By Johnny Cole & Brenda Germany
Photos by Stephen Anderson
An Introduction by Johnny Cole, editor and co-founder of The Southland Music Line:
Each year, The Southland Music Line’s management team along with a body of consultants and contributors choose an artist to be the “Music Artist of the Year”. Unlike our annual “Readers’ Choice Award”, this is entirely voted on by those listed above and not based solely on popularity. Past recipients of The Southland Music Line’s Music Artist of the Year are Willie Sugarcapps (2014), The Mulligan Brothers (2015), Lisa Mills (2016), Grayson Capps (2017), Abe Partridge (2018), Sugarcane Jane (2019), The Red Clay Strays (2020) and Eric Erdman (2021). We strive to choose music artists that have not only had a successful year locally, but who have also represented our region of the country well.
After years of following Blue Mother Tupelo, the husband-wife duo of Ricky and Micol Davis, we made the easy decision to name them as The Southland Music Line’s 2022 Music Artist of the Year. We have seen Ricky and Micol perform at numerous venues across the Deep South and Gulf Coast region including Jack’s by the Tracks, The Julep Room, The Shed BBQ & Blues Joint, The Peoples Room of Mobile, The Mary C. O’Keefe Cultural Arts Center, Grand Magnolia Ballroom, Murky Waters, The Frog Pond at Blue Moon Farm and many others. We have also enjoyed their countless performances at a variety of regional music festivals including the highly popular Mississippi Songwriters Festival.
Blue Mother Tupelo (Ricky & Micol Davis) at Twelve Oaks in Ocean Springs, MS
And now more about Blue Mother Tupelo by Brenda Germany, writer/associate-editor at The Southland Music Line:
Many of us have heard the phrase, “the heart wants what the heart wants.” For Ricky and Micol Davis of Blue Mother Tupelo their hearts want to share the gifts of creating and performing their soul stirring music with audiences throughout the Americana Music Triangle and beyond. In our 2019 article, “The Work of Our Hearts” The Southland Music Line featured Blue Mother Tupelo, comprised of the husband and wife duo, Ricky and Micol (pronouced “Michael”) Davis, who explained “We are only beholden to do the work of our hearts which, we hope, comes from the Divine Creator” about the inspiration for their music.
One of the few bands to have an annual standing engagement at the world famous Juke Joint Festival in Clarksdale, Mississippi, Blue Mother Tupelo began their musical life together at an open mic night in Knoxville, Tennessee. Over twenty-five years later, Ricky and Micol, as Blue Mother Tupelo continue to convey their songs of personal experiences, sweet memories and life lessons underscored by soulful country-rock, blues harmonies shaped by power driven guitar rhythms and passionate vocals.
“I thought creating music and following my calling as an artist was only a dream. Ricky and I have followed this dream and we believe in it. We are going to keep pouring 100% of ourselves into our music as honestly and passionately as we can, hopefully connecting with others in a way that is uplifting and worthwhile.” – Micol
Following a successful 30-day Kickstarter campaign in 2022 and with multiple CDs/EPs to their credit, Blue Mother Tupelo is in the process of recording a new album which will be released in early 2023.
“We are looking toward our next recording and believing that there is a definite purpose in what we are doing. I believe the good Lord’s leadin’ us in the direction He wants us to go. Yes, sometimes things can get pretty tough but what don’t kill me makes me stronger. The good always outweighs the bad, by far. It’s all a blessing.”
– Ricky and Micol
While their fans anxiously await the new album release, Blue Mother Tupelo can be seen at upcoming house concerts and venues including:
● The Peoples Room, Mobile AL – Jan. 27, 2023, 8pm
● The Shed Barbecue & Blues Joint, Ocean Spring, MS – Jan. 28, 2023, 6pm
● OSO at Bear Point Harbor, Orange Beach, AL – Feb. 17, 2023, 7pm
● Big Beach Brewing Company, Gulf Shores, AL – Feb. 18, 2023, 6pm
Congratulations to Blue Mother Tupelo on being named the Southland Music Line 2022 Music Artist of the Year and we wish them every success as they go forward. Also, we encourage our readers to click the links below to see our 2019 Blue Mother Tupelo article and to visit the official Blue Mother Tupelo website.
Blue Mother Tupelo (Ricky & Micol Davis) at “Twelve Oaks” in Ocean Springs, MS
Blue Mother Tupelo at The Frog Pond at Blue Moon Farm in Silverhill, AL (Oct. 30, 2022)
Click Here for Blue Mother Tupelo’s official website.
Click Here for our 2019 Blue Mother Tupelo article.
Page Designed & Edited by Johnny Cole
Additional Editing by Brenda Germany
© The Southland Music Line. 2022.
All rights reserved
COPYRIGHT NOTICE: We welcome requests for permission to use content from The Southland Music Line website and Facebook page. Any shared articles or photos may not be altered, edited nor cropped and must include the appropriate copyrights of The Southland Music Line.
