Southern Pines Publishing

1. Midnight Rambler (1975/1989):  Kent Cooper’s notes for this album (and its various reissues on Tomato/Charly) detail the sessions known as "The Winter and Summer Sessions." They describe the stark, dark stories behind tracks like "The Whole World" and "Standing At Your Door." These notes detail the atmospheric contrast between sessions. Cooper explains the stark, cinematic origins of tracks like "The Whole World," where the music shifts from personal pain to global observation. This is where Cooper first defines the "Red Sound"—a mix of traditional Delta roots and the heavy, urban isolation of the 1970s. 2.   Sweet Blood Call (1975): In these notes, Kent Cooper discusses finding Red working at a barrel factory in New Jersey, having given up music and sold his guitar, leading to the recording of this landmark "dark-night-of-the-soul" album. Perhaps the most famous "origin story" in our vault. Cooper’s notes descri...

  The Deep Roots of Southern Pines: Keeping the Blues Alive The blues isn’t just a genre; it’s a living document of the human condition. At Southern Pines Publishing , we view ourselves as the stewards of that document. For decades, our mission has been to protect and promote the "deep blues"—the kind of music that feels like red clay and woodsmoke. Through our long-standing partnership with the legendary songwriter and producer Kent Cooper , we’ve had the honor of housing a catalog that features the giants: Louisiana Red, Brownie McGhee, John Lee Hooker, Sonny Terry, and Peg Leg Sam. More Than Just Notes on a Page Music publishing is often viewed as a "back-office" business of royalties and registrations. But at Southern Pines, it’s personal. Our catalog represents a specific era of blues revivalism. We don't just hold the copyrights; we hold the stories of sessions recorded in cramped New York studios and dusty porches where Kent Cooper worked tirelessly to c...