(blues music) - I guess you could say Alligator Records was born at a little club on the south side of Chicago called Florence's Lounge.

In 1970, I walked into the club and I fell in love with a joyful rough-hewn band called Hound Dog Taylor and the Houserockers.

I couldn't convince any record company to record them.

So I started a record label to record my very favorite band.

50 years later, I'm still recording my favorite bands.

The label was tiny.

It lived in an efficiency apartment and I was sleeping on a mattress on the floor.

My warehouse was a closet.

I had to sell enough of that first record to pay for a second record, and enough of the second record to pay for a third.

It was six years before I could afford an employee.

I did everything.

I produced the records, I booked the artists, I road managed.

I publicized each artist and each record.

I contacted and serviced hundreds of radio stations and packed and shipped every carton of LPs.

At first, Alligator was committed to recording the goldmine of Chicago artists playing in the clubs on the south and west sides, and to introducing unknown artists like Son Seals and Fenton Robinson to the world.

Our Grammy nominated Living Chicago Blues series, which we released in 1978 and 1980, brought forward some little known artists like guitarist Lonnie Brooks and Jimmy Johnson, who became world famous blues men.

Plus, it included the first American recordings of a very young harmonica wizard named Billy Branch and the first incarnation of his band, The Sons of Blues.

Our first big name signing was Koko Taylor.

But in fact, her first Alligator album was a flop.

It was her second album, The Earth Shaker, that broke through along with her great live performances and she became the Queen of the Blues.

The first artist we signed who wasn't from Chicago was Albert Collins, the Master of the Telecaster, who came from Texas that was in 1978.

Albert had a reputation for his amazing physical, intense live performances, but he had never made an album that equaled those live shows.

With Ice Pick in his alligator debut, we gave him that album.

He then became our biggest artists for a decade and made Alligator a national and international label.

And we only had about 15 albums in the catalog.

Alligator began growing in the 1980s when artists like harmonica great James Cotton, blues rock guitar players Johnny Winter and Roy Buchanan, harmonica hero Charlie Musselwhite, Roadhouse rocker Delbert McClinton all came to the label.

At the same time, we continued to bring forward unknown artists like a raw band from the west side called Little Ed & The Blues Imperials.

Ed carries on that rough and ready tradition of classic 1950s Chicago blues and has gone from being a blues youngster to being the senior artist in Alligator without ever losing that raw spontaneous spirit of his youth.

The Chicago Blues Festival, which I helped to found in 1984, has become the biggest blues festival in the world and one of the most important showcases for blues artists.

Virtually every Alligator artist has played there and all the artists you'll see tonight have been headliners.

One artist who made her local debut at the Chicago Blues Festival was a young singer, only 18 years old at the time, who had just cut her debut album for Alligator.

Her name was Shemekia Copeland and she became the greatest female blues artist of her generation.

You'll hear why tonight.

These days with a catalog of over 350 albums and a staff of 15, Alligator is the largest contemporary blues label in the world.

Her roster includes not only Chicago artists like Billy Branch and Little Ed and Toronzo Cannon and Nick Moss, but also blues men and women from California, from Texas, from Florida, Georgia, Mississippi, New England and Oregon.

Our veteran artists are in their 70s and our youngest artists just turned 22.

We're still in love with the blues and we're still dedicated to bringing forward the most visionary, exciting and soulful new artists, as well as continuing to record the artists who have already earned the international blue stardom.

It's not a coincidence that Alligator Records is partnering with Governor State University Center for Performing Arts to celebrate our joint birthdays.

Throughout the center's 25-year history, many blues artists have graced its stage, including Buddy Guy, BB King, Jimmy Burns, Zora Young, Demetria Taylor, Howard Levy, Melody Angel, Lurrie Bell, and Alligator artists, Koko Taylor, Eddy "The Chief" Clearwater, Eddie Shaw, Sugar Blue, Corky Siegel's Chamber Blues, and Billy Branch.

We're very excited to be here in the CPA bringing you the blues.

And now I'd like to introduce our first artist for the evening.

Back in 1975, a well-respected south side harmonica player named Little Mack Simmons announced a major league harmonica competition.

In radio commercials that we heard on WVON and WXFM, he proclaimed there would be a $500 prize for anyone who could beat him playing harmonica.

The contest was to be held at the Green Bunny Club on the south side.

Even though we were confident that Mack would find a way to keep the prize money, a gaggle of us North Side Blues fans wanted to see who would show up to challenge him.

The night opened up with a full set by Mack and the band, which was led by future Alligator recording artists, Lonnie Brooks.

