Christone Ingram

Christone "Kingfish" Ingram (born January 19, 1999) is an American blues guitarist and singer from Clarksdale, Mississippi, United States, who became a well-known performer as a teenager. His debut album, Kingfish, was released in May 2019.[1] In addition to his own album, musicians he has recorded with include Eric Gales, Buddy Guy and Keb Mo. He has shared the stage with well-known blues artists and younger blues musicians such as The Tedeschi Trucks Band, Samantha Fish, Bob Margolin, Eric Gales, Rick Derringer, Guitar Shorty and Buddy Guy.[2][3]

Christone Ingram
Photo Rory Doyle
Background information
Also known asKingfish
Born (1999-01-19) January 19, 1999
OriginClarksdale, Mississippi, United States
Genres
Occupation(s)Musician
Instrumentsvocals, guitar, bass, drums
LabelsAlligator Records
Associated actsBuddy Guy, Eric Gales, Keb Mo
Websitewww.christonekingfishingram.com

One of his earliest influences is Muddy Waters.

Background

Family

Christone Ingram was born to Princess Pride and Christopher Ingram of Clarksdale, Mississippi in 1999.[4][5]

His extended family sang and performed in church. Ingram grew up attending gospel performances, and while still young joined groups to play and perform.[6] His mother, Princess Pride, is first cousin to country musician Charley Pride. He listened to and learned from music by Robert Johnson, Lightnin’ Hopkins, B.B. King, Muddy Waters, Jimi Hendrix, Prince and others.[7]

Musical

Ingram became interested in the blues around age 5 when his father showed him a PBS documentary about Muddy Waters, and at the same time promised they would go to the Delta Blues Museum to learn all about the music.[6] He was taught how to play by Bill "Howl -N- Mad" Perry and Richard "Daddy Rich" Crisman at the arts and education program of the museum. He has also attended Clarksdale's Pinetop Perkins Workshop Experience, where the events are held every summer.[8] He started playing drums at age six. By the time he was eleven he was playing bass and then he moved to guitar. He appeared on the Rachael Ray and the Steve Harvey shows.[9] By the time he was fifteen, he had received offers to perform and for custom guitars.[10] His early teachers gave him the name "Kingfish". Ingram described how he explained his interest in the Blues to his childhood friends who were interested in hip hop music: "They really thought it was funny, cause it was like “Man you young but you listen to that old, sad stuff.” I’m like, “Man, I ain’t really like that, I’m listening more for a culture thing, you know? This is history. This birthed what you guys listen to today, because you know rap is nothing but the blues’ grandchild.”[6]

By 2015, he had caught the attention of Tony Coleman who was BB King's drummer. Coleman said he was playing blues the way it was supposed to be. Bootsy Collins who had been sharing his music online commented on how a young child can influence others.[11]

Career
Christone "Kingfish" Ingram performing with Buddy Guy, 2018

Ingram began playing gigs around his hometown while he was still in seventh grade. Not long afterwards he had acquired a local fan base.[12] Local venues he played included Red’s Lounge, Ground Zero Blues Club, the New Roxy, Shack Up Inn and the Delta Blues Room.[13]

In November 2014, as part of the Delta Blues Museum band he performed for Michelle Obama at the White House.[14]

In July 2017, he played at the Underground 119 blues club which re-opened in spring 2017, after being closed since August, 2017. The clubs co-owner Michael Rejebian said the two kinds of bands you have to prepare for were show bands and party bands but with Kingfish, he was sort of the best of both worlds.[15] In August 2017, he was headlining on the second night of the 10th St. Louis Blues Festival for the Saturday night 10:30 slot. The fest. also included Jake Kershaw, the Chris O’Leary Band, Erin Coburn and Jim McCarty and Mystery Train.[16] In October that year, he appeared in an episode of Jazz Night in America which also featured Terry "Harmonica" Bean and Anthony "Big A" Sherrod.[17] Along with Gary Clark, Jr., he was a featured artist on Eric Gales' 2017 album, Middle Of The Road.[18] In 2018 he performed at The Chicago Blues Festival.[19]

The May 18, 2017 issue of Billboard indicated that Luke Cage creator, Cheo Hodari Coker selected Ingram along with other acts to appear in a cameo role for the season two of the series. Season 2 premiered on June 22, 2018 with Ingram appearing in Episode 4 where he performed two songs "The Thrill is Gone" and "I Put A Spell On You".[20][21]

