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On Sunday, November 17, 2024, the National Blues Museum in St. Louis, Missouri will recognize eight-time GRAMMY-nominee and fifteen-time Blues Music Award-winning vocalist Shemekia Copeland with their prestigious 2024 Trailblazer Honor. Copeland recently received three GRAMMY Award nominations for her latest album, the sublime and powerful Blame It On Eve.

According to museum executive director Robert Nelson, "The National Blues Museum Trailblazer Honor recognizes individuals who have made an extraordinary impact on the blues genre, pushing boundaries and inspiring new generations of musicians. Shemekia Copeland is a true embodiment of a trailblazer: her distinctive voice, fearless artistry, and commitment to preserving the legacy of the Blues while evolving the genre for modern audiences make her a fitting recipient of this esteemed award. The National Blues Museum is proud to honor Shemekia Copeland’s enduring influence and to celebrate her as a leader who not only carries the torch of the Blues but also illuminates a bold path for the future."

Copeland is thrilled and humbled, saying, "I’m so proud to receiving this honor especially in St.Louis which has been home to so many wonderful blues artists.”

The National Blues Museum will host an exclusive, invitation-only, early afternoon event on Sunday, November 17th, 2024 at the Museum. Then, just prior to Shemekia's performance that evening at City Winery, 3730 Foundry Way, a ceremony will take place on stage, with Nelson and others formally presenting Copeland with her award.

Born in Harlem in 1979, Shemekia Copeland first stepped on stage with her famous father -- the legendary bluesman Johnny Copeland -- at New York’s Cotton Club when she was eight. Upon release of her Alligator Records debut Turn The Heat Up in 1998 when she was only 18, Copeland instantly became a blues and R&B force to be reckoned with. The New York Times and CNN, among many others, praised her talent, larger-than-life personality, dynamic, authoritative voice and true star power. With each subsequent release, Copeland’s fame has continued to grow, while her music has continued to evolve. According to NPR Music, "Copeland invites to you think and to party. She's an incredibly respected artist in her field…fearless in the music she takes on.”

        

“Shemekia Copeland is the greatest blues singer of her generation.” —The Washington Post

“Shemekia Copeland has established herself as one of the leading blues artists of our time. Profound and truly powerful...inviting you to think and to party.”
—NPR Music

“Shemekia Copeland gets her message across loud and clear. She transcends with a mix of styles including gospel, rock, blues, soul, and Americana, proudly representing her generation with style and grace in a voice too strong to be ignored.”
—No Depression  

"Her voice is strong and soulful, her message comes from the heart."
—Mavis Staples 

On Friday, November 8, 2024, The Recording Academy announced the nominees for the 2025 GRAMMY Awards. Shemekia Copeland received an astounding three GRAMMY Award nominations. Recognized for her latest album, Blame It On Eve, she received the nomination for Best Contemporary Blues Album. For the title track, she received nominations for Best American Roots Performance and for Best American Roots Song (written by John Hahn and Will Kimbrough).
 

Copeland, the internationally beloved vocalist who commands one of the most instantly recognizable and deeply soulful roots music voices of our time, is beyond ecstatic. “I'm thrilled to be honored this way,” she said. "Congratulations to all."

Copeland has received five previous GRAMMY nominations. She holds an astounding 15 Blues Music Awards, including the coveted B.B. King Entertainer Of The Year Award in 2021, as well as numerous Living Blues Awards, DownBeat Awards and many others. The Chicago Tribune says, "Shemekia Copeland continues to produce some of the most fearlessly truthful music on the planet."

Born in Harlem in 1979, Shemekia Copeland first stepped on stage with her famous father at New York’s Cotton Club when she was eight. Upon release of her Alligator Records debut Turn The Heat Up in 1998 when she was only 18, Copeland instantly became a blues and R&B force to be reckoned with. The New York Times and CNN, among many others, praised her talent, larger-than-life personality, dynamic, authoritative voice and true star power. With each subsequent release, Copeland’s fame has continued to grow, while her music has continued to evolve. “Shemekia Copeland is an antidote to artifice,” said The Philadelphia Inquirer. “She is a commanding presence, a powerhouse vocalist delivering the truth.”

The 67th Annual GRAMMY Awards ceremony and telecast will be held at the Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles, CA, on February 2, 2024.

        

"In Ronnie Baker Brooks’ powerhouse hands, blues-rock never sounded so outrageous. Soul never sounded so delicious. And the blues never sounded so profound…one of today’s top live performers."
—Blues Music Magazine

"A monster guitarist with an ample supply of technique and passion"
—AllMusic

"Ronnie Baker Brooks bristles with energy, inspiration and self-confidence."
—Living Blues 

Today, Friday October 18, 2024, Chicago's own Ronnie Baker Brooks announced dates for his Blues In My DNA tour. Brooks officially kicks things off today with a celebratory hometown record release party for his brand new Alligator Records debut, Blues In My DNA. After performing on the blues cruise in the Caribbean, Brooks then hops over to Denmark before the tour takes to the East Coast, through the Midwest and south into Florida, and then to the West Coast. Many of the East Coast performances will be special double bills with Brooks' labelmate, Coco Montoya.

