News

Walter, Wolf and Muddy, they must have known it, too – that you're second to none – your flawless musicianship and unsurpassed timing, a maestro with the sticks and brushes.
–Bob Dylan

Almost without any argument one of the most influential and greatest drummers in the history of popular music. Lay is the real thing.
–The Chicago Tribune 

Famed Chicago blues drummer and vocalist Sam Lay – who recorded on definitive tracks by Howlin' Wolf, Muddy Waters, Bob Dylan and many others, as well as recording with and leading his own band – died in a nursing facility near his Chicago home from natural causes on Saturday, January 29, 2022. Beloved for his talent, his buoyant and outgoing personality, as well as for his sense of style (he was known for his cape and walking stick), Lay was among the most historically significant and musically innovative drummers in both the early blues and rock 'n' roll scenes. Lay is an inductee to the Rock 'n' Roll Hall Of Fame, The Blues Hall Of Fame and The Jazz Hall Of Fame. He was 86 years old.

Lay has always been renowned for his trademark, hard-to-copy "double-shuffle" – based on the double-time hand-clapping from his childhood church. In addition to his work with Howlin' Wolf and Muddy Waters, Lay was an original member of the hugely influential, racially integrated Paul Butterfield Blues Band, among the first groups to bring hard Chicago blues to the burgeoning rock and roll audience. He recorded on the band's groundbreaking debut album, featuring guitarists Mike Bloomfield and Elvin Bishop. Along with members of the Butterfield Band, Lay backed Bob Dylan at the 1965 Newport Folk Festival, as Dylan famously plugged in his electric guitar, forever changing the course of popular music. Dylan chose Lay to play drums on the title track from his Highway 61 Revisited album. Lay can also be heard on scores of blues recordings by legends including John Lee Hooker, Bo Diddley, Magic Sam, Earl Hooker, James Cotton, Lightnin' Hopkins and many others.

Born in Birmingham, Alabama in 1935, Lay first played professionally in Cleveland in the mid-1950s before heading to Chicago and backing the legendary blues harmonica genius, Little Walter. Lay next joined Wolf's band, with whom he recorded on some of the blues' most iconic songs, including Killing Floor (which features Lay's often-imitated, never-duplicated drum pattern), I Ain't Superstitious, The Red Rooster, Goin' Down Slow, and 300 Pounds Of Joy. In the mid-1960s, Lay joined the Paul Butterfield Blues Band. In 1969, Lay drummed on Muddy Waters' famous Fathers & Sons LP, Waters' best-selling album on Chess.

Lay first recorded under his own name in 1969 with Sam Lay In Bluesland, on Blue Thumb Records. He recorded six more albums as a leader (most recently in 2003) and fronted his own internationally touring band. He recorded two albums as a member of The Siegel-Schwall Band for Alligator Records, and continued to work and tour with the band for the rest of his career. According to Siegel-Schwall band leader Corky Siegel, "As Charlie Musselwhite always says, 'Sam does not just play the drums. He sings them.'"

Lay was nominated for a Grammy Award in 1998 for his performances on the Tribute To Howlin' Wolf album on Telarc. He was further honored by the Chicago Chapter of The Recording Academy in January 2002 with a coveted "Legends and Heroes Award" for his significant musical contributions. At this event, Lay's old friend Bob Dylan sent a telegram, stating in part, "It's so well-deserved. Walter, Wolf and Muddy, they must have known it, too – that you're second to none – your flawless musicianship and unsurpassed timing, a maestro with the sticks and brushes."

Lay appeared during the seven-part 2003 PBS-TV broadcast of The History of the Blues produced by Academy Award winning director, Martin Scorsese. He was the subject of a 2015 documentary film entitled Sam Lay In Bluesland, directed by John Anderson. The film features Sam telling his story in his own words and music, and includes appearances by music greats Iggy Pop, Corky Siegel, Elvin Bishop, and late blues harmonica giant James Cotton. It also includes historic 8mm performance films that Sam personally shot, many of which were recorded at some of Chicago's most storied blues clubs.

Lay is survived by daughter Debbie Lay (Hiley), four grandchildren, three great-grandchildren and a host of nieces, nephews and friends.

Funeral arrangements are pending.

   

Grammy Award Nomination  — "Best Contemporary Blues Album"

#1 Best Blues Album Of 2021
—MOJO

Christone "Kingfish" Ingram represents the next generation of great American blues artists.
—PBS NewsHour
 
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 

Today, Thursday, January 27, Clarksdale, Mississippi's own Christone "Kingfish" Ingram announced the stellar lineup of support acts for his 2022 tour in support of his Grammy-nominated, critically and popularly acclaimed Alligator album, 662. Entitled Christone "Kingfish" Ingram Presents 662: Juke Joint Live, the tour is a partnership with Nashville-based Outback Presents, and will take the 23-year-old guitarist, vocalist and songwriter across the country with dates beginning March 2022 and going through May. The four genre-trailblazing announced artists (who will each open selected shows) are Rissi Palmer, Camille Parker, Maggie Rose, and Brittney Spencer.

“I’m very excited to have these four incredible musicians join me for 662: Juke Joint Live. I have listened to their music and followed their success for some time now,” says Kingfish. “I think each of us have expanded the definition of our respective genres and we have been fortunate to receive support from the Americana music community. I’m quite confident fans will really enjoy what we will bring to the live stage."

