News

       

An exciting, emotional guitarist and a strong, evocative songwriter…One of modern blues’ greatest performers.
—Vintage Guitar

A legend of American blues music…An American music treasure…Ellis delivers a sermon on the power and glory of the blues.
—Premier Guitar

Powerful, spine-tingling guitar and gritty, soulful vocals.
 —Relix

On Tuesday, December 12, Atlanta-based guitarist, vocalist and songwriter Tinsley Ellis announced the first set of dates for his massive, months-long 2024 Naked Truth solo acoustic tour. On Friday, February 9, Alligator Records will release Naked Truth, Ellis' first-ever solo acoustic album. That same night, he'll kick off the tour in the nearby Decatur, Georgia club, Eddie's Attic, before hitting the road. "Two guitars and a car,” he says of the simplicity of his North American touring situation. “When folks come to see me, I’ll have the guitars I used on the record with me, so what fans hear on the album is what they’ll get live." 

Naked Truth is steeped in the folk blues traditions of Muddy Waters, Skip James, Son House, Robert Johnson and even Leo Kottke. To the casual fan, this might seem to be a new direction, but for Ellis, it’s an extension of his music, as he taps into the raw essence of the blues. “This is a record I’ve always wanted to make, and one that my longtime fans have been asking for,” he says, noting he’s included an acoustic mini-set in his concert performances for years. In the last 12 months, Ellis has already performed over 100 solo shows, many as co-bills with his Alligator label-mate Marcia Ball. “I’m having so much fun playing these shows,” he says.

On Naked Truth (his 21st album), Ellis swaps his blistering, guitar-fueled full band workouts for equally passionate, soul-searching acoustic folk blues. His famed guitar chops and musical creativity are on full display throughout the album’s 12 songs, including nine newly written originals. Naked Truth was produced by Ellis, with the foot-stomping cover of Son House’s Death Letter Blues produced by Atlanta roots musician Eddie 9V. The album was recorded live in the studio using Ellis’ beloved 1969 Martin D-35 (a gift from his father) and his 1937 National Steel O Series guitars. Whether intricately fingerpicking the Martin or playing hair-raising slide on the National Steel, Ellis delivers each song with unvarnished intimacy.

According to Ellis, “In this format  there’s a new depth to the emotion of my music. When it’s just you, your voice and your guitar, you have to deliver raw, honest emotion to your audience. You can’t just give them volume, energy and exciting playing. The audience has to feel what you’re putting into the song and has to believe you. When I play and sing in the solo acoustic format, there is truly nowhere to hide. I can’t hide behind a loud, distorted guitar. I can’t hide behind a drum beat or a bass line. It’s just me and my instrument, stripped bare of the other players and their various instruments. In a way, it’s a form of confession. It’s the artist’s most honest musical statement of his or her songs.”  

Naked Truth is a revelation. Stripped of the electric fervor that defined his previous works, Ellis' acoustic music carries a rawness that speaks directly from his soul. The songs unveil another side of Tinsley Ellis, but one that is totally recognizable to his fans. His gruff, full-throated vocals intertwine seamlessly with the bare, acoustic arrangements, creating an album that is both timeless and immediate. No Depression says, “Ellis shines. When the tempo slows, the intensity doesn’t waver.” Blues Music Magazine states, “Tinsley Ellis is a powerful and commanding presence. His music is impossible not to enjoy.” Rolling Stone declared, "His eloquence dazzles.” 

       

Impassioned singing, riff-based Southern rock, cold blooded swamp funk and sly Memphis soul. Rich, funky blues celebrate life’s most fundamental joys. Grey is a singer-songwriter with unforced talent and deep feeling.
—The New York Times

A deeply-rooted blend of southern-fried rock and swamp funk…richly evocative lyrics…plainspoken, blue-collar American music.
—NPR

The swami of swamp rock…JJ Grey is a North Florida sage and purveyor of the funkiest swamp rock the world has ever heard…Chicken-scratch guitar and bone-deep songs.
—Oxford American

On Friday, December 1, renowned singer, songwriter and multi-instrumentalist JJ Grey will premiere his intoxicating new song, "Rooster," the second track released from his upcoming album, Olustee. Olustee will be released on Alligator Records on February 23, 2024 on CD, LP and at all digital services. JJ Grey & Mofro have also announced a massive, months-long tour to follow. Grey previously released five groundbreaking albums on Alligator between 2007 and 2013.

On Olustee, Grey's first self-produced album, the North Florida-born and bred Grey sings 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, oftentimes 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.

Talking about "Rooster," Grey says, "I grew up with chickens all of my life. We had a rooster once named Jim-Jim who was a natural born badass. He was an absolute gentleman with the hens. He always called them to food, made sure the young ones got back in the coop before dark (our chickens roamed free), and never roughed the hens or other young roosters up. When the time came he ran at the danger instead of running away and paid the ultimate price (which was no price to him at all) to save his family. Reminds me of the men I grew up with." 

Last month, Grey unveiled the album's lead track, "The Sea." Nationally syndicated radio program Acoustic Cafe aired the song across over 120 stations around the country. Additionally, The Sea was the #1 Most Added song across the Americana radio format.

With Olustee, JJ Grey has once again pushed the boundaries of his own creative musical, lyrical and vocal talents, delivering an album that is destined to become a classic. Many of the songs are steeped in the mythical Southern stories of his ancestral Florida home and filled with people from JJ’s life. The songs overflow with the sights and sounds of the region as told through the eyes of a poet and sung with pure, unvarnished soul. The album’s eleven songs range from the raucous, celebratory first radio single, Wonderland, to an escape from an out-of-control wildfire in the title track, to the inward-looking closer, Deeper Than Belief. Singing of his own personal triumphs and struggles, his hopes and desires, his friends and family, Grey’s message is simple and strong -- respect the natural world and always try to live in the moment. And never forget the importance of having a good time.

