1996 marked the 25th anniversary of Chicago-based Alligator Records. Bruce Iglauer founded the label in 1971 with a $2,500 inheritance fueled with a huge dose of youthful enthusiasm and a strong dose of sheer determination.
Iglauer, a Cincinnati native, first fell in love with the Blues in 1966 after witnessing a performance by the great Mississippi Fred McDowell. ‘It was as if he reached out and grabbed me by the collar, shook me and spoke directly to me,’ Iglauer recalls. After that show, Bruce, then a student at Lawrence University in Appleton, Wisconsin, immersed himself in the Blues.
Bruce Iglauer hosted a Blues show on his college radio station and began making regular pilgrimages to Chicago to see Muddy Waters, Magic Slim, Otis Rush, Carey Bell and others perform. Iglauer got into the world of promotion after convincing the university activities committee to book Howlin’ Wolf and later Luther Allison. Impressed with his Luther promotion, Bruce was offered a job at Delmark Records by founder Bob Koester (last year’s inductee in this category). Alligator Records was formed by Bruce as a medium to distribute and promote Hound Dog Taylor.
Alligator Records has survived and grown through the recording and releasing of such influential musicians as Koko Taylor (the Queen of the Blues), Lonnie Brooks, Son Seals, Big Walter Horton with his protege Carey Bell, Professor Long Hair, Luther Allison, Lonnie Mack (the ‘Wham!’), James Cotton, Junior Wells, Buddy Guy, Albert Collins, Katie Webster, Clarence Gatemouth Brown and dozens of others whose collective feet are firmly rooted in the ‘traditional school of the blues.’
The label has also managed to help pave the way for the music’s future by finding and producing product by ‘youngbloods’ like Lil Ed, Saffire, the Uppity Blues Women, Little Charlie and the Nightcats, Kenny Neal, Tinsley Ellis, William Clarke and Dave Hole, all who have in time become equally important both influentially and historically.
Kicking off last year’s silver anniversary celebration, Bruce coordinated and released a two-disc CD compilation aptly titled The Alligator Records 25th Anniversary Collection (ALCD 110\11). The performances on both discs are chockfull of material culled from Alligator’s vast catalog of artists that not only proudly works as a representation of the label’s personal history, but literally paints a picture that illustrates a Who’s Who of the wildly expanded universal Blues world of the 70s right up to the ‘Blues boom’ of the 90’s, with a hint towards the future.
First and foremost on Bruce Iglauer’s mind is the shape of things to come in the Blues world combined with his lifelong dedication to preserving its illustrious history. He is also looking forward to the next 25 years for the label.
‘Our plans for the future aren’t going to surprise you,’ Bruce begins humorously pointing out. ‘We’re not going to suddenly become a New Age label. I’m very happy with what Alligator is. The only thing that I want to make sure is that with some of our artists„ we’re going to be a little more cutting edge. I want to make sure when the next Michael Hill appears, for example, that we spot him. I also want to make sure, with this new acoustic revival going on, that when another Corey Harris appears, we spot him as well. I think that at this point, with a few exceptions, the vast majority of quality Blues artists over the age of say 40 have been recorded.’
With a catalog of over 150 titles, Alligator is the largest independent contemporary Blues label in the world. Its recordings have won more awards than any other contemporary Blues label, including a total of 30 Grammy nominations (two wins), 14 Indie Awards from the National Association of Independent Record Distributions and Manufacturers (NAIRD) and two Grand Prix du Disque awards. Alligator and its artists have won 51 W. C. Handy Awards.
Alligator is fueled by the same principles that established the label in 1971. Although the staff has grown to 22 full-time employees, the focus hasn’t changed. Iglauer is as driven as he ever was. ‘I just want to keep bringing the Blues to new fans and getting them as excited about it as I am. I want the future of Blues and the future of Alligator to be one and the same.’
— (Blues Foundation press release, 1997.)