Christone “Kingfish” Ingram isn’t just carrying the blues forward — he’s steering it into a brand-new lane with confidence, personality, and the kind of fire that makes you stop what you’re doing and listen. With Hard Road, the 26-year-old guitar phenom blends blues tradition with rock muscle, funk bounce, soulful depth, and smooth R&B flavors. It’s his most personal album yet, and you can hear the intention in every riff, every lyric, every breath.
Recorded for his brand-new label, Red Zero Records, the album finds Kingfish fully in charge of his sound. Teaming up with Ric Whitney, Patrick “Guitar Boy” Hayes, Nick Goldston, and longtime collaborator Tom Hambridge, he builds a landscape that stretches far beyond the Delta dirt he grew up on while still honoring the roots that shaped him. From the hypnotic groove of “S.S.S.” to the spiritual stomp of “Crosses,” and the stripped-down honesty of “Memphis,” the record moves wide and hits deep.
Kingfish makes it clear: this album isn’t just about guitar fireworks. “I’ve always wanted my voice and songwriting to stand right next to the guitar,” he says — and he delivers. Tracks like “Clearly” and “Hard To Love” show a young artist grappling with sacrifice, identity, and the weight of a life lived on the road.
Born in Clarksdale, Mississippi, he shocked the blues world with his 2019 debut Kingfish, which ruled the Billboard Blues chart for an incredible 91 weeks. His follow-up, 662, earned him a Grammy and proved he wasn’t a one-album wonder. Then came Live in London, another explosive moment that brought yet another Grammy nomination.
Launching his own label marks a new chapter. It’s not just creative freedom — it’s a chance to lift up other emerging blues artists who haven’t had the same opportunities. “We’re just trying to be that helping hand,” he says.
With Hard Road, Kingfish isn’t just evolving — he’s inspiring a new generation to step into the blues and feel the real thing.
