News

Charlie Musselwhite Receives French Charles Cros Academy Grand Prix Blues Award  

    

Charlie Musselwhite breathes passion.
—DownBeat

Taste, restraint and power. He’s one of the best, and as a bluesman, he’s as real as they come. 
—The San Francisco Chronicle

Superb, original and compelling…Charlie Musselwhite, with unabashed excellence, sets the standard for blues.  
—Rolling Stone

On December 15, 2022, blues icon Charlie Musselwhite was honored with the coveted Charles Cros Academy Grand Prix Blues Award for his Grammy Award-nominated Alligator Records album, Mississippi Son. The Grand Prix Awards for Jazz, Blues and Soul Favorites were announced on France Musique (French national radio) on Alex Dutilh's Open Jazz show. The full list of jazz and soul winners can be found here.

Vintage Guitar magazine recently reviewed Mississippi Son, calling Musselwhite a "beloved blues harp great" with "formidable guitar chops" who, on the new album, "transports" the listener "straight to the Delta." Of this stark, acoustic performance video of the song Blues Gave Me A Ride – one of 2022's top ten tracks at SiriuxXM Radio's Bluesville channel – Vintage Guitar simply says, "It just doesn't get much cooler." 

Charlie Musselwhite doesn’t just sing and play the blues; he is, in every sense of the word, a bluesman. Growing up, he not only learned the music first-hand from many of the genre’s most influential artists, he also absorbed the lifestyle.  “It’s an attitude...a way of living life,” Musselwhite says of playing the blues. Musselwhite's life story reads like a classic blues song: born in Mississippi, raised in Memphis and schooled on the South Side of Chicago. A groundbreaking recording artist since the 1960s, Musselwhite has never stopped creating trailblazing music while remaining firmly rooted in the blues.

Over the years, Charlie has released nearly 40 albums on a variety of labels, his exploratory recordings including straight blues but often mixing in elements of jazz, gospel, Tex-Mex, Cuban and other world musics. Four of those albums—1990’s Ace Of Harps, 1991’s Signature, 1994’s In My Time, and 2010’s The Well—were released on Alligator Records and remain among his best-selling titles.

Now, with Mississippi Son, Musselwhite has come full circle, returning home to Mississippi after decades in Memphis, Chicago, San Francisco and points in between. Amalgamating all he’s learned and absorbed throughout his years of worldwide touring, Musselwhite imparts sage wisdom in every song he writes, sings and performs. “Blues tells the truth in a world that’s full of lies,” he intones in Blues Gave Me A Ride, at once telling his own story and plainly summing up the genre’s timelessness. Through his evocative vocals, masterful harmonica playing, and note-perfect Southern country blues guitar, Charlie Musselwhite, on Mississippi Son, leans forward and delivers the blues’ honest truth.

Shemekia Copeland To Appear On NPR's World Cafe on Wednesday, January 4    

    

“Shemekia Copeland is the greatest living blues singer...totally true to the blues and powerfully contemporary….a profound and truly powerful record." ” –NPR Music

“Defiant protest from the powerful-voiced blues singer...rocking and stirring. It’s all great stuff.” ” –MOJO (UK)

“Shemekia Copeland has never had any trouble being heard. With her blast furnace, in-your-face delivery, she gets her message across loud and clear. Copeland transcends with a mix gospel, rock, blues, soul, and Americana...proudly representing her generation with style and grace in a voice too strong to be ignored.” ” –No Depression

 
On Wednesday, January 4, award-winning roots, blues and Americana vocalist Shemekia Copeland will appear on the nationally broadcast NPR radio program, World Cafe. On the show, Copeland discusses her career with host Stephen Kallao and performs (along with her full band) songs from her Grammy-nominated 2022 album, Done Come Too Far. World Cafe originates from WXPN-FM in Philadelphia, where it airs daily at 2:00pm Eastern time. The show is broadcast on over 250 affiliate stations nationwide and is heard by more than 600,000 people each weekday before becoming available for on-demand streaming at WorldCafe.org.

In addition to receiving a Grammy Award nomination, Done Come Too Far was honored as the #1 Blues Album Of The Year by UK tastemaker magazine MOJO. The equally influential Americana music site No Depression named  the release among the top ten best albums of the year. Copeland continues to host her own popular daily blues radio show on SiriusXM’s Bluesville.

Done Come Too Far continues the story Copeland began telling on 2019’s groundbreaking America’s Child and 2020’s Grammy-nominated Uncivil War, reflecting her vision of America’s past, present and future. On Done Come Too Far,  she delivers her hard-hitting musical truths through her eyes, those of a young American Black woman, a mother, and a wife. But she likes to have a good time too, and her music reflects that, at times putting her sly sense of humor front and center.

