“Blues music is existential. It will never die. It reveals what human beings experience from infancy to old age. The intricacies, joys, and struggles of life are embedded in this profound music.”
Pierre Lacocque: Don’t Look Back
Pierre Lacocque’s MISSISSIPPI HEAT back with a new recording featuring amazing talent from Sheryl Youngblood, Danielle Nicole, Omar Coleman, Inetta Visor, Daneshia Hamilton, Giles Corey, Billy Flynn, Johnny Iguana, Brother John Kattke, Kenny Smith, and more! “DON’T LOOK BACK” ISMISSISSIPPI HEAT’S 14TH ALBUM, produced by Chicago Blues Hall of Fame harmonica player PIERRE LACOCQUE and Grammy and Blues Music Award Winner Producer/Engineer MICHAEL FREEMAN. Freeman is the former Chair of the Board of Directors of the Blues Foundation. He returns at the helm for their 7th Mississippi Heat collaboration. The record was recorded and mixed at Chicago’s V.S.O.P studios and mastered by Paul Blakemore (Nashville, TN). Post-war Chicago Blues lovers will enjoy this vibrant recording.
(Pierre Lacocque / Photo by Sam Wong)
With Pierre Lacocque at the controls and an artistic collective of veteran and rising new artists, Mississippi Heat continues to look ahead as it stretches the boundaries of Chicago blues. Featuring Sheryl Youngblood, vocals. Pierre says: “This will be our 7th Delmark recording and our 14th overall. Thanks to everyone involved, and especially to our co-producer, Grammy-Award Winner Michael Freeman whose diligence and genius lifted this project to stellar levels.”
Special Thanks: Pierre Lacocque, Kevin Johnson, and Delmark Records
What keeps a musician passionate after five decades in blues? What musicians have continued to inspire you and your music?
It is a blissful mystery to me that I continue to be inspired. Blues music speaks to my soul. I can’t get enough of it. Listening to Muddy Waters, Little Walter, Jimmy Rogers, and all the blues legends gives me meaning and purpose. I don’t take this muse for granted.
Why is it important for us to preserve and spread the blues? What's the balance in music between technique (skills) and soul/emotions?
Blues music is existential. It will never die. It reveals what human beings experience from infancy to old age. The intricacies, joys, and struggles of life are embedded in this profound music.
Technique is at the service of emotions. While there are excellent technicians and vocalists out there, what moves me is the integration of technique with honest, genuine feelings.
It does not matter what music I listen to; if the player plays from the heart, I am easily drawn in. That is especially true when we talk about blues music. Some singers and players may not be technically advanced, but they move me because of their heartfelt delivery. That is what ultimately matters.
Technical skills, however, offer an opportunity to add to and enrich the emotional message.
“The old cats, as you call them, are delightful and welcome. Players like Billy Flynn, Lurrie Bell, Carl Weathersby, Michael Dotson, singers Sheryl Youngblood and Inetta Visor, and background singers (NADIMA) bring a history and depth that younger musicians lack.” (Left: Mississippi Heat’s album “Don’t Look Back” / Photo by Roman Sobus — Right: Pierre Lacocque / Photo by Chuck Osgood)
Currently, you’ve one more release with Delmark Records. How did that relationship come about?
Our relationship with Delmark Records goes back decades. My brother Michel – our manager – knew the Koester family well. Besides, Mississippi Heat had an all-star band early on, so Bob Koester Sr.was aware of us from the outset. Our first recording for Delmark Records came in 2005 when we released our live CD and DVD at Rosa’s Lounge(ONE EYE OPEN-LIVE AT ROSA’S LOUNGE DE 783). It was well received worldwide, and we stayed with that label.
To date, we have done seven of our fourteen albums with Delmark. Our relationship is based on mutual respect. Calling the label and telling them I was ready to record a new project felt natural. They never hesitated. It was just something like, “Hey Pierre, sure, when do you want to come in and record?” I am proud to be on that label.
Do you have any interesting stories about the making of the new album “Don’t Look Back” with many special guests?
Well, every recording has stories! LOL.
Thank God that I had my co-producer, Michael Freeman - we've worked together on seven albumssince 1996 - and the VSOP studio staff, Matt and Ty, on my side. They were looking for the best answers to difficult situations.
Michael Freeman and I bring different skills to the table, but we have the same aim: to never give up until we have the best outcome, no matter howlong it takes. My siblings, Elisabeth and Michel, my wife Vickie, and my children also providedconstructive criticism on the mixes and helped as best they could to make DON’T LOOK BACK (Delmark Records, DE795 2025) a success.