Additionally, today Brooks unveils his new live performance video of All True Man. The song—featured in its studio version on Blues In My DNA was written with Brooks' friend Todd Mohr of Big Head Todd And The Monsters. Brooks describes All True Man as "definitely an inspiration from my dad. And working with Todd, a great songwriter on his own, it became my own thing, and I'm thrilled to share it with everyone." 

BLUES IN MY DNA TOUR:

Oct 18, 2024 -- FitzGerald's, Berwyn, IL
Oct 19, 2024 -- The Token Lounge, Westland, MI
Oct 26, 2024 - Nov 02, 2024 -- Legendary Rhythm & Blues Cruise, departing from Fort Lauderdale, FL
Nov 09, 2024 -- Blues Heaven Festival, Frederikshavn, DENMARK
Nov 13, 2024 -- The Cellar at Pittsburgh Winery, Pittsburgh, PA
Nov 15, 2024 -- Tupelo Music Hall, Derry, NH, with Coco Montoya
Nov 16, 2024 -- The Iridium, New York, NY, with Coco Montoya
Nov 17, 2024 -- Jammin’ Java, Vienna, VA
Nov 18, 2024 -- Rams Head On Stage, Annapolis, MD, with Coco Montoya
Nov 19, 2024 -- Music Hall at World Cafe Live, Philadelphia, PA, with Coco Montoya
Nov 21, 2024 -- The Suffolk, Riverhead, NY, with Coco Montoya
Nov 22, 2024 -- Center for the Arts of Homer, Homer, NY, with Coco Montoya
Nov 23, 2024 -- Asbury Hall at Babeville, Buffalo, NY, with Coco Montoya
Nov 24, 2024 -- The Kent Stage, Kent, OH, with Coco Montoya
Nov 29, 2025 -- Vivarium, Milwaukee, WI, with Coco Montoya
Dec 06, 2024 -- The Castle Theatre, Bloomington, IL
Jan 22, 2025 -- Cafe Eleven, St. Augustine Beach, FL
Jan 23, 2025 -- The Funky Biscuit. Boca Raton, FL
Jan 25, 2025 -- Arts Bonita, Bonita Springs, FL
Jan 26, 2025 - February 2, 2025 -- Legendary Rhythm & Blues Cruise, departing from Ft. Lauderdale, FL
Feb 02, 2025 -- The Lyric Theatre, Stuart, FL
Feb 14, 2025 -- Winter Blues Festival, Des Moines, IA
Feb 15, 2025 -- Knuckleheads, Kansas City, MO
Feb 19, 2025 -- Oriental Theater, Denver, CO 
Feb 22, 2025 -- The State Room, Salt Lake City, UT
Feb 25, 2025 -- Dimitriou's Jazz Alley, Seattle, WA
Feb 26, 2025 -- Dimitriou's Jazz Alley, Seattle, WA
Feb 27, 2025 -- Alberta Rose Theatre, Portland, OR
Mar 01, 2025 -- Almost Famous Wine Company, Livermore, CA
Mar 02, 2025 -- Arena Theater, Point Arena, CA
Mar 03, 2025 -- Yoshi's, Oakland, CA
Mar 06, 2025 -- The Venice West, Venice, CA, with Coco Montoya
Mar 07, 2025 -- The Coach House, San Juan Capistrano, CA, with Coco Montoya
Apr 10, 2025 -- Tampa Bay Blues Festival's Kickoff Party. St. Petersburg, FL, at The Palladium Theater
Apr 11, 2025 -- Tampa Bay Blues Festival. St. Petersburg, FL, at Vinoy Waterfront Park 

For Ronnie Baker Brooks—son of legendary multiple GRAMMY Award nominee, Blues Hall Of Famer, and longtime Alligator Records recording star Lonnie Brooks—the process of writing songs for Blues In My DNA was as fun and exciting as playing live. “I love writing as much as performing. I love watching an idea become a song, then a song become something people can relate to, and then sing along with. And I always keep it authentic to myself. Everyone can feel it and be familiar with it. I’m here to build bridges, not walls.”

Blues In My DNA is already being hailed as an up-to-the-minute masterpiece. Blues Matters UK says the album is  “a masterful testament to Ronnie Baker Brooks’ legacy as one of modern blues most dynamic torchbearers…personal and powerful…a must listen.” The record effortlessly moves from funkified rockers to deep Memphis soul to epic, crowd-pleasing blues anthems. Produced by famed studio wizard Jim Gaines (who has produced Santana, Stevie Ray Vaughan, Lonnie Brooks, Luther Allison, and many others), Blues In My DNA is a career-defining statement from Baker Brooks, with each of the 11 original songs its own chapter in his ever-evolving story.

The new live performance video of All True Man was recorded in Chicago in July of 2024. It is the second in a series of six videos, with a new one to be released every second Friday. The upcoming schedule will be as follows: November 1, My Love Will Make You Do Right; November 15, Accept My Love; November 29, I'm Feelin' You; December 13, Stuck On Stupid.

