Mississippi Heat

Mississippi Heat is an American blues band based in Chicago, led by harmonica player Pierre Lacocque. Formed in 1991, the band has toured in the United States, Canada, and Europe, with occasional performances in South America and North Africa.

Mississippi Heat has recorded 12 albums: four on Van der Linden Records, the band's own label (1992–1998), three on the European label CrossCut Records (1998–2005) and six with Chicago label Delmark Records since 2005. The band also released a live DVD in 2005.

Mississippi Heat grew out of a 1991 gig at Cafe Lura, in Chicago, when guitarist and singer Jon McDonald invited Lacocque to join him onstage. McDonald had hired drummer and vocalist Robert "Golden Voice" Covington (Robert Lee Travis, who was then working with Sunnyland Slim) and bassist Bob Stroger (also with Sunnyland Slim and with Jimmy Rogers). That night went so well the quartet decided to form Mississippi Heat. Lacocque’s brother Michel, who was also in attendance, volunteered to become their manager.

McDonald left the band soon after and was later replaced by Billy Flynn and James Wheeler. Covington became lead vocalist and was replaced on drums by Bob Carter and later by Allen Kirk.

In 1992, the band released its first album, Straight from the Heart, with Covington on drums and vocals, Stroger on bass, Flynn and Wheeler on guitars, and Lacocque on the harmonica. The album includes the song "Heartbroken," a track recorded without rehearsals and in only one take. The song was written by Lacocque for his late mentor and friend Sonny Wimberly, a blues bassist who had recorded with Little Walter, Muddy Waters and Bo Diddley. Wimberly died in 1991, months before he and Lacocque had planned to record together.

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