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Rootsy stripped-down Southern soul and hard funk..Masterfully written songs [featuring] Tierinii Jackson's soaring vocals. —AllMusic

Southern Avenue are ushering in a brand-new era of Memphis soul...blending the classic sound of their Memphis roots with a fresh dose of optimism and resilience...heavenly vocals.  —Relix

The Memphis-based collective has set the blues world abuzz....compelling, exhilarating anthems that urge the listener to lean in and create the world in which they want to live. —No Depression

Today, Friday, September 6, GRAMMY-nominated Memphis-based roots, blues, and soul band Southern Avenue unveil their new song, Found A Friend In You.  The track is a heartfelt tribute to the bond that has transformed this group of talented individuals into a family, both on and off the stage. The song, with guest bassist Luther Dickinson of The North Mississippi Allstars, was premiered by Relix magazine on September 4, and is taken from Southern Avenue's forthcoming Alligator Records debut album, slated for release in early 2025. Found A Friend In You is now available at all major streaming and download services.

According to Relix, "Found A Friend In You dips into the band’s signature whisk of roots, blues and soul stylings, leaning into the spirit of Memphis [and] maintaining a timelessness and soul-laden delivery not unlike the Staple Singers….Inquisitive and uplifting.”

Southern Avenue is a dynamic ensemble that has been captivating audiences around the world with their exhilarating performances and emotionally charged original music since their 2017 Stax Records debut. Now, Found A Friend In You captures Southern Avenue's story of unity and shared purpose, a journey that began when the band's members first came together in Memphis. What started as a collaboration quickly turned into something deeper, as they forged a connection rooted in music, trust, and love. The song reflects the highs, the struggles, and the unbreakable bond that has made Southern Avenue more than just a band.

According to guitarist and co-writer Ori Naftaly, "It's a song that celebrates the power of friendship, the joy of making music together, and the sense of belonging that comes from being part of something greater. It's a reflection of the highs and lows, the challenges we've faced, and the unbreakable bond we've formed. The song is not just about friendship. It's an anthem of the connection that makes Southern Avenue more than just a band—it makes us a true family."

As frontwoman Tierinii Jackson, who co-wrote the song, explains, "This song is an anthem of our friendship and our shared experiences. It’s about the joy and the strength we’ve found in each other, and how that bond has made us who we are today. The gospel harmonies and the energy of the track reflect our roots and our journey together."

Found A Friend In You, along with the full album, was recorded in Memphis at the famous Royal Studios (Al Green, Ann Peebles, Bruno Mars). It was produced by GRAMMY winner John Burk (Ray Charles, George Benson, Melissa Etheridge) and recorded and mixed by GRAMMY-winning producer and engineer Boo Mitchell.

Listen To Found A Friend In You here: 

In conjunction with the song's release, Southern Avenue will go on a two-week journey with Willie Nelson & Family, Bob Dylan, and John Mellencamp as part of the 2024 "Outlaw Music Festival Tour." The tour, which begins today, will see Southern Avenue sharing their story and their music with audiences across the Midwest and Northeast.

September 6 – Somerset, WI– Somerset Amphitheater
September 7 – Tinley Park, IL– Credit Union 1 Amphitheatre
September 8 – St. Louis, MO – Hollywood Casino Amphitheatre
September 11 – Cincinnati, OH – Riverbend Music Center
September 12 – Cuyahoga Falls, OH – Blossom Music Center
September 14 – Burgettstown, PA – The Pavilion at Star Lake
September 15 – Clarkston, MI – Pine Knob Music Theatre
September 17 – Buffalo, NY – Darien Lake Amphitheater
September 20 - Gilford, NH - BankNH Pavilion

FARM AID
September 21 - Saratoga Springs, NY -  (with Willie Nelson, John Mellencamp, Neil Young, Dave Matthews and others)