Then the first contestant, a so-so harmonica player named Sonny Boy Williamson played a few tunes.

Clearly, he wasn't in Mack's league.

Just when it appeared that the night would end with kind of a fizzle, a skinny young black man dressed in overalls and sporting a huge Afro declared that he was there to compete.

None of us had ever seen him before, but when he picked up a harmonica and played in Chicago style shuffle, it was clear he was a major leaguer.

He played with precision, with melody, with dynamics and with power.

His name of course was Billy Branch.

The audience was hollering, "Give him the money, give him the money."

Mack declared the contest deciding song would be Rainy Night in Georgia because it was a tune he played, it was a regular part of his show.

Although Billy told the crowd he had never played it before, he managed a pretty credible performance.

And the crowd again hollered that he had won.

Mack declared it was closing time and told us the police were towing the cars from the parking area across the street.

When the club emptied, the doors were locked, and Mack kept his $500, but the name Billy Branch was on the lips of a hoard of blues fans.

Within a short time, Billy earned the harmonica spot in Willie Dixon's Chicago Blues All-Stars, a spot previously held by both Big Walter Horton and Carey Bell, two of the city's best ever harmonica players.

When he wasn't on the road with Willie, Billy put together his own group with young guitarist Lurrie Bell, Carey Bell's son, and bassist Freddie Dixon, Willie Dixon's son.

In 1978, I was producing the Grammy nominated Living Chicago Blues series, and I invited this unnamed band to record three songs.

After rehearsal, Billy came up with the name, The Sons of Blues, shortened of course to the SOBs.

It's been the name of his band for 40 years.

And though the personnel have changed, The Sons of Blues have always been one of the best blues bands in Chicago, which of course means one of the best blues bands in the world.

So here they are, Billy Branch and The Sons of Blues.

(blues music) ♪ Nobody but you, babe ♪ ♪ Nobody but you, babe ♪ ♪ Nobody but you, babe ♪ ♪ You made my life complete ♪ ♪ Started the ball a-rollin' ♪ ♪ Rollin' like a tumbleweed ♪ ♪ You never stopped rollin' till you grabbed my heart ♪ ♪ You know I want it to be ♪ ♪ Nobody but you, babe ♪ ♪ Nobody but you, babe ♪ ♪ Nobody but you, babe ♪ ♪ You are sugar cause you sho' is sweet ♪ (upbeat harmonica music) ♪ You put the lid on the pot ♪ ♪ You put the salt in the bread ♪ ♪ You made my life worth livin' ♪ ♪ I'm repeating every word I said ♪ ♪ Nobody but you, babe ♪ ♪ Nobody but you, babe ♪ ♪ Nobody but you, babe ♪ ♪ You made my life complete ♪ (upbeat blues music) ♪ You put your lid on the pot ♪ ♪ You put the salt in the bread ♪ ♪ You made my life worth livin' ♪ ♪ I'm repeating every word I said ♪ ♪ Nobody but you, babe ♪ ♪ Nobody but you, babe ♪ ♪ Nobody but you, babe ♪ ♪ You set my very could ♪ (blues music) After Billy Branch's memorable debut at the Green Bunny Club, he was adopted by the elite harmonica players in Chicago.

I'm talking about James Cotton, Junior Wells and Carey Bell.

All of them gave him tips and guidance, but they also beat him in spontaneous head cutting contest in clubs all across the south side.

In 1990, I thought of doing a harmonica summit album called Harp Attack with James Cotton, Junior Wells and Carey Bell.

When I met with Junior and Cotton, two of the most famous blues harmonica players ever, I asked them who else they wanted on the record.

And without hesitation, they said, "We want Billy Branch."

Clearly, they saw him as the heir to the throne of Chicago blues harmonica master.

But even though he had been on the Chicago scene for 15 years, he was still the new kid on the block.

He even wrote a song about it.

(blues music) ♪ Down in the recess, the music wouldn't never stop ♪ ♪ Down in the recess, the music wouldn't never stop ♪ ♪ When I was a young blood, the new kid on the block ♪ ♪ (sings quickly), ask me do you know what you did ♪ ♪ (sings quickly), ask me do you know what you did ♪ ♪ I'm all up in hell, (sings quickly) ♪ ♪ I blew out a little, sucked and I made him stop ♪ ♪ I blew out a little, sucked and I made him stop ♪ ♪ They knew I was the new kid on the block ♪ ♪ (sings quickly) cotton too ♪ ♪ Said I'm going to show you just what to do ♪ ♪ Cotton used to take me in a Cadillac ♪ ♪ Blew me away until I rode the right track ♪ ♪ (sings quickly), took me along as a young trainee ♪ ♪ Music grabbed me along, it wouldn't stop ♪ ♪ The music grabbed me along, it wouldn't stop ♪ ♪ When I was a young blood, the new kid on the block ♪ - Back in the day y'all, we used to hang out at a legendary night club called Theresa's Lounge on the south side of Chicago.

