News
SHEMEKIA COPELAND WINS TWO DOWNBEAT CRITICS POLL AWARDS
7/25/2023
Legendary music publication DownBeat, in its August 2023 issue, announced the winners of the 71st Annual Critics Poll. The magazine honored Grammy-nominated blues, roots and soul singer Shemekia Copeland with two coveted DownBeat Critics Awards: Blues Artist Or Group Of The Year and Blues Album Of The Year (for her Grammy-nominated, Will Kimbrough-produced 2022 release, Done Come Too Far).
SHEMEKIA COPELAND WINS TWO DOWNBEAT CRITICS POLL AWARDS
Shemekia Copeland Takes The Awards For Blues Artist Of The Year And Album Of The Year For Grammy-Nominated Done Come Too Far
71st Annual DownBeat Critics Poll
Blues Artist Or Group Of The Year
Blues Album Of The Year - Done Come Too Far
"Singer Shemekia Copeland can belt with gusto. Her artistry has reached a new level …remarkable, substantive. Copeland’s work has expanded the audience for the blues." —DownBeat
Legendary music publication DownBeat, in its August 2023 issue, announced the winners of the 71st Annual Critics Poll. The magazine honored Grammy-nominated blues, roots and soul singer Shemekia Copeland with two coveted DownBeat Critics Awards: Blues Artist Or Group Of The Year and Blues Album Of The Year (for her Grammy-nominated, Will Kimbrough-produced 2022 release, Done Come Too Far).
Copeland recently won the 2023 Blues Music Award for Best Instrumentalist -- Vocals, the 15th Blues Music Award of her career. She also just took home four Living Blues Awards, including Blues Artist Of The Year (Female) and Contemporary Blues Album Of The Year for Done Come Too Far, and won the A2IM Libera Award for Best Blues Album as well. UK tastemaker magazine MOJO named the album the 2022 #1 Blues Album Of The Year. The equally influential Americana music site No Depression included the release among the top ten best albums of the year. Done Come Too Far’s title track was the #2 most played track on SiriusXM's Bluesville channel, where Copeland continues to host her own daily radio program.
Possessing one of the most instantly recognizable and deeply soulful roots music voices of our time, Copeland is beloved worldwide for the fearlessness, honesty and humor of her revelatory music, as well as for delivering each song she performs with unmatched passion. Copeland connects with her audience on an intensely personal level, taking them with her on what The Wall Street Journal calls “a consequential ride” of “bold and timely blues.”
The full list of winners can be found here.
Alligator artists and their awards follow:
DENNIS GRUENLING OF THE NICK MOSS BAND FEATURING DENNIS GRUENLING PREMIERES VIDEO FOR MAN ON THE MOVE
7/24/2023
On Monday, July 24, Dennis Gruenling, harmonica wizard from the award-winning, Chicago-based blues group The Nick Moss Band Featuring Dennis Gruenling, will premiere his new video for his original, harmonica-driven barn-burner, Man On The Move. The song, written and sung by Gruenling, is a featured track on the band's just-released new album, Get Your Back Into It!. Filmed, edited, directed and produced by Gruenling, the video follows the gifted Gruenling's grueling, gratifying life as a traveling bluesman.
DENNIS GRUENLING OF THE NICK MOSS BAND FEATURING DENNIS GRUENLING PREMIERES VIDEO FOR MAN ON THE MOVE
Harmonica Master Dennis Gruenling
"Gruenling is a contemporary harmonica master…impressive, genuine and fresh-sounding."
—Living Blues
"Gruenling’s harp, along with the Midwestern intensity of Moss’ blues guitar, is pure ecstasy."
—Vintage Guitar
On Monday, July 24, Dennis Gruenling, harmonica wizard from the award-winning, Chicago-based blues group The Nick Moss Band Featuring Dennis Gruenling, will premiere his new video for his original, harmonica-driven barn-burner, Man On The Move. The song, written and sung by Gruenling, is a featured track on the band's just-released new album, Get Your Back Into It!. Filmed, edited, directed and produced by Gruenling, the video follows the gifted Gruenling's grueling, gratifying life as a traveling bluesman.
Blues Music Magazine says the band "demonstrates their mastery of high-energy jump blues" on Man On The Move, which features Gruenling's "no-nonsense vocals and boisterous chromatic." According to Gruenling, being on the move is what makes it all worthwhile. "The idea for this song came from so many friends commenting on how I’m always so busy. And while it may look easy with all my animal print clothes and this fun group of guys, we’re always on the move to bring you our music. Won’t you join us as we celebrate our new release this year?"
On the just-released Get Your Back Into It!, Chicago native, guitarist and vocalist Nick Moss and New Jersey born and bred harmonica player and vocalist Dennis Gruenling – together with Rodrigo Mantovani on bass, Taylor Streiff on keyboards and Pierce Downer on drums – deliver a deeply rooted, timeless blue collar blues album. According to Moss, “We are a rare breed as far as how authentic we like to keep the music." That's not a surprise to longtime fans, as Moss proudly represents the city of Chicago as one of the few bluesmen working today to have learned his craft firsthand directly from many of the genre’s original creators.
Get Your Back Into It! was produced by Moss and Mantovani and contains fourteen original songs -- twelve by Moss and two by Gruenling. Guests include saxophonist “Sax” Gordon Beadle and organist “Brother” John Kattke. The album is inspired by the electrifying blues sounds of the 1940s, 1950s and 1960s, and is performed with taste, restraint, sly humor and pure joy. In addition to the expertly crafted lyrics, the album features three wild instrumentals that simply dare you to stay seated.
Moss first made a name for himself playing bass for bluesman Jimmy “Fast Fingers” Dawkins. Dawkins encouraged Nick to unleash his fire and passion. From there, Moss was chosen by Willie “Big Eyes” Smith to join his Legendary Blues Band, but Smith insisted Moss switch to guitar. Blues icon Jimmy Rogers (whose best known songs include Walking By Myself and Ludella) hired Moss as his touring guitarist, mentoring him on the blues lifestyle along the way. Today, Moss’ blistering fretwork, impassioned, soul-charged vocals and memorable original songs place him in a league of his own.
