My Cart

Close
CHECK OUT - SMALL BATCH - CUSTOMIZABLE SHIRTS

LUTHER DICKINSON - STRONGMAN - Only The Strong 2025

Posted on January 21 2025

ONLY THE STRONG  - 12 STORIES OF STRONGMAN - IN 2025

In 2025, By Robert James will spotlight 12 extraordinary men, one each month, who redefine the term “Strongman.” These men exemplify strength through their grit, grind, passion, perseverance, and ability to overcome adversity. They have faced life’s toughest challenges yet continue to push forward, driven by purpose and passion.

1. January Profile: Luther Dickinson - World Boogie is Coming

WATCH "STRONGMAN" Only The Strong - Luther Dickinson POD HERE! 

You get to know the measure of a man through your interactions with him. My first encounters with Luther Dickinson came while hosting a then-unknown-to-me touring musician at my indie fashion shop in the Lower East Side. Back then, Luther would stop by, hang out, and enjoy the musical atmosphere and shop. I found myself wondering: Who is this guy, and what’s his story?

It turned out he really had a story to tell. As the son of Memphis music legend Jim Dickinson, Luther grew up immersed in a world of unfiltered creativity and raw talent. He is a modern torchbearer for Southern music, a musician whose artistry transcends genres while staying rooted in tradition. As the frontman of the Grammy-nominated North Mississippi Allstars, Luther has carved out a space where blues, rock, and soul converge into something uniquely his own. His deep reverence for the musical heritage of the South blends seamlessly with his boundary-pushing creativity, earning him a reputation as both a preserver and an innovator of Southern sound. Whether collaborating with artists like John Medeski, Rich Robinson, Mavis Staples, Buddy Guy, and Ry Cooder, serving as the guitarist for the Black Crowes, or stepping into the producer’s chair, Luther’s work is marked by a relentless drive to honor the past while crafting the future. He isn’t just a musician—he’s a storyteller, weaving the essence of life, struggle, and resilience into every note.


As the years passed and our friendship deepened, I realized we had something profound in common—our fathers’ strength had profoundly shaped us. His father was a Memphis legend, a honky-tonk OG rock 'n' roller, while mine was a small-town conservative minister. On the surface, their lives couldn’t have been more different, but at their core, they shared an unwavering commitment to their calling.  For these men the work was more than a vocation it was a way or life. That same strength flows through Luther and me, shaping the way we approach our crafts and our lives.

When you talk to Luther Dickinson, you’re in the presence of someone who doesn’t just play music—it emanates through him. His infectious smile draws you in, and his actions push you to match his energy and authenticity. “Making and sharing music is a human experience,” he says. “The more you improvise, take risks, and create unexpected moments with the musicians and the audience, the more gratifying it is. That’s what I’m striving for—moments of creation and elevation. If you don’t foul, you aren’t playing. Sometimes you go out on a limb, and it breaks—but that’s what makes it exciting.”

That’s why I was so crushed when Luther told me about the severe pain in his hand that forced him to quit playing his beloved guitar and seek treatment to restore feeling in his hand. What had hit like a bolt of lightning the night before a tour was a condition called De Quervain’s tenosynovitis."  It was the morning I woke up and had to leave for a tour when I couldn’t make a fist," he said. " My hand had completely blown out so I had to go on tour and put in limp through the guitar playing rethinking everything and just playing what was most important and slowing down the tempos" When he came by the shop, his right hand was in a brace, and to me at first, it seemed like it might be the end of his playing career. Luther Dickinson had other plans.

While speaking recently, Luther told me his hand DID NOT come back! “Wait???!!!—your hand didn’t heal?” I asked him. “Not all the way,” he admitted with a shrug. “So, you just changed the way you play?” I pressed.
“Yep,” he said with a grin. “Cut that fingerpickin’ in half…but it was too much anyway!” -  I was stunned. I had just seen him play, and it was epic! What could have ended most guitarists’ careers became a turning point for Luther. He found a way to adapt, to keep playing without losing the essence of what makes him great. “That’s what my friend Anders Osborne liked about my injured hand,” Luther told me. “Finally slowed down and cut out all the excess movement and notes.”


