Ryan Lee Crosby blends echoes of Mississippi, Mali, and India into songs that speak from—and to—the heart. Produced by Fat Possum’s Bruce Watson, Crosby’s latest “Winter Hill Blues” evokes the essence of Mississippi, refracted by influences of Indian slide guitar. The sound is forged from his life as a traveling musician and studies with Jimmy “Duck” Holmes and RL Boyce. “Of all traditions, what speaks to me most is the Bentonia blues,” Crosby relates. “It expresses all emotions: joy, sorrow and everything in between. The blues shows us how to have compassion for ourselves and others. Its lessons are endless.”