Dennis Gruenling, Moss’ friend of over 20 years, is considered among today’s most innovative and creative blues harmonica players. His high-energy, full-throttle reed work has earned him comparisons to many of the greats, including the late James Cotton. A self-taught player and a natural entertainer with seven solo albums and numerous guest appearances to his credit, Gruenling’s giant, fat-toned harp work, raw-boned singing and untamed energy are a perfect foil for Moss’ inspired guitar playing and straight-from-the-shoulder blues vocals.
THE NICK MOSS BAND FEATURING DENNIS GRUENLING RELEASE NEW "MAKING OF GET YOUR BACK INTO IT!" VIDEO
7/17/2023
Moss unveiled the new mini-documentary, The Making Of Get Your Back Into It!. Filmed, edited and produced by Moss' daughter, Sadie, the video reveals all the secrets behind Moss' and Gruenling's songwriting process and the fun and exciting time spent recording.
THE NICK MOSS BAND FEATURING DENNIS GRUENLING RELEASE NEW "MAKING OF GET YOUR BACK INTO IT!" VIDEO
"An incendiary brew…fiery fretwork and wailing harmonica…soulful, playful and exuberant."
—Living Blues
"Superb…Nick Moss is one of the best existing purveyors of Chicago blues. Dennis Gruenling wails expertly on harp."
—Blues Music Magazine
"Foot-stomping, classic Chicago blues with clever lyrics and great harp. You won’t be disappointed."
—Blues & Rhythm (UK)
On Friday, July 14, award-winning, Chicago-based blues group The Nick Moss Band Featuring Dennis Gruenling released their new album, Get Your Back Into It!. This is the third Alligator release from the 2020 Blues Music Award-winning Band Of The Year. Also on July 14, Moss unveiled the new mini-documentary, The Making Of Get Your Back Into It!. Filmed, edited and produced by Moss' daughter, Sadie, the video reveals all the secrets behind Moss' and Gruenling's songwriting process and the fun and exciting time spent recording.
On the just-released Get Your Back Into It!, Chicago native, guitarist and vocalist Nick Moss and New Jersey born and bred harmonica player and vocalist Dennis Gruenling – together with Rodrigo Mantovani on bass, Taylor Streiff on keyboards and Pierce Downer on drums – deliver a deeply rooted, timeless blue collar blues album. According to Moss, “We are a rare breed as far as how authentic we like to keep the music." That's not a surprise to longtime fans, as Moss proudly represents the city of Chicago as one of the few bluesmen working today to have learned his craft firsthand directly from many of the genre’s original creators.
No Depression says This Nick Moss Band Featuring Dennis Gruenling is "a great band," and that Get Your Back Into It! "feels so authentic you keep thinking the original offerings [are] obscure cuts from legends like James Cotton, Little Walter, Buddy Guy, Muddy Waters, and the Wolf."
Get Your Back Into It! was produced by Moss and Mantovani and contains fourteen original songs -- twelve by Moss and two by Gruenling. Guests include saxophonist “Sax” Gordon Beadle and organist “Brother” John Kattke. The album is inspired by the electrifying blues sounds of the 1940s, 1950s and 1960s, and is performed with taste, restraint, sly humor and pure joy. In addition to the expertly crafted lyrics, the album features three wild instrumentals that simply dare you to stay seated. “We're not reinventing the wheel," says Moss of the songs and performances on the new album, "but we like to push ourselves out of our comfort zone, and I feel like we accomplished that.”
Moss first made a name for himself playing bass for bluesman Jimmy “Fast Fingers” Dawkins. Dawkins encouraged Nick to unleash his fire and passion. From there, Moss was chosen by Willie “Big Eyes” Smith to join his Legendary Blues Band, but Smith insisted Moss switch to guitar. Blues icon Jimmy Rogers (whose best known songs include Walking By Myself and Ludella) hired Moss as his touring guitarist, mentoring him on the blues lifestyle along the way. Today, Moss’ blistering fretwork, impassioned, soul-charged vocals and memorable original songs place him in a league of his own.
Dennis Gruenling, Moss’ friend of over 20 years, is considered among today’s most innovative and creative blues harmonica players. His high-energy, full-throttle reed work has earned him comparisons to many of the greats, including the late James Cotton. A self-taught player and a natural entertainer with seven solo albums and numerous guest appearances to his credit, Gruenling’s giant, fat-toned harp work, raw-boned singing and untamed energy are a perfect foil for Moss’ inspired guitar playing and straight-from-the-shoulder blues vocals. Vintage Guitar says, “Gruenling’s harp, along with the Midwestern intensity of Moss’ blues guitar, is pure ecstasy.”
The Nick Moss Band Featuring Dennis Gruenling's first two Alligator albums, 2018's The High Cost Of Low Living and 2019’s Lucky Guy!, hit blues fans, press and radio by storm. Moss, Gruenling and the band received a total of five Blues Music Awards, with wins in 2020 for Band Of The Year, Song Of The Year (Lucky Guy) and Traditional Blues Album Of The Year (Lucky Guy!), and in 2019 for Traditional Blues Male Artist (Moss) and Instrumentalist—Harmonica (Gruenling). Blues Music Magazine says, “Nick Moss is a major force in contemporary blues. Dennis Gruenling plays soaring harp...infectious and finger-snappin’.”
FIVE ALLIGATOR ARTISTS RECEIVE 10 LIVING BLUES CRITICS AND READERS AWARDS
7/11/2023
Living Blues magazine, in its new issue #285 (July/August), announced the winners of of the 30th Annual Living Blues Critics and Readers Awards. This year, five Alligator artists received a total of 10 awards: five Readers Awards and five Critics Awards.
FIVE ALLIGATOR ARTISTS RECEIVE 10 LIVING BLUES CRITICS AND READERS AWARDS
Shemekia Copeland Leads All Artists With Four Wins, Including Both The Readers And Critics Awards For Blues Artist Of The Year (Female)
Christone "Kingfish" Ingram Named Blues Artist Of The Year (Male)
Charlie Musselwhite, Marcia Ball And Kenny "Beedy Eyes" Smith (of The Cash Box Kings) Also Honored
Living Blues magazine, in its new issue #285 (July/August), announced the winners of of the 30th Annual Living Blues Critics and Readers Awards. This year, five Alligator artists received a total of 10 awards: five Readers Awards and five Critics Awards.