The Philadelphia Tribune says, “Shemekia Copeland is an antidote to artifice. She is a commanding presence, a powerhouse vocalist delivering the truth.” The Washington Post declares, "Shemekia Copeland is the greatest blues singer of her generation." And Copeland's friend, music legend Mavis Staples shares, "I am so happy Shemekia is delivering these songs that the world needs to hear. Her voice is strong and soulful, and her message comes from her heart. 

RIAA, A2IM And Exceleration Music-Hosted Event
Featured Iconic Blues Artist Shemekia Copeland 

Representative Jan Schakowsky And Members Of The Illinois Delegation
Honored Cultural Impact Of The Blues   
 
 
(L-R): Mitch Glazier, Bruce Iglauer, Jan Schakowsky, Glen Barros, Dr. Richard James Burgess
and Morna Willens (Photo by Daniel Swartz)      

WASHINGTON D.C. (November 16, 2022) -- Alligator Records founder and president Bruce Iglauer was feted last night (11/16) in the nation’s capital by Illinois Congresswoman Jan Schakowsky, the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) and the American Association of Independent Music (A2IM). RIAA Chairman and CEO Mitch Glazier, A2IM president and CEO Dr. Richard James Burgess and founding partner of Exceleration Music, Glen Barros (with whom Alligator Records joined forces in 2021), also honored the label chief in their remarks. The private event acknowledging Alligator's role in the cultural impact of Blues music was hosted at the RIAA’s state-of-the-art headquarters in partnership with A2IM and Exceleration Music, who welcomed the music community, members of Congress and staff.

Longtime Alligator Records artist Shemekia Copeland, whom The Washington Post calls "the greatest blues singer of her generation," performed a stirring set for the exclusive list of invitees, including material from her powerful new album, Done Come Too Far.

Iglauer is thrilled to be recognized, saying, "I’m incredibly honored that the blues and Alligator Records have been lauded by the wonderful Jan Schakowsky. This official recognition is not only for me as the label’s founder, but it’s also for all the dedicated staff, some of whom have worked at Alligator for over four decades, who are committed to supporting our artists and our music. Above all, this statement honors Chicago blues and artists like Hound Dog Taylor, Son Seals, Koko Taylor, Lonnie Brooks, Fenton Robinson, Buddy Guy, Jimmy Johnson, James Cotton, Lil’ Ed & The Blues Imperials, Charlie Musselwhite, Carey and Lurrie Bell, Billy Branch, Luther Allison, Corky Siegel, Shemekia Copeland, The Cash Box Kings, Nick Moss and Toronzo Cannon -- who have cut timeless albums for Alligator. Those albums carry on the glorious Chicago blues tradition, keeping this deeply rooted music as charismatic and soul-healing for future generations as it has been for me."

Last December, Congresswoman Schakowsky entered a commemorative statement, entitled Honoring 50 Years Of Alligator Records, into the Congressional Record with the support of Illinois Congresspeople Chuy Garcia, Sean Casten, Raja Krishnamoorthi, Adam Kinzinger, Robin Kelly, Brad Schneider, Cheri Bustos, Bobby Rush, Marie Newman, Bill Foster, Lauren Underwood and Mike Quigley.

Alligator Records, like the blues itself, continues to break new ground while staying true to its roots. Rolling Stone says, “Prestigious, scrappy independent Alligator Records has reached dizzying heights in celebrating the blues.” It began in 1971, when 23-year-old blues fan Bruce Iglauer spent his savings to record and release a record by his favorite Chicago blues band, Hound Dog Taylor & The HouseRockers. He created Alligator Records to release that one LP. Today, Alligator boasts a catalog of over 350 titles, many of which are renowned, award-winning, time-tested classics of the genre. Career-defining albums from legendary artists including Hound Dog Taylor, Koko Taylor, Son Seals, Albert Collins, Johnny Winter, Professor Longhair, Lonnie Brooks, Luther Allison and Michael “Iron Man” Burks share the catalog with releases from current blues and roots icons Elvin Bishop, Charlie Musselwhite, Billy Boy Arnold and Mavis Staples. Records from today’s world-renowned stars like Shemekia Copeland, Lil’ Ed & The Blues Imperials, Rick Estrin & The Nightcats, Marcia Ball, Billy Branch, Tinsley Ellis, Carolyn Wonderland, Tommy Castro & The Painkillers, Curtis Salgado, Roomful Of Blues and The Cash Box Kings, as well as albums from trailblazing newer voices including Christone “Kingfish” Ingram, Nick Moss, Toronzo Cannon and Selwyn Birchwood, clearly showcase Alligator’s wide-ranging, forward-looking vision. In 2021, Alligator joined forces with Exceleration Music, a partnership of global music industry leaders who invest in the future of independent labels and artists. On June 18, 2021, Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot declared "Alligator Records Day" throughout the city via official proclamation. This is the same day Alligator Records–50 Years Of Genuine Houserockin' Music (a 2-LP or 3-CD set) was released. On September 18, 2021, the Mayor declared "Bruce Iglauer Day" across the city in honor of Alligator's founder and president. The New York Times says, “Alligator is the leading record label for the blues, and has succeeded where the giants have failed.”

