Fortunately for blues lovers, there has been a proliferation of talented young artists that have embraced the genre and burst onto the scene in recent years. Blues legend Keb’ Mo’ told me recently, “Don’t worry, they’re coming, they’re fabulous, and they’re not one trick ponies”. One of those rising stars is a 19-year-old from Vicksburg, Mississippi named Harrell Davenport. For years, “Young Rell” has been a bit of an underground sensation. He doesn’t just play the blues, he’s the modern embodiment of the styles played by the masters. His singing, guitar playing, and elite harmonica playing gained the attention of many blues elders and tastemakers like Kid Anderson, Charlie Musselwhite, and Billy Branch. Davenport has been playing gigs and working on his songs for eight years. The result is fantastic debut album, Young Rell, that promptly rocketed to the top five of the blues album charts. The songs range from Delta blues and Chicago blues to big band swing and STAX-style horn-led soul. He got a little help from his friends like Anderson, producer Matthew Skoller, and keyboardist Jim Pugh, but Davenport was born with the talent, drive, and an old soul. He taught himself to play guitar and harp and continues to study all the masters, including Sonny Boy Williamson I and II. He embraces the responsibility of helping carry the torch of the blues and is encouraged by the number of young, black artists like himself that are in the space, bringing authenticity to the music of their forefathers.
Davenport is in the middle of a tour that is bringing the teenager to new places like California, Canada, and England and the fan reaction has been universally positive. Remember the name, Harrell Davenport, one of the bright lights of the blues.
The full interview with Harrell Davenport can be found below, and on YouTube here
