News
JJ GREY & MOFRO’S NEW ALBUM OLUSTEE RELEASED TODAY ON ALLIGATOR RECORDS
2/23/2024
Today, JJ Grey & Mofro unveil their highly anticipated new album, Olustee, on Alligator Records. The album marks their first release in nearly a decade and first-ever release produced by Grey. With Olustee, JJ Grey has once again pushed the boundaries of his own creative musical, lyrical and vocal talents, delivering an album that is destined to become a classic. Many of the songs are steeped in the mythical Southern stories of his ancestral Florida home and filled with characters from JJ’s life. The songs overflow with the sights and sounds of the region as told through the eyes of a poet and sung with pure, unvarnished soul.
JJ GREY & MOFRO’S NEW ALBUM OLUSTEE RELEASED TODAY ON ALLIGATOR RECORDS
First Album In Nearly A Decade And First-Ever Produced By Grey
Two-Month Headlining Tour Beginning March 6 Includes Performances At Ryman Auditorium (Nashville, TN), Riviera Theatre (Chicago), Capitol Theatre (Port Chester, NY) And More
Impassioned singing, riff-based Southern rock, cold blooded swamp funk and sly Memphis soul. Rich, funky blues celebrate life’s most fundamental joys. Grey is a singer-songwriter with unforced talent and deep feeling.
—The New York Times
A deeply-rooted blend of southern-fried rock and swamp funk…richly evocative lyrics…plainspoken, blue-collar American music.
—NPR
"Abundantly talented singer, guitarist, harmonica man, gritty-voiced JJ Grey delivers tuneful originals, funky good times, sinuous ballads, gospel and Southern rock spiced with moments of pure jazz …a pleasure."
—MOJO
Today, JJ Grey & Mofro unveil their highly anticipated new album, Olustee, on Alligator Records. The album marks their first release in nearly a decade and first-ever release produced by Grey. With Olustee, JJ Grey has once again pushed the boundaries of his own creative musical, lyrical and vocal talents, delivering an album that is destined to become a classic. Many of the songs are steeped in the mythical Southern stories of his ancestral Florida home and filled with characters from JJ’s life. The songs overflow with the sights and sounds of the region as told through the eyes of a poet and sung with pure, unvarnished soul.
JJ Grey spoke on the inspiration behind the title track saying, "My grandfather was from the area immediately to the south of Olustee. "Olustee" the song is a compilation of a couple different stories I’ve heard, plus my own experience getting caught in a wildfire." Watch the lyric video for “Olustee” here.
JJ Grey & Mofro have also announced a massive, months-long tour headlining iconic venues across the US, including The Ryman in Nashville, The Riviera in Chicago, The Capitol Theatre in Port Chester, NY, among many others. Concert dates are below. JJ Grey & Mofro are also set to return to The St. Augustine Amphitheatre for their annual performance at the Blackwater Sol Revue May 25 & 26. The shows will feature JJ Grey & Mofro, Lucero, American Aquarium, Satsang, Smokestack, The Allman Betts Band, G Love & Special Sauce, Anders Osborne (duo), and Kendall Street Company. Tickets to all shows are available here: www.jjgrey.com/tour. As part of the Olustee World Tour, the band will perform in the UK and the Netherlands before joining Blues Traveler for a selected number of Western U.S. dates.
Songs released early from Olustee include “Wonderland”, "The Sea" and “Rooster.” The album’s eleven songs range from the raucous, celebratory first radio single,” Wonderland,” to an escape from an out-of-control wildfire in the title track, to the inward-looking closer, “Deeper Than Belief.” Singing of his own personal triumphs and struggles, his hopes and desires, his friends and family, Grey’s message is simple and strong -- respect the natural world and always try to live in the moment. And never forget the importance of having a good time.
JJ Grey has also just launched Rolling Rooster, his own bourbon brand, in partnership with St. Augustine Distillery, that combines elements of his new album with his love for bourbon. More info available here: https://www.jjgrey.com/rollingrooster
JJ GREY & MOFRO ANNOUNCE UK AND NETHERLANDS DATES AS PART OF THE "OLUSTEE WORLD TOUR"
2/20/2024
On Tuesday, February 20, renowned singer, songwriter and multi-instrumentalist JJ Grey, leader of JJ Grey & Mofro, announced UK and Netherlands dates on the band's "Olustee World Tour."
JJ GREY & MOFRO ANNOUNCE UK AND NETHERLANDS DATES AS PART OF THE "OLUSTEE WORLD TOUR"
New Album Olustee – Grey’s First In Nine Years And First Self-Produced Album – To Be Released February 23rd On Alligator Records
Impassioned singing, riff-based Southern rock, cold blooded swamp funk and sly Memphis soul. Rich, funky blues celebrate life’s most fundamental joys. Grey is a singer-songwriter with unforced talent and deep feeling.
—The New York Times
A deeply-rooted blend of southern-fried rock and swamp funk…richly evocative lyrics…plainspoken, blue-collar American music.
—NPR
"Abundantly talented singer, guitarist, harmonica man, gritty-voiced JJ Grey delivers tuneful originals, funky good times, sinuous ballads, gospel and Southern rock spiced with moments of pure jazz …a pleasure."
—MOJO
On Tuesday, February 20, renowned singer, songwriter and multi-instrumentalist JJ Grey, leader of JJ Grey & Mofro, announced UK and Netherlands dates on the band's "Olustee World Tour." JJ Grey & Mofro will perform June 12, 13 and 14 in the Netherlands, and June 15, 17 and 18 in the United Kingdom.
Grey couldn't be more excited about these dates "It’s been almost a decade since we've played there y’all! We can’t wait to finally get back to the land of a million accents and the only place on earth to have a real cuppa and a proper fry-up! UK massive!"
The new album, Olustee (with cover art by Grey), is set for February 23rd release on Alligator Records. This is Grey's first album in nine years, and the first he has self-produced. Popular UK national broadcaster Jazz FM has declared Olustee their "Album Of The Week" starting February 19.
On Olustee, the North Florida-born and bred artist sings his personal stories with universal themes of redemption, rebirth, hard luck, and inner peace. With his music, Grey also celebrates good times with lifelong friends, often mixing the carnal with the cerebral in the very same song. Fueled by his vividly detailed, timeless originals, spun from his own life and experiences in the swampland, Grey’s gritty baritone drips with honest passion and testifies with a preacher’s foot-pounding fervor.
