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"Live wire exuberance and hard-as-nails force, natural for partying, drinking and talking loud...Extra wicked, hellfire slide guitar from the Mississippi-born dynamo” —Rolling Stone

"Four of the world's greatest blues harp players meet head to head in a 'blowdown' super-session. The cream of the Chicago sound...a must for harmonica fans" —DownBeat

On Friday, September 13, Alligator Records will reissue two classic titles from its unparalleled blues and roots rock catalog:  Hound Dog Taylor & The HouseRockers' GRAMMY-nominated Beware Of The Dog! and the James Cotton, Junior Wells, Carey Bell and Billy Branch classic, Harp Attack!. Both albums have been remastered, pressed on 140g black vinyl and will be available for the first time on LP in 35 years. Additionally, 500 green vinyl copies of Beware Of The Dog! will be pressed as an "Indie Exclusive" to be sold only in U.S. independent record stores.

Originally released in 1976, Hound Dog Taylor's raucous and feral Beware Of The Dog! is now considered one of the blues' greatest live albums. Released shortly after Taylor's death in 1975, Beware Of The Dog! captures the primeval glory and pure joy of Taylor and his HouseRockers -- guitarist Brewer Phillips and drummer Ted Harvey -- playing fast, loud, foot-stomping, soul-satisfying music. "The Ramones of the blues," said Village Voice critic Robert Christgau, who called Beware Of The Dog! "a celebration for those who like their blues hot." Since its 1976 release, Beware Of The Dog! has sold over 100,000 units worldwide. Taylor was inducted into the Blues Hall Of Fame in 1986.

Originally released in 1990, Harp Attack! brought four of the finest blues harmonica players in the world together in the studio for the first and only time. James Cotton, Junior Wells, Carey Bell and Billy Branch had been friends for years. Cotton, Wells and Bell all previously held the coveted harmonica slot in blues icon Muddy Waters' band. The younger Billy Branch, a veteran of Willie Dixon's band, was "the new kid", giving the older artists a run for their money. Alligator president and album producer Bruce Iglauer told DownBeat magazine that Harp Attack! is “the summit meeting of Chicago’s four best blues harmonica players, close friends who loved each other and also loved to ‘cut heads’ (try to outplay each other). We created different combinations of players on different tracks, with the harps sometimes soloing, sometimes playing together like a horn section, sometimes trading licks, always challenging each other.” Since its 1990 release, Harp Attack! has sold over 90,000 units worldwide.

Blues Blast magazine has announced the nominees for its 17th annual Blues Blast Music Awards. This year, ten Alligator artists received a total of 21 nominations. The Nick Moss Band Featuring Dennis Gruenling leads all artists with five nominations. Rick Estrin & The Nightcats received four.

The Nick Moss Band, Rick Estrin & The Nightcats, The Cash Box Kings and Southern Avenue (whose Alligator debut will hit in early 2025) were all nominated for the coveted Band Of The Year award.

GRAMMY Award-winner Christone "Kingfish" Ingram received three nominations. Guitarist/songwriter/vocalist Tinsley Ellis received two.

Coco Montoya, Chris O'Leary and Billy Branch, Dennis Gruenling and bassist Rodrigo Mantovani (from The Nick Moss Band Featuring Dennis Gruenling), Derrick D'Mar Martin and Kid Andersen (from Rick Estrin & The Nightcats), and Kenny "Beedy Eyes" Smith (from The Cash Box Kings) each received one nomination.

Fan voting begins July 15, 2024 and ends at midnight on August 31, 2024 at http://www.BluesBlastMagazine.com. Voting is free and open to all.

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

Alligator artists and their nominations follow:  

Blues Band Of The Year: The Nick Moss Band Featuring Dennis Gruenling

Traditional Blues Album Of The Year: Get Your Back Into It!

Electric Guitarist Of The Year: Nick Moss

Harmonica Player Of The Year: Dennis Gruenling

Bass Guitarist Of The Year: Rodrigo Mantovani 

Blues Band Of The Year: Rick Estrin & The Nightcats

Traditional Blues Album Of The Year: The Hits Keep Coming

Producer Of The Year: Christoffer "Kid" Andersen

Percussionist Of The Year: Derrick "D'Mar" Martin

Live Blues Album Of The Year: Live In London

Male Blues Artist Of The Year

Electric Guitarist Of The Year 

Acoustic Blues Album Of The Year: Naked Truth

Acoustic Guitarist Of The Year 

Blues Band Of The Year: The Cash Box Kings

Percussionist Of The Year: Kenny "Beedy Eyes" Smith

Rock Blues Album Of The Year: Writing On The Wall 

Contemporary Blues Album Of The Year: Exorcist 

Contemporary Blues Album Of The Year: The Hard Line  

Harmonica Player Of The Year: Billy Branch 

Band Of The Year: Southern Avenue 

        

