Rashad The Blues Kid – Live in Clarksdale
Independent Release
13 Tracks – 79 minutes
Larry McGill, aka Ra’Shad the Blues Kid, was born in Laurel Mississippi. Although none of his family was musically inclined, he developed a love for music listening to soul and gospel. Through high school he focused on both football and music. A stint at Jackson State University, where he studied elementary education, ended after he injured his knee and required rehab. In 2011, he and some friends joined together to form the Groove Band. which backed up several soul singers. His opportunity to come to the front and sing occurred when the singer failed to show up for a gig because of car troubles. Ra’Shad knew the songs as he was singing backup to the lead. He cites Little Milton and Albert King as his influences.
In 2017, he released his first album, Country Soul. In 2021, he released two albums simultaneously, Southern Side of Soul and Bluz Me. In 2023, he was nominated for the Jus Blues “BB King of The Blues” Award and was inducted into the Alabama Blues Hall of fame. In January 2025, he competed in the International Blues Challenge in Memphis where his band took second place and Jock Webb, Sr., his harmonica player, received the Lee Oskar Silver Prize for best harmonica.
The album was recorded Live at the Ground Zero club in Clarksdale and is self-produced. The performers on the album include Ra’Shad on guitar and vocals with additional guitarists Christopher Gillard and Pierre Bramlett, Jock Webb, Sr. on harmonica, Gabriel Spells on keyboards, Omari Jones on bass, Devin James on drums and backing vocals by Tyler Criglar and Jadarion Taylor.
He opens the album with a smooth blues citing I “Feel Alright” and encourages everyone to “sing with me”. On “Juke Joint”, he invites everyone to come party as he “came to have a good time”. Next, he sings ” When you do what you do baby, you “Do It Right”.
He offers a story about his family down in Laurel, Mississippi on “Ah Shyt”, a lengthy tale over ten minutes long allowing Gabriel’s organ and Jock’s harmonica an opportunity to shine. He cites that he comes from “a large family with 82 first cousins”. He starts with the tale of the meeting of his grandfather with his grandmother, who complained after three dates he had not even had a kiss. As he drew near, Grandma said “Ah Shyt”. On “Bad Girl” he cites “I went to the juke joint the other night, the party was out of sight, there was a lady messin’ on the floor, shakin’ it down and losin’ control, she was bad”. He then tells her “You’re my sunshine, baby “That’s What You Are” a very soulful song that would invite everyone up to a nice, slow dance.
Gabriel’s piano and organ both shine on “Get High” and Jock again has a harmonica solo. He slows everything down on “Singing the Blues” where takes us “back to the Pine Belt Blues” as he exclaims “I just got the news, that another mule has been kicking in my stall…that’s why I’m standing here singing the blues with Jock’s mournful harmonica crying with him. He declares “Hey Baby” “I want to hold you real close, squeeze you real tight, and let me rock you baby for the rest of your life.”
On “Hey Y’all”, Ra’Shad is ready to party again as tells her “we gonna find a juke joint and party tonight”. The sole cover on the album is “Tin Pan Alley” written by Bob Geddins in 1953 and originally recorded by Jimmy Wilson and His All-Stars, and subsequently covered by Eddie Taylor, Walter Horton, and Otis Spann and others. The song cites, “Tin Pan Alley is the worst place in town, go down there to drink a little whiskey”. “I heard a pistol shoot, somebody done shot my baby”. “Move Sumthing” clocks in at over 12 minutes as he intones “If you know how to have a good time, let me see ya move sumthing”. “Juke” is the appropriate closing song for the party atmosphere established throughout the album as Ra’Shad urges “shake your money maker, come on give me a little help, baby it’s all right to have a good time y’all”.
As stated at the end and reflecting through most of the songs on the album, Ra’Shad encourages having a good time and the juke joint is the recurring avenue for the party. So come on along with Ra’Shad and shake off your doldrums.