At times, I had doubts and worries about howthe recording was going. Yet, everyone wanted the same thing: the best recording we could make. It turned out to be fantastic!
“You never know who is in your audience. Sheryl recently told me that someone loved her band so much that they were flown to Mexico, and all expenses were paid. We have had a similar experience while performing at Buddy Guy’s Legends and were flown to London for a weekend. Serendipity plays a role, too!” (Pierre Lacocque / Photo by Matt Zahn)
From the musical and feeling point of view, is there any difference between the “old cats” bluesmen and the new generation of blues musicians?
The old cats, as you call them, are delightful and welcome. Players like Billy Flynn, Lurrie Bell, Carl Weathersby, Michael Dotson, singers Sheryl Youngblood and Inetta Visor, and background singers (NADIMA) bring a history and depth that younger musicians lack.
Younger blues musicians add a wider range of musical styles that blend with traditional blues. I am aware of this fine line when we record. If we are interpreting a vintage blues song, I would want traditional blues players like Johnny Iguana and Kenny “Beedy Eyes” Smith.
Conversely, songs like a modern boogie, a 50’sRock & Roll, or a blues reggae call for modern blues players, though the old timers would do well too.
How can a band/musician truly turn the blues into a commercial and popular genre of music for today's audience?
Distribution (music stores), radio plays, PR, and playing at venues and festivals outside the typical blues arenas help, but it is difficult. Delmark Records is aware of that. For instance, they have been working with the Chicago Cubs and have their artists perform at Cubs games.
You never know who is in your audience. Sheryl recently told me that someone loved her band so much that they were flown to Mexico, and all expenses were paid. We have had a similar experience while performing at Buddy Guy’s Legends and were flown to London for a weekend. Serendipity plays a role, too!
You’ve worked in many different settings, from clubs and studios to open-air festivals and bars. How do you navigate between these different worlds?
Ultimately, it doesn’t matter what the venue is.
While festivals like the Lucerne, Montréal, and Chicago Blues Festivals bring pride and excitement, I prize performing with my world-class bandmates.
Q&A with Pierre Lacocque of Mississippi Heat - continues to look ahead as it stretches the boundaries of Chicago blues.
by Music Network by Michael Limnios
on Saturday
“Blues music is existential. It will never die. It reveals what human beings experience from infancy to old age. The intricacies, joys, and struggles of life are embedded in this profound music.”
Pierre Lacocque: Don’t Look Back
Pierre Lacocque’s MISSISSIPPI HEAT back with a new recording featuring amazing talent from Sheryl Youngblood, Danielle Nicole, Omar Coleman, Inetta Visor, Daneshia Hamilton, Giles Corey, Billy Flynn, Johnny Iguana, Brother John Kattke, Kenny Smith, and more! “DON’T LOOK BACK” IS MISSISSIPPI HEAT’S 14TH ALBUM, produced by Chicago Blues Hall of Fame harmonica player PIERRE LACOCQUE and Grammy and Blues Music Award Winner Producer/Engineer MICHAEL FREEMAN. Freeman is the former Chair of the Board of Directors of the Blues Foundation. He returns at the helm for their 7th Mississippi Heat collaboration. The record was recorded and mixed at Chicago’s V.S.O.P studios and mastered by Paul Blakemore (Nashville, TN). Post-war Chicago Blues lovers will enjoy this vibrant recording.
(Pierre Lacocque / Photo by Sam Wong)
With Pierre Lacocque at the controls and an artistic collective of veteran and rising new artists, Mississippi Heat continues to look ahead as it stretches the boundaries of Chicago blues. Featuring Sheryl Youngblood, vocals. Pierre says: “This will be our 7th Delmark recording and our 14th overall. Thanks to everyone involved, and especially to our co-producer, Grammy-Award Winner Michael Freeman whose diligence and genius lifted this project to stellar levels.”
Interview by Michael Limnios Archive: Pierre Lacocque, 2022 & 2016 interview
Special Thanks: Pierre Lacocque, Kevin Johnson, and Delmark Records
What keeps a musician passionate after five decades in blues? What musicians have continued to inspire you and your music?
It is a blissful mystery to me that I continue to be inspired. Blues music speaks to my soul. I can’t get enough of it. Listening to Muddy Waters, Little Walter, Jimmy Rogers, and all the blues legends gives me meaning and purpose. I don’t take this muse for granted.
Why is it important for us to preserve and spread the blues? What's the balance in music between technique (skills) and soul/emotions?
Blues music is existential. It will never die. It reveals what human beings experience from infancy to old age. The intricacies, joys, and struggles of life are embedded in this profound music.