“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  

On Friday, August 30, 2024, Alligator Records will release Blame It On Eve, the sublime and powerful new album from award-winning blues, R&B and Americana vocalist Shemekia Copeland. Copeland possesses one of the most instantly recognizable and deeply soulful roots music voices of our time. Blame it On Eve will be available on CD, gold vinyl LP, and at all digital services.

On Blame It On Eve, the 12 songs all hit hard, with jaw-dropping performances that instantly take hold and command repeated listening. “There’s serious business on the new album,” Copeland says, “but there are a lot of smiles here too, a lot of joyous moments. It’s my blues for sure but it’s the brighter side. Issues are always important to me, but so is rocking, dancing and just having fun. And that’s something we all can all agree on.”
 
Blame It On Eve was recorded in Nashville and produced by instrumentalist/songwriter Will Kimbrough (who also produced her previous three albums). The songs tackle subjects as important as a woman’s right to choose and climate change, but also leave space for Copeland to have fun and unwind. From the autobiographical, rocking blues boogie Tough Mother (featuring Luther Dickinson), to the anthemic Blame It On Eve's good-humored but serious focus on reproductive self-determination to the happy hour of Wine O’Clock, Copeland is inspired throughout.  

Famed multi-instrumentalist Jerry Douglas adds his dobro to the fascinating, true story of Tee Tot  Payne, the obscure early 20th century Alabama musician who taught Hank Williams the blues, and sacred steel player DaShawn Hickman brings his magic to the feisty and uplifting Tell The Devil.  Shemekia’s friend, roots-rocker Alejandro Escovedo, joins in on the anguished, celestial query Is There Anybody Up There?. On the sad lover’s tale Belle Sorciere, Copeland sings the chorus in French, with the haunting melody composed by Pascal Danae of the Paris-based band Delgres (who were recently featured on the cover of Rolling Stone France). Copeland’s blistering, deep blues delivery of Down On Bended Knee—by her late father, the great bluesman Johnny Copeland—sets up the thought-provoking closer Heaven Help Us All, a song originally made famous first by Stevie Wonder and later by Ray Charles. Taken as a whole, the passionate, charismatic, joyous and at times confrontational Blame It On Eve is bound to become among the most celebrated releases of Copeland’s impressive, still-unfolding career.  

SiriusXM radio's Bluesville channel aired the world premiere of Tough Mother on Thursday, July 4. Watch the new lyric video below.

Born and raised 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 music has continued to evolve.
 
With 2018’s America’s Child, Copeland brought out the first of her celebrated trilogy of albums concerning the state of the world, sung from her perspective as a young, Black woman and new mother. MOJO magazine named America’s Child the #1 blues release of 2018. It won both the Blues Music Award and the Living Blues Award for Album Of The Year.  In addition to earning a GRAMMY Award nomination, Copeland’s groundbreaking 2020 follow-up, Uncivil War, was named the 2020 Blues Album Of The Year by DownBeat, MOJO and Living Blues magazines. She received her fifth GRAMMY nomination for Done Come Too Far, which closed the trilogy with a searing set of truth-to-power, rock and Hill Country blues-fueled songs.

“Shemekia Copeland is an antidote to artifice,” said The Philadelphia Inquirer. “She is a commanding presence, a powerhouse vocalist delivering the truth.”

The Chicago Tribune declared, “Copeland is the greatest female blues vocalist working today. There’s no mistaking the majesty of her instrument, nor the ferocity of her delivery.”

Living Blues magazine, in its July 2024 issue, announced the winners of the 2024 Living Blues Critics' and Readers' Awards. This year, four Alligator artists received a total of ten awards.

Vocalist Shemekia Copeland was named Blues Artist Of The Year (Female) and Most Outstanding Blues Singer in both the Critics' and Readers' Polls, for a total of four awards. Copeland's new album, Blame It On Eve, will be released later this fall.

Copeland's four awards were matched only by GRAMMY Award-winning guitarist/vocalist/songwriter Christone "Kingfish" Ingram. He was similarly named Blues Artist Of The Year (Male) in both the Critics' and Readers' Polls. He also won the Critics' Awards for Best New Recording/Contemporary Blues for Live In London, and for Most Outstanding Musician (Guitar).