HEADLINING SHOWS, FESTIVAL AND CRUISES:
September 19, Portsmouth, NH - Jimmy's Jazz & Blues Club
September 28 - Birmingham, AL - WORKPLAY
September 29 - Atlanta, GA - Tunes From The Tombs
October 18 - Nashville, TN - City Winery
October 26 - Ivins, UT - Southern Utah Blues Festival
January 26, 2025 - Fort Lauderdale, FL - Legendary Rhythm & Blues Cruise
February 14 - Port Of Miami, FL - Jam Cruise
April 25 - Miramar Beach, FL - Moon Crush Pink Moon Festival 

Southern Avenue’s music is a vibrant blend of Memphis blues, warm sister harmonies, and uplifting messages that build connections reminiscent of The Staple Singers. Guitarist Ori Naftaly, whose passion for blues and soul music led him from Israel to Memphis, alongside the undeniable talents of the Memphis-born Jackson sisters—lead vocalist Tierinii Jackson, drummer/vocalist Tikyra "TK" Jackson, and percussionist/violinist/vocalist Ava Jackson—has crafted a sound that blends Memphis' historic spirit with a modern twist. With keyboardist and honorary family member Jeremy Powell, Southern Avenue's original songs are not just a nod to the past but also a bold step toward defining the future of Memphis music.

Southern Avenue have been turning heads since their 2017 self-titled debut album, for which they received the coveted Blues Music Award for “Best Emerging Artist.” Their 2019 release, Keep On, received a GRAMMY nomination. They've been nominated for the Blues Music Award for Band Of The Year in 2021, 2022 and 2023.

Constant touring has brought Southern Avenue to destinations all across the U.S, Europe and Australia and earned them non-stop adulation from fans, press and fellow musicians. This summer, the band toured across the country including headlining one night of the Chicago Blues Festival, before returning overseas to reunite with their many international fans. 

Today, Thursday, September 5, Blues Blast magazine has announced the winners for its 17th annual Blues Blast Music Awards.Three Alligator Records artists won a total of six awards.

Rick Estrin & The Nightcats received the coveted Band Of The Year Award, along with the award for Contemporary Blues Album Of The Year, for their critically acclaimed release, The Hits Keep Coming.

GRAMMY Award-winner Christone "Kingfish" Ingram received three awards: Male Blues Artist Of The Year, Electric Guitarist Of The Year and Live Album Of The Year, for 2023's Live In London.

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

Full list of winners can be found here.

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

Alligator artists and their awards follow: 

Rick Estrin & The Nightcats

Blues Band Of The Year: Rick Estrin & The Nightcats

Contemporary Blues Album Of The Year: 
The Hits Keep Coming 

Christone "Kingfish" Ingram

Live Blues Album Of The Year: Live In London

Male Blues Artist Of The Year

Electric Guitarist Of The Year 

Kenny "Beedy Eyes" Smith of The Cash Box Kings

Percussionist Of The Year: Kenny "Beedy Eyes" Smith

"Blues For My Dad" A Featured Track On Cain's Latest Album,
Good Intentions Gone Bad

Video Created By Album Producer Christoffer "Kid" Andersen 

        

"Chris Cain...Now That Boy Can Play The Guitar!"
–B.B. King 

“Chris Cain is the most important blues player you need to hear. Marvelous and irresistible...Cain brings an indelible touch and resonance to the blues, combining down-home sentiment with uptown feel. He unleashes unadulterated fretboard genius.”
–Vintage Guitar 
 
“A heady stew of Memphis-styled, rough-and-tumble electric blues. Potent guitar work and rough, lived-in vocals are edge-of-your-seat stuff. Cain’s exceptional original songs relentlessly reveal startling hooks and riffs amidst a wash of piercing, razor-sharp guitar.”
–Blues & Rhythm

“Chris Cain is one of the most brilliant and vital figures making music of any kind...He’s near legendary on the blues scene...an extraordinarily talented, consummate musician delivering passionate, heartfelt vocals, potent, superb playing and marvelous songs.”
–Blues Music Magazine   

On Monday, August 19, Alligator Records artist Chris Cain will premiere the new video for his song, Blues For My Dad. The song is from Cain's celebrated new release, Good Intentions Gone Bad. The new album finds Cain operating at the absolute peak of his powers, with producer/studio whiz/multi-instrumentalist/video producer (and guitarist for Rick Estrin & The Nightcats), Christoffer "Kid" Andersen pushing him to new heights every step of the way.
 