Leading all artists with four wins is beloved blues and soul vocalist Shemekia Copeland. She received both the Readers and the Critics Award for Blues Artist Of The Year (Female), and also won the Readers Award for Most Outstanding Blues Singer. Copeland's 2022 Grammy-nominated release, Done Come Too Far, won the Critics Award for Best Contemporary Blues Album of 2022. Additionally, the album's producer, musician Will Kimbrough, won the Critics Award for Producer Of The Year.
Grammy Award-winning guitarist/vocalist/songwriter Christone "Kingfish" Ingram won the Readers Award for Blues Artist Of The Year (Male), and the Critics Award for Most Outstanding Musician (Guitar).
Blues icon Charlie Musselwhite won both the Readers and Critics Award for Most Outstanding Musician (Harmonica).
Texas pianist/vocalist Marcia Ball won the Readers Award for Most Outstanding Musician (Keyboards). And Kenny "Beedy Eyes" Smith (drummer for The Cash Box Kings) won the Readers Award for Most Outstanding Musician (Drums).
The full list of winners can be found here.
Alligator artists and their awards follow:
CRITICS AWARD
Blues Artist Of The Year (Female)
Best Blues Album Of 2022:
New Recording/Contemporary Blues - Done Come Too Far
READERS AWARD
Blues Artist Of The Year (Female)
Most Outstanding Blues Singer
CRITICS AWARD
Blues Artist Of The Year (Male)
READERS AWARD
Most Outstanding Musician (Guitar)
CRITICS AWARD
Most Outstanding Musician (Harmonica)
READERS AWARD
Most Outstanding Musician (Harmonica)
READERS AWARD
Most Outstanding Musician (Keyboards)
CRITICS AWARD
Kenny "Beedy Eyes" Smith - Most Outstanding Musician (Drums)
FAMED BLUES-ROCKER COCO MONTOYA TO RELEASE NEW ALBUM, WRITING ON THE WALL, ON SEPTEMBER 1 - TOUR TO BEGIN SEPTEMBER 21
7/10/2023
On Friday, September 1, award-winning, internationally renowned blues-rock guitarist, singer and songwriter Coco Montoya will release Writing On The Wall, his sixth album for Alligator Records and his first release in four years. The album will initially be available on CD and at all digital sites, with 140g translucent blue vinyl LP to follow on September 29.
FAMED BLUES-ROCKER COCO MONTOYA TO RELEASE NEW ALBUM, WRITING ON THE WALL, ON SEPTEMBER 1 - TOUR TO BEGIN SEPTEMBER 21
Writing On The Wall Is Award-Winning Guitarist and Vocalist's First Album In Four Years
"One of the most prodigious and gifted electric bluesmen on the planet...a deeply soulful singer and incendiary guitarist [with] a seemingly endless penchant for invention."
—AllMusic
"Smoking songs and heavy hitting guitar full of fire and passion...Montoya’s rough-edged voice is filled with feeling. Bluesy, powerful and unpredictable...[It]really gets the blood flowing."
—Blues Music Magazine
"Montoya is a show-stopper...heartfelt singing and merciless guitar with a wicked icy burn. He is one of the truly gifted blues artists of his generation."
—Living Blues
On Friday, September 1, award-winning, internationally renowned blues-rock guitarist, singer and songwriter Coco Montoya will release Writing On The Wall, his sixth album for Alligator Records and his first release in four years. The album will initially be available on CD and at all digital sites, with 140g translucent blue vinyl LP to follow on September 29.
In addition to the new album, Montoya today announced his coast-to-coast Writing On The Wall Tour, beginning September 21 in Salt Lake City and moving to Chicago, New York and Texas with many stops in between. See full list of tour dates below.
With Writing On The Wall, Montoya delivers what he is calling one of the best records he’s ever made. For the very first time on Alligator, he decided to bring his road-tested band—noted keyboardist and songwriter Jeff Paris (Keb’ Mo’, Bill Withers), bassist Nathan Brown, and drummer Rena Beavers—into the studio with him. Guests on the album include Lee Roy Parnell, who adds his well-seasoned slide guitar to the smoldering A Chip And A Chair, and Coco’s friend, guitarist Ronnie Baker Brooks (son of late Alligator star Lonnie Brooks), on the searing cover of Bobby Bland’s You Got Me (Where You Want Me) and on the droll Baby, You’re A Drag. Between the camaraderie of the long-time bandmates and the sheer talent of all involved, the results have Coco feeling, in his words, "over the moon." He continues, "I am so proud of this one. The band played so great, they ended up making me play even harder. They made me sound better than I am!”
Produced by Grammy Award-winner Tony Braunagel (Bonnie Raitt, Taj Mahal) and co-produced by Jeff Paris, Writing On The Wall is a tour-de-force of memorable, hook-filled songs, sung with passion and fueled by Montoya's fiery guitar and the band's spot-on musicianship. The 13 tracks include five written or co-written by Montoya. The set opens with a signature, career-defining performance of the soul-baring I Was Wrong, written for Coco by songwriter Dave Steen. The song will be released as the first single from the album, along with a visualizer video, on Monday, July 31.
The self-taught, left-handed Montoya mastered his craft under blues master Albert Collins’ tutelage and friendship. Initially hired to be Collins' drummer, Montoya, at Collins' urging, became the band's second guitarist. A few years later, UK legend John Mayall chose Montoya to be his lead guitarist in the famous Blues Breakers. Montoya traveled the world, soaking up both musical and life lessons.
Montoya’s recorded debut as a bandleader came with 1995’s Gotta Mind To Travel (originally on Silvertone Records in England and later issued in the USA on Blind Pig Records). The album became an instant fan favorite and made it clear that Montoya ranked among the best players on the contemporary blues scene. Two more Blind Pig albums followed, and Coco, with his endlessly inventive guitar work and passionate, hard-hitting vocals, became one of the top draws on the blues circuit.
