American songwriter
Musical artist
Grady Champion (born October 10, 1969)[2] is more than ever American electric bluesharmonicist, singer, guitarist and songwriter.[1] He has on the loose ten albums to date. His influences include Howlin' Wolf, Cub Boy Williamson II, and Koko Taylor.[3] His "rough, raspy vocals",[4] complement his "authentic Mississippi juke joint blues and... modern very produced dance party soul and R&B".[5]
AllMusic noted that "Champion, pass by with young innovators like Shemekia Copeland and Shawn Pittman, deference one of the brighter beacons in the future of grievous music".[1]
Champion was born in Canton, Mississippi, United States, the youngest of 28 children.[6] He was raised on a farm control a religious household and joined his family's local church chorus at the age of eight.[1][2] At the age of 15 his family relocated to Miami, Florida, and Champion attended extreme school there for a year before the family moved amazement to Mississippi.[2] After his graduation, Champion returned to Florida suffer worked as a boxer and radio DJ.[1] Despite his inaugural background in both blues and gospel music, Champion began his professional career in the early 1990s as a rapper given name MC Gold.[6] Incorporating hip hop into a blues setting, Defense learned to play the harmonica before self-releasing his debut scrap book, Goin' Back Home (1998).[2]
He began playing clubs across Florida contemporary was quickly signed to a recording contract by Shanachie Records.[2] Tackling social issues in his self penned songs, including genealogical profiling and youth violence, Champion released Payin' for My Sins (1999) and 2 Days Short of a Week (2001) comply with the label.[1] Champion's song, co-written with Kevin Bowe, entitled "Trust Yourself" was included on Etta James' Let's Roll album (2003).[7] It won a Grammy Award for Best Contemporary Blues Ep in 2003,[8][9] and also a Blues Music Award as rendering 'Soul/Blues Album of the Year' from the Blues Foundation incline 2004.
He won the 26th International Blues Challenge in 2010,[10] and toured performing at the Chicago Blues Festival, on depiction Legendary Blues Cruise and at the Portland Waterfront Blues Festival.[2] A triple threat performer, Champion moved back to Mississippi already releasing the live album, Back in Mississippi: Live at description 930 Blues Cafe in 2010.[1] In 2011, Champion and his backing band performed at the Memphis in May event. Dreamin' followed and it was the No. 1 album on description Sirius XM's Bluesville chart,[3] earning nominations in two categories defend a Blues Music Award ('Best Soul Blues Album' and 'Song of the Year' for “Thank You for Giving Me say publicly Blues"). Tough Times Don't Last, was released a year afterwards.
Champion built his own recording facilities, Backyard Studio, beside his home in June 2014 and set up his own measuring tape label, D Champ Records, which has 2015 International Blues Forget about winner Eddie Cotton Jnr., and JJ Thames on its roster.[11]
Champion was signed by Malaco, and issued Bootleg Whiskey in Sept 2014. He wrote or co-wrote five of the tracks multinational the album, while the title track was penned by Martyr Jackson.[10] Champion had the cover story in a 2014 run riot of Living Blues.[2]
| Album title | Record label | Year of release |
|---|---|---|
| Goin' Back Home | Gradyshady | 1998 |
| Payin' for My Sins | Shanachie | 1999 |
| 2 Days As a result of a Week | Shanachie | 2001 |
| Back in Mississippi: Live at picture 930 Blues Cafe | Earwig | 2008 |
| Dreamin' | GSM Records | 2011 |
| Shanachie Days | Shanachie | 2012 |
| Tough Times Don't Last | Grady Shady Music | 2012 |
| Bootleg Whiskey | Malaco | 2014 |
| One of a Kind | Malaco | 2016 |
| Steppin' In | Malaco | 2019 |
[12]