About Mississippi Heat

photo: Daniel Brunner

Led by harmonica master and songwriter Pierre Lacocque, Mississippi Heat is a world-class Chicago Blues Band. Their motto is “Traditional Blues With A Unique Sound” as they present fresh yet vintage-based musical ideas.

MISSISSIPPI HEAT’s name is a reflection of Pierre’s reverence for Mississippi’s blues culture and music. The band’s conviction is that there is no deeper music than Delta-inspired blues to express what lies in everyone’s soul. They have received world-wide critical acclaim, including from Living Blues Magazine: “MISSISSIPPI HEAT delivers its traditional urban blues with a freshness, energy and competence that makes them a treasure on today’s Chicago scene.”

Mississippi Heat is known internationally for their passionate blues delivery. Overseas and national touring have been an integral part of their work for decades. The band has appeared at many world-famous festivals including many in the US (like the Pocono’s and the Chicago Blues Festivals), Scandinavia, Germany, France, Italy, Switzerland, The Netherlands, Canada, Tunisia, Finland, Venezuela and in Mexico, among many others. Besides a scheduled European tour for 2018, they will also soon perform in Dubai.

Buddy Guy has gone on record saying that it’s “been a long time since I heard a good blues band like this.” And recently the band received this critical acclaim from Bonnie Tallman at the Billtown Blues Festival (Hughesville, PA): “Can’t find enough words to express how blown away everyone was with the Mississippi Heat performance! It was spectacular in every way.”

The band has made waves on the blues charts by regularly reaching the #1 spot on Living Blues Magazine’s radio charts.

Current Lineup

• Pierre Lacocque, harmonica
• Inetta Visor, lead vocals
• Michael Dotson, guitar/vocals
• Brian Quinn, bass
• Kenny Smith, drums/vocals
• Terrence Williams, drums
• Giles Corey, guitar/vocals
• Neal O’Hara, keyboard

Discography

• Straight From The Heart (Van der Linden Records, 1992)
• Learned The Hard Way (Van der Linden Records, 1994)
• Thunder In My Heart (Van der Linden Records, 1995)
• Handyman (Van der Linden Records, 1998)
• Footprints On The Ceiling (Crosscut Records, 2002)
• Glad You’re Mine (Crosscut Records, 2005)
• One Eye Open: Live At Rosa’s Lounge, Chicago (Delmark Records, 2005; also on DVD)
• Hattiesburg Blues (Delmark Records, 2008)
• Let’s Live It Up (Delmark Records, 2010)
• Delta Bound (Delmark Records, 2012)
• Warning Shot (Delmark Records, 2014)
• Cab Driving Man (Delmark Records, 2016)