Forging a New Path in the Blues Landscape
Honoring the Past, Embracing the Future
The name "Red Zero Records" is a nod to Ingram's early days in Clarksdale, Mississippi, where he honed his craft performing at iconic venues like Red's Lounge and Ground Zero Blues Club. These formative experiences, Ingram explains, were instrumental in shaping his musical journey, and he now aims to pay homage to those roots while expanding the reach of blues music.Ingram's vision for Red Zero Records is to create avenues for blues musicians to share their art with the world. As he eloquently states, "Blues is the cornerstone of American music, so our goal is to take a genre we love, and with time, expand our musical breadth into soul, rock & roll, R&B and roots music as these genres are the fruit of the blues." This holistic approach to nurturing and promoting diverse musical talents aligns with Ingram's passion for preserving the legacy of the blues while also embracing its evolution.
Partnering for Success
The partnership with Exceleration Music, a renowned independent music company, provides Red Zero Records with the necessary resources and expertise to support Ingram's ambitious plans. Exceleration Music and Redeye Distribution will handle the label services and global distribution for Red Zero, leveraging their extensive industry connections and experience.According to Ric Whitney, Ingram's manager, the decision to launch a label was a strategic move that had been in the works since the COVID-19 pandemic. "The ability to release music under a label we own is a special moment and a testament to years of doing the hard work," Whitney explains. "Further, the opportunity to partner with Exceleration and to work with musicians we truly respect and whose music we enjoy is what also makes this business endeavor exciting."
Empowering the Next Generation of Blues Artists
Christone "Kingfish" Ingram's journey has been marked by remarkable achievements, including a Grammy nomination for his 2023 live album, "Live in London." Now, as the founder and CEO of Red Zero Records, Ingram is poised to make an even greater impact on the music industry.John Burk, a partner at Exceleration Music, expresses his enthusiasm for the collaboration, stating, "Christone is a remarkable artist who's already accomplished a great deal early in his career. This launch of his Red Zero Records marks an exciting new chapter for him as an artist and as an ambassador for American roots music. All of us at Exceleration Music look forward to continuing to work with Christone and Ric in supporting their vision of taking the music forward while also creating more opportunities for deserving artists."
As Ingram and his team embark on this new venture, the blues community and music enthusiasts alike eagerly await the label's first release, which will feature Ingram's highly anticipated third studio album in 2025. With a deep respect for the past and a bold vision for the future, Red Zero Records is set to become a driving force in the evolution of blues and beyond.