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BLUES ICONS ELVIN BISHOP AND CHARLIE MUSSELWHITE TO RELEASE NEW ALLIGATOR RECORDS ALBUM, 100 YEARS OF BLUES, ON SEPTEMBER 25

ROLLING STONE:
Elvin Bishop is a legendary guitarist…impeccable and spirited…a distinguished American player.
Charlie Musselwhite, with unabashed excellence, sets the standard for blues harmonica.

Alligator Records is pleased to announce the September 25, 2020 release of 100 Years Of Blues, the first-ever album by Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame guitarist Elvin Bishop and Grammy-winning harmonica master Charlie Musselwhite. 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. They are among the most famous bluesmen in the world. 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."

The idea for the album was sparked in 2017 when the two icons laid down the original version of the song 100 Years Of Blues for Bishop’s Big Fun Trio album. They realized that, with their soul-deep understanding of the blues, they had a special musical chemistry between them. In 2019, Bishop and Musselwhite played a series of stripped-down shows – along with their mutual friend, master pianist/guitarist Bob Welsh – swapping songs and telling stories. The audiences went wild, and Elvin and Charlie had so much fun they knew they had to capture the magic in the studio.

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 is so versatile on guitar and piano. 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.” 

The album was recorded at Kid Andersen’s Greaseland Studios and Bishop’s Hog Heaven Studios in northern California. It was produced by Andersen and co-produced by Bishop, Musselwhite and Welsh. The laid-back, spontaneous nature of 100 Years Of Blues highlights the heartfelt passion of each performance. The richly detailed, autobiographical title track (freshly recorded for this album) tells Elvin’s and Charlie’s tales with sly good humor, recalling specific times and locations in their amazingly colorful lives. The potent What The Hell? finds Bishop taking on current events, winking an eye while speaking truth to power. Throughout the album, the interplay of guitar, vocals, harmonica and piano is virtually telepathic.

Both Bishop and Musselwhite got their start in the early 1960s on Chicago’s blues-rich South Side. Bishop, from Oklahoma, befriended and was taught by guitarist Little Smokey Smothers. Musselwhite, from Memphis, was mentored by his pals Delta bluesman Big Joe Williams and harmonica master Big Walter Horton. Although they were young, white newcomers, Bishop and Musselwhite were accepted by the Black blues fans and by the established musicians because they were, like the bluesmen themselves, “from down home", and also because they played the blues with real feeling. As Musselwhite explains, “It was great the way Elvin and I were not only welcomed but also encouraged by the blues giants of the day. When I first got to Chicago I was content just to hang out and socialize and listen to the great blues, but when Muddy Waters found out I played harmonica, he insisted that I sit in. That changed everything, because other musicians heard me and started offering me gigs. Boy, did that get me focused. I might not’ve ever had a career in music if men like Muddy hadn’t been so welcoming and encouraging.” Young Elvin was also welcomed onto South Side bandstands, gigging with Hound Dog Taylor, Junior Wells and J.T. Brown.

Both men went on to win fame by introducing blues music to the rock and roll audience – Bishop with The Paul Butterfield Blues Band and his own genre-bending Elvin Bishop Group, and Musselwhite with his wide-ranging and influential recordings as leader of his own band. Both performed with and made friends with countless blues giants. They immersed themselves in the blues tradition before blazing their own trails, beginning with their initial recordings. As Bishop and Musselwhite began adventurously expanding the boundaries of the genre, the new audience eagerly went along for the ride. Although they had only occasionally crossed paths in Chicago, by the late 1960s -- after Musselwhite and then Bishop relocated to California -- they began regularly running into each other and became occasional fishing buddies. In the 1980s, they toured Hawaii together. In 2002, they headlined a national tour of performing arts centers, further cementing their friendship.

