hope and celebration that comes from confronting the band's ties to the Emerald City, the pain brought by years of loss, and most importantly, the victory and hallowed place in rock history that AIC and their fellow Seattle rockers share.
“There was a lot of looking toward home, and it wasn't in any sort of bummer or negative way," Cantrell explains. “It's just that we're a Seattle band. It's where we fucking started and it's still who we are. We're really proud to be part of the history of our town."
That pride in their hometown is why the band chose to track much of Rainier Fog at Studio X in Seattle, the same studio the band recorded their last full-length with their legendary original frontman. And the band was meticulous in taking their time to get it right. They even brought back Nick Raskulinecz, the man behind the desk for the band's successful Black Gives Way to Blue (2009) and The Devil Put Dinosaurs Here (2013). One listen through punishingly heavy tracks such as “Red Giant" and the album's second single, “So Far Under," as well as the band's trademark acoustic-driven tracks like “Maybe," and it's clear the effort has been fruitful.
Fresh off a European leg of a tour supporting the new album, Cantrell and DuVall took time to speak to Premier Guitar about what it means to be in Alice in Chains today. From waxing ecstatic about their own signature guitars and amplifiers to illustrating how the spirit of Seattle remains the fifth member of the band, it's clear both guitarists still carry a passion for their music while embracing their past and future more readily than ever.
Rainier Fog mates elements of classic Alice in Chains with new sonic twists. Were you focused on having such a broad reach?
Jerry Cantrell: There's not really a plan ahead of time on where we're going. It's just that we're starting a journey, and we don't know where it's going to end. Wherever it ends up, that's what the record's going to be. I think that's a hallmark of this band, that we don't know where the fuck we're going [laughs]. But we know we're going to get somewhere. And if we didn't get there, you wouldn't hear it [laughs].
Will, this is your third album with the band. What do you think you bring to the classic Alice in Chains sound?
William DuVall: It's just myself. Even if I write something I know those guys will respond to, like I wrote “So Far Under" on the new album and the lyrics to “Never Fade," and a song like “Last of My Kind" on the Black Gives Way to Blue album, or the riffs I wrote for “A Looking in View" and “Phantom Limb," those are all things that, even if it's being adapted to the certain sonic signature of this band, it's still me.
Alice in Chains recorded Rainier Fog in Seattle's Studio X, the same studio the band used to record its 1995 self-titled album. They enlisted Nick Raskulinecz, who produced the previous two AIC studio albums in 2013 and 2009.
Cantrell: He always comes up with some really important stuff for each record, just like all of us do, “So Far Under" in particular. From “It Ain't Like That" [Facelift] on, there's always a song or two that's based on a weird, bendy riff. On the last couple records, there was “Stone" and “Check My Brain." But on this one, I didn't write one of those. And the funny part is that the signature bendy Alice-type song, Will wrote this time. And that's cool because Layne did the same thing with “Hate to Feel" and “Angry Chair." So it's a tradition, and it means he's really in there.
Another one of those signature Alice in Chains elements is the way you work acoustic guitars into your songs and arrangements. What is it that appeals to you about the heavy and acoustic juxtaposition?
Cantrell: I've actually been talking a lot about this recently, about the importance of that Sap EP. The importance of putting that EP out immediately following a really successful record [Facelift] that put us on the map. And it was the only record we had, so that's what people identified us as. It was a gamble. But by doing that, it set a tradition for us and opened up the playing field of, “We can do whatever the fuck we want. We don't just have to be a fucking heavy band all the time." You could even make the argument that some of the heavier shit we've done is the acoustic-based stuff. “Nutshell" has just as much weight as “Them Bones."
“We're a Seattle band," says Jerry Cantrell. “It's where we fucking started and it's still who we are. We're really proud to be part of the history of our town." Photo by Scott Dachroeden
A great example of stretching out is “Never Fade." It introduces a very uplifting sound and feel to the band's palette.
DuVall: I think it's part and parcel of how long we've existed in this second incarnation of the band. There is a survivalist element that has always been in the band's music. And now, because we've gotten to this certain place, I think the survivalist and celebratory element is more able to come to the fore than ever before. It's a gradual thing that happens. But now that we're on our third album, perhaps people are noticing it more, or perhaps we're accenting it more.