Texas pianist/vocalist Marcia Ball was named Most Outstanding Musician (Keyboard) in the Readers' Poll

Kenny "Beedy Eyes" Smith, drummer for The Cash Box Kings, won the Critics' Award for Most Outstanding Musician (Drums).

Artists and their awards are below:  

CRITICS' AWARDS:
Blues Artist Of The Year (Female)
Most Outstanding Blues Singer

READERS' AWARDS:
Blues Artist Of The Year (Female)
Most Outstanding Blues Singer

CRITICS' AWARDS:
Blues Artist Of The Year (Male)
Best New Recording / Contemporary Blues (Live In London)
Most Outstanding Musician (Guitar)

READERS' AWARD:
Blues Artist Of The Year (Male)

READERS' AWARDS:
Most Outstanding Musician (Keyboard)

CRITICS' AWARD:
Most Outstanding Musician (Drums) - Kenny "Beedy Eyes" Smith  

 
“Brawny shuffles, swinging horns, searing guitar, passionate vocals and balls-to-the-wall enthusiasm” —Living Blues
 
“Jubilant, jazzy R&B...boisterous horn-propelled magnificence...infectiously joyous spirit” —Blues Music Magazine 

Roomful Of Blues, the world-renowned, horn-fueled blues band, has announced changes to their houserocking line-up. Powerful veteran vocalist DD Bastos joins Roomful Of Blues as the new featured vocalist. DD is a dynamic singer with a deep background in blues, swing and rock 'n' roll, and the leader of New England-based band, DD & The Road Kings. Bastos is also a Choral Director for the New Bedford, MA public school system, with 20-plus years as a private music teacher.

Says Bastos, "I’m excited, happy and grateful for the opportunity to work with Roomful Of Blues. The fact that they are a part of the Alligator Records family of blues artists is a thrill for me, since some of my all-time favorite blues artists made their home at Alligator."

Bastos replaces fan favorite Phil Pemberton, whose health is currently keeping him off the road. Pemberton has been with Roomful Of Blues for 15 years and is the featured singer on their three latest Alligator recordings: Hook Line And Sinker, 45 Live and In A Roomful Of Blues.

According to a statement released by the band, Pemberton's contributions are immeasurable. "Phil is a world-class vocalist and has been a key band member since 2009. He has toured the world with Roomful Of Blues and has been on our last three Alligator releases. Many of our fans are already aware that Phil has been struggling with health issues during the past year and a half. He is now taking some time off and is working very hard to return to full health. We’re wishing Phil a speedy recovery and many thanks for all his accomplishments with us."

In other band news, new keyboardist Jeff Ceasrine takes the place of Rusty Scott. Ceasrine is known as one of the best musicians in New England and has sat in occasionally with Roomful Of Blues since 2008. According to bandleader/guitarist Chris Vachon, "Jeff is a natural to take over where Rusty Scott left off."
 

With the addition of Bastos and Ceasrine, the current line-up of the Rhode Island-based Roomful Of Blues is guitarist Vachon, tenor and alto saxophonist Rich Lataille, baritone and tenor saxophonist Alek Razdan, trumpeter Carl “Geerz” Gerhard, bassist John Turner and drummer Mike Coffey.

Roomful Of Blues continues to be one of the tightest, most joyful blues ensembles in the world. The Rhode Island-based group has been delighting audiences for over 50 years. The group has earned five GRAMMY Award nominations and a slew of other accolades, including seven Blues Music Awards. The prestigious DownBeat International Critics Poll twice selected them as Best Blues Band.

The band’s latest album is 2020's In A Roomful Of Blues, their sixth release on Alligator Records (and 19th overall). Filled with soaring blues, zydeco twists, late-night ballads, Latin-tinged funk and a touch of vintage, fifth-gear rock ‘n’ roll, the album continues to delight and excite fans, critics and radio programmers across the country and around the world.

HISTORY:
Roomful Of Blues began in 1967 when a group of southern Rhode Island teenagers with a shared passion for the blues formed a straight-ahead Chicago-style electric blues band to explore the music of their heroes. They added a horn section (including Rich Lataille) in 1970 and released their self-titled debut album in 1977 on Island Records (reissued on Hyena Records), which brought them to the attention of fans and critics from coast to coast. The band has performed in cities around the world, traveling abroad to 22 countries including Lebanon, Poland, Spain, Italy, France, Portugal, Switzerland, Turkey and Russia. The New Yorker says the band brings “thunderous performances that get feet stomping and hands clapping.”