AllMusic says JJ Grey’s music is “as authentic as the ground under your feet, because that’s where it comes from -- just before it moves, simply and directly, through the body of the listener, into the human heart.”

Now, with Olustee, JJ Grey & Mofro will bring their music directly to fans as they also announce the first set of dates of the 2024 Olustee Tour, along with ticket purchase information. 

Tickets to the public are on sale now. Information on access to the "Olustee VIP Tour Experience" can be found here.   

Chicago bluesman Toronzo Cannon will perform in concert as part of A Blues Christmas at Navy Pier's Aon Grand Ballroom on Friday, December 15 with special guests, Alligator Records stars Shemekia Copeland, Billy Branch and Lil’ Ed Williams as well as blueswoman Ivy Ford. 

A Blues Christmas is a unique collaboration between Alligator Records and Navy Pier to celebrate the holiday season and the blues at this free one-night-only concert. The performance will include selections from Alligator’s famed holiday albums, Genuine Houserockin' Christmas and The Alligator Christmas Collection, along with other seasonal favorites reinterpreted through the lens of Chicago’s one-of-a-kind stylin’ of the blues. 

This concert marks the 20th anniversary celebration of the acclaimed Genuine Houserockin' Christmas album, originally released by Alligator Records in 2003. Additionally, on October 6, Alligator released the timeless blues holiday classic, The Alligator Records Christmas Collection on LP (red opaque vinyl) for the first time ever. It was originally released on CD only in 1992.

        

Concert information is below:
Remember -- Always Contact The Venue To Confirm Dates and Show Times

Date: Friday, December 15, 2023
Venue: Navy Pier - Aon Grand Ballroom
Address: 840 E. Grand Ave.
City: Chicago, IL
Phone: 800-595-7437
Showtime: 7:00pm
Ticket price: Free admission
Website: www.navypier.org
*See website for complete performance information

TORONZO CANNON

With the release of his Alligator Records debut, The Chicago Way in 2016, Toronzo Cannon burst onto the international stage as one of the most electrifying bluesmen to emerge from Chicago in decades. The Chicago Reader said, “Bluesman Toronzo Cannon is one of Chicago’s finest string-bending storytellers.” He has played major cities all over the world, delighting and surprising audiences with one unforgettable gig after another. UK tastemaker music magazine MOJO named his latest album, 2019’s The Preacher, The Politician Or The Pimp, the #2 Best Blues Album Of 2019. Blues Music Magazine says, “Cannon has all the fire and spontaneity of the Chicago legends. His songwriting is a timely and original look at the world, and his assertive voice is the perfect vehicle to deliver the message.”

SHEMEKIA COPELAND

Shemekia Copeland is the female blues artist of her generation, blessed with a cathartic voice and larger-than-life presence. Shemekia joined the Alligator family when she was only 18. Since then, she’s made nine sensational albums, been nominated for three Grammys, won over a dozen Blues Music Awards, appeared at the White House, opened for the Rolling Stones, and toured worldwide. Over the last decade, she’s been expanding her blues, bringing in strains of Americana and delivering songs with up-to-the-minute, socially conscious lyrics. The Chicago Tribune says, “Shemekia Copeland is the greatest female blues singer working today.” No Depression declares, “Copeland pierces your soul. This is how you do it, and nobody does it better than Shemekia Copeland.”

BILLY BRANCH

Since his 1978 debut on Alligator's Living Chicago Blues series, Billy Branch has earned a place among the world’s best blues harp players. He was mentored by Chicago’s harp royalty—James Cotton, Junior Wells and Carey Bell. They all considered him their successor as the Windy City’s next harmonica king. His all-star band, The Sons Of Blues, is among the premier blues bands anywhere. With hundreds of studio sessions and 15 albums of his own, including Alligator's Roots And Branches--The Songs Of Little Walter, Billy Branch is one of the most-recorded blues artists in the world. Living Blues says, "Billy Branch has cemented his place among the kings. Chugging, incessant blues and R&B...greasy, funky, howlin’ harp attack that really burns...wonderful, bold and surprising."

LIL' ED WILLIAMS

Lil’ Ed & The Blues Imperials, more than any other band now on the label, personify Alligator's original raw and raucous “Genuine Houserockin’ Music” spirit. Ed and his half-brother, bassist James “Pookie” Young, grew up on Chicago’s tough West Side. They learned the old school sound and style from their beloved uncle, famed Chicago slide guitarist J.B. Hutto, who had started recording in the 1950s. Michael Garrett and Kelly Littleton, blues pilgrims from Detroit, joined Ed and Pookie almost 35 years ago. They’ve been together ever since, delivering joyful boogies and serious slide-driven Chicago blues. The Chicago Tribune says, “Electrifying, raucous, pure Chicago blues….Lil’ Ed is a guitarist extraordinaire…slashing slide and flamboyant stage persona."