Since then, Bishop and Musselwhite have continued touring with their own bands and creating critically acclaimed, award-winning music. Their stories – rich as they already are – are still being written, and this album is a new chapter. Their subtle, soulful musicianship and relaxed, conversational vocals fuel every song. Infused with their deep understanding of the blues tradition mixed with the good-time spirit these two old pals stir up, 100 Years Of Blues is one of the finest, most memorable recordings of either artist’s career.

New Songs From Upcoming Albums by Elvin Bishop & Charlie Musselwhite, Shemekia Copeland, Selwyn Birchwood, Curtis Salgado and Chris Cain

Alligator Records will release 2020 Blues -- New Music From Alligator Records on Friday, August 21, 2020. The digital-only sampler features fresh material from five to-be-released full albums. The set includes new songs from blues legends Elvin Bishop & Charlie Musselwhite (joining forces), award-winning vocalist Shemekia Copeland, rising star guitarist and lap steel master Selwyn Birchwood, blues and R&B icon Curtis Salgado and the newest member of the Alligator family, world-renowned guitarist Chris Cain.

Track List:
1) CHRIS CAIN, I Believe I Got Off Cheap. From Raising Cain, due early 2021.
Alligator's newest signing is a virtuoso guitarist, fan-favorite, and four-decade touring veteran of the international blues scene. He's a beloved musician's musician who has recorded 14 previous albums. None other than B.B. King declared, "Now that boy can PLAY the guitar." Guitar Player said, "Cain is an impressive, top-notch guitarist. His full-bodied tone and big voice pack a punch that had me reeling.”


2) SELWYN BIRCHWOOD, Living In A Burning House. From Living In A Burning House, due early 2021.
Birchwood's searing guitar and lap steel work, along with his incisive, hook-filled songs and pin-you-to-the-wall vocals, places him among the very best of the new generation of bluesmen. Rolling Stone says, "Birchwood is a remarkable, contemporary bluesman...a powerhouse young guitarist and soulful vocalist. A major player...highly recommended.”

3) SHEMEKIA COPELAND, Uncivil War. From Uncivil War, due later in 2020.
Originally released as a single in June, 2020 (which was world-premiered by SiriusXM Bluesville radio), the topical song Uncivil War has already made an impact. Rolling Stone praises it as "Blues queen Shemekia Copeland's rootsy message song about the divided states of America. Her gospel-tinged vocal is there to soothe and defuse, reminding us that it’s time to listen to one another and, ultimately, come together."

4) CURTIS SALGADO, The Longer That I Live. From Damage Control, due early 2021.
The always true-to-himself, musically adventurous vocalist and harmonica player Salgado -- called an "icon" with a "huge voice" by NPR Music -- delivers one of his most humorously honest original songs with The Longer That I Live. The hard-hitting track is as soulful and memorable as anything he's recorded on his 10 previous albums. Blues Music Magazine says, “Salgado inspires chills. Upbeat and original...poignant and wise with a great sense of humor.”

5) ELVIN BISHOP & CHARLIE MUSSELWHITE, What The Hell?. From 100 Years Of Blues, set for September 25, 2020 release.

On their first-ever album together, the stripped-down 100 Years Of Blues, Bishop and Musselwhite (along with guitarist/pianist Bob Welsh) bring it all back home with some of the warmest and most engaging music of their equally storied careers. Elvin and Charlie tell their musical tales with top-shelf musicianship and sly good humor. The potent What The Hell? finds Bishop taking on current events, winking an eye while speaking truth to power.

CHRISTONE “KINGFISH” INGRAM RELEASES NEW SONG, ROCK & ROLL, ON JULY 24

Rock & Roll is a tribute to Ingram's mother, the late Princess Pride, and is Ingram's first original song since his Grammy-nominated debut album, Kingfish

Listen To Rock & Roll here.
Watch the Rock & Roll video here.


