"The blues is more than music, it’s a document of survival, resistance, and resilience. It tells the story of people who were never supposed to make it, yet did, with soul intact. It carries history in every bend of the note. I want the music to remind people of their strength, their humanity, and their right to feel deeply."

Harrell “Young Rell” Davenport:

The Blues Is Alright and Well!

Young Rell is a dexterous guitarist, harmonica phenom, and commanding vocalist with heartfelt songwriting. He blends classic blues with modern innovation, performing with raw sincerity and veteran poise. Overcoming personal struggles, his music has earned acclaim from legends like Billy Branch and Kingfish Ingram at festivals such as King Biscuit Blues. On stage, his fire is unmatched. Harrell “Young Rell” Davenport released his debut singles, "Beefsteak Blues" and "Hate the Bite" (May 2025). Harrell says: “Releasing my debut singles, "Beefsteak Blues" and "Hate the Bite", is a big achievement for me. It marks the beginning of my journey as a professional recording artist, sharing music that means something, that carries stories, truths, and emotions I’ve lived with and thought deeply about. "Beefsteak Blues" is a cover of the great James Son Thomas that I’ve dedicated to the late great Bill Sims Jr., both artists whose raw honesty and sound have inspired me for years. It felt right to begin with something rooted in tradition, while my original arrangement.

(Harrell “Young Rell” Davenport / Photo by Paul Natkin)

And continues: "Hate the Bite" brings my own words into the mix, a reflection on conflict, forgiveness, and the choice to let go of hate without forgetting the hurt. These tracks are independently released through my own label, RellTone Records, and I’m incredibly grateful for the support, help and belief of my mother, as well as Sallie Bengtson at Nola Blue Records and MoMojo Records, as well as my manager, Matthew Skoller, whose guidance and encouragement have helped bring this all to life. This is just the beginning, but it’s one I’m proud to stand behind.”

Interview by Michael Limnios                        Archive: Young Rell, 2024 Interview

Special Thanks: Harrell Davenport, Agusta Davenport, Sallie Bengtson, Matthew Skoller

What has been the hardest obstacle for you to overcome as a person and as an artist, and has this helped you become a better blues musician?

One of the hardest things I’ve had to face is learning how to live with PTSD, anxiety, and depression. These aren’t just passing feelings, they’re heavy, daily realities that affect how I see the world, how I move through it, and how I relate to others. As a person, I’ve had to fight just to keep going some days. As an artist, I’ve had to find ways to express that pain without letting it consume me. The blues has been a lifeline in that way. It gives me a language for things I can’t always explain, and it reminds me I’m not alone. Every time I pick up a guitar or open my mouth to sing, I’m working through it. That struggle, as hard as it is, has made my music deeper, more honest, and I think people feel that.

How do you think that you have grown as an artist since you first started making music? What has remained the same about your music-making process?

I’ve grown by learning to trust my instincts more, and also by learning to listen better. Not just to music, but to people, to the world around me. I used to be more locked into one style, one lane, but over time I realized inspiration can come from anywhere. I listen to everything, not just blues, but soul, hip-hop, country, reggae, classical, gospel, jazz, you name it. I try to learn from all of it. I might be on the phone with someone and they’ll say a phrase that hits me just right, I’ll write it down and later, it might become the hook to a whole song. I’ve learned to be a student of sound and language. What’s stayed the same, though, is that it always starts with a feeling. Whether I’m picking up a guitar or scribbling a lyric on the back of a receipt, it’s gotta come from something real inside. That’s the constant.

What touched you from “Beefsteak Blues” of the great James Son Thomas? Is there a message you are trying to convey with your song “Hate the Bite”?

What moved me about Beefsteak Blues was the raw emotion, James Son Thomas sang it like he lived it, and that he definitely did. Every performance was different, full of feeling, and that honesty inspired me. I wanted to cover it as a tribute to him, Bill Sims Jr., and Pat Thomas, three artists who in some ways shaped my approach to the blues early on. Their influence runs deep in how I sing, play, and feel the music.

With Hate the Bite, I’m talking about forgiveness, grace, and not returning hate with hate. My golden rule is to treat people how you’d want to be treated, unless they show you they don’t deserve that.

"I stay rooted in the tradition somewhat, but I’m not afraid to let the sound evolve. I listen to the younger generation and collaborate across styles while keeping the blues at the center. I also speak plainly but poetically in my lyrics, about real-life struggles, joys, contradictions, so younger listeners, and the older listeners can see themselves in the music." (Harrell “Young Rell” Davenport's debut singles, "Beefsteak Blues" and "Hate the Bite" / Photos by Paul Natkin)

What moment changed your music life the most? What’s been the highlight in your life and career so far?

The moment that changed my music life the most was realizing that I didn’t need permission to do this, that my story was valid and my voice mattered. Once I took ownership of that, everything shifted. As for highlights, I played the Chicago Blues Festival and that was major, it was a true honor and meant so much to me, being on that stage with musicians I deeply respect, in front of a crowd that truly loves the blues, things like that always remind me of why I do this.

You’ve worked in many different settings, from clubs and studios to open-air festivals and juke joints. How do you navigate between these different worlds?

Each space has its own energy, and I try to meet it where it is. In a club, it’s about intimacy, watching how people move, listening to their silence between notes. At festivals, it’s about presence, commanding a bigger space while staying grounded. Studios are sacred to me, that’s where I slow down and experiment. The juke joint vibe brings out my roots, reminds me of the porch-singing and storytelling traditions. I carry the same core in all these settings, but I let the environment shape the delivery, and at the end of it all, I really treat each space the same because the people come out to have a good time, to see what you’re all about and to experience the blues.

What is the impact of the blues on the socio-cultural implications? How do you want the music to affect people?

The blues is more than music, it’s a document of survival, resistance, and resilience. It tells the story of people who were never supposed to make it, yet did, with soul intact. It carries history in every bend of the note. I want the music to remind people of their strength, their humanity, and their right to feel deeply. Whether it makes them cry, dance, reflect, or heal, I want it to move them and make them feel seen, but I also want them to remember where it comes from, and the history of it all, because in my opinion, if you don’t know the history you don’t know the blues.

"The blues has been a lifeline in that way. It gives me a language for things I can’t always explain, and it reminds me I’m not alone. Every time I pick up a guitar or open my mouth to sing, I’m working through it. That struggle, as hard as it is, has made my music deeper, more honest, and I think people feel that."

(Harrell “Young Rell” Davenport / Photo by Paul Natkin)

What are you doing to keep your music relevant today, to develop it and present it to the new generation?

I stay rooted in the tradition somewhat, but I’m not afraid to let the sound evolve. I listen to the younger generation and collaborate across styles while keeping the blues at the center. I also speak plainly but poetically in my lyrics, about real-life struggles, joys, contradictions, so younger listeners, and the older listeners can see themselves in the music. I use the tools of today, social media, digital releases, visuals, but the message stays timeless. I want young people to hear the blues and realize it’s not just old music, it’s our music, and it’s still alive, while at the same time not forgetting where it all started.

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