Watch All True Man below: 

Raucous, reflective, introspective and exultant…The music is an expansive expression of 21st century Southern swamp boogie, which JJ Grey has helped to define. —Relix

JJ Grey is a shape-shifter, a marauding swamp thing big-footin’ it through his ancestral Florida homeland, splashing muddy funk in all directions. Grab hold and hang on for the ride. —No Depression

Heartfelt rhythms and soulful expositions to life’s purest pleasures…a rich Southern stew of funk, rock, and blues…Grey’s vocals are a wonder…a cure for what ails you…It’s joyous. –Americana-UK.com 

JJ Grey & Mofro have announced dates for their 2025 Olustee World Tour, with U.S. performances across Texas, the Southwest and West Coast in January 2025. The band then plays throughout Europe and the United Kingdom in February and March.

Tickets for all U.S. dates go on sale on Friday, October 11 at 10:00am local time. Artist presale begins on Wednesday, October 8 at 10:00am local time, and ends October 10 at 10:00pm local time (code: WONDERLAND). Tickets for European and UK dates are already on sale.

Released in February 2024 and produced by Grey, Olustee finds the North Florida born and bred Grey singing his personal stories with universal themes of redemption, rebirth, hard luck, and inner peace. With his music, Grey also celebrates good times with lifelong friends, often mixing the carnal with the cerebral in the very same song. Fueled by his vividly detailed, timeless originals, spun from his own life and experiences in the Northern Florida swampland, Grey’s gritty baritone drips with honest passion and testifies with a preacher’s foot-pounding fervor.

Grey, speaking of the upcoming tour, is excited to get started, saying, "Took long enough but it’s coming! Finally going to get our behinds out there to Texas, Arizona, Nevada and the West Coast to do that Olustee thang! Can’t wait!" 

2025 Olustee Tour U.S. Dates:
Jan 16 - Houston, TX at House Of Blues with Andy Frasco (Duo)
Jan 17 - Austin, TX at ACL Live at the Moody Theater with Andy Frasco (Duo)
Jan 18 - Dallas, TX at House of Blues with Andy Frasco (Duo)
Jan 19 - Fort Worth, TX at Tannahill's Tavern & Music Hall with Andy Frasco (Duo)
Jan 22 - Scottsdale, AZ at Scottsdale Center for the Performing Arts with Andy Frasco (Duo)
Jan 23 - Tucson, AZ at Fox Tucson Theatre with Andy Frasco (Duo)
Jan 24 - Ventura, CA at The Majestic Ventura Theater with Andy Frasco (Duo)
Jan 25 - Oakland, CA at Fox Theater with Andy Frasco (Duo)
Jan 26 - Stateline, NV at Harrah's Lake Tahoe with Andy Frasco (Duo)
Jan 29 - Salt Lake City, UT at The Depot
Jan 30 - Grand Junction, CO at Avalon Theatre
Jan 31 - Beaver Creek, CO at Vilar Performing Arts Center
Feb 1 - Denver, CO at Mission Ballroom with Lucero

2025 Olustee Tour European And UK Dates:
Feb 11 - Paris, France, Café de la Danse
Feb 12 - Brussels, Belgium, La Madeleine
Feb 14 - Worpswede, Germany, Music Hall Worpswede e.V.
Feb 15 - Groningen, Netherlands, De Oosterpoort
Feb 16 - Utrecht, Netherlands at TivoliVredenburg
Feb 18 - Aschaffenburg, Germany at Colos-Saal
Feb 19 - Hamburg, Germany at Übel & Gefährlich
Feb 20 - Copenhagen, Denmark at Hotel Cecil
Feb 22 - Stockholm, Sweden at Nalen
Feb 23 - Gothenburg, Sweden at Valand
Feb 24 - Malmö, Sweden at Babel
Feb 26 - Berlin, Germany at FRANNZ Club
Feb 27 - Prague, Czech Republic at Lucerna Music Bar
Mar 1 - Rubigen, Switzerland at Mühle Hunziken
Mar 2 - Cologne, Germany at Kantine
Mar 5 - Brighton, UK at Concorde 2
Mar 6 - London, UK at Islington Assembly
Mar 8 - Manchester, UK at Band On The Wall
Mar 9 - Glasgow, UK at Òran Mór
Mar 11 - Dublin, Ireland at Whelan's 



Media have been excitedly supporting Olustee with features, reviews, and airplay, as fans continue filling large, prestigious venues across the country and around the world. The first single from Olustee, Wonderland, became an instant Top Ten track at Americana radio, and has received airplay on a number of Sirius/XM channels, including Outlaw Country. Overseas, press and radio from countries including Germany, the Netherlands, the UK, Spain, Norway and Greece have been singing Grey's praises and eagerly awaiting his return. 