She made a deal with the angels and they'll never let go
I'm gonna sell my soul to Rock and Roll
—Kingfish, Rock & Roll

On Friday, July 24, rising star blues guitarist, vocalist and songwriter Christone “Kingfish” Ingram releases his emotionally riveting new song, Rock & Roll. The track, originally composed by Nashville-based songwriters Sean McConnell and Ashley Ray, and adapted and personalized by Ingram, is a loving tribute to Ingram's mother, Princess Pride, who passed away in December, 2019. Pride, a single mother, worked countless hours to make certain Christone had every opportunity to learn and to succeed, in music and in life.

Rock & Roll is the first original song Kingfish has released since his 2019 Grammy-nominated debut album, Kingfish. He recorded his moving vocals and impassioned guitar solos in Memphis at Willie Mitchell's famed Royal Studios. The song was produced by Nick Goldston.

After hearing the song, Ingram personalized McConnell's and Ray's lyrics, adding the third verse and revising parts of the first two verses and the chorus. According to Ingram, "Rock & Roll is a special song. It’s a track about my relationship with my biggest champion — my mom. The true to life lyrics reflect my mom's dedication to me as her son. I would not be where I am today without her unwavering love and support. Further, as a musician who is recognized for blues, the chorus is important because it refers to the Robert Johnson ‘selling his soul’ story, and is a direct nod to blues history and its influence on rock & roll."

Songwriter Ray adds, "I'm honored that Christone was able to see his family in the song, and that he was able to add and revise lyrics to reflect his experience with his mom. As young musicians, there are some similarities in our important relationships with our mothers. I am moved that he wanted to record this song. It's a beautiful tribute to his mom."

Since the release of his debut album Kingfish, 21-year-old Clarksdale, Mississippi native Ingram has earned hordes of new fans. In addition to his Grammy nomination, he won five 2020 Blues Music Awards, including Album Of The Year, Best Guitarist and Best Emerging Artist. He is currently nominated for three Living Blues Awards and two Blues Blast Awards. Kingfish has been featured in newspapers, magazines, and on radio and television. In addition to headlining his own tours, Ingram has performed with Buddy Guy, Vampire Weekend and Jason Isbell. Kingfish debuted at #1 on the Billboard Blues and Heatseekers charts and has remained on the Blues chart ever since. The song Fresh Out was the most played track in 2019 on Sirius/XM’s Bluesville channel. Songs from the album continues to receive regular airplay on radio stations around the world. Ingram was interviewed by Sir Elton John on John's Apple Beats podcast. He also appeared (honoring Buddy Guy) on PBS Television's Austin City Limits. NPR Music named Ingram a 2020 Artist To Watch, and included Kingfish as one of the Best Debut Albums Of 2019. Tastemaker UK music magazine MOJO named Kingfish the #1 Blues Album of 2019.

In February 2020, Kingfish released his powerful interpretation of Michael "Iron Man" Burks' Empty Promises. NPR Music said, "Young blues-guitar wonder Christone 'Kingfish' Ingram plays emotional, signature solos that are both raw and breathtakingly precise. Scorching, sizzling and invigorating."

Shemekia Copeland and Christone "Kingfish" Ingram Lead With Three Each.
Tommy Castro, Rick Estrin And Billy Branch Receive Two Each.
Lil' Ed & The Blues Imperials, The Cash Box Kings And Marcia Ball Take One Each.
 
Living Blues magazine has announced the nominees for the 2020 Living Blues Readers' Awards. Eight Alligator Records artists received a total of 15 nominations. Vocalist Shemekia Copeland and guitarist Christone "Kingfish" Ingram led all nominees with three each. Tommy Castro, Rick Estrin (of Rick Estrin & The Nightcats) and Billy Branch each received two. Lil' Ed & The Blues Imperials, The Cash Box Kings and Marcia Ball earned one apiece.

The public -- Living Blues subscribers and non-subscribers alike -- can vote at www.livingblues.com by August 15, 2020. Winners will be announced shortly thereafter.