Shemekia Copeland is the female blues artist of her generation, blessed with a cathartic voice and larger-than-life presence. Shemekia has just released her latest album, Done Come Too Far, to overwhelmingly positive reviews. NPR Music calls it "a profound and truly powerful record," saying, "Shemekia Copeland is the greatest living blues singer…totally true to the blues and powerfully contemporary." Shemekia joined the Alligator family when she was only 18. Since then, she’s made ten sensational albums, been nominated for three Grammy Awards, won over a dozen Blues Music Awards, and numerous Living Blues and DownBeat Critics' Awards. She has appeared at the White House, opened for the Rolling Stones, and toured worldwide. Copeland's friend Mavis Staples says, "I am so happy Shemekia is delivering these songs that the world needs to hear. Her voice is strong and soulful and her message comes from her heart."

The Recording Industry Association of America® advocates for recorded music and the people and companies that create it in the United States. RIAA's several hundred members – ranging from major American music groups with global reach to artist-owned labels and small businesses – make up the world's most vibrant and innovative music community, working to help artists reach their potential and connect with fans while supporting hundreds of thousands of American jobs.

A2IM is a 501(c)(6) not-for-profit trade organization headquartered in New York City that exists to support and strengthen the independent recorded music sector. Membership currently includes a broad coalition of nearly 700 Independently-owned American music labels. A2IM represents these independently owned small and medium-sized enterprises' (SMEs) interests in the marketplace, in the media, on Capitol Hill, and as part of the global music community. In doing so, it supports a key segment of America's creative class that represents America's diverse musical cultural heritage. Billboard magazine identified the Independent music label sector as 37.32 percent of the music industry's U.S. recorded musicsales market in 2016 based on copyright ownership, making Independent labels collectively the largest music industry sector. 

Exceleration Music  is a company formed by global music industry leaders Glen Barros, Amy Dietz, John Burk, Dave Hansen and Charles Caldas to invest in the future of independent labels and artists. Exceleration offers personalized solutions to entrepreneurs seeking capital to achieve growth as well as those trying to achieve liquidity or an honorable exit. The company’s growing team of data, sales and marketing experts works to preserve and enhance the legacies of both the entrepreneurs and their artists alike. To date, Exceleration has strategic relationships with Alligator, Bloodshot, Candid, Kill Rock Stars, Mom+Pop, The Ray Charles Foundation/Tangerine, SideOneDummy, and most recently the Heroic Music Group. Learn more at www.excelerationmusic.com.

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

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

I am so happy Shemekia is delivering these songs that the world needs to hear. Her voice is strong and soulful and her message comes from her heart.
—Mavis Staples

Blues roots perfection.  —Rolling Stone

A triumphant personal journey…powerful and incisive…a beautiful masterpiece…ranks among his finest work.”
—Living Blues

Charlie Musselwhite has the power to summon not only the blues’ great spirits, but the places they rose from. Mississippi Son is spare as a skeleton’s rib cages, but as beautiful as a fresh magnolia blossom. [It’s] one of the best new country blues albums recorded in decades.
—Premier Guitar 

On Tuesday, November 15, The Recording Academy announced the nominees for the 2023 Grammy Awards. Two Alligator Records albums were recognized.

Shemekia Copeland's groundbreaking 2022 release, Done Come Too Far, received a nomination for Best Contemporary Blues Album. Copeland has received four previous Grammy Award nominations.

Charlie Musselwhite's acclaimed Mississippi Son received a nomination for Best Traditional Blues Album. Musselwhite has been nominated 14 times, and won a Grammy Award in 2013.

The 65th Annual Grammy Awards ceremony will be held in Los Angeles on Sunday, February 5, 2023. 

    

“Alligator Records stands as one of the most enduring and revered independent blues labels in the world,
its catalog holding inextinguishable works.”  –The Chicago Tribune

Illinois Congresswoman Jan Schakowsky, with the support of 12 members of the Illinois Congressional delegation, entered a commemorative statement, entitled Honoring 50 Years Of Alligator Records, into the official Congressional Record. The statement celebrates blues music as a towering creation of African American culture, and praises Alligator Records and its president and founder, Bruce Iglauer, in honor of the pioneering blues label’s 50^th anniversary.