Cantrell: That song is a bit different for us, for sure. But again, it's new territory to explore. It's actually a song that was not going to be on the record. I had this great chorus for it, but I just couldn't come up with something that I liked in the verses and the pre-chorus. So it just laid around for a while. And we were almost at the end of tracking when Will got a hold of it. He went into the back room and came up with a really cool verse and a pre-chorus. We ended up approaching it completely separately. And what he's writing about is totally different than what I was writing about. Not unlike what Layne and I did with “Rain When I Die."
You chose to record with Nick Raskulinecz again, which makes three albums in a row. What draws you back to him?
Cantrell: Nick's just an amazing producer, and he's a real fan of rock 'n' roll. He's like the same kid you smoke dirt weed joints with, in his bedroom in seventh grade listening to Rush records, trying to figure out how to learn to play them [laughs]. That's him, and he never lost that. And we have that element to us, too, so we get along great. And doing three records together, we can read each other before anything is even said. There's not a lot of B.S. There's a lot of laughing, a lot of good times, and we're all trying to make the best record we can make.
DuVall: Just a good energy. He comes in air drumming, headbanging to air guitar, and joking and laughing. It's nice to have that. And then, of course, he's just good, man. He's good at what he does.
Jerry, you're known for stacking a lot of amps to get your studio tones. What did you use to get your sound on this album?
Cantrell: I'm using a lot of my signature Friedman amps, the Double J [JJ], a good handful of Bogners, which I've always used as well, and some Marshalls. And I used an Orange and a Laney. If you're going to layer a lot of stuff, which I like to do, you've got to change it up. Otherwise, if you just keep putting on multiple tracks of the same guitar and the same amp, it ends up canceling itself out.
Guitars
G&L Rampage Jerry Cantrell Signature
Various Gibson Les Pauls
Various Gibson SGs
Various Fender Telecasters
Nash T-style silver sparkle
Gretsch G6131-MY Malcolm Young Signature Jet
Guild Studio ST-series electric
Guild dreadnought
Guild 12-string acoustic
Various Gibson acoustics
Amps
Friedman JJ Jerry Cantrell Signature Head
Friedman 4x12 with Celestion 25-watt Greenbacks and 30-watt G12Hs
Effects
Dunlop Jerry Cantrell Signature Cry Baby Wah
Electro-Harmonix Memory Man delay
Electro-Harmonix Electric Mistress flanger
Dunlop Rotovibe
MXR Talk Box
Boss DD-3 Digital Delay
Ibanez TS808HW Tube Screamer
Boss CE-5 Chorus Ensemble
Strings and Picks
Ernie Ball Slinky (.010–.046)
Dunlop Tortex 1.14 mm purple
An oddball thing that we used on this record, and there's usually one of these on each one of our records, Nick went down to the Pike Place Market and bought a cigar-box amp. It's just a cigar box with a fucking input, a volume knob, and a speaker. It cost probably 150 bucks. On that heavy part of “Drone," when those chords come in, you can really hear the barking sound of that cigar-box amp.
And there's always a flotilla of G&L Rampages around and four or five Les Pauls that I've had for years. And that's pretty much the base of the sound.
Tell me about your relationship with Dave Friedman and how your signature JJ amp heads came about.
Cantrell: Dave and I have been friends for a long time. As far as I'm concerned, he's a real guru of tone who knows what a rock guitar is supposed to sound like. So we started talking a few years ago about putting a signature amp together that's my amp and is tailored to me. It's a bit spendy for an amp, for sure. But it's exactly my amp. It's not a cheaper simulation of my amp that's made somewhere else with not-quite-the-same parts. It's exactly my amp.
You're also known for your wah work. Did you use your signature Dunlop Cry Baby on the album?
Cantrell: I think we exclusively used the Dunlop JC wah. Dunlop's always been a part of our sound. And kind of similar to the Friedman thing, I was talking to Scott Uchida, who used to be one of the main guys over there at Dunlop, and he said, “Let's make you a signature wah that's a little bit more tailored to your sound, a little darker, a little throatier." And they made a great piece of gear for me. I'm very honored to slap my name on that thing. I see them pop up a lot in someone's dressing room or when I'm watching someone play onstage. It makes me fucking proud. And it also makes me happy to be part of the story.
William DuVall helped design his signature Framus Talisman guitar, which features custom PAF-inspired pickups handmade by Dave Stephens of SD Pickups. Photo by Scott Dachroeden
Will, you recently released a couple of new signature pieces of gear with Framus and Metropoulos Amplification. Tell us about the guitar.