With more than three decades of touring and fifteen previous albums under his belt, Cain, once known as "one of the greatest guitarists you’ve never heard," is now celebrated by fans and fellow musicians alike as being among the blues’ most talented and exciting players. His original songs overflow with surprising hooks and feature razor-sharp lyrics that are moving and humorously insightful. With his powerful, soul man’s voice and his inventive guitar work—inspired by Grant Green and Wes Montgomery as much as by B.B. King and Albert King—Cain’s talents are unparalleled in the blues world. Living Blues says Cain is currently “turning out the best work of his career.”  

"A legendary guitarist...impeccable and spirited…a distinguished American player.”  —Rolling Stone

“Deceptively loose but always tight…the raspy chuckle in Bishop’s singing and the sharp sting of his guitar are forceful and fresh, enduring and fun.” —Fresh Air, NPR

Elvin Bishop, Alligator Records recording artist and Rock And Roll Hall Of Famer, was invited by Nobel Prize-winning music legend Bob Dylan to join him on stage and add his blistering slide guitar to Dylan's bluesy composition Early Roman Kings. The performance took place at the Shoreline Amphitheater in Mountain View, California on Saturday, August 3, 2024. Although the two musicians have known each other since the 1960s, this is the first time Bishop has performed on stage with Dylan.

According to Bishop, the whole thing came out of the blue. "Bob called up Maria Muldaur and got my number, and then the next thing you know, there we are."

Watch Elvin Bishop join Bob Dylan and his band for a top shelf rendition of Dylan's Early Roman Kings. “Elvin, how you doing?” says Dylan as they get ready to start the song. Bishop, who was busy fine-tuning his guitar and amp settings, didn’t respond. Dylan then deadpans, “I don’t think he’s paying attention.” 

BIOGRAPHY
Bishop, whose recording career spans six decades, is beloved as a natural storyteller, an endlessly creative guitarist, a slyly good-humored songwriter and an instantly crowd-pleasing performer. Born in Glendale, CA on October 21, 1942, Bishop grew up in Oklahoma, listening to blues music on late night radio. He used his National Merit Scholarship to enroll in the University of Chicago, whose campus was located near dozens of the South Side blues clubs where legendary artists regularly performed. Soon he was spending more time in the clubs than the classroom. 
 
Elvin and Paul Butterfield formed the first Paul Butterfield Blues Band in 1963. The band, including Bishop and Michael Bloomfield, became famous for bringing the sounds of Chicago blues to a new, young audience. They were inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall Of Fame in 2015. Bishop next moved to the San Francisco area and formed his own band, becoming a regular at the famed Fillmore Auditorium. He scored two chart-topping records during the 1970s: Travelin’ Shoes and Fooled Around And Fell In Love (the latter song reached number three on the pop charts and years later was prominently featured in the blockbuster film, Guardians Of The Galaxy). Elvin, who has recorded more than 30 albums, first joined Alligator in 1988. He continues to record and perform, both with his full band and with his pared-down, GRAMMY-nominated Big Fun Trio.

Bishop recently recorded a new version of his original, politically-charged song, What The Hell Is Going On?, with GRAMMY-winning band Los Lobos 

"A legendary guitarist...impeccable and spirited…a distinguished American player.”  —Rolling Stone

“Deceptively loose but always tight…the raspy chuckle in Bishop’s singing and the sharp sting of his guitar are forceful and fresh, enduring and fun.” —Fresh Air, NPR

Elvin Bishop, Alligator Records recording artist and Rock And Roll Hall Of Famer, recently joined GRAMMY Award-winning band Los Lobos to create a new version of Bishop's politically-charged song, What The Hell Is Going On?. The song, a concert staple for Bishop that decries political extremism, was released in a previous version on the 2020 GRAMMY-nominated Alligator Records album 100 Years Of Blues, by Bishop and his friend, blues icon Charlie Musselwhite. The new version was recorded in June at Los Lobos' East L.A. studio.