To further celebrate, Schakowsky, along with other dignitaries, will join Iglauer during a private event hosted by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA), the American Association of Independent Music (A2IM) and Exceleration Music at the RIAA's state-of-the-art headquarters in Washington, DC on November 16, 2022. Longtime Alligator recording artist Shemekia Copeland, whom The Washington Post calls, "the greatest blues singer of her generation," will perform a stripped-down acoustic set for an exclusive list of invitees.

According to Congresswoman Schakowsky, "In 1971, at the young age of 23, Bruce Iglauer established Alligator Records. Using all the money in his savings, Bruce invested in his favorite Chicago blues band, Hound Dog Taylor and the HouseRockers, and the rest is history. Now, 50 years later, we celebrate Bruce, Alligator Records, and the magic that is Chicago blues. The rich, vibrant blues scene in Chicago is just one of the many things that makes our city so great. Thanks to the strong leadership of Bruce Iglauer and Alligator Records, blues continues to play on in Chicago and across the entire world.”

Iglauer is thrilled to be recognized, saying, "I’m incredibly honored that the blues and Alligator Records have been lauded by the wonderful Jan Schakowsky. This official recognition is not only for me as the label’s founder, but it’s also for all the dedicated staff, some of whom have worked at Alligator for over four decades, who are committed to supporting our artists and our music. Above all, this statement honors Chicago blues and artists like Hound Dog Taylor, Son Seals, Koko Taylor, Lonnie Brooks, Fenton Robinson, Buddy Guy, Jimmy Johnson, James Cotton, Lil’ Ed & The Blues Imperials, Charlie Musselwhite, Carey and Lurrie Bell, Billy Branch, Luther Allison, Corky Siegel, Shemekia Copeland, The Cash Box Kings, Nick Moss and Toronzo Cannon -- who have cut timeless albums for Alligator. Those albums carry on the glorious Chicago blues tradition, keeping this deeply rooted music as charismatic and soul-healing for future generations as it has been for me."

Mitch Glazier, RIAA Chairman and CEO adds, "The new RIAA offices were built to celebrate the creative community, and we couldn’t be more excited to welcome members of Congress to honor the blues and Alligator Records. Congratulations Bruce, on your vision and leadership that has inspired some of the biggest blues artists across decades."

A2IM President and CEO Dr. Richard James Burgess adds,"Alligator Records’ incredible legacy of excellence highlights what independent labels do best: take huge risks to embrace underappreciated and poorly supported art forms. Many great blues artists might not have made the recordings that have contributed to American culture if Bruce Iglauer had not believed and invested in them. Congratulations to longtime A2IM member and my friend, Bruce Iglauer, on such well-earned and richly-deserved recognition.”

After highlighting Alligator's and Iglauer's storied history, Congresswoman Schakowsky's statement concludes:
Alligator Records has been a driving force in support of Chicago blues and blues music worldwide, and a glowing example of our country’s rich tradition of musical and entrepreneurial spirit. Now, my colleagues in the House of Representatives and I honor Alligator Records on 50 years of business and celebrates the American cultural legacy of Chicago blues music.

Together we urge the United States Government to take all necessary steps to preserve and advance the art form of Chicago blues music; recommit itself to ensuring that recording labels like Alligator Records and their artists receive fair protection under the copyright laws of the United States for their contributions to culture in the United States; and reaffirm the status of Chicago blues as a unique national treasure.

The members who rose in support are Congressman Chuy Garcia, Congressman Sean Casten, Congressman Raja Krishnamoorthi, Congressman Adam Kinzinger, Congresswoman Robin Kelly, Congressman Brad Schneider, Congresswoman Cheri Bustos, Congressman Bobby Rush, Congresswoman Marie Newman, Congressman Bill Foster, Congresswoman Lauren Underwood and Congressman Mike Quigley.

Alligator Records, like the blues itself, continues to break new ground while staying true to its roots. Rolling Stone says, “Prestigious, scrappy independent Alligator Records has reached dizzying heights in celebrating the blues.” It began in 1971, when 23-year-old blues fan Bruce Iglauer spent his savings to record and release a record by his favorite Chicago blues band, Hound Dog Taylor & The HouseRockers. He created Alligator Records to release that one LP. Today, Alligator boasts a catalog of over 350 titles, many of which are renowned, award-winning, time-tested classics of the genre. Career-defining albums from legendary artists including Hound Dog Taylor, Koko Taylor, Son Seals, Albert Collins, Johnny Winter, Professor Longhair, Lonnie Brooks, Luther Allison and Michael “Iron Man” Burks share the catalog with releases from current blues and roots icons Elvin Bishop, Charlie Musselwhite, Billy Boy Arnold and Mavis Staples. Records from today’s world-renowned stars like Shemekia Copeland, Lil’ Ed & The Blues Imperials, Rick Estrin & The Nightcats, Marcia Ball, Billy Branch, Tinsley Ellis, Carolyn Wonderland, Tommy Castro & The Painkillers, Curtis Salgado, Roomful Of Blues and The Cash Box Kings, as well as albums from trailblazing newer voices including Christone “Kingfish” Ingram, Nick Moss, Toronzo Cannon and Selwyn Birchwood, clearly showcase Alligator’s wide-ranging, forward-looking vision. In 2021, Alligator joined forces with Exceleration Music, a partnership of global music industry leaders who invest in the future of independent labels and artists. On June 18, 2021, Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot declared "Alligator Records Day" throughout the city via official proclamation. This is the same day Alligator Records–50 Years Of Genuine Houserockin' Music (a 2-LP or 3-CD set) was released. On September 18, 2021, the Mayor declared "Bruce Iglauer Day" across the city in honor of Alligator's founder and president. The New York Times says, “Alligator is the leading record label for the blues, and has succeeded where the giants have failed.”

