"I feel like music kind of gives us the answers that we can’t just convey out with words. So, I definitely agree with that for sure. Music has always been a spiritual experience; I take it very seriously and for me it’s always been about feeling. I can definitely agree to that."

Christone “Kingfish” Ingram: The Colossus of the Blues - Young Blood Old Soul Blues

Ingram’s journey began in the city of Clarksdale, in Coahoma County, Mississippi, just 10 miles from the legendary crossroads of Highways 61 and 49. Born to a family of singers and musicians, he fell in love with music as a child, initially playing drums and then bass. At a young age, he got his first guitar and quickly soaked up music from Robert Johnson to Lightnin’ Hopkins, from B.B. King to Muddy Waters, from Jimi Hendrix to Prince. Through classes at the Delta Blues Museum, he learned the history of the blues and the basics of how to play them. Under the tutelage of Richard “Daddy Rich” Crisman and the late Bill “Howl-N-Madd” Perry, he not only developed his own playing sound and style, but also earned his “Kingfish” moniker, courtesy of Mr. Perry. From the classrooms of the Delta Blues Museum, Kingfish progressed quickly as a musician, playing Clarksdale’s famous Ground Zero Blues Club and Red’s Lounge stages before beginning to travel the U.S., and abroad, all while still in high school. Ingram’s appeal beyond blues was immediate. Even before he cut his debut album and while still a teenager, he garnered millions of views of his YouTube live videos.

(Christone “Kingfish” Ingram / Photo © by Colin Hart)

Sparked by his non-stop touring, writing and recording schedule, Kingfish’s natural talent just keeps growing. With his jaw-dropping guitar playing and his reach-out-and-grab-you-by-the-collar vocals, he performs every song with unmatched passion and precision. With both Kingfish and 662, Christone “Kingfish” Ingram delivered contemporary blues music that spoke to his generation and beyond, bringing to bear the full healing and hopeful power of the blues. Now, Live In London (2023, Alligator Records) captures Kingfish’s lightning in a bottle. It’s an onstage snapshot of the young singer, songwriter and guitarist creating musical magic in real time, leaving his listeners spellbound and always wanting more. Live In London, the jaw-dropping third album from GRAMMY Award-winning, 24-year-old Christone “Kingfish” Ingram. Recorded on June 6, 2023, in front of a sweaty, sold-out, standing-room-only crowd at the famous UK club, The Garage, Live In London is the guitar-driven live album Kingfish’s fans around the world have been clamoring for since they first watched him perform as a teenager on YouTube.

Interview by Michael Limnios / Transcription: Katerina Lefkidou

Special Thanks: Christone “Kingfish” Ingram & Marc Lipkin / Alligator Records

What do you miss most nowadays from the music of the past?

Christone: Well, I would say there was never anything that I kind of missed, what I can say is there are more people that are not that into blues as far as the historical aspect of it. That’s what I can say I miss, as far as missing something from the music, I don’t miss too much.

Live in London, your new live album in Europe. You are a very loved and popular musician in Europe. Do you find any difference between American and European audience? 

Christone: Most definitely. Over here in the States blues, are kind of like you know, just today’s music, just to hear music. As for the scenes in Europe I feel like they appreciate it a little bit more, because I feel like they understand it more nowadays than most over here in the states.

What moment changed your life the most, your music life the most?

Christone: Well, I had a bunch of key moments in my career, but for me, our second record “662” recently won a Grammy, I wanna say a year or two years ago. That really boosted me, that definitely changed a lot.

Where does your creative drive come from to write lyrics?

Christone: Pretty much life itself. Cause that’s all that blues is, life. Your story, you’re telling about your problems, what you got going on. So yeah, my life.

"Blues to me was originally and always has been protest music. You know this is what I talked about back then, all of what we have going on now, is the blues of today. So, we have to talk about that, all of that unnecessary war, all of these unarmed being harmed by people in authority, corrupt government people. All of that is the blues of today, we have to talk about that." (Christone “Kingfish” Ingram at the famous UK club, The Garage, June 2023/ Photo © by Colin Hart)

We talk about the blues, what do you learn about yourself from the blues? What does the blues mean to you?