Bishop, whose recording career spans six decades, is beloved as a natural storyteller, an endlessly creative guitarist, a slyly good-humored songwriter and an instantly crowd-pleasing performer. Bishop says the song continues to evolve, but the anti-authoritarian message remains steadfast. "It's like a news report of what's outrageous," Bishop deadpans, then says, "It's important for people to hear and maybe it'll get some more people to vote."

As for the new recording, Bishop says, "I am amazed by Los Lobos, by how rich their repertoire is, and by their vocals and musicianship. They invited me up on stage at Rancho Nicassio (in Northern California), we played What The Hell Is Going On? and it was perfect. The crowd loved it. So we all met up in Los Angeles a little while later and recorded it."

Watch Elvin Bishop and Los Lobos perform What The Hell Is Going On? below 

Born in Glendale, CA on October 21, 1942, Bishop grew up in Oklahoma, listening to blues music on late night radio. He used his National Merit Scholarship to enroll in the University of Chicago, whose campus was located near dozens of the South Side blues clubs where legendary artists regularly performed. Soon he was spending more time in the clubs than the classroom. 
 
Elvin and Paul Butterfield formed the first Paul Butterfield Blues Band in 1963. The band, including Bishop and Michael Bloomfield, became famous for bringing the sounds of Chicago blues to a new, young audience. They were inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall Of Fame in 2015. Bishop next moved to the San Francisco area and formed his own band, becoming a regular at the famed Fillmore Auditorium. He scored two chart-topping records during the 1970s: Travelin’ Shoes and Fooled Around And Fell In Love (the latter song reached number three on the pop charts and years later was prominently featured in the blockbuster film, Guardians Of The Galaxy). Elvin, who has recorded more than 30 albums, first joined Alligator in 1988. He continues to record and perform, both with his full band and with his pared-down, GRAMMY-nominated Big Fun Trio. 

        

"In Ronnie Baker Brooks’ powerhouse hands, blues-rock never sounded so outrageous. Soul never sounded so delicious. And the blues never sounded so profound…one of today’s top live performers."
—Blues Music Magazine

"A monster guitarist with an ample supply of technique and passion"
—AllMusic

"Ronnie Baker Brooks bristles with energy, inspiration and self-confidence."
—Living Blues 

On Friday, October 11, 2024, Alligator Records will release Blues In My DNA, the jaw-dropping new album from award-winning blues rock guitarist, songwriter and vocalist Ronnie Baker Brooks. With Blues In My DNA, Ronnie delivers an up-to-the-minute, organic masterpiece. The album, the fifth of his career and first for Alligator, is firmly rooted in the blues with Ronnie incorporating his own brand of rock, funk and soul to the mix. “I just play what I feel,” he says. “It’s all from the heart.”

Blues In My DNA effortlessly moves from funkified rockers to deep Memphis soul to epic, crowd-pleasing, guitar-driven workouts. Produced by famed studio wizard Jim Gaines (who has produced Santana, Stevie Ray Vaughan, Lonnie Brooks, Luther Allison and many others), Blues In My DNA is a career-defining statement from Baker Brooks, with each of the 11 original songs its own chapter in his ever-evolving story.

For Ronnie -- son of legendary multiple GRAMMY Award nominee, Blues Hall Of Famer, and longtime Alligator Records recording star Lonnie Brooks -- the process of writing songs for Blues In My DNA was as fun and exciting as playing live. “I love writing as much as performing. I love watching an idea become a song, then a song become something people can relate to, and then sing along with. And I always keep it authentic to myself. Everyone can feel it and be familiar with it. I’m here to build bridges, not walls.”