In 2000, Montoya’s Alligator debut, Suspicion, quickly became the best-selling album of his career, earning regular radio airplay on over 120 commercial stations nationwide. Montoya’s fan base exploded. After two more highly successful and massively popular Alligator releases—2002’s Can’t Look Back and 2007’s Dirty Deal—Montoya signed with Ruf Records, cutting both a live and a studio album. Returning to Alligator with 2017’s Hard Truth and 2019’s Coming In Hot, the guitar master continued to blaze his trail. "Montoya unleashes one career-topping performance after another," declared the UK’s Blues Matters.
Now, with the dynamic Writing On The Wall and a tour overflowing with dates, Coco Montoya is excited to perform the new songs live with his burning-hot band. Montoya’s reputation as an incendiary live performer is well-earned, as he delivers the goods night after night. Vintage Guitar declares, "Coco keeps getting better and better. He plays with fire and passion rarely seen in this day and age."
"Be prepared to get scorched by the real thing." —Billboard
9/21 The State Room, Salt Lake City, UT
9/22 Ute Theatre, Rifle, CO
9/24 The Soiled Dove Underground, Denver, CO
9/26 The Zoo Bar, Lincoln, NE
9/27 Dakota, Minneapolis, MN
9/29 Shank Hall, Milwaukee, WI
9/30 Thrasher Opera House, Green Lake, WI
10/1 SPACE, Evanston, IL
10/3 Revival Bar & Event Venue, Toronto, ON
10/4 Fanatics Pub, Lima, NY
10/5 King of Clubs, Syracuse, NY
10/6 Narrows Center for the Arts, Fall River, MA
10/7 The Newton Theatre, Newton, NJ
10/8 Tupelo Music Hall, Derry, NH
10/10 Rams Head On Stage, Annapolis, MD
10/11 The Iridium , New York, NY
10/12 Katharine Hepburn Cultural Arts Center, Old Saybrook, CT
10/13 Amp By Strathmore, North Bethesda, MD
10/14 Sellersville Theater, Sellersville, PA
10/15 Jergel's Rhythm Grille, Warrendale, PA
10/17 Headliners Music Hall, Louisville, KY
10/18 Ludlow Garage, Cincinnati, OH
10/19 Natalie's Grandview, Columbus, OH
10/20 The Kent Stage, Kent, OH
10/21 The Token Lounge, Westland, MI
10/22 The Jazz Kitchen, Indianapolis, IN
10/24 Songbirds, Chattanooga, TN
10/25 Eddie's Attic, Decatur, GA
10/27 Red Dragon Listening Room, Baton Rouge, LA
10/28 Dosey Doe, The Woodlands, TX
10/29 Fort Brewery, Fort Worth, TX
10/30 Antone's, Austin, TX
11/17 No Stinkin’ Service Charge Blues Series at World Records, Bakersfield, CA
11/19 The Coach House, San Juan, CA
THIRTEEN ALLIGATOR ARTISTS RECEIVE 19 BLUES BLAST MUSIC AWARD NOMINATIONS
6/21/2023
Blues Blast magazine has announced the nominees for its 16th annual Blues Blast Music Awards. This year, thirteen Alligator artists received a total of 19 nominations.
THIRTEEN ALLIGATOR ARTISTS RECEIVE 19 BLUES BLAST MUSIC AWARD NOMINATIONS
The Cash Box Kings And Rick Estrin & The Nightcats Lead With Four Nominations, Followed By Shemekia Copeland And Charlie Musselwhite With Three Apiece
Christone "Kingfish" Ingram, Lil' Ed Williams, Chris Cain, Dennis Gruenling and Rodrigo Mantovani (from The Nick Moss Band Featuring Dennis Gruenling) Receive One Nomination Each
Blues Blast magazine has announced the nominees for its 16th annual Blues Blast Music Awards. This year, thirteen Alligator artists received a total of 19 nominations. The Cash Box Kings and Rick Estrin & The Nightcats received four nominations including (for both) Blues Band Of The Year. Blues legend Charlie Musselwhite and multiple Grammy Award nominee Shemekia Copeland received three nominations.
Grammy Award-winning guitarist/vocalist/songwriter Christone "Kingfish" Ingram, Chicago slide guitar legend Lil' Ed Williams, master West Coast guitarist/vocalist/songwriter Chris Cain, and Dennis Gruenling and Rodrigo Mantovani (of The Nick Moss Band Featuring Dennis Gruenling) each received one nomination.
Voting, which is free and open to the public, begins July 1 at www.bluesblastmagazine.com and ends on August 18, 2023. See a full list of nominees here. Winners will be announced at a ceremony to be held on September 23, 2023 at the 3300 Event Center in Peoria, Illinois.
Alligator artists and their nominations follow:
Blues Band Of The Year:
The Cash Box Kings
Traditional Blues Album Of The Year:
Oscar's Motel
Vocalist Of The Year:
Oscar Wilson
Percussionist Of The Year:
Kenny "Beedy Eyes" Smith
Blues Band Of The Year:
Rick Estrin & The Nightcats
Electric Guitarist Of The Year:
Christoffer "Kid" Andersen
Producer Of The Year:
Christoffer "Kid" Andersen
Percussionist Of The Year:
Derrick "D'Mar" Martin
Acoustic Blues Album Of The Year:
Mississippi Son
Male Blues Artist Of The Year:
Charlie Musselwhite
Harmonica Player Of The Year:
Charlie Musselwhite
Contemporary Blues Album Of The Year:
Done Come Too Far
Female Blues Artist Of The Year:
Shemekia Copeland
Vocalist Of The Year:
Shemekia Copeland
Harmonica Player Of The Year:
Dennis Gruenling
Bass Guitarist Of The Year:
Rodrigo Mantovani
Electric Guitarist Of The Year:
Christone "Kingfish" Ingram
Slide Guitarist Of The Year:
Lil' Ed Williams
Electric Guitarist Of The Year:
Chris Cain
THE NICK MOSS BAND FEATURING DENNIS GRUENLING RELEASES FIRST SINGLE AND VIDEO FROM GET YOUR BACK INTO IT!
