Senate Concurrent Resolution 536

A CONCURRENT RESOLUTION COMMENDING AND CONGRATULATING CLARKSDALE GUITAR WUNDERKIND CHRISTONE "KINGFISH" INGRAM FOR WINNING THE 2022 GRAMMY AWARD IN THE CONTEMPORARY BLUES ALBUM CATEGORY FOR HIS ALBUM 662.

WHEREAS, the 2022 Grammys, officially the 64th Grammy Awards, took place on April 3, 2022, at MGM Grand Garden in Las Vegas, and among the big wins were Christone "Kingfish" Ingram, who won the Contemporary Blues Album category for album 662, defeating The Black Keys and Steve Cropper. In his acceptance speech, the Guitar Wunderkind from Clarksdale, Mississippi, thanked "God, my family, my manager and Alligator Records"; and

WHEREAS, his album 662 is the next chapter in the still-unfolding story of Christone "Kingfish" Ingram. He describes 662 as his own personal journey, a story that sits upon the legacy of his influential blues elders. The songs, which reflect his life in and away from his home in the Delta, speak to universal truths, as well as to similar experiences shared by his large and growing multigenerational, multicultural fan base. From the blistering, hometown title track, 662, to the irresistible "She Calls Me Kingfish" to the slow, soulful and poignant "Another Life Goes By" to the funky truth-telling "Too Young To Remember," 662 overflows with hard-hitting songs, jaw-dropping guitar work and deep, soul-possessed vocals. NPR Music says Ingram's playing is "astounding...It's almost like he's singing through the guitar"; and

WHEREAS, Ingram's 662 journey began in the City of Clarksdale in Coahoma County, Mississippi, just ten miles from the legendary crossroads of Highways 61 and 49. Born to a musical family, he fell in love with music as a small child, initially playing drums and then bass. At a young age, he got his first guitar and quickly soaked up music from Robert Johnson to Lightnin' Hopkins, from B.B. King to Muddy Waters, from Jimi Hendrix to Prince, but all the while developing his own sound and style; and

WHEREAS, Ingram progressed quickly, making his stage debut a few months later at Clarksdale's famous Ground Zero Blues Club, playing behind one of his mentors, Mississippi Blues Icon Bill "Howl-N-Madd" Perry. Perry gifted the young musician with a new stage name, "Kingfish"; and

WHEREAS, Ingram performed at the White House for Michelle Obama in 2014 as part of a delegation of student musicians from the Delta Blues Museum. By age 16, he was turning heads and winning awards, including the 2015 Rising Star Award, presented by The Rhythm & Blues Foundation; and

WHEREAS, Ingram's appeal beyond blues was immediate. Even before he cut his debut album and while still a teenager, many of Ingram's YouTube performance videos garnered millions of views. He performed two songs in Season Two of the Netflix series show Luke Cage, after the series' lead producer saw one of his videos. Both songs appear on the official soundtrack album, which introduced him to a young audience, many of whom had never heard Ingram's brand of blues before. As part of Luke Cage promotion, Ingram performed in an NPR Music Tiny Desk Concert with Rap Legend Rakim, who also appeared in Luke Cage. In 2020, Ingram hosted his own Tiny Desk (Home) Concert; and

WHEREAS, we pay tribute to a spectacular young Mississippi talent who has brought honor to his family, his community and to the State of Mississippi:

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE SENATE OF THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI, THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES CONCURRING THEREIN, That we do hereby extend the recognition and congratulations of the Mississippi Legislature to Clarksdale Guitar Wunderkind Christone "Kingfish" Ingram for winning the 2022 Grammy Award in the Contemporary Blues Album category for his album 662, and look forward to future awards by this rising Mississippi music star.

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That this resolution be presented to Christone "Kingfish" Ingram and his family, forwarded to the Mississippi Grammy Museum and the Mississippi Arts Commission and be made available to the Capitol Press Corps.