RL Boyce | RL Got Gramminated

"Which R.L. do you want?"

R.L. Boyce at the 2004 Bonnaroo Music & Arts Festival

I know of three R.L.s - my late uncle R.L. Robertson, a South Carolina farmer; R.L. Burnside, the late Blues Hall of Famer from Marshall County, Mississippi; and R.L. Boyce, a hill country bluesman from Como, Mississippi. My grandma Georgia was a Boyce. So, I'm sure that if you dig down deep enough and remove enough people, you'll find that the third R.L. and I are related. At least, I'd like to think so. 

"Cousin" R.L. and I did a lot together during this blog's nine year hiatus. There are too many stories to recount in just one post. But, the following is a start. 

R.L. Boyce | North Mississippi Hill Country Picnic

R.L. began his music career as a drummer in Otha Turner's fife and drum band (mentioned in this post). He "learned guitar" to become a lead man on his own. In 2015, I helped R.L. on his South American tour with Carlos Elliot, Jr. and the Cornlickers. By that time, I had known him a couple of years but had yet to solve the mystery of the initials. When the time came to book his flight, I told R.L. that the name on his international ticket had to match his name exactly as it was on his birth certificate and I needed to know what it was. The trap was set. "You got your pencil ready," he said over the phone. "I'll go real slow. ... R period L period B-O-Y-C-E."

with the Cornlickers
Tony Ryder, RL, Dale Wise, Carlos Elliot, Bobby Gentilo

Peirera, Colombia | soundcheck

Medellin Blues Festival © 2015 Steve W. Likens

Medellin Blues Festival © 2015 Steve W. Likens

Hard Rock Cafe - Medellin | in the green room

Envigado, Colombia | Contenedoros

Prior to the show in Peirera, a local news crew asked RL why it was important to him to be part of the event. For what would not be the last time in my life, RL turned to me and said, "You tell 'em, buddy." Staring at the camera, I blurted out the only thing that came mind. "Because he likes to boogie and he wants you to boogie, too."

Skipping ahead to 2017, RL released an album of extended, improvisational blues jams recorded live in the front yard of his house in Como, Mississippi. Entitled Roll & Tumble, it features RL on guitar and vocals, Luther Dickinson (North Mississippi All-Stars) and Lightin' Malcolm on guitars, and the father-son duo of Calvin Jackson (Junior Kimbrough) and Cedric Burnside (the other RL's grandson) on drums. In November that year, the label called me with news. Within minutes, RL called me, too. "Hey, buddy. Luther called and said I won tickets to the Grammys." "No, buddy," I replied. "You got nominated for a Grammy." As a result, more people started asking RL the same question I did and RL kept giving the same answer he gave me.  

promoting Roll & Tumble at Radio Memphis

at home in Como, Mississippi

The Recording Academy held the 2018 Grammy Awards at Madison Square Garden in New York City, rather than Kodak Theater in Hollywood where the show took place in previous years. January in Los Angeles beats January in New York hands down. Nevertheless, I would not have missed this trip to NYC in January for anything.

The ceremony has two parts. Awards in most of the 84 categories, including Best Traditional Blues Album, are handed out during the afternoon. The awards in the remaining ten or so categories are announced that evening during the live TV broadcast. Before we headed off for the Big Apple, Luther offered some advice from personal experience. "It's a long day," he said. "Bring snacks." So, on the way to the ceremony, we stopped at a corner convenience store to stuff the pockets of my new tux with goodies. "What do you want?" I asked. "Nothing. I'm fine," RL assured. Sure enough, though, less than 30 minutes into the broadcast portion, he whispered, "Hey, buddy. You got any more of them Snicker bars?" 

Mrs. L. and the nominee in NYC

promo stop at City Winery NYC during Grammy week - photo by Mrs. L.

Did RL win? In the words of fellow nominee Elvin Bishop, "Aww, hell no. We was up against the Rollin Stones."

Thanks for stopping by.

- Steve