6/14/2023
Wednesday, June 14, award-winning traditional electric Chicago blues group The Nick Moss Band Featuring Dennis Gruenling will premiere the first single, The Bait In The Snare, from their eagerly awaited third Alligator Records release, Get Your Back Into It!. The album will be available on July 14 on CD, red vinyl LP, and on all popular streaming and download services. The band has recently signed with the Blues Pros Talent booking agency with national and international tour plans in the works.
THE NICK MOSS BAND FEATURING DENNIS GRUENLING RELEASES FIRST SINGLE AND VIDEO FROM GET YOUR BACK INTO IT!
Along With New Visualizer Video
"An incendiary brew…fiery fretwork and wailing harmonica…soulful, playful and exuberant."
—Living Blues
"Superb…Nick Moss is one of the best existing purveyors of Chicago blues. Dennis Gruenling wails expertly on harp."
—Blues Music Magazine
"Foot-stomping, classic Chicago blues with clever lyrics and great harp. You won’t be disappointed."
—Blues & Rhythm (UK)
Today, Wednesday, June 14, award-winning traditional electric Chicago blues group The Nick Moss Band Featuring Dennis Gruenling will premiere the first single, The Bait In The Snare, from their eagerly awaited third Alligator Records release, Get Your Back Into It!. The album will be available on July 14 on CD, red vinyl LP, and on all popular streaming and download services. The band has recently signed with the Blues Pros Talent booking agency with national and international tour plans in the works.
Speaking of his original song, The Bait In The Snare, Moss says, "Nowadays, when it seems like trolling people is sport, I decided to take a fun approach, and remind everybody not to fall for the bait!”
With Get Your Back Into It!, Chicago native, guitarist and vocalist Nick Moss and New Jersey born and bred harmonica player and vocalist Dennis Gruenling – together with Rodrigo Mantovani on bass, Taylor Streiff on keyboards and Pierce Downer on drums – deliver a deeply rooted, timeless blue collar blues album. According to Moss, “We are a rare breed as far as how authentic we like to keep the music." That's not a surprise to longtime fans, as Moss proudly represents the city of Chicago as one of the few bluesmen working today to have learned his craft firsthand directly from many of the genre’s original creators.
Get Your Back Into It! was produced by Moss and Mantovani and contains fourteen original songs -- twelve by Moss and two by Gruenling. Guests include saxophonist “Sax” Gordon Beadle and organist “Brother” John Kattke. The album is inspired by the electrifying blues sounds of the 1940s, 1950s and 1960s, and is performed with taste, restraint, sly humor and pure joy. In addition to the expertly crafted lyrics, the album features three wild instrumentals that simply dare you to stay seated. “We're not reinventing the wheel," says Moss of the songs and performances on the new album, "but we like to push ourselves out of our comfort zone, and I feel like we accomplished that.”
Moss first made a name for himself playing bass for bluesman Jimmy “Fast Fingers” Dawkins. Dawkins encouraged Nick to unleash his fire and passion. From there, Moss was chosen by Willie “Big Eyes” Smith to join his Legendary Blues Band, but Smith insisted Moss switch to guitar. Blues icon Jimmy Rogers (whose best known songs include Walking By Myself and Ludella) hired Moss as his touring guitarist, mentoring him on the blues lifestyle along the way. Today, Moss’ blistering fretwork, impassioned, soul-charged vocals and memorable original songs place him in a league of his own.
Dennis Gruenling, Moss’ friend of over 20 years, is considered among today’s most innovative and creative blues harmonica players. His high-energy, full-throttle reed work has earned him comparisons to many of the greats, including the late James Cotton. A self-taught player and a natural entertainer with seven solo albums and numerous guest appearances to his credit, Gruenling’s giant, fat-toned harp work, raw-boned singing and untamed energy are a perfect foil for Moss’ inspired guitar playing and straight-from-the-shoulder blues vocals. Vintage Guitar says, “Gruenling’s harp, along with the Midwestern intensity of Moss’ blues guitar, is pure ecstasy.”
The Nick Moss Band Featuring Dennis Gruenling's first two Alligator albums, 2018's The High Cost Of Low Living and 2019’s Lucky Guy!, hit blues fans, press and radio by storm. Moss, Gruenling and the band received a total of five Blues Music Awards, with wins in 2020 for Band Of The Year, Song Of The Year (Lucky Guy) and Traditional Blues Album Of The Year (Lucky Guy!), and in 2019 for Traditional Blues Male Artist (Moss) and Instrumentalist—Harmonica (Gruenling). Blues Music Magazine says, “Nick Moss is a major force in contemporary blues. Dennis Gruenling plays soaring harp...infectious and finger-snappin’.”
Lucky Guy! finished in the Top 10 on the Living Blues Radio Chart’s Top 50 Albums of 2019. Internationally, the album peaked on blues charts at #1 in Australia, #3 in France and #7 in the UK. Songs from Lucky Guy! were also prominently featured on BBC2 in Britain and CBC in Canada. The title track became one of the most played songs on SiriusXM’s Bluesville.
Now, with Get Your Back Into It! and upcoming North American and European tours in the works, The Nick Moss Band Featuring Dennis Gruenling will bring their brash, exciting blues to old fans and new. Performing at clubs, concert halls and on festival stages across the country and around the world, the band ignites an irresistible, musical firestorm onstage. “When we get together, the music takes over,” says Moss. “We can’t hold back, and the energy just comes pouring out. We get carried away and the audience gets carried away with us.”
SELWYN BIRCHWOOD'S EXORCIST VIDEO TO PREMIERE AT ROOTS MUSIC WEBSITE, THE BLUEGRASS SITUATION
6/8/2023
One day ahead of the June 9 release of bluesman Selwyn Birchwood's new Alligator album, Exorcist, tastemaker Americana/roots music website The Bluegrass Situation will premiere the new video for the head-spinning title track. This is visionary, contemporary blues written and performed by an endlessly creative, modern-day blues master. Exorcist will be available on purple vinyl LP, CD and at all popular streaming and download sites.