        

"In Ronnie Baker Brooks’ powerhouse hands, blues-rock never sounded so outrageous. Soul never sounded so delicious. And the blues never sounded so profound…one of today’s top live performers."
—Blues Music Magazine

"A monster guitarist with an ample supply of technique and passion"
—AllMusic

"Ronnie Baker Brooks bristles with energy, inspiration and self-confidence."
—Living Blues 

Today, Friday October 4, 2024, Ronnie Baker Brooks will release a newly recorded live performance video of the song Blues In My DNA. The song is the first single from his Alligator Records debut, Blues In My DNA, set for October 11 release. The jaw-dropping new album from the award-winning blues rock guitarist, songwriter and vocalist is an up-to-the-minute masterpiece. The album, the fifth of Ronnie's career, is firmly rooted in the blues with Ronnie incorporating his own brand of rock, funk and soul to the mix. “I just play what I feel,” he says. “It’s all from the heart.”

The new video was recorded on July 16 in Chicago in front of an exuberant, fired-up audience. Going forward, Ronnie will release five more videos from the same performance every second Friday, each to feature a live version of a song from Blues In My DNA. The schedule will be as follows: October 18, All True Man; November 1, My Love Will Make You Do Right; November 15, Accept My Love; November 29, I'm Feelin' You; December 13, Stuck On Stupid.

Ronnie describes the autobiographical song Blues In My DNA as “a bridge between me and my audience." The song is the album’s centerpiece, the passionate guitar solos underlining the lyrics’ story of triumphing over racism, poverty and glass ceilings. “I ain’t complaining,” he sings, “I’m just explaining,” before declaring, “I got love in my blood, the blues in my DNA.”  Watch the video here: 

The new album effortlessly moves from funkified rockers to deep Memphis soul to epic, crowd-pleasing blues anthems. Produced by famed studio wizard Jim Gaines (who has produced Santana, Stevie Ray Vaughan, Lonnie Brooks, Luther Allison and many others), Blues In My DNA is a career-defining statement from Baker Brooks, with each of the 11 original songs its own chapter in his ever-evolving story.

For Ronnie -- son of legendary multiple GRAMMY Award nominee, Blues Hall Of Famer, and longtime Alligator Records recording star Lonnie Brooks -- the process of writing songs for Blues In My DNA was as fun and exciting as playing live. “I love writing as much as performing. I love watching an idea become a song, then a song become something people can relate to, and then sing along with. And I always keep it authentic to myself. Everyone can feel it and be familiar with it. I’m here to build bridges, not walls.” 

        

"A jam session hot as a Texas summer. Fiery solos and gutsy vocals." —The Chicago Tribune

"A giant jolt...a musician's masterpiece...unadulterated ecstasy." —Spin 

On Friday, November 29, 2024, Alligator Records will release the deluxe 40th Anniversary LP version of the GRAMMY-winning, history-making super-session, Showdown!. Originally released in 1985, Showdown! is an all-star collaboration between blues guitar legends Albert Collins, Johnny Copeland and Robert Cray. In addition to winning a GRAMMY Award in 1985, the album was inducted into the Blues Foundation's Hall Of Fame in 2016.

Showdown! has now been remastered and will come in a deluxe gatefold jacket with expanded artwork. The set also features a spirited remembrance of how the record came to be, written by Alligator Records founder, president and album co-producer Bruce Iglauer. The record is pressed on 140g clear vinyl. The new release also includes the song Something To Remember You By, not available on the original release.

Showdown! features three of the greatest blues guitarists all at the very top of their talents, with each artist spurring the others to deliver one stellar performance after the other. The idea for the album grew out of a live session Iglauer helped put together for the 1984 Chicago Blues Festival -- a Texas Guitar Showdown. The set featured Collins, Copeland and their mentor, Clarence "Gatemouth" Brown. It was so successful, Iglauer and co-producer Dick Shurman wanted to capture the lightning on record.

With Brown unable to commit to the recording project, Collins' protege Cray was asked to come on board. Cray's song The Dream (written the night before it was recorded) is an album highlight. Copeland, father of current Alligator star Shemekia Copeland, brought two original songs to the project, and Collins brought one. Interpretations of songs by T-Bone Walker, Muddy Waters, Ray Charles, Guitar Slim and Texas legend Hop Wilson rounded out what has become one of the best-loved titles in the entire Alligator catalogue.

Showdown! remains one of Alligator's most successful albums in the label's 53-year history, selling over 310,000 units worldwide.

