While many of us had our eyes firmly planted on New Orleans, Memphis, TN its annual Beale Street Music Festival. North Mississippi Allstars drummer Cody Dickinson was in town and helped Umphreys McGee open its set Sunday by playing washboard on In the Kitchen. His brother Luther also made use of some rare downtime between tours with The Black Crowes and the North Mississippi Allstars and sat in with Steve Selvidge and Paul Taylor during their residency at Memphis Hi-Tone Cafe tonight. Dickinson clocked in a number of months on the road with the blues duo as part of the Jammy nominated Solid Blues Tour (the pair frequently back Jammys veteran Bettye LaVette).

Before heading to Memphis, Umphreys McGee played two shows at New Orleans House of Blues. A few songs into the groups second set Friday an actor dressed as Andy Kaufman’s Tony Clifton alter-ego came on stage and started ranting into the groups microphone in character as the group jammed along with the rant. A few dancers then took the stage, one of whom did a quick strip tease before crew member Wade Williams escorted her off the stage. Umphreys McGees Jake Cinninger will appear at the Jammy Awards this evening.