Grady Champion
| Grady Champion | |
|---|---|
| Born |
October 10, 1969 Canton, Mississippi, United States |
| Genres | Electric blues |
| Occupation(s) | Harmonicist, singer, guitarist, and songwriter |
| Instruments | Harmonica, guitar, vocals |
| Years active | Late 1990s–present |
| Website | Official website |
Grady Champion (born October 10, 1969) is an American electric blues harmonicist, singer, guitarist and songwriter. He has released eight albums to date. His influences include Howlin' Wolf, Sonny Boy Williamson II, and Koko Taylor. His "rough, raspy vocals", complement his "authentic Mississippi juke joint blues and... modern ultra produced dance party soul and R&B".
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".
Champion was born in Canton, Mississippi, United States, the youngest of 28 children. He was raised on a farm in a religious household and joined his family's local church choir at the age of eight. 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. After his graduation, Champion returned to Florida and worked as a boxer and radio DJ. 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. Incorporating hip hop into a blues setting, Champion learned to play the harmonica before self-releasing his debut album, Goin' Back Home (1998).
He began playing clubs across Florida and was quickly signed to a recording contract by Shanachie Records. 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. Champion's song, co-written with Kevin Bowe, entitled "Trust Yourself" was included on Etta James' Let's Roll album (2003). It won a Grammy Award for Best Contemporary Blues Album in 2003, and also a Blues Music Award as the 'Soul/Blues Album of the Year' from the Blues Foundation in 2004.
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