Tracklist:
1. T-Bone Shuffle (4:54) (T-Bone Walker)
2. The Moon Is Full (4:59) (Gwen Collins)
3. Lion’s Den (3:55) (Johnny Copeland)
4. She’s Into Something (3:49) (Carl Wright)
5. Bring Your Fine Self Home (4:30) (Johnny Copeland)
6. Black Cat Bone (4:54) (Hop Wilson & Ivory Semien)
7. The Dream (5:28) (Bruce Bromberg & Robert Cray)
8. Albert’s Alley (4:01) (Frank “Sonny” Scott)
9. Blackjack (6:26) (Ray Charles)
10. Something To Remember You By (5:28) (Eddie “Guitar Silm” Jones)

Rootsy stripped-down Southern soul and hard funk..Masterfully written songs [featuring] Tierinii Jackson's soaring vocals. —AllMusic

Southern Avenue are ushering in a brand-new era of Memphis soul...blending the classic sound of their Memphis roots with a fresh dose of optimism and resilience...heavenly vocals.  —Relix

The Memphis-based collective has set the blues world abuzz....compelling, exhilarating anthems that urge the listener to lean in and create the world in which they want to live. —No Depression

Today, Friday, September 6, GRAMMY-nominated Memphis-based roots, blues, and soul band Southern Avenue unveil their new song, Found A Friend In You.  The track is a heartfelt tribute to the bond that has transformed this group of talented individuals into a family, both on and off the stage. The song, with guest bassist Luther Dickinson of The North Mississippi Allstars, was premiered by Relix magazine on September 4, and is taken from Southern Avenue's forthcoming Alligator Records debut album, slated for release in early 2025. Found A Friend In You is now available at all major streaming and download services.

According to Relix, "Found A Friend In You dips into the band’s signature whisk of roots, blues and soul stylings, leaning into the spirit of Memphis [and] maintaining a timelessness and soul-laden delivery not unlike the Staple Singers….Inquisitive and uplifting.”

Southern Avenue is a dynamic ensemble that has been captivating audiences around the world with their exhilarating performances and emotionally charged original music since their 2017 Stax Records debut. Now, Found A Friend In You captures Southern Avenue's story of unity and shared purpose, a journey that began when the band's members first came together in Memphis. What started as a collaboration quickly turned into something deeper, as they forged a connection rooted in music, trust, and love. The song reflects the highs, the struggles, and the unbreakable bond that has made Southern Avenue more than just a band.

According to guitarist and co-writer Ori Naftaly, "It's a song that celebrates the power of friendship, the joy of making music together, and the sense of belonging that comes from being part of something greater. It's a reflection of the highs and lows, the challenges we've faced, and the unbreakable bond we've formed. The song is not just about friendship. It's an anthem of the connection that makes Southern Avenue more than just a band—it makes us a true family."

As frontwoman Tierinii Jackson, who co-wrote the song, explains, "This song is an anthem of our friendship and our shared experiences. It’s about the joy and the strength we’ve found in each other, and how that bond has made us who we are today. The gospel harmonies and the energy of the track reflect our roots and our journey together."

Found A Friend In You, along with the full album, was recorded in Memphis at the famous Royal Studios (Al Green, Ann Peebles, Bruno Mars). It was produced by GRAMMY winner John Burk (Ray Charles, George Benson, Melissa Etheridge) and recorded and mixed by GRAMMY-winning producer and engineer Boo Mitchell.

Listen To Found A Friend In You here: 

In conjunction with the song's release, Southern Avenue will go on a two-week journey with Willie Nelson & Family, Bob Dylan, and John Mellencamp as part of the 2024 "Outlaw Music Festival Tour." The tour, which begins today, will see Southern Avenue sharing their story and their music with audiences across the Midwest and Northeast.

September 6 – Somerset, WI– Somerset Amphitheater
September 7 – Tinley Park, IL– Credit Union 1 Amphitheatre
September 8 – St. Louis, MO – Hollywood Casino Amphitheatre
September 11 – Cincinnati, OH – Riverbend Music Center
September 12 – Cuyahoga Falls, OH – Blossom Music Center
September 14 – Burgettstown, PA – The Pavilion at Star Lake
September 15 – Clarkston, MI – Pine Knob Music Theatre
September 17 – Buffalo, NY – Darien Lake Amphitheater
September 20 - Gilford, NH - BankNH Pavilion

FARM AID
September 21 - Saratoga Springs, NY -  (with Willie Nelson, John Mellencamp, Neil Young, Dave Matthews and others)

HEADLINING SHOWS, FESTIVAL AND CRUISES:
September 19, Portsmouth, NH - Jimmy's Jazz & Blues Club
September 28 - Birmingham, AL - WORKPLAY
September 29 - Atlanta, GA - Tunes From The Tombs
October 18 - Nashville, TN - City Winery
October 26 - Ivins, UT - Southern Utah Blues Festival
January 26, 2025 - Fort Lauderdale, FL - Legendary Rhythm & Blues Cruise
February 14 - Port Of Miami, FL - Jam Cruise
April 25 - Miramar Beach, FL - Moon Crush Pink Moon Festival 

Southern Avenue’s music is a vibrant blend of Memphis blues, warm sister harmonies, and uplifting messages that build connections reminiscent of The Staple Singers. Guitarist Ori Naftaly, whose passion for blues and soul music led him from Israel to Memphis, alongside the undeniable talents of the Memphis-born Jackson sisters—lead vocalist Tierinii Jackson, drummer/vocalist Tikyra "TK" Jackson, and percussionist/violinist/vocalist Ava Jackson—has crafted a sound that blends Memphis' historic spirit with a modern twist. With keyboardist and honorary family member Jeremy Powell, Southern Avenue's original songs are not just a nod to the past but also a bold step toward defining the future of Memphis music.