Vachon first joined Roomful in 1990 and has been leading the band since 1998. Guitar Player says Vachon’s guitar playing “burns with explosive solos and a delightfully greasy sense of rhythm.” The band has maintained its signature sound through great musicianship and a stellar horn section, featuring Lataille, whose masterful playing can evoke either the fat-toned, honking sax of the glory days of early rock or the cool elegance of big band swing jazz.
 
While keenly aware of the group’s half century of history, Vachon is quick to note that they are constantly looking forward. “We always keep things fresh, and we keep the excitement level high. Playing this music is an immense amount of fun for us,” he says. “And it’s just as much fun for our audience.”

        

“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 Friday, July 19, 2024, Alligator Records will release Good Intentions Gone Bad, the first release in three years from award-winning guitarist, vocalist and songwriter Chris Cain. Good Intentions Gone Bad is Cain's second Alligator album, and the 16th of his career. It will be available on CD, red vinyl LP, and at all digital services.

On Good Intentions Gone Bad, Cain delivers thirteen lyrically fresh original songs, seven of which add a swinging horn section to the mix. The album was produced by Christoffer “Kid” Andersen (of Rick Estrin & The Nightcats) at his famous Greaseland USA studio in San Jose, California. Good Intentions Gone Bad is, Cain says, “the best album I’ve ever made, thanks to Kid.” With Cain leading the charge on guitar, the band delivers top-shelf performances on every track. From the humorous, true-to-life title track to the epic, slow-burning Waiting For The Sun To Rise to the Memphis soul-inspired Thankful (featuring a shared vocal with Cain’s labelmate, Tommy Castro), the new album finds Cain operating at the absolute peak of his powers, with 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.”

“I’m so proud of this record,” says Cain. “I know I’ve never sung or played better. Kid’s ideas, the vibe he created...he makes you better while having a great time. This album is the logical next step after (his debut Alligator release) Raisin’ Cain. Everything I hoped for doubled.” 

Today, Monday, May 18, Cain premieres the new video for his original song, Fear Is My New Roommate. Watch below

Chris Cain was born in San Jose, California in 1955. His parents were huge music fans and shared their love of blues, jazz and popular songs with Chris. His African American father and Greek mother had a huge, shared record collection, which fascinated Chris from an early age. Chris was three years old when his father first took him to see B.B. King. His father gave him his first guitar at age eight and Chris learned lick after lick, song after song. He’d listen to his father’s records over and over until the music had seeped into his soul.

Cain formed his first band in 1986, and, in hopes of getting more gigs, released his first album, Late Night City Blues, on the locally-based Blue Rock’It label. Almost immediately, everything changed. Booking agents came calling and Chris began touring Europe. The album received four W.C. Handy Award nominations (now the Blues Music Awards) and the offers to perform kept rolling in.

With his 2021 Alligator Records debut album, Raisin’ Cain, Cain’s star began to rise even higher. Press, radio and the public all agreed that Cain was, as Blues Rock Review stated, “a classic, sophisticated, soulful virtuoso...He seamlessly combines blues, jazz, funk, and soul.” Cain received four 2022 Blues Music Award nominations, including for Album Of The Year and Best Guitarist. 
 
On his recordings and on stage, Cain plays his beloved Gibson ES 335 guitar named Melba that he’s had since 1990, and plugs it into his equally beloved Music Man RD 112 amp that he’s had since 1987. Melba, well known among Cain’s most ardent fans, is prominently featured in the new book, Gibson ES Believers, part of the Vic DuPra Believers Series. 

Cain has toured all over North America and made repeated trips around the world. He’s performed at the Chicago Blues Festival, The Doheny Blues Festival, The Philadelphia Blues Festival, The Waterfront Blues Festival in Portland, and many others. He’s played concerts and festivals (and often taught workshops) in Argentina, Uruguay, Italy, Spain, France, Belgium, The Netherlands, Sweden, Norway, Switzerland, Australia, New Zealand, Russia, Ukraine, and more.

Now, with Good Intentions Gone Bad, Cain will find his largest audience yet, as his good musical intentions continue to pay off. According to Kid Andersen, there’s no better blues player working today. “Chris Cain is the rarity whose blues prowess is so undeniable that he has gained everyone’s approval. Ask any of your favorite guitar players who they think are the greatest living masters of the instrument, chances are they will all have Chris Cain at the very top of their list.” 

On Thursday, May 9, 2024, the Blues Foundation announced the winners of the 45th Annual Blues Music Awards. Alligator Records artists received a total of six awards.

