Dylan describes his first encounter with Johnson's music, stating, "From the first note the vibrations from the loudspeaker made my hair stand up. The stabbing sounds from the guitar could almost break a window. When Johnson started singing, he seemed like a guy who could have sprung from the head of Zeus in full armor."
Bonamassa explains the origin of the sprawling tribute, saying, 'It was brought to my attention... that B.B. King would be turning 100... and nobody was planning on doing much. I said we need to do something.'
Big Mama Thornton exuded uncompromising intensity. Her voice conveyed struggle and defiance, fury and hurt, like few others. She was a Black, gay multi-instrumentalist who refused to let a racist society or a rapacious industry confine her.
Recorded with producer Shawn Everett (Kacey Musgraves, The War on Drugs) at Hollywood, California's famed EastWest Studios' Studio Three, the album sees frontman Jim James delivering stripped down renditions of MMJ favorites and solo tracks, including "I'm Amazed," "State of the Art," and "Here in Spirit." Alongside these are covers of Bob Dylan ("Blowin' in the Wind"), Brian Wilson ("Love and Mercy"), The Velvet Underground ("I Found a Reason"),