MISSISSIPPI CHRIS SHARP: One of These Days

Mississippi Chris Sharp

One of These Days

© 2005 J. Christopher Sharp (634479317880)

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Bluegrass/Old-Time Country/Country Blues/Bluegrass/Singer Songwriter/Americana

notes

Singer/songwriter and multi-instrumentalist, Mississippi Chris Sharp has been performing for more than 30 years with musical roots firmly established in bluegrass, old-country blues and acoustic music. From the sounds of Jimmie Rodgers, to the bluesy bluegrass sounds of Bill Monroe, Sharp's music appeals to all those who love Mississippi flavored roots music. Mississppi Chris lives near his hometown of Meridian, Mississippi, and performs in a variety of venues, both as a solo act, with his own band, Jang-A-Lang, and with GRANTS FERRY BAND.

"One of These Days" is Mississippi Chris' 5th CD project. There are 18 tunes on this recording, 15 of which are original tunes, all featuring Mississppi Chris playing a variety of instruments, and friends Cousin Ed Dye (of THE BLUEGRASS BAND fame!), Jetson Neal, Terry Baker, and Bryan Hayes. Also featured is Piper Sharp singing a duet with her dad. Born in the hometown of the legendary Jimmie Rodgers, Mississippi Chris Sharp makes no bones about his roots heritage.

"I cut my teeth on Jimmie Rodgers records," says Sharp, who learned his first Jimmie Rodgers tunes at the hands of Mrs. Elsie McWilliams, the sister-in-law of Rodgers, a member of the songwriter's hall of fame, and the writer of such classic tunes as "Frankie and Johnny." Also taking his first guitar lessons from Mrs. Virginia Shine, a first cousin of Rodgers and a talented songwriter in her own right, Chris got a double dose of old time country.

"Add the musical raisin' I got from Raymond E. Huffmaster, and you'll understand how I got my start," says Chris.

Other than Rodgers, Sharp cites his musical influences as follows: Bill Monroe, Bill Monroe, Bill Monroe, Flatt and Scruggs, The Louvin Brothers, The Delmore Brothers, Johnny and Jack, Lonnie Glosson and Wayne Rainey, Margie Sullivan, Bukka White, Skip James, Son House, Mississippi John Hurt, Mississippi Fred McDowell, Charley Patton, Sonny Terry and Brownie McGhee, Ed Dye, Raymond Huffmaster, Avil Linton, Bob Fowler, Mike Compton, Butch Robins, Blaine Sprouse, Alan O'Bryant, Bob Dylan, Johnny Cash, John Prine, Mac MacAnally, Clarence White, Roland White, John Hedgecoth, Lynn Hedgecoth, Leon Williams, Jetson Neal, Neil Yarbrough, Bruce Tinnin, Faron Young, David Crosby, Graham Nash, and Stephen Stills.

An eclectic mix, for sure. Some have looked at this list and just scratched their head in wonder at how such a mixture came to be. Chris says that it's all just folks who either touched him with music on a personal level, or challenged him with the awesome nature of their music, mostly both!

On this recording, Chris plays guitar, mandolin, banjo, mando-cello, bass, and occasionally hacks out a tune on a fiddle ("hack" is the word he used, and this writer believes it is the right one.)

A regular performer in the college town of Oxford, Mississippi (Ole Miss) along with his co-hort Ed Dye, Chris says that Oxford is just about the most fun place that he gets to play. "The people of Oxford really like good music, and they like to come out and hear us. We are fortunate about that."

Asked about his nicknames of "Mississippi" Chris and "Big in Taylor," Sharp replied as follows:

I think my friends John Hedgecoth and Mike Compton dubbed me with the name "Mississippi" Chris to differentiate me from the other Chris Sharp that played with John Hartford. Mike Compton and I grew up playing Bluegrass music together, and Mike and Larry Christopher Sharp played together with John Hartford. We had heard each other's names until I think we had both grown somewhat familiar with each other without having even met. When I first heard the term "Mississippi" Chris, I knew I was in good company, and decided I liked it. Thanks, guys. I'm John Christopher Sharp, by the way, but Mississippi Chris will do just fine.

As for "BIG IN TAYLOR", Chris says, "We play so much at Lynn Hewlett's world famous Taylor Grocery in Taylor, Mississippi, just South of Oxford, that someone said that I was BIG there. I decided that I liked being BIG IN TAYLOR. It's just good to be BIG SOMEWHERE! Alongside the likes of Buddy Guy, Taj Mahal, and Marty Stuart, also favorites at Taylor Grocery, . . . I'm just glad to be BIG IN TAYLOR! It's the best audience I've ever found!"

"ONE OF THESE DAYS" was recorded at Timberview Lodge and produced by Mississippi Chris for his own label, Stump Whipped Music.

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  • Mississippi music at it's finest!
    author: Hal Yarbrough

    This CD is an excellent introduction to the kind of music that I really needed to hear. While overproduced and boring tunes combined with banal lyrics are the norm on broadcast media, Mr. Sharp and company have awakened me to a new level of roots-based entertainment. Do you enjoy tight vocal harmony? The title track is a lesson to all in mellow bluegrass, blending stringband with vocals in a unique combination that entertains while challenging our tendency to put off the real questions of our spiritual angst. I particularly enjoyed "Cumberland Man's Lament" on which Chris solos accompaning himself on a Buckbee banjo circa 1890. I could go on for pages about this release, but you must experience this on your own. The real treasures await those who visit the website and experience the previous four releases which were unfortunately not widely distributed. Please don't deprive yourself of this next level of musical and spiritual maturity.

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