GRADY CHAMPION Payin’ For My Sins

GRADY CHAMPION
Payin’ For My Sins
SHANACHIE (1999)

Young Mississippi blues singer and harmonica player Grady Champion produced his own debut album and impressed enough folks that Shanachie signed him to the label and got Dennis Walker (one of Robert Cray’s producers) to produce his latest album. Richard Cousin’s, Cray’s former bassist is on most of this as well.

He certainly brings intensity to these performances, but his intensity on the opening "I’m Smiling Again" makes him sound still angry at a former love as opposed to be celebrating, while his harp maintains this mood. His somewhat limited vocal attack works more with the boastful "My Rooster is King." Somewhat better is "You’ve Got Some Explaining To Do" which, to these ears, benefits from a wider range of dynamics in his vocal. Particularly nice is a soulful new tune by Dennis Walker, "Good As New," which benefits from a relaxed vocal approach. A bit of country flavoring adds to the appeal of "Roberta."

Several covers are included of which Grady’s reworking of "Goin’ Down Slow," that incorporates a rap about AIDS is particularly moving. "Ain’t No Love in the Heart of the City" is a nice rendition of one of Bobby Bland’s Malaco recordings. He also provides a new twist into Sonny Boy Williamson’s "Don’t Start Me Talkin’."

While obviously influenced by Sonny Boy Williamson, his harp and the soul-blues settings on much of this remind me somewhat of Detroit’s Little Sonny. Like Little Sonny, he doesn’t blow you way with his harp playing which functions primarily as embellishments for his vocals. Grady has really impressed many with the fervor he brings his performances. He also writes some very good material. This recording is better than the tone of my comments might suggest, and I suspect he will be viewed as one of the major voices in blues within the next few years.

I believe I received a review copy from Shanachie. This review originally appeared in the January-February 2000 Jazz & Blues Report  (Issue 243). Here is a 2010 performance by Grady.

Grady Champion Steppin' In: A Tribute to ZZ Hill

Grady Champion
Steppin' In: A Tribute to ZZ Hill
Malaco

"Steppin' In" is Grady Champion's 11th album and is a tribute to the great ZZ Hill who has been gone so many years, as well done in memory of his mother whose favorite artist was Hill. He states on the inside back cover to this CD, "I am very blessed and honored to have the opportunity to record the songs he sang on the label he recorded, and for the great writers work, which he performed for the world to hear." On this recording he is backed by his veteran road band of guitarist Will Wesley, Frederick Demby Sr. on bass, Sam Brady on keys and Edward Rayshad Smith on drums, with special guests including guitarist Eddie Cotton, the Jackson Horns, and Jewel Bass and Lahlah Devine supplying backing vocals.

Grady Champion and his band do nothing fancy here. They just bring back memories of Hill starting with the slow dance, bump and grind feel of "Down Home Blues," a recording that is still celebrated anyplace where folks "Bump and Grind" (another song revived here) to soul-blues and southern soul today. The band does an excellent job of backing Champion here, with guitarist Wesley standing out. One is impressed by the performances that convey much of the feel Hill gave these songs three-odd decades ago including "Shade Tree Mechanic" on which Grady adds some down-home harmonica fills, and Sam Brady provides grease on the organ. Then there is the insistent groove of Denise Lasalle's "Someone Else Is Steppin' In," with the horns and backing chorus adding punch. Champion's harmonica adds a down-home feel to "Bump and Grind" while Eddie Cotton adds some stinging guitar.

Champion really pours his soul into his insistent vocal on "I'm a Bluesman," while "Open House at My House," is one of two numbers ("Everybody Knows About My Good Thing") Hill recorded that were initially recorded by Little Johnny Taylor (not the Stax singer). They are both intense urban blues about back door men who know about too many personal details about Champion's wife (like a man knowing where his wife's birthmark is and the preacher who praises his wife's fried chicken). Wesley takes the lead guitar on "Open House" which has Champion's harmonica overdubbed over the vocal, while Cotton dazzles on the similar themed, "Everybody Knows About My Good Thing" with its line "Call the plumber there must be a leak in my drain." Other songs explore a similar vein including "Who You Been Giving It To" (when you're not giving it to me), and "Cheating In the Next Room" where the love is no longer there. Of course, not every song involves the back door lovers, and there is the soulful ballad about how much he loves his woman and would cut off his "Right Arm For Your Love."

The performances of "Steppin' In" may not radically rework the ZZ Hill original recordings, but Champion and his band bring a lot of heart and soul to this memorable tribute to a Soul and Blues performer who is still remembered and missed.