In June 2018 he performed alongside hip-hop musician Rakim as part of NPR Music's Tiny Desk Concerts series, where he played "King's Paradise", "Paid in Full" and "Know the Ledge".[22]

His debut album, Kingfish, was released on Alligator Records on May 17, 2019. It was produced by Grammy winning musician Tom Hambridge at Ocean Way Studio in Nashville.[23] Kingfish was the #1 album on The Billboard Blues Chart[24] and the #1 Billboard Heatseeker album[25] upon release. Billboard called Kingfish “a blues prodigy.”[26] No Depression magazine said the album was "a stunning debut from a young bluesman with an ancient soul and a large presence in the here-and-now."[27] Kingfish was chosen as a 'Favorite Blues Album' by AllMusic.[28] Kingfish was nominated in the category "Best Traditional Blues Album" for the 62nd Annual Grammy Awards.[29]

NPR Music debuted Kingfish as a First Listen a week prior to release. Writer Tom Moon said, "Astounding playing ... It's almost like he's singing through the guitar."[30]

Ingram appeared in Philadelphia at the annual Non-COMMvention on May 16, 2019. Radio station WXPN wrote, “Whether playing delicately or ferociously, Ingram’s every strum is made with passion. That passion for playing was lovingly met but the crowd’s passion for listening. They lingered on his every note, and gleefully anticipated the next one. Ingram stretched each of his tracks out, squeezing every last drop of possibility out of them…It sounded like it had been pulled out of the deepest pits of the Earth. Ingram possesses the unique ability to make everything he plays sound wholly natural, but entirely his own. This talent is rare, especially for a twenty-year-old.”[31]

A video of the song "Outside Of This Town", created by filmmaker Lyndon Barrois, debuted at RollingStone.com on Wednesday, May 15, 2019. Rolling Stone called the video "trippy" and "surreal".[32]

In August 2019, Kingfish performed 11 dates with the rock band Vampire Weekend.[33] He has previously toured with Buddy Guy.[34]

In May 2020, Ingram was presented with five Blues Music Awards, including 'Album of the Year' for Kingfish.[35]

Discography
Solo album
Title Release Year
Kingfish Alligator Records 2019

[36]

Guest artist
Title Artist Release Year Notes #
Middle of the Road Eric Gales Provogue 819873014270 2017 Featured artist[18]
Soundtracks featuring Ingram
Title Artist Release Year Track(s) Notes #
Marvel's Luke Cage Season Two - Original Soundtrack Adrian Younge & Ali Shaheed Muhammad Mondo MOND-139 2018 "Put A Spell On You"
"The Thrill Is Gone"		 2LP[37]

Television
Guest artist
Title Episode Role Date Prod Notes #
Rachael Ray Guest 2015 [38]
The Steve Harvey Show Guest 2015 [39]
Luke Cage Cameo 2018 Season 2[40]

