Sid Selvidge has had a musical career as expansive as the Mississippi Delta -- and as true to his roots as the bluesmen of yesteryear.
In short, it’s been the real thing.
Selvidge was born in Greenville, Mississippi, and got his first guitar at age 13. As a teenager he disc jockeyed at radio station WDDT in Greenville, and later at KWAM in Memphis. While in Memphis he performed at the famous Bitter Lemon Club, where he studied the styles of legendary bluesmen Furry Lewis and Mississippi Fred McDowell.
He honestly understands the songs he sings, which is why listeners love to hear them.
"Sid Selvidge, who comes from Mississippi by way of Memphis, is neither country nor rock," said John Rockwell of the New York Times. "He’s pretty much everything musically in the whole Southeast."
Selvidge graduated from Rhodes College in Memphis with a degree in Anthropology and later taught there. His first album, Portrait, was recorded while he was still in school, on Enterprise Records, a subsidiary of Memphis-based Stax Records.
Selvidge then traveled to New York where he played his style of roots and folk music before fascinated audiences. He received rave reviews.
"His voice is an astonishing instrument," said Robert Palmer of the New York Times (1976). "Cool and liquid with a range of several octaves."
Back in Memphis, Selvidge recorded The Cold of the Morning in 1976 on his then new label, Peabody Records, as well as Alex Chilton’s “Like Flies on Sherbet.” He had already caught the attention of the major recording labels while in New York, which resulted in another album, Twice Told Tales, on Elektra Records, Nonesuch American Explorer Series.
In between his solo recordings, Selvidge has performed with the band, Mudboy and the Neutrons, featuring Jim Dickinson. Bob Dylan once called them “the great band that nobody can find.” This group has released three albums over the years.
"With a voice as smooth as Kentucky corn liquor and a guitar tone as smoky as Tennessee barbecue, Selvidge keeps the Memphis music tradition alive," said Guitar Player magazine.
Eight years ago, Selvidge helped found Beale Street Caravan, an internationally syndicated blues radio program, heard on over 500 stations in the United States and overseas. He currently serves as executive producer of the show.
Selvidge has been a guest artist at Carnegie Hall and has performed on the National Public Radio program, Mountain Stage. He has even written a children’s blues opera, commissioned by Opera Memphis.
Selvidge’s latest studio recording is entitled, “A Little Bit of Rain”, on Archer Records, and was produced by Jim Dickinson. It was released in the spring of 2003. His latest release "Live at Otherlands" is DVD and CD, 2 disc package that features Selvidge performing at Memphis's Otherlands Coffee Bar. It also includes an exclusive interview segment
covering songwriters and artists, such as "Furry Lewis".
Hi there Sid!
Just popped by to say thank you for being my friend. I appreciate your friendship greatly and wish you all the best! Have a great week and feel free to drop by any time.....much respect...Mojo!
PS. Do you know any good promoters abroad that we could get in touch with my friend!
WE ARE VERY SAD... WE DON'T HAVE WORDS TO SAY ANYMORE... OUR SINGER AND DOBRO PLAYER ENRICO MICHELETTI IS DEAD. GOODBYE ENRICO KEEP THE BLUES ALIVE WHEREVER YOU ARE!!!!
Thanks for being a friend, man! It’s a GREAT time to get in on things…new music, new CD (Heartfelt), the #1 download for “Emma’s Song” in the UK, the Myxer Ringtone explosion with “Ballad of Billy the Kid” and “Pocataligo”, and it just keeps going! Great to have you!
Please comment me…stay in touch…download some tunes. ;) And til later, peace…Ricky
Watch this profile of legendary songwriter/gambler, Chip Taylor, from CBS Sunday Morning with Charles Osgood. Chip wrote song about SCATS on our MySpace... http://www. youtube. com/watch?v=9eaJ_XLpU2E
Loves Hernando, MS 9/5/08 Sheraton Casino - Tunica, MS 9/12/08 Midsouth fair - Main stage 9/26/08 Pink Palace in the Park Arts festival 10/5/08 Benefit for St Frances Hospital 10/11/08 Doc Watsons - Memphis 11/8/08 Joey Valdex ~ Donnie Brunson ~ Rome McMinn ~ RJ Jukes Click for details & shows times or ta throw us a comment !
It's also been rumored That Jim Dickenson of Big Star Fame is currently working with another Memphis Icon, and Baron of Love, "Ross Johnson" of Alex Chilton, Tav Falco's Panther Burns, 68 Comeback, Jon Spenser, Peter Buck... infamy. What's gunna transpire? We shall see what we shall see. Or as Aunt Rose Comfort says in Kazan's Baby Doll, "Ohhh My!" None of you backslidin' heffers read my Review, 86'ed by the La Recorders. Poo Boys! Check it out now before its too too late, a year from now you will not want to be sayin' Ross who? Hipster Faix Pax!
You'll be walking Sidewayz with yer mind in Neutral!