SELWYN BIRCHWOOD'S EXORCIST VIDEO TO PREMIERE AT ROOTS MUSIC WEBSITE, THE BLUEGRASS SITUATION
Cinematic Video For New Album's "Fever-Pitched" Head-Turning Title Track Debuts One Day Prior To Full Album Release On June 9, 2023
"Rising blues star Selwyn Birchwood is the real deal. He puts his own fresh spin on the blues, taking the tradition and making it into something new."
—Guitar World
"A remarkable, contemporary bluesman...a powerhouse young guitarist and soulful vocalist. A major player...highly recommended."
—Rolling Stone
"No one in blues compares to young Florida-based guitarist Selwyn Birchwood. With the quality of his material, combined with a vibrant stage persona, there’s no need to borrow tunes from the greats who went before him. Lean yet mean and tough…lyrically and musically intense."
—American Songwriter
One day ahead of the June 9 release of bluesman Selwyn Birchwood's new Alligator album, Exorcist, tastemaker Americana/roots music website The Bluegrass Situation will premiere the new video for the head-spinning title track. This is visionary, contemporary blues written and performed by an endlessly creative, modern-day blues master. Exorcist will be available on purple vinyl LP, CD and at all popular streaming and download sites.
According to Birchwood, who wrote all the songs on Exorcist, as well as produced and directed the new video, "This is a cinematic portrayal of the fever-pitched title track that has been weeks in the making. Wait till you see this!"
The young guitarist, lap steel player, songwriter and vocalist calls his music “Electric Swamp Funkin’ Blues,” an intoxicating mix of deep blues, blistering, psychedelic-tinged rock, booty-shaking funk and sweet Southern soul, played and sung with fire-and-brimstone fervor. Americana music magazine No Depression says, “Selwyn Birchwood reaches back in the blues tradition to launch something out of this world.”
On Exorcist, Birchwood delivers the most far-reaching, musically adventurous album of his career. Recorded in Florida and produced by Grammy Award-winner Tom Hambridge, each of the 13 vividly detailed songs was written and arranged by Birchwood. The soul-baring tracks all hit with lasting rhymes and unexpected rhythms. Each twists its own tale, ranging from the love-gone-wrong Horns Below Her Halo to the love-gone-terrifying Exorcist to the autobiographical Underdog. According to Blues Music Magazine, “Selwyn Birchwood heralds a fresh, exciting new direction in the blues. Toe-tapping, hip-shaking, joyful and inviting…expansive and focused, exploratory and time-honored, but always original.”
ALLIGATOR RECORDS TO REISSUE THREE CLASSIC TITLES ON VINYL LP ON JULY 21, 2023
5/30/2023
On Friday, July 21, Alligator Records will reissue three classic titles on vinyl LP – all Grammy Award-nominated – from its unparalleled blues and roots rock catalog: Johnny Winter's Guitar Slinger, Roy Buchanan's When A Guitar Plays The Blues, and Delbert McClinton's Live From Austin. All three albums, remastered under the supervision of the original producer, Alligator Records founder and president Bruce Iglauer, and pressed on 140g black vinyl, will be available for the first time on LP in 30 years.
ALLIGATOR RECORDS TO REISSUE THREE CLASSIC TITLES ON VINYL LP ON JULY 21, 2023
Available On Vinyl For The First Time In 30 Years
All Tracks Remastered Under The Supervision Of The Original Producer, Alligator Founder Bruce Iglauer
"Slashing, flamboyant Texas blues-rock guitar"
–The New York Times
"The strongest album of Winter's career"
–The Chicago Sun-Times
"Awesome...explosively soulful guitar"
–Guitar Player
"This is the best album I ever made."
–Roy Buchanan
"Breathtaking, hardcore roadhouse rhythm & blues"
–Rolling Stone
"Smoking, jumping big-band blues and gospel-rooted soul honed to a razor's edge in the Texas juke joints. Jalapeno-hot!"
–The Los Angeles Times
On Friday, July 21, Alligator Records will reissue three classic titles on vinyl LP – all Grammy Award-nominated – from its unparalleled blues and roots rock catalog: Johnny Winter's Guitar Slinger, Roy Buchanan's When A Guitar Plays The Blues, and Delbert McClinton's Live From Austin. All three albums, remastered under the supervision of the original producer, Alligator Records founder and president Bruce Iglauer, and pressed on 140g black vinyl, will be available for the first time on LP in 30 years.
Originally released in 1984, Guitar Slinger was the first of three Alligator albums by the iconic American music legend, Johnny Winter. Winter was a fiery, dazzling guitar hero who played with high-octane intensity. Between 1968 and 1980, he cut 15 albums that defined the genre. In 1984 he signed with Alligator Records and made the three purest blues records of his career, solidifying his reputation as one of the top blues artists in the world. The success of Guitar Slinger sparked a career renaissance that lasted the rest of Winter's life. Cut with the cream of Chicago blues players, the album includes fan favorites Don't Take Advantage Of Me, Trick Bag and Boot Hill. Since its release, Guitar Slinger has sold over 100,000 units.
When A Guitar Plays The Blues was the 1985 Alligator debut from the late genius of pyrotechnic blues-rock guitar, Roy Buchanan. Roy, a wildly imaginative guitar wizard with a local word-of-mouth reputation in the Washington, D.C. area, burst into stardom when a public television special proclaimed him to be “The Best Unknown Guitar Player In The World.” He became a national concert attraction as fans lined up to experience his unmatched picking and amazing string bending. But his half-dozen major label albums didn’t capture his live performance fire. When he joined Alligator in 1985, he was thrilled to be given artistic freedom and a chance to record with real Chicago blues musicians. Roy considered When A Guitar Plays The Blues to be among his greatest achievements. Songs include Short Fuse, Mrs. Pressure and Hawaiian Punch. When A Guitar Plays The Blues has sold over 75,000 units.