Alligator artists and award nominations are as follows:

SHEMEKIA COPELAND:
Blues Artist Of The Year (Female)
Most Outstanding Blues Singer
Best Live Performer
 
 
CHRISTONE "KINGFISH" INGRAM:
Blues Artist Of The Year (Male)
Most Outstanding Musician (Guitar)
Best Blues Album Of 2019 (New Recordings): Kingfish

 
TOMMY CASTRO:
Blues Artist Of The Year (Male)
Most Outstanding Musician (Guitar)
 
 
RICK ESTRIN:
Blues Artist Of The Year (Male)
Most Outstanding Musician (Harmonica)
 
 
BILLY BRANCH:
Most Outstanding Musician (Harmonica)
Best Blues Album Of 2019 (New Recordings):
Roots And Branches--The Songs Of Little Walter
 
 
LIL' ED & THE BLUES IMPERIALS:
Best Live Performer
 
 
THE CASH BOX KINGS:
Best Blues Album Of 2019 (New Recordings): Hail To The Kings!
 
 
MARCIA BALL:
Most Outstanding Musician (Keyboards)







 
 

Chris Cain is a hot-shot guitarist and a singer with the maturity of blues masters like Bobby Bland and B.B. King.

—The Washington Post

Chris Cain? Now that boy can PLAY the guitar!
—B.B. King

Hands down my favorite blues player on the scene today. He’s an absolute blinder of a guitarist, with the voice of B.B. King and the chops of Albert King.
—Joe Bonamassa

Alligator Records is pleased to announce the signing of world-renowned blues guitarist, vocalist and songwriter Chris Cain. His label debut, Raisin' Cain, should be released later this year or early in 2021, depending on market conditions. The album -- produced and recorded by Kid Andersen at San Jose's Greaseland Studio -- will feature twelve original songs. According to Cain, "They are the best pack of tunes I've ever written."

With more than three decades of worldwide touring and fourteen acclaimed previous albums, Cain has earned his reputation as both a fan favorite and a musician’s musician. Since his first release in 1987, he has created his very own blues sound inspired by his heroes – B.B. King, Albert King, Ray Charles, Albert Collins, Grant Green and Wes Montgomery. His jazz-informed blues guitar playing is fiery, emotional and always unpredictable. His vocals – gruff, lived-in and powerful – add fuel to the fire. His indelible original songs keep one foot in the blues tradition and both eyes on the future. The pure joy Cain brings to his playing and singing is palpable, and draws fans even closer in

Both the media and his fellow musicians rave about Cain. Guitar Player said, “Cain is an impressive, top-notch guitarist. His full-bodied tone and big voice pack a punch that had me reeling.” Guitar icon Robben Ford said, “Chris Cain is for real. He’s a great blues player with an intensity that keeps you on the edge of your seat, wondering what he’s going to do next. Plus he knows how to write a song you haven’t heard before, full of humor and insight. If you like the blues, you’ll like Chris Cain. I am a stone fan."

Joining Alligator Records is a dream come true for Cain, who grew up idolizing label giants like Hound Dog Taylor and Son Seals. “Alligator cares so much about the music and the artists,” Cain says. “I’m really excited to be a part of it.”

Similarly, label president Bruce Iglauer is thrilled to welcome Cain into the Alligator family. “Chris Cain is a brilliant and soulful blues guitarist, vocalist and songwriter -- and a terrific keyboard and sax player too. He’s won devoted fans around the world on top of being a true musician’s musician. He is spoken of with awe by his fellow bluesmen. Chris has cut fourteen terrific previous albums, but none is more exciting than Raisin’ Cain. We’re looking forward to bringing Chris’ music to a wider audience than ever before.”

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 music with Chris. His African American father and Greek mother both loved music and had a huge record collection. His father first took Chris to see B.B. King when Chris was three, and, says Cain, “we never missed another show.” Thanks to his parents’ musical passion, young Chris saw almost every blues, jazz and rock artist that came through town, many of them repeatedly -- James Brown, Albert King, Johnny Winter, Jimi Hendrix, even The Beatles. He picked up his first guitar at age eight and learned lick after lick, song after song. He listened to his father’s records over and over until the music had seeped into his soul.

