“When you’re a kid, your parents are like, ‘You want to do WHAT?'” Alvin Youngblood Hart says of going musical. “My parents said, ‘You need something to fall back on.'” Hart took their advice, sort of. He has two jobs: playing rock-and-roll with a band and playing solo, acoustic roots music.
“I’ve got the solo thing to fall back on for now. There’s playing rock shows, and there’s the day job. It kind of works out like that. I like playing it all.”
Hart also plays in the South Memphis String Band, and he was part of a recent session for John Kilzer’s upcoming album. The personnel on that session amounted to a pantheon of Memphis greats, including three guitarists: Hart, Luther Dickinson, and Steve Selvidge.
“Having me, Luther, and Steve on the same session could sound like a disaster, but we’re all old enough at this point in time — particularly me — to exercise some restraint. And I think me and Steve have a new career as harmony singers.”
Hart is looking forward to his Hi-Tone show this weekend.
“Memphis is pretty important to all of us. It’ll be a good Memphis rock show.”
— Joe Boone
Alvin Youngblood Hart’s Muscle Theory with Jimbo Mathus and the Tri-State Coalition, Saturday, November 2nd, at the Hi-Tone