One Monday night I made my way down to Theresa's.

Walked in the club, saw this cat blowing the linings off the harmonica.

He become one of my idols and one of my teachers.

Let's give it up for the legendary late great James Cotton.

Anyway, I had nerve enough to make my way to the stage.

If you don't mind, I'll show you how James Cotton used to do me in the good old days.

If it's all right with you, it's okay with you.

♪ It's all right, it's all right ♪ ♪ It's all right, it's all right ♪ James Cotton used to do me just like this.

(upbeat harmonica music) Yeah, needless to say I got my head cut pretty bad that evening.

In other words I got my butt kicked.

So I had to go back outside the club and regroup.

I walked back into the club on stage seeing this short little cat dresses to the nines.

He become another one of my heroes and one of my teachers.

How about it for the late great mister Junior Wells.

And if y'all don't mind, I'll show you how Junior Wells used to do me in the good old days.

If it's all right with you, it's okay with you.

♪ It's all right, it's all right ♪ ♪ It's all right, it's all right ♪ Junior Wells used to do me just like this.

(upbeat harmonica music) Well, got my head cut again.

But that didn't stop me, I just kept coming back for more.

This next gentleman I want to talk about probably influenced me most in my career in terms of my style.

I replaced him in the Willie Dixon Chicago Blues Hall style.

How about it for the one and only late great Carey Bell.

If you don't mind, I'll show you how Carey Bell used to do me in the good old days.

If it's all right with you, it's okay with you.

♪ It's all right, it's all right ♪ ♪ It's all right, it's all right ♪ Carey Bell used to do me just like this.

(upbeat harmonica music) ♪ There, the new kid on the block ♪ ♪ The new kid on the block ♪ ♪ The new kid on the block ♪ ♪ The new kid on the block ♪ ♪ The new kid on the block ♪ ♪ I was a young blood, the new kid on the block ♪ ♪ The new kid on the block ♪ ♪ The new kid on the block ♪ (upbeat harmonica music) (upbeat blues music) ♪ I'm blue and lonesome as a man can be ♪ ♪ I'm blue and lonesome as a man can be ♪ ♪ I don't have any headaches over myself ♪ ♪ My love has gone away from me ♪ ♪ Baby, please come on home to me ♪ ♪ Baby, please come home to me ♪ ♪ My heart in misery ♪ ♪ Won't you please come home to me ♪ (soft blues music) That's child play.

(soft blues music) (upbeat blues music) That's how we are.

(soft blues music) (upbeat blues music) ♪ I'm gonna cast my trouble ♪ ♪ Down in the deep blue sea ♪ ♪ I'm gonna cast my trouble ♪ ♪ Down in the deep blue sea ♪ ♪ Where the whales and the fishes ♪ ♪ Have a fuss over me ♪ (blues music) ♪ You jump, jump here ♪ ♪ You jump, jump there ♪ ♪ You jump, jump, jump everywhere ♪ ♪ Then you mellow down easy ♪ ♪ You mellow down easy ♪ ♪ You mellow down easy when you really wanna blow your top ♪ ♪ You shake, shake here ♪ ♪ You shake, shake there ♪ ♪ You shake, shake, shake everywhere ♪ ♪ Then you mellow down easy ♪ ♪ You mellow down easy ♪ ♪ You mellow down easy when you really wanna blow your top ♪ ♪ You mellow down easy when you really wanna blow your top ♪ (upbeat blues music) ♪ You wiggle, wiggle here ♪ ♪ You wiggle, wiggle there ♪ ♪ You wiggle, wiggle, wiggle everywhere ♪ ♪ Then you mellow down easy ♪ ♪ You mellow down easy ♪ ♪ You mellow down easy when you really wanna blow your top ♪ ♪ You mellow down easy when you really wanna blow your top ♪ (upbeat blues music) ♪ You mellow down easy when you really wanna blow your top ♪ ♪ You mellow down easy when you really wanna blow your top ♪ ♪ You mellow down easy when you really wanna blow your top ♪ - Toronzo Cannon's big break was a long time coming.

