Jimbo Mathus and The Tri-State Coalition played White Water Tavern Friday night.

  • Jimbo Mathus and The Tri-State Coalition played White Water Tavern Friday night.

Jimbo Mathus is a Southerner and a natural born citizen of the State of Mississippi. You don’t have to be around him or his music very long to learn those facts. He does have numerous Arkansas connections, certainly not the least of those is his wife. I have heard him refer to himself as “the Arkansas son-in-law.” His unabashed comfort and pride in his origins is just one of Jimbo’s many charms but it is what charms me most about what he and his band, The Tri-State Coalition, are doing.

Advertisement

Friday night’s show at White Water Tavern was a celebration of what was and still is right with the South and Southern culture. Mathus seems to have a vast understanding and great reverence for a variety of Southern musical traditions. He does not, however, allow those traditions to weigh him down like some historical re-enactor might, and he certainly makes no attempt to keep those traditions separate. Mathus calls this updated amalgamation “catfish music for the masses.” If he ran a catfish house, I’m pretty sure it would be the kind of place that had no pretention whatsoever. It would be the kind of place that has a roll of paper towels right there on the table, stocks more than one type of hot sauce, and serves cold beer in 40 oz. bottles. You know, that semi-secret destination kind of place where friends will drive for miles to meet up and have a great meal and a great time. Mathus’s brand of” catfish” music serves up that kind of “forget your troubles” experience.

More after the jump.

Advertisement

Invest in the future of great journalism in Arkansas

Join the ranks of the 63,000 Facebook followers, 58,000 Twitter followers, 35,000 Arkansas blog followers, and 70,000 daily email blasts who know that the Arkansas Times is the go-to source for tough, determined, and feisty journalism that holds the powerful accountable. For 50 years, our progressive, alternative newspaper in Little Rock has been on the front lines of the fight for truth, and with your support, we can do even more. By subscribing or donating to the Arkansas Times, you'll not only have access to all of our articles, but you'll also be helping us hire more writers and expand our coverage. Don't miss out on the opportunity to make a difference with your subscription or donation to the Arkansas Times today.

Previous article Fake meat gets ‘real’ Next article Details on legislative expense accounting filed