Check out this absorbing live Acoustic performance from Mark Joseph. Filmed by Ethan Burmeister in Mt. Moriah Cemetery as the sun filtered through the tall tree canopies above, ‘Sad Mississippi Blues’ is an atmospheric piece that showcases Joseph’s gritty, characterful vocals. His voice is full of soul and it works perfectly here, in a stripped back acoustic version of the song, alongside the mournful, melancholic blues harp, contributed by Stanley ‘The Baron’ Behrens. Joseph says: “The song is inspired by a long line of blues songs on the subject of death and losing family members. Recording a live version in the cemetery was a powerful and spiritual experience and steeped in the blues tradition. Especially in the final resting place of such American icons as Wild Bill Hickok, Calamity Jane, Seth Bullock and many many others. Stanley ‘The Baron’ Behrens shines on harp as we sang the blues amongst the headstones.”
That sense of loss is conveyed by Joseph’s dark and direct lyrics: “I got a letter this morning, you would not believe the words it read // Said come on home to Mississippi, and tell me that your baby’s dead // No I ain’t gonna write, I believe I’ll go down there myself…I’ll be standing at the graveyard when the grave digger lowers her down into hell – oh Lord.”
The song is from the forthcoming album ‘Palisade Peach’, the follow-up to the well-received ‘Vegas Motel’, which is due for release on 3rd November 2023. In celebration of the new record, Joseph will be putting on an album release show at the Fitzgerald Théâtre in St. Paul, MN on 18th November. From being a sideman to a road manager to a promoter, Joseph has done it all in the industry. Now, as a solo artist, Joseph is known for relentless touring, putting on over 200 shows a year and sharing his blend of country, blues and psychedelic rock with audiences across the USA. More US tour dates can be found here.