Grey has released three singles from the album: "The Sea," “Rooster," and most recently, "Wonderland". AllMusic says JJ Grey’s music is “as authentic as the ground under your feet, because that’s where it comes from -- just before it moves, simply and directly, through the body of the listener, into the human heart.”
1. The Sea 2. Top Of The World 3. On A Breeze 4. Olustee 5. Seminole Wind 6. Wonderland 7. Starry Night 8. Free High 9. Waiting 10. Rooster 11. Deeper Than Belief |
With Olustee, JJ Grey has once again pushed the boundaries of his own creative musical, lyrical and vocal talents, delivering an album that is destined to become a classic. Many of the songs are steeped in the mythical Southern stories of his ancestral Florida home and filled with people from JJ’s life. The songs overflow with the sights and sounds of the region as told through the eyes of a poet and sung with pure, unvarnished soul. The album’s eleven songs range from the raucous, celebratory first radio single, "Wonderland," to an escape from an out-of-control wildfire in the title track, to the inward-looking closer, "Deeper Than Belief." Singing of his own personal triumphs and struggles, his hopes and desires, his friends and family, Grey’s message is simple and strong -- respect the natural world and always try to live in the moment. And never forget the importance of having a good time.
MAVIS STAPLES' HAVE A LITTLE FAITH TO RECEIVE DELUXE 20TH ANNIVERSARY RECORD STORE DAY REISSUE
2/15/2024
On April 20, 2024, Record Store Day, Alligator Records will release the deluxe 20th Anniversary 2-LP vinyl reissue of soul and gospel legend Mavis Staples' landmark 2004 release, Have A Little Faith.
MAVIS STAPLES' HAVE A LITTLE FAITH TO RECEIVE DELUXE 20TH ANNIVERSARY RECORD STORE DAY REISSUE
"Have A Little Faith was the beginning of my solo career. That’s why I’m here today...
Originally Released In 2004 On CD Only -- Have A Little Faith
Ignited Mavis' Solo Career
Now Available For The First Time As A Remastered 2-LP Set Pressed On Silver Vinyl In Deluxe Gatefold Jacket With Expanded Artwork
Featuring A Newly Written Remembrance By Mavis Staples
"One of the finest albums of Mavis' career...blues-tinged gospel about making the most of troubled times, a message Staples has been delivering her entire life."
–The Chicago Tribune
"A glorious album...filled with the kind of gutsy, emotional performances that have defined Mavis Staples' stellar career."
–Billboard
On April 20, 2024, Record Store Day, Alligator Records will release the deluxe 20th Anniversary 2-LP vinyl reissue of soul and gospel legend Mavis Staples' landmark 2004 release, Have A Little Faith. The album, when first released, sparked Mavis' solo career and launched her into the musical mainstream.
Have A Little Faith is an exhilarating collection of timeless, uplifting songs deeply seated in Mavis’ faith and spirituality. It has now been remastered and will come in a deluxe gatefold jacket with expanded artwork. The set also features a spirited remembrance of how the record came to be by Mavis herself. The two 12-inch records, pressed on silver vinyl, will spin at 45 rpm, and will deliver the best possible sound.
Mavis possesses one of the most recognizable and treasured voices in contemporary music. From her early days sharing lead vocals with her groundbreaking family gospel group, The Staple Singers, to her storied solo recordings, Mavis Staples is an inspirational force in modern popular culture and music.
So it was surprising, upon the passing of Mavis' father -- family patriarch and Staple Singers leader Pops Staples -- in 2000, that Mavis' future was uncertain. She self-financed and recorded her own solo album, and after being turned down by major labels unable to see the commercial appeal of this legend’s fresh, genre-busting approach to spiritual music, it was embraced by Alligator Records. The label's unbridled enthusiasm in working the album to press, radio and the public helped Mavis fulfill her dream and ignite her solo career.
Upon release, Have A Little Faith brought Mavis' powerful music and message songs into the 21st century. From the positive and uplifting title track to the spiritual fervor of God Is Not Sleeping to the reinterpretations of Staple Singers classics Will The Circle Be Unbroken and A Dying Man's Plea (with Mavis singing lead on these two songs for the first time), the album re-introduced the world to Mavis Staples.
"I was a Staple Singer," Mavis remembers in the album's new liner notes. "I wasn’t no Mavis Staples, the solo artist. But, all of a sudden, I was so busy with interviews and television shows and radio stations and concerts. That was a shock to me, because I started asking myself, 'Now how long can this last?' Because they were playing that record everywhere, and the record sounded pretty good!"
Ever since the release of Have A Little Faith, Mavis has been embraced by new generations of fans through her collaborations with the likes of Jeff Tweedy, Run The Jewels, Neko Case, Ry Cooder, Justin Vernon and many others. On April 18 in Los Angeles, an all-star 85th Birthday Party concert celebration will take place at the YouTube Theatre, featuring some of today's biggest musical stars, including Chris Stapleton, Hozier, Jackson Browne, Norah Jones, Jeff Tweedy, Black Pumas, Grace Potter, Michael McDonald, Keb’ Mo’, Nathaniel Rateliff, Robert Randolph, Taj Mahal and others. This is a testament to the far-reaching, ongoing influence of Mavis Staples, and the lasting impact and beauty of Have A Little Faith.
TINSLEY ELLIS' NEW ALBUM, NAKED TRUTH, RELEASED TOMORROW, FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 9
2/8/2024
Today, Thursday, February 8, Relix magazine premieres the new video for the song Death Letter Blues. Originally recorded by blues icon Son House, Tinsley's take on the blues classic was produced by fellow Atlanta blues guitar slinger, Eddie 9V.
TINSLEY ELLIS' NEW ALBUM, NAKED TRUTH, RELEASED TOMORROW, FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 9
Relix Magazine Premieres New Video For "Death Letter Blues" Today,
Thursday, February 8
An exciting, emotional guitarist and a strong, evocative songwriter…One of modern blues’ greatest performers.