Rissi Palmer is a multi-hyphenate, multi-talented singer, songwriter, radio host, and curator who has been on the scene since 2007, when she released her successful self-titled debut album.  Palmer’s gift lies in reaching across all musical boundaries. While she made her mark in country music, she is equally at home in R&B music, bringing the entire spectrum of popular music to bear on music she calls “Southern Soul.” Palmer’s most recent album, Revival (2019), was critically hailed as her most personal and uplifting work to date. She is currently writing new music. As a radio host of Apple’s Color Me Country, she gives a vital platform to country musicians of color and lifts their voices as she explores the genre’s Black, Indigenous and Latino origins.

Palmer says of touring with Kingfish, “I can’t even begin to describe how excited and grateful I am to head out on the road with Christone. The level of musicianship of Kingfish is through the roof and my band and I can’t wait to take this live experience straight to the people.”
More about Rissi Palmer: https://rissipalmermusic.com/ 

Camille Parker is a genre-defying singer-songwriter blending the tradition of country songwriting with modern influences spanning R&B and pop. Recently announced as one of the CMT’s Next Women of Country Class of 2022, Parker has been described by fellow country singer Mickey Guyton as “the future.” Her vocal delivery is vulnerable yet rich and agile, and she attributes her deeply honest and relatable approach to songwriting to musical influences such as Dolly Parton, D’Angelo, Bonnie Raitt and Rihanna. Her single The Flame is out now. 

Parker says, “I am so excited to be joining Kingfish on the road this spring. He’s an artist I truly admire and I’m looking forward to sharing my music with his amazing fans.”
More about Camille Parker: https://www.iamcamilleparker.com

Maggie Rose is a Nashville-based singer/songwriter who dreamed up her own unbridled collision of rock and roll, soul, folk, funk, and R&B for her third studio album. Have a Seat was produced by Ben Tanner of Alabama Shakes and came to life at the iconic FAME Studios in Muscle Shoals, Alabama. Have A Seat found Rose approaching her music with more confidence and clarity of vision than ever, ultimately sharing a selection of songs both timeless and urgent and appropriately named one of the  "Best Albums of 2021" by both Rolling Stone and American Songwriter, while NPR’s World Cafe called Rose “a multi-genre powerhouse…a must see act,” and Garden & Gun hailed her “an artist at the top of her craft.”

Rose says of this announcement: “I am incredibly honored to join a musical talent like Christone and get in front of his fans on the 662: Juke Joint Live Tour,” says Rose. “I feel privileged to be invited along for such a great experience in these beautiful theaters and I know that together it will make for a powerful and dynamic night of music.”
More about Maggie Rose: https://www.maggierosemusic.com/ 

Deemed “Nashville’s new star” by CBS This Morning, breakout newcomer Brittney Spencer is paving her own path in the country music genre and making major waves in the process. A People magazine “Hollywood One to Watch," Spotify Hot Country Artist to Watch, Pandora Artist to Watch and member of CMT’s 2022 Listen Up Artist class,  the Baltimore native is known for her free spirit and standout ability to mold life, truth and wild imagination into songs. Her recent single Sober & Skinny has garnered praise from The New York Times, Rolling Stone, and more, including earning her the cover of Nashville Scene’s 2021 Year in Music Issue. Spencer will release new music this spring.

Spencer says, “I’m so excited to join Kingfish for the west coast leg of his Juke Joint tour! Our shared love for music and performing has caused our not-so-distant musical worlds to collide in the best way. I suspect it’ll be a magical time.” 
More about Brittney Spencer: https://shorefire.com/roster/brittney-spencer

Andrew Farwell, Vice President, Outback Presents, says "We are so honored to work with these incredible artists. It’s a wonderful opportunity to reach new audiences, bringing unbridled talent and musicianship to the masses. Combining these unique points of view with Christone’s virtuosic tenacity will make for an unforgettable live concert experience.” 

Upon its July 2021 release, 662 (named for the telephone area code of Ingram's northern Mississippi home) debuted at #1 on the Billboard Blues Chart, and it's remained on the chart ever since. NPR's Morning Edition ran a seven-minute feature on release day. Tastemaker UK magazine MOJO named 662 the #1 Best Blues Album of 2021 calling it "an exceptional album" filled with "astonishing creativity." Influential website Under The Radar said, "Kingfish is one of the torchbearers for the blues."

On radio, 662 quickly became one of the biggest contemporary blues crossover albums of the year, receiving massive airplay on NPR-affiliated stations and SiriusXM. 662 also topped numerous radio format charts, cracking the top 20 on the North American College and Community Chart (and hitting #1 on its Blues Chart). It spent three months at #1 on the influential Living Blues Radio Chart, and also excelled on both Nielsen's Adult Album Alternative Chart and The Americana Music Association’s Singles and Album Charts. Additionally, 662 appeared at or near the top of the major international blues charts in Australia, France and the UK.
 
662 was recorded in Nashville and co-written and produced by Grammy-winner Tom Hambridge. It features 13 songs (and one previously released bonus track) displaying many sides of Ingram’s personality, as well as his one-of-a-kind guitar and vocal skills. According to Ingram, "662 is an ode to my roots, a nod to the area where I was born and raised. The title track, 662, encompasses how a small corner of the earth influenced my view of life and music. It also points to the growth I have had since my debut album. As much as I have been fortunate to get 'Outside Of This Town' (the title of his breakout single from his 2019 Grammy-nominated debut album, Kingfish), I do want people to know that the '662' will always be a major part of who I am."