DuVall: Well, it's the result of working with Framus for about five or six years. Every year I'd go out to NAMM and Marcus Spangler and Hans-Peter Wilfer would say, “When are you going to come up with a guitar that you designed?" Every year it was a running topic. But one day, I was in a hotel somewhere, and I got out the stationary and started doodling around. I thought, “This is pretty cool. This is worth showing Marcus." So I sent it and we went back and forth a little bit dealing with technical and engineering things. And the end result is the Talisman. It's something that, from the first sketch to the guitar that I'm playing onstage now, I was involved in every step, and very proudly so. I went traditional in terms of my particular guitar that I'm playing. It's a mahogany body with a maple cap, like a Les Paul. I just wanted something that was slimmer, sleeker, and my own personal take on it.
And to take it even further, I got these Dave Stephens pickups. He's out of Washington state as well. That man has reverse-engineered the PAF in a way that I don't think anybody ever had. I sent him one of my Les Pauls, and when he sent the guitar back, it was night and day. The very next day I recorded the guitar solos to “So Far Under" on that Les Paul. So when we got the production model Talismans ready, the first two they sent me I sent straight to Dave. And honestly, I've ripped out all the rack stuff that I had in my setup. I was like, “This is so great that I'm not trying to complicate it in any way." So I have a few floor pedals, I've got my [Metropoulos] DVL-1 amp, the Talisman, and we're done.
Talk a bit about your signature DVL-1 amplifier.
DuVall: George Metropoulos and I have known each other for over 10 years, and I love the man. And on a technical level, he is obsessive. He is the foremost authority on Marshall plexi amps, particularly from the mid to late '60s. It was like, “You know, we should do something together." And because I was just working out the thing with the Talisman with Framus, it was perfect timing. I think the DVL-1 is the highest, in terms of signal purity to functionality, of any amp in that style. His plexi-style stuff is my baseline. But I need a clean thing that's a little more Vox-y, and I wanted more functionality. So we ended up going with a 2-channel, 4-mode design. I'm just over the moon.
How did recording at Seattle's Studio X—the same studio the band recorded its 1995 self-titled album in—impact the record's sound?
DuVall: I can definitely say there was some level of trepidation on the part of all of us. For them, it was sort of a confronting a part of their past that maybe wasn't the happiest period of the group. And for me, it was coming to grips with their past and confronting what my place in this history is.
I mean, the lyrics to “Never Fade" were written at Studio X. And there's a reason for that. It was a moment where I was letting all of that stuff channel through me, wash over me, and not being shy about it. I stayed in there pretty much all night, alone. And by the time I walked out, I had “Never Fade." When I walked out into the Seattle dawn, I felt like I'd had a spiritual experience and a little bit of a reckoning with all the things we're talking about. But it couldn't have been written like that in any other place. It had to be written there. So that's a direct result of working in Seattle at Studio X.
Guitars
Framus Talisman William DuVall Signature
Gibson Les Paul VOS '59 Sunburst reissue
Framus Diablo
Framus Panthera
Framus Idolmaker
Gibson Hummingbird
Amps
Metropoulos DVL-1 William DuVall Signature Head
Hermit Cab iso cab
Metropoulos 4x12 with Celestion Greenbacks and Celestion Golds
Effects
MXR Phase 95
MXR Carbon Copy Analog Delay
Boss CE-5 Chorus Ensemble
Strings and Picks
Ernie Ball Slinky .010–.046 strings
Dunlop Tortex 1.14 mm purple
From tracking there, to the title of the album, and even the subject matter, it seems Seattle is almost a character in the album.
Cantrell: It absolutely is. Some things just start popping up that start pointing in a single direction. For instance, I was doing some early demos at my house and having Duff [McKagan, Guns N' Roses, Seattle native] come over and put some bass lines down for some songs that I was trying to put together for the band. And then having Chris [DeGarmo, Queensrÿche] on the record, us deciding to track it in Seattle, and then writing a song like “Rainier Fog," things just started to line up. So when it came time to name it, it made sense.
Like you said, Chris DeGarmo's performance on the song “Drone" is another of the album's connections to Seattle. How did that come about?
Cantrell: It was really cool having Chris come down. He just showed up the day we were working on “Drone." I was tracking that middle part. I hadn't played it in a while and it's a weird spider chord where the base of it is your pinky on the low E with your fingers kind of bent back across the neck. On an acoustic guitar, you kind of need to warm up a bit to do it [laughs]. So I was chowdering it, and was like, “Dude, you want to try this?" And he said, “Fuck yeah! I'll fucking try it." So he sat down and I showed him the part. He had it tracked within an hour or two.