Initially issued in 1989, Live From Austin was the first-ever live recording from Texas roadhouse singing legend Delbert McClinton. Delbert's music proudly defies classification as it blends his Texas roots with roadhouse rock, juke-joint blues, Memphis soul and country. Delbert's dynamic vocals and harmonica style range from honky-tonk and blue-eyed soul to country rock and deep blues. On Live From Austin, Delbert's passionate, gritty singing fronts his blistering, road-tested band on everything from driving rockers to raw, heart-piercing ballads. The album includes classics Standing On Shaky Ground, B Movie Boxcar Blues, Going Back To Louisiana and more. Live From Austin has sold over 150,000 units
THE NICK MOSS BAND FEATURING DENNIS GRUENLING TO RELEASE NEW ALBUM, GET YOUR BACK INTO IT!, ON JULY 14, 2023
5/15/2023
On Friday, July 14, award-winning traditional electric Chicago blues group The Nick Moss Band Featuring Dennis Gruenling will unleash their eagerly awaited third Alligator Records release, Get Your Back Into It!. The album will be available on CD, red vinyl LP, and on all popular streaming and download services.
THE NICK MOSS BAND FEATURING DENNIS GRUENLING TO RELEASE NEW ALBUM, GET YOUR BACK INTO IT!, ON JULY 14, 2023
Band Of The Year
"An incendiary brew…fiery fretwork and wailing harmonica…soulful, playful and exuberant."
—Living Blues
"Superb…Nick Moss is one of the best existing purveyors of Chicago blues. Dennis Gruenling wails expertly on harp."
—Blues Music Magazine
"Foot-stomping, classic Chicago blues with clever lyrics and great harp. You won’t be disappointed."
—Blues & Rhythm (UK)
On Friday, July 14, award-winning traditional electric Chicago blues group The Nick Moss Band Featuring Dennis Gruenling will unleash their eagerly awaited third Alligator Records release, Get Your Back Into It!. The album will be available on CD, red vinyl LP, and on all popular streaming and download services. The band has recently signed with the Blues Pros Talent music agency with national and international tour plans in the works.
With Get Your Back Into It!, Chicago native, guitarist and vocalist Nick Moss and New Jersey native, harmonica player and vocalist Dennis Gruenling – together with Rodrigo Mantovani on bass, Taylor Streiff on keyboards and Pierce Downer on drums – deliver a deeply rooted, timeless blue collar blues album. According to Moss, “We are a rare breed as far as how authentic we like to keep the music." That's not a surprise to longtime fans, as Moss proudly represents the city of Chicago as one of the few bluesmen working today to have learned his craft firsthand directly from many of the genre’s original creators.
The album's first single, the Moss original, The Bait In The Snare, will be released on June 14.
Get Your Back Into It! was produced by Moss and Mantovani and contains fourteen original songs -- twelve by Moss and two by Gruenling. Guests include saxophonist “Sax” Gordon Beadle and organist “Brother” John Kattke. The album is inspired by the electrifying blues sounds of the 1940s, 1950s and 1960s, and is performed with taste, restraint, sly humor and pure joy. In addition to the expertly crafted lyrics, the album features three wild instrumentals that simply dare you to stay seated. “We're not reinventing the wheel," says Moss of the songs and performances on the new album, "but we like to push ourselves out of our comfort zone, and I feel like we accomplished that.”
Moss first made a name for himself playing bass for bluesman Jimmy “Fast Fingers” Dawkins. Dawkins encouraged Nick to unleash his fire and passion. From there, Moss was chosen by Willie “Big Eyes” Smith to join his Legendary Blues Band, but Smith insisted Moss switch to guitar. Blues icon Jimmy Rogers (whose best known songs included Walking By Myself and Ludella) hired Moss as his touring guitarist, mentoring him on the blues lifestyle along the way. Today, Moss’ blistering fretwork, impassioned, soul-charged vocals and memorable original songs place him in a league of his own.
Dennis Gruenling, Moss’ friend of over 20 years, is considered among today’s most innovative and creative blues harmonica players. His high-energy, full-throttle reed work has earned him comparisons to many of the greats, including the late James Cotton. A self-taught player and a natural entertainer with seven solo albums and numerous guest appearances to his credit, Gruenling’s giant, fat-toned harp work, raw-boned singing and untamed energy are a perfect foil for Moss’ inspired guitar playing and straight-from-the-shoulder blues vocals. Vintage Guitar says, “Gruenling’s harp, along with the Midwestern intensity of Moss’ blues guitar, is pure ecstasy.”
The Nick Moss Band Featuring Dennis Gruenling's first two Alligator albums, 2018's The High Cost Of Low Living and 2019’s Lucky Guy!, hit blues fans, press and radio by storm. Moss, Gruenling and the band received a total of five Blues Music Awards, with wins in 2020 for Band Of The Year, Song Of The Year (Lucky Guy) and Traditional Blues Album Of The Year (Lucky Guy!), and in 2019 for Traditional Blues Male Artist (Moss) and Instrumentalist—Harmonica (Gruenling). Blues Music Magazine says, “Nick Moss is a major force in contemporary blues. Dennis Gruenling plays soaring harp...infectious and finger-snappin’.”
Lucky Guy! finished in the Top 10 on the Living Blues Radio Chart’s Top 50 Albums of 2019. Internationally, the album peaked on blues charts at #1 in Australia, #3 in France and #7 in the UK. Songs from Lucky Guy! were also prominently featured on BBC2 in Britain and CBC in Canada. The title track became one of the most played songs on SiriusXM’s Bluesville.
Now, with Get Your Back Into It! and upcoming North American and European tours in the works, The Nick Moss Band Featuring Dennis Gruenling will bring their brash, exciting blues to old fans and new. Performing at clubs, concert halls and on festival stages across the country and around the world, the band ignites an irresistible, musical firestorm onstage. “When we get together, the music takes over,” says Moss. “We can’t hold back, and the energy just comes pouring out. We get carried away and the audience gets carried away with us.”
SIX ALLIGATOR ARTISTS RECEIVE BLUES MUSIC AWARDS
5/12/2023
On Thursday, May 11, 2023, the Blues Foundation announced the winners of the 44th Annual Blues Music Awards. This year, six Alligator Records artists received honors. The Awards ceremony was held in Memphis, Tennessee at the Renasant Convention Center.