—Vintage Guitar
A legend of American blues music…An American music treasure…Ellis delivers a sermon on the power and glory of the blues.
—Premier Guitar
Powerful, spine-tingling guitar and gritty, soulful vocals.
—Relix
On Friday, February 9, Atlanta-based guitarist, vocalist and songwriter Tinsley Ellis' new album, Naked Truth, will be released on Alligator Records. On Naked Truth (his 21st album), Ellis swaps his blistering, guitar-fueled full band performances for equally passionate, soul-searching acoustic folk blues. His famed guitar chops and musical creativity are on full display throughout the album’s 12 songs, including nine newly written originals.
Today, Thursday, February 8, Relix magazine premieres the new video for the song Death Letter Blues. Originally recorded by blues icon Son House, Tinsley's take on the blues classic was produced by fellow Atlanta blues guitar slinger, Eddie 9V.
Of the song, Ellis says, "Son House’s Death Letter Blues is one of the greatest Delta blues songs of all time. It has been the centerpiece of my acoustic performances for a long time. Eddie 9V’s gritty, low-fi production gave it the perfect hard edge. On this song I’m playing my 1937 National O series steel resonator guitar with a brass slide."
Naked Truth is steeped in the folk blues traditions of Muddy Waters, Skip James, Son House, Robert Johnson and even Leo Kottke. To the casual fan, this might seem to be a new direction, but for Ellis, it’s an extension of his music, as he taps into the raw essence of the blues. “This is a record I’ve always wanted to make, and one that my longtime fans have been asking for,” he says, noting he’s included an acoustic mini-set in his concert performances for years. In the last 12 months, Ellis has already performed over 100 solo shows, many as co-bills with his Alligator label-mate Marcia Ball. “I’m having so much fun playing these shows,” he says.
According to Relix, "Naked Truth jockeys between impassioned in-the-moment spontaneity and a studied craftman's sense of nuance."
Ellis' massive, months-long solo-acoustic Naked Truth tour kicks off in Decatur, Georgia on Friday, February 9. "Two guitars and a car,” he says of the simplicity of his North American touring situation. “When folks come to see me, I’ll have the guitars I used on the record with me, so what fans hear on the album is what they’ll get live."
Naked Truth was produced by Ellis, with the foot-stomping cover of Son House’s Death Letter Blues produced by Atlanta roots musician Eddie 9V. The album was recorded live in the studio using Ellis’ beloved 1969 Martin D-35 (a gift from his father) and his 1937 National Steel O Series guitars. Whether intricately fingerpicking the Martin or playing hair-raising slide on the National Steel, Ellis delivers each song with unvarnished intimacy.
According to Ellis, “In this format there’s a new depth to the emotion of my music. When it’s just you, your voice and your guitar, you have to deliver raw, honest emotion to your audience. You can’t just give them volume, energy and exciting playing. The audience has to feel what you’re putting into the song and has to believe you. When I play and sing in the solo acoustic format, there is truly nowhere to hide. I can’t hide behind a loud, distorted guitar. I can’t hide behind a drum beat or a bass line. It’s just me and my instrument, stripped bare of the other players and their various instruments. In a way, it’s a form of confession. It’s the artist’s most honest musical statement of his or her songs.”
Naked Truth is a revelation. Stripped of the electric fervor that defined his previous works, Ellis' acoustic music carries a rawness that speaks directly from his soul. The songs unveil another side of Tinsley Ellis, but one that is totally recognizable to his fans. His gruff, full-throated vocals intertwine seamlessly with the bare, acoustic arrangements, creating an album that is both timeless and immediate. No Depression says, “Ellis shines. When the tempo slows, the intensity doesn’t waver.” Blues Music Magazine states, “Tinsley Ellis is a powerful and commanding presence. His music is impossible not to enjoy.” Rolling Stone declared, "His eloquence dazzles.”
JJ GREY RELEASES NEW SINGLE "WONDERLAND"
1/26/2024
Today, (January 26th) renowned singer, songwriter and multi-instrumentalist JJ Grey unveils a new song, "Wonderland," from his upcoming album Olustee, which is set to release on February 23rd on Alligator Records.
JJ GREY RELEASES NEW SINGLE "WONDERLAND"
Forthcoming Album Olustee—JJ’s First in Nearly a Decade and First Self-Produced Record—Out February 23rd on Alligator Records
JJ Grey & Mofro Set to Embark on Headlining Album Tour Across US
Impassioned singing, riff-based Southern rock, cold blooded swamp funk and sly Memphis soul. Rich, funky blues celebrate life’s most fundamental joys. Grey is a singer-songwriter with unforced talent and deep feeling.
—The New York Times
A deeply-rooted blend of southern-fried rock and swamp funk…richly evocative lyrics…plainspoken, blue-collar American music.
—NPR
The swami of swamp rock…JJ Grey is a North Florida sage and purveyor of the funkiest swamp rock the world has ever heard…Chicken-scratch guitar and bone-deep songs.
—Oxford American
Today, (January 26th) renowned singer, songwriter and multi-instrumentalist JJ Grey unveils a new song, "Wonderland," from his upcoming album Olustee, which is set to release on February 23rd on Alligator Records.JJ Grey & Mofro have also announced a massive, months-long tour headlining iconic venues across the US, including The Ryman in Nashville, The Riviera in Chicago, The Capitol Theatre in Port Chester, NY, among many others. Additionally today, Grey unveiled a new, animated video for "Wonderland."
"Wonderland" has already had great reception with radio with 13 adds at Triple-A (Adult Album Alternative), and 14 adds on Americana making it the #2 most added single at Americana and #1 highest debut on Americana singles chart.
On Olustee, Grey's first self-produced album, the North Florida-born and bred artist sings his personal stories with universal themes of redemption, rebirth, hard luck, and inner peace. With his music, Grey also celebrates good times with lifelong friends, often mixing the carnal with the cerebral in the very same song. Fueled by his vividly detailed, timeless originals, spun from his own life and experiences in the Northern Florida swampland, Grey’s gritty baritone drips with honest passion and testifies with a preacher’s foot-pounding fervor.