Leading all artists with four Awards is GRAMMY Award-winning artist Christone "Kingfish" Ingram, who won Album Of The Year and Contemporary Blues Album Of The Year (for the GRAMMY-nominated Live In London), Contemporary Blues Male Artist Of The Year and Best Instrumentalist -- Guitar. Kingfish has now won a total of 13 Blues Music Awards since his 2019 self-titled debut.

Chicago's Nick Moss Band Featuring Dennis Gruenling won the coveted Band Of The Year award. This is the second time the band has won this prestigious honor.

The Cash Box Kings' Kenny "Beedy Eyes" Smith won for Best Instrumentalist - Drums.

The 45th Annual Blues Music Awards ceremony were held in Memphis, Tennessee on Thursday, May 9 at The Renasant Convention Center.

Alligator artists and their 2024 Blues Music Awards follow:  

Band Of The Year

Album Of The Year (Live In London)
Contemporary Blues Album Of The Year (Live In London)
Contemporary Blues Male Artist Of The Year
Best Instrumentalist -- Guitar 

Best Instrumentalist -- Drums (Kenny "Beedy Eyes" Smith) 

Living Blues magazine, in its May/June 2024 issue, announced the nominees for the 2024 Living Blues Awards. This year, ten Alligator artists received a total of sixteen nominations. Leading all nominated artists with four is GRAMMY Award-winning guitarist/vocalist/songwriter Christone "Kingfish" Ingram, who was nominated for Blues Artist Of The Year (Male), Best Blues Album (for Live In London), Best Live Performer and Most Outstanding Musician (Guitar).

Award-winning vocalist Shemekia Copeland received three nominations in the Blues Artist Of The Year, Most Outstanding Blues Singer and Best Live Performer categories.

Visionary Florida bluesman Selwyn Birchwood received two nominations: Best Blues Album (for Exorcist) and Best Live Performer.

Blues icon Charlie Musselwhite, Texas pianist/vocalist Marcia Ball, harmonica giants Rick Estrin (of Rick Estrin & The Nightcats) and Billy Branch, Chicago blues masters The NIck Moss Band Featuring Dennis Gruenling, legendary blues ensemble The Cash Box Kings, and deep blues vocalist Oscar Wilson (of The Cash Box Kings) each received one nomination.

Living Blues fans may vote with the Readers' Ballot, available at www.livingblues.com by June 15, 2024. Alligator artists and their nominations follow:   

Blues Artist Of The Year (Male)
Best Blues Album of 2023 (Live In London)
Best Live Performer
Most Outstanding Musician (Guitar)

Blues Artist Of The Year (Female)
Most Outstanding Blues Singer
Best Live Performer

Best Blues Album Of 2023 (Exorcist)
Best Live Performer  

Most Outstanding Musician (Harmonica) 

Most Outstanding Musician (Keyboards)

Most Outstanding Musician (Harmonica) 

Most Outstanding Musician (Harmonica)  

Best Blues Album Of 2023 (Get Your Back Into It!) 

Best Blues Album Of 2023 (Oscar's Motel)
Oscar Wilson - Most Outstanding Blues Singer 

Celebrated musician and passionate conservationist JJ Grey, whose new album Olustee is being hailed as the best of his career, is joining forces with the Live Wildly Foundation to champion the protection of Florida's wild spaces. This collaboration is a vital part of Live Wildly’s mission to balance Florida's ecology with its economy, ensuring the preservation of the state's rich natural heritage. Grey is a Jacksonville, Florida native, whose passionately soulful, swampy, funk-filled music often reflects his deep connection to the region's landscapes and waterways,

In his music, Grey often writes and sings of his love and respect for Florida's natural environment. Now, Grey is putting his passion for the environment into greater action. As the spokesperson for Live Wildly's 'Join the Movement' campaign, Grey will play a pivotal role in advocating for the connection and protection of Florida's wild places.
 
"Florida holds a special place in my heart, and I am deeply passionate about protecting its wild spaces for future generations," says Grey. "Through this partnership with Live Wildly, I am honored to join forces with like-minded individuals and organizations to ensure that our state's natural heritage remains intact in the face of rapid growth and development."
 
To further highlight this partnership, JJ Grey has announced his collaboration with Live Wildly ahead of his "Blackwater Sol Revue," a two-night concert event at The St. Augustine Amphitheatre on May 25 and May 26. Grey’s “Blackwater Sol Revue” will also feature an impressive slate of artists including Lucero, The Allman Betts Band, American Aquarium, G. Love & Special Sauce, and more. These performances not only promise to bring Grey’s soulful blend of rock, blues, and funk to his fans but also serve as a rallying point for community involvement in conservation efforts.