Castro is one of the brightest stars in the blues-soul genre. Voracious blues energy and ultimate soul power...impassioned vocals and pure inventiveness in his stellar guitar solos.
—Blues Music Magazine

Sizzling, slow-burning, gritty blues and rock...shimmering, swampy, downright funky vibes drenched with Castro’s stinging, pure and crisp lead runs and fluid, jet-fueled solos.
—Living Blues

Soul-baring roadhouse blues….top-notch Memphis soul.
—Washington Post

On Friday, January 14, internationally beloved blues and roots rock guitarist, singer and songwriter Tommy Castro announced dates for his 2022 30th Anniversary Tour, celebrating his new album, the critically and popularly acclaimed Tommy Castro Presents A Bluesman Came To Town. 2022 marks Castro's 30th year as a bandleader as well as his 30-year association with bassist Randy McDonald. Castro is also celebrating the 10th anniversary of the formation of his current band, Tommy Castro & The Painkillers, with McDonald, drummer Bowen Brown and keyboardist Michael Emerson. See full list of tour dates below.

Live, the band will perform material from A Bluesman Came To Town, along with fan favorites from throughout Castro's long career. The new album is a roots music odyssey. Through its 13 songs, Castro tells the tale of a young man, working on his family farm, who gets bitten by the blues bug. He masters the guitar and heads out on the road seeking fame and fortune, only to find what he’s left behind is the treasure he’s been looking for. "A Bluesman Came To Town isn’t a story about me," says Castro. "It’s pulled from some of my friends’ and my experiences, though. I’ve seen first-hand for a lot of years what it’s like out there on the road.”

The road is where Castro has made his mark over the past three decades. Talking about his 30 years as a bandleader, Castro says, "When Randy and I started out playing blues joints and bars in San Francisco in the early 90s, we had no idea what kind of a ride we were in for. I’ve always been inspired by all the old blues guys and now I’m one of them. I look forward to the next 30 years!" McDonald adds, "We’ve lasted longer than all our marriages combined, and we’re still rockin' somewhere nearly every night.”

The two have performed over 6000 shows together, including three seasons as the house band for NBC's Comedy Showcase, two summer-long tours with B.B. King and Buddy Guy, 40 music cruises (including 33 consecutive sold-out Legendary Rhythm and Blues Cruises), and many of the world's largest music festivals. They have shared stages with legends including John Lee Hooker, Carlos Santana, Bob Weir, Greg Allman, Dr. John, Willie Nelson, Jeff Beck, Joe Bonamassa, Elvin Bishop, Charlie Musselwhite, Magic Dick of The J. Geils Band, Taj Mahal and Los Lobos.

Throughout his long, constantly evolving career, Castro has always remained true to himself while exploring, growing and creating new music, and he has taken his thousands of devoted fans right along with him. Ranging from horn-fueled R&B to piping hot blues to fiery, stripped-down rock ‘n’ roll, each of his 16 albums is solidly built on Castro’s unshakable musical foundation—a dynamic mix of 1960s-influenced guitar-fueled blues, testifying Memphis-soaked blue-eyed soul and Latin-tinged East San Jose funk, all driven by Castro’s grab-you-by-the-collar vocals and passionate guitar work. Blues Revue declared, “Tommy Castro can do no wrong.”

Castro joined Warner Brothers’ artists The Dynatones in the late 1980s, performing all over the country. While in the band, he met and befriended McDonald. With McDonald on bass, Castro formed the first Tommy Castro Band in 1992 and has not stopped touring since. In 1995, soon after releasing his first album on Blind Pig Records, The Tommy Castro Band was selected as the house band for three seasons on NBC Television’s Comedy Showcase (airing right after Saturday Night Live). The show brought him in front of millions of viewers every week and cemented his reputation as a not-to-be-missed, nationally touring live performer. 
 
After a series of successful releases on the Blind Pig, Telarc and 33^rd Street labels, Tommy Castro joined Alligator Records in 2009. His label debut, Hard Believer, was released to massive popular and critical acclaim. With the album, Castro won four of his six career Blues Music Awards, including the coveted B.B. King Entertainer Of The Year Award (the very highest award a blues performer can receive).

In 2012, Castro formed The Painkillers and released The Devil You Know. The album was embraced by his legion of fans and discovered by hordes of new ones. He released Method To My Madness in 2015, Stompin’ Ground in 2017, and the irresistible Killin’ It–Live in 2019, with critics shouting praise and admirers cheering the group’s every move. The band has coalesced into one of the telepathically tightest units Castro has ever assembled, delivering soul-shaking, muscular music that makes them one of the most in-demand live roots music acts performing today.

Castro’s relentless road-dog approach—gig after gig, night after night—has won him loyal, lifelong fans everywhere he plays. The Washington Post says Castro is “phenomenal and funky” with “soulful vocals and inspired blues guitar.” The San Francisco Chronicle describes Castro’s music as, “funky Southern soul, big city blues and classic rock...silvery guitar licks that simultaneously sound familiar and fresh.” No Depression says “Castro plays gritty, string-bending blues like a runaway train...a glorious blend that rocks the soul and lifts the spirits.”

TOMMY CASTRO 30TH ANNIVERSARY TOUR

Feral blues guitar...non-stop gigging has sharpened his six-string to a
razor’s edge...his eloquence dazzles...he achieves pyrotechnics that rival
early Jeff Beck and Eric Clapton. —Rolling Stone

Tinsley Ellis unleashes the fury. Gritty vocals…catchy lyrics…extended solos
that are good to the last chop. Raw, ragged…authentic, potent and fresh.
[He is] a gunslinging guitarist with blistering chops.. —Living Blues

Today, Monday, January 3, Tinsley Ellis -- recognized as one of the world’s most astounding and accomplished blues-rock guitarists and performers, and one of the genre’s most original and prolific songwriters -- announced dates for his 2022 Devil May Care tour in support of his new album of the same name. Devil May Care launches on Friday, January 21. That same day, the tour kicks off from Ellis' hometown of Atlanta, Georgia. See full dates below.