Southern Avenue have been turning heads since their 2017 self-titled debut album, for which they received the coveted Blues Music Award for “Best Emerging Artist.” Their 2019 release, Keep On, received a GRAMMY nomination. They've been nominated for the Blues Music Award for Band Of The Year in 2021, 2022 and 2023.

Constant touring has brought Southern Avenue to destinations all across the U.S, Europe and Australia and earned them non-stop adulation from fans, press and fellow musicians. This summer, the band toured across the country including headlining one night of the Chicago Blues Festival, before returning overseas to reunite with their many international fans. 

Today, Thursday, September 5, Blues Blast magazine has announced the winners for its 17th annual Blues Blast Music Awards.Three Alligator Records artists won a total of six awards.

Rick Estrin & The Nightcats received the coveted Band Of The Year Award, along with the award for Contemporary Blues Album Of The Year, for their critically acclaimed release, The Hits Keep Coming.

GRAMMY Award-winner Christone "Kingfish" Ingram received three awards: Male Blues Artist Of The Year, Electric Guitarist Of The Year and Live Album Of The Year, for 2023's Live In London.

Kenny "Beedy Eyes" Smith, drummer from The Cash Box Kings, won for Percussionist Of The Year.

Full list of winners can be found here.

The Blues Blast Music Awards are presented by Blues Blast Magazine, the free weekly E-magazine.

Alligator artists and their awards follow: 

Rick Estrin & The Nightcats

Blues Band Of The Year: Rick Estrin & The Nightcats

Contemporary Blues Album Of The Year: 
The Hits Keep Coming 

Christone "Kingfish" Ingram

Live Blues Album Of The Year: Live In London

Male Blues Artist Of The Year

Electric Guitarist Of The Year 

Kenny "Beedy Eyes" Smith of The Cash Box Kings

Percussionist Of The Year: Kenny "Beedy Eyes" Smith

"Blues For My Dad" A Featured Track On Cain's Latest Album,
Good Intentions Gone Bad

Video Created By Album Producer Christoffer "Kid" Andersen 

        

"Chris Cain...Now That Boy Can Play The Guitar!"
–B.B. King 

“Chris Cain is the most important blues player you need to hear. Marvelous and irresistible...Cain brings an indelible touch and resonance to the blues, combining down-home sentiment with uptown feel. He unleashes unadulterated fretboard genius.”
–Vintage Guitar 
 
“A heady stew of Memphis-styled, rough-and-tumble electric blues. Potent guitar work and rough, lived-in vocals are edge-of-your-seat stuff. Cain’s exceptional original songs relentlessly reveal startling hooks and riffs amidst a wash of piercing, razor-sharp guitar.”
–Blues & Rhythm

“Chris Cain is one of the most brilliant and vital figures making music of any kind...He’s near legendary on the blues scene...an extraordinarily talented, consummate musician delivering passionate, heartfelt vocals, potent, superb playing and marvelous songs.”
–Blues Music Magazine   

On Monday, August 19, Alligator Records artist Chris Cain will premiere the new video for his song, Blues For My Dad. The song is from Cain's celebrated new release, Good Intentions Gone Bad. The new album finds Cain operating at the absolute peak of his powers, with producer/studio whiz/multi-instrumentalist/video producer (and guitarist for Rick Estrin & The Nightcats), Christoffer "Kid" Andersen pushing him to new heights every step of the way.
 

With more than three decades of touring and fifteen previous albums under his belt, Cain, once known as "one of the greatest guitarists you’ve never heard," is now celebrated by fans and fellow musicians alike as being among the blues’ most talented and exciting players. His original songs overflow with surprising hooks and feature razor-sharp lyrics that are moving and humorously insightful. With his powerful, soul man’s voice and his inventive guitar work—inspired by Grant Green and Wes Montgomery as much as by B.B. King and Albert King—Cain’s talents are unparalleled in the blues world. Living Blues says Cain is currently “turning out the best work of his career.”  

"A legendary guitarist...impeccable and spirited…a distinguished American player.”  —Rolling Stone

“Deceptively loose but always tight…the raspy chuckle in Bishop’s singing and the sharp sting of his guitar are forceful and fresh, enduring and fun.” —Fresh Air, NPR

Elvin Bishop, Alligator Records recording artist and Rock And Roll Hall Of Famer, was invited by Nobel Prize-winning music legend Bob Dylan to join him on stage and add his blistering slide guitar to Dylan's bluesy composition Early Roman Kings. The performance took place at the Shoreline Amphitheater in Mountain View, California on Saturday, August 3, 2024. Although the two musicians have known each other since the 1960s, this is the first time Bishop has performed on stage with Dylan.

According to Bishop, the whole thing came out of the blue. "Bob called up Maria Muldaur and got my number, and then the next thing you know, there we are."