Live Wildly's 'Join the Movement' campaign includes a pledge for individuals to actively support conservation efforts. For every new member who joins, Live Wildly will donate a dollar to land conservation in Florida, aiming to protect the Florida Wildlife Corridor. The Florida Wildlife Corridor stretches over 18 million acres from the Panhandle to the Everglades. It is home to many of Florida’s 131 imperiled species and contributes $30 billion annually to the state’s economy through recreation, agriculture, and other industries, but only about half of the Corridor is protected. Live Wildly is working with partners to protect all the Wildlife Corridor to keep lands and waters connected, healthy, and productive across the state.
 
"We are thrilled to partner with JJ Grey as we work to preserve Florida's iconic natural areas," said Lisa Shipley, CEO of Live Wildly. "One of the first steps in this movement is to protect the Florida Wildlife Corridor. We look forward to working with JJ Grey to help all Floridians discover their personal connection to nature and the important role these lands and waters play in their daily lives.”
 
As part of their joint efforts, JJ Grey and Live Wildly will undertake a variety of initiatives, including educational outreach and grassroots advocacy, aimed at raising conservation awareness. Together, these efforts are designed to ensure that Florida's natural resources are valued and preserved, despite the pressures of ongoing development, benefiting everyone living in, and visiting, the Sunshine State.
 
For more information about JJ Grey and Live Wildly's partnership and the 'Join the Movement' campaign, visit www.livewildly.com/join-the-movement.
 
For tickets to JJ Grey’s Blackwater Sol Revue at The St. Augustine Amphitheatre on May 25 & 26, visit: https://www.theamp.com/events/detail/jj-grey-2024.
 
About JJ Grey:
JJ Grey is a critically acclaimed musician known for his soulful blend of Southern rock, blues, and funk. Hailing from north Florida, Grey's music reflects his deep connection to the land and waterways of his home state. In addition to his musical career, Grey is an outspoken advocate for environmental conservation, with a particular focus on protecting Florida's wild spaces.
 
About Live Wildly:
Live Wildly is a nonprofit organization dedicated to preserving Florida's natural landscapes and wildlife. Through advocacy, education, and community engagement, Live Wildly works to raise awareness about the importance of conservation and empower individuals to take action to protect the environment. The organization is committed to safeguarding Florida's rich biodiversity and ensuring a sustainable future for generations to come.
 
About The St. Augustine Amphitheatre:
The St. Augustine Amphitheatre is managed and operated by SJC Cultural Events, Inc. (SJCCE), a nonprofit organization committed to enriching St. Johns County and engaging music enthusiasts worldwide through authentic cultural programming. Located on Anastasia Island, just half a mile from the beach and a short bridge crossing from downtown St. Augustine, the Amphitheatre is surrounded by the lush landscape of Anastasia State Park. With nearly 5,000 seats, it offers an intimate and scenic concert experience for all attendees. 

The City of Chicago will host the 2024 Chicago Blues Festival Thursday, June 6 through Sunday, June 9, taking place as part of Millennium Park’s milestone 20th anniversary season. Alligator Records stars Shemekia Copeland and Ronnie Baker Brooks will give a special opening night performance at the historic Ramova Theatre, 3520 S. Halsted St., in Chicago's Bridgeport neighborhood on Thursday, June 6. The opening night performance on Thursday, June 6 is free with online RSVP, which will go live Wednesday, May 1.

In addition to the opening night performance,  Alligator Records Artists The Nick Moss Band will join Louisiana bluesman Lil' Jimmy Reed and pianist Ben Levin on the Rosa’s Lounge (North Promenade) Stage on Friday, June 7. GRAMMY-nominated, Memphis-based roots, blues and soul band Southern Avenue, recently signed to Alligator Records, will headline the Jay Pritzker Pavilion Stage on Saturday, June 8.  The Cash Box Kings will perform on the Jay Pritzker Pavilion Stage on Sunday, June 9.

For more information, visit ChicagoBluesFestival.us or follow on Facebook (@ChicagoBluesFestival), Instagram (@ChicagoDCASE), (@Millennium_Park); or X/Twitter (@Millennium_Park) or (@ChicagoDCASE). Sign up for the DCASE Newsletter to receive monthly updates and event information. 