Shemekia Copeland is the female blues artist of her generation, blessed with a cathartic voice and larger-than-life presence. Shemekia has just released her latest album, Done Come Too Far, to overwhelmingly positive reviews. NPR Music calls it "a profound and truly powerful record," saying, "Shemekia Copeland is the greatest living blues singer…totally true to the blues and powerfully contemporary." Shemekia joined the Alligator family when she was only 18. Since then, she’s made ten sensational albums, been nominated for three Grammy Awards, won over a dozen Blues Music Awards, and numerous Living Blues and DownBeat Critics' Awards. She has appeared at the White House, opened for the Rolling Stones, and toured worldwide. Copeland's friend Mavis Staples says, "I am so happy Shemekia is delivering these songs that the world needs to hear. Her voice is strong and soulful and her message comes from her heart."

The Recording Industry Association of America® advocates for recorded music and the people and companies that create it in the United States. RIAA's several hundred members – ranging from major American music groups with global reach to artist-owned labels and small businesses – make up the world's most vibrant and innovative music community, working to help artists reach their potential and connect with fans while supporting hundreds of thousands of American jobs.

A2IM is a 501(c)(6) not-for-profit trade organization headquartered in New York City that exists to support and strengthen the independent recorded music sector. Membership currently includes a broad coalition of nearly 700 Independently-owned American music labels. A2IM represents these independently owned small and medium-sized enterprises' (SMEs) interests in the marketplace, in the media, on Capitol Hill, and as part of the global music community. In doing so, it supports a key segment of America's creative class that represents America's diverse musical cultural heritage. Billboard magazine identified the Independent music label sector as 37.32 percent of the music industry's U.S. recorded musicsales market in 2016 based on copyright ownership, making Independent labels collectively the largest music industry sector. 

Exceleration Music  is a company formed by global music industry leaders Glen Barros, Amy Dietz, John Burk, Dave Hansen and Charles Caldas to invest in the future of independent labels and artists. Exceleration offers personalized solutions to entrepreneurs seeking capital to achieve growth as well as those trying to achieve liquidity or an honorable exit. The company’s growing team of data, sales and marketing experts works to preserve and enhance the legacies of both the entrepreneurs and their artists alike. To date, Exceleration has strategic relationships with Alligator, Bloodshot, Candid, Kill Rock Stars, Mom+Pop, The Ray Charles Foundation/Tangerine, SideOneDummy, and most recently the Heroic Music Group. Learn more at www.excelerationmusic.com.

Made Its World Premiere On NPR's World Cafe On October 4 

    

“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

"Big K.R.I.T. is a different sort of Southern traditionalist...understated and wonderous [with a] strong moral center...thoughtful and introspective." —New York Times 

On Friday, October 14, 2022, Grammy Award-winning blues guitarist, vocalist and songwriter Christone "Kingfish" Ingram and groundbreaking indie hip hop star—and fellow Mississippian—Big K.R.I.T. are releasing Another Life Goes By (Mississippi Mix). On the newly remixed track (produced, mixed and mastered by Grammy Award-winner Tom Hambridge), K.R.I.T. adds a captivating rap to Kingfish's passionate vocals and thought-provoking lyrics, seamlessly blending hip hop's raw urgency with the timelessness of the blues. The digital-only song is available on all major streaming and download services worldwide.

Also on October 14, Los Angeles-based NPR affiliate tastemaker radio station KCRW is hosting the song as its Today's Top Tune free download feature. According to Today's Top Tune curator Ariana Morgenstern, "This track feels deep. Kingfish rivals the greats like Jimi Hendrix, Stevie Ray Vaughan and B.B. King." Another Life Goes By (Mississippi Mix) is available for free download through 11:59pm Pacific time on October 14.

