About Me
A celebration of sound, sweat and manic energy along with the reputation of creating standout live performances, is only part of the history of the Mighty Blue Kings. By creating a soulful, charismatic atmosphere driven with passion and emotion, and developing music with a variety of textures, the Mighty Blue Kings are undoubtedly defining "New American Soul".
"People become part of the show," says Ross Bon, founder and lead vocalist. "The passion we share is with our audience. Our music is about emotion, when we get up there, it’s all or nothing!"
And this passion has never been more prevalent than on their latest release, Alive In The City (their fifth album and fourth independent release on R-Jay Records) where they embrace passionate, soulful roots and capture the flavor and spirit of today's heartland America. Alive In The City contains the unique, smooth vocals of Ross Bon and impeccable song craft with powerful instrumentation where all eleven tracks (eight originals and three covers) bring a striking mix of R & B, Rock, and Soul.Although the Mighty Blue Kings hail from the cradle of urban blues, Bon's introduction to the sound wasn't much different from most American youth – he took his love of Led Zeppelin, the Rolling Stones and Eric Clapton and went back to explore their influences, the sources for their music. What he discovered was a treasure trove of new blues and jazz influences such as Little Walter, Ray Charles, Jimmy Witherspoon and Buddy Guy, among others, that would lead him to form his own group.
Starting with a solid base of traditional rhythm-and-blues, the Mighty Blue Kings injected elements of rock, soul and R&B.
The band made its debut performance opening for the late Junior Wells at Buddy Guy's Legends in Chicago in 1995, and followed up with a weekly residency at the Chicago jazz club, The Green Mill. The evening became legendary, selling out for two straight years with rabid fans willing to stand in line around the block in sub-zero temperatures.
Recalls Bon, "People came out to sweat, laugh and to see us have a good time with each other." The Chicago Sun Times' Lloyd Sachs noted, "It's been awhile since a band has generated the kind of buzz that the Mighty Blues Kings have."
The Mighty Blue Kings' success has continued to grow steadily. The first two independently-produced CD’s, "Meet Me In Uptown," and "Come One, Come All" (R-Jay Records) together sold over 100,000 copies; the latter having debuted in the top ten on Billboard's Album Blues chart. The Chicago Tribune's Howard Reich declared the Mighty Blue Kings, "The hottest, sharpest, hardest-working band in America." Playboy Magazine's Alison Lundgren predicted them to be "on the verge of a huge breakthrough."Hot on the heels of their two successes, the Mighty Blue Kings subsequently released two additional albums, "Live From Chicago," (climbing to ..14 On Billboard's Blues Album chart) which captures the energy and charisma of their live performances, and the holiday favorite "The Christmas Album."
And adding to their credentials, the Mighty Blue Kings have also supplied their unique talent and sound to major motion picture soundtracks; Kissing A Fool, starring David Schwimmer and Three To Tango, starring Neve Campbell and Matthew Perry, as well as numerous independent projects. But it is the release of their latest album, Alive In The City that is creating the buzz and excitement throughout the country. And on tour, the band has packed houses from Washington, D.C. to Los Angeles and has built up a loyal following throughout California by playing a series of residencies in several cities. In addition, the bands performances in festivals throughout Europe including, France, England and Ireland have introduced the world to the unique and soulful American sound that the Mighty Blue Kings are creating. Back at home in Chicago and in the Midwest; the band still plays sold-out performances.
The Mighty Blue Kings ... defining "New American Soul"