  

SHEMEKIA COPELAND
Award-winning, multi-GRAMMY Award-nominated blues, soul and Americana singer Shemekia Copeland possesses one of the most instantly recognizable and deeply soulful roots music voices of our time. She is beloved worldwide for the fearlessness, honesty and humor of her revelatory music, as well as for delivering each song she performs with unmatched passion. Copeland connects with her audience on an intensely personal level, taking them with her on what The Wall Street Journal calls “a consequential ride” of “bold and timely blues.” Look for a new Shemekia Copeland album later this year.

RONNIE BAKER BROOKS
Ronnie Baker Brooks was born in 1967 in Chicago, first playing guitar with his famous father onstage at age nine. Having joined his father's band full time after graduating high school, Ronnie made his recording debut on Lonnie Brooks' 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. Ronnie performed with his father for 12 years, gaining valuable experience and sharing stages with such notables as Eric Clapton, B.B. King and Buddy Guy, among many others. His Alligator Records debut will be released in 2024.

NICK MOSS
Nick Moss is a towering figure in today’s blues world. He’s a guitarist who can play from subtle to searing, as well as a gifted singer and songwriter. He toured with, and was mentored by, 1950s blues titan Jimmy Rogers, and played in the bands of harpist/singer Willie “Big Eyes” Smith and West Side guitar hero Jimmy Dawkins. Nick has led his own band since 1997, cutting a dozen albums that range from traditional Chicago blues to hard-rocking guitar explorations. Moss’ latest Alligator Records release is Get Your Back Into It! by The Nick Moss Band featuring Dennis Gruenling. Moss, Gruenling and the band are five-time Blues Music Award recipients, including Band Of The Year.  

SOUTHERN AVENUIE
GRAMMY-nominated Memphis-based roots, blues and soul band Southern Avenue are known for their positive, message-driven original songs and their melting-pot mix of Memphis blues and soul. The dynamic collective, more a family than a band, showcases the jaw-dropping talents of Memphis born-and-raised sisters -- lead vocalist/songwriter Tierinii Jackson, drummer/vocalist Tikyra "TK" Jackson and percussionist/violinist/vocalist Ava Jackson -- along with endlessly creative Israel-born guitarist/songwriter Ori Naftaly and keyboardist Jeremy Powell. Tierinii's lyrics are defiant and straightforward, her mesmerizing vocals effortlessly moving from an emotional purr to an inspired and powerful roar, while the music explodes into a non-stop, all-inclusive celebration. 

THE CASH BOX KINGS
The Cash Box Kings’ most recent release is their dynamic 2023 Alligator Records album Oscar’s Motel. According to Living Blues magazine, The Cash Box Kings “are one of the best blues bands in the land.” The group, co-led by Chicago blues vocalist and songwriter Oscar “Mr. 43rd Street” Wilson, and Madison, Wisconsin-based harmonica giant, songwriter, and singer Joe Nosek, plays masterfully raw, unvarnished, old-school ensemble blues. Wilson’s huge, emotive vocals and Nosek’s blistering harmonica, along with an all-star band, fuel their razor-sharp original songs and always-incisive reinventions of obscure blues classics. 

        

“Among the most inspiring southpaws to ever pick up a six-string…Cannon shows the Windy City is not done teaching us about electric blues. He’s a real deal blueser, combining social commentary in his songs with heartfelt guitar playing topped off with killer vibrato.” —Guitar World
 
“Confident and spot-on…Cannon is an explosive guitarist, a one-man champion of Chicago blues…an influential star capable of carrying the traditions of this music and city to the contemporary realm.” —Blues Music Magazine 
 
“Tough-voiced, lyrically eloquent and musically focused…hard-grinding blues rock and urbane pop-soul balladry...Melodically rich guitar that seethes with emotion. Most impressive is his songwriting: his lyrics are full of wisdom laced with humor and life-toughened resolve.” —Living Blues 
 
“Bluesman Toronzo Cannon is one of Chicago’s finest string-bending storytellers. A highly emotive singer and a fantastic guitarist, but what makes him stand out in the contemporary blues scene is his talent for songwriting. Cannon packs so much substance into every song.” —Chicago Reader 

Award-winning, world-beloved Chicago bluesman Toronzo Cannon has announced the first set of dates of his Shut Up & Play! concert tour. The 28-city tour will take Cannon from the Midwest to the East Coast and back, including dates in Chicago, New York City, Philadelphia, Washington D.C. and Boston. Shut Up & Play! will be released on Friday, June 7, and is the third Alligator album from Cannon. It will be available on CD, yellow vinyl LP, and at all digital services.