References
  1. Lipkin, Marc. Alligator Records Press Release, Alligator Records Signs Christone "Kingfish" Ingram. 19 February 2019
  2. Goldsmith, Margie. Forbes.com, " Twenty-Year-Old Blues Prodigy Christone "Kingfish" Ingram Releases Album Today ". 17 May 2019, Retrieved 18 June 2019
  3. Chattanooga Times Free Press, June 11th, 2018 - More music, more vendors and more activities coming to the Bessie Smith Strut by Barry Courter
  4. Delta Bohemian, January 27, 2015 - Christone Kingfish Ingram and his mother Princess Pride. 1/15/12
  5. International Documentary Association - Kingfish
  6. Vitali, Marc (July 2, 2019). "Blues Prodigy Christone 'Kingfish' Ingram Hits Chicago". WTTW.
  7. ChristoneIngram.com, Official Bio. Retrieved 18 June 2019
  8. The Clarion-Ledger, Jan. 15, 2017 - Clarksdale's blues and where the town stands now - Katie Eubanks
  9. The Vicksburg Post, April 26, 2018 - The blues isn’t dead, it’s just 19 years old By Cody Thomason
  10. The Grio, January 15, 2015 - 15-year-old 'Kingfish' is rising blues star in Mississippi, dismisses critics of his weight
  11. The Oregonian, Jun 26, 2015 - 10 things to know about Christone 'Kingfish' Ingram
  12. Guitar World, Jan 8, 2015 - Meet 15-Year-Old Blues Guitarist Christone "Kingfish" Ingram — Video - Damian Fanelli
  13. Delta Bohemian, January 27, 2015 - Christone Kingfish Ingram Clarksdale Blues Prodigy by Poor William
  14. The Huffington Post, 07/01/2015 - Meet 'Kingfish,' The 15-Year-Old Blues-Rock Royalty-In-Training - Amanda Scherker
  15. The Clarion-Ledger, Aug. 25, 2017 - Is this resurrected blues club a sign of growth for Jackson? - Kate Eubanks
  16. The Morning Sun, 08/13/17 - St. Louis Blues Festival to kick off Friday By Mindy Norton
  17. NPR, October 27, 2017 - Jazz Night In America: Video Episodes And Shorts, Talent And Tourism Keep Blues Alive In Clarksdale, Mississippi
  18. AllMusic - Eric Gales, Middle of the Road, Credits
  19. The Chicago Reader. "The complete schedule of the 2018 Chicago Blues Festival ". 31 May 2018. Retrieved 7 June 2019
  20. Billboard Magazine, May 18, 2018 - Netflix Series 'Marvel's Luke Cage' Returns With Ghostface Killah, Rakim, Gary Clark Jr. & More For Season Two Cameos: Exclusive by Melinda Newman
  21. Tunefind.com - Marvel's Luke Cage Soundtrack S2 · E4 · I Get Physical
  22. "Rakim: NPR Music Tiny Desk Concert". YouTube.
  23. Kingfish, Alligator Records . Retrieved 7 June 2019.
  24. Billboard "Billboard Blues Chart Week Ending June 1, 2019". Retrieved 7 June 2019.
  25. Billboard "Billboard Heatseeker Chart Week Ending June 1, 2019". Retrieved 7 June 2019.
  26. Graff, Gary. Billboard, "Blues Prodigy Christone 'Kingfish' Ingram Shares 'It Ain't Right' From Debut Album: Premiere". 8 May 2019
  27. Britt, Grant. No Depression, "‘Kingfish’ Debut Finds Student Becoming a Master". 16 May 2019
  28. "Favorite Blues Albums | AllMusic 2019 in Review". AllMusic. Retrieved December 24, 2019.
  29. "Mississippi natives nominated for Grammy Awards". WJTV. 2020-01-23. Retrieved 2020-01-24.
  30. Moon, Tom. NPR Music, "Christone 'Kingfish' Ingram Breathes Life Into The Blues". 9 May 2019
  31. Friedman, Solomon. The Key, "NON-COMM Recap: Christone “Kingfish” Ingram proves he is well worth the hype". 16 May 2019
  32. Hiatt, Brian. Rolling Stone, "NON-COMM Recap: Christone “Kingfish” Ingram proves he is well worth the hype". 16 May 2019
  33. Vampire Weekend Facebook, "Vampire Weekend Tour Dates". 8 February 2019. Retrieved 7 June 2019
  34. Lipkin, Marc. Alligator Records, "KINGFISH COVER ART REVEALED - NEW CD SET FOR MAY 17". 11 March 2019. Retrieved 7 June 2019
  35. "Christone 'Kingfish' Ingram Takes Home 5 Blues Music Awards in Virtual Ceremony". Billboard.com. 2020-03-05. Retrieved 2020-05-04.
  36. "Kingfish - Christone "Kingfish" Ingram - Releases". AllMusic. Retrieved 31 May 2019.
  37. Discogs - Adrian Younge & Ali Shaheed Muhammad – Marvel's Luke Cage Season Two - Original Soundtrack
  38. .Rachaelrayshow.com, January 30, 2015 - CELEBRITIES, A 16-Year-Old Making His Way to the Hall of Fame
  39. YouTube: The Steve Show - Life Saving Help for Christone "KingFish" Ingram
  40. ScienceFiction.com, June 15, 2018 - New Featurette Features Faith Evans, Gary Clark Jr. And The Music From ‘Luke Cage’ S2 by Jason Motes
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