NPR's World Cafe exclusively premiered the song (found in its original form on Kingfish's Grammy Award-winning Alligator Records album 662) on October 4, airing the track on over 250 radio stations nationwide. Bruce Warren, Executive Producer of World Cafe, which originates from Philadelphia-based WXPN-FM, loves the collaboration, saying, "When Kingfish meets Big K.R.I.T. on Another Life Goes By, lyrical and guitar sparks explode on this new take on one of Kingfish’s most reflective songs. K.R.I.T.’s verse gives the song a masterful sense of urgency with its societal commentary, balanced with Kingfish’s incredible guitar playing."

The pairing with Big K.R.I.T. was organic, as both artists share their Mississippi upbringings with similar musical tastes and a fanbase that is committed to both artists. Of Kingfish's musicianship, No Depression says, "Ingram has no fear. His music transcends. [This is] the unveiling of a new and innovative path alongside a well-traveled Delta highway." XXL magazine declares K.R.I.T. "one of the most lauded Southern poets of his generation...One of Rap's most resilient M.C.'s."

“This is a very personal track for me as the message in Another Life Goes By speaks to contemporary issues many people face,” says Ingram. “For K.R.I.T. to add his Southern flavor, further cementing the deep meaning of the song, is really special. I appreciate him joining me on this one.”

Since the release of Kingfish, his Grammy-nominated 2019 Alligator Records debut, and 662, his 2021 Grammy-winning sophomore album, guitarist, vocalist and songwriter Christone “Kingfish” Ingram has become the defining blues voice of his generation. From his hometown of Clarksdale, Mississippi to stages around the world, the 23-year-old has already headlined three U.S. tours, performed at Australia’s largest music festival, amazed fans across Europe and the UK, and was selected to open for The Rolling Stones in London’s Hyde Park. Kingfish has also performed with friends including Vampire Weekend, Jason Isbell and Buddy Guy, with whom he appeared on Austin City Limits.

In July 2021, NPR’s Morning Edition featured Kingfish in a seven-minute story broadcast to its 14 million listeners. In April 2022, Kingfish made his national television debut on CBS Saturday Morning, performing three songs as well as being featured in an in-depth interview segment. Parts of the interview were recorded at New York’s legendary Apollo Theater, where Kingfish headlined.

As soon as 662 dropped on July 23, 2021, fans, critics, and radio stations showered the album with praise. Like his 2019 debut Kingfish, the album debuted at #1 on the Billboard Blues Chart. The title track made its world debut on SiriusXM's Bluesville and Kingfish appered on NPR’s World Café. 662 became a Today's Top Tune for radio station KCRW. MOJO selected 662 as the Best Blues Album Of The Year, while NPR Music said Ingram’s playing is “astounding…it’s almost like he’s singing through the guitar.”

662 won the Grammy Award for Best Contemporary Blues Album, won the Blues Music Award for Best Blues Album, and topped both the DownBeat Critics’ Poll and the Living Blues Critics’ Poll. Since his 2019 debut, Kingfish has been nominated for a total of nine Blues Music Awards and has won them all. He’s also won nine Living Blues Awards and his momentum has continued to build. In July 2022, The Washington Post Magazine ran a 5000-word story on the young musician. Kingfish simultaneously appeared on the cover of Guitar World magazine, where the publication exclaimed, “Christone "Kingfish" Ingram has already made his mark as one of the best, and undoubtedly most exciting, blues guitarists in the world.”

Blues Blast magazine has announced the winners for its annual Blues Blast Music Awards. This year, Grammy Award-winning guitarist/vocalist/songwriter Christone "Kingfish" Ingram and award-winning blues rockers Tommy Castro & The Painkillers took home top awards.

Ingram won for Contemporary Blues Album Of The Year (for 662), Male Blues Artist Of The Year and Electric Guitarist Of The Year.

Tommy Castro & The Painkillers won the coveted Blues Band Of The Year Award.

According to the publication, more than 10,000 readers and fans voted in the 2022 Blues Blast Music Awards. Voting, which was free and open to the public, ended on August 19, 2022. See a full list of winners here.

Florida-Based Grey's Best-Selling 2007 Alligator Debut
Marks 15th Anniversary With First-Ever Appearance On LP

    

Rich, funky swamp blues celebrate life’s most fundamental joys. Grey is a singer-songwriter with unforced talent and deep feeling.   
—The New York Times 

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 

Grey and Mofro fuse rock with plenty of soul and groove-heavy blues, and dirty, infectious funk. The deep and introspective lyrics are a breath of fresh air.
—Relix  

On Friday, November 11, Alligator Records will release JJ Grey & Mofro's 2007 label debut, Country Ghetto, on vinyl LP for the very first time. 2022 marks the 15th anniversary of Country Ghetto, the best-selling album of Grey's career. The LP will feature all original music and artwork from the 2007 CD. Country Ghetto was the first of five albums Grey cut for Alligator.

