News

Living Blues magazine, in its May 2023 issue, announced the nominees for the 2023 Living Blues Awards. This year, eight Alligator artists received a total of 15 nominations. Leading all artists with four nominations is award-winning vocalist Shemekia Copeland. She received nods for Blues Artist Of The Year (Female), Best Blues Album Of 2022 (for the Grammy-nominated Done Come Too Far), Most Outstanding Blues Singer and Best Live Performer.

Grammy Award-winning guitarist/vocalist/songwriter Christone "Kingfish" Ingram followed with three nominations, including Blues Artist Of The Year (Male), Best Live Performer and Most Outstanding Musician (Guitar).

Southern blues rocker Tinsley Ellis and blues icon Charlie Musselwhite each received two nominations. Texas pianist/vocalist Marcia Ball, harmonica giants Rick Estrin (of Rick Estrin & The Nightcats) and Billy Branch, and Oscar Wilson (vocalist for The Cash Box Kings) each received one nomination.

Living Blues fans may vote with the Readers' Ballot, available at www.livingblues.com before June 15, 2023. Alligator artists and their nominations follow:

Blues Artist Of The Year (Female) 
Best Blues Album Of 2022  - Done Come Too Far
Most Outstanding Blues Singer 
Best Live Performer 





Blues Artist Of The Year (Male) 
Best Live Performer 
Most Outstanding Musician (Guitar) 






Best Blues Album Of 2022 - Devil May Care 
Most Outstanding Musician (Guitar) 

Best Blues Album Of 2022 - Mississippi Son 
Most Outstanding Musician (Harmonica) 

Most Outstanding Musician (Keyboards) 








Most Outstanding Musician (Harmonica) 


  





Most Outstanding Musician (Harmonica) 

  






Oscar Wilson - Most Outstanding Blues Singer 

   

"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 Friday, June 9, award-winning Florida bluesman Selwyn Birchwood will release Exorcist, his highly anticipated fourth Alligator Records release. The young guitarist, lap steel player, songwriter and vocalist sets a course for the future of the blues with his visionary, original music. He calls it “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. Tastemaker Americana music magazine No Depression says, “Selwyn Birchwood reaches back in the blues tradition to launch something out of this world.” Exorcist will be available on purple vinyl LP, CD and at all popular streaming and download sites. The first single, the ripped-from-the-headlines howler FLorida Man, will hit radio and streamers on Tuesday, May 9.

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.”

Live, Birchwood is a force of nature. His ability to win over an audience—any audience—is proven night after night on the bandstand. With his warm, magnetic personality, Birchwood is as down-to-earth as his music is thought-provoking and electrifying, with Birchwood's band featuring the pulsating interplay of his blistering guitar with Regi Oliver’s driving baritone sax. When he sits down to play his lap steel, he takes the crowd to a whole other level, with the music exorcising any bad times and troubles.

Birchwood first hit the blues scene in 2011 with the self-released, self-produced FL Boy. After winning the 2013 International Blues Challenge in Memphis (beating 150 other bands), Birchwood found doors swinging open. He took a giant step forward in 2014 with his Alligator Records debut album, Don’t Call No Ambulance. Rave reviews ran in publications from Rolling Stone to The Wall Street Journal, from The Chicago Tribune to The San Francisco Chronicle. The album won both the Living Blues Award and the Blues Music Award (BMA) for Best New Artist Debut. He followed in 2016 with fan-favorite Pick Your Poison and, in 2021, with the groundbreaking Living In A Burning House. He won the coveted BMA Song Of The Year Award for that album’s I’d Climb Mountains.

Now, with Exorcist, Selwyn Birchwood and his band are ready to deliver the new songs live to expanding, enraptured audiences around the world, lifting spirits while banishing demons. Asked what fans can expect when they see him, Birchwood replies, “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. 