JJ Grey spoke about "Wonderland" saying, "When I was younger it was so hard for me to write a song about simple happiness. This song is almost like a post-it note for me, there to remind me that every day is the first day of my life." Last month, Grey released the first two singles from the album, "The Sea" and “Rooster”. AllMusic says JJ Grey’s music is “as authentic as the ground under your feet, because that’s where it comes from -- just before it moves, simply and directly, through the body of the listener, into the human heart.”
1. The Sea 2. Top Of The World 3. On A Breeze 4. Olustee 5. Seminole Wind 6. Wonderland 7. Starry Night 8. Free High 9. Waiting 10. Rooster 11. Deeper Than Belief |
MORE ON OLUSTEE: With Olustee, JJ Grey has once again pushed the boundaries of his own creative musical, lyrical and vocal talents, delivering an album that is destined to become a classic. Many of the songs are steeped in the mythical Southern stories of his ancestral Florida home and filled with people from JJ’s life. The songs overflow with the sights and sounds of the region as told through the eyes of a poet and sung with pure, unvarnished soul. The album’s eleven songs range from the raucous, celebratory first radio single, "Wonderland," to an escape from an out-of-control wildfire in the title track, to the inward-looking closer, "Deeper Than Belief." Singing of his own personal triumphs and struggles, his hopes and desires, his friends and family, Grey’s message is simple and strong -- respect the natural world and always try to live in the moment. And never forget the importance of having a good time.
ALLIGATOR ARTISTS RECEIVE 27 BLUES MUSIC AWARD NOMINATIONS
1/25/2024
On Thursday, January 25, 2024, the Blues Foundation announced the nominees for the 45th Annual Blues Music Awards. Alligator Records artists received an astounding 27 nominations.
ALLIGATOR ARTISTS RECEIVE 27 BLUES MUSIC AWARD NOMINATIONS
The Nick Moss Band Featuring Dennis Gruenling Leads All Artists With Seven Nominations, Followed By Christone "Kingfish" Ingram With Five
Selwyn Birchwood Receives Four Nominations
The Cash Box Kings And Billy Branch Each Receive Two Nominations
Shemekia Copeland, Coco Montoya, Lil' Ed Williams, Carolyn Wonderland, Chris Cain, and Christoffer "Kid" Andersen and Derrick D'Mar Martin (both of Rick Estrin And The Nightcats) Each Receive One Nomination
On Thursday, January 25, 2024, the Blues Foundation announced the nominees for the 45th Annual Blues Music Awards. Alligator Records artists received an astounding 27 nominations.
Leading all artists with seven nominations is Chicago's Nick Moss Band Featuring Dennis Gruenling. Nominations include the coveted awards for Band Of The Year, Album Of The Year (for Get Your Back Into It!) and Song Of The Year (for The Bait In The Snare). Harmonica player Dennis Gruenling and band bassist Rodrigo Mantovani each received an individual nomination as well.
GRAMMY Award-winning artist Christone "Kingfish" Ingram followed with five nominations, including Album Of The Year, Contemporary Blues Album Of The Year (for the GRAMMY-nominated Live In London) and Song Of The Year (for Midnight Heat). Additionally, he's up for Contemporary Blues Male Artist Of The Year and Best Instrumentalist -- Guitar.
Visionary bluesman Selwyn Birchwood received four nominations, including Band Of The Year, Contemporary Blues Album Of The Year (for Exorcist), Contemporary Blues Male Artist Of The Year and Song Of The Year (for Horns Below Her Halo).
Blues legend Billy Branch received nominations for Traditional Blues Male Artist Of The Year and Best Instrumentalist -- Harmonica. The Cash Box Kings received one for Album Of The Year (for Oscar's Motel) and one for Best Instrumentalist - Drums for Kenny "Beedy Eyes" Smith.
Chicago blues icon Lil' Ed Williams (of Lil' Ed & The Blues Imperials) received a nomination for the B.B. King Entertainer Of The Year Award.
Internationally beloved guitar master Chris Cain, blues rocker and vocalist Coco Montoya and Texas guitarist Carolyn Wonderland received one nomination each. Guitarist Kid Andersen and drummer Derrick "D'Mar" Martin (both of Rick Estrin & The Nightcats) also received one nomination each.
The 45th Annual Blues Music Awards will be held in Memphis, Tennessee on Thursday, May 9 at The Renasant Convention Center.
Alligator artists and their nominations follow
Band Of The Year
Album Of The Year (Get Your Back Into It!)
Traditional Blues Album Of The Year (Get Your Back Into It!)
Song Of The Year (The Bait In The Snare)
Traditional Blues Male Artist Of The Year (Nick Moss)
Best Instrumentalist -- Harmonica (Dennis Gruenling)
Best Instrumentalist -- Bass (Rodrigo Mantovani)
Album Of The Year (Live In London)
Contemporary Blues Album Of The Year (Live In London)
Song Of The Year (Midnight Heat)
Contemporary Blues Male Artist Of The Year
Best Instrumentalist -- Guitar
Band Of The Year
Contemporary Blues Album Of The Year (Exorcist)
Song Of The Year (Horns Beneath Her Halo)
Contemporary Blues Male Artist Of The Year
Traditional Blues Male Artist Of The Year
Best Instrumentalist -- Harmonica
Traditional Blues Album Of The Year (Oscar's Motel)
Best Instrumentalist -- Drums (Kenny "Beedy Eyes" Smith)
Best Instrumentalist -- Guitar (Christoffer "Kid" Andersen)
Best Instrumentalist -- Drums (Derrick "D'Mar" Martin)
Best Instrumentalist -- Vocals
B.B. King Entertainer Of The Year -- (Lil Ed Williams)
Blues Rock Album Of The Year (Writing On The Wall)
Contemporary Blues Male Artist Of The Year
Contemporary Blues Female Artist Of The Year
GRAMMY-WINNER CHRISTONE "KINGFISH" INGRAM ANNOUNCES FIRST SET OF DATES FOR 2024 "MOR FISH" TOUR
1/23/2024
GRAMMY Award-winning guitarist, vocalist and songwriter Christone "Kingfish" Ingram announced plans for the initial leg of his 2024 "Mor Fish" Tour. Kicking off on February 16, the announced headlining and festival dates run through April 6, with more dates to be added.