Very few Seattle bands throughout the decades sound anything alike. Yet there's a noticeable thread that connects them all. What do you think that is, and why do you think Alice in Chains plays such a pivotal part in that?
Cantrell: I think the big picture is that there are so many creative people that were all in sync without planning anything out. There was just a vibe. And I think we have a bit more individuality than other places in the States because we're just up in the corner, in our little outpost, wedged up next to another country. So I think that geographical isolation probably added to it.
I'm just really proud to have gone through that. The fucking bar got set so fucking high, even before the rest of the world knew about it. We'd be going to each other's shows and be like, “Holy shit!" You're seeing Nirvana, or seeing [Mother] Love Bone, our early shows, or the fucking Screaming Trees, or Mudhoney. And a lot of other bands that were important.
It was a distillation of a movement. And it was centralized to our hometown, which was unbelievable. The music still stands the test of time. And they're some of the finest people that I've ever met in my fucking life and some of the people that I've known the longest in my life. They're good friends. Good friends, good music ... dude!
Jerry Cantrell and William DuVall put their mammoth-sounding signature rigs through their paces in this live bootleg of Rainier Fog's lead-off single, “The One You Know."
Well-designed pickups. Extremely comfortable contours. Smooth, playable neck.
Middle position could use a bit more mids. Price could scare off some.
$2,999
Ernie Ball Music Man StingRay II
A surprise 6-string collaboration with Cory Wong moves effortlessly between ’70s George Benson and Blink-182 tones.
Announced at the 2025 NAMM show, Cory Wong’s new collaboration with Ernie Ball Music Man scratched an itch—namely, the itch for a humbucker-loaded guitar that could appease Wong’s rock-and-R&B alter ego and serve as complement to his signature Fender Strat. Inspiration came from no further than a bandmate’s namesake instrument. Vulfpeck bassist Joe Dart has a line of signature model EBMM basses, one of which uses the classic StingRay bass body profile. So, when Wong went looking for something distinctive, he wondered if EBMM could create a 6-string guitar using the classic StingRay bass body and headstock profile.
Double the Fun
Wong is, by his own admission, a single-coil devotee. That’s where the core of his sound lives and it feels like home to him. However, Wong is as inspired by classic Earth, Wind & Fire tones and the pop-punk of the early ’90s as he is by Prince and the Minneapolis funk that he grew up with. The StingRay II is a guitar that can cover all those bases.
Ernie Ball has a history of designing fast-feeling, comfortable necks. And I can’t remember ever struggling to move around an EBMM fretboard. The roasted maple C-shaped neck here is slightly thicker in profile than I expected, but still very comfortable. (I must also mention that the back of the neck has a dazzling, almost holographic look to the grain that morphs in the light). By any measure, the StingRay II’s curves seemed designed for comfort and speed. Now, let’s talk about those pickups.Hot or Not?
A few years ago EBMM introduced a line of HT (heat-treated) pickups. The pickups are built with technology the company used to develop their Cobalt and M-Series strings. A fair amount of the process is shrouded in secrecy and must be taken on faith, but EBMM says treating elements of the pickup with heat increases clarity and dynamic response.
To find out for myself, I plugged the StingRay II into a Fender Vibroverb, Mesa/Boogie Mark VII, and a Neural DSP Quad Cortex (Wong’s preferred live rig). Right away, it was easy to hear the tight low end and warm highs. Often, I feel like the low end from neck humbuckers can feel too loose or lack definition. Neither was the case here. The HT pickup is beautifully balanced with a bounce that’s rich with ES-335 vibes. Clean tones are punchy and bright—especially with the Vibroverb—and dirty tones have more room for air. Individual notes were clear and articulate, too.
Any guitar associated with Wong needs a strong middle-position or combined pickup tone, and the StingRay II delivers. I never felt any significant signal loss in the blended signal from the two humbuckers, even if I could use a bit more midrange presence in the voicing. The midrange gap is nothing an EQ or Tube Screamer couldn’t fix, though. And not surprisingly, very Strat-like sounds were easy to achieve for having less midrange bump.
Knowing Wong’s love for ’90s alt-rock, I expected the bridge pickup to have real bite, and it does, demonstrating exceptional dynamic range and exceptional high-end response that never approached shrill. Nearly every type of distortion and overdrive I threw at it sounded great, but especially anything with a scooped-mid flavor and plenty of low end.