Tastemaker UK music magazine MOJO raved, "Abundantly talented singer, guitarist, harmonica man, gritty-voiced JJ Grey delivers tuneful originals, funky good times, sinuous ballads, gospel and chunks of Southern rock spiced with moments of pure jazz …a pleasure."

2007 was a watershed year for Grey. The release of Country Ghetto brought widespread critical and popular acclaim, as the album garnered piles of positive press with reviews and features running everywhere from The New York Times and USA Today to The New Yorker and Paste magazines. Commercial and public radio embraced Grey as well, with songs from Country Ghetto receiving regular rotation on hundreds of stations across the country and around the world.
 
JJ Grey & Mofro played over 120 dates in 2007 to support Country Ghetto, building their audience one mind-blowing show at a time, headlining clubs and concert halls and performing at scores of festivals across the United States and Europe. Grey and his band have gigged constantly since first forming in North Florida in the late 1990s, and they continue to deliver over 100 shows a year. The New Yorker declared, "JJ Grey and his band Mofro stir up a Southern storm of soulful grooves that is more welcome than a cool downpour on a steamy summer day. They deliver a steady stream of Southern R&B with a rock edge. Simmering, funky and propulsive."

Copeland Wins Blues Artist Of The Year For Second Straight Year
Kingfish's 662 Named Blues Album Of The Year  

         

DownBeat magazine, in its 70th Annual Critics Poll, named Alligator Records artist Shemekia Copeland as its Blues Artist Of The Year for the second straight year. Alligator's Christone "Kingfish" Ingram won the Best Blues Album award for his celebrated, Grammy Award-winning album 662.

In the past week, Copeland and Ingram also topped Living Blues magazine's Critics and Readers Polls, with each winning Blues Artist Of The Year (female and male, respectively), and Ingram also winning Best Blues Album and Most Outstanding Musician (Guitar).

Copeland's new album, Done Come Too Far, will be released on August 19, 2022. The album's first single, Too Far To Be Gone, is already among the most played tracks on XM/Sirius Radio's B.B. King's Bluesville channel.

Ingram is currently on his first European tour, playing to packed crowds in the UK and across the continent. Earlier this month, he opened for the Rolling Stones at Hyde Park in the UK. 

Living Blues magazine, in its July/August 2022 issue (#279), announced the winners for its 29th Annual Living Blues Critics' and Readers' Awards. This year, four Alligator artists received a total of nine awards. Leading all artists with five awards is Grammy Award-winning guitarist/vocalist/songwriter Christone "Kingfish" Ingram. He received both the Critics' Poll Award and the Readers' Poll Award for Blues Artist Of The Year (Male) and Blues Album Of The Year (for 662), and also won the Critics' Poll Award for Most Outstanding Musician (Guitar). In addition, 662 producer Tom Hambridge won the Critics' Poll Award for Producer Of The Year (New Release). 

Shemekia Copeland won the Critics' Poll Award for Blues Artist Of The Year (Female). Copeland's new album, Done Come Too Far, will be released on August 19, 2022.

Blues master Charlie Musselwhite won both the Critics' Poll Award and the Readers' Poll Award for Most Outstanding Musician (Harmonica). Texas pianist/vocalist Marcia Ball won the Readers' Poll Award for Most Outstanding Musician (Keyboards).

Alligator artists and their awards follow:

Blues Artist Of The Year (Male) - Critics' Poll and Readers' Poll Winner

Best Blues Album: 662 - Critics' Poll and Readers' Poll Winner

Most Outstanding Musician (Guitar) - Critics' Poll Winner 

Blues Artist Of The Year (Female) - Critics' Poll Winner 

Most Outstanding Musician (Keyboards) - Readers' Poll Winner 








Most Outstanding Musician (Harmonica) - Critics' Poll And Readers' Poll Winner 

Blistering Performance Features Slide Guitar Master Sonny Landreth

Highly Anticipated New Album Done Come Too Far Set For August 19 Release    

    

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

“Shemekia Copeland has established herself as one of the leading blues artists of our time.” –NPR Music

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

“Shemekia Copeland is an antidote to artifice. She is a commanding presence, a powerhouse vocalist delivering the truth.” –The Philadelphia Inquirer
 
“I am so happy Shemekia is delivering these songs that the world needs to hear. Her voice is strong and soulful, and her message comes from her heart.”
–Mavis Staples 

On Friday, July 8, award-winning blues, soul and Americana singer Shemekia Copeland will release Too Far To Be Gone, the first single from her highly anticipated new album, Done Come Too Far (to be available on CD and LP). The lyrically and musically powerful song, featuring slide guitar master Sonny Landreth, received its worldwide premier on SiriusXM's B.B. King's Bluesville channel, and is quickly becoming one of the station's most-played tracks. According to Copeland, "I feel very passionate about the message in this song and was fortunate to have Sonny Landreth’s incredible slide guitar echo those feelings." Done Come Too Far is set for release on Friday, August 19, 2022. Listen to Too Far To Be Gone and watch the video below: 

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 — winner of the 2021 Blues Music Award for B.B. King Entertainer Of The Year — 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.”