He'd been playing the blues for over 20 years, first as a sideman, then leading his own bands.

But he was pretty much a local player.

He was performing at clubs like B.L.U.E.S.

on Halsted, Kingston Mines, and the Harlem Avenue Lounge performing the standard blues songs that many other artists also performed.

A self-taught musician, he had to figure out other guitarists' licks and translate them to being left-handed.

But over the years, he became a searing inventive guitar player and a strong singer.

One thing that held back his career is he couldn't tour.

He was working 40 hours a week as a Chicago bus driver because he was committed to providing financial security for his family.

It wasn't unusual for him to play till 2:00 am and be behind the wheel at 7:00 am Inspired by the people in scenes on his bus route, Toronzo began writing his own songs.

He self-released a CD in 2007 and then signed with another Chicago label, Delmark Records, and cut two albums there released in 2011 and 2013.

They were filled with his original songs.

But as he would tell you, not every song was a masterpiece.

He was still learning to write.

I got to know Toronzo starting around 2013.

He began bringing me his new songs and I realized he was becoming an incisive songwriter.

He was writing about what he was seeing on the streets on the west side, but he was also composing songs filled with humor and colorful characters.

He began planning his Alligator debut album, The Chicago Way, to be released in 2016, but then fate stepped in.

The 2015 Chicago Blues Festival had a main stage cancellation and Toronzo was invited to fill the slot.

He delivered an electrifying set of original songs, playing world-class guitar, singing with passion and winning thousands of new fans.

It was his breakthrough moment, the moment when he moved from being another Chicago blues club artist to being a Chicago headliner and he's never looked back.

Even with his bus driving schedule, he found a way to make multiple short trips to play European festivals.

He would fly out on Thursdays and return on Sundays and be driving the bus on Monday morning.

He's played a host of American festivals too and now he's taken early retirement.

As soon as possible, he'll be out on the road, delivering the songs from The Chicago Way and his second album, The Preacher, The Politician or the Pimp.

Toronzo has proven himself to be a world-class blues man, a true Chicago blues man bursting with musical ideas.

And now you get a chance to hear him live.

Here he is, Toronzo Cannon.

- Yeah, I come to tell some truth.

Check it out.

(upbeat music) ♪ When you can't see eye to eye ♪ ♪ You tell the truth because you're tired of lying ♪ ♪ You hurt feelings I never told ♪ ♪ Both your shoulders are turning cold ♪ ♪ Lips are tight with sleepless nights ♪ ♪ Leftover dinners don't taste right ♪ ♪ When you can't finish what you start ♪ ♪ You try to argue with a broken heart ♪ ♪ Tired of living your life in the dark ♪ ♪ When you can't get together, get apart ♪ (upbeat music) ♪ I heard a song the other day ♪ ♪ Leave your lover in 50 ways ♪ ♪ In a house that's so intense ♪ ♪ Wasting time don't make sense ♪ ♪ Suitcases packed sitting by the door ♪ ♪ 'Cause you can't take no more ♪ ♪ You can't finish what you start ♪ ♪ You try to argue with a broken heart ♪ ♪ You're tired of living life in the dark ♪ ♪ When you can't get together, get apart ♪ (upbeat music) ♪ We've been together so many years ♪ ♪ I cried so much that I'm out of tears ♪ ♪ When love run out on you ♪ ♪ There's only one thing you can do ♪ (upbeat music) ♪ Get together or get apart ♪ ♪ Get together or get apart ♪ ♪ Get together or get apart ♪ ♪ Get together or get apart ♪ (upbeat music) One more time, this song is dedicated to everybody their woman done hurt them the night before, because you came in at 3:00 in the morning and you said you was hanging out with the bass player, the Chicago bass player, you got caught in a lie, so none of Band-Aids that'll help you out so I hope you got some insurance and that's the name of this next song, called "Insurance."

(soft music) Check it out.