Christone: Man, I kind of gotta piggyback off the recent answer, life itself is what blues mean, blues has always meant life to me, you know? That’s where I got the blues, where I’m playing it or feeling it. I’m putting things from my life into the notes, things that I’m feeling.

You are an Alligator Records artist. How important is a label to the artist?

Christone: I would say that labels do help, and they do have the means to push you to a wider audience. But I would say in these days a label is probably not needed, but if you do happen to get on one, that’s the benefit of it. Being able to reach a whole other level, that you can’t do on your own.

Gospel, Blues, jazz, hip hop. What are the lines that connect the legacy of black American music, of Afro-American music?

Christone: I would say again, and I don’t want to sound like a broken record, just the live talk. When BB King tells his story, I can get the same feeling from listening to Kendrick Lamar. You know, it’s all about telling a story. Hip hop to me is the blues of today, because they are just telling their story. That’s the big thing for me, when it comes to the blues, telling your story, it’s your life.

How do you want your music, how do you want Kingfish to affect people?

Christone: I just want to give people something that they can feel. That’s pretty been the basis of what I do, giving the audience something that they can feel rather than being all technical. Giving the listener something so they can go home and feel different about.

What is the story behind your nickname “Kingfish”?

Christone: When my mentor who recently passed, he was in Mississippi blues, coming by the name Bill “Howl-N-Madd" Perry. He used to tell me about the kids’ in the Delta Blues, when they played, nicknames, and he gave me the one “Kingfish”, kind of originated from the “Amos 'n' Andy” sitcom. I didn’t like it at first, but when people started calling me the name, it kind of stuck in. That’s where the name came from.

"I would say again, and I don’t want to sound like a broken record, just the live talk. When BB King tells his story, I can get the same feeling from listening to Kendrick Lamar. You know, it’s all about telling a story. Hip hop to me is the blues of today, because they are just telling their story. That’s the big thing for me, when it comes to the blues, telling your story, it’s your life." (Christone “Kingfish” Ingram at age 11-years-old in Clarksdale, Mississippi 2010 / Photo © by Joseph Rosen)

You were born in Clarksdale, Mississippi the birthplace of the blues. What are the reasons that made this state, the center of blues research and experiment?

Christone: I think it has to do with the culture, you know a lot of famous blues guys were born in Mississippi, sharecropping and whatnot. You know, it was just destined to be. It became the hotbed for the blues, because of all these guys originated from here, born here, before they kind of migrated. And that was for the whole Southern region for sure.

What is happiness for Kingfish, what do you think is key to a life well-lived?

Christone: Ah man, for me it’s always been great music! Whether it’s blues, gospel, RnB, rap, jazz or whatever. That’s the happiness for me.

Let’s take a trip with a time machine. So where would you really wanna go with a time machine?

Christone: Well to be honest, I wouldn’t want to go back in time to the 60s like that (laughing). I would probably go back to when I first started playing, some of the things I know now, I wish I knew back then. That’s where I would go to.

You are a young musician, a young blues star. Is it easier to write and play the blues as you get older, do you find any difference from the beginning to nowadays?

Christone: Most definitely, there is definitely a difference. When I was younger, of course they say, you live the blues as you get older. When I was younger, I had stuff to write about in my life, but not like I do now. I have a little bit more experience with life, even though I’m still young, I kind of been through a lot. It’s easier right now, as I have more experience.

What was the best advice anyone ever gave you?

Christone: For me, here’s some advice from Keb Mo’s: “Always be unique, try to stand out from what is going on at the moment. You can be your best you. Be unique and take influences from everything, rather than just be a one trick pony. Be diverse.”