        

An exciting, emotional guitarist and a strong, evocative songwriter…One of modern blues’ greatest performers.
—Vintage Guitar

A legend of American blues music…An American music treasure…Ellis delivers a sermon on the power and glory of the blues.
—Premier Guitar

Powerful, spine-tingling guitar and gritty, soulful vocals.
 —Relix

On Friday, February 9, 2024, Alligator Records will release Naked Truth, the first-ever solo acoustic album from world-renowned Atlanta-based guitarist, vocalist and songwriter Tinsley Ellis. The new album is steeped in the folk blues traditions of Muddy Waters, Skip James, Son House, Robert Johnson and even Leo Kottke. To the casual fan, this might seem to be a new direction, but for Ellis, it’s an extension of his music, as he taps into the raw essence of the blues. “This is a record I’ve always wanted to make, and one that my longtime fans have been asking for,” he says, noting he’s included an acoustic mini-set in his concert performances for years. In the last 12 months, Ellis has already performed over 100 solo shows, many as co-bills with his Alligator label-mate Marcia Ball. “I’m having so much fun playing these shows,” he says.

On Naked Truth (his 21st album), Ellis swaps his blistering, guitar-fueled full band workouts for equally passionate, soul-searching acoustic folk blues. His famed guitar chops and musical creativity are on full display throughout the album’s 12 songs, including nine newly written originals. Naked Truth was produced by Ellis, with the foot-stomping cover of Son House’s Death Letter Blues produced by Atlanta roots musician Eddie 9V. The album was recorded live in the studio using Ellis’ beloved 1969 Martin D-35 (a gift from his father) and his 1937 National Steel O Series guitars. Whether intricately fingerpicking the Martin or playing hair-raising slide on the National Steel, Ellis delivers each song with unvarnished intimacy.

The opener, Ellis’ original song, Devil In The Room, premieres today. "Devil In The Room is musically a nod to the Hill Country Blues style of Mississippi Fred McDowell and R L Burnside," says Ellis. "Lyrically it’s based on something Col. Bruce Hampton used to tell us before we went on stage to back him up. He would tell us to 'put the devil in the room!' His call to arms has stuck with me for 40 years! On Devil In The Room I’m playing in open G tuning on my 1937 National O-Series steel resonator guitar with a brass slide." 

According to Ellis, "Naked Truth is both a departure and an arrival.” He has been recording and traveling the world for over four decades, delivering his feral, guitar-fueled, original electric blues-rock to ever-growing audiences at concert halls, festivals, and clubs. From the original, Skip James-inspired Windowpane to the Delta-styled Tallahassee Blues, to the humorous Grown Ass Man, Ellis goes deep, singing and playing the blues’ honest truths. The inclusion of four introspective instrumentals (including a transcendent cover of Leo Kottke’s A Soldier’s Grave On The Prairie, a song he’s been playing live for almost 50 years) adds even more depth and substance to an album overflowing with riches. Each song carries the weight, experience and hard-earned wisdom Ellis learned over four decades on the road, infusing Naked Truth with an emotional authenticity that is palpable from start to finish.

Since his first Alligator album in 1988, Georgia Blue, Ellis has gone from local Atlanta club favorite to become an internationally touring blues rock giant, performing hundreds of nights per year. He has brought his music to fans live in person to all 50 United States, as well as in Canada, across Europe, Australia and South America. He’s earned the love and respect of many of his fellow musicians, having shared stages with Christone “Kingfish” Ingram, The Allman Brothers, Warren Haynes, Oliver Wood, Buddy Guy, the Tedeschi Trucks Band, Gov’t Mule, Widespread Panic, and more. Over the years, legends including Otis Rush, James Cotton, Gregg Allman, Jimmy Buffett, Son Seals, Koko Taylor and Albert Collins invited Ellis to join them on stage. Mega-star guitarist Joe Bonamassa calls Ellis “a national treasure.”

Rolling Stone declared, "Ellis plays feral blues guitar…non-stop gigging has sharpened his six-string to a razor’s edge…his eloquence dazzles…he achieves pyrotechnics that rival Jeff Beck and Eric Clapton.”

Now, with Naked Truth, Ellis will bring his music directly to his fans. “Two guitars and a car,” he says of the simplicity of his North American touring situation. “When folks come to see me, I’ll have the guitars I used on the record with me, so what fans hear on the album is what they’ll get live. It’s not easy. Now I’m the whole band and there’s nowhere to hide. It’s scary every single time I go up on stage alone. But nothing could be more honest.”

Naked Truth is a revelation. Stripped of the electric fervor that defined his previous works, Ellis' acoustic music carries a rawness that speaks directly from his soul. The songs unveil another side of Tinsley Ellis, but one that is totally recognizable to his fans. His gruff, full-throated vocals intertwine seamlessly with the bare, acoustic arrangements, creating an album that is both timeless and immediate. No Depression says, “Ellis shines. When the tempo slows, the intensity doesn’t waver.” Blues Music Magazine states, “Tinsley Ellis is a powerful and commanding presence. His music is impossible not to enjoy.”

Visionary guitarist, lap steel player, songwriter and vocalist Selwyn Birchwood's latest Alligator Records album, Exorcist, won the Quarterly German Record Critics' Award. According to the Critics' association, "The best and most interesting new releases of the previous three months are awarded a place on the Quarterly Critic’s Choice. Evaluation criteria are artistic quality, repertoire value, presentation, and sound quality."

German writer and awards judge Karl Leitner said, "With Exorcist, Selwyn Birchwood has succeeded in creating an album that grabs you from the very first note and doesn’t let go for the next 58 minutes. This production is brimming with self-confidence. It shows an artist who came to the blues via Albert King and Buddy Guy, and who is in the process of going far beyond them, with ever-new stylistic ideas. What a fresh, new footprint in this venerable trade; and he is not even 40 years old!"