Watch Elvin Bishop join Bob Dylan and his band for a top shelf rendition of Dylan's Early Roman Kings. “Elvin, how you doing?” says Dylan as they get ready to start the song. Bishop, who was busy fine-tuning his guitar and amp settings, didn’t respond. Dylan then deadpans, “I don’t think he’s paying attention.” 

BIOGRAPHY
Bishop, whose recording career spans six decades, is beloved as a natural storyteller, an endlessly creative guitarist, a slyly good-humored songwriter and an instantly crowd-pleasing performer. Born in Glendale, CA on October 21, 1942, Bishop grew up in Oklahoma, listening to blues music on late night radio. He used his National Merit Scholarship to enroll in the University of Chicago, whose campus was located near dozens of the South Side blues clubs where legendary artists regularly performed. Soon he was spending more time in the clubs than the classroom. 
 
Elvin and Paul Butterfield formed the first Paul Butterfield Blues Band in 1963. The band, including Bishop and Michael Bloomfield, became famous for bringing the sounds of Chicago blues to a new, young audience. They were inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall Of Fame in 2015. Bishop next moved to the San Francisco area and formed his own band, becoming a regular at the famed Fillmore Auditorium. He scored two chart-topping records during the 1970s: Travelin’ Shoes and Fooled Around And Fell In Love (the latter song reached number three on the pop charts and years later was prominently featured in the blockbuster film, Guardians Of The Galaxy). Elvin, who has recorded more than 30 albums, first joined Alligator in 1988. He continues to record and perform, both with his full band and with his pared-down, GRAMMY-nominated Big Fun Trio.

Bishop recently recorded a new version of his original, politically-charged song, What The Hell Is Going On?, with GRAMMY-winning band Los Lobos 

"A legendary guitarist...impeccable and spirited…a distinguished American player.”  —Rolling Stone

“Deceptively loose but always tight…the raspy chuckle in Bishop’s singing and the sharp sting of his guitar are forceful and fresh, enduring and fun.” —Fresh Air, NPR

Elvin Bishop, Alligator Records recording artist and Rock And Roll Hall Of Famer, recently joined GRAMMY Award-winning band Los Lobos to create a new version of Bishop's politically-charged song, What The Hell Is Going On?. The song, a concert staple for Bishop that decries political extremism, was released in a previous version on the 2020 GRAMMY-nominated Alligator Records album 100 Years Of Blues, by Bishop and his friend, blues icon Charlie Musselwhite. The new version was recorded in June at Los Lobos' East L.A. studio.

Bishop, whose recording career spans six decades, is beloved as a natural storyteller, an endlessly creative guitarist, a slyly good-humored songwriter and an instantly crowd-pleasing performer. Bishop says the song continues to evolve, but the anti-authoritarian message remains steadfast. "It's like a news report of what's outrageous," Bishop deadpans, then says, "It's important for people to hear and maybe it'll get some more people to vote."

As for the new recording, Bishop says, "I am amazed by Los Lobos, by how rich their repertoire is, and by their vocals and musicianship. They invited me up on stage at Rancho Nicassio (in Northern California), we played What The Hell Is Going On? and it was perfect. The crowd loved it. So we all met up in Los Angeles a little while later and recorded it."

Watch Elvin Bishop and Los Lobos perform What The Hell Is Going On? below 

Born in Glendale, CA on October 21, 1942, Bishop grew up in Oklahoma, listening to blues music on late night radio. He used his National Merit Scholarship to enroll in the University of Chicago, whose campus was located near dozens of the South Side blues clubs where legendary artists regularly performed. Soon he was spending more time in the clubs than the classroom. 
 
Elvin and Paul Butterfield formed the first Paul Butterfield Blues Band in 1963. The band, including Bishop and Michael Bloomfield, became famous for bringing the sounds of Chicago blues to a new, young audience. They were inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall Of Fame in 2015. Bishop next moved to the San Francisco area and formed his own band, becoming a regular at the famed Fillmore Auditorium. He scored two chart-topping records during the 1970s: Travelin’ Shoes and Fooled Around And Fell In Love (the latter song reached number three on the pop charts and years later was prominently featured in the blockbuster film, Guardians Of The Galaxy). Elvin, who has recorded more than 30 albums, first joined Alligator in 1988. He continues to record and perform, both with his full band and with his pared-down, GRAMMY-nominated Big Fun Trio. 

        

"In Ronnie Baker Brooks’ powerhouse hands, blues-rock never sounded so outrageous. Soul never sounded so delicious. And the blues never sounded so profound…one of today’s top live performers."
—Blues Music Magazine

"A monster guitarist with an ample supply of technique and passion"
—AllMusic

"Ronnie Baker Brooks bristles with energy, inspiration and self-confidence."
—Living Blues 

On Friday, October 11, 2024, Alligator Records will release Blues In My DNA, the jaw-dropping new album from award-winning blues rock guitarist, songwriter and vocalist Ronnie Baker Brooks. With Blues In My DNA, Ronnie delivers an up-to-the-minute, organic masterpiece. The album, the fifth of his career and first for Alligator, is firmly rooted in the blues with Ronnie incorporating his own brand of rock, funk and soul to the mix. “I just play what I feel,” he says. “It’s all from the heart.”

