News

Guitarist Elvin Bishop, who rose to fame with the Paul Butterfield Blues Band before embarking on a long and storied solo career, will perform during the Grammy tribute to Southern rock, along with Dickey Betts (Allman Brothers), members of Lynyrd Skynyrd, and Grammy nominees Tim McGraw, Keith Urban and Gretchen Wilson. Bishop’s latest Alligator CDs are THE SKIN I’M IN and the live THAT’S MY PARTNER!, recorded with Bishop’s blues mentor Little Smokey Smothers.

Both Ellis and Alligator president Bruce Iglauer are thrilled to be working together again. "Tinsley is one of the finest younger generation blues rockers. He's made great albums for us in the past, and we're excited to have him back in the Alligator family. He's great in the studio, but even better live, so I'm really looking forward to this recording," says Iglauer.

And Ellis is in total agreement. "I look forward to working with my friends at Alligator. Nobody knows the blues market better, and the roster of acts is the strongest they've ever had. I'm beyond proud to be back."

Born in Atlanta in 1957, Ellis grew up in southern Florida and first played guitar at age eight. He found the blues through the backdoor of the British Invasion bands like The Yardbirds, The Animals, Cream, and The Rolling Stones. He especially loved the Kings - Freddie and B.B. - and spent hours immersing himself in their music. His love for the blues solidified when he was 14. At a B.B. King performance, Tinsley sat mesmerized in the front row. When the master broke a string on Lucille, he changed it without missing a beat, and handed the broken string to the youngster. After the show, B.B. came out and talked with fans, further impressing Ellis with his warmth and down-to-earth attitude. By now Tinsley's fate was sealed; he had to become a blues guitarist. And yes, he still has that string.

Already an accomplished musician, Ellis left Florida and returned to Atlanta in 1975. He soon joined the Alley Cats, a gritty blues band that included Preston Hubbard (of Fabulous Thunderbirds fame). In 1981, along with veteran blues singer and harpist "Chicago" Bob Nelson, Tinsley formed The Heartfixers, a group that would become Atlanta's top-drawing blues band. Upon hearing the band's second release, "Live At The Moonshadow" (Landslide), "The Washington Post" declared, "Tinsley Ellis is a legitimate guitar hero." After cutting two more Heartfixers albums for Landslide, "Cool On It" (featuring Tinsley"s vocal debut) and "Tore Up" (with vocals by blues shouter Nappy Brown) Ellis was ready to head out on his own. Ellis sent a copy of the master tape for his solo debut to Bruce Iglauer at Alligator Records. "I had heard 'Cool On It,'" recalls Iglauer, "and I was amazed. I hadn't heard Tinsley before, but he played like the guys with huge international reputations. It wasn't just his raw power; it was his taste and maturity that got to me. It had the power of rock but felt like the blues. I knew I wanted to hear more of this guy."

"Georgia Blue," Tinsley's Alligator debut, hit an unprepared public by surprise in 1988. Critics and fans quickly agreed that a new and original guitar hero had emerged. "Guitar World" called the album "a solid smoking affair from start to finish." Before long, Alligator arranged to reissue "Cool On It" and "Tore Up," thus exposing Tinsley's earlier music to a growing fan base.

Tinsley's next releases (1989's "Fanning The Flames," 1992's "Trouble Time," 1994's "Storm Warning" and 1997's "Fire It Up") solidified his reputation as one of the best guitar slingers and songwriters in the country. Playing with friends Peter Buck and keyboardist Chuck Leavell (Rolling Stones), and working with producers Eddy Offord (Yes, Yoko Ono) and Tom Dowd (Allman Brothers, Ray Charles) brought even more critical acclaim Ellis' way. "Dazzling musicianship pitched somewhere between the exhilarating volatility of rock and roll and the passion of urban blues," raved the "Los Angeles Times."

Features and reviews ran in "Rolling Stone," the "Chicago Tribune," the "Washington Post," the "Los Angeles Times," the "Boston Globe," and in many other national and regional publications. His largest audience by far came when NBC Sports ran a story on Atlanta's best blues guitarist during their 1996 Summer Olympic Coverage viewed by millions of people all over the world. Atlanta magazine called Tinsley, "the most significant blues artist to emerge from Atlanta since Blind Willie McTell." "It's hard to overstate the raw power of his music," announced the "Chicago Sun-Times."

Ellis has played -- at least once -- in all 50 states, as well as Canada, Europe, Australia and South America. Whether he's out with his own band or sharing stages with Robert Cray, Koko Taylor or The Allman Brothers, he averages over 150 performances a year, bringing his fast-moving, high-energy, guitar-drenched performances to fans all over the world. The new CD will capture that ferocious power on CD for the very first time.

Frank “Son” Seals was born in Osceola, Arkansas on August 14, 1942. He became an accomplished drummer by the time he was 13. By the age of 18, Son had put down the drumsticks and was leading his own band as a guitarist. He moved to Chicago in 1971 and began playing regular weekend gigs at The Expressway Lounge and other clubs on Chicago's South Side, regularly jamming with legends like Hound Dog Taylor, Junior Wells and Buddy Guy.

