News
NEW RELEASES FROM THE HOLMES BROTHERS AND KENNY NEAL & BILLY BRANCH SET FOR RELEASE
11/20/2003
Alligator Records has set a January 13, 2004 release date for SIMPLE TRUTHS, the second Alligator release from the Holmes Brothers and DOUBLE TAKE, an intimate acoustic album from guitarist/vocalist Kenny Neal and harmonica master/vocalist Billy Branch.
HOLMES BROTHERS ON NEW PETER GABRIEL SINGLE
11/20/2003
The Holmes Brothers contributes backing vocals on a newly released Peter Gabriel track, “Burn You Up, Burn You Down,” which appears on the Peter Gabriel compilation album, “Hit,” on Geffen Records. The track has been released as a single in Europe, and also appears in a new MYST video game, a best-selling video game franchise with sales topping 12 million. Released in November of 2003, the track was actually recorded in 1991.
SHEMEKIA COPELAND APPEARS ON PUBLIC RADIO INTERNATIONAL’S “WHAD’YA KNOW?”
11/20/2003
Blues superstar Shemekia Copleland and her band appeared live on the Public Radio International program “Whad’ya Know” on Saturday, November 29. They performed the new Christmas classic, “Stay A Little Longer, Santa,” from the just-released Alligator cd, GENUINE HOUSEROCKIN’ CHRISTMAS. “Whad’ya Know” is syndicated to 319 stations nationwide and broadcast live from Madison, Wisconsin starting at 10:00am Central Time. The show reaches an audience of 1.3 million people.
KOKO TAYLOR TO APPEAR ON THE PBS TELEVISION CHILDREN’S PROGRAM “ARTHUR”
11/20/2003
Queen of the Blues Koko Taylor will appear on the PBS Television children’s series “Arthur” on most PBS stations on Friday, December 26. In the episode, entitled “Big Horns George,” Taylor (animated as a bear), helps the character George find the confidence to play and sing the blues. According to Taylor, “Children are tomorrow’s generation and I’m doing the show for them. This is a wonderful opportunity to educate children about the blues.” Please check local listings for airdate and time in your area.
MARCIA BALL APPEARS ON NATIONAL PUBLIC RADIO’S “DAY TO DAY” AND “A PRAIRIE HOME COMPANION”
9/25/2003
Pianist/vocalist/songwriter Marcia Ball appeared on the NPR program “Day To Day” on Monday, September 29. She discussed the PBS television series, “The Blues,” and displayed various piano blues styles and vocal techniques. The program is carried on 78 stations around the country.
PBS TELEVISION SERIES, “THE BLUES” AND PUBLIC RADIO INTERNATIONAL 13-PART BLUES RADIO SERIES SCHEDULED TO BEGIN RUNNING SEPTEMBER 28
9/25/2003
The seven-part television film series (from executive producer Martin Scorsese), “The Blues,” is scheduled to begin running on Sunday, September 28, 2003 on PBS stations nationwide. Four Alligator artists are featured in the films: Koko Taylor and Lonnie Brooks (“Godfathers and Sons” directed by Marc Levin), Shemekia Copeland (“The Soul Of A Man” directed by Wim Wenders) and Marcia Ball (“Piano Blues” directed by Clint Eastwood).
Tary Owens 1943 - 2003
9/23/2003
Tary Owens, famed producer/songwriter/performer, died Sunday, September 21, 2003 in Houston, Texas. He was 60. Owens co-produced all of Texas bluesman Long John Hunter’s Alligator CDs: “Border Town Legend,” “Swinging From The Rafters,” “Ride With Me” and the Hunter, Lonnie Brooks, Phillip Walker collaboration “Lone Star Shootout.” Owens, one-time owner of Austin-based Catfish Records, is often credited with being a key player in the birth of the Austin blues scene.
SHEMEKIA COPELAND WINS LIVING BLUES READER AWARD; APPEARS ON FRONT OF NEW YORK TIMES ARTS & LEISURE SECTION
9/22/2003
Singing sensation Shemekia Copeland received the 2003 Living Blues Reader Award for “Best Blues Singer – Female” as published in issue #169 (dated Sept/Oct 2003). This is her second time winning this coveted award. In May 2003, she won three W.C. Handy Blues Awards including “Blues Album Of The Year” for her most recent CD, “Talking To Strangers.”
Marcia Ball on Acoustic Cafe
8/13/2003
Marcia Ball will be the featured artist on the nationally syndicated radio program, Acoustic Cafe. The show will begin airing on affiliate stations starting August 18th. Join Macia and her band as they work through acoustic versions of songs from her latest Alligator release, So Many Rivers.
ALLIGATOR SET TO RELEASE GENUINE HOUSEROCKIN' CHRISTMAS!
7/30/2003
Alligator Records has set an August 26 release date for GENUINE HOUSEROCKIN' CHRISTMAS. The CD showcases 16 songs (including 14 written specifically for this release) from 16 of the label's best-selling artists celebrating the holiday season with over an hour's worth of brand new recordings. Recorded at studios all over the country, the disc features an infectious blast of holiday cheer from the biggest names in blues and roots music, including Koko Taylor's explosive opener "Have You Heard The News?," Shemekia Copeland's new classic, the jazzy Christmas come-on "Stay A Little Longer, Santa," Little Charlie And The Nightcats' satirical "It's Christmas Time Again (Spend, Spend, Spend)," and Marcia Ball's Cajun-flavored "Christmas Fais Do Do."
Roomful of Blues Live in Detroit on 7/31
7/29/2003
Roomful of Blues will be performing live tracks from their new Alligator release, That's Right, on Thursday, August 31st at 1:30 PM EST on WDET-FM in Detroit. Join Roomful and WDET host, Martin Bandyke, for this exclusive live performance and interview.
FOUR ALLIGATOR ARTISTS TO BE INCLUDED IN THE UPCOMING PBS SERIES, THE BLUES!
7/29/2003
As part of the continuing celebration of the Congressionally-declared "Year Of The Blues," Koko Taylor, Lonnie Brooks, Marcia Ball and Shemekia Copeland will all be included in the upcoming Martin Scorsese-produced PBS series, "The Blues." The seven-part series premieres nationally on September 28 and includes films by Martin Scorsese, Wim Wenders, Richard Pearce, Charles Burnett, Marc Levin, Mike Figgis, and Clint Eastwood. In addition, a 13-part radio program, airing on Public Radio International, will begin on September 27 and will feature a number of Alligator artists including Elvin Bishop, Marcia Ball, Shemekia Copeland, Koko Taylor, Cephas & Wiggins, as well as Alligator president Bruce Iglauer. Both Taylor and Copeland recorded new songs specifically for the program.
