C. W. Stoneking
Christopher William Stoneking is an Australian blues singer-songwriter, guitarist and banjo player. At the ARIA Music Awards of 2009 Jungle Blues won ARIA Award for Best [Blues and Roots Album|Best Blues and Roots Album]; he was also nominated for Best Male Artist, Breakthrough Artist – Album, Best Independent Release and Best Cover Art. Gon' Boogaloo peaked at No. 17 on the ARIA Albums Chart and won at the 2015 ARIA Music Awards for Best Blues & Roots Album.
Early life
Christopher Wiliam Stoneking was born in Katherine, Northern Territory, in 1974, the son of Billy Marshall Stoneking and author Paty Marshall-Stace.Career
In 2005, Stoneking recorded an album of original blues compositions titled King Hokum. The album was received with great critical acclaim in the Australian media after its release in 2006. In 2006, Stoneking formed his backing band, the Primitive Horn Orchestra, with whom he still performs. The current line-up is James Clark, Stephen Grant, Stu Barker and Johnny Machin.In 2006, radio presenter Tim Ritchie chose King Hokum as his album of the year on Radio National's Breakfast program. Radio National also presented his February 2007 Australia-wide tour. King Hokum was nominated for the Best Blues/Roots Album in the ARIA Music Awards of 2007. It won the Best Independent Blues Release award in the 2007 Australian [Independent Record Labels Association#AIR Awards|AIR Awards].
In 1999, Stoneking independently released two albums recorded in 1998.
King Hokum was released in 2005, his third album, but first of original compositions. On 20 October 2008, Stoneking released Jungle Blues, his second album of original compositions, which peaked at No. 45 on the ARIA Albums Chart. Jungle Blues won Best Blues and Roots Album, and was nominated for Best Independent Release, Best Male Artist and Best Album Cover Art at the ARIA Music Awards of 2009. At the fourth annual AIR Awards held on 22 November 2009, Stoneking was nominated for Best Independent Album, Best Independent Blues/ Roots Album, and Independent Artist of the Year, with Jungle Blues winning the award for Best Independent Blues/ Roots Album. Jungle Blues was also shortlisted in the 2008 Australian Music Prize. He appeared on Later... with Jools Holland on 5 October 2010, playing " Jungle Blues" and "Jungle Lullaby".
In 2013, Stoneking voice acted in Tome of the Unknown, in the part of John Crops, which was the precursor to the mini series Over The Garden Wall.
Stoneking's next album, Gon' Boogaloo, was released on 17 October 2014. It peaked at No. 17 on the ARIA Albums Chart. At the 2015 ARIA Music Awards, Gon' Boogaloo won Best Blues & Roots Album.
Stoneking appeared on American singer-songwriter Jack White's third studio album, Boarding House Reach, which was released on 23 March 2018.