   

On Friday, June 2, Alligator Records will reissue two classic titles from its unparalleled blues and roots rock catalog: 2023 Blues Hall Of Famer Fenton Robinson's Somebody Loan Me A Dime and Lonnie Mack's Strike Like Lightning. Both albums have been remastered and pressed on 140g black vinyl and will be available for the first time on LP in 30 years.

Originally released in 1974, Somebody Loan Me A Dime, by blues icon Fenton Robinson, is a bona fide blues classic, and only the fifth album to be released by Alligator at the time. An inventive, melodic guitarist with a soaring voice, Robinson had a long recording career, cutting singles (and one LP) for various labels before releasing Somebody Loan Me A Dime on Alligator. That album fully captures the depth of Robinson's subtle, nuanced, jazz-inflected blues and spectacular guitar and vocal talent, and features his definitive versions of the title track (covered by Boz Scaggs) and Texas Flood (covered by Stevie Ray Vaughan). Robinson was posthumously inducted into the Blues Hall Of Fame in 2023. Since its release, Somebody Loan Me A Dime has sold over 50,000 units in the U.S..

Originally released in 1985, Strike Like Lightning, by rock and soul originator Lonnie Mack, was the celebrated comeback of the legendary rock guitar pioneer. A blazing guitarist and raw, soulful singer, Mack rose to fame in 1963 with his instrumental singles Memphis and Wham! and a handful of albums. With the encouragement of his greatest disciple, Stevie Ray Vaughan (who offered to produce and guest on the album), Mack went into the studio for Alligator in 1984 and relaunched his career. Strike Like Lightning features timeless slash-and-burn performances, including the songs Hound Dog Man, If You Have To Know, Double Whammy and Oreo Cookie Blues. Strike Like Lightning has sold over 100,000 units in the U.S.

    

“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

"The two disparate talents come off like kindred spirits and blend seamlessly on one of Ingram’s most powerful and personal songs, and the resulting collaboration is stirring stuff."  —Guitar Player

On Tuesday, February 21, 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 premiering the video for their trailblazing collaboration on the remixed track, Another Life Goes By (Mississippi Mix). The cutting-edge song blends blues with rap to address racial injustice, while the video intercuts more than 50 years of protest footage with eye-opening evidence showing why the struggle must carry on today. The video was created and directed by noted filmmaker and photographer Ricardo Betancourt, who is known for the visceral power of his visual work, with an aim to heal through moving images.

According to Kingfish, “Being raised in Mississippi and living with both the joy and difficulty of growing up Black in America, this is a very personal track for me. The message in Another Life Goes By speaks to contemporary issues many people face. 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.”

The remixed track (produced, mixed and mastered by Grammy Award-winner Tom Hambridge), with K.R.I.T. adding a captivating rap to Kingfish's passionate vocals and thought-provoking lyrics, seamlessly blends hip hop's raw urgency with the timelessness of the blues.

NPR's World Cafe exclusively premiered the song (which in its original form appears on Ingram's Grammy Award-winning album 662), airing the track on over 250 radio stations nationwide. Bruce Warren, Executive Producer of World Cafe, which originates from Philadelphia-based WXPN-FM, says, "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."

Los Angeles-based NPR affiliate tastemaker radio station KCRW hosted 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."

The track has received widespread airplay across the globe, from New York's WFUV to Dallas' KXT to BBC2 in England. The song was one of the Most Added Singles on the North American College And Community (NACC) Hip Hop Chart in its debut week. Since the track's release, Kingfish's Spotify listenership has risen by an astounding 50%.

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." 