The Verdict
By any measure, the StingRay II is a top-notch, professional instrument. The fit and finish are immaculate and the feel of the neck makes me wonder if EBMM stashes some kind of secret sandpaper, because I don’t think I’ve ever felt a smoother, more playable neck. Kudos are also due to EBMM and Wong for finding an instrument that can move between ’70s George Benson tones and the hammering power chords of ’90s Blink-182. Admittedly, the nearly $3K price could give some players pause, but considering the overall quality of the instrument, it’s not out of line. Wong’s involvement and search for distinct sounds makes the StingRay II more than a tired redux of a classic model—an admirable accomplishment considering EBMM’s long and storied history.
Ernie Ball Music Man StingRay II Cory Wong Signature Electric Guitar - Charcoal Blue with Rosewood Fingerboard
StingRay II Cory Wong - Charcoal BlueAdding to the company’s line of premium guitar strapsand accessories, Fairfield Guitar Co. has introduced a new deluxe leather strapdesigned in collaboration with Angela Petrilli.
Based in Los Angeles, Petrilli is well-known to guitar enthusiasts around the world for her online videos. She is one of the video hosts at Norman’s Rare Guitars and has her own YouTube lesson series, the Riff Rundown. She also writes, records and performs with her original band, Angela Petrilli & The Players, and has worked with Gibson, Fender, Martin Guitars, Universal Audio, Guitar Center and Fishman Transducers.
Angela Petrilli's eye-grabbing signature strap is fully hand cut, four inches wide and lightly padded, so it evenly distributes the weight of the instrument on the shoulder and offers superb comfort during extended play. The front side features black "cracked" leather with turquoise triple stitching. The "cracked" treatment on the leather highlights the beautiful natural marks and grain pattern – and it only gets better with age and use.The strap’s back side is black suede for adhesion and added comfort, with the Fairfield Guitar Co. logo and Angela's name stamped in silver foil.
Features include:
- 100% made in the USA
- Hand cut 4” wide leather strap with light padding -- offering extra comfort for longgigs and rehearsals.
- Black suede back side avoids slipping, maintains guitar’s ideal playing position.
- Length is fully adjustable from 45” - 54” and the strap has two holes on thetailpiece for added versatility.
The Fairfield Guitar Co. Angela Petrilli signature strap is available for $150 online at fairfieldguitarco.com.
Tube Amp Doctor has reissued one of the company’s mostsought-after products: the TAD 6L6WGC-STR Blackplate™ small bottle power tube is back inproduction after a 5-year absence.
The TAD 6L6WGC-STR Blackplate™ is the tube that has made TAD so popular with boutiqueamp manufacturers and vintage tone enthusiasts since 2003. A direct replacement for 6L6 and5881 tubes, it’s a remake of the small bottle GE6L6GC and has the same warm lower midrangeand silky top end as the classic GE versions of the 1950s and 1960s. Like the historic RCA5881, this tube features exclusive Blackplate anodes and a side getter.
The TAD 6L6GC-STR Blackplate™ and the TAD 6L6WGC-STR Blackplate™ feature TAD’sexclusive black-plate designs, gold grid wire, double getter construction, no-noise filaments and1.2mm thick heavy duty glass. This tube is approximately 80mm high (without pins) and canreplace 5881 and 6L6WGB tubes.
The newly reissued tubes feature the original design and raw materials from old stock, availablein limited quantities as long as the old stock raw materials are available. They’re the perfectchoice for vintage tweed and black panel amps such as the 1960 Bassman, Twin, Showman orSuper Reverb. The complex midrange and sweet heights are a class of its own. The TAD6L6WGC-STR is recommended for classic tone with warm cleans and rich, sweet mids whenpushed – and it’s great for fat jazz or blues tones.
- Delivers classic sound of the 1950s and ‘60s - excellent tone, maximum lifespan
- Tube Type: 6L6/5881
- Socket: 8 Pin(Octal)
- Identical construction, even tighter tolerances with improved production quality
The TAD 6L6GC-STR Blackplate™ and the TAD 6L6WGC-STR Blackplate™ are each priced at$48 (does not include VAT) / €46.50 (includes VAT) and are available at tubeampdoctor.com.