Done Come Too Far continues the story Copeland began telling on 2019’s groundbreaking America’s Child and 2020’s Grammy-nominated Uncivil War, reflecting her vision of America’s past, present and future. On Done Come Too Far, she delivers her hard-hitting musical truths through her eyes, those of a young American Black woman, a mother, and a wife. But she likes to have a good time too, and her music reflects that, at times putting her sly sense of humor front and center. In addition to Landreth, guests on the album include Mississippi Hill country blues icons Cedric Burnside and Kenny Brown, Memphis soul keyboard legend Charles Hodges, Oliver Wood (of the Wood Brothers), Americana star Aaron Lee Tasjan and Pat Sansone (of Wilco).

With Done Come Too Far, Copeland hits harder than ever with musically and lyrically adventurous songs and jaw-dropping performances that are at once timely and timeless. According to Copeland, “This album was made by all sides of me — happy, sad, silly, irate — they’re all a part who I am and who we all are. I’m not political. I’m just talking about what’s happening in this country.” And she doesn’t hold back. Recorded in Nashville and produced by multi-instrumentalist/songwriter Will Kimbrough (who also produced her previous two albums), Done Come Too Far is Copeland at her charismatic, passionate, confrontational best. 

Co-Founder of The Siegel-Schwall Band
Performed With Howlin' Wolf, Muddy Waters, Janis Joplin, The Jefferson Airplane And Countless Others  

    

"Undoubtedly the best electric guitarist in the country."
—The Boston Globe

"Few groups in the world can match The Siegel-Schwall Band's Jim Schwall for the sheer joy of his music"
—The Chicago Sun-Times

Famed Chicago blues guitarist and vocalist Jim Schwall -- co-founder of the influential and popular Siegel-Schwall Band -- died of natural causes at his home in Tucson, Arizona on Sunday, June 19, 2022. He was 79. Known for his distinctive guitar sound -- he played an amplified Gibson B-25 acoustic -- Schwall helped introduce the blues to the rock and roll audience with his easy-going, good-natured music. He was also a political activist, a teacher, a photographer and a writer.

Schwall was born in Chicago in 1942. He played drums and accordion in grade school before picking up a guitar in high school. He first met fellow musician Corky Siegel in Chicago in 1964 while both were in the Roosevelt University Jazz Band. The pair soon discovered their mutual love for the blues and eventually began performing as a duo, with Corky on harmonica and piano and Jim on guitar. They auditioned at Chicago's famed Pepper's Lounge on the South Side, and were hired to play every Thursday night. According to Siegel, "The audience went wild, probably because we were so different." This led to a long-term musical residency at the club, and the pair played with several blues luminaries (who also became personal friends) including Muddy Waters, Howlin' Wolf, Little Walter, Otis Spann, Willie Dixon, Junior Wells and James Cotton. "We really got an education at Pepper's," Siegel says. After the Paul Butterfield Blues Band moved on, the Siegel-Schwall Band took over their residency at Big John's on the city's north side.

The band was signed to Vanguard Records by blues music historian and writer Sam Charters in 1965, and they released a total of five albums for the label. They toured coast-to-coast, and were instrumental in bringing blues to a whole new audience, performing at the famous Fillmore West, sharing the stage with rock royalty including Janis Joplin and The Jefferson Airplane. They next signed with RCA's Wooden Nickel imprint and released five more albums.

In 1968, they collaborated with conductor Seiji Ozawa of the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, combining for the first time blues with classical music. They recorded an album, Three Pieces For Blues Band And Symphony Orchestra, for the Deutsche Grammophon label in 1973. The album went on to sell over 300,000 copies.

After a hiatus, the Siegel-Schwall Band reformed in 1987 and released the first of two albums on Alligator Records, 1988's Siegel-Schwall Band Reunion Concert and 2005's Flash Forward. Schwall, who had previously relocated to Madison, Wisconsin, received a PhD in Musical Composition from the University of Wisconsin in 1993. Schwall released three solo albums beginning in 2007, including 2014's Bar Time Lovers for the Conundrum InterArts label. He recently relocated to Tucson, Arizona.

According to Corky Siegel, "People should know, Jim was a beautiful humanitarian and a one-of-a-kind musician."

Schwall is survived by brothers William "Chico" Schwall and Steven Schwall, nephew Douglas Schwall and niece Esme Schwall Weigand.

Funeral arrangements are pending.