Mississippi Heat

Formed in Chicago in 1991, Mississippi Heat merges present-day influences with the classic Chicago blues sound of the 1950s. Israeli-born and Belgian-raised Pierre Lacocque, serving as vocalist and harp player, founded the group after blues guitarist and singer Jon McDonald invited him onstage during a local performance. Enjoying their musical chemistry, the pair added drummer and vocalist Robert Covington along with bassist Bob Stroger to create the initial lineup. McDonald departed by 1992, after which Billy Flynn and James Wheeler filled the guitar slot; this configuration recorded the debut album Straight from the Heart that same year on the band's own Van der Linden Records.

Mississippi Heat issued their follow-up Learned the Hard Way in 1994, an effort shaped by further personnel shifts when Covington exited amid other musical obligations and vocalist Deitra Farr plus drummer Allen Kirk joined. The same roster tracked 1995's Thunder in My Heart, yet by the next studio session only Lacocque remained from the original members. Handyman appeared in 1999 with Katherine Davis on vocals, George Baze on guitar, Ike Anderson on bass, Barrelhouse Chuck on piano, and Kenneth Smith on drums. Initially released by Van der Linden Records, the German label Crosscut Records later reissued it with two added bonus tracks. Footprints on the Ceiling arrived in 2002 featuring only Lacocque and Smith from the prior album, joined by vocalist Inetta Visor, guitarists Chris Winters and Michael Thomas, keyboardist Roger Weaver, and bassist Stephen Howard, plus guest spots from Billy Boy Arnold and Peter "Madcat" Ruth. Glad You're Mine followed in 2005 after Thomas, Weaver, and Howard departed, replaced by Steve Doyle on guitar, Chris Cameron on keyboards, and Spurling Banks on bass.

After building a following through consistent touring across the United States and Europe, Mississippi Heat signed with Delmark Records by late 2005. Their first project for the label, the live recording One Eye on Open, emerged in both CD and DVD formats and included Chicago blues legend Lurrie Bell on guitar, with Max Valldeneu stepping in for Winters and Doyle. Bell also guested on the band's initial Delmark studio album Hattiesburg Blues in 2008, which introduced guitarist Giles Corey in place of Valldeneu while bassist Stephen Howard and drummer Dujuan Austin appeared on select tracks in place of Banks and Smith. Howard took over bass duties fully for 2011's Let's Live It Up, where veteran blues guitarist and band associate Carl Weathersby shared guitar work with Corey. Delta Bound surfaced in 2012 with Corey and Billy Satterfield handling guitars, Johnny Iguana and Cameron sharing keyboards, and Joseph Veloz replacing Howard on bass. Warning Shot arrived in 2014 with Lacocque, Visor, and Corey alongside newcomers Brian Quinn on bass, Michael Dotson on guitar, Neal O'Hara on keyboards, and Andrew Thomas on drums, although Kenneth Smith played on one track; Weathersby contributed additional guitar and Sax Gordon appeared on saxophone. Cab Driving Man followed in 2016 as the band gained further European live popularity, retaining nearly the same personnel except for Terrence Williams assuming drum duties.