Rev. Rob Mortimer

Rob Mortimer is a second generation undertaker in the Mississippi Delta, a reverend, singer-songwriter, and entertainer. Born in the the funeral business, he acquired ownership of the business in 2003; he has also been entertaining the Mid-South region for the past 18 years; appearing in American Idol (Season 6 and 9), the International Blues Challenge, and playing festivals with other National Acts such as, Chris Stapleton, Tedeschi Trucks Band, Gary Clark Jr., Big Head Todd and the Monsters, Government Mule, St. Paul and Broken Bones,Old Crow Medicine Show, G. Love, Revivalists; as well as, local favorites like North Mississippi All-Stars, Cedric Burnside Project, Mr. Sipp, and Steve Azar. The band is shaking up things with a demanding live show that is described as "like watching James Brown front the Beatles" - Delta Democrat Times. In the 2019 Release "Lock It Down Tight", Mortimer shared some emotional states and narrative threads of Southern history, death, reassurance, power, love, trust, commitment, and communication between friends and lovers, both real and imagined. These songs culminated in "Lock It Down Tight" is a diverse collection of stories and mindsets. "These songs were composed almost immediately in my garage. The band got real comfortable with the songs, for over a year, by playing them live on stage. I wrote these songs to illustrate a rhetorical point-of -view and reveal paradoxes. Plus, I wanted to add some Memphis-ness to the sound; historically, that means.....horns." "I met up with my friend, Art Edmaiston, who was playing sax for J.J. Grey/Mofro and Gregg Allman at the time, I told him that I needed a horn section; Art made that happen, and wrote the horn charts for most of the songs." Mortimer stated. At that time the "Memphis-ness", Mortimer was looking for appeared. In early 2018, Good Paper of Rev. Rob Mortimer was in American Studios in Memphis, Tennessee recording "Lock It Down Tight". Each was allowed compositional and musical freedom, forming an artistic democracy. allowing each artists style to stand out. Mortimer dynamically polished and expanded his musical approach; then let the horns drive this album, creating a 'Swampy Mississippi Delta-Memphis soul melodies. The opening track "Who's Gonna Take This Bad Ass Down" demands your immediate attention with powerful, cocky congressman-like lyrics in front of a strong groove. Mortimer says that he made the sounds with his mouth that he wanted the guitar solo to sound like, and the band turned those sounds into musical notes. The satire of struggling relationships with lovers are the front seat with tracks like; the up-tempo 1960's British Pop/Muscle Shoals pouncing bass line in "When I'm Gone", the Last Waltz inspired accidental love of "I Hope", and "I Don't Need You" the meaningless argument, about nothing, between a couple, backed by a 1965 Bob Dylan-ish melody over a the vocal mix and hand claps of a barber shop quartet. Mid-way through the album a little extra James Brown sass is added into Tom Waits' "Such A Scream". Mortimer shows his growth as an artist by taking listeners for a walk in the mindset of a king/prince/heir with newly acquired keys to a broken kingdom, dynamically infused influences of 70's R & B and soul with the lamentful "This Ain't No Throne". "Delta Side of Vicksburg" has a mid-tempo swampy remembering 1920's great wealth and conflicted social differences in the Mississippi Delta; inspired by the Eddie Murphy's movie "Life". Mortimer's second generation undertaker's notes take hold, you can here the gravely Seger growl and feel of "High Ground" and the tonal Weezer-ing of the track "Lock It Down Tight" will remind you to plan ahead. Rick Steff (Lucero, Cat Power, Hank Williams, Jr.) appears on piano and organ on Tom Wait's "Such A Scream", "I Hope", and "When I'm Gone". Is this blues? "I was born on the same soil as Charley Patton, B.B. King, and Muddy Waters. I swim and drink the same Mississippi River water as they did. Some folks drink coffee, You may like beer, he may like whiskey, and she may like milk; but, we all like water and we all need water to live. To me, BLUES is WATER. My songs may not be traditional blues songs, but there is plenty of WATER in my songs. My songs change course every now and then just like the river. So, is this blues? You decide, but don't tell me that there is NO WATER in my songs." Mortimer explains. In scope, palette, and composition, "Lock It Down Tight" is a game-changer and the birth of a new sound for an undertaker's band..

Austin, TX