James McMurtry is an American rock and folk rock/americana singer, songwriter, guitarist, bandleader, and occasional actor. He performs with veteran bandmates Daren Hess, Cornbread, and Tim Holt. His father, novelist Larry McMurtry, gave him his first guitar at age seven.
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Chris Smither
Chris Smither
William Christopher Smither is an American folk/blues singer, guitarist, and songwriter. His music draws deeply from the blues, American folk music, and modern poets and philosophers. Wikipedia
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Christone Kingfish Ingram
“Kingfish”
Christone “Kingfish” Ingram is a Grammy Award-winning blues guitarist and singer from Clarksdale, Mississippi, who is celebrated for reinvigorating the blues for a new generation. He began his musical journey at the Delta Blues Museum, mastering multiple instruments as a child before focusing on the guitar. Blending traditional Delta and Chicago blues with modern blues-rock, soul, and gospel, his music captivates audiences with its passion and technical skill.
Ingram quickly rose to prominence as a teenager, garnering millions of views for his YouTube performances, appearing in the Netflix series Luke Cage, and performing at the White House. His 2019 debut album, Kingfish, earned a Grammy nomination and shot to the top of the Billboard Blues Chart. His 2021 follow-up, 662—named for his Mississippi Delta area code—secured a Grammy Award for Best Contemporary Blues Album. His live performances are also critically acclaimed, with NPR noting he is “even scarier live”.
A prolific artist, Ingram has performed alongside musical legends like Buddy Guy, who has called him “the next explosion of the blues,” and even opened for The Rolling Stones. In 2024, Ingram launched his own label, Red Zero Records, and released his studio album, Hard Road. As a multi-instrumentalist with a powerful voice, Ingram continues to push the boundaries of the genre while honoring its rich history.
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Tonio K
Tonio K. (a.k.a. Steven M. Krikorian, b. July 4, 1950) is an American singer/songwriter who has released eight critically acclaimed albums and has had original songs recorded by many of Pop, Rock, Country and R&B’s leading artists ranging from Al Green, Aaron Neville and Burt Bacharach to Bonnie Raitt, Wynonna Judd and Vanessa Williams. His song, “16 Tons Of Monkeys,” co-written with guitarist Steve Schiff, was the featured tune in the 1992 Academy Award winning Live Action Short Film, Session Man. His work with Bacharach and Hip-Hop impresario Dr. Dre won the Grammy for Best Pop Instrumental Recording in 2005.