Son's 1973 debut recording, “The Son Seals Blues Band,” on the fledging Alligator Records label, established him as a blazing, original blues performer and composer. Son's audience base grew as he toured extensively, playing colleges, clubs and festivals throughout the country. “The New York Times” called him “the most exciting young blues guitarist and singer in years.” His 1977 follow-up, “Midnight Son,” received widespread acclaim from every major music publication. “Rolling Stone” called it “one of the most significant blues albums of the decade.”

On the strength of “Midnight Son,” Seals began touring Europe regularly, and even appeared in an Olympia beer commercial. A strong series of six more successful Alligator releases followed through the 1980s and 1990s (Seals also recorded two albums for other labels during this time), growing Seals’ audience all over the world. Seals shared stages with a wide variety of blues stars, including B.B. King and Johnny Winter. Even the popular rock band Phish recognized Seals’ talent and power, covering his song “Funky Bitch” on record and inviting Seals to join them on stage at many of their tour dates.

Seals played his last live performances in October 2004 in California.

Survivors include a sister, Katherine Sims of Chicago, and 14 children.

No funeral arrangements have been announced at this time.

Alligator Records Discography:
The Son Seals Blues Band (1973)
Midnight Son (1976)
Live And Burning (1978)
Chicago Fire (1980)
Bad Axe (1984)
Living In The Danger Zone (1991)
Nothing But The Truth (1994)
Live-Spontaneous Combustion (1996)
Deluxe Edition (2002)

“Son Seals is the most exciting young blues guitarist and singer in years.”
--The New York Times (1973)

“A major blues talent.”
--Rolling Stone

“Seals carves guitar licks like a chainsaw through solid oak and sings like a grainy-voiced avenging angel. A master of gritty, blue-collar blues.”
--Guitar World

THE HOLMES BROTHERS
Blues Album of the Year - "Simple Truths"
Blues Band of the Year - The Holmes Brothers
Blues Song of the Year - "Run Myself Out Of Town" (writer Wendell Holmes, performed by The Holmes Brothers)
Contemporary Blues Album of the Year - "Simple Truths"
Best Instrumentalist, Bass - Sherman Holmes
Best Instrumentalist, Drums - Popsy Dixon

MAVIS STAPLES
Blues Album of the Year - "Have A Little Faith"
Blues Song of the Year - "Have A Little Faith" (writer Jim Tullio and Jim Weider, performed by Mavis Staples)
Soul/Blues Album of the Year - "Have A Little Faith
Soul/Blues - Female Artist of the Year - Mavis Staples

W.C. CLARK
Blues Album of the Year - "Deep In The Heart"
Soul/Blues-Male Artist of the Year - W.C. Clark
Soul/Blues Album of the Year – “Deep In The Heart”

GUITAR SHORTY
Blues Album of the Year - "Watch Your Back"
Contemporary Blues Album of the Year - "Watch Your Back"

MARCIA BALL
Contemporary Blues-Female Artist of the Year - Marcia Ball
Best Instrumentalist-Keyboards - Marcia Ball

BILLY BRANCH & KENNY NEAL
Acoustic Blues Album of the Year - "Double Take"

CAREY BELL & LURRIE BELL
Acoustic Blues Album of the Year - "Second Nature"

LITTLE CHARLIE AND THE NIGHTCATS
Blues Band of the Year - Little Charlie and the Nightcats

SHEMEKIA COPELAND
Contemporary Blues-Female Artist of the Year - Shemekia Copeland

HOUND DOG TAYLOR
Historical Blues Album of the Year - "Release The Hound"

ROOMFUL OF BLUES
Best Instrumentalist-Horns - Roomful of Blues Horns

ANDRA FAYE (of Saffire-The Uppity Blues Women)
Best Instrumentalist-Other – Andra Faye - Mandolin

KOKO TAYLOR
Traditional Blues-Female Artist of the Year - Koko Taylor

--An appearance on the syndication radio program, “Mountain Stage.” Mavis’ performance will be available to affiliate stations to air for one week beginning December 10. For more information, go to www.mountainstage.org.

--An appearance on the National Public Radio program “E-Town”. The show, which tapes on December 5, will be available to affiliate stations to air for one week beginning January 26, 2005. For more information go to www.etown.org .

--An appearance as featured artist on the nationally syndicated radio program “The BeBe Winans Show” the weekend of December 11 and 12. The conversation and music show airs in 47 of the 50 top markets in the country. For more information go to www.beberadio.com .

--An appearance on the British television show “Later With Jools Holland.” Mavis performs on the famous New Year’s Eve edition of this celebrated program. Other guests that evening include Ian Hunter and Eric Clapton.

-- A hosting spot on a Delta Airlines In-Flight Radio Program. The 45-minute show, “Mavis Staples and American Treasures,” will run on all Delta audio equipped flights during the months of January and February 2005. The program, produced exclusively for Delta Radio and Delta Airlines by Soundtrack Marketing in Los Angeles, features Mavis talking about and playing some of the songs from “Have A Little Faith” as well as songs and artists that have influenced her career, including music from The Band, Ray Charles, Bob Dylan, Prince and many others.