Also today, Ellis released One Less Reason, the first single and lead track on Devil May Care, to all major download and streaming services. The song received its world premiere on Sirius/XM's B.B.King's Bluesville in December, and has remained one of the station's most played tracks ever since. According to Ellis, "We wanted to open the album with a rollicking shuffle. It's been a rough two years, and everyone is ready to rock again. We are very excited to be hitting the road. It's been much too long."

Devil May Care, Ellis' 20th album, features ten of his most dynamic, original compositions, mixing muscular rock ‘n’ roll and hard blues into his own instantly recognizable sound. Created during the pandemic, Ellis wrote over 200 new songs, choosing his favorite ten for the album. The emotionally-charged guitar solos soar in full service to the songs, as if Ellis is living and breathing the sound rather than simply playing the notes. “The goal,” says Ellis, “was to make the guitar sing.”

Relix says Ellis' music contains "powerful spine-tingling guitar and gritty, soulful vocals …an inspired and passionate fusion of blues and Southern rock." Guitar World declares, "Ellis’ playing sparkles with depth and subtlety. Whether playing deep, slow blues or uptempo rockers, Ellis rides a gorgeously fat, pure tone." Blues Music Magazine says he plays “perfect, and perfectly Southern, blues-rock.” Vintage Guitar says, “He delivers blistering blues-rock, soul romps, minor-key blues and shuffles—and it all sounds great.”

Ellis toured the world non-stop for 35 years, until the pandemic hit. He captivated and amazed fans in all 50 United States, as well as in Canada, all across Europe, Australia and South America. He’s earned a massive, fervent fan base that can never seem to get enough of Ellis and his music. Fueled by his blazing, every-note-matters guitar work and his gruff, spirited vocals, Ellis delivers one imaginative and memorable song after another. Now, with Devil May Care and a new tour booked, Ellis is excited to reconnect with his fans and play his new songs live. "It’s been a long 18 months,” he says, “and now folks are ready to have some fun.”

“Alligator Records stands as one of the most enduring and revered independent blues labels in the world, its catalog holding inextinguishable works.”
–The Chicago Tribune
 
“Prestigious, scrappy independent Alligator Records has reached dizzying heights in celebrating the blues.”
  –Rolling Stone
 
“With muscular, no-frills production, Alligator catches the blues as it melds with soul, rock, gospel, country and zydeco, partying away the pains of love. Alligator is the leading record label for the blues, and has succeeded where the giants have failed.”
  –The New York Times

On Friday, December 17, 2021, Alligator Records founder and president Bruce Iglauer was honored with the French Charles Cros Academy "In Honorem" Award. As a live ceremony is not possible this year, the highly coveted award was announced by host Alex Dutilh on his Open Jazz radio show on France Musique.

According to the Académie Charles Cros (ACC), "Members of the Jazz and Blues and Soul commissions have unanimously agreed to award this distinction to Bruce Iglauer, founder of Alligator Records, the independent label which has carried the colors of the blues high for 50 years, on the occasion of the release of 50 Years of Genuine Houserockin' Music (Alligator / Socadisc).

"The ACC has awarded prizes annually since 1948 and is placed under the high patronage of the President of the Republic. Each year, in addition to the President of the Republic's award, it also gives "In Honorem" awards to artists for their entire career, or to personalities for the importance of their work."

Previous winners include other record label owners as well as blues master Lucky Peterson and jazz stars Roy Haynes, Sonny Rollins and Lee Konitz.

Iglauer is thrilled to received this recognition, saying. "I am extremely honored to have Alligator Records receive this award. I accept it in the name of all the Alligator artists, from Hound Dog Taylor in 1971 to Christone "Kingfish" Ingram today, who have lived the blues and carried the tradition forward. The slogan of Alligator is 'Genuine Houserockin’ Music'. We hope that the 'rockin' means that our music not only rocks your body, but hopefully rocks your soul. Again, thank you."

On June 18, 2021, Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot declared "Alligator Records Day" throughout the city via official proclamation. This is the same day Alligator Records--50 Years Of Genuine Houserockin' Music (a 2-LP or 3-CD set) was released. On September 18, 2021, the Mayor declared "Bruce Iglauer Day" across the city.

Alligator Records was born in 1971,when 23-year-old blues fan Bruce Iglauer spent his savings to record and release a record by his favorite Chicago blues band, Hound Dog Taylor & The HouseRockers. He created Alligator Records to release that one LP. Today, Alligator boasts a catalog of over 350 titles, many of which are renowned, award-winning, time-tested classics of the genre. Career-defining albums from legendary artists like Hound Dog Taylor, Koko Taylor, Son Seals, Albert Collins, Johnny Winter, Professor Longhair, Lonnie Brooks, Luther Allison and Michael “Iron Man” Burks share the catalog with releases from current blues and roots icons Elvin Bishop, Charlie Musselwhite, Guitar Shorty, Billy Boy Arnold and Mavis Staples. Records from today’s world-renowned stars like Shemekia Copeland, Lil’ Ed & The Blues Imperials, Rick Estrin & The Nightcats, Marcia Ball, Billy Branch, Tinsley Ellis, Joe Louis Walker, Tommy Castro & The Painkillers, Curtis Salgado, Roomful Of Blues and The Cash Box Kings, as well as albums from trailblazing newer voices including Christone “Kingfish” Ingram, Nick Moss, Toronzo Cannon and Selwyn Birchwood, clearly showcase Alligator’s wide-ranging, forward-looking vision. Alligator, like the blues itself, continues to break new ground while staying true to its Genuine Houserockin’ roots.