Birchwood was also the recent subject of a feature in Guitar Player magazine, who declared, "Selwyn Birchwood plays like a man possessed…fully in command of his talents. Birchwood has established himself as one of the preeminent voices in contemporary blues.  The 13 tunes on Exorcist are a masterfully produced, arranged and executed sonic tour de force."

As the holidays approach, newest Alligator Records artist Chris O'Leary is set to release his label debut, The Hard Line, on Friday, January 12. The first song from the album, Lost My Mind, premiered in October.

According to O'Leary, the release can't some soon enough. "I honestly can’t wait for The Hard Line to be released -- it’s going to be a fantastic holiday season at the O’Leary household. Alligator Records has been my absolute goal for as long as I can remember. This record is literally the culmination of decades of writing music, playing gigs and driving around the country in our old Chevy van. Unfortunately the old girl isn’t going to make it to the release date. After almost 450,000 miles she decided she was done. But she will be with us in spirit as we travel the country in support of the new record."

The Sea, the first song released from the upcoming JJ Grey & Mofro album Olustee (set for February 23, 2024 release), was recently featured on the nationally syndicated radio program Acoustic Cafe. The song was broadcast on over 120 stations nationwide. Additionally, The Sea was the #1 Most Added Song at the tastemaker Americana Radio Format.

Of the song, Grey says, "Some of the quietest and most beautiful moments of my life were in and at the sea. Boat lights twinkling on the horizon or ducking down into the warmth of the water to knock the chill off of the late October wind. For me, the sea has always had a calming effect on my otherwise overactive mind. Once in the water surfing or even fishing, all nail-biting would stop. All negative mental feedback loops evaporated. Blurring the line between the physical sea in front of me and the infinite sea all around me."

Olustee, with cover art by Grey, is his first album in nine years, and the first he has self-produced.

Alligator Records artists Shemekia Copeland and Charlie Musselwhite both appear on the venerated Koko Taylor song, I'm A Woman, from  the GRAMMY-nominated Candid Records album, Basie Swings The Blues. The release, which also features Buddy Guy, Robert Cray, George Benson and others, was nominated in the Best Large Jazz Ensemble Album category. 

        

Kingfish is one of the most exciting young guitarists in years, with a sound that encompasses B.B. King, Jimi Hendrix and Prince.
—Rolling Stone

Ingram plays guitar with dramatic, searing tone and sure-handed authority. And that’s just in the studio; he’s even scarier live.
—NPR Music

Kingfish is a new blues superstar… a guitar phenom who has been updating the blues for this century...he draws frequent comparisons to Hendrix, Clapton, and B.B. King...a thoroughly modern bluesman updating the music in sound as well as subject matter.
—60 Minutes 

On Friday, November 10, 2023, The Recording Academy announced the nominees for the 2024 GRAMMY Awards. Guitarist, vocalist and songwriter Christone "Kingfish" Ingram's new album, Live In London, is nominated for a GRAMMY Award in the Contemporary Blues category. All three of Kingfish's albums – 2019's Kingfish, 2021's GRAMMY-winning 662, and now Live In London – have received GRAMMY nominations.
 

“To be nominated for another GRAMMY Award is fantastic. Thanks to the Recording Academy and all of the folks who bought and streamed Live In London. It is a real special album for me,” said Kingfish. “I also want to congratulate my friends and fellow nominees across the Contemporary and Traditional Blues categories. I’m very excited for us all and look forward to celebrating in person in February.”

The 66th Annual GRAMMY Awards ceremony and telecast will take place at the Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles, CA, on February 4, 2024.

In just the past two weeks, Kingfish has appeared in a 10-minute interview segment on CBS Television's 60 Minutes as well as in performance on the tastemaker UK television program, Later...With Jools Holland. Additionally, Kingfish can currently be seen in a new advertising campaign for Jack Daniel's.

Christone "Kingfish" Ingram Performs Midnight Heat from Live In London
On Later...With Jools Holland (November 4, 2023) 


“Guitar Face” from Jack Daniel’s “In The Moment” campaign. 

 

       

Impassioned singing, riff-based Southern rock, cold blooded swamp funk and sly Memphis soul. Rich, funky blues celebrate life’s most fundamental joys. Grey is a singer-songwriter with unforced talent and deep feeling.
—The New York Times

A deeply-rooted blend of southern-fried rock and swamp funk…richly evocative lyrics…plainspoken, blue-collar American music.
—NPR

The swami of swamp rock…JJ Grey is a North Florida sage and purveyor of the funkiest swamp rock the world has ever heard…Chicken-scratch guitar and bone-deep songs.
—Oxford American

Renowned singer, songwriter and artist JJ Grey has unveiled plans for his highly anticipated new Alligator Records album, Olustee. The release is set for February 23, 2024 on CD, LP and at all digital services. JJ Grey & Mofro have also announced a massive, months-long tour to follow. Today, Grey premiered the album's lead track, The Sea, on all digital services. Grey previously released five groundbreaking, wildly successful albums on Alligator between 2007 and 2013.

On Olustee (Grey's first self-produced album), the North Florida-born and bred Grey sings 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, oftentimes 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.

Alligator Records founder and president Bruce Iglauer is delighted to be working with Grey once again, saying, "I’m thrilled to welcome JJ Grey back to Alligator Records. He is one of the most creative and visionary roots artists, and Olustee is the best album of his career (so far!). He’s a major artist who should be heard by everyone who is moved by deeply rooted American music. It’s a profound and joyous record."