Cain formed his first band in 1986, and released his first album in 1987, Late Night City Blues, on the locally-based Blue Rock’It label. Almost immediately, booking agents came calling. Incredibly, he was touring Europe even before he started barnstorming the U.S. The album received four W.C Handy Award nominations (now the Blues Music Awards) and the offers to perform kept rolling in. He even opened for his heroes Albert King and Albert Collins, who both asked Chris to jam on stage. The more Cain toured and recorded, the greater his reputation grew. His releases include four albums on Blue Rock’It and three on Blind Pig Records, and his live performances number in the thousands.

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 in Argentina, Uruguay, Italy, Spain, France, Belgium, The Netherlands, Sweden, Norway, Switzerland, Australia, New Zealand, Austria, Brazil, Belarus, Canada, Czech Republic, Estonia, Finland, Georgia, Latvia, Lithuania, Romania, Russia and Ukraine.

Shemekia Copeland is a powerhouse, a superstar…she can do no wrong.”
--Rolling Stone

Shemekia Copeland is one of the great blues voices of our time. No one comes close to the sheer firepower that Copeland conjures at will.
--Chicago Tribune

Authoritative...confrontational...punchy defiance and potent conviction. It’s hard to imagine anyone staking a more convincing claim to the territory she’s staked out.
--NPR Music

Award-winning blues and Americana vocalist Shemekia Copeland releases her timely new song, Uncivil War, on Friday, June 19. It is a courageous statement pleading for unity in a time of disunion, and is unlike anything Copeland has previously recorded. Uncivil War takes no sides and speaks to every person's desire to be safe and free. Featuring iconic mandolin wizard Sam Bush, dobro master Jerry Douglas and background vocals from popular alternative band The Orphan Brigade, the song is simultaneously comforting and challenging, as Copeland sings, "Same old wounds we've opened before / Nobody wins an uncivil war." Shemekia delivers the song with passion and insight about the chaos and uncertainty in the world while still finding light in the darkness and hope for the future.

On Monday, June 15 at 9:00am Eastern, SiriusXM's B.B. King's Bluesville exclusively premiered the song to its worldwide audience.

According to Copeland, "It's not just a song. I’m trying to put the 'united' back in the United States. Like many people, I miss the days when we treated each other better. For me, this country’s all about people with differences coming together to be part of something we all love. That’s what really makes America beautiful.”

Copeland's instantly recognizable voice is capable of being sultry, assertive and roaring. She is a three-time Grammy nominee with a wide-open vision of contemporary Americana roots, blues and soul music. Uncivil War showcases the next step in the evolution of a passionate artist with an up-to-the-minute musical and lyrical approach. The song, written by John Hahn, will be featured on Copeland's upcoming Alligator album.

Copeland's previous release, America’s Child, cemented her place her as one of blues' and Americana's most commanding voices. America's Child won the Blues Music Award for Album Of The Year, and was named the #1 blues album of 2018 by MOJO magazine. Copeland recently received the 2020 Blues Music Award for Contemporary Blues Female Artist Of The Year, during a special online ceremony.

When she first burst on the scene at age 18 in 1998 with her groundbreaking Alligator Records debut CD, Turn The Heat Up, Copeland quickly became a blues and R&B force to be reckoned with. News outlets from The New York Times to CNN praised Copeland's talent, larger-than-life personality, and true star power. With each of her eight releases, Copeland's music has continued to grow, reaching a larger and larger audience

Shemekia Copeland has performed thousands of gigs at clubs, festivals and concert halls all over the world and has appeared on national television, NPR, and in newspapers, films and magazines. She's sung with Eric Clapton, Bonnie Raitt, Keith Richards, Carlos Santana, Dr. John, James Cotton and many others. She opened for The Rolling Stones and entertained U.S. troops in Iraq and Kuwait. Jeff Beck calls her “amazing.” Santana says, “She’s incandescent…a diamond.” In 2012, she performed with B.B. King, Mick Jagger, Buddy Guy, Trombone Shorty, Gary Clark, Jr. and others at the White House for President and Mrs. Obama. Currently, Copeland can be heard five days a week hosting her own blues radio show on SiriusXM's Bluesville. In addition, she was recently the subject of a six-minute feature on the PBS News Hour, who proclaimed her "a new generation Queen Of The Blues."

