Jimmi Mayes - My Whole Life's A Shuffle (2018)

My Whole Life’s A Shuffle features Jimmi Mayes on drums and all vocals. The music is original with dynamite sounds. Each song takes you on a journey both musically and with words.

JIMMI MAYES played and toured with Little Walter, Jimmy Reed, Pinetop Perkins, Willie “Big Eyes” Smith, Robert Junior Lockwood, and more over the course of his career. He backed Marvin Gaye and later became the bandleader for Joey Dee & the Starliters who had a monster hit the “Peppermint Twist” during the time Jimmi was with them.

Jimmi became good friends with Jimi Hendrix and eventually he was asked by Jimi Hendrix to record with him. Mayes is on four of Hendrix’s albums.

Jimmi Mayes was inducted into the Chicago Blues Hall of Fame October 16, 2016 at Buddy Guy's Legends Chicago; and was presented with a Lifetime Achievement Award from the Central Mississippi Blues Society in 2016. He is a member of the Mississippi Artist Roster. Jimmi Mayes is an internationally acclaimed drummer famous for his shuffle. He is a vocalist, songwriter, and an author. His career spans over 50 years performing all of the music genres: except gospel and jazz. Jimmi Mayes performed in Las Vegas in 2015 as a member of the Original Legends of the Blues band. The Original Legends of the Blues band also released a CD which includes three tracts by Jimmi Mayes. Previous to the work with the Original Legends of the Blues band Jimmi Mayes released his book The Amazing Jimmi Mayes “Sideman to the Stars” published by the University Press of Mississippi. Jimmi Mayes is also featured in a recently released and highly acclaimed documentary America’s Blues which premiered during the International Blues Challenge in 2016.Jimmi Mayes was the headline act in 2018 at An Evening with the Blues in Bolzano, Italy.

Personnel:
KERN PRATT plays lead guitar and is vocalist for his own band. He surrounds himself with some of the most talented musicians that Mississippi has to offer & provides you with a performance like no other! Kern has performed with artists such as the late & great Willie Foster, Mamie “Galore” Davis, Lil’ Bill Wallace, Mississippi Slim, Hubert Sumlin, Lil’ Dave Thompson, James “T-Model” Ford, Hamilton, Joe Frank & Reynolds, Percy Sledge, Eden Brent, Steve Azar, & Grammy Award winner Bud Cockrell lead vocalist for Pablo Cruise. There are many festivals Kern Pratt has played in, including An Evening With the Blues, Bolzano, Italy; The Mississippi Delta Blues Festival, the Annual Juke Joint Festival in Clarksdale, MS, Batesville Music Fest in Batesville, MS, the Annual BB King Homecoming and the Sam Chatman Festival are just a few more festivals worthy of mention.

ALPHONSO SANDERS is a multi-talented musician who excels on horns, harmonica and more. Chair of Fine Arts and Director of the B.B. King Recording Studio at Mississippi Valley State University. Dr. Sanders is the founder of First Thursday's Jazz & Blues Night at the B.B. King Museum and the producer of the B.B. King Day at MVSU. Dr. Sanders has performed at many festivals including the Netherlands North Sea Jazz Festival; Montreux Switzerland Jazz Festival; Lucerne Switzerland Blues Festival; Mobile Jazz Festival; Ontario Canada Southside Shuffle Festival. He placed second at the International Blues Challenge in 2009 and 2010 in the Solo/Duo division and was selected by the MS Delta Blues Society of Indianola as the 2013 Blues Musician of the Year. His most recent recording projects are Mississippi Influences and Twice As Nice.

JAMES EVANS sax player based out of Jackson, MS. James has toured with ZZ Hill, Played for two years in the Top Flight Band that backed Willie Clayton, he has backed Percy Sledge, played with the Jesse Robinson Band as well as many others. He was in the video The Last of the Mississippi Jukes DVD as a member of the House Rockers. He has played with Eddie Cotton Jr. and is featured on Cotton’s “Live at the Alamo” recording. He has recorded with many musicians such as Willie Clayton, Sam Myers, and Jimmi Mayes.

MICKEY ROGERS Mickey Rogers is featured in International and National Blues Magazines such as Rhythm and Blues, UK, IL Blues, Italy, and Big City Blues, US. Mickey Rogers is featured in Living Blues Issue #235 February 2015. Mickey is honored with a stone Mississippi Walk of Fame in Greenville, Mississippi and is featured in the Hwy 61 Museum in Leland, MS Honored by the Mississippi Delta Blues and Heritage Festival Mickey Rogers has performed nationally and internationally for many years.

JIMMIE LEE JR. Jimmie Lee, Jr., a native of Indianola, Mississippi, began music at a young age. Jimmie is currently serving as the head engineer for B.B King Recording Studio at Mississippi Valley State University. Jimmie has worked on as well as produced several projects / recordings including jazz trombonist, Delfeayo Marsalis “Sweet Thunder”, Ruthie Lee's "Due Season", MVSU's "A Valley Christmas" & “Keeping The Faith, Alphonso Sanders' "Mississippi Influences", Nu Alfa “Back On The Wheel Experience, AVP “Get Lifted”, Jimmi Mayes “My Whole Life’s A Shuffle” and many more. He is a master performer on many instruments and a vocalist. Jimmie is the state organist for the Northern Mississippi Jurisdiction of the C.O.G.I.C.