♪ My doctor said I'm going down slow ♪ ♪ What's ailing me he don't know ♪ ♪ I got a job but I'm still the working poor ♪ ♪ He gave me one little pill and said go get some insurance ♪ ♪ Get some insurance ♪ ♪ Insurance ♪ ♪ 'Cause you're too young to die ♪ ♪ I went to the office just to see ♪ ♪ To find some insurance to cover me ♪ ♪ Most prices I can't afford ♪ ♪ It made an atheist call on the Lord ♪ ♪ Insurance ♪ ♪ Insurance ♪ ♪ Insurance ♪ ♪ 'Cause I'm too young to die ♪ ♪ I read the fine print, signed on the line ♪ ♪ I hope I got enough to keep from dying ♪ ♪ After all the questions and the third degree ♪ ♪ It felt just like a colonoscopy ♪ ♪ Insurance ♪ ♪ Insurance ♪ ♪ Insurance y'all ♪ ♪ 'Cause you're too young to die ♪ ♪ I read in the paper the other day ♪ ♪ A man lost his spouse ♪ ♪ She's pushing up daisies, now he can't pay the bills ♪ ♪ And now he lost his house ♪ ♪ Insurance ♪ ♪ Insurance y'all ♪ ♪ Insurance ♪ ♪ 'Cause you too young to die ♪ ♪ I'm playing for the angels, Billy in ♪ (upbeat harmonica music) ♪ I went to the doctor with the plan ♪ ♪ Insurance card in my hand ♪ ♪ He looked at it and said to me ♪ ♪ Pre-existing conditions come with a fee ♪ ♪ Insurance ♪ ♪ Insurance ♪ ♪ Insurance ♪ ♪ 'Cause I'm too young to die ♪ (speaks quickly) (upbeat music) Break it down for me.

(soft music) ♪ Insurance, how much for an aspirin again doctor ♪ ♪ Well just give me two aspirin ♪ ♪ And I'll crunch them up ♪ ♪ And that'll last me for a couple weeks ♪ ♪ Insurance ♪ ♪ I need a CAT scan ♪ ♪ All I can afford is a kitten scan ♪ ♪ Insurance ♪ ♪ Doctor I need 13 stitches but all I can afford is eight ♪ ♪ Insurance ♪ ♪ Just give me that bandaid on the floor ♪ ♪ Kissing up to God, it's only been there 10 seconds ♪ ♪ That's all right, you know what, I saw that nurse walk by ♪ ♪ Let me get her phone number ♪ ♪ I'll get all the medicine I need ♪ ♪ When y'all close the store ♪ ♪ Insurance ♪ - In January of 1987, I was in the studio beginning to record a new album.

I wanted it to showcase some of the younger blues artists who had emerged on the Chicago scene in the previous 10 years since we released our Living Chicago Blues series.

The plan was to record two songs each by 10 artists and choose the best performance for the album.

One of the bands I invited was Lil' Ed & the Blues Imperials.

I didn't really know them very well.

I'd only seen them perform a couple of times, but I knew Ed was carrying on in that raw Chicago slide guitar tradition of his uncle J.B. Hutto and that he was an energetic performer and he had some original songs.

I booked four hours for each band and the first two bands used every bit of their four hours.

They cut multiple takes of each song, they re-sang the vocals, they rerecorded the solos, just trying to make perfect versions.

When Lil' Ed and the band arrived about 8:00 pm they came in and looking a little scared.

I realized they had never seen a recording studio before.

I told them, "Just plug in, adjust the amps, just like you would in the club.

And don't worry about us in the recording process."

But I didn't tell them anything about being able to re-sing or replay anything.

Once they got their sounds and headphones adjusted, they cut a couple versions of their two songs at about 20 minutes.

Well, I had booked four hours of time, so I had three hours to go and nothing to do with it.

So at that point I said one of the smartest things I've ever said in my whole career.

I said, "Would you like to cut a few more?"

With that, Ed and the band launched into a live set.

They could see me and my wife and the engineer and a couple of my employees through the window in the control room and Ed began putting on a show.

He was playing on his back, he was dancing on his toes.

He was duck walking across the studio and then running back to the microphone to sing the next verse.

I never saw anyone having so much fun in the studio.

After 10 songs, I had fallen in love with this rough and ready band.

They were the real deal.

I went out and I said, "Guys, something magic is happening tonight and I want you to be Alligator artists.

And because you sound so great tonight, let's just keep going."

So with absolutely no rehearsal and no set lists, they recorded 30 songs in three hours, including a lot of Ed's originals.

We picked the 10 best for the debut album, which I called it "Roughhousin."

Ed quit his day job at the carwash and became a full-time musician.

And now 35 years later, he's a senior member of the Alligator family.

He and his band have cut nine Alligator albums and toured all over the world and he still plays every song with that pure joy that I heard the first night in the studio.

So for a taste of that joy, here's Lil' Ed Williams.

(blues music) - Good evening out there internet land, how y'all doing?

Hope you feeling all right.

We are celebrating 50 years of Alligator Records.

We have got the main man here with us tonight, Mr. Bruce Iglauer.

We're wishing him well.

So we want you to enjoy yourself and have a good time.

