The Wandering

The Wandering unites five musicians rooted in tradition, brought together by Luther Dickinson to record and perform on the road. Each one originates from or resides in Memphis and North Mississippi. Amy LaVere handles upright bass, Shannon McNally plays guitar, banjo prodigy Valerie June joins the ensemble, and Shardé Thomas—formerly the leader of the Rising Star Fife and Drum Band and granddaughter of its founder, the legendary Otha Turner—completes the roster. Every participant sings and rotates through lead vocal duties. Dickinson conceived the project while hearing June on banjo. Already connected to the others through various prior endeavors where he served as musician or producer, he turned the notion into an actual band across a two-year span. The resulting debut, Go On Now, You Can't Stay Here: Mississippi Folk Music, Vol. 3, appeared in May of 2012.