The Philadelphia Inquirer declared, "Shemekia Copeland is an antidote to artifice. She is a commanding presence, a powerhouse vocalist delivering the truth." No Depression added, “When Shemekia Copeland opens her mouth, everybody pays attention. She pierces your soul.”

Guitar superstar Gary Clark, Jr. recently shared his love of The Cannon -- the guitar effects pedal designed by Function-fx (https://function-fx.com/site/the-cannon-dual-fuzz/) for Chicago blues sensation Toronzo Cannon -- with his many social media friends and followers.

"The Cannon," says Clark, "got me where I need to be. This is not an ad. Just showing love."

Songwriter, guitarist, vocalist and Chicago Transit Authority bus driver Toronzo Cannon fuses his original, keenly-detailed tales of everyday life with his fiery guitar playing. UK tastemaker music magazine MOJO named his latest Alligator Records album, The Preacher, The Politician Or The Pimp, the #2 Best Blues Album Of 2019. Cannon recently received three 2020 Blues Music Award nominations.

Blues Music Magazine says, “Cannon has all the fire and spontaneity of the Chicago legends. His songwriting is a timely and original look at the world he sees by day on a bus and in blues clubs by night, and his assertive voice is the perfect vehicle to deliver the message.”

On Sunday, May 3, The Blues Foundation announced the winners of the 41st Annual Blues Music Awards, the blues world's highest honors.

Newcomer Christone "Kingfish" Ingram led all recipients with five awards, winning in every category in which he was nominated. He took the trophies for Album Of The Year, Contemporary Blues Album Of The Year and Best Emerging Artist Album for his Alligator Records debut, Kingfish. He was also named Contemporary Male Blues Artist Of The Year and Best Instrumentalist - Guitar.

The Nick Moss Band Featuring Dennis Gruenling (with Moss on guitar and Gruenling on harmonica) was named Band Of The Year, and won in all three categories in which they were nominated. Their Alligator Records album Lucky Guy! won Traditional Blues Album Of The Year. The album's title track, written by Moss, won the Song Of The Year award.

Two other Alligator artists were also award winners. Vocalist Shemekia Copeland won for Contemporary Blues Female Artist Of The Year. Rick Estrin, leader of Rick Estrin & The Nightcats, won for Best Instrumentalist - Harmonica.

The 41st Annual Blues Music Awards ceremony, hosted from her living room by Shemekia Copeland, was presented online with contributions from artists all over the world. Presenters included Charlie Musselwhite, Warren Haynes, Fantastic Negrito, Ruthie Foster, William Bell, Beth Hart, and Keb’ Mo’.

The awards were originally scheduled to be presented in Memphis on May 7, 2020, before being moved online due to the coronavirus pandemic.

Full list of winners can be found here:
https://blues.org/blues-music-awards/#nominees

Master guitarist Charles "Little Charlie" Baty -- known worldwide as a fearless blues musician -- died on March 6, 2020 of a heart attack in Vacaville, California. He was 66. Baty is best known as the leader of award-winning blues band Little Charlie & The Nightcats, who released nine albums on Alligator Records between 1987 and 2008. Baty retired from the band in 2008 with a desire to do less year-round touring. Over the course of his career, he shared stages with Muddy Waters, Gregg Allman, Robert Cray, Albert Collins, Los Lobos and many others.