SIX ALLIGATOR ARTISTS RECEIVE BLUES MUSIC AWARDS
Tommy Castro, Charlie Musselwhite, Shemekia Copeland, Christone "Kingfish" Ingram, Curtis Salgado and Kenny "Beedy Eyes" Smith (of The Cash Box Kings) All Honored
On Thursday, May 11, 2023, the Blues Foundation announced the winners of the 44th Annual Blues Music Awards. This year, six Alligator Records artists received honors. The Awards ceremony was held in Memphis, Tennessee at the Renasant Convention Center.
Internationally beloved guitarist and vocalist Tommy Castro, leader of Tommy Castro & The Painkillers, won the prestigious and coveted B.B. King Entertainer Of The Year Award for the second straight year. This is Castro's 10th Blues Music Award, and the fourth time he's been named Entertainer Of The Year.
Blues icon Charlie Musselwhite won the award for Acoustic Album Of The Year for his Grammy Award-nominated album Mississippi Son, on which the beloved harmonica player surprised and delighted the world with his note-perfect original country blues guitar playing. This is the 34th Blues Music Award of Musselwhite's career.
Powerhouse, multi-Grammy Award-nominated vocalist Shemekia Copeland was named Best Instrumentalist -- Vocals. This is the 15th Blues Music Award of her career. She's received over 40 total nominations.
Young blues guitar phenomenon Christone "Kingfish" Ingram took home the hardware for Contemporary Blues Male Artist Of The Year for the fourth straight year. Since he first burst on the scene in 2019, Ingram has been nominated for 10 Blues Music Awards and he's won them all.
Legendary vocalist and songwriter Curtis Salgado won the award for Soul Blues Male Vocalist Of The Year for the third year in a row and for the eighth time in his career. This is Salgado's 12th Blues Music Award overall.
Kenny "Beedy Eyes" Smith, drummer with The Cash Box Kings, was named Best Instrumentalist -- Drums. His top shelf talent can be heard on The Cash Box Kings' new album, Oscar's Motel.
See the full list of winners here.
B.B. King Entertainer Of The Year
Acoustic Album Of The Year - Mississippi Son
Best Instrumentalist -- Vocals
Contemporary Blues Male Artist Of The Year
Soul Blues Male Artist Of The Year
Kenny "Beedy Eyes" Smith:
Best Instrumentalist -- Drums
VISIONARY BLUESMAN SELWYN BIRCHWOOD LAUNCHES FLORIDA MAN, FIRST SINGLE FROM UPCOMING ALBUM, EXORCIST
5/9/2023
On Tuesday, May 9, award-winning Florida bluesman Selwyn Birchwood releases FLorida Man, the first single from Exorcist, his highly anticipated fourth Alligator Records release. The album, set for June 9 release, will be available on purple vinyl LP, CD and at all popular streaming and download sites.
VISIONARY BLUESMAN SELWYN BIRCHWOOD LAUNCHES FLORIDA MAN, FIRST SINGLE FROM UPCOMING ALBUM, EXORCIST
FLorida Man Made Its Worldwide Debut On Tampa's WMNF-FM,
Birchwood's Hometown Radio Station
"Rising blues star Selwyn Birchwood is the real deal. He puts his own fresh spin on the blues, taking the tradition and making it into something new."
—Guitar World
"A remarkable, contemporary bluesman...a powerhouse young guitarist and soulful vocalist. A major player...highly recommended."
—Rolling Stone
"No one in blues compares to young Florida-based guitarist Selwyn Birchwood. With the quality of his material, combined with a vibrant stage persona, there’s no need to borrow tunes from the greats who went before him. Lean yet mean and tough…lyrically and musically intense."
—American Songwriter
On Tuesday, May 9, award-winning Florida bluesman Selwyn Birchwood releases FLorida Man, the first single from Exorcist, his highly anticipated fourth Alligator Records release. The album, set for June 9 release, will be available on purple vinyl LP, CD and at all popular streaming and download sites. The original song is ripped straight from the state's notorious news headlines, and it's an uproarious and timely blues-rocker. According to Birchwood, every line is true. "FLorida Man is my maniacal musical of the mythical and elusive character that resides in my home state. People outside of Florida think we are crazy. People inside of Florida KNOW we’re crazy!"
Birchwood's hometown radio station, Tampa's WMNF, gave FLorida Man its worldwide debut on April 14. Nashville's tastemaker roots radio station, WMOT, is already enthusiastically airing the song in regular rotation. Belgium's Keys & Chords magazine says Birchwood is "one of the most exciting and creative young blues musicians in the world…This is the most visionary statement yet from a musician determined to shape the future of the blues.”
The young guitarist, lap steel player, songwriter and vocalist calls his music “Electric Swamp Funkin’ Blues,” an intoxicating mix of deep blues, blistering, psychedelic-tinged rock, booty-shaking funk and sweet Southern soul, played and sung with fire-and-brimstone fervor. Americana music magazine No Depression says, “Selwyn Birchwood reaches back in the blues tradition to launch something out of this world.”
On Exorcist, Birchwood delivers the most far-reaching, musically adventurous album of his career. Recorded in Florida and produced by Grammy Award-winner Tom Hambridge, each of the 13 vividly detailed songs was written and arranged by Birchwood. The soul-baring tracks all hit with lasting rhymes and unexpected rhythms. Each twists its own tale, ranging from the love-gone-wrong Horns Below Her Halo to the love-gone-terrifying Exorcist to the autobiographical Underdog. According to Blues Music Magazine, “Selwyn Birchwood heralds a fresh, exciting new direction in the blues. Toe-tapping, hip-shaking, joyful and inviting…expansive and focused, exploratory and time-honored, but always original.”
Along with the June 9 release of Exorcist, Birchwood and his band will kick off their extensive national tour that same evening at legendary local Tampa haunt Skipper's Smokehouse. About both his new album and his live show, Birchwood says, “My goal is to be sure you cannot listen passively. We’re going to make you dance, and we’re going to make you think.” One listen to Exorcist will no doubt convert many new true believers; this is visionary contemporary blues written and performed by an endlessly creative, modern-day blues master.