Grammy Award Nomination  — "Best Contemporary Blues Album"

#1 Best Blues Album Of 2021 —MOJO

Christone "Kingfish" Ingram represents the next generation of great American blues artists.
—PBS NewsHour
 
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’s talent is almost otherworldly for his age. Seeing him play is almost a bewitching thing as his fingers fly across the strings of a guitar as deftly as Dr. Strange conjures a spell. He has entranced the music world.
—Afropunk

Today, Tuesday, December 14, Clarksdale, Mississippi's own Christone "Kingfish" Ingram announced additional dates for his 2022 tour in support of his Grammy-nominated, critically and popularly acclaimed Alligator album, 662. Entitled Christone "Kingfish" Ingram Presents 662: Juke Joint Live, the tour is a partnership with Nashville-based Outback Presents, and will take the 22-year-old guitarist, vocalist and songwriter across the country with dates beginning March 2022 and going through May. According to Ingram, “I’m very excited to continue my ‘662 Juke Joint Live’ tour and to partner with Outback Presents to reach current and new fans in larger, more iconic music venues across the country. Just like a Mississippi juke joint, these shows will be high-energy, jumping, and lots of fun.”

Mike Smardak, President of Outback Presents, is equally excited, saying, "We are thrilled to be working with Christone “Kingfish” Ingram and his team. Christone is a rising star and we see great potential and countless opportunities in his future. We are thankful for the opportunity.”

New dates include New York City’s legendary Apollo Theater, where Kingfish will make his debut as a headliner, as well as performances in Dallas, Philadelphia, Austin, and more. Full tour schedule is below.

Upon its July 2021 release, 662 (named for the telephone area code of Ingram's northern Mississippi home) debuted at #1 on the Billboard Blues Chart, and it's remained on the chart ever since. NPR's Morning Edition ran a 7-minute feature on release day. Tastemaker UK magazine MOJO named 662 the #1 Best Blues Album of 2021 calling it "an exceptional album" filled with "astonishing creativity." Influential website Under The Radar said, "Kingfish is one of the torchbearers for the blues."

On radio, 662 quickly became one of the biggest contemporary blues crossover albums of the year, receiving massive airplay on NPR-affiliated stations and SiriusXM. 662 also topped numerous radio format charts, cracking the top 20 on the North American College and Community Chart (and hitting #1 on its Blues Chart). It spent three months at #1 on the influential Living Blues Radio Chart, and also excelled on both Nielsen's Adult Album Alternative Chart and The Americana Music Association’s Singles and Album Charts. Additionally, 662 appeared at or near the top of the major international blues charts in Australia, France and the UK.
 
662 was recorded in Nashville and co-written and produced by Grammy-winner Tom Hambridge. It features 13 songs (and one previously released bonus track) displaying many sides of Ingram’s personality, as well as his one-of-a-kind guitar and vocal skills. According to Ingram, "662 is an ode to my roots, a nod to the area where I was born and raised. The title track, 662, encompasses how a small corner of the earth influenced my view of life and music. It also points to the growth I have had since my debut album. As much as I have been fortunate to get 'Outside Of This Town' (the title of his breakout single from his 2019 Grammy-nominated debut album, Kingfish), I do want people to know that the '662' will always be a major part of who I am."

Every song showcases Wonderland’s never-waste-a-note guitar work and warm, soaring vocals. There may not be a better album this season.
—Living Blues

Wonderland's astonishing playing and soulful, sophisticated singing place this record above all others in her catalog.
—AllMusic.com

Rich, bluesy, raspy, lush-toned vocals…soulful, skillful guitar playing...down-and-dirty, gospel-infused [and] rollicking.
—Guitar World

#7 Best Blues Album Of 2021— MOJO

On Wednesday, December 8, Texas guitarist, singer and songwriter Carolyn Wonderland premieres the new video of her original song Fragile Peace And Certain War. The song — a hair-raising, lap steel-fueled barn-burner — is the lead track from Wonderland's Dave Alvin-produced Alligator Records debut, Tempting Fate, recently named by UK tastemaker magazine MOJO at the #7 Best Blues Album of 2021.

Wonderland, who describes herself as "a guitarist in a roomful of singers and a singer in a roomful of guitarists," was recently called "one of Texas’ finest Americana guitar-slingers" by her hometown newspaper, The Austin American-Statesman. They went on to say, "Tempting Fate is arguably the best of her dozen releases. Wonderland traverses from blues to country to rock & roll and beyond...fiery [and] deeply soulful."

Tempting Fate has also received multi-format radio chart success, reaching #1 on the Alt. Country Specialty Radio Chart and #1 on the Living Blues Radio Chart, while simultaneously receiving heavy rotation on two of SiriusXM’s most popular stations, Outlaw Country and BB King’s Bluesville. Internationally, Tempting Fate has been at or near the top of the blues radio charts in Australia, France and the UK. 

The new video of Fragile Peace And Certain War was directed by noted filmmaker Curtis Pollock (The Roommate) and features Wonderland along with friends Shelley King, Kevin Lance, and Naj Conklin performing the song at C-Boys Heart & Soul Club, the legendary South Austin roadhouse. There are also cameos by producer Dave Alvin (as the guitar-wielding lawyer), humorist/writer (and Wonderland's husband) A. Whitney Brown (as the farmer) and her neighbor J.C. Shakespeare (as the arresting officer). According to Wonderland. "I had an idea of what I wanted for the video. So I wrote a script and showed it to Curtis, who ran with it. It was so much fun, in just two or three days, to see it all come to fruition. The song lends itself to visual interpretation and Curtis made it classy."