Oscar's Motel Is The Title Track From Upcoming Album
Set For March 17 Release

Song Debuted Worldwide On SiriusXM's Bluesville Channel On February 15  
   

    

Fearless, full-tilt Chicago blues...fervent vocals and soaring harmonica.
—Chicago Tribune

Singer Oscar Wilson and singer-harpist Joe Nosek are experts in classic Chicago grooves but they also enchant with original songs both funny and pointed.
—MOJO (UK) 

Oscar Wilson’s powerful and deep voice harkens back to the golden age of Chicago blues. Nosek blows spirited, muscular harp. The Cash Box Kings serve up undeniable proof that they remain one of the top blues bands of this era.
—Blues Blast Magazine

On Friday, February 17, award-winning blues band The Cash Box Kings will premiere a new video for the wickedly sly title track from from their upcoming dynamic Alligator Records album Oscar's Motel (available March 17). The original song, a rousing, non-stop, blues-filled, barbeque-fueled party, made its worldwide debut on SiriusXM's Bluesville channel on February 15 and is now available at all popular streaming and download sites.

According to Living Blues magazine, The Cash Box Kings “are one of the best blues bands in the land.” The group, co-led by Chicago blues vocalist and songwriter Oscar “Mr. 43rd Street” Wilson, and Madison, Wisconsin-based harmonica giant, songwriter and singer Joe Nosek, plays masterfully raw, unvarnished, old-school ensemble blues. According to Nosek, who co-wrote the song with Wilson, "Our goal was to have Oscar’s Motel be a celebration, an open invitation to leave your troubles behind and have a carefree, down-home, good time.”

The full album, Oscar's Motel (the band's third for Alligator and 11th overall), will be available on CD, LP and at all popular streaming and download sites on March 17. On each of the album's 11 tracks, The Cash Box Kings bring contemporary authority and old-school blues authenticity. The band—featuring guitarist Billy Flynn, drummer Kenny “Beedy Eyes” Smith, bassist John W. Lauler, and keyboardist Lee Kanehira—opens a door into the intoxicating spirit and sounds of 1950s and 1960s Chicago blues, and then they bring it all right up to the minute with Wilson and Nosek’s original, instantly memorable songs.

No matter where The Cash Box Kings perform, they bring the music to fuel the party. Between Wilson’s natural blues vocal power and Nosek’s talent at wringing every last drop of emotion from his harmonica, The Cash Box Kings never fail to wow their longtime fans while earning new ones at every gig. Now, with the new album and tour dates scheduled throughout the year, The Cash Box Kings invite everyone to leave their worries at home and check into Oscar’s Motel, where the music is always just getting started.

Ball Named "Texas Music Legend"
By The Texas Heritage Songwriters Association

Musselwhite's Grammy Award-Nominated Mississippi Son Named
"Album Of The Year" By French Soul Bag Magazine 
   

    

“Rollicking, playful, good-time blues and intimate, reflective balladry...her songs ring with emotional depth.”
—Rolling Stone

"Marcia Ball plays two-fisted New Orleans barrelhouse piano and sings in a husky, knowing voice about all the trouble men and women can get into on the way to a good time.”
—The New York Times

The Texas Songwriters Association has named Alligator Records artist Marcia Ball its 2023 "Texas Music Legend." She will be presented with the coveted Darryl K. Royal (DKR) Texas Music Legends Award in a ceremony to be held on February 25, 2023 in Austin, Texas. Find more information here. Previous DKR Texas Music Legend awardees include songwriter/musician Stephen Bruton and Ray Benson of Asleep At The Wheel.

Ball is simply overjoyed, saying, "I can't contain myself, and I am so grateful for this amazing honor bestowed by the Texas Heritage Songwriters Association. I know I am in some really good company. Thank you so much!"

    

“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
 
“Blues roots perfection”
—Rolling Stone

Writers and editors of French Soul Bag magazine have selected blues icon Charlie Musselwhite's Mississippi Son as its 2022 Album Of The Year. Musselwhite was recently honored in France with the prestigious Charles Cros Academy Grand Prix Blues Award.

Soul Bag pictured Musselwhite on the cover of its July 2022 issue, noting Mississippi Son features "minimalist accompaniment, uncluttered playing, hypnotic patterns and voices. Musselwhite perfectly masters the codes of country blues." 