 

Luther didn’t just survive the injury—he turned it into an opportunity for reinvention. “Strength,” he told me, “is putting on your boots and going to work every day. Showing up. Being in the habit of creating. Inspiration only finds you at work.” That strength also means making hard choices, like leaving for a tour when his daughters ask him to stay. “It’s tough,” he said. “But they have to learn work ethic too.”

When lockdown hit, Luther faced another challenge: stepping away from the stage for an extended period. But instead of slowing down, he used the time to write, practice, record, and even score a film. “The skill set I built up from working at home—recording myself, editing and critiquing myself, improvising and composing for long periods of time, studying rhythm, and developing new concepts—all paid off once I got back on the road,” he said “After lockdown, I was excited, relieved, and refreshed to play live music again,” he said. “Coming back to the stage collaboration with a fresh skill set was a powerful moment.”

Luther’s story of turning obstacles into opportunities makes him the perfect artist to launch By Robert James’ "Only the Strong" 2025 Campaign. His journey shows us that strength isn’t about avoiding hardship—it’s about facing it head-on, learning from it, and emerging stronger on the other side.

We’ve all had moments where life felt overwhelming, where giving up seemed easier. But like Luther, you’ve found a way to keep pushing forward. That same spirit of resilience drives me and the evolution of By Robert James. Through Small Batch, I’ve reimagined how I connect with you, creating personalized, perfectly crafted products while using the digital space as a platform to tell our stories, showcase our work, and build meaningful connections.

It’s taken 2.5 years of grit and reinvention to reach this point, but now, I need your support more than ever. Together, we can turn this brand’s comeback into something extraordinary. Join me in this journey—let’s collaborate and create something powerful.



Please let me know what I can make for you, tell your friends, and nominate STRONGMAN and women to be interviewed for the: Only the Strong YouTube series. Also, join us each month for our monthly STRONGMAN profiles!

TAKE A DEEPER DIVE: Luther's journey of grit, passion, and perseverance.

WATCH THE POD HERE! 



Full video conversation with Luther Dickinson:
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCtSbntgYfpqaj5rssQWevOg

Garment Collab - Limited Edition Lachine Shirt Jacket:
9 OZ Japanese Black Stretch Denim





ONLY THE STRONG - Graphic Collab: 

WORLD BOOGIE IS COMING!!! 

 

 

 

Luther Dickinson “WORLD BOOGIE IS COMING” Graphic Tee
We wanted to create something that connected and celebrated Luther Dickinson and “ONLY THE STRONG.” It had to start with a symbol that truly represented the man. For inspiration, I looked to his beloved South, seeking images that encapsulate Luther’s origins, his brand, and his unwavering strength.

My search brought me to Luther’s band, the North Mississippi Allstars, and ultimately to the Mississippi State Seal. Then, I infused it with personalized elements to reflect Luther’s story. The harp and lightning bolts symbolize the electrifying power of his music and the poetry of his songs, while using a wreath from the Dickinson Family Crest for a deeper connection to Luther's family influence.

The finishing touch? One of his father Jim Dickinson’s legendary sayings, “WORLD BOOGIE IS COMING,” paired with the Latin phrase “NE CEDE MALIS” (“Yield Not to Evil”). The result is a graphic that embodies the ONLY THE STRONG collaboration, as well as Luther, his roots, and his resilience.




For more Luther Dickinson information and credits - 

Records  Coming in 2025’ 

Mississippi Murals (with John Medeski) on Space Flight Records 

Gravel Springs  Crowsnest Meditations on Single Lock records

Luther & Jim's  Websites

Informational Resources

Media and Interviews

  • World Cafe Interview with Luther Dickinson: npr.org

  • Guitar World Feature on Luther Dickinson: guitarworld.com (search "Luther Dickinson")

Music and Merchandise

Community and Legacy

  • Memphis Music Hall of Fame: memphismusichalloffame.com

Mississippi Blues Trail: msbluestrail.org (search “Luther Dickinson” or “Jim Dickinson”)

Join our Mailing List

Sign up to receive our daily email and get 20% off your first purchase.

My Cart

Subtotal: $ 0.00

Your cart is currently empty.