I remember this song, I played it for Bruce.

Came over to my house and we got together and laughed.

He said, "I think this is going to be a good one, Eddy."

I said, "I hope so."

So here we go.

(upbeat blues music) ♪ I want me an older women ♪ ♪ Cause young women just don't understand ♪ ♪ I need an older woman ♪ ♪ A young woman just don't understand ♪ ♪ When you see an older woman though ♪ ♪ She knows how to treat a man ♪ ♪ Yeah give me an older woman ♪ ♪ A young woman just don't understand ♪ ♪ Give me an older woman ♪ ♪ A young woman just don't understand ♪ ♪ When you see an older woman though ♪ ♪ She knows how to treat her man ♪ All right, hit that.

♪ An older woman will stick right there ♪ ♪ Right there and be true ♪ ♪ No you don't have to worry ♪ ♪ She already knows what to do ♪ ♪ A young woman just don't understand ♪ ♪ You see an older woman knows ♪ ♪ She knows how to treat her man ♪ (upbeat blues music) ♪ She'll wake you up in the morning ♪ ♪ She'll bring you breakfast in bed ♪ ♪ She knows how to stimulate your body ♪ ♪ From your toes to your head ♪ ♪ Find me an older woman ♪ ♪ Young women just don't understand ♪ ♪ I said an older woman knows ♪ ♪ She knows how to treat a man ♪ ♪ Let's get out of here ♪ (upbeat blues music) ♪ She'll wake you up in the morning ♪ ♪ And bring you breakfast in bed ♪ ♪ She knows how to stimulate your body ♪ ♪ From your toes to your head ♪ ♪ Find an older woman ♪ ♪ A young woman just don't understand ♪ (upbeat blues music) ♪ An older woman knows ♪ ♪ She knows how to treat her man ♪ (upbeat blues music) ♪ How do you say she was a queen ♪ ♪ And you were living in a dream ♪ ♪ You thought that I was your man ♪ ♪ And you thought you had the winning hand ♪ ♪ Your game has turned around, you lost your crown ♪ ♪ Your house of cards is tumbling down ♪ ♪ Tumbling down ♪ ♪ Well you dealt me a bad hand ♪ ♪ And you had another man ♪ ♪ And you thought your plan would stand ♪ ♪ I could see right through your hand ♪ ♪ Your game has turned around, you lost your crown ♪ ♪ Your house of cards is tumbling down ♪ ♪ Tumbling down ♪ (upbeat blues music) ♪ Somebody has to help her ♪ (upbeat blues music) ♪ Well you have a losing hand ♪ ♪ And you lost a better man ♪ ♪ Now I hold the ace ♪ ♪ While you, you, you you have been replaced ♪ ♪ Your game has turned around, you lost your crown ♪ ♪ Your house of cards is tumbling down ♪ ♪ Tumbling down ♪ (upbeat blues music) ♪ Well you lost your cards honey ♪ ♪ I got the new deck now ♪ ♪ You can go on and move on ♪ ♪ I got a new love ♪ ♪ You ain't gonna bother me no more ♪ ♪ Your cards is gone ♪ (blues music) ♪ One, two, three ♪ - You know, sometimes you just get lucky.

Back in 1997, I flew to New York for a business meeting.

I intended to fly back the same night, but the meeting went long.

So I got a hotel room and then I called up a friend and asked about a good blues gig.

He told me, "You have to see Shemekia Copeland."

I knew who she was because her father, Johnny Clyde Copeland, was a famous blues man who had recorded with Albert Collins and Robert Cray on our showdown album.

But I had no idea what Shemekia could do.

She was playing in a tiny club with an audience of maybe 30 people and delivering the blues with so much power and so much maturity and so much soul, I couldn't believe she was 17 years old.

She was totally comfortable on stage talking and joking with the audience, but it was the voice and the presence and the soulfulness that hit me so hard.

She sang every song like she had lived the story, totally immersing you in the emotions.

I literally didn't believe my eyes.

I came back to New York wondering if she could deliver the same level of emotion in the studio with no audience.

We cut four songs as a demo session.

And she was just as powerful and just as soulful with no audience as she was in the club.

As soon as she turned 18, we signed her to Alligator and produced her debut album Turn the Heat Up.

She appeared at the Chicago Blues Festival a month after the album was released.

She was completely unknown in Chicago and she played on one of the smaller stages of the festival.

But the intensity of her set was so great and the word buzzed around the festival and hordes of people came from other stages to hear her.

That year, she sold more CDs than any other artists at the festival, including all of the main stage headliners.