Guitar World said, “Baty’s straight blues playing is eye-popping...inspired and manic blues guitar. He can sting like Buddy Guy and swing like Tiny Grimes.” Rock critic Robert Christgau, writing in The Village Voice said, “Little Charlie Baty plays as much guitar as Eric Clapton and Buddy Guy put together. He is one of the swiftest, most fluent guitarists working in any genre.”

Baty proudly never played the same song the same way twice. His playing bridged hard Chicago blues and swing jazz, and his inspirations were as diverse as Buddy Guy, Django Reinhardt and Tiny Grimes. In 2018, he told his hometown newspaper, The Davis Enterprise, "If you practice scales, then your playing sounds like scales. If you start second guessing, you end up musically introverted. You cannot have fear as a guitar player."

In recent years, Baty fronted jazz trio Little Charlie & Organ Grinder Swing, and performed often with artists including Mark Hummel Kim Wilson and Anson Funderburgh. His extensive musical vocabulary was comprised of blues, jazz, rockabilly and swing. The Chicago Tribune said, "Baty's guitar is razor sharp, blasting out solos with jaw-dropping precision." Blues legend John Lee Hooker, with whom the band toured in 1987, told Baty, "You're dangerous with that guitar, man. They're gonna put you in jail."

Baty was born in Birmingham, Alabama and moved to San Francisco at an early age. He fell in love with blues as a child and was playing harmonica by age 12. He began his musical career in the mid-1960s as a Chicago-style blues harmonica player and vocalist, turning to guitar in the early 1970s. In his late teens, he attended many concerts at the Fillmore including seeing B.B. King and Buddy Guy. After graduating high school, Baty earned a Mathematics degree from the University of California Berkeley.

Baty moved to Sacramento in 1975 in search of a non-musical job, although he was already a proficient guitarist. Soon after moving there, he met harmonica player, vocalist and songwriter Rick Estrin. The two added a drummer and bassist and formed Little Charlie & The Nightcats, quickly becoming one of the most talked about blues bands on the local scene. The group signed with Alligator Records in 1987. They released nine albums and toured the world non-stop before Baty retired from the band in 2008. Baty released 14 total albums in his lifetime. His most recent was Skronky Tonk in 2017 on the EllerSoul label.

Baty is survived by sisters Katherine and Laurel and mother-in-law Mary Montiero. He was preceded in death by sister Page and wife Sylvia.

Private funeral services will be held on Monday, March 16, 2020.

NPR MUSIC TO PREMIERE STUDIO AND LIVE VERSIONS ON FEBRUARY 10

“This Clarksdale, Mississippi native smacks [the blues] to life by singing like an ornery road-weary elder (he turned 21 in January), and playing guitar with a dramatic, searing tone and sure-handed authority. And that's just in the studio; he's even scarier live."
--NPR Music

On Monday, February 10, 2020 NPR Music is exclusively premiering Empty Promises, the hair-raising new recording from rising star blues guitarist and vocalist Christone “Kingfish” Ingram. Fresh off a Grammy Award nomination for his 2019 Alligator Records debut, Kingfish, Ingram officially releases his blistering version of Empty Promises on Friday, February 14. The head-turning young guitarist and vocalist is unleashing two versions of the song (which was written and first performed by the late bluesman Michael “Iron Man” Burks) -- a studio version, recorded in Los Angeles in January 2020, and a live version, recorded at Nashville’s 3rd & Lindsley club on February 1, 2020. In addition to the audio versions of the song, NPR Music will also host the video of the live version. Nashville Scene called Ingram's performance, “an invigorating display of mastery….dynamic showmanship combined with imaginative, decisive and constantly surprising musicianship. Ingram’s vocals were energetic and compelling.” Empty Promises will be available on all major streaming and download services.

Listen and watch here.

