American songwriter
Musical artist
Grady Champion (born October 10, 1969)[2] is an American electric blues harmonicist, singer, guitarist and songwriter.[1] He has released ten albums to date. His influences include Howlin' Wolf, Sonny Boy Williamson II, and Koko Taylor.[3] His "rough, raspy vocals",[4] complement his "authentic Mississippi juke joint blues and... modern ultra produced dance party soul and R&B".[5]
AllMusic noted that "Champion, along with young innovators like Shemekia Copeland and Shawn Pittman, is one of the brighter beacons in the future of blues music".[1]
Biography
Champion was born in Canton, Mississippi, United States, the youngest of 28 children.[6] He was raised on a farm in a religious household and joined his family's local church choir at the age of eight.[1][2] At the age of 15 his family relocated to Miami, Florida, and Champion attended high school there for a year before the family moved back to Mississippi.[2] After his graduation, Champion returned to Florida and worked as a boxer and radio DJ.[1] Despite his initial background in both blues and gospel music, Champion began his professional career in the early 1990s as a rapper named MC Gold.[6] Incorporating hip hop into a blues setting, Champion learned to play the harmonica before self-releasing his debut album, Goin' Back Home (1998).[2]
He began playing clubs across Florida and was quickly signed to a recording contract by Shanachie Records.[2] Tackling social issues in his self penned songs, including racial profiling and youth violence, Champion released Payin' for My Sins (1999) and 2 Days Short of a Week (2001) for 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 Album in 2003,[8][9] and also a Blues Music Award as the 'Soul/Blues Album of the Year' from the Blues Foundation in 2004.
He won the 26th International Blues Challenge in 2010,[10] and toured performing at the Chicago Blues Festival, on the Legendary Blues Cruise and at the Portland Waterfront Blues Festival.[2] A triple threat performer, Champion moved back to Mississippi before releasing the live album, Back in Mississippi: Live at the 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 the Sirius XM's Bluesville chart,[3] earning nominations in two categories for a Blues Music Award ('Best Soul Blues Album' and 'Song of the Year' for “Thank You for Giving Me the Blues"). Tough Times Don't Last, was released a year later.
Champion built his own recording facilities, Backyard Studio, beside his home in June 2014 and set up his own record label, D Champ Records, which has 2015 International Blues Challenge winner Eddie Cotton Jnr., and JJ Thames on its roster.[11]
Champion was signed by Malaco, and issued Bootleg Whiskey in September 2014. He wrote or co-wrote five of the tracks on the album, while the title track was penned by George Jackson.[10] Champion had the cover story in a 2014 edition of Living Blues.[2]