GRAMMY-WINNER CHRISTONE "KINGFISH" INGRAM ANNOUNCES FIRST SET OF DATES FOR 2024 "MOR FISH" TOUR
Guitarist, Vocalist And Songwriter Also Drops New Radio Single, Not Gonna Lie, From Grammy-Nominated Album, Live In London
Kingfish is a new blues superstar… a guitar phenom who has been updating the blues for this century...he draws frequent comparisons to Hendrix, Clapton, and B.B. King...a thoroughly modern bluesman updating the music in sound as well as subject matter.
—60 Minutes
Kingfish is one of the most exciting young guitarists in years, with a sound that encompasses B.B. King, Jimi Hendrix and Prince.
—Rolling Stone
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
GRAMMY Award-winning guitarist, vocalist and songwriter Christone "Kingfish" Ingram announced plans for the initial leg of his 2024 "Mor Fish" Tour. Kicking off on February 16, the announced headlining and festival dates run through April 6, with more dates to be added.
“I'm excited to get back out on the road with my “Mor Fish” tour. I think we have some really great stuff teed up musically for the audience, so this tour will definitely bring even more to the stage,” said Ingram. “I’m also looking forward to a few good friends joining me to open up these dates. All will be fun!”
Joining Kingfish on select tour dates will be three stellar, Blues Foundation-honored musicians: Houston, TX-based Mathias Lattin (2023 International Blues Challenge Band Winner and winner of the “Albert King Award" for Best Guitarist), Brazilian-born, Los Angeles, CA-based Artur Menezes (2018 International Blues Challenge winner of the “Albert King Award" for Best Guitarist), and St. Louis, MO-bred Dylan Triplett (2023 Blues Music Awards Best Emerging Artist Album winner).
Kingfish's latest album, Live In London, is currently nominated for a GRAMMY Award in the Contemporary Blues category. All three of Kingfish's albums – 2019's Kingfish, 2021's GRAMMY-winning 662, and now Live In London – have received GRAMMY nominations.
Not Gonna Lie, one of the most blistering musical and vocal performances on Live In London, was delivered to radio this week as the next single. The song first appeared on Kingfish's GRAMMY-winning album 662, and was reworked for his Live In London album performance. Not Gonna Lie is the follow up single to Midnight Heat, which reached chart success at the adult rock Triple-A format, roots-leaning Americana radio and college radio.
Rolling Stone, in naming Kingfish one of the 250 Best Guitarists In The World, said, "Kingfish’s playing evinces not just a startling fluency, seamlessly integrating an entire century’s worth of licks, but also a freshness that can make it feel like you’re hearing a searing blues solo for the first time. He’s a rare 21st-century guitar hero, and the undisputed future of the blues.”
In addition to his GRAMMY nomination, Kingfish recently appeared on CBS Television's flagship news program 60 Minutes in an in-depth 10-minute segment. He also performed on the UK tastemaker television show Later...With Jools Holland. Further, he appeared in a nationally broadcast Jack Daniel's commercial.
Live In London is available at all streaming and download services, and can be experienced in Spatial Audio with Dolby Atmos at Apple Music, Amazon Music, Tidal and Qobuz. Exclusive bundles of the LP and CD sets with official merchandise from the concert are available on the Kingfish website, along with his signature Fender Kingfish guitar.
Kingfish has released two videos from Live In London, Midnight Heat and Hard Times.
TINSLEY ELLIS ANNOUNCES MASSIVE 2024 NAKED TRUTH SOLO ACOUSTIC TOUR
12/12/2023
On Tuesday, December 12, Atlanta-based guitarist, vocalist and songwriter Tinsley Ellis announced the first set of dates for his massive, months-long 2024 Naked Truth solo acoustic tour.
TINSLEY ELLIS ANNOUNCES MASSIVE 2024 NAKED TRUTH SOLO ACOUSTIC TOUR
Ellis' First Solo Acoustic Album, Naked Truth, Set For February 9 Release
An exciting, emotional guitarist and a strong, evocative songwriter…One of modern blues’ greatest performers.
—Vintage Guitar
A legend of American blues music…An American music treasure…Ellis delivers a sermon on the power and glory of the blues.
—Premier Guitar
Powerful, spine-tingling guitar and gritty, soulful vocals.
—Relix
On Tuesday, December 12, Atlanta-based guitarist, vocalist and songwriter Tinsley Ellis announced the first set of dates for his massive, months-long 2024 Naked Truth solo acoustic tour. On Friday, February 9, Alligator Records will release Naked Truth, Ellis' first-ever solo acoustic album. That same night, he'll kick off the tour in the nearby Decatur, Georgia club, Eddie's Attic, before hitting the road. "Two guitars and a car,” he says of the simplicity of his North American touring situation. “When folks come to see me, I’ll have the guitars I used on the record with me, so what fans hear on the album is what they’ll get live."
Naked Truth is steeped in the folk blues traditions of Muddy Waters, Skip James, Son House, Robert Johnson and even Leo Kottke. To the casual fan, this might seem to be a new direction, but for Ellis, it’s an extension of his music, as he taps into the raw essence of the blues. “This is a record I’ve always wanted to make, and one that my longtime fans have been asking for,” he says, noting he’s included an acoustic mini-set in his concert performances for years. In the last 12 months, Ellis has already performed over 100 solo shows, many as co-bills with his Alligator label-mate Marcia Ball. “I’m having so much fun playing these shows,” he says.
On Naked Truth (his 21st album), Ellis swaps his blistering, guitar-fueled full band workouts for equally passionate, soul-searching acoustic folk blues. His famed guitar chops and musical creativity are on full display throughout the album’s 12 songs, including nine newly written originals. Naked Truth was produced by Ellis, with the foot-stomping cover of Son House’s Death Letter Blues produced by Atlanta roots musician Eddie 9V. The album was recorded live in the studio using Ellis’ beloved 1969 Martin D-35 (a gift from his father) and his 1937 National Steel O Series guitars. Whether intricately fingerpicking the Martin or playing hair-raising slide on the National Steel, Ellis delivers each song with unvarnished intimacy.
