He has performed around the world. He has been interviewed by Sir Elton John. He has become the defining blues voice of his generation.
This week, he’s coming home.
Tthe artist known as Kingfish performed the second of his two Homecoming performances Saturday in his hometown of Clarksdale at the Ground Zero Blues Club. Understanding the effect of this gig on the local economy, he has chosen to spend time, even in the wake of his new album release, connecting with the people who matter the most.
The new album itself reflects that. The title is simply 662, which anyone from Clarksdale will recognize as its home area code. Fittingly, the 662 area code was created in the year of Kingfish’s birth, 1999. Always loyal to his homeland and to his people, that loyalty may have intensified after the passing of his mom, Princess Pride Ingram. Princess was the mother of one music legend, Kingfish, and the cousin of another, the legendary Charlie Pride.
The willingness of Kingfish to perform in Clarksdale and enjoy time with fans is greatly appreciated. “To say Kingfish is an incredible talent is such an understatement,” remarked Deke Rivers, a renowned blues photographer who travels to Clarksdale often. “By now he’s traveled the world over, but he still comes right back home to the 662. For a young guy, he’s poised beyond his years yet humble and genuine, truly a super nice guy that remembers you and will pose for selfies or sign his CD for you.”
The Kingfish effect was discussed in the recent board meeting of Coahoma County Tourism, where the crowd for his first Homecoming performance at Red’s was notices.
“The world was introduced to me with Kingfish,” Ingram says of his chart-topping debut. “Now with 662, I want the world to hear and meet a different, more personal side of me.”
“662 is a direct reflection of my growth as a musician, a songwriter, a bandleader, and as a young man,” said Ingram. “This album was written during the pandemic, shortly after I returned home from a whirlwind year and a half of touring and promoting Kingfish. It was an incredible time of change and growth, moments both good and bad, and I am a better and stronger person for it.”
Kingfish’s performance on Saturday at the Ground Zero Blues Club is scheduled to begin at 7 pm.