I received my review copy from a publicist. Here is Grady Champion doing a number from his previous album.

Eddie Cotton One At A Time

As I write this review, I note that Eddie Cotton's new recording, "One At A Time" is a Blues Music Award nominee for Best New Artist Album. This is somewhat of a surprise since this is his second album for DuChamp in a couple years (2014's "Here I Come" was the earlier release) and this is his fourth album overall. Cotton was the winner of the 2015 International Blues Challenge, and while I have not seen him perform, his music has impressed me from the first time I heard his first two albums. His music is reminiscent of the late Little Milton although vocally there is a strong dose of Bobby Rush in the mix.

The band on "One At A Time" include Cotton's cohorts from the earlier album, Myron Bennett (bass), Samuel Scott, Jr. (drums), and Carlos Russell (harmonica on ‘Be Careful’). There are supported by James “Hotdog” Lewis (organ/keys), Kimble Funchess (trumpet), Jessie Primer III (tenor sax) and Mike Weidick (trombone). Cotton produced this (and wrote all 14 songs) while Grady Champion is the executive producer.

There is a variety of songs from the shuffle "Be Careful," to the low down back door man blues, "Better Deal," where Cotton sings about about having sense to know that no one can work every night, but that its plain to see that the back door man is getting a better deal than the hard working Cotton. He lays down some scintillating guitar while Hotdog Lewis lays down  greasy organ on a superb slow blues.  Set against a dance floor groove, Cotton's high pitched vocal celebrates his girl showing how life can be so sweet in the back seat parked on a "Dead End Street."

Other highlights include "Filling Me With Pleasure," with its electric slide groove, and Eddie wants  to know this lady better. In the philosophical "Hard Time," Eddie sings about lessons learned from his minister father, including that one should always do the best one can because the race against time is a hard race to win. This  has some of his most impressive guitar playing on the disc. Other songs include a celebration of his home state, "Mississippi," and "My Money," another back door man blues. There is a neat harmonica riff in the backing on this

I really like Eddie Cotton's music although I found some performances on this not as satisfying as on his prior recordings. His vocals sometimes sound pinched, and the backing not as supple. One might keep in mind that these comments are relative to Cotton's earlier recordings. If not Cotton's best recording, "One At A Time," still is a cut above most blues these days.

I received my review copy from a publicist. This review appeared in the January-February 2016 Jazz & Blues Report (Issue 364) although I have made some minor stylistic changes from the published review. Here is Eddie Cotton's winning performance at the 2015 International Blues Challenge.

Eddie Cotton Here I Com

Eddie Cotton produced two exceptional albums over a decade ago, Extra and Live at the Alamo Theater, that did not receive the attention the music on them deserved. It was a welcome surprise to discover Cotton has a new release, Here I Come on the new DeChamp label associated with singer-harmonica player, Grady Champion. Cotton and Sam Brady produced this with Champion being Executive Producer. Others on this include Myron Bennett (bass), Samuel Scott, Jr. (drums) and guest artists Grady Champion (harmonica), Carlos Russell (harmonica) and co-producer Brady (organ).

Cotton has a university degree in music and spent time serving his father’s church. He brings some of the church to his soulful vocals and clean, crisp guitar work. An overly simple description of his sound might be Little Milton crossed with some Bobby Rush or Bobby Patterson in his vocals. Other musical influences include Latimore, Al Green and Curtis Mayfield as can be heard in his lyrics which treat relationships in a sophisticated manner.  The Little Milton influence is perhaps most obvious on the terrific slow blues A Woman’s Love that musically suggests Walking the Back Streets and Crying. 

Other songs here include a wonderful soul-laced ballad Friend to the End where Cotton sings about needing a friend who will understand, that he’s man who may mistakes but will never leave her alone with a chorus “Don’t look for me on Facebook; I’ve got a message I want to send; You can’t fool me with no jive picture; but I’m looking for a friend (yes I am) one who will go with me to the end.” No guitar solo, just a tight, understated backing. Get Your Own is a message song with a funky groove followed by the slow Bobby Rush styled Mr. Boo in his lead as he sings about having a sweet thing while channeling Albert King a bit in his stinging playing. Grady Champion adds some down-home flavored harp to Leave Love Alone as Cotton sings when love gets a hold of one, there is nothing one can do. The soulful No Love Back (suggestive of Curtis Mayfield and Marvin Gaye) has the memorable line that “love don’t come with no love back guarantee.”