According to Ellis, “In this format there’s a new depth to the emotion of my music. When it’s just you, your voice and your guitar, you have to deliver raw, honest emotion to your audience. You can’t just give them volume, energy and exciting playing. The audience has to feel what you’re putting into the song and has to believe you. When I play and sing in the solo acoustic format, there is truly nowhere to hide. I can’t hide behind a loud, distorted guitar. I can’t hide behind a drum beat or a bass line. It’s just me and my instrument, stripped bare of the other players and their various instruments. In a way, it’s a form of confession. It’s the artist’s most honest musical statement of his or her songs.”
Naked Truth is a revelation. Stripped of the electric fervor that defined his previous works, Ellis' acoustic music carries a rawness that speaks directly from his soul. The songs unveil another side of Tinsley Ellis, but one that is totally recognizable to his fans. His gruff, full-throated vocals intertwine seamlessly with the bare, acoustic arrangements, creating an album that is both timeless and immediate. No Depression says, “Ellis shines. When the tempo slows, the intensity doesn’t waver.” Blues Music Magazine states, “Tinsley Ellis is a powerful and commanding presence. His music is impossible not to enjoy.” Rolling Stone declared, "His eloquence dazzles.”
JJ GREY RELEASES "ROOSTER" FROM NEW ALBUM OLUSTEE
12/1/2023
On Friday, December 1, renowned singer, songwriter and multi-instrumentalist JJ Grey will premiere his intoxicating new song, "Rooster," the second track released from his upcoming album, Olustee.
JJ GREY RELEASES "ROOSTER" FROM NEW ALBUM OLUSTEE
"Rooster" Is The Second Track Released From Olustee
First Album From JJ Grey & Mofro In Nine Years
And The First Album Grey Has Self-Produced — Set For February 23, 2024 Release
Massive Tour To Follow
Impassioned singing, riff-based Southern rock, cold blooded swamp funk and sly Memphis soul. Rich, funky blues celebrate life’s most fundamental joys. Grey is a singer-songwriter with unforced talent and deep feeling.
—The New York Times
A deeply-rooted blend of southern-fried rock and swamp funk…richly evocative lyrics…plainspoken, blue-collar American music.
—NPR
The swami of swamp rock…JJ Grey is a North Florida sage and purveyor of the funkiest swamp rock the world has ever heard…Chicken-scratch guitar and bone-deep songs.
—Oxford American
On Friday, December 1, renowned singer, songwriter and multi-instrumentalist JJ Grey will premiere his intoxicating new song, "Rooster," the second track released from his upcoming album, Olustee. Olustee will be released on Alligator Records on February 23, 2024 on CD, LP and at all digital services. JJ Grey & Mofro have also announced a massive, months-long tour to follow. Grey previously released five groundbreaking albums on Alligator between 2007 and 2013.
On Olustee, Grey's first self-produced album, the North Florida-born and bred Grey sings his personal stories with universal themes of redemption, rebirth, hard luck, and inner peace. With his music, Grey also celebrates good times with lifelong friends, oftentimes mixing the carnal with the cerebral in the very same song. Fueled by his vividly detailed, timeless originals, spun from his own life and experiences in the Northern Florida swampland, Grey’s gritty baritone drips with honest passion and testifies with a preacher’s foot-pounding fervor.
Talking about "Rooster," Grey says, "I grew up with chickens all of my life. We had a rooster once named Jim-Jim who was a natural born badass. He was an absolute gentleman with the hens. He always called them to food, made sure the young ones got back in the coop before dark (our chickens roamed free), and never roughed the hens or other young roosters up. When the time came he ran at the danger instead of running away and paid the ultimate price (which was no price to him at all) to save his family. Reminds me of the men I grew up with."
Last month, Grey unveiled the album's lead track, "The Sea." Nationally syndicated radio program Acoustic Cafe aired the song across over 120 stations around the country. Additionally, The Sea was the #1 Most Added song across the Americana radio format.
With Olustee, JJ Grey has once again pushed the boundaries of his own creative musical, lyrical and vocal talents, delivering an album that is destined to become a classic. Many of the songs are steeped in the mythical Southern stories of his ancestral Florida home and filled with people from JJ’s life. The songs overflow with the sights and sounds of the region as told through the eyes of a poet and sung with pure, unvarnished soul. The album’s eleven songs range from the raucous, celebratory first radio single, Wonderland, to an escape from an out-of-control wildfire in the title track, to the inward-looking closer, Deeper Than Belief. Singing of his own personal triumphs and struggles, his hopes and desires, his friends and family, Grey’s message is simple and strong -- respect the natural world and always try to live in the moment. And never forget the importance of having a good time.
AllMusic says JJ Grey’s music is “as authentic as the ground under your feet, because that’s where it comes from -- just before it moves, simply and directly, through the body of the listener, into the human heart.”
Now, with Olustee, JJ Grey & Mofro will bring their music directly to fans as they also announce the first set of dates of the 2024 Olustee Tour, along with ticket purchase information.
Tickets to the public are on sale now. Information on access to the "Olustee VIP Tour Experience" can be found here.
CHICAGO BLUES STAR TORONZO CANNON HOSTS “A BLUES CHRISTMAS CELEBRATION” AT NAVY PIER!
11/28/2023
Chicago bluesman Toronzo Cannon will perform in concert as part of A Blues Christmas at Navy Pier's Aon Grand Ballroom on Friday, December 15 with special guests, Alligator Records stars Shemekia Copeland, Billy Branch and Lil’ Ed Williams as well as blueswoman Ivy Ford.
CHICAGO BLUES STAR TORONZO CANNON HOSTS “A BLUES CHRISTMAS CELEBRATION” AT NAVY PIER!
Alligator Artists Shemekia Copeland, Lil’ Ed Williams And Billy Branch Also On The Bill, As Is Blueswoman Ivy Ford
Chicago bluesman Toronzo Cannon will perform in concert as part of A Blues Christmas at Navy Pier's Aon Grand Ballroom on Friday, December 15 with special guests, Alligator Records stars Shemekia Copeland, Billy Branch and Lil’ Ed Williams as well as blueswoman Ivy Ford.
A Blues Christmas is a unique collaboration between Alligator Records and Navy Pier to celebrate the holiday season and the blues at this free one-night-only concert. The performance will include selections from Alligator’s famed holiday albums, Genuine Houserockin' Christmas and The Alligator Christmas Collection, along with other seasonal favorites reinterpreted through the lens of Chicago’s one-of-a-kind stylin’ of the blues.