The autobiographical title track, a song Ronnie describes as “a bridge between me and my audience,” is the album’s centerpiece, the passionate guitar solos underlining the lyrics’ story of triumphing over racism, poverty and glass ceilings. “I ain’t complaining,” he sings, “I’m just explaining,” before declaring, “I got love in my blood, the blues in my DNA.” The advance single track and the new lyric video for Blues In My DNA premieres today. 

Ronnie Baker Brooks was born in 1967 in Chicago. He received his first guitar from his famous father at age nine and learned the instrument as he got older, sharing his time between playing basketball and focusing on his music. After high school, he joined his father’s band – as a roadie. He earned his way slowly up the ladder, listening, watching and learning. At one show, Koko Taylor pulled him aside as he was loading the gear into the van and told him, “You learn from your daddy everything you can. And one day, it’ll be up to you to carry the blues forward.”

Lonnie eventually allowed Ronnie to play bass with the band before bringing him on as his full-time second guitarist. Ronnie made his recording debut on Lonnie’s Live From Chicago: Bayou Lightning Strikes album in 1988. In 1991, he hit the road as part of The Alligator Records 20th Anniversary Tour band, backing Lonnie, Elvin Bishop, and Katie Webster. Each night he'd join them, along with Koko Taylor and Lil' Ed Williams, for unforgettable blues jams.

Among the many lessons Ronnie learned growing up was to forge his own identity, to write his own songs, to play his own brand of blues and not to imitate anyone else. Willie Dixon taught him the importance of “delivering” the song, so the people know you believe it. Albert Collins, almost a second father to Ronnie, would say, “Take what you like from what we do and make it you.”

In 1998, when the time was right and with Lonnie’s blessing, Baker Brooks formed his own label, Watchdog Records, and released three solo albums over the next eight years: Golddigger in 1998, Take Me Witcha in 2001, and The Torch in 2006. On all three releases, Ronnie worked with and learned countless studio and production lessons from JellyBean Johnson (Prince, The Time), with positive response to Ronnie’s music coming from Prince himself.

In 2008, Ronnie produced and played on blues legend Eddy Clearwater’s Alligator debut, West Side Strut, helping to bring one of his mentors to a new generation of fans. His next solo album, 2017’s, Times Have Changed, was produced by drummer Steve Jordan (The Rolling Stones, Robert Cray) and issued on the Provogue label. The UK’s Record Collector magazine said, “Baker Brooks plays a heady blend of blues, soul and funk…an upbeat cocktail of guts, groove, stinging guitar work and soulful vocals.” The Blues Foundation has recognized Ronnie’s talent and recordings with a total of six Blues Music Award nominations.

Since he was a teen, Ronnie has toured the world, first with his dad and then leading his own band. He’s built his reputation as a white-hot performer one gig at a time. His eye-popping guitar work, soulful vocals, fireball energy and huge, crowd-pleasing personality keep his fans on the edge of their seats. In addition to performing at both Obama presidential inaugurations, he has played major festivals and concert halls across the U.S., Canada, the UK and Europe, as well as in Brazil and China. In 2024, Ronnie, along with his friend and label-mate Shemekia Copeland, opened the famous Chicago Blues Festival (the 4th time he’s appeared as a headliner), with a roof-raising performance. Then, four days later, he helped close the festival out – along with Copeland, his guitarist brother Wayne Baker Brooks and harmonica giant Billy Branch – joining headliner Buddy Guy at Buddy’s request.

Ronnie Baker Brooks may have been born a blues prince, but he never received any royal treatment. “Dad set me up for today,” Ronnie notes. “He always told me to put the time in, study, practice, get better. I started my music career as his roadie. He wouldn’t let me play onstage with him until I earned it, and until he was certain playing music was what I truly wanted to do. I grew up witnessing and learning from the legends of the blues. I'm excited to continue to create Chicago blues as part of my family legacy and our shared history. I’ll always carry on and represent the blues in everything I do. Dad started the fire, Albert Collins poured the gas on it, and Koko Taylor put the grill on.” 