While the playing time is somewhat short (38 minutes), the performances are crisply delivered. There are no overlong blues-rock guitar jams and Cotton’s own solos are focused with plenty of bite to complement his excellent vocals. Hopefully we won’t have to wait another decade for more from Eddie Cotton. Here I Come is a terrific blues gem.

I received this from a publicist. Here is Eddie in performance at the 2011 Chicago Blues Festival.

Grady Champion Tells Us Tough Times Don’t Last

Tough Times Don’t Last is Grady Champion’s newest recording on his Grady Shady Music label. The 2010 International Blues Challenge winner is back with some new songs and supporting musicians that include Caleb Armstrong (guitar, production, string arrangements), Marquis Champion (bass), Lil Cal Jackson (drums), Nathan Keck (guitar), Chris Gill (guitar), Granard McClendon (guitar), Larry Addison (piano). 

This opens with a shuffle “My Time Baby,” that has some nice harp from Grady. While the backing is solid and his harmonica is strong. His vocals lack the presence of his vocals, perhaps because the harmonica likely was overdubbed. Missing You is a blues ballad sung very soulfully with a touch of Sly and the Family Stone in the groove. Trust Yourself has a message of not giving up your soul to someone else, rather to be free one needs to trust oneself.” It would have been a stronger track with real horns instead of synthesized ones. 

On Broke Cadillac, Grady sings that his relationship with his lady is like driving a broken down cadillac. His plays the guitar lead displaying a fuzzy tone but his playing would have benefited from more clarity. His guitar is stronger on the solid blues, co-written with Eddie Cotton, Things Ain’t What They Used To Be. The title track carries an optimistic message that tough times don’t last, but tough people do. Cookie Jar is an amusing back door man song in the tradition of Little Johnny Taylor’s Open House At My House. Chris Gill adds 12 string acoustic guitar for Glory Train, a gospel blues on which Grady entreats people to give up their bad habits while the closing song, expresses his wishes for the holidays, What Would Christmas Be Without You. 

The material is one of the strengths of this recording. Grady is in good voice and his harmonica playing is quite strong, the recording sounds like heavy overdubbing was used and the performances don’t come across as crisp as they might be otherwise. Tough Times Don’t Last would have benefited from less overdubbing as well as real horns instead of synthesized horns on a couple of tracks. It is enjoyable, but I suspect as Grady performs some of these songs, they will come across more potently. 

I received a review copy from a publicist.

Grady Champion Recalls His Shanachie Days

Grady Champion has certainly seen his star rise in recent years after his winning of the International Blues Challenge. His success comes after he had recorded several albums for Shanachie which unfortunately at the time did not have the commercial success they were hoping for. In fact, Dennis Walker, with Bruce Bromberg, had produced Robert Cray and Joe Louis Walker amongst others, did some of the production of these recordings. Now Grady has compiled and released a selection of 17 songs from these recordings, Shanachie Days (GSM Music Group).

A number of these songs will be familiar to those who have seen Grady or his recent Live album, such as his anthemic My Rooster Is King, Dreamin’, or Policeman’s Blues, the latter dealing with him suffering police brutality. Other songs, like Lady Luck, about his misfortune at the casino as he asks where did you go are supported by a hard-hitting backing band and sound fresh today.

Mixed in with his fervent singing is some nice harmonica playing which is particularly well displayed on the country-flavored Roberta, with nice dobro, as well as mandolin, set against a lazy groove. There is a more of an urban rhythm and blues flavor with the brass and backing vocals Love Is My Middle Name, where he tells his girl that when she is tired of the games others play, she can count on him to make her happy. It is followed here by the crisp shuffle groove of Let Me Be, as he tells his woman that they have had this conversation one too many times. 

This writer had heard some of the Shanachie recordings when they came out, but it is nice to have my memory refreshed as well as listening to other sides I was not familiar with. The music certainly will please Grady’s fans and may be as good an introduction to his music as his most recent recordings, I do wish they had included the original discographical information (what were the original albums and personnel). Other than that, there is not music to complain about Grady Champion’s Shanachie Days.

My review copy was provided by a publicist. Here is Grady in performance backed by Eddie Cotton on guitar.

Grady Champion's "Dreamin'"

In the liner notes of his new CD Dreamin’ (GSM), Grady Champion recalls the year that followed his winning the 2010 International Blues Challenge presented by the Blues Foundation. It was a year that brought him recognition, both locally and internationally. Dreamin’ is a follow-up to Back In Mississippi Live At The 930 Blues Cafe which was rereleased on Earwig last year. This recording is produced by Zac Harmon and Christopher Troy who provide most of the backing for Champion on this.