The lead track from Olustee, the riveting, lush and beautiful, The Sea, premieres today on all digital services. Of the song, Grey says, "Some of the quietest and most beautiful moments of my life were in and at the sea. Boat lights twinkling on the horizon or ducking down into the warmth of the water to knock the chill off of the late October wind. For me, the sea has always had a calming effect on my otherwise overactive mind. Once in the water, surfing or even fishing, all nail-biting would stop. All negative mental feedback loops evaporated. Blurring the line between the physical sea in front of me and the infinite sea all around me." 

With Olustee, JJ Grey has once again pushed the boundaries of his own creative musical, lyrical and vocal talents, delivering an album that is destined to become a classic. Many of the songs are steeped in the mythical Southern stories of his ancestral Florida home and filled with people from JJ’s life. The songs overflow with the sights and sounds of the region as told through the eyes of a poet and sung with pure, unvarnished soul. The album’s eleven songs range from the raucous, celebratory first radio single, Wonderland, to an escape from an out-of-control wildfire in the title track, to the inward-looking closer, Deeper Than Belief. Singing of his own personal triumphs and struggles, his hopes and desires, his friends and family, Grey’s message is simple and strong -- respect the natural world and always try to live in the moment. And never forget the importance of having a good time.

AllMusic says JJ Grey’s music is “as authentic as the ground under your feet, because that’s where it comes from -- just before it moves, simply and directly, through the body of the listener, into the human heart.”

Now, with Olustee, JJ Grey & Mofro will bring their music directly to fans as they also announce the first set of dates of the 2024 Olustee Tour, along with ticket purchase information. 

Tickets to the public go on-sale on Friday, November 10. Information on pre-sale dates and access to the "Olustee VIP Tour Experience" can be found here.

Fans who pre-order Olustee anytime before 11:59PM Eastern time on Sunday, November 5th will receive exclusive first access to purchase limited tickets the "Olustee VIP Tour Experience".      

        

“Ingram plays guitar with dramatic, searing tone and sure-handed authority. And that’s just in the studio; he’s even scarier live.”
—NPR Music

“Christone ‘Kingfish’ Ingram has already made his mark as one of the best, and undoubtedly most exciting, blues guitarists in the world.”
—Guitar World

"Christone "Kingfish" Ingram is a truly electrifying American guitar wunderkind at the very forefront of the next generation of talent...He really means every note that comes out of him... he lives it and breathes it [and] sings beautifully with an abundance of heart and soul."
—Total Guitar (UK) 

“Kingfish is one of the most exciting young guitarists in years, with a sound that encompasses B.B. King, Jimi Hendrix and Prince.”
—Rolling Stone

On Sunday, October 29 GRAMMY Award-winning guitarist, vocalist and songwriter Christone "Kingfish" Ingram, whose new album Live In London is being hailed as an instant classic, appeared on CBS Television's flagship news program, 60 Minutes. In the 10-minute segment, Kingfish shared his thoughts on music, blues and life with reporter Jon Wertheim, as they walked through Kingfish's hometown of Clarksdale, Mississippi. The segment also included jaw-dropping live performance footage.

60 Minutes said Kingfish is "a new blues superstar… a guitar phenom who has been updating the blues for this century...he draws frequent comparisons to Hendrix, Clapton, and, B.B.King….a thoroughly modern bluesman updating the music in sound as well as subject matter."

“I really appreciate the 60 Minutes team for allowing me an opportunity to tell my story and for also highlighting the greater connection of blues and Clarksdale,” said Kingfish. “Shining a light on our pocket of the world is important and I’m grateful for the platform the show has given me, my friends and my hometown.” 

As the excitement continues to build around Kingfish worldwide, the young musician will appear on the hit BBC2 television program, Later...With Jools Holland in the UK this Saturday, November 4. He'll perform the blistering first single from Live In London, Midnight Heat.

Live In London first hit on September 15, as Kingfish surprised his legions of fans by dropping it at all digital services. The album was released as a 2-CD and a 2-LP set on October 13. Live In London was recorded on June 6, 2023, in front of a sold-out, standing-room-only crowd at the famous UK club, The Garage. It is the guitar-driven live album Kingfish’s fans around the world have been clamoring for since they first watched him perform on YouTube when he was a teenager.

Live In London debuted on the Billboard Blues Chart at #8 even though it was a digital-only release. Press has fully embraced the album, with positive reviews across the board. Rolling Stone named Kingfish among the world's greatest guitarists, saying, "Kingfish’s playing evinces not just a startling fluency, seamlessly integrating an entire century’s worth of licks, but also a freshness that can make it feel like you’re hearing a searing blues solo for the first time. He’s a rare 21st-century guitar hero, and the undisputed future of the blues.”

Radio has also been sharing in the excitement. Live In London's first single, Midnight Heat, was the #1 Most Added track on the Americana Radio Singles Chart and among the most added singles at AAA and college radio. Ingram appeared live in the UK on the BBC’s Radio 2 Blues Show with host Cerys Matthews.

“The response to Live In London has been amazing. From positive press reviews, people praising the record while chatting with me at shows, to an avalanche of wonderful social media posts and DMs, I am truly overwhelmed at how people have embraced my first live album,” says Kingfish.

Kingfish has released two videos from Live In London, the searing new Midnight Heat, and the driving, funky Hard Times, both available for viewing on his YouTube channel.

In addition to the 2-CD and 2-LP sets, Live In London is available at all streaming and download services, and can be experienced in Spatial Audio with Dolby Atmos at Apple Music, Amazon Music, Tidal and Qobuz. Exclusive bundles of the LP and CD sets with official merchandise from the concert are available on the Kingfish website, along with his signature Fender Kingfish guitar.

