Marquise Knox

Marquise Knox, born in 1991 in St. Louis MO, hails from a musical family deeply entrenched in the Blues. He learned how to play guitar from his grandmother Lillie whose family were sharecroppers and whose great, great grandparents were slaves. He also played with his uncle Clifford, who was a major influence in Marquise's life. 

For Marquise, Blues is his heritage and a way of life. He spent his early teenage years in St. Louis mentoring under the late great Blues legend, N.E.A. Heritage Fellowship recipient, and Grammy Award winner Henry James Townsend.  Marquise's talents have earned him performing rights with some of America’s most notable blues performers such as blues legend and Grammy Award winners B.B. King, Pinetop Perkins, and David “Honeyboy” Edwards (the latter two also NEA Heritage Fellows). He has also performed at dozens of festivals and has toured Germany and played the Baden Blues Festival in Switzerland. 

Marquise met Sam Lay during a visit to Clarksdale, Mississippi. Like other statesmen of the Blues, Sam took an immediate liking to Marquise and took it upon himself to help give Marquise's career a boost by insisting that Chad Kassem bring Marquise to the celebrated Blues series "Bluesmasters at the Crossroads", which has showcased a virtual who's-who of the Blues at Blue Heaven Studios in Salina, Kansas. Marquise was an immediate crowd favorite and was adopted by all of the elders of the Blues in attendance that year. His obvious talent along with his deep knowledge of the Blues and vast respect for his elders made it clear Marquise had something special, and Kassem signed him to a three-album deal.                                              

Knox’s debut album "MANCHILD" was nominated for a Blues Music Award for Best New Artist Debut.  The album was recorded when he was 16, in two nights, during an ice storm in a church with the world-renowned Michael Burks and his band. There is even a song called "Ice Storm" on the album. The release received worldwide acclaim, including Living Blues' Best Debut Artist Award and a Blues Music Award nomination for Best Debut Artist. Marquise then recorded a direct-to-disc album while in town for the next year's Crossroads.

Marquise recently released his third album, "Here I Am", once again recorded at the legendary Blue Heaven Studios in Salina, Kansas. It features Marquise and his band, with a little help from Wayne Sharp of Michael Burk’s band sitting in on B-3 and piano. Nine originals, and three reverent covers of Marquise’s favorite Muddy Waters tunes.

(Marquise Knox at 19th annual Poconos Blues Fest 2010)