In challenging times, sometimes elemental music, like the late Jessie Mae Hemphill’s raucous Mississippi hill country blues, is the best salve. It reminds us of what’s truly essential––musically, culturally, and emotionally. And provides a restorative and safe place, where we can open up, listen, and experience without judgement. And smile.
I’ve been prowling the backroads, juke joints, urban canyons, and VFW halls for more than 40 years, in search of the rawest, most powerful and authentic American music. And among the many things I’ve learned is that what’s more interesting than the music itself is the people who make it.
One of the most interesting people I’ve met is the late Jessie Mae Hemphill. By the time my wife, Laurie Hoffma, and I met Jessie Mae, on a visit to her trailer in Senatobia, Mississippi, she’d had a stroke and retired from performing, but we’d been fortunate to see her years before at the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage festival, where she brought a blues style that was like quiet thunder, rumbling with portent and joy and ache, and all the other stuff that makes us human, sung to her own droning, rocking accompaniment on an old Gibson ES-120T.
To say she was from a musical family is an understatement. Her grandfather, Sid, was twice recorded by Alan Lomax for the Library of Congress. While Sid played fiddle, banjo, guitar, harmonica, keyboards, and more, he was best known as the leader of a fife-and-drum band that made music that spilled directly from Africa’s main artery. Sid was Jessie Mae’s teacher, and she learned well. In fact, you can see her leading her own fife-and-drum group in Robert Mugge’s wonderful documentary Deep Blues(with the late musician and journalist Robert Palmer as on-screen narrator), where she also performs a mournful-but-hypnotic song about betrayal—solo, on guitar—in Junior Kimbrough’s juke joint.
That movie, a 1982 episode of Mr. Rogers’ Neighborhood (on YouTube) where she appears as part of Othar Turner’s Gravel Springs fife-and-drum band, and worldwide festival appearances are as close as Jessie Mae ever got to fame, although that was enough to make her important and influential to Bonnie Raitt, Cat Power, and others. And she made two exceptional albums during her lifetime: 1981’s She-Wolf and 1990’s Feelin’ Good. If you’re unfamiliar with North Mississippi blues, their sound will be a revelation. The style, as Jessie Mae essayed it, is a droning, hypnotic joy that bumps along like a freight train full of happily rattling box cars populated by carefree hobos. Often the songs ride on one chord, but that chord is the only one that’s needed to put the music’s joy and conviction across. Feelin’ Good, in particular, is essential Jessie Mae. Even the songs about heartbreak, like “Go Back To Your Used To Be” and “Shame on You,” have a propulsion dappled with little bends and other 6-string inflections that wrap the listener in a hypnotic web. Listening to Feelin’ Good, it’s easy to disappear in the music and to have all your troubles vanish as well—for at least as long as its 14 songs last.“She made it clear that she had a gun—a .44 with a pearl handle that took up the entire length of her handbag.”
The challenge I’ve long issued to people unfamiliar with Jessie Mae’s music is: “Listen to Feelin’ Good and then tell me if you’re not feeling happier, more cheerful, and relaxed.” It truly does, as the old cliché would have it, make your backbone slip and your troubles along with it. Especially uptempo songs like the scrappy title track and the charging “Streamline Train.” There’s also an appealing live 1984 performance of the latter on YouTube, with Jessie Mae decked out in leopard-print pants and vest, playing a tambourine wedged onto her left high-heel shoe––one of her stylish signatures.
Jessie Mae was a complex person, caught between the old-school dilemma of playing “the Devil’s music” and yearning for a spiritual life, sweet as pecan pie with extra molasses but quick to turn mean at any perceived slight. She also spent much of her later years in poverty, in a small trailer with a hole in the floor where mice and other critters got in. And she was as mistrustful of strangers as she was warm once she accepted you into her heart. But watch your step before she did. On our first visit to her home, she made it clear that she had a gun—a .44 with a pearl handle that took up the entire length of her handbag and would make Dirty Harry envious.
Happily, she took us into her heart and we took her into ours, helping as much as we could and talking often. She was inspiring, and I wrote a song about her, and even got to perform it for her in her trailer, which was just a little terrifying, since I knew she would not hold back her criticism if she didn't like it. Instead, she giggled like a kid and blushed, and asked if I’d write one more verse about the artifacts she’d gathered while touring around the world.
Jessie Mae died in 2006, at age 82, and, as happens when every great folk artist dies, we lost many songs and stories, and the wisdom of her experience. But you can still get a whiff of all that––if you listen to Feelin’ Good.