Throughout the concert, Kingfish’s command over his instrument is awe-inspiring. He remains in the moment, at times raining down incendiary solos, other times picking poignant, blues-drenched licks, but always playing deeply from his heart. Along with his versatile, tight-knit band – bassist Paul Rogers, drummer Christopher Black and keyboardist Deshawn Alexander – he brings intensity and honesty to each song, moving the audience from hushed disbelief to spontaneous, extended ovations. Guitar World, describing a prior Kingfish live performance, declared, “Ingram sets the bar terrifyingly high, all but setting the fretboard ablaze with nimble but tasteful runs that impress while never losing sight of the song.”

Soul-stirring and steeped in energy and excitement, Live In London finds the internationally recognized guitar prodigy and vocalist performing 17 songs, with tracks including material from both of his previous studio albums, 2019’s GRAMMY-nominated debut, Kingfish, and 2021’s GRAMMY-winning 662. Live In London also includes two potent, new original songs, Midnight Heat and Mississippi Night, as well as a blistering version of Michael “Iron Man” Burks’ Empty Promises. Singing with the deepest soul feeling and playing guitar with searing, organic intensity, Kingfish immediately draws fans in via his explosive set opener She Calls Me Kingfish. From the reworked, funk-inspired Hard Times to the tender tribute to his late mother, Rock & Roll, to the electric encore, Long Distance Woman (one of the two bonus tracks), Live In London takes the listener on an unforgettable, exhilarating ride.

“This album is a short lifetime in the making,” says Kingfish. “I’ve long had an interest in recording a live album and I finally felt the timing was right. Not only do I have a deeper catalog of music to choose from, but I also have been extensively touring with my band, both of which truly made recording a live album seamless. Sprinkle in the opportunity to perform in a city I love, it’s all a no-brainer and something that makes me deeply proud.”

Now, Live In London captures Kingfish’s lightning in a bottle. It's an onstage snapshot of the young singer, songwriter and guitarist creating musical magic in real time, leaving his listeners spellbound and always wanting more.

In addition to the 2-CD and 2-LP sets, Live In London is available at all streaming and download services, and can be experienced in Spatial Audio with Dolby Atmos at Apple Music, Amazon Music, Tidal and Qobuz. Exclusive versions of the physical products with official merchandise from the concert are available on the Kingfish website, including his signature Fender Kingfish guitar.

        

Christone "Kingfish" Ingram, the defining blues voice of his generation, will be interviewed on CBS News’ 60 Minutes program this Sunday, October 29. CBS News correspondent Jon Wertheim traveled to Clarksdale, Mississippi to meet the young blues giant to discuss the state of the blues and more. Check out the preview below.

60 Minutes airs on Sundays at 7pm ET. Check your local listings. 

        

"Chris O’Leary generates authority...with a huge voice [and] a force-of-nature harmonica sound." —Greil Marcus, Real Live Rock

"Gritty blues and soulful ballads [performed with] absolute authority…Chris O’Leary rocks relentlessly with assurance and a clear sense of passion and purpose. He is a potent, raging tour-de-force." —Living Blues

"The Chris O’Leary Band offer a virtual encyclopedia of entertaining roadhouse blues styles, from boogie woogie to Southside Chicago to Louisiana stompers." —Philadelphia Daily News

"O’Leary is a forceful harp player, a powerful singer and a natural frontman." —Blues Music Magazine

Alligator Records is pleased to announce the signing of soulful vocalist, dynamic harmonica master and gifted songwriter Chris O'Leary. His label debut, The Hard Line, will be released on Friday, January 12, 2024. It will be available at all digital services, on CD and on translucent red vinyl LP. O'Leary is among the blues and roots world’s most talented unsung heroes. The Marine veteran, ex-Federal police officer and former lead singer of The Barn Burners (featuring Levon Helm on drums) has walked a hard line from his upstate New York home to stages all over the world. No Depression magazine says, “O’Leary’s voice contains startling emotion…reaching an intensity and emotional rawness [that’s] primal. The performances practically vibrate with an authenticity that stays with you.”

Between his large, athletic frame and his military-style “high and tight” haircut, O’Leary commands attention, singing his indelible original songs with pure, unadulterated soul and playing harmonica with urgent locomotive power. His keenly written songs come directly from his colorful and sometimes harrowing life experiences. A disciple and friend of both The Band’s legendary drummer/vocalist/songwriter Levon Helm and iconic blues harmonica giant James Cotton, O'Leary has been playing professionally since the 1990s, with five previous solo albums to his credit. O'Leary is beyond thrilled to be with Alligator. On The Hard Line, he set his sights high and created what he says is “the best work I’ve ever done. It’s the most focused, most to-the-point album I’ve ever made.”

Alligator Records founder and president Bruce Iglauer is happy to welcome O'Leary into the Alligator family. “What first struck me about Chris was his terrific songwriting, which ranged from hilarious tales to soul-deep personal stories. I love the passion he puts into every song. As a musician, he’s a world-class harmonica player (and a fine guitar and bass player) but his goal is not to show off his chops. He plays emotional solos that tell the story of the lyrics and heighten the impact of the song.”

The Hard Line, produced by O’Leary and featuring 12 striking originals, has many stories to tell. With over 30 newly-written, never-recorded songs to choose from (mostly written during the downtime of the pandemic) O’Leary and Iglauer carefully picked what Chris calls “the best of them all.” The wildly energetic original song Lost My Mind premieres today. Watch the visualizer video below. 