About the earlier record I wrote. “The albums strengths include the fact that Grady is a terrific vocalist who exhibits considerable personality and enthusiasm as he sings … He is an effective, credible harp player if not a virtuoso, with Rice Miller being an obvious influence.” These comments apply (although I might suggest Detroit’s Little Sonny is a similar harp stylist to Champion) to the present recording opening with a strutting My Rooster Is King where he forcefully sings backed by his overdubbed harp about the rooster that spreads his wings and rules the roost. The title song, has an effective employment of a vocal chorus, as he sings about dreaming of loving his girl like no one before. There is some effective tremolo laced guitar backing his vocal.


Weight of the World is an attractive soul ballad with Troy adding accordion sounding fills on his keyboards. Guilty As Charged, with an emphatic accompaniment, has an intriguing lyric about proclaiming his love while cheating and breaking his woman’s heart as a harp riff punctuates his vocal. Harmon and Champion collaborated on Same Train with an urgent vocal of waiting at the station for the train to bring his baby back. Make That Monkey Jump is a simple dance number while Cross That Bridge is a southern soul number about a couple sneaking behind their spouses and knowing its wrong but unable to stop. A straight down in the alley groove frames Thank You For Giving Me the Blues, with a strong vocal. Harmon is striking on guitar here. The backing vocals detracts from the country flavor of “Laugh, Smile, Cry Sometimes” (whose melody suggests Ray Charles’ I Got a Woman). Zac Harmon takes a spoken vocal on the closing Walk With Me Baby, that sounds like a funky 2011 equivalent of Scratch My Back as Champion’s harp adds atmosphere.

Grady Champion brings an animated, fervent style to his music and with a varied program of material. If not a world class harp player, his playing does compliment his strong singing. Dreamin’ will undoubtedly please his fans and make him new ones.

I received a review copy of this from a publicist.

Grady Champion's Down Home Harp and Blues

Mississippian, Grady Champion, has been singing the blues and playing harmonica for a number of years, having self-produced his debut CD and then he had two albums on Shanachie before returning home to Canton, Mississippi in 2002, where he played locally with Eddie Cotton before putting together The Grady Champion revue. In 2007 he recorded the CD, “Back In Mississippi Live At The 930 Blues Cafe,” that was issued on GSM. Earlier this year, he was the winning performer at the International Blues Challenge and is appearing on a number of major festivals as a result. Earwig has just taken over the distribution of “Back in Mississippi Live.”

I have had the original release of this and have listened to it at various times over the past two years. the albums strengths include the fact that Grady is a terrific vocalist who exhibits considerable personality and enthusiasm as he sings and has a first-rate backing band with stand-out guitar from Eddie Cotton (his playing on “Lonesome Bedroom Blues,” is simply one example of his exceptional guitar playing throughout this recording). We do not need new recordings of “I’m Ready,” or “Spoonful,” but he does place his own vocal stamp here as well as on the hard-edged “Baby What You Want Me Do.” He is an effective, credible harp player if not a virtuoso, with Rice Miller being an obvious influence. Champion is also writes some very interesting original material including “You Got Some Explaining To Do,” with a nice funky groove as he tells his woman that too many of her stories just don’t add up or ring true, or “1-800-Blu-Love,” the number for a woman to call when her man ain’t at home. The latter number has a nice harp break.

There is social commentary on “Policeman Blues,” where he sings about being stopped and beaten by Mr. Policeman. It is curious how restrained Grady’s lyrics are compared to the language a rapper would use (and there is a rapper on this track who is a bit more direct about this mistreatment). Of the songs covered here, the slow, doomy rendition of “Lonesome Bedroom Blues,” stands out,” with Cotton’s afore-mentioned guitar playing and Grady’s fine singing. “Love and Memories,” is a heartfelt R&B ballad dedicated to his mother’s memory. “Wine and Women,” don’t mix and leave you with a terrible fix is the message of the rocking shuffle that Grady and Eddie Cotton co-wrote and is followed by “Brother, Brother,” which oddly evokes (in these ears) the Doobie Brothers with a nice groove and rhythm, and then a lovely ballad, “I’m Yours,” as he sings “your my heart, my everything … you can count on me, I’m your lover, I’m your friend, I’m your man.” The disc closes with a fine holiday blues, Grady’s “Blues on Christmas.”

There’s plenty of music here (71 minutes or so), and even if some of the material might be too familiar, there is much new material, some being really exceptional. It is helpful that Earwig has picked this up that along with Grady’s greater visibility from winning the IBC, should ensure that he becomes a more familiar name to the blues world.


For purposes of FTC regulations, I was sent this by the publicist handling Earwig releases.