Issue 1: Roots & Revival

At just 24 years old, Christone "Kingfish" Ingram has already been called the future of the blues—and he's living up to the hype. Born in Clarksdale, Mississippi, the birthplace of the Delta Blues, Kingfish picked up the guitar at age 8.

Mentored by Bill "Howl-N-Madd" Perry and trained at the Delta Blues Museum Arts & Education program, Kingfish has shared stages with legends like Buddy Guy, Keb' Mo', and Vampire Weekend.

His 2019 debut album Kingfish hit No. 1 on the Billboard Blues Chart and earned him a Grammy nomination. His 2021 follow-up, 662, won the Grammy for Best Contemporary Blues Album. Critics compare his tone to a young Albert King with a Hendrix-level command of showmanship.

Buddy Guy, now 88, recently completed what he claims will be his final full tour. But don't let the retirement rumors fool you—his fire still rages. The Louisiana-born bluesman revolutionized Chicago electric blues with a style that directly influenced Jimi Hendrix, Eric Clapton, and Stevie Ray Vaughan.

His signature polka-dot Stratocaster, wild solos, and vocal grit have made him a staple of blues history. In 2015, President Obama awarded him the National Medal of Arts. His 2022 release, The Blues Don't Lie, features Gary Clark Jr., Mavis Staples, and Elvis Costello—proof that Buddy's relevance remains untouchable.

Daughter of Texas blues legend Johnny Copeland, Shemekia Copeland blends blues with soul, Americana, and protest music. Her album Uncivil War (2020) took on racial injustice, gun violence, and the struggle for equality—all while landing atop blues charts worldwide.

She has been named "Blues Artist of the Year" multiple times by Living Blues and Blues Music Magazine, and her voice—raw, passionate, and political—has become one of the most distinctive in the modern blues landscape.

Whether you love him or hate him, Joe Bonamassa is the most commercially successful blues guitarist of the modern era. With over 20 No. 1 albums on the Billboard Blues Chart and a loyal fanbase of guitar tone chasers, Bonamassa sells out venues that most blues artists only dream of.

He began as a child prodigy opening for B.B. King at age 12. Today, he runs his own record label (KTBA Records), supports young blues acts through his foundation, and continues to push high-production live concert experiences that blend classic British blues rock with American roots.

North Mississippi Allstars—led by brothers Luther and Cody Dickinson—have become one of the most electrifying live blues acts on the planet. Mixing hill country blues, funk, southern rock, and jam-band energy, their shows feel like Southern tent revivals with fuzz pedals.

Their 2022 album Set Sail explores intergenerational struggle and American history through groove-heavy arrangements and guest appearances by Lamar Williams Jr. and Cedric Burnside.

Susan Tedeschi, co-leader of Tedeschi Trucks Band, is known for her fierce Telecaster-driven tone and dynamic vocal power. Her main guitars include a 1970s Fender Tele Deluxe, a custom D'Angelico Deluxe Atlantic, and a Suhr Classic T.

Amp-wise, she runs through Fender Super Reverbs and Two-Rock Studio Signature heads. She favors clean headroom with midrange punch—perfect for both soul ballads and fiery solos.

Founded in Oxford, Mississippi, in 1991, Fat Possum Records became the unlikely savior of hill country blues. The label's early signings—Junior Kimbrough, R.L. Burnside, T-Model Ford—brought raw, hypnotic blues back into global conversation.

Their lo-fi recordings and garage rock energy inspired bands like The Black Keys and Iggy Pop. Today, the label still pushes boundary-defying blues with releases from Cedric Burnside and Jimbo Mathus.

Eddie 9V (real name: Brooks Mason) is a young bluesman from Atlanta bringing back greasy soul blues with vintage swagger. His 2022 release Little Black Flies and its follow-up Capricorn have been praised for their analog warmth and tight songwriting.

A fan of Little Milton, Hound Dog Taylor, and early Stax, Eddie blends old-school R&B with modern grit. Expect to see him headlining blues festivals across Europe and the U.S. in the next 18 months.

Blues isn't just American. In Japan, artists like Shun Kikuta—a guitarist who toured with Koko Taylor—have helped cultivate a passionate blues underground. Shun studied at Berklee, lived in Chicago, and now splits his time mentoring Asian blues guitarists and touring internationally.

His album Shogun of the Blues pays homage to Otis Rush, Albert King, and Magic Sam, with Tokyo club gigs often sold out to loyal local fans.