Born in Schenectady, New York in 1968, Chris O’Leary was raised in a house filled with music. “My dad played everything from Beethoven to Springsteen,” he recalls. Having seen his first live concert at age 10—The Band (with Levon on drums)—O'Leary was drawn to their famous triple album, The Last Waltz, which included, among other guests, Van Morrison, The Staple Singers and Muddy Waters. O’Leary was captivated by Muddy’s ferocious performance and needed to hear more. His dad got him Muddy’s Hard Again album, which featured the great James Cotton blowing some of the most forceful harmonica of his career. This was the first time O’Leary had heard Cotton, and he was hooked.

O'Leary acquired a Hohner Marine Band harmonica and taught himself to play the real Chicago blues, listening to nothing but the classics of the genre. In 1986, O’Leary joined the Marines, following a tradition of military service in his family. Deployed to the Middle East, he and his fellow infantrymen experienced life-threatening combat. The raw emotions left by this experience would soon find expression in his deeply personal songwriting.

After leaving the service in 1993, O'Leary headed to Marist College in Poughkeepsie, New York, where he soon fell into the local music scene. Before long he was jamming with area musicians. Soon after, he formed his own band, quickly making a name for himself as the area’s foremost practitioner of authentic, classic Chicago blues. As luck would have it, an acquaintance who worked with Levon Helm gave Levon a tape of O’Leary’s band. Helm, who was still recovering from throat surgery at the time, liked what he heard, met up with O’Leary and recorded on some of O’Leary’s demos. He soon began showing up unannounced at many of O’Leary’s local gigs, often sitting in with the band and playing drums.

In 1997, Levon, out of the blue, asked Chris to pack his bags and move to New Orleans. He wanted Chris to front the house band—featuring Helm on drums and his talented daughter Amy sharing vocals—at his new club, Levon Helm’s Classic American Café, on Decatur Steet. For over a year, O’Leary and Helm performed five nights a week, often backing famous touring musicians, from Hubert Sumlin to Bobby Keys to O’Leary’s harmonica hero James Cotton, whom O’Leary befriended. While in New Orleans, O’Leary’s musical vision grew to include soul, jazz, country and straight-ahead rock ‘n’ roll. With each performance, O’Leary was becoming a more fully formed artist. 

When Helm’s club closed, Levon took the house band—The Barn Burners—on the road. For the next six years, they barnstormed across the U.S. and Canada. But then O’Leary experienced problems with his voice, and his doctors told him he needed to stop singing for a while. He all but quit music and took a job as a Federal police officer. But he couldn’t let go of the music, and began hitting the blues jams once again, putting together his own band. As he grew musically stronger, he became an internationally touring bluesman while still holding his police officer’s job. O’Leary would save, trade, and use his time off work to tour the world, playing as many as 100 nights a year. Eventually, old injuries sustained as a Marine made it impossible to work both jobs. It was time to concentrate on his music.

O’Leary made his recording debut playing harmonica on blues legend Hubert Sumlin’s About Them Shoes in 2003. The album was produced by Keith Richards and features, among others, Helm, Cotton and Eric Clapton. It also included O’Leary’s good friend, blues guitarist and Muddy Waters’ band alum Bob Margolin (who also appears on both The Last Waltz and on Hard Again and has a number of solo albums, including three on Alligator). In 2010, Margolin helped O’Leary release his first album, Mr. Used To Be, on the Vizztone label. The album was nominated for a Blues Music Award and won the Blues Blast Award for Best New Artist Debut. Four more solo albums followed—two on Vizztone and two on American Showplace—as O’Leary grew his audience one scorching performance at a time. O’Leary has always been a monster road warrior, playing hundreds of shows a year all over the world, personally connecting with his audience through his fervent, heartfelt performances. Outside of the U.S., he’s played in Canada, Ireland, Spain, France, Belgium, Denmark, the Netherlands, Slovakia, Austria, Switzerland, Germany, the Czech Republic and Portugal.

With The Hard Line, Chris O’Leary is at the peak of his creative powers, delivering memorable, thought-provoking original songs informed by the complex road he’s traveled. “I’ve lived a life,” he says. “Going to war, playing with Levon, getting to know Cotton.” And now, at long last, O’Leary is set to take his place among the blues world’s most passionate and exciting blues and roots artists. His astonishingly honest material, fierce harmonica work and torrid vocals stun his listeners to attention and bring his live audiences to their feet, all while making a lasting, personal connection. 

        

“Ingram plays guitar with dramatic, searing tone and sure-handed authority. And that’s just in the studio; he’s even scarier live.”
—NPR Music

“Christone ‘Kingfish’ Ingram has already made his mark as one of the best, and undoubtedly most exciting, blues guitarists in the world.”
—Guitar World

“Kingfish is one of the most exciting young guitarists in years, with a sound that encompasses B.B. King, Jimi Hendrix and Prince.”
—Rolling Stone

“Incendiary gig, beautifully recorded…Ingram is a force to be reckoned with.”  
—AllMusic

On Friday, October 13, Live In London, the blistering new album from GRAMMY Award-winning guitarist, vocalist and songwriter Christone "Kingfish" Ingram, will be released as a 2-CD and a 2-LP set. Both the CD and LP sets include encore performances as bonus tracks, not originally available when Kingfish surprised his legions of fans by dropping Live In London at all digital services back on September 15. The album was recorded on June 6, 2023, in front of a sold-out, standing-room-only crowd at the famous UK club, The Garage. Live In London is the guitar-driven live album Kingfish’s diehard fans around the world have been clamoring for since they first watched him perform on YouTube when he was a teenager.