Award-Winning Band Co-Led By Chicago Blues Vocalist
Oscar "Mr. 43rd Street" Wilson And Harmonica Master Joe Nosek 
   

    

Fearless, full-tilt Chicago blues...fervent vocals and soaring harmonica.
—Chicago Tribune

Singer Oscar Wilson and singer-harpist Joe Nosek are experts in classic Chicago grooves but they also enchant with original songs both funny and pointed.
—MOJO (UK) 

Oscar Wilson’s powerful and deep voice harkens back to the golden age of Chicago blues. Nosek blows spirited, muscular harp. The Cash Box Kings serve up undeniable proof that they remain one of the top blues bands of this era.
—Blues Blast Magazine

On Friday, March 17, award-winning blues band The Cash Box Kings will release Oscar's Motel, their dynamic new Alligator Records album. According to Living Blues magazine, The Cash Box Kings “are one of the best blues bands in the land.” The group, co-led by Chicago blues vocalist and songwriter Oscar “Mr. 43rd Street” Wilson, and Madison, Wisconsin-based harmonica giant, songwriter, and singer Joe Nosek, plays masterfully raw, unvarnished, old-school ensemble blues. Wilson’s huge, emotive vocals and Nosek’s blistering harmonica, along with an all-star band, fuel their razor-sharp original songs and always-incisive reinventions of obscure blues classics. Oscar's Motel will be available on yellow vinyl LP, CD and at all popular streaming and download sites. The first single, the wickedly sly title track, Oscar's Motel, will hit radio and streamers on February 17.

On Oscar’s Motel (their third album for Alligator and 11th overall), The Cash Box Kings bring contemporary authority and old-school authenticity to each of the album’s 11 tracks. The band—featuring guitarist Billy Flynn, drummer Kenny “Beedy Eyes” Smith, bassist John W. Lauler, and keyboardist Lee Kanehira—opens a door into the intoxicating spirit and sounds of 1950s and 1960s Chicago-based blues, and then they bring it all right up to the minute with Wilson and Nosek’s original, instantly memorable songs.

Oscar’s Motel was recorded in Chicago and produced by Nosek. Going into the studio, the band made some significant decisions. According to Nosek, “While we are never afraid to tackle any subject, we decided to put aside everyday problems and have a bit more fun. So, no songs about Covid and this time nothing too political. Our goal was to have Oscar’s Motel be a celebration, an open invitation to leave your troubles behind and have a carefree, down-home, good time.” One listen and it’s clear the band succeeded. The driving cinematic title track is a non-stop, blues-filled, barbeque-fueled party. The funky Down On The South Side is inspired by Wilson’s colorful, true-to-life past. According to Wilson, “It was such a glorious time. Growing up on the South Side, there was a tavern on every corner with a band playing and music coming from front porches on every block.”

The history of The Cash Box Kings begins in Madison, Wisconsin where Nosek founded the band in 2001. Since 2007, his co-leader has been the charismatic, larger-than-life Chicago blues vocalist Oscar Wilson. Over 20 years apart in age and coming from vastly different backgrounds, the two form an unlikely pair, combining Wilson’s indisputably authentic South Side Chicago blues vocals and gritty, street-smart songwriting chops with Nosek’s storytelling vocals, dynamic harmonica and witty tunesmithing. According to Wilson, “The Cash Box Kings are a throwback to the golden age of blues with some kickin’ fresh young blood. Joe is my best friend in the music world—the band is a marriage made in heaven for both of us.” Says Nosek, “We have each other’s backs. We’re family.”

With ten previous releases to their credit and thousands of live performances under their belt,  The Cash Box Kings have won widespread acclaim throughout the blues world. Their Alligator Records debut, 2017’s Royal Mint, was named among the Top Ten Blues Albums of the Year by MOJO magazine. 2019’s Hail To The Kings! continued the trend, with the band receiving three Blues Music Award nominations, praise from media including NPR, The Chicago Tribune, AllMusic.com, Living Blues, Blues Music Magazine, the UK’s MOJO and Blues & Rhythm, and radio airplay across the globe, including heavy rotation on SiriusXM's Bluesville.

