ranie burnette

Biography

Ranie Burnette was born on July 4, 1913, in Pleasant Grove, Mississippi, located in Panola County. He emerged as a prominent figure in the Hill Country blues scene during the 1940s and 1950s, performing at local dances and juke joints in north Mississippi, where he competed with contemporaries like Fred McDowell. His music was deeply rooted in the rhythmic traditions of the region's fife and drum bands, characteristic of Hill Country blues genres including country blues and classic blues.[2][3][4]

Burnette's recordings were not made until the 1970s and early 1980s, later in his career while living in Senatobia, Mississippi. He recorded two sides for a regional 45 single and sessions with Leo Bruin, both in Senatobia and during a trip to the Netherlands. Some of these tracks appeared on the Swingmaster CD 'Going Down South,' alongside recordings by harmonica player Johnny Woods and R.L. Burnside, whom Burnette mentored and frequently played with. His style influenced the raw, hypnotic grooves of Hill Country blues.[1][2][5]

Burnette passed away on January 23, 2000, in Memphis, Tennessee, and is buried at Ebeneezer Missionary Baptist Church cemetery in Como, Mississippi. Though not widely recorded during his peak performing years, his contributions helped preserve and shape the local blues tradition, bridging earlier juke joint eras with later revivals.[2]

Fun Facts

• Ranie Burnette did not make any known recordings until the 1970s, despite performing in juke joints for decades during the 1940s and 1950s.
• He traveled to the Netherlands for recording sessions with Leo Bruin in the early 1980s.
• Burnette's grave is located at Ebeneezer Missionary Baptist Church cemetery in Como, Mississippi.
• His music competed directly with Mississippi Fred McDowell in north Mississippi's Hill Country scene.

Musical Connections

Key Collaborators

• R.L. Burnside - mentored and often played with (tracks on Swingmaster CD 'Going Down South') [1970s-1980s]
• Johnny Woods - shared recordings (Swingmaster CD 'Going Down South') [1970s-1980s]
• Leo Bruin - recorded sessions in Senatobia and Netherlands (various tracks including on 'Hill Country Blues' and 'Going Down South') [1970s-early 1980s]

Artists Influenced

• R.L. Burnside - mentored and stylistic influence on guitar playing (Burnside's Hill Country blues style) [pre-1960s onward]

External Links

• Spotify
• MusicBrainz