This concert marks the 20th anniversary celebration of the acclaimed Genuine Houserockin' Christmas album, originally released by Alligator Records in 2003. Additionally, on October 6, Alligator released the timeless blues holiday classic, The Alligator Records Christmas Collection on LP (red opaque vinyl) for the first time ever. It was originally released on CD only in 1992.
Concert information is below:
Remember -- Always Contact The Venue To Confirm Dates and Show Times
Date: Friday, December 15, 2023
Venue: Navy Pier - Aon Grand Ballroom
Address: 840 E. Grand Ave.
City: Chicago, IL
Phone: 800-595-7437
Showtime: 7:00pm
Ticket price: Free admission
Website: www.navypier.org
*See website for complete performance information
TORONZO CANNON
With the release of his Alligator Records debut, The Chicago Way in 2016, Toronzo Cannon burst onto the international stage as one of the most electrifying bluesmen to emerge from Chicago in decades. The Chicago Reader said, “Bluesman Toronzo Cannon is one of Chicago’s finest string-bending storytellers.” He has played major cities all over the world, delighting and surprising audiences with one unforgettable gig after another. UK tastemaker music magazine MOJO named his latest album, 2019’s The Preacher, The Politician Or The Pimp, the #2 Best Blues Album Of 2019. 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, and his assertive voice is the perfect vehicle to deliver the message.”
SHEMEKIA COPELAND
Shemekia Copeland is the female blues artist of her generation, blessed with a cathartic voice and larger-than-life presence. Shemekia joined the Alligator family when she was only 18. Since then, she’s made nine sensational albums, been nominated for three Grammys, won over a dozen Blues Music Awards, appeared at the White House, opened for the Rolling Stones, and toured worldwide. Over the last decade, she’s been expanding her blues, bringing in strains of Americana and delivering songs with up-to-the-minute, socially conscious lyrics. The Chicago Tribune says, “Shemekia Copeland is the greatest female blues singer working today.” No Depression declares, “Copeland pierces your soul. This is how you do it, and nobody does it better than Shemekia Copeland.”
BILLY BRANCH
Since his 1978 debut on Alligator's Living Chicago Blues series, Billy Branch has earned a place among the world’s best blues harp players. He was mentored by Chicago’s harp royalty—James Cotton, Junior Wells and Carey Bell. They all considered him their successor as the Windy City’s next harmonica king. His all-star band, The Sons Of Blues, is among the premier blues bands anywhere. With hundreds of studio sessions and 15 albums of his own, including Alligator's Roots And Branches--The Songs Of Little Walter, Billy Branch is one of the most-recorded blues artists in the world. Living Blues says, "Billy Branch has cemented his place among the kings. Chugging, incessant blues and R&B...greasy, funky, howlin’ harp attack that really burns...wonderful, bold and surprising."
LIL' ED WILLIAMS
Lil’ Ed & The Blues Imperials, more than any other band now on the label, personify Alligator's original raw and raucous “Genuine Houserockin’ Music” spirit. Ed and his half-brother, bassist James “Pookie” Young, grew up on Chicago’s tough West Side. They learned the old school sound and style from their beloved uncle, famed Chicago slide guitarist J.B. Hutto, who had started recording in the 1950s. Michael Garrett and Kelly Littleton, blues pilgrims from Detroit, joined Ed and Pookie almost 35 years ago. They’ve been together ever since, delivering joyful boogies and serious slide-driven Chicago blues. The Chicago Tribune says, “Electrifying, raucous, pure Chicago blues….Lil’ Ed is a guitarist extraordinaire…slashing slide and flamboyant stage persona."
TINSLEY ELLIS TO RELEASE NAKED TRUTH ON FEBRUARY 9
11/27/2023
On Friday, February 9, 2024, Alligator Records will release Naked Truth, the first-ever solo acoustic album from world-renowned Atlanta-based guitarist, vocalist and songwriter Tinsley Ellis.
TINSLEY ELLIS TO RELEASE NAKED TRUTH ON FEBRUARY 9
Ellis' 21st Album, First Ever Solo Acoustic Release
Naked Truth's Lead Track Devil In The Room Premieres Today
An exciting, emotional guitarist and a strong, evocative songwriter…One of modern blues’ greatest performers.
—Vintage Guitar
A legend of American blues music…An American music treasure…Ellis delivers a sermon on the power and glory of the blues.
—Premier Guitar
Powerful, spine-tingling guitar and gritty, soulful vocals.
—Relix
On Friday, February 9, 2024, Alligator Records will release Naked Truth, the first-ever solo acoustic album from world-renowned Atlanta-based guitarist, vocalist and songwriter Tinsley Ellis. The new album is steeped in the folk blues traditions of Muddy Waters, Skip James, Son House, Robert Johnson and even Leo Kottke. To the casual fan, this might seem to be a new direction, but for Ellis, it’s an extension of his music, as he taps into the raw essence of the blues. “This is a record I’ve always wanted to make, and one that my longtime fans have been asking for,” he says, noting he’s included an acoustic mini-set in his concert performances for years. In the last 12 months, Ellis has already performed over 100 solo shows, many as co-bills with his Alligator label-mate Marcia Ball. “I’m having so much fun playing these shows,” he says.
On Naked Truth (his 21st album), Ellis swaps his blistering, guitar-fueled full band workouts for equally passionate, soul-searching acoustic folk blues. His famed guitar chops and musical creativity are on full display throughout the album’s 12 songs, including nine newly written originals. Naked Truth was produced by Ellis, with the foot-stomping cover of Son House’s Death Letter Blues produced by Atlanta roots musician Eddie 9V. The album was recorded live in the studio using Ellis’ beloved 1969 Martin D-35 (a gift from his father) and his 1937 National Steel O Series guitars. Whether intricately fingerpicking the Martin or playing hair-raising slide on the National Steel, Ellis delivers each song with unvarnished intimacy.