Wonderland spent the last three years playing lead guitar in blues legend John Mayall’s Blues Breakers, and has now joined the Alligator Records family as the first female guitar hero in the label’s storied 50-year history. But that's not all. Her spine-chilling, soul-deep singing matches her guitar prowess note for note. And she has a knack for writing songs that sound like instant classics. Wonderland's signature, blistering six-string and lap steel playing, her intense vocals and her original songs melding blues, rock and Americana, helped her earn her status as a "must-see" live performer. She just completed the first leg of her North American Tempting Fate tour, with shows in Houston, Chicago, New York and many places in between, and will be back on the road in 2022.
 
Tempting Fate finds Wonderland delivering ten riveting songs, including five fiery originals and one co-write. Her vocals range from raw and fierce to subtle and gentle. Her guitar work, on both six-string and lap steel, is often explosive and always melodic. Producer Dave Alvin says, “Carolyn is unique, strong, soulful and sincere. She can pick and belt out the blues with the best of them, but her powerful, melodic vocals and six-string stylings are truly her own. Traditional yet innovative, tough yet tender, Carolyn always sounds like no one else but herself.” 

Bishop’s soulful, fuzzed-up, blues-rooted picking and Musselwhite’s rich, hard-edged smokin’ harp style [are] exquisite. They mine the chemistry and down-home vibe to cook up a blues menu that’s as comfortable as a big ol’ plate of biscuits and gravy.
—Living Blues

Two old friends celebrate a century of entwined tradition and innovation. Exquisite harmonica-guitar duets like Muddy Waters and Little Walter, or Johnny Shines and Shakey Horton. Mature, masterly, endlessly rewarding. Four Stars.
—MOJO

Iconic jazz music publication DownBeat, in its 86th Annual Readers Poll, has named 100 Years Of Blues, from blues guitar hero Elvin Bishop and harmonica ace Charlie Musselwhite, as the Blues Album Of The Year. The full list of DownBeat Readers Poll winners can be found here.

The DownBeat honor adds to the list of awards 100 Years Of Blues has already received. In addition to winning two Blues Music Awards -- for both Album Of The Year and Traditional Album Of The Year -- 100 Years Of Blues was just nominated for a Grammy Award in the Best Traditional Blues Album category. MOJO magazine selected the album as the #3 Best Blues Album Of The Year. Blues Music Magazine says 100 Years Of Blues is "relaxed, good-natured, fresh and intense. A most enjoyable set by two beloved veteran virtuosos of the blues."

100 Years Of Blues is front-porch, down-home music with Bishop and Musselwhite trading licks and vocals on 12 rootsy, spirited songs, mixing nine originals with three reimagined classics. The two history-making musicians – both Blues Hall Of Famers – are blues legends with over 100 years of professional musicianship between them. Although they’ve known each other since the early 1960s and recorded as guests with John Lee Hooker (and other friends), this is the first time that they ever teamed up to make a full record. According to Musselwhite, “This is us sitting down to play the music that we love and resonating together effortlessly because we’re 'coming from the same place’...on many levels.”

100 Years Of Blues is blues at its deepest, warmest and most engaging. “It all fell together so quickly and easily,” says Bishop. “We each brought about half the songs and recorded them all in one or two takes.” As for his cohorts, Bishop says, “Charlie is the real deal. He didn’t learn his licks off of records; he lived them. He’s always himself. And Bob Welsh (who plays guitar and piano on the album) is so versatile. When you play with people who are real good, it ups your game too. I just did the best job I could.” Of Bishop, Musselwhite says, “Elvin is always a joy to play music with. We see things pretty much the same. Musically it’s like fallin’ off a log. It’s so easy and it just makes sense.” 

Bishop’s soulful, fuzzed-up, blues-rooted picking and Musselwhite’s rich, hard-edged smokin’ harp style [are] exquisite. They mine the chemistry and down-home vibe to cook up a blues menu that’s as comfortable as a big ol’ plate of biscuits and gravy.  —Living Blues

Two old friends celebrate a century of entwined tradition and innovation. Exquisite harmonica-guitar duets like Muddy Waters and Little Walter, or Johnny Shines and Shakey Horton. Mature, masterly, endlessly rewarding. Four Stars.  —MOJO

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

Copeland provides a soundtrack for contemporary America...powerful, ferocious, clear-eyed and hopeful...She’s in such control of her voice that she can scream at injustices before she soothes with loving hope. It sends shivers up your spine. —Living Blues

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



Christone "Kingfish" Ingram represents the next generation of great American blues artists. —PBS NewsHour

Only 22, Christone “Kingfish” Ingram has already made his mark as one of the best, and undoubtedly most exciting, blues guitarists in the world. —Guitar World

"Exceptional album...astonishing creativity."
#1 Blues Album Of 2021 —MOJO

On Tuesday, November 23, The Recording Academy announced the nominees for the 2022 Grammy Awards. Three Alligator Records albums were recognized.

Elvin Bishop & Charlie Musselwhite's acclaimed 100 Years Of Blues received a nomination for Best Traditional Blues Album. Bishop has been nominated for three previous Grammy Awards. Musselwhite has been nominated 13 times, and won a Grammy Award in 2013.

Shemekia Copeland's groundbreaking release, Uncivil War, received a nomination for Best Contemporary Blues Album. Copeland has received three previous Grammy Award nominations.

Christone "Kingfish" Ingram's sophomore release, 662, also received a nomination in the Best Contemporary Blues Album category. His debut, Kingfish, received a Grammy Award nomination in 2019.