These days, Shemekia Copeland is unrivaled as the greatest female blues singer of her generation.

She's expanded the definition of her blues to include not only songs about love and loss, the standard blues topics, but also insightful and passionate songs about the state of the world today.

Her latest album Uncivil War released in October is still on the national charts.

Please welcome to the stage Shemekia Copeland.

- I'm Shemekia Copeland and I'm so happy to be here celebrating 50 years of Alligator Records.

I've been on the label for 20 something of those, so it's really nice to be here.

This song is off my latest album Uncivil War and it's called Money Makes You Ugly.

(upbeat blues music) ♪ The ice is meltin and my lawn's on fire ♪ ♪ The world's got a fever gettin higher and higher ♪ ♪ Raping mother nature fracking up the earth ♪ ♪ Selling off the land for all that its worth ♪ ♪ Just a little blue rock flying through space ♪ ♪ Whoever told you that you own this place ♪ ♪ Money makes you ugly ♪ ♪ Baby that's the truth ♪ ♪ Money makes you ugly ♪ ♪ You're the living proof ♪ ♪ One thing in life I know for sure ♪ ♪ Money makes you ugly ♪ ♪ That's why I'm glad to be poor ♪ (upbeat blues music) ♪ We're drinking water while you're sippin champagne ♪ ♪ When do you think you'll start to feel ashamed ♪ ♪ Your conscience was laid off with all the people you fired ♪ ♪ Took back their benefits before they retired ♪ ♪ The lap of luxury it must feel nice ♪ ♪ But one day your soul is gonna pay the price ♪ ♪ Money makes you ugly ♪ ♪ Baby that's the truth ♪ ♪ Money makes you ugly ♪ ♪ You're the living proof ♪ ♪ One thing in life I know for sure ♪ ♪ Money makes you ugly ♪ ♪ That's why I'm glad to be poor ♪ (upbeat blues music) ♪ You can have the best smile ♪ ♪ Money can buy ♪ ♪ Botox your lips ♪ ♪ Change the color of your eyes ♪ ♪ But when judgment day comes ♪ ♪ You'll never gonna win ♪ ♪ When deep down inside you know you're ugly as sin ♪ (upbeat blues music) ♪ Another hurricane is coming ♪ ♪ A whole bunch of quakes ♪ ♪ The air just poisoned Grandma's birthday cake ♪ ♪ You turned a pretty garden into living hell ♪ ♪ Like throwing wooden nickels in a wishing well ♪ ♪ It was good while it lasted ♪ ♪ Fun there's no doubt ♪ ♪ Will the last person leaving ♪ ♪ Please turn the lights out ♪ ♪ Money makes you ugly ♪ ♪ Baby that's the truth ♪ ♪ Money makes you ugly ♪ ♪ You're the living proof ♪ ♪ One thing in life I know for sure ♪ ♪ Money makes you ugly ♪ ♪ That's why I'm glad to be poor ♪ ♪ That's why I'm glad to be poor ♪ ♪ I'm so happy I'm poor ♪ (blues music) All right now, that's what I'm talking about.

So a long time ago, well, right now I'm going to bring out the star of the show.

(laughs) He got us all together.

And you know, for many, many years, I've had so much respect for Billy Branch for so many reasons.

I talk about this on my radio show all the time.

Because he's traveled all over the world educating people about blues music and he's educated thousands upon thousands of children about the blues.

And that is so, so important.

So I appreciate him so much for that.

So I'm going to bring them out.

This is Billy Branch and we're going to do this song.

The first time I heard this song was from Lonnie Brooks, who was on Alligator Records for many years and I just loved and adored him.

But it's a Junior Parker song called "In the Dark," and it's also on my latest record.

So we're going to do this one for you.

♪ I heard you was out, high as you could be ♪ ♪ Chasing other women, and you know it wasn't me ♪ ♪ That ain't right baby ♪ ♪ No no no, that ain't right ♪ ♪ Cause what goes on in the dark, will soon come to light ♪ ♪ They say you was whiskey low ♪ ♪ And spending all of my dough ♪ ♪ You told me things that you never told me before ♪ ♪ That ain't right baby ♪ ♪ No no no, it ain't right ♪ ♪ Cause what goes on in the dark, will soon come to light ♪ (harmonica music) Billy Branch y'all, how about it?

♪ One of these days, just you wait and see ♪ ♪ You gonna realize the way you're treating me ♪ ♪ It ain't right baby ♪ ♪ No no no, it ain't right ♪ ♪ Cause what goes on in the dark will soon come to light ♪ All right, thank you Billy, this is a lot of fun.

