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Photo credit: Jen Rosenstein
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Co - Editor Edward Schooley - Guitar Thrills Magazine
B.B. King didn’t just play the blues—he transformed how it was felt. With his beloved guitar, Lucille, he proved that a single, perfectly bent note could speak louder than a flurry of speed and flash. That simple truth reshaped music forever.
Musicians across generations took notice. Eric Clapton famously called King the greatest guitarist who ever lived, learning from him that emotion outweighs technique. Jimi Hendrix, Jimmy Page, and Stevie Ray Vaughan all drew from King’s phrasing and soul, building their own iconic voices on the foundation he created. Rock grew louder and faster, but its heartbeat still carried B.B. King’s blues.
His influence didn’t stop with sound. King welcomed younger players, shared the stage generously, and showed that the blues could grow without losing its honesty. Today, that legacy lives on in artists like John Mayer, Gary Clark Jr., and Christone “Kingfish” Ingram—who channels King’s emotional depth while pushing the blues forward for a new generation. Through them, the blues remains alive, urgent, and evolving.
More than a legend, B.B. King was a teacher. He taught musicians to play with truth, to embrace space, and to connect deeply with listeners. Long after his final note faded, his lesson endures: if it doesn’t come from the heart, it doesn’t matter.
ABOUT CHRISTONE “KINGFISH” INGRAM
Christone “Kingfish” Ingram represents the modern voice of the blues, carrying its traditions forward while reshaping them for a new generation. Raised in Clarksdale, Mississippi, Kingfish grew up surrounded by the history of the Delta blues, but his sound is anything but dated. His powerful guitar work blends deep blues roots with rock, soul, and funk, creating a style that feels urgent, confident, and alive.
Like the legends before him, Kingfish uses emotion as his driving force. His playing echoes the expressive bends and storytelling made famous by artists such as B.B. King, yet his tone is heavier and his delivery more direct, reflecting the world he comes from. Through songs about struggle, identity, and resilience, Kingfish shows that the blues is still a relevant language for telling modern stories.
Kingfish’s impact goes beyond his technical skill. As a young Black blues artist gaining global recognition, he challenges the idea that the blues belongs only to the past. His success has inspired younger musicians to explore the genre and reminded longtime fans that the blues continues to grow. In doing so, Kingfish stands not just as a rising star, but as proof that the blues tradition remains strong, evolving, and deeply connected to real life.
INTERVIEW WITH KINGFISH AND GUITAR THRILLS MAGAZINE
Sophia: Buddy Guy has publicly praised you, calling you “the next explosion of the blues.”
Killer Quotes from the Rolling Stone and Buddy Guy!
You were interviewed by Sir Elton John, on his Apple Music podcast, Rocketman, when you dropped your Grammy-winning album 662! And you've won so many, many awards! It's mind-boggling! You're a Grammy-winning blues guitarist, vocalist and songwriter! Highly regarded, admired, and respected as the "defining blues voice of your generation!" Extraordinary! Red, flamin' hot! Major Awards! At 22 years old, you won a Grammy Award for Best Contemporary Blues Album for 662 (in 2022). You've achieved and earned, multiple Blues Music Awards, including 'Album of the Year' and 'Contemporary Blues Male Artist of the Year'. Incredible achievements! Brilliant! I'm so incredibly stoked to be speaking with you today, Christone "Kingfish" Ingram. And you're currently on a fast and furious world tour! Celebrating your most recent album Hard Road, released this past September 26th, 2025, on your own record label, Red Zero Records.
First off, such staggering success! Congratulations! How does it feel to be YOU, Kingfish?
KINGFISH: Hahaha! This might seem like a cliche answer, but ever since I started getting national attention, I try to keep my focus more on the music. All the accolades and everything are cool, but once you pay too much attention to that type of stuff you start believing your own hype. But for me, these days, I'm just tryna make more music, you know? Make as much of it as possible hahaha!
SOPHIA: Your grammy-winning album, 662, was named after the area code where you grew up. The same place the "original" King of the Delta Blues grew up, Robert Johnson. You grew up in Clarksdale, Mississippi, a city steeped in blues history! Known as the "Blues Holy Land". Your destiny unfolds. It's written in the stars. Blessed! Your debut album in 2019, Kingfish, was Grammy-nominated, and reached #1 on the Billboard Blues Chart. That launched your career into overdrive! And here you are! You've opened for, and been mentored by, the one and only Buddy Guy! The epic and iconic bluesman that he is!
