|
Loading Flash...
|
 |
American musical legend Stanley “Buckwheat” Dural, Jr.—leader of the band Buckwheat Zydeco—died on September 24, 2016 of lung cancer at Our Lady of Lourdes Regional Medical Center in Lafayette, Louisiana. The Grammy and Emmy winning artist was the preeminent ambassador of Louisiana zydeco music. NPR’s Weekend Edition called him "the go-to guy for zydeco music...a master of accordion and organ."
Shemekia Copeland will be presenting the city of Chicago’s Fifth Star Award to bluesman Buddy Guy at the Pritzker Pavilion in Millennium Park on Sept 14th. The Fifth Star Awards celebrate creativity and recognize institutions and individuals who have made significant contributions in arts and culture. Find additional infomation on the event here.
Moreland & Arbuckle’s Promised Land Or Bust is as deep as Delta blues and heavy as thundering rock, as the band continues to wring hard-hitting, modern roots music from traditional forms. Their Alligator Records debut has received critical acclaim from a plethora of publications, music reviewers and fans alike. We previously released videos for two songs from the album – “Mean And Evil” and “When The Lights Are Burning Low.” Now we present the video for the lead track “Take Me With You (When You Go),” which is their ode to going on a journey…physical, spiritual, or otherwise. Check out the visually stunning video here.
Toronzo Cannon Is a Travelin’ Blues Man feature by Mark Guarino on Alligator’s Toronzo Cannon in Chicago Magazine. The feature touches on life growing up in Chicago, his 24 –year day job as a CTA bus driver, his stroll through the crowd at last year’s Chicago Blues Festival, his Alligator Records’ debut, The Chicago Way, and his upcoming performances this Friday at Chicago Blues Fest with Tommy Castro & The Painkillers and a headlining performance on Saturday at Blues On Water Street in Batavia, IL.
Hound Dog Taylor was born 101 years ago today (4/12/1915)! It was Bruce Iglauer’s burning desire to release an album by his favorite band – Hound Dog Taylor & The HouseRockers - that started Alligator Records in 1971. Take some time today and check out one of his foot-stomping shuffles, supercharged boogies or a searing slow blues on Spotify or Apple Music. Happy Birthday HDT!
REMEMBERING DAVID BOWIE: Late in 1985 or early in 1986 Alligator got a phone call from one of David Bowie's assistants. Bowie was recording music for the animated film “Labyrinth.” He was looking for a blues guitar player to play on a song called “Underground” and had discovered one of Albert Collins' Alligator albums (apparently he hadn't heard of Albert before then). He wanted Albert to fly to New York the next day to record a guitar part. Albert was in the middle of a six-night stand at Albert’s Hall in Toronto. I called him and persuaded him to get up at 6 a.m. and fly to New York. We met at the airport and took a cab to Atlantic Records’ studio where Bowie was working on the soundtrack along with Arif Mardin, the famous producer/arranger. Bowie was a very gracious host, warmly greeting Albert and making both of us feel very welcome. In about an hour, Albert cut a selection of solos for the song on his famous Fender Telecaster. We took a moment to have our pictures taken (I’m the one who isn't David Bowie or Albert Collins) and then headed back for the airport so Albert could play in Toronto that night. If you listen to the song, you can hear Albert most clearly in the last 20 seconds of the song, though he’s mixed pretty low. By the way, not only did David Bowie have no idea who Albert Collins was until the day before the session, but Albert had no idea who David Bowie was until I called him to come to New York. —Bruce Iglauer
Alligator Records is pleased to announce the signing of roots rock/blues band Moreland & Arbuckle. The self-described "roots and blues from the heartland" group (guitarist Aaron Moreland, harpist/vocalist Dustin Arbuckle and drummer Kendall Newby) will release their as yet untitled label debut -- produced by Matt Bayles (Mastodon, The Sword) -- in Spring, 2016. Read all about it here.
Check out Alligator Records on Spotify! The Genuine Houserockin’ Blues From Alligator playlist features more than three hours of music from across our vast catalog and will be updated regularly.
|
 |
 John Jackson The Video Collection
1970-1999
John Jackson grew up in rural Virginia, listening to the older musicians around him and the blues stars whose records he heard on his family's wind-up phonograph. For a while in his youth, he played at country dances, but mostly he just picked the guitar and banjo for his own amusement, and his tastes ranged from the Piedmont blues of Blind Blake, Josh White and Blind Boy Fuller to the hillbilly yodels of Jimmie Rodgers and an old-time banjo style that reached ...
|
|
Click to sign up for our newsletter!
|
|
 |
|
When I created Alligator Records, the very first promo piece to promote that very first Hound Dog Taylor album was headed "Genuine Houserockin' Music." That became our slogan, and we wear it proudly today. "Genuine" because the music we record is deeply rooted in the blues tradition (even when it pushes the standard definition of blues) and is created by musicians who have honed their songs not on synthesizers in their bedrooms, but in front of real audiences, responding to the emotional needs of their listeners. "House" instead of "theatre" or "arena" or "stadium," because our music is ultimately intimate, even when it's big and loud. It's not meant to be presented. It's meant to be shared between the musicians and the audience, like everyone at Florence's shared the music with Hound Dog Taylor. And "Rockin'" because it's designed to move you. Most of Alligator's records will move your feet or your body, but we've tried to make records that will move that other part of your soul. Sometimes that can mean music that cleanses your inner pain by pulling it out of you, the "hurts so good" that is so special to the blues. And sometimes it just means the pure release and fun of musicians pouring their energy into a great groove.
-Bruce Iglauer
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Alligator Artists Win Top Blues Blast Music Awards
Three Alligator artists received 2016 Blues Blast awards at a ceremony held by the online publication on Friday, September 23 at The Fluid Events Center in Champaign, Illinois.
Read More
|
|
|
