There are people who can play the blues and then there are people who can play the blues.
Christone “Kingfish” Ingram is by far the latter of the two.
Ingram, 24, hails from Clarksdale, Miss., a small town located along the Sunflower River and named after John Clark, a settler who founded the city in the mid-19th century when he established a timber mill and business. The town has a population of 14,410 and is considered the “birthplace of the blues” and according to legend, Robert Johnson reputedly sold his soul to the devil in exchange for his prowess on guitar.
After exploding onto the blues music scene when he was a mere 22 years old, Ingram has continued to blaze a trail for blues music becoming the defining voice for his generation.
While his music career was taking off, Ingram experienced one of the most heartbreaking losses in life — the death of his mother, Princess Pride Ingram.
To deal with the loss, Ingram threw himself into touring, performing across the U.S. for 13 months nonstop before COVID shut everything down.
Music fans in Colorado will have the opportunity to see Christone “Kingfish” Ingram tear up the stage when he comes to Greeley on Saturday, March 4 at the Union Colony Civic Center. (Courtesy/Kingfish Ingram)
While the pandemic put a halt on his music career, it allowed the young man to look inward for some deep soul searching. The process resulted in Ingram writing songs for his newest album, “662.”
The album’s name is a nod to his hometown’s area code, which was put into place in 1999, the year Ingram was born.
The album showcases Ingram’s one-of-a-kind guitar and vocal skills, and the songs give music fans a deeper insight into who Ingram is as a person.
“Six-six-two is a direct reflection of my growth as a musician, a songwriter, a bandleader and as a young man,” Ingram explained. “It was an incredible time of change and growth, moments both good and bad, and I am a better and stronger person for it.”
In 2022, Ingram snagged a coveted Grammy Award for “Best Contemporary Blues Album.”
He’s opened shows for Vampire Weekend, Jason Isbell, Buddy Guy and for The Rolling Stones in London.
Most recently, Ingram released a music video for his song, “Another Life Goes By,” featuring rapper Big K.R.I.T. The song and video addresses the ongoing struggle for racial justice and equity through powerful lyrics and equally powerful images.
Check out the music video for “Another Life Goes By” at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HndFAqVPiu4&t=9s
Ingram’s wish list of collaborations includes working with the artist Thundercat, Stevie Wonder and “everybody who I enjoy.”
With some much success at an early age, one would think that Ingram would be fearful of plateauing.
“I actually think about that a lot. I just kind of try to aim a little higher. I’ve been blessed to have been able to do a lot, but I feel like I can do so much more,” Ingram said. “Music, life and everything else, for sure.”
Focusing on his vocal skills and guitar playing are two things Ingram consistently works on.
“I want to improve my range and even with the guitar playing, I want to do other things like mixing licks, making things more jazzy,” he said.
Christone “Kingfish” Ingram has been interviewed by Sir Elton John on his Apple Music podcast, Rocket Hour, and recently released a duet with Bootsy Collins. (Courtesy/Kingfish Ingram)
While he was first drawn to music at an early age, Ingram didn’t pick up a guitar until he was around 8 years old.
“I come from a city with a rich blues history and I lived right next door to a blues band, and they used to teach us about the blues,” he said. “So all of this just kind of melded into what I liked. The stories about life, it’s what I loved about the blues.”
Music fans of all genres will have the opportunity to see Ingram in person when he makes his way to Greeley at 7:30 p.m. Saturday at the Union Colony Civic Center.
Christone “Kingfish” Ingram exploded onto the blues music scene when he was just 22 years old. (Courtesy/Kingfish Ingram)
“People coming to my show can expect a musical journey,” Ingram said. “We start out hard and then go soft and everything in between, and there’s a big finale.”
Tickets for the show are $32 per person for B seating and $40 per person for A seating and can be purchased online at www.ucstars.com. All ages are welcome to attend the show and seating is available for wheelchairs.
To learn more about Christone “Kingfish” Ingram and his music, go to www.christonekingfishingram.com .
This article was originally published in Greeley Tribune