Press Release by The Center for the Arts

GRASS VALLEY - The Center for the Arts is pleased to present blues sensation Christone “Kingfish” Ingram in the Marisa Funk Theater on August 5, 2023.

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. Sparked by his non-stop touring, writing, and recording schedule, Kingfish’s natural talent just keeps growing. With his eye-popping guitar playing and his reach-out-and-grab-you-by-the-collar vocals, he performs every song with unmatched passion and precision. While his songs tell personal stories, they also tell of shared human experiences.

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. NPR Music said Ingram’s playing is “astounding…it’s almost like he’s singing through the guitar.”

His album Kingfish debuted on the Billboard Blues Chart in the #1 position and remained on the chart for an astonishing 91 weeks. In addition to receiving a Grammy Award nomination, Kingfish was named the #1 Best Blues Album Of The Year by MOJO. Ingram’s lead single, “Fresh Out” (featuring Buddy Guy) was the most played song on Sirius/XM’s highly regarded Bluesville channel. Kingfish was also #1 on Living Blues magazine’s Top 50 Albums Of The Year Radio Chart. The New York Times, Rolling Stone, Guitar World, The Washington Post, and many other publications shared the joy of their musical discovery with their readers. Radio stations around the world played his music at all hours. Kingfish was even interviewed by Sir Elton John for his Apple Music Rocketman podcast.

Even though his time in the spotlight has been short, Ingram’s road has been long. In the three years since Kingfish was released, major events altered both his personal and professional lives. “There has been much change, happiness, and despair in my life,” Ingram says of recent years. Right as his career was taking off, he lost his mother and biggest champion, the late Princess Pride Ingram. After her death, Ingram toured for 13 months non-stop, until the pandemic halted live performances and forced him to take stock. As he was thinking about the man he was becoming and the new directions his life was taking, he began writing songs for his next album, 662.

As soon as 662 dropped on July 23, 2021, fans, critics, and radio stations showered the album with praise. It also debuted at #1 on the Billboard Blues Chart. MOJO selected 662 as the Best Blues Album Of The Year. 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.

With both Kingfish and 662, Christone “Kingfish” Ingram creates contemporary blues music that speaks to his generation and beyond, delivering the full healing power of the blues. Don’t miss this blues powerhouse Christone “Kingfish” Ingram performing at The Center for the Arts on August 5, 2023.