With his richly detailed, truth-telling original songs, blistering, inventive guitar work and impassioned vocals, Cannon is on the cutting edge of today’s contemporary blues scene. He is considered one of the genre’s most creative artists. His sound is inspired by his heroes, including Hound Dog Taylor, Muddy Waters, Elmore James, Albert King, Son Seals and Jimi Hendrix. On Shut Up & Play!, Cannon blazes his own path with 11 emotionally-charged originals. From serious to humorous, his imaginative songs are fueled by his powerful, cathartic guitar solos and his soulfully authoritative voice.
 
Shut Up & Play! was co-produced by Cannon and Alligator president Bruce Iglauer. The album finds Cannon, a former Chicago Transit Authority bus driver, delivering timeless stories of common experiences, often unfolding in uncommon ways. His passionate and focused guitar playing sets his lyrics ablaze. From the first radio single, the attention-grabbing I Hate Love, to the gospel-inspired, autobiographical Had To Go Through It To Get To It, to the slow-burning, reflective Guilty, to the deeply personal Message To My Daughter, Shut Up & Play! tackles the gamut of human emotions. Song subjects range from the heartbreak of lost love, to the humor of daily life, to the pain of feeling invisible in today’s society, all as seen through Cannon’s wide-open eyes.

Cannon has been nominated for ten Blues Music Awards, and, as his fan base expands, so do his friendships with famous musicians. Gary Clark, Jr. declared, “Toronzo is a beast. He lights the room up,” and Joe Bonamassa rightly pronounced, “Toronzo’s a great guitar player, excellent vocalist and an amazing personality.”

Cannon has performed at clubs and festivals at major cities all over the U.S. and continues to bring his music directly to his fans. He’s toured Canada, the UK, made his way across Europe and even to Japan. He has played the Chicago Blues Festival on ten separate occasions, bringing tens of thousands of his fellow Chicagoans to their feet. His live performances unfailingly earn him heaps of critical praise and hordes of wildly enthusiastic new supporters. “Listen to a master bluesman at work,” declared the UK’s Blues & Rhythm magazine. “This is modern blues at its creative best.”

"Olustee has the hallmarks of JJ Grey & Mofro’s best work…reflective, raucous, 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

"Olustee is classic JJ Grey...Swamp funk blues-rock [and] epic soul jams filled with grit, both musically and character-wise, alongside sun-soaked breezier fare."
—Garden & Gun

“The shining glory that permeates every single moment of Olustee is the voice of JJ Grey. It truly is a thing of wonder with its endless range and emotional impact. Olustee is a masterpiece of songcraft and soulful delivery. You have to marvel at just how much emotion one man can convey. Yes. It’s that good.”
—Blues Matters (UK) 

JJ Grey unveils the video for the song Seminole Wind, the John Anderson-penned track from JJ Grey & Mofro's new album, Olustee. Released in February 2024 and produced by Grey, Olustee is the band's first album in nine years. JJ Grey & Mofro are currently headlining theaters across the U.S. and will head to Europe and the UK later this year.

Grey, speaking of Seminole Wind (the only song on Olustee he did not write), says, "Seminole Wind is my favorite song by John Anderson and one of my favorites, period. I've been singing and playing it in one form or another all my life."

Last month, in March 2024, Anderson was inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame. Seminole Wind, written by Anderson in 1992, references the development and destruction of the Everglades in Anderson’s (and Grey's) native Florida.

Writer Jay Miller of Boston's Patriot Ledger says, "Anderson’s original version was pretty darned good, but this rendition enhances it and gives it a real 2024 punch, and a serious dose of that patented JJ Grey grit."

Watch the new lyric video for Seminole Wind below :

Media have been excitedly supporting Olustee with features, reviews, and airplay, as fans continue filling larger and more prestigious venues across the country. 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.

Olustee tells personal stories of redemption, rebirth, hard luck, and inner peace. With his gritty baritone vocals and passionate delivery of his soul-honest truths, Grey blends the cerebral, carnal, and heartfelt into timeless songs and memorable music. Olustee pushes the boundaries of his creative talents, blending mythical Southern stories of his ancestral Florida home with a poet's perspective. Grey's message is simple but powerful - respect nature, live in the moment, and have a good time.

TRACK LIST 1. The Sea 2. Top Of The World 3. On A Breeze 4. Olustee 5. Seminole Wind 6. Wonderland 7. Starry Night 8. Free High 9. Waiting 10. Rooster 11. Deeper Than Belief