The 64th Annual Grammy Awards ceremony will be held in Los Angeles on January 31, 2022.

Tommy Castro is one of the foremost practitioners of electric blues. Searing delivery, rousing and teeming with emotion…stoked with fire and finesse. The album is a revelatory experience, one that stands as not only Tommy Castro’s most essential album to date, but a sheer, soaring tour-de-force as well.
—Living Blues
 
The new album reminds us of just how talented Castro is -- a convincing singer, rugged guitarist, and exciting performer. Castro’s sheer enthusiasm makes this a highlight of his bulging catalog.
—American Songwriter

Tommy Castro has been a dynamic presence on San Francisco’s blues scene since he first appeared in the ’80s. He just released a new album, A Bluesman Came To Town, and it’s one of his best.
—East Bay Express

Internationally renowned guitarist, singer and songwriter Tommy Castro has premiered his new video of A Bluesman Came To Town, the title track from his dynamic, trailblazing new album. Released on September 17, Tommy Castro Presents A Bluesman Came To Town debuted at #2 on the Billboard Blues Chart and has been on the chart ever since. Since then, critics have agreed it's among the best of his long career, and fans have been lining up to see Tommy and his band, The Painkillers, perform live all across the country.

Radio response to the new album has been equally enthusiastic. A Bluesman Came To Town currently sits at #1 on the Living Blues Radio Chart while the album’s first single, Somewhere, was the most played song at B.B. King’s Bluesville on SiriusXM. The album is also at or near the top of the radio charts in the UK, Australia and France.

Much of the video -- produced by Castro's son, Skyeler Williams and directed by Painkillers bassist Randy McDonald -- was shot in in West Marin, California at the famed Rancho Nicasio roadhouse. It features Castro singing and playing guitar interspersed with images of legendary blues performers including Hound Dog Taylor and B.B. King. Talking about the song, Castro says, "Most musicians can point to a time when they saw or heard an artist that changed their life forever. I remember going to Elvin Bishop shows when I was young. He was one of the guys that inspired me the most, along with Taj Mahal, Johnny Winter and B.B. King."

Tommy Castro Presents A Bluesman Came To Town is a roots music odyssey. This special project was composed by Castro along with Grammy Award-winning producer and songwriter Tom Hambridge. Through its 13 songs, the album tells the tale of a young man, working on his family farm, who gets bitten by the blues bug. He masters the guitar and heads out on the road seeking fame and fortune, only to find what he’s left behind is the treasure he’s been looking for. "A Bluesman Came To Town isn’t a story about me," says Castro. "It’s pulled from some of my friends’ and my experiences, though. I’ve seen first-hand for a lot of years what it’s like out there on the road.”

Throughout his long, constantly evolving career, guitarist, singer and songwriter Castro has always remained true to his roots while exploring and creating new music, and he has taken his thousands of devoted fans right along with him. Ranging from horn-fueled R&B to piping hot blues to fiery, stripped-down rock ‘n’ roll, each of his 16 albums is solidly built upon Castro’s unshakable musical foundation—a dynamic mix of 1960s-influenced guitar-fueled blues, testifying Memphis-soaked blue-eyed soul and Latin-tinged East San Jose funk, all driven by Castro’s grab-you-by-the-collar vocals and passionate guitar work. Blues Music Magazine says, "Tommy Castro is one of the best…a great artist. He makes playing rough feel easy. Castro’s guitar is more than a melody maker. It’s as important as the lyrics in telling the story."

Castro is a natural storyteller, and the road has always been his second home. His friend, famed guitarist Joe Bonamassa says, "Tommy has always been top of the heap among blues guitar players. And he always puts on a great show." With many more performances across the United States to come, Tommy Castro & The Painkillers -- bassist Randy McDonald, drummer Bowen Brown and keyboardist Michael Emerson -- continue to reconnect with fans all over the country. He and The Painkillers will instantly ignite a crowd, turn them into loyal fans, and then keep those fans coming back for more. Castro has traveled hundreds of thousands of miles and performed thousands of gigs at clubs, concert halls, and festivals all over the world. ” Blues Revue simply states, "Tommy Castro can do no wrong."

Christone "Kingfish" Ingram represents the next generation of great American blues artists. 
—PBS NewsHour

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’s talent is almost otherworldly for his age. Seeing him play is almost a bewitching thing as his fingers fly across the strings of a guitar as deftly as Dr. Strange conjures a spell. He has entranced the music world.
—Afropunk


Today, Tuesday, November 2, Clarksdale, Mississippi's own Christone "Kingfish" Ingram announced the first set of dates for his 2022 tour in support of his critically and popularly acclaimed Alligator album, 662. Entitled Christone "Kingfish" Ingram Presents 662: Juke Joint Live, the tour is a partnership with Nashville-based Outback Presents, and will take the 22-year-old guitarist, vocalist and songwriter across the country with dates beginning March 2022 and going through May. According to Ingram, “I’m very excited to continue my ‘662 Juke Joint Live’ tour and to partner with Outback Presents to reach current and new fans in larger, more iconic music venues across the country. Just like a Mississippi juke joint, these shows will be high-energy, jumping, and lots of fun.”

Mike Smardak, President, Outback Presents, is equally excited, saying, "We are thrilled to be working with Christone “Kingfish” Ingram and his team. Christone is a rising star and we see great potential and countless opportunities in his future. We are thankful for the opportunity.”