The Cash Box Kings continue to play major festivals across the U.S. and Europe. They’ve blown away audiences at the Chicago Blues Festival, the Tampa Bay Blues Festival, the Doheny Blues Festival, the Mississippi Valley Blues Festival, the New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival, the Cincinnati Blues Festival, the Cambridge Folk Festival (UK), the Moulin Blues Festival (Netherlands), the Lucerne Blues Festival (Switzerland), the Baltic Blues Festival (Germany) and the Edmonton Blues Festival (Canada). They have also performed in Belgium, France, Spain and Uruguay, building their worldwide audience one jaw-dropping show at a time.

No matter where The Cash Box Kings perform, they bring the music to fuel the party. Between Wilson’s natural blues vocal power and Nosek’s talent at wringing every last drop of emotion from his harmonica, The Cash Box Kings never fail to wow their longtime fans while earning new ones at every gig. Now, with tour dates scheduled throughout the year, The Cash Box Kings invite everyone to leave their worries at home and check into Oscar’s Motel, where the music is always just getting started.

On Tuesday, January 10, 2023, the Blues Foundation announced the nominees for the 44th Annual Blues Music Awards. A total of 14 Alligator Records artists received an astounding 22 nominations. Leading all Alligator artists with four nominations is powerhouse vocalist Shemekia Copeland. Her nominations include both the coveted awards for Album Of The Year (for the Grammy Award-nominated Done Come Too Far, and Song Of The Year (for Too Far To Be Gone, written by John Hahn and Will Kimbrough).

Award-winning blues legends Rick Estrin & The Nightcats followed with three nominations, including for the Band Of The Year Award. Internationally beloved guitar master Chris Cain, soul blues vocalist Curtis Salgado, Southern blues rocker Tinsley Ellis, fiery road warrior Tommy Castro and harmonica giant Billy Branch received two nominations each.

Blues icon Charlie Musselwhite received an Acoustic Album Of The Year nomination 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.

Young blues guitar phenomenon Christone "Kingfish" Ingram, guitarist/lap-steel sensation Selwyn Birchwood, harmonica star Dennis Gruenling (of The Nick Moss Band Featuring Dennis Gruenling) and legendary drummer Kenny "Beedy Eyes" Smith (of The Cash Box Kings) also received one nomination apiece.

The 44th Annual Blues Music Awards will be held in Memphis, Tennessee on Thursday, May 11, 2023. Alligator artists and their nominations follow :

Album Of The Year - Done Come Too Far
Contemporary Blues Album Of The Year - Done Come Too Far
Instrumentalist Of The Year (Vocals)
Song Of The Year - Too Far To Be Gone (by John Hahn and Will Kimbrough) 





Band Of The Year

Christoffer "Kid" Andersen:
Instrumentalist Of The Year  (Guitar)

Derrick D'mar Martin:
Instrumentalist Of The Year (Drums) 


Traditional Blues Male Artist Of The Year
Instrumentalist Of The Year (Harmonica) 

Contemporary Blues Male Artist Of The Year

Instrumentalist Of The Year (Guitar) 

B.B. King Entertainer Of The Year

Blues Rock Artist Of The Year 






Blues Rock Album Of The Year -
Devil May Care

Blues Rock Artist Of The Year  





Soul Blues Male Artist Of The Year

Instrumentalist Of The Year (Vocals)  






Contemporary Blues Male Artist Of The Year 








Contemporary Blues Male Artist Of The Year

Dennis Gruenling:
Instrumentalist Of The Year (Harmonica) 

Acoustic Album Of The Year - Mississippi Son

Kenny "Beedy Eyes" Smith:
Instrumentalist Of The Year (Drums) 

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.