Live In London debuted on the Billboard Blues Chart at #8 even though it was a digital-only release. Press has fully embraced the album, with positive reviews across the board. American Songwriter said Kingfish is "a reminder of the power of the blues…He is providing a youthful, modern, and necessary take on the genre...And while Kingfish’s studio records are remarkable, there is something even more magnetic about Live in London…the record is deep with history and feel. This album could be his best yet. His most compelling, the most authentic, not only to the genre but to Kingfish, himself.”

Radio has also been sharing in the excitement. Live In London's first single, Midnight Heat, was the #1 Most Added track on the Americana Radio Singles Chart and among one of the most added singles at AAA and college radio. Ingram appeared live in the UK on the BBC’s Radio 2 Blues Show with host Cerys Matthews, discussing his new release as Matthews featured multiple tracks from Live In London on the program.

“The response to Live In London has been amazing. From positive press reviews, people praising the record while chatting with me at shows, to an avalanche of wonderful social media posts and DMs, I am truly overwhelmed at how people have embraced my first live album,” says Kingfish. “I’m excited for the LP and CD release as I know there are folks who have been eagerly waiting for me to drop music on their favorite format. October 13 makes the record release full circle.”

VIDEO PREMIERE
Filmed at the concert, a video of the song Hard Times from Live In London premieres today, October 13, at 9:00AM Eastern time, on Kingfish's official YouTube Channel. On September 15, Kingfish released a video of the previously unrecorded track Midnight Heat. 

Throughout the concert, Kingfish’s command over his instrument is awe-inspiring. He remains in the moment, at times raining down incendiary solos, other times picking poignant, blues-drenched licks, but always playing deeply from his heart. Along with his versatile, tight-knit band – bassist Paul Rogers, drummer Christopher Black and keyboardist Deshawn Alexander – he brings intensity and honesty to each song, moving the audience from hushed disbelief to spontaneous, extended ovations. Guitar World, describing a prior Kingfish live performance, declared, “Ingram sets the bar terrifyingly high, all but setting the fretboard ablaze with nimble but tasteful runs that impress while never losing sight of the song.”

Soul-stirring and steeped in energy and excitement, Live In London finds the internationally recognized guitar prodigy and vocalist performing 17 songs, with tracks including material from both of his previous studio albums, 2019’s GRAMMY-nominated debut, Kingfish, and 2021’s GRAMMY-winning 662. Live In London also includes two potent, new original songs, Midnight Heat and Mississippi Night, as well as a blistering version of Michael “Iron Man” Burks’ Empty Promises. Singing with the deepest soul feeling and playing guitar with searing, organic intensity, Kingfish immediately draws fans in via his explosive set opener She Calls Me Kingfish. From the reworked, funk-inspired Hard Times to the tender tribute to his late mother, Rock & Roll, to the electric encore, Long Distance Woman (one of the two bonus tracks), Live In London takes the listener on an unforgettable, exhilarating ride.

“This album is a short lifetime in the making,” says Kingfish. “I’ve long had an interest in recording a live album and I finally felt the timing was right. Not only do I have a deeper catalog of music to choose from, but I also have been extensively touring with my band, both of which truly made recording a live album seamless. Sprinkle in the opportunity to perform in a city I love, it’s all a no-brainer and something that makes me deeply proud.”

Now, Live In London captures Kingfish’s lightning in a bottle. It's an onstage snapshot of the young singer, songwriter and guitarist creating musical magic in real time, leaving his listeners spellbound and always wanting more.

In addition to the 2-CD and 2-LP sets, Live In London is available at all streaming and download services, and can be experienced in Spatial Audio with Dolby Atmos at Apple Music, Amazon Music, Tidal and Qobuz. Exclusive versions of the physical products with official merchandise from the concert are available on the Kingfish website, including his signature Fender Kingfish guitar.

Blues Blast magazine has announced the winners for its 16th annual Blues Blast Music Awards. This year, four Alligator artists have received a total of seven awards.

The Cash Box Kings won the coveted Blues Band Of The Year Award.

Multiple GRAMMY Award nominee Shemekia Copeland won the awards for Female Blues Artist and Vocalist Of The Year.

Blues legend Charlie Musselwhite's GRAMMY-nominated Mississippi Son won the Acoustic Blues Album Award. He also won for Harmonica Player Of The Year.

GRAMMY Award-winning guitarist/vocalist/songwriter Christone "Kingfish" Ingram, whose new album Live In London just hit the digital services (with CD and LP release to follow on October 13), was named Electric Guitarist Of The Year.

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

Voting was free and open to the public. Winners were announced at a ceremony held on September 23, 2023 at the 3300 Event Center in Peoria, Illinois. According to Blues Blast, more than 6,600  readers and blues fans voted in the 2023 Blues Blast Music Awards. The full list of winners can be found here.

Alligator artists and their nominations follow: 

Alligator artists and their awards follow:

Blues Band Of The Year:
The Cash Box Kings

Percussionist Of The Year:
Kenny "Beedy Eyes" Smith

Female Blues Artist Of The Year:
Shemekia Copeland

Vocalist Of The Year:
Shemekia Copeland 

Acoustic Blues Album Of The Year:
Mississippi Son

Harmonica Player Of The Year:
Charlie Musselwhite  

Electric Guitarist Of The Year:
Christone "Kingfish" Ingram