I had the great pleasure watching a timeless clip of you & Buddy, performing together 1 year ago. He was 87 years old at the time! You both performed at Strat Sessions/Year Of The Strat/Fender Stage. Buddy calls you guys, the Strat cats! Fabulous! I loved that session! How Blues is that!!! What an incredible honour to share the stage with and be mentored by Buddy! How did you meet Buddy Guy?
KINGFISH: I met Mr. Guy a long time ago. I wanna say like 2013. Nothing really came of that. Then I met him a couple more times and then we ended up starting to work together! He paid for my first record! He did a guest feature on it and I started going on the road with him, and pretty much that's how things kinda came into the fold between him and I!
SOPHIA: What a story! Damn Kingfish! That's quite the extraordinary gift and vote of confidence you have there! Guy has won eight Grammy Awards and a Lifetime Achievement Award, the National Medal of Arts, and the Kennedy Center Honors. And Guy was ranked 27th in Rolling Stone magazine's 2023 list of greatest guitarists of all time. And he's your mentor!!! Dyno mite! Extraordinary creds!
What do you think is the single most valuable lesson that you've learned from Buddy?
KINGFISH: It's kinda funny because he teaches me an assortment of lessons, always directly or indirectly. The main thing is always keeping your head straight on your shoulders, and know who to trust and not trust, and keep your head focused.
SOPHIA: Wise lessons! Buddy has influenced so many of the Blues GOATS! YOU, Eric Clapton, Keith Richards, Jimmy Page, Stevie Ray Vaughn, Jeff Beck, Gary Clark Jr., John Mayer, and Jimi Hendrix! Kingfish, you're known for your ability to merge deep, soulful vocals and jaw-dropping guitar solos. Feelin' the vibes! Love your sound! Rolling Stone magazine said that your sound encompasses BB. King, Jimi Hendrix and Prince.
And, I once heard you say that if you could perform with one legend no longer with us, you'd choose the exceptional artist, Prince. Can you please tell your fans at Guitar Thrills magazine, why Prince?
KINGFISH: Well, for one, Prince represented a lot for me. He represented diversity, being unique, standing out and not being known for only one thing. And musically, I kinda aspire to be all those things I just mentioned above. So, he was just the one for me when he came out of those boxes. From his guitar playing, to his songwriting, to his overall personality. I was just into it! Hahaha!
SOPHIA: You grew up in a city infused in blues history! I hear that you learned to play music at the Delta Blues Museum. And legend has it, that as a child you were given the nickname "Kingfish" by your instructor.
Please share who that instructor was and how they influenced you at that young age? How did it impact the young Kingfish? And why has the name stuck with you to this day?
KINGFISH: Oh man! So, the person who gave me that name was a bluesman out of Mississippi, by the name of Bill "Howl-N-Madd" Perry. And another bluesman by the name of Daddy Rich. Two instructors in my class. They would give us nicknames, and we thought of them as stage names! My name came from an old sitcom called "Amos N Andy" and it was him pretty much being funny! But as the years went on it kinda grew on me. That's how people know me now! That's how people pretty much address me.
SOPHIA: It suits you! Badass Bluesman! Hard Roadis yourthird studio album. Executive Produced by yourself and Ric Whitney, for your label, Red Zero Records. It's been hailed as your most introspective and ambitious project yet!
You worked with 3 producers: Tom Hambridge, Patrick "Guitarboy" Hayes, and Nick Goldston. Including many session players, and Ric Whitney. That's amazing! You've created a true mixing of genres. A unique, fresh blues sound! How do you feel your producers, and team helped to shape and influence your record?
KINGFISH: Well for one, everybody plays a special part! The producers that I worked with have a special thing musically that I needed for the certain genre that I was going for. With Tom, he has the blues-rock sound. Nick Goldston, I've worked with him before on some of my more pop-rock tunes. Patrick is a known producer in the R&B world. He's worked with guys like Usher. So yeah, I knew I got the right people for the sounds I was looking for.
SOPHIA: Nailed it! Superb! This is your quote. You said: "This record comes from real-life reflection. I’ve been balancing fame, heartbreak, love, and relationships while trying to stay grounded, touring, creating, and maturing. These songs are about owning my story. They’re about learning to see myself clearly and seeing others with more compassion. That’s changed the way I write, the way I play, and the way I live.”
This is such a beautiful sentiment, Kingfish! You've got so much goin' on! I think we can all relate to real-life reflection. Learning to see yourself clearly and seeing others with more compassion. Seeing your purpose clearly, and working with up-and-coming artists, must be so rewarding! Can you please share one of the main goals that you have set for your new label, Red Zero Records?