So when I was a little girl, one of the greatest blues records in the world came out.

And I don't care if anyone agrees with me or not on this, but the record was showdown, and it came out on Alligator Records and it was Robert Cray, Albert Collins, and my dad, Johnny Copeland.

And I remember when my dad came home with the Grammy.

He was driving home and I was on my way to school and he held the Grammy out the window they had won for that record.

And if you don't have this record, you have to get it, because it is one of the absolute best.

But anyway, in remembering my father, I always do one of his songs on every record.

And on my latest record Uncivil War, I did this song called Love Song.

And he wrote this song just in the house when we were all hanging out before COVID, when we could all get together and make music.

So we're going to do this one for you.

(blues music) ♪ Me and my friends get together at home ♪ ♪ We sang and played the blues all night long ♪ ♪ You comin' home so strong ♪ ♪ You got me singlin' a love song ♪ ♪ I love the blues ♪ ♪ Cherish the sound ♪ ♪ If it wasn't for the blues ♪ ♪ I don't think I'd would weigh over 90 pounds ♪ ♪ You coming' home so strong ♪ ♪ You got me singin' a love song ♪ ♪ The sound of your voice like music to my ears ♪ ♪ Your every touch soothes me through my dear ♪ ♪ You comin' home so strong ♪ ♪ You got me singin' a love song ♪ You gonna play some piano?

(blues music) How about it, give it up, come on now.

(blues music) How about it?

♪ The sound of your voice like music to my ears ♪ ♪ Your every touch soothes me through my dear ♪ ♪ You comin' home so strong ♪ ♪ You got me singin' a love song ♪ ♪ You comin' home so strong ♪ ♪ You got me singin' a love song ♪ - All right, let's give it a one more time for the Queen of the Blues, my favorite blues sister and singer in the world, Shemekia Copeland.

One more time you all.

(upbeat blues music) And right about now we're going to bring back to the stage Chicago's very own Toronzo Cannon and Lil' Ed.

(upbeat blues music) ♪ Come on, oh baby, don't you wanna go ♪ ♪ Come on, oh baby, don't you wanna go ♪ ♪ Back to that same old place ♪ ♪ Sweet home Chicago ♪ ♪ Come on, baby, don't you wanna go ♪ ♪ Come on, baby, don't you wanna go ♪ ♪ Back to that same old place ♪ ♪ Oh, sweet home Chicago ♪ ♪ Well, one and one is two ♪ ♪ Two and three is five ♪ (sings quickly) ♪ Baby, don't you wanna go ♪ ♪ Back to that same old place ♪ ♪ Sweet home Chicago ♪ ♪ One and one is two ♪ ♪ Two and two is four ♪ ♪ Come on, baby, got to give me some more ♪ ♪ Come on, baby, don't you wanna go ♪ ♪ Back to that same old place ♪ ♪ Sweet home Chicago ♪ (upbeat blues music) ♪ Come on, come on ♪ ♪ Come on, come on ♪ ♪ Back to that same old place, sweet home Chicago ♪ ♪ Talking to Bruce was a crime ♪ ♪ It wasn't his and can't be mine ♪ ♪ Back to that same old place, sweet home Chicago ♪ (upbeat blues music) ♪ Alligator records, 50 years ♪ ♪ That's a whole lot of blues and a whole lot of years ♪ ♪ Come on, baby, don't you wanna go ♪ ♪ That same old place y'all ♪ ♪ Sweet home Chicago ♪ (upbeat blues music) ♪ One and one is two ♪ ♪ Two and one is three ♪ ♪ We're here to celebrate Alligator's anniversary ♪ ♪ Come on, baby, don't you wanna go ♪ ♪ Back to that same old place, sweet home Chicago ♪ (upbeat blues music) ♪ That's momma little ♪ (drum music) ♪ Keep winding them drums ♪ (blues music) ♪ Come on, baby, don't you wanna go ♪ ♪ Come on, baby, don't you wanna go ♪ ♪ Back to that same old place ♪ ♪ Sweet home Chicago ♪ ♪ Come on, baby, don't you wanna go ♪ ♪ Come on, baby, don't you wanna go ♪ ♪ Back to that same old place ♪ ♪ Sweet home Chicago ♪ (upbeat blues music) We want to thank everyone for helping us celebrate Alligator Records and Bruce Iglauer's 50th anniversary and all the wonderful performers and Alligator family.

Thank you, hope to see you real soon.

(applause) (blues music)