Blues In My DNA effortlessly moves from funkified rockers to deep Memphis soul to epic, crowd-pleasing, guitar-driven workouts. Produced by famed studio wizard Jim Gaines (who has produced Santana, Stevie Ray Vaughan, Lonnie Brooks, Luther Allison and many others), Blues In My DNA is a career-defining statement from Baker Brooks, with each of the 11 original songs its own chapter in his ever-evolving story.

For Ronnie -- son of legendary multiple GRAMMY Award nominee, Blues Hall Of Famer, and longtime Alligator Records recording star Lonnie Brooks -- the process of writing songs for Blues In My DNA was as fun and exciting as playing live. “I love writing as much as performing. I love watching an idea become a song, then a song become something people can relate to, and then sing along with. And I always keep it authentic to myself. Everyone can feel it and be familiar with it. I’m here to build bridges, not walls.”

The autobiographical title track, a song Ronnie describes as “a bridge between me and my audience,” is the album’s centerpiece, the passionate guitar solos underlining the lyrics’ story of triumphing over racism, poverty and glass ceilings. “I ain’t complaining,” he sings, “I’m just explaining,” before declaring, “I got love in my blood, the blues in my DNA.” The advance single track and the new lyric video for Blues In My DNA premieres today. 

Ronnie Baker Brooks was born in 1967 in Chicago. He received his first guitar from his famous father at age nine and learned the instrument as he got older, sharing his time between playing basketball and focusing on his music. After high school, he joined his father’s band – as a roadie. He earned his way slowly up the ladder, listening, watching and learning. At one show, Koko Taylor pulled him aside as he was loading the gear into the van and told him, “You learn from your daddy everything you can. And one day, it’ll be up to you to carry the blues forward.”

Lonnie eventually allowed Ronnie to play bass with the band before bringing him on as his full-time second guitarist. Ronnie made his recording debut on Lonnie’s Live From Chicago: Bayou Lightning Strikes album in 1988. In 1991, he hit the road as part of The Alligator Records 20th Anniversary Tour band, backing Lonnie, Elvin Bishop, and Katie Webster. Each night he'd join them, along with Koko Taylor and Lil' Ed Williams, for unforgettable blues jams.

Among the many lessons Ronnie learned growing up was to forge his own identity, to write his own songs, to play his own brand of blues and not to imitate anyone else. Willie Dixon taught him the importance of “delivering” the song, so the people know you believe it. Albert Collins, almost a second father to Ronnie, would say, “Take what you like from what we do and make it you.”

In 1998, when the time was right and with Lonnie’s blessing, Baker Brooks formed his own label, Watchdog Records, and released three solo albums over the next eight years: Golddigger in 1998, Take Me Witcha in 2001, and The Torch in 2006. On all three releases, Ronnie worked with and learned countless studio and production lessons from JellyBean Johnson (Prince, The Time), with positive response to Ronnie’s music coming from Prince himself.

In 2008, Ronnie produced and played on blues legend Eddy Clearwater’s Alligator debut, West Side Strut, helping to bring one of his mentors to a new generation of fans. His next solo album, 2017’s, Times Have Changed, was produced by drummer Steve Jordan (The Rolling Stones, Robert Cray) and issued on the Provogue label. The UK’s Record Collector magazine said, “Baker Brooks plays a heady blend of blues, soul and funk…an upbeat cocktail of guts, groove, stinging guitar work and soulful vocals.” The Blues Foundation has recognized Ronnie’s talent and recordings with a total of six Blues Music Award nominations.

Since he was a teen, Ronnie has toured the world, first with his dad and then leading his own band. He’s built his reputation as a white-hot performer one gig at a time. His eye-popping guitar work, soulful vocals, fireball energy and huge, crowd-pleasing personality keep his fans on the edge of their seats. In addition to performing at both Obama presidential inaugurations, he has played major festivals and concert halls across the U.S., Canada, the UK and Europe, as well as in Brazil and China. In 2024, Ronnie, along with his friend and label-mate Shemekia Copeland, opened the famous Chicago Blues Festival (the 4th time he’s appeared as a headliner), with a roof-raising performance. Then, four days later, he helped close the festival out – along with Copeland, his guitarist brother Wayne Baker Brooks and harmonica giant Billy Branch – joining headliner Buddy Guy at Buddy’s request.

Ronnie Baker Brooks may have been born a blues prince, but he never received any royal treatment. “Dad set me up for today,” Ronnie notes. “He always told me to put the time in, study, practice, get better. I started my music career as his roadie. He wouldn’t let me play onstage with him until I earned it, and until he was certain playing music was what I truly wanted to do. I grew up witnessing and learning from the legends of the blues. I'm excited to continue to create Chicago blues as part of my family legacy and our shared history. I’ll always carry on and represent the blues in everything I do. Dad started the fire, Albert Collins poured the gas on it, and Koko Taylor put the grill on.”