"I think it has to do with the culture, you know a lot of famous blues guys were born in Mississippi, sharecropping and whatnot. You know, it was just destined to be. It became the hotbed for the blues, because of all these guys originated from here, born here, before they kind of migrated. And that was for the whole Southern region for sure." (Christone “Kingfish” Ingram_/ Photo © by Colin Hart)

What is the balance in music, between technical skills and soul emotions?

Christone: I am not the most technical guitar player, but I know enough to where I can maneuver chord changes and whatnot. I think for me it’s just best to have that as a tool that you learn, but playing what you feel is the best thing. Being able to feel, but also have the technical tools in the bag to get you from A to B.

Do you feel more comfortable on stage or on studio sessions?

Christone: Definitely stage for me. When I am in the studio, I always compelled to be a little bit more restrained, you know when I play a solo and whatnot. But on the stage is where I can really open out and let out, you know.

What are your hopes and what are your fears for the future of music?

Christone: For my hopes, I would hope that people would stop using the myth that young African American kids are not into blues music. I hope that the likes of me and a whole school of other artists can change that myth. As for fears, I fear that for this generation this kind of music will be forgotten as an African American culture thing, rather than just some genre of music. Hopefully, with all these African American artists coming up, and other artists as well, showing their appreciation for the blues, it will happen for sure.

You are an electric blues guitarist. Do you play any acoustic roots blues?

Christone: Yeah, I have acoustic songs on both of my albums and also an acoustic song on this live album. Before I got into electric, I learned acoustic style first.

What touches from the sound of the guitar, and you don’t play drums, harmonica or bass? Why did you start to play guitar and not some other instrument?

Christone: I actually do play other instruments. I started on drums as a young kid in church and before I went to guitar, I played bass. For me guitar has always been my primary instrument, because I just can feel more with the guitar, I can say more with the guitar. When I was a bass player, I was more of a foundation player. This same when I was drummer. With the guitar I feel that I can say more and show more.

"I am not the most technical guitar player, but I know enough to where I can maneuver chord changes and whatnot. I think for me it’s just best to have that as a tool that you learn, but playing what you feel is the best thing. Being able to feel, but also have the technical tools in the bag to get you from A to B." (Christone “Kingfish” Ingram with Buddy Guy at Buddy Guy's Legends, 2019 / Photo © by Paul Natkin)

You have met so many great musicians and personalities, new musicians and, of course, old cats. Which meetings have the most important experience for you?

Christone: For me the legendary Buddy Guy and getting under his wing, that was one. I would say Keb' Mo, he’s been great. Tom Hambridge, a couple of other cats like Eric Gales, Robert William Cray. Those are the main ones for sure!

What is the impact of the blues music on the socio-cultural implications? Spiritual, human rights, civil rights…

Christone: Well, yeah. Blues to me was originally and always has been protest music. You know this is what I talked about back then, all of what we have going on now, is the blues of today. So, we have to talk about that, all of that unnecessary war, all of these unarmed being harmed by people in authority, corrupt government people. All of that is the blues of today, we have to talk about that.

Are there any funny memories that you would like to share with us. Any memories from the road or the studio that make you laugh?

Christone: One time I did a B.B. King tribute show with Buddy Guy and they had all these great guitar players there Derek Trucks, Robert Cray and John Scofield. At the end, they were going to do this big smash, where they would have all the guitar players on stage, and I figured there was enough guitar players. So, I figured I would just go on stage and sing. First person I bump into is Buddy Guy and he looks to me with his crazy look and he’s like: “Man, where is your guitar” and I say, “it’s back there” and he said “Your guitar is like your American Express card. Never leave home without it.” And he gave me a smile.

And for my last question some words from John Coltrane, he once said: “My music is the spiritual expression of what I am”. How do you understand the spirit, the music and the meaning of like?

Christone: I feel like music kind of gives us the answers that we can’t just convey out with words. So, I definitely agree with that for sure. Music has always been a spiritual experience; I take it very seriously and for me it’s always been about feeling. I can definitely agree to that.

Christone “Kingfish” Ingram - Home

(Christone “Kingfish” Ingram_/ Photo © by Colin Hart)