The opener, Ellis’ original song, Devil In The Room, premieres today. "Devil In The Room is musically a nod to the Hill Country Blues style of Mississippi Fred McDowell and R L Burnside," says Ellis. "Lyrically it’s based on something Col. Bruce Hampton used to tell us before we went on stage to back him up. He would tell us to 'put the devil in the room!' His call to arms has stuck with me for 40 years! On Devil In The Room I’m playing in open G tuning on my 1937 National O-Series steel resonator guitar with a brass slide."
According to Ellis, "Naked Truth is both a departure and an arrival.” He has been recording and traveling the world for over four decades, delivering his feral, guitar-fueled, original electric blues-rock to ever-growing audiences at concert halls, festivals, and clubs. From the original, Skip James-inspired Windowpane to the Delta-styled Tallahassee Blues, to the humorous Grown Ass Man, Ellis goes deep, singing and playing the blues’ honest truths. The inclusion of four introspective instrumentals (including a transcendent cover of Leo Kottke’s A Soldier’s Grave On The Prairie, a song he’s been playing live for almost 50 years) adds even more depth and substance to an album overflowing with riches. Each song carries the weight, experience and hard-earned wisdom Ellis learned over four decades on the road, infusing Naked Truth with an emotional authenticity that is palpable from start to finish.
Since his first Alligator album in 1988, Georgia Blue, Ellis has gone from local Atlanta club favorite to become an internationally touring blues rock giant, performing hundreds of nights per year. He has brought his music to fans live in person to all 50 United States, as well as in Canada, across Europe, Australia and South America. He’s earned the love and respect of many of his fellow musicians, having shared stages with Christone “Kingfish” Ingram, The Allman Brothers, Warren Haynes, Oliver Wood, Buddy Guy, the Tedeschi Trucks Band, Gov’t Mule, Widespread Panic, and more. Over the years, legends including Otis Rush, James Cotton, Gregg Allman, Jimmy Buffett, Son Seals, Koko Taylor and Albert Collins invited Ellis to join them on stage. Mega-star guitarist Joe Bonamassa calls Ellis “a national treasure.”
Rolling Stone declared, "Ellis plays feral blues guitar…non-stop gigging has sharpened his six-string to a razor’s edge…his eloquence dazzles…he achieves pyrotechnics that rival Jeff Beck and Eric Clapton.”
Now, with Naked Truth, Ellis will bring his music directly to his fans. “Two guitars and a car,” he says of the simplicity of his North American touring situation. “When folks come to see me, I’ll have the guitars I used on the record with me, so what fans hear on the album is what they’ll get live. It’s not easy. Now I’m the whole band and there’s nowhere to hide. It’s scary every single time I go up on stage alone. But nothing could be more honest.”
Naked Truth is a revelation. Stripped of the electric fervor that defined his previous works, Ellis' acoustic music carries a rawness that speaks directly from his soul. The songs unveil another side of Tinsley Ellis, but one that is totally recognizable to his fans. His gruff, full-throated vocals intertwine seamlessly with the bare, acoustic arrangements, creating an album that is both timeless and immediate. No Depression says, “Ellis shines. When the tempo slows, the intensity doesn’t waver.” Blues Music Magazine states, “Tinsley Ellis is a powerful and commanding presence. His music is impossible not to enjoy.”
ALLIGATOR RECORDS NEWS BRIEFS
11/20/2023
ALLIGATOR RECORDS NEWS BRIEFS
ALLIGATOR RECORDS NEWS BRIEFS
Visionary guitarist, lap steel player, songwriter and vocalist Selwyn Birchwood's latest Alligator Records album, Exorcist, won the Quarterly German Record Critics' Award. According to the Critics' association, "The best and most interesting new releases of the previous three months are awarded a place on the Quarterly Critic’s Choice. Evaluation criteria are artistic quality, repertoire value, presentation, and sound quality."
German writer and awards judge Karl Leitner said, "With Exorcist, Selwyn Birchwood has succeeded in creating an album that grabs you from the very first note and doesn’t let go for the next 58 minutes. This production is brimming with self-confidence. It shows an artist who came to the blues via Albert King and Buddy Guy, and who is in the process of going far beyond them, with ever-new stylistic ideas. What a fresh, new footprint in this venerable trade; and he is not even 40 years old!"
Birchwood was also the recent subject of a feature in Guitar Player magazine, who declared, "Selwyn Birchwood plays like a man possessed…fully in command of his talents. Birchwood has established himself as one of the preeminent voices in contemporary blues. The 13 tunes on Exorcist are a masterfully produced, arranged and executed sonic tour de force."
As the holidays approach, newest Alligator Records artist Chris O'Leary is set to release his label debut, The Hard Line, on Friday, January 12. The first song from the album, Lost My Mind, premiered in October.
According to O'Leary, the release can't some soon enough. "I honestly can’t wait for The Hard Line to be released -- it’s going to be a fantastic holiday season at the O’Leary household. Alligator Records has been my absolute goal for as long as I can remember. This record is literally the culmination of decades of writing music, playing gigs and driving around the country in our old Chevy van. Unfortunately the old girl isn’t going to make it to the release date. After almost 450,000 miles she decided she was done. But she will be with us in spirit as we travel the country in support of the new record."
The Sea, the first song released from the upcoming JJ Grey & Mofro album Olustee (set for February 23, 2024 release), was recently featured on the nationally syndicated radio program Acoustic Cafe. The song was broadcast on over 120 stations nationwide. Additionally, The Sea was the #1 Most Added Song at the tastemaker Americana Radio Format.
Of the song, Grey says, "Some of the quietest and most beautiful moments of my life were in and at the sea. Boat lights twinkling on the horizon or ducking down into the warmth of the water to knock the chill off of the late October wind. For me, the sea has always had a calming effect on my otherwise overactive mind. Once in the water surfing or even fishing, all nail-biting would stop. All negative mental feedback loops evaporated. Blurring the line between the physical sea in front of me and the infinite sea all around me."
Olustee, with cover art by Grey, is his first album in nine years, and the first he has self-produced.
Alligator Records artists Shemekia Copeland and Charlie Musselwhite both appear on the venerated Koko Taylor song, I'm A Woman, from the GRAMMY-nominated Candid Records album, Basie Swings The Blues. The release, which also features Buddy Guy, Robert Cray, George Benson and others, was nominated in the Best Large Jazz Ensemble Album category.