        

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Alligator artists and their nominations follow:  

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

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

Electric Guitarist Of The Year: Nick Moss

Harmonica Player Of The Year: Dennis Gruenling

Bass Guitarist Of The Year: Rodrigo Mantovani 

Blues Band Of The Year: Rick Estrin & The Nightcats

Traditional Blues Album Of The Year: The Hits Keep Coming

Producer Of The Year: Christoffer "Kid" Andersen

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

Live Blues Album Of The Year: Live In London

Male Blues Artist Of The Year

Electric Guitarist Of The Year 

Acoustic Blues Album Of The Year: Naked Truth

Acoustic Guitarist Of The Year 

Blues Band Of The Year: The Cash Box Kings

Percussionist Of The Year: Kenny "Beedy Eyes" Smith

Rock Blues Album Of The Year: Writing On The Wall 

Contemporary Blues Album Of The Year: Exorcist 

Contemporary Blues Album Of The Year: The Hard Line  

Harmonica Player Of The Year: Billy Branch 

Band Of The Year: Southern Avenue 

        

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

“Shemekia Copeland has established herself as one of the leading blues artists of our time. Profound and truly powerful...inviting you to think and to party.”
—NPR Music

“Shemekia Copeland gets her message across loud and clear. She transcends with a mix of styles including gospel, rock, blues, soul, and Americana, proudly representing her generation with style and grace in a voice too strong to be ignored.”
—No Depression  

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

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

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

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

Born and raised in Harlem in 1979, Shemekia Copeland first stepped on stage with her famous father at New York’s Cotton Club when she was eight. Upon release of her Alligator Records debut Turn The Heat Up in 1998 when she was only 18, Copeland instantly became a blues and R&B force to be reckoned with. The New York Times and CNN, among many others, praised her talent, larger-than-life personality, dynamic, authoritative voice and true star power. With each subsequent release, Copeland’s music has continued to evolve.
 
With 2018’s America’s Child, Copeland brought out the first of her celebrated trilogy of albums concerning the state of the world, sung from her perspective as a young, Black woman and new mother. MOJO magazine named America’s Child the #1 blues release of 2018. It won both the Blues Music Award and the Living Blues Award for Album Of The Year.  In addition to earning a GRAMMY Award nomination, Copeland’s groundbreaking 2020 follow-up, Uncivil War, was named the 2020 Blues Album Of The Year by DownBeat, MOJO and Living Blues magazines. She received her fifth GRAMMY nomination for Done Come Too Far, which closed the trilogy with a searing set of truth-to-power, rock and Hill Country blues-fueled songs.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Artists and their awards are below:  

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

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

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

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

READERS' AWARDS:
Most Outstanding Musician (Keyboard)

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

        

“Chris Cain is the most important blues player you need to hear. Marvelous and irresistible...Cain brings an indelible touch and resonance to the blues, combining down-home sentiment with uptown feel. He unleashes unadulterated fretboard genius.”
–Vintage Guitar 
 
“A heady stew of Memphis-styled, rough-and-tumble electric blues. Potent guitar work and rough, lived-in vocals are edge-of-your-seat stuff. Cain’s exceptional original songs relentlessly reveal startling hooks and riffs amidst a wash of piercing, razor-sharp guitar.”
–Blues & Rhythm

“Chris Cain is one of the most brilliant and vital figures making music of any kind...He’s near legendary on the blues scene...an extraordinarily talented, consummate musician delivering passionate, heartfelt vocals, potent, superb playing and marvelous songs.”
–Blues Music Magazine   

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

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

With more than three decades of touring and fifteen previous albums under his belt, Cain, once known as one of the greatest guitarists you’ve never heard, is now celebrated by fans and fellow musicians alike as being among the blues’ most talented and exciting players. His original songs overflow with surprising hooks and feature razor-sharp lyrics that are moving and humorously insightful. With his powerful, soul man’s voice and his inventive guitar work—inspired by Grant Green and Wes Montgomery as much as by B.B. King and Albert King—Cain’s talents are unparalleled in the blues world. Living Blues says Cain is currently “turning out the best work of his career.”

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

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

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

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

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

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

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