Southern Avenue - Family
- chicagoblueseditor
- May 3
- 5 min read
Release date: April 25, 2025
Alligator Records
By Robin Zimmerman
As the unofficial entry point to the Mississippi Delta, the city of Memphis is steeped in history, music and culture. There’s a long list of people who have helped put Memphis on the map and they range from Elvis and the Reverend Al Green to BB King, Aretha Franklin, Koko Taylor and so many others.
Now, there’s another Grammy-nominated band that’s been taking the music world by storm. Their moniker comes from a street that runs through Memphis to the original home of Stax Records. The band is called Southern Avenue, but the connection doesn’t end there. Southern Avenue is a family that consists of three charismatic and talented sisters, along with an Israeli ex-pat who also happens to be married to the dynamic lead singer.
With the familial roots running so deep, it seems fitting that the name of their fourth album--and first release on the Alligator label-- is called Family. Filled with celestial harmonies, slick guitar riffs and some much-needed positive affirmations, this family album chronicles the band’s intriguing backstory while also capturing the incredible energy that they deliver at their live shows.
Family also illustrates the band’s beautiful blend of influences beginning with the gospel harmonies of the Memphis church choir that the Jacksons grew up in. Meanwhile, over on the other side of the world, Ori Naftaly came of age in Israel, where he developed a passion for playing American blues and roots music.
Naftaly is the lead guitarist and Southern Avenue’s de facto founder. He left Israel in search of the blues and found his niche in Memphis. He also discovered his muse through the dynamic lead singer, Tierinii Jackson. This powerhouse has the pipes, the moves and the stage presence that makes people take notice at every single performance.
Photo: Rory Doyle
In both marriage and musicianship, Naftaly and Jackson have a connection that extends beyond their coupling. Besides the extended family ties, two of Jackson’s sisters are fully bound to enhancing the band with their talents and special skill sets. There’s Tikyra (TK) who plays a mean drum and sings like an angel. The newest member of the group is Ava who plays fiddle and percussion. She sings beautifully, too!
Besides the band’s nucleus of talented musicians, Family also relies on some help from other like-minded friends. Keyboardist Jeremy Powell is a graduate of the highly regarded Stax music academy, where he gained great proficiency playing basic blues. Representing the Hill Country blues movement is the North Mississippi All-Stars’ Luther Dickinson who plays bass on four tracks. The late Blake Rhea’s talents on bass are also showcased on Family, which was his final recording.
Family was recorded at the legendary Royal Studios in Memphis, which is the oldest continually operated studio in the world and has hosted a huge roster of world-class musicians ranging from Al Green and Otis Rush to Buddy Guy and Chuck Berry.
The Family vibe also extends to the studio team, which includes John Burk as producer. Burk discovered the band back in 2016 and wisely signed them on to record their self-titled debut album, which was released in 2017. Lawrence “Boo” Mitchell contributed his Grammy-winning recording and mixing talents on Family. Mitchell also holds the distinction of being the one who brought Burk to DKDC in Memphis to first see Southern Avenue perform.
These close connections reflect the rapport that this group had when it came time to record Family. One of the main takeaways in this Memphis-centric collaboration are the personal songs that talk about their life, mutual love, and reliance on their own brand of faith and positivity during turbulent times. Another theme that comes shining through is the band’s connection with their fans, which is the result of a heavy touring schedule and positive interactions with the people who come out to see them.
Southern Avenue made countless new fans -- including the headliners Bob Dylan, Willie Nelson and John Mellencamp -- during the summer of 2024 when they joined the Outlaws Music Festival tour. Head outlaw Willie became so enthralled with Southern Avenue, that he wore the band’s t-shirt on stage and invited the sisters to harmonize with him during his set every night of the tour. Dylan was so taken with their performance that the notoriously camera-shy legend eagerly posed for photos with the band. Southern Avenue was also invited to perform for the renowned Farm Aid concert, founded by Nelson, Mellencamp and Neil Young in the ‘70s to raise funds for struggling family farms.
The album Family kicks off with “Long is the Road” that outlines the struggles that Naftaly experienced after landing in Memphis and soon learning that his long-time girlfriend had been cheating on him with his best friend and band manager. But Naftaly persevered and this song is all about how hope can triumph over adversity.
“Long is the Road” easily segues into “Upside”, which oozes beautiful harmonies and positivity with its message of “every day’s a new day, find me on the upside.” The gospel flavored “Found a Friend in You” is heavy on percussion and the notion of “as long as we’re together, can’t nobody touch us.” This track also features some fine fiddling by Ava Jackson.
“Found a Friend in You” is followed by “So Much Love”, which has a Southern soul vibe and some soaring harmonies from the Jackson sisters. The title track, “Family”, clocks in at just forty seconds but this short and sweet number sums up the premise of what Southern Avenue is all about.
One of the standouts on Family, is “Late Night Get-Down.” which has the requisite amount of grittiness, great guitar work and some gripping vocals from Tierinii Jackson as she recounts getting her start playing in and around Beale Street. This track has been described as “personal” for her with “every word in that song comes from a night she survived.”
While “Late Night Get Down” reveals Tierinii’s personal story, “Rum Boogie” is all about the band’s background and biography. This tune tells of their times on Beale Street and what a “magical little scene” it was at the Rum Boogie bar. This song also references Powell’s entry into the band as “the brother on the keys” is described as setting “fire to the B3” and his ivory-tinkling abilities add the requisite bit of honky-tonk piano to this rollicking track.
“Gotta Keep the Love” has a funky flavor that’s reminiscent of seventies-era Stax releases. The next track, “Sisters” takes it further South with a hint of Delta blues, enhanced by Naftaly’s slide guitar work. While all the three-part harmonies on Family are superb, the Jackson siblings take it up a notch on “Sisters.”
“Kept on Moving On,” is another short bridge song that leads into “Back to What Feels Right.” This “chapter” in their Family story is all about getting back on track after some setbacks. The next tune, “Flying” will strike a chord with many who have a fear of being in air, but the premise is all about conquering your fears and coming out in a better space.
“Believe” and “We Are” are the last two tracks on Family and wrap up the band’s story in fine fashion. These final two songs reflect Southern Avenue’s faith in their future as they gear up for the next chapter in an already impressive musical journey. With their explosive live shows and new Family release dynamic, Southern Avenue’s star will continue to rise. And their ever-growing fan base will be happy to come along for the ride.
About the Author: Blues enthusiast Robin Zimmerman, a.k.a. Rockin' Robin, writes a Blues Blog and is a regular contributor to Chicago Blues Guide
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