Ingram's new music video for 662's blistering second single, Long Distance Woman, premieres today at Flaunt magazine online. Flaunt notes the "spellbinding songwriting" and Ingram's "enchanting capabilities with six strings." Talking about the song, Ingram says, "Maintaining a healthy relationship is already hard and when you sprinkle in distance it can make matters of the heart particularly taxing. Covid certainly changed and tested how we all communicate. So as a response to the times, using video chat, the Long Distance Woman visuals speak to how romantic relationships can be challenged by proximity.”

Upon its July 2021 release, 662 debuted at #1 on the Billboard Blues Chart, and it's remained on the chart ever since. NPR's Morning Edition ran a 7-minute feature on release day. Tastemaker UK magazine MOJO called 662 "an exceptional album" filled with "astonishing creativity." Influential website Under The Radar said, "Kingfish is one of the torchbearers for the blues, with his bellowing voice and shrieking, nimble solos."

662 was recorded in Nashville and co-written and produced by Grammy-winner Tom Hambridge. It features 13 songs (and one previously released bonus track) displaying many sides of Ingram’s personality, as well as his one-of-a-kind guitar and vocal skills. According to Ingram, "662 is an ode to my roots, a nod to the area where I was born and raised. The title track, 662, encompasses how a small corner of the earth influenced my view of life and music. It also points to the growth I have had since my debut album. As much as I have been fortunate to get 'Outside Of This Town' (the title of his breakout single from his 2019 Grammy-nominated debut album, Kingfish), I do want people to know that the '662' will always be a major part of who I am."

On Friday, January 21, 2022, world-renowned guitarist, vocalist and songwriter Tinsley Ellis will release his new Alligator album, the propulsive, soul-searching, raw and cathartic Devil May Care. The album, Ellis' 20th, will be available on CD and on red vinyl LP, as well as on all major streaming and download services. That same day, Ellis will kick off his coast-to-coast North American tour from his hometown of Atlanta, Georgia.

Devil May Care features ten of Ellis’ most dynamic original compositions, mixing muscular rock ‘n’ roll and hard blues into his own instantly recognizable sound.  The emotionally-charged guitar solos soar in full service to the songs, as if Ellis is living and breathing the sound rather than simply playing the notes. “The goal,” says Ellis, “was to make the guitar sing.”

Relix says Ellis' music contains "powerful spine-tingling guitar and gritty, soulful vocals …an inspired and passionate fusion of blues and Southern rock." Guitar World declares, "Ellis’ playing sparkles with depth and subtlety. Whether playing deep, slow blues or uptempo rockers, Ellis rides a gorgeously fat, pure tone."

While the worldwide pandemic and subsequent shutdown profoundly affected every musician (and every person), Ellis used his time off the road to write over 200 new songs. In March 2020, Ellis was forced to cancel the tour promoting his previous release, Ice Cream In Hell, only six weeks into the 60-date run. He almost immediately began composing on amps and guitars that he hadn’t used for decades. He explored obscure studio and live recordings from some of his greatest musical heroes, such as the Allman Brothers, Freddie King, Michael Bloomfield, B.B. King and beyond, and was inspired by his favorite artists all over again. Somehow, in the most unlikely of times, Tinsley Ellis committed to growing his already formidable talent.

As early as April 2020, he began regularly releasing his new material online, keeping his fans engaged and soaking up their comments and responses. He knew, thanks to the reactions of his fans to his new songs, that he needed to make a record and get back on the road as soon as possible. Ellis whittled the 200-song list down to ten, enlisted his friend and co-producer, keyboard master Kevin McKendree, and headed for Franklin, Tennessee’s famous Rock House recording studio. The result is Devil May Care, a record Ellis says, "is for the fans as much as for me.”

Tinsley Ellis has been immersed in music his whole life. Born in Atlanta 1957 and raised in southern Florida, he acquired his first guitar at age seven, inspired by seeing The Beatles perform on the Ed Sullivan Show. He took to guitar instantly, developing and sharpening his skills as he grew up. Like many kids his age, Ellis discovered the blues through the back door of British Invasion bands like The Yardbirds, The Animals, Cream and The Rolling Stones as well as Southern rockers like the Allman Brothers. One night in 1972, he and a friend were listening to Al Kooper and Michael Bloomfield’s Super Session record when his friend’s older brother told them that, if they liked Super Session, they should go see B.B. King, who was in town that week. Tinsley saw that show from the very front row. As fate would have it, King broke a guitar string while playing, and after changing it without missing a beat, he handed the broken string to young Tinsley. And yes, he still has that string.

Today, Ellis is among the world’s most celebrated blues-rock performers, and one of the genre’s most original and prolific songwriters. Blues Music Magazine says he plays “perfect, and perfectly Southern, blues-rock.” Vintage Guitar says, “He delivers blistering blues-rock, soul romps, minor-key blues and shuffles—and it all sounds great.” Ellis has toured the world non-stop for 35 years. He has captivated and amazed fans in all 50 United States, as well as in Canada, all across Europe, Australia and South America. He’s earned a massive, fervent fan base that can never seem to get enough of Ellis and his music. Fueled by his blazing, every-note-matters guitar work and his gruff, spirited vocals, Ellis delivers one imaginative and memorable song after another. Now, with Devil May Care and a new tour booked, Ellis is more than ready to make up for lost time.

According to Allmusic.com, “Ellis’ playing underscores the emotional depth in the lyrics. His meaty solos dig deep.” With Devil May Care, Ellis proves that true again, with ten jaw-dropping, career-topping performances. As he continues adding more dates to his already packed tour schedule, Ellis will bring his high-energy Southern blues-rock to fans all across the country. "It’s been a long 18 months,” he says, “and now folks are ready to have some fun.”