KINGFISH: Well, pretty much the main goal for me is just shining a light on a lot of artists in the blues world who simply need it. They may have gotten a bad deal or got no deal at all. There's a bunch of deserving names who need a spot. I feel like I'm at a perfect time in my career where I can just lead out and give them those opportunities.
SOPHIA: That's stellar! Lucky artists! All the very best with your music label! Your music is an eclectic and intoxicating mix. Funk, soul, hip-hop, pop, gospel, R&B, traditional blues, jazz and rock! Thunderstruck!!! One of your missions is to share your music with ALL music lovers, but especially to reach out and bring Blues to the younger generation. You're doing that right, Kingfish! You've created a modern blues fusion that resonates across generations and genres. Exceptional talent, and vision. Keep on rockin' Kingfish!
Can you please share your incredibly diverse musical influences? The musicians and songwriters that have shaped who you are today?
KINGFISH: From blues guitar players, you know, SunHouse, Albert King, BB King, Hendrix, Gary Moore, Prince. To R&B, you know, Luther VanDross, Babyface, Thundercat, H.E.R. I listen to a lot of 90's and early 2000's R&B. I'm very influenced by those sounds.
SOPHIA: Thanks for sharing, Kingfish. I was absolutely diggin' your show in my hometown this past summer! Bluesfest, Ottawa, Canada. You leave your listeners spellbound. Thank you! Along with your epic and bangin' originals, I was really groovin' to your rendition of Michael Burks song, "Empty Promises". Absolute gold when you take it on! Why did you choose to record this cover song, and perform it on tour?
KINGFISH: Well, Michael Burks is one of my favourite guitar players in the blues world. And, that song, was one of his hits. I wanted to try it myself and it became a popular song for us to play.
SOPHIA: Awww! You must love playin' it!
KINGFISH: Definitely! I let my heart out when I play it!
SOPHIA: I absolutely felt that! I love when you can take a cover and own it! How do you go about choosing the covers that you play?
KINGFISH: It all depends on what I like! I remember one time we did a Prince song called "Cream". It's kinda what I'm feelin' in the moment because everybody in the band knows more than one genre. So, we could be in soundcheck, and you know, break out into something different. Okay, we'll add that into the set tonight! You know? hahaha
Sophia: Hahaha! That's top-notch stuff right there! You guys are such cool cats! TALENT!!! Would you like to give a shout-out to your kick-ass, sensational band? And, please tell us about your latest Fender signature guitar: Your Kingfish Delta Day Telecaster Deluxe? You make that baby sing!!!
KINGFISH: Definitely! So, my drummer and bass player, Chris Black and Paul Rogers. They've been with me since I was 16. My keyboard player Deshawn Alexander, "DVibes". I met him back in 2017, but he joined the band 2 or 3 years ago. I met him while he was on the road with Marcus King! They helped me out a lot! DVibes brings a funk element to the band. You can hear it on the album, Live in London. And yeah man, that's the band! As far as the new signature Tele, that's the second version of the Signature Telecaster I did with Fender. The first version was more of a purple mystic Mississippi Night. So, we wanted to go with the opposite, you know. It's a Delta Day, shiny bright new blue! It's a great guitar!
SOPHIA: It's stunning. Beautiful!
Kingfish: Thank you!
SOPHIA: You're a global torchbearer for a new era of blues, Kingfish! A Guitar King Unleashed! A new King In Town! Riding The Big, Blue Wave!
Your music is both explosive and tender. It embodies an intoxicating fusion of rock and R&B. Vulnerable, honest, resilient. Blues at its heart. The Hard Road Tour is crossing the globe and includes headline dates and top-billed festival performances. Widely regarded as one of contemporary blues’ most dynamic live performers, check out Kingfish! Catch one of his much-celebrated concerts on his Hard Road, epic world tour. Kingfish, do you have anything that you'd like to say to your massive and loyal fan base?
Kingfish: I wanna thank everybody for the support! And like I said, more music, more life! Thank you, guys!
SOPHIA: It's been a mega guitar thrill for me to speak with you today! Thank you, thank you, thank you, from the bottom of my heart. I'm truly honoured and humbled.
Keep shining bright and makin' the world a better place with your music! God bless you Kingfish! Thank God for Christone "Kingfish" Ingram! New "blue" blood!
Conclusion
In the end, Kingfish stands as a powerful reminder that the blues is not fading—it is transforming. By honoring the roots laid down by legends while speaking boldly in his own voice, he bridges generations and keeps the music grounded in truth and feeling. His rise signals a future where the blues continues to reflect real stories, real struggles, and real soul, proving that its heartbeat is as strong today as it has ever been.
A RECAP OF WHAT YOU MIGHT HAVE MISSED