According to Ingram, Empty Promises is a song he’s always loved. “I’ve long been a fan of Michael Burks and I think Empty Promises is an amazing song. The structure and lyrics are special and of course the original guitar is heavy. Ultimately, this is a love song and it’s one I truly wanted to put my own spin on. With the versions I’ve released, I really want people just to hear how unique the song can be, particularly with the guitar solos. Hopefully people will like it and think that I have done it justice.”

Since the release of his debut album Kingfish, 21-year-old Clarksdale, Mississippi native Ingram has gigged nonstop and has been featured in newspapers, magazines, and on radio and television. In addition to headlining his own tours, Ingram has performed with Buddy Guy, Vampire Weekend and Jason Isbell. Kingfish debuted at #1 on the Billboard "Blues" and "Heatseekers" charts and has remained on the "Blues" chart ever since. The album continues to receive regular airplay on radio stations around the world. He was recently interviewed by Sir Elton John on John's Apple Beats podcast. NPR Music named Ingram a 2020 Artist To Watch, and included Kingfish as one of the Best Debut Albums Of 2019. Tastemaker UK music magazine MOJO named Kingfish the #1 Blues Album of 2019. He recently appeared (honoring Buddy Guy) on PBS Television's Austin City Limits.

Ingram is currently embarked on his second national headlining tour, “Fish Grease 2: A Juke Joint Tour.” In addition to his headlining dates, he'll open some shows for Buddy Guy and Vampire Weekend. He’ll make his first headlining tour of Europe this summer.

Shemekia Copeland is the greatest female blues vocalist working today.
--The Chicago Tribune

Award-winning blues, soul and Americana vocalist Shemekia Copeland will be featured on the nationally televised program PBS NewsHour Weekend on Sunday, January 26, 2020. Copeland, a three-time Grammy nominee, brings her wide-open vision of contemporary American roots music to every song she sings.

PBS NewsHour Weekend's Tom Casciato says he considers Copeland "a great vocalist." During the eight-minute segment, Copeland tells Casciato, among other things, about getting in trouble as a child at school for singing the Koko Taylor song I'm A Woman. Many of Copeland's songs -- from classics like Ghetto Child to more recent anthems like Ain't Got Time For Hate -- will be heard during the piece.

The show will air late Sunday afternoon but at various times in different markets. Local PBS stations can be found here. Please note that depending on current events, scheduling may change.

The segment will be available to stream in full at the PBS NewsHour Weekend website beginning on January 26.

Copeland recently received two 2020 Blues Music Award nominations. She won two Blues Music Awards in 2019, including Album Of The Year for her groundbreaking album, America's Child. Copeland is currently working on her next as-yet-untitled album, due out later in 2020. She can be heard daily hosting her own blues radio show on SiriusXM's Bluesville.

When she first burst on the scene at age 18 in 1998 with her groundbreaking Alligator Records debut CD, Turn The Heat Up, Copeland quickly became a blues and R&B force to be reckoned with. News outlets from The New York Times to CNN praised Copeland's talent, larger-than-life personality, and true star power. With each subsequent release, Copeland's music has continued to grow, reaching a larger and larger audience. In 2018, influential tastemaker UK music magazine MOJO named America'sChild the #1 blues album of the year.

Copeland has performed thousands of gigs at clubs, festivals and concert halls all over the world and has appeared on national television, NPR, and in newspapers, films and magazines. She's sung with Eric Clapton, Bonnie Raitt, Keith Richards, Carlos Santana, James Cotton and many others. She opened for The Rolling Stones and entertained U.S. troops in Iraq and Kuwait. Jeff Beck calls her “amazing.” Santana says, “She’s incandescent…a diamond.” In 2012, she performed with B.B. King, Mick Jagger, Buddy Guy, Trombone Shorty, Gary Clark, Jr. and others at the White House for President and Mrs. Obama.

NPR Music says, “She brings a perfect balance of authority and understatement to each song.” No Depression adds, “When Shemekia Copeland opens her mouth, everybody pays attention. She pierces your soul. This is how you do it, and nobody does it better than Shemekia Copeland.”