Technique is at the service of emotions. While there are excellent technicians and vocalists out there, what moves me is the integration of technique with honest, genuine feelings.
It does not matter what music I listen to; if the player plays from the heart, I am easily drawn in. That is especially true when we talk about blues music. Some singers and players may not be technically advanced, but they move me because of their heartfelt delivery. That is what ultimately matters.
Technical skills, however, offer an opportunity to add to and enrich the emotional message.
“The old cats, as you call them, are delightful and welcome. Players like Billy Flynn, Lurrie Bell, Carl Weathersby, Michael Dotson, singers Sheryl Youngblood and Inetta Visor, and background singers (NADIMA) bring a history and depth that younger musicians lack.” (Left: Mississippi Heat’s album “Don’t Look Back” / Photo by Roman Sobus — Right: Pierre Lacocque / Photo by Chuck Osgood)
Currently, you’ve one more release with Delmark Records. How did that relationship come about?
Our relationship with Delmark Records goes back decades. My brother Michel – our manager – knew the Koester family well. Besides, Mississippi Heat had an all-star band early on, so Bob Koester Sr.was aware of us from the outset. Our first recording for Delmark Records came in 2005 when we released our live CD and DVD at Rosa’s Lounge(ONE EYE OPEN-LIVE AT ROSA’S LOUNGE DE 783). It was well received worldwide, and we stayed with that label.
To date, we have done seven of our fourteen albums with Delmark. Our relationship is based on mutual respect. Calling the label and telling them I was ready to record a new project felt natural. They never hesitated. It was just something like, “Hey Pierre, sure, when do you want to come in and record?” I am proud to be on that label.
Do you have any interesting stories about the making of the new album “Don’t Look Back” with many special guests?
Well, every recording has stories! LOL.
Thank God that I had my co-producer, Michael Freeman - we've worked together on seven albumssince 1996 - and the VSOP studio staff, Matt and Ty, on my side. They were looking for the best answers to difficult situations.
Michael Freeman and I bring different skills to the table, but we have the same aim: to never give up until we have the best outcome, no matter howlong it takes. My siblings, Elisabeth and Michel, my wife Vickie, and my children also providedconstructive criticism on the mixes and helped as best they could to make DON’T LOOK BACK (Delmark Records, DE795 2025) a success.
At times, I had doubts and worries about howthe recording was going. Yet, everyone wanted the same thing: the best recording we could make. It turned out to be fantastic!
“You never know who is in your audience. Sheryl recently told me that someone loved her band so much that they were flown to Mexico, and all expenses were paid. We have had a similar experience while performing at Buddy Guy’s Legends and were flown to London for a weekend. Serendipity plays a role, too!” (Pierre Lacocque / Photo by Matt Zahn)
From the musical and feeling point of view, is there any difference between the “old cats” bluesmen and the new generation of blues musicians?
The old cats, as you call them, are delightful and welcome. Players like Billy Flynn, Lurrie Bell, Carl Weathersby, Michael Dotson, singers Sheryl Youngblood and Inetta Visor, and background singers (NADIMA) bring a history and depth that younger musicians lack.
Younger blues musicians add a wider range of musical styles that blend with traditional blues. I am aware of this fine line when we record. If we are interpreting a vintage blues song, I would want traditional blues players like Johnny Iguana and Kenny “Beedy Eyes” Smith.
Conversely, songs like a modern boogie, a 50’sRock & Roll, or a blues reggae call for modern blues players, though the old timers would do well too.
How can a band/musician truly turn the blues into a commercial and popular genre of music for today's audience?
Distribution (music stores), radio plays, PR, and playing at venues and festivals outside the typical blues arenas help, but it is difficult. Delmark Records is aware of that. For instance, they have been working with the Chicago Cubs and have their artists perform at Cubs games.
You never know who is in your audience. Sheryl recently told me that someone loved her band so much that they were flown to Mexico, and all expenses were paid. We have had a similar experience while performing at Buddy Guy’s Legends and were flown to London for a weekend. Serendipity plays a role, too!
You’ve worked in many different settings, from clubs and studios to open-air festivals and bars. How do you navigate between these different worlds?
Ultimately, it doesn’t matter what the venue is.
While festivals like the Lucerne, Montréal, and Chicago Blues Festivals bring pride and excitement, I prize performing with my world-class bandmates.
Pierre Lacocque’s Mississippi Heat - Home
(Pierre Lacocque’s Mississippi Heat: [L-R]: Yoshimi Hirata, Pierre Lacocque, Sheryl Youngblood, Giles Corey, and Terrence “T-Man” Williams / Photo by Foto Dan)