Blind Pig Records artist: Southern Hospitality - Easy Livin' - New Release Review

I just received the new release, Easy Livin' by Southern Hospitality and it's quite enjoyable. This band features three well known blues artists, Damon Fowler, JP Soars and Vistor Wainwright as well as bassist Chuck Riley and drummer Chris Peet. This release has a number of flavors of music due to the diverse but related styles of each artist. Opening with Southern Livin', a funky little easy going pop blues, the band sets a baseline for music to come. This is a well written track with some of the commercial blood of Wet Willie or Little Feat, with a soul twist, but with life of it's own. Long Way Home, a Soars penned track has a bit more rock to it and features a short instrumental break featuring each of the players giving a taste of what is to come. Kind Lies & Whiskey is a really cool Fowler penned swing almost country blues. I really like this track with it's laid back attack. Wainwright plays a nice piano solo on this track. On another Soars penned track, Mile After Mile, the men lay down a track that really sounds like it's off of a Bob Wills or Asleep At The Wheel release and it is really quite cool. Fowler plays some lap steel that actually approaches Hawaiian style which is interesting as well. Wainwright's Certified Lover is a really hot soul style track. The vocals alone on this track are enough to carry the release but with musicians like these, you know there are instrumental features. Wainwright plays a a very warm supportive organ and hot piano parts and Fowler and Soars each play hot guitar riffs. Excellent track! On Willie Bobo's Fried Neck Bones and Home Fries, the track opens with Spanish style lead work which leads into a Latin flavored instrumental showcase featuring quite a bit of guitar over light percussion. This is another really sweet track! Wainwright's Shoestring Budget is a jump style blues track and really gets the place hopping. Wainwright plays boogie on the piano leaving the floor open for some really tasty guitar work by both players. This is another track not to be missed. Fowler penned Don't Feel Like Going There Today has a reggae beat but a real bluesy sound. This may be my favorite track on the release. It has just the right touch of blues, rhythm and guitar with super vocals. Come Back Home, written by Soars is a rock and roller and Wainwright gets the JLL pounding going to drive the track. Fowler takes a distinctive steel guitar solo and then opens the floor for Wainwright and Soars to rip away. Hot dawg! Another Fowler penned track, Powered For The Mountain, has a strong rock/blues basis with a swampy spiritual overtone. This is another really nice track with rippin' guitar work. This would be the powerhouse Led Zeppelin style track off of the release.... and I mean powerhouse! A Martino Laying Jr. track, Don't Boogie Woogie could easily be out of Joe Cockers early 70's repertoire. This is a cool track with a lot rockin' jamming between Wainwright, Soars and Fowler. Closing the release is Fowler's Sky Is What I Breathe, a ballad having the qualities of the best of the pre alt country writers. Very nice. (Think "Wild Horses")

 This is an unusually good release and one that everyone should checkout. There is literally something for everyone.

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Blind Pig Signs Southern Hospitality!

BLIND PIG SIGNS SOUTHERN HOSPITALITY The South has long been known for its hospitality and down home music.   Recently the region has seen the emergence of a musical group of young musicians who are masters of their craft and embody the soul and spirit of Dixie. Or as Blues Revue said, "There's a new entity in the blues world, a diverse, powerful group with enormous potential." The Band creating all the buzz, called Southern Hospitality, is comprised of lap steel guitar master Damon Fowler, guitarist extraordinaire JP Soars, and keyboard wizard Victor Wainwright. Blind Pig Records is proud to announce the signing of Southern Hospitality, which is about to record what promises to be one of the most exciting CDs in 2013.   The album will be produced by Tab Benoit, winner of three Blues Music Awards this year, including the prestigious "B.B. King Entertainer of the Year."  Said Tab, "I'm looking forward to working with Southern Hospitality because Damon, Victor, and JP are the future of roots music."   Recording is set to begin during Thanksgiving week at the Whiskey Bayou Studio in Houma, Louisiana. The three artists are musician's musicians, each bringing a unique style and fresh translation of the great Southern soul, blues, and rock music that came before them. Together, their mutual chemistry, high energy and skill sets create a cohesive vision, with echoes of Muscle Shoals and Macon, that organically flows together into an entirely original and dynamic form of Americana, Southern soul roots music with a modern sensibility. Damon Fowler is a master of the six string, slide guitar, lap steel and Dobro who's been compared to Johnny Winter and Jeff Beck, while his slide guitar has a hint of the late Duane Allman.  JP Soars and his band won the Blues Foundation's International Blues Challenge in 2009 and he won the Albert King award as the best guitarist in the competition.  A singer/songwriter and guitarist best known for his distinctive gypsy-swing jazz playing with plenty of rock potency, he was nominated this year for a Blues Music Award as the best "Contemporary Blues Male Artist."  Memphis-based Victor Wainwright is known for his high-octane boogie piano, big soul sounds, powerhouse blues, and roots rock 'n' roll. Victor was nominated this year for the "Pinetop Perkins Piano Player" Blues Music Award. The Band originated when Fowler, Soars and Wainwright, who were performing with their respective bands at a festival in Florida in July of 2011, decided on an impromptu jam together at a post festival party.  After witnessing the performance, the South Florida Blues Society approached the trio about playing for the Legendary Rhythm & Blues Pre-Cruise Party. Fowler had already been thinking about doing a project with other musicians and contacted his pal JP Soars.  Like Fowler, Soars lives in Florida and traces his family roots back to Arkansas. "I thought it was great idea as soon as Damon called," Soars said from his home in Boca Raton. "I had jammed with him a few times on stage and was totally excited because there was a natural chemistry that seems to happen whenever we play together." The two guitar-slingers with the singular singing voices immediately decided they wanted pianist-frontman Wainwright to round out their aggregation.  Soars added, "I had played with Wainwright before, as well, and he has a lot of soul, and we just feed off each other." Dubbing themselves Southern Hospitality, the three musicians added bassist Chuck Riley from Fowler's band and Soars' drummer Chris Peet to the lineup and made their official debut opening for Buddy Guy in August 2011 at the Heritage Music Blues Fest in Wheeling, West Virginia. Each frontman sang a couple tunes and the Band jammed them to a thunderous conclusion.   Fowler said, "It was cool to have two guitars and piano, it really added to the overall texture."  By the time the performance ended the crowd exploded with cheers and applause." "We were all ecstatic about the reaction," Soars said. "I knew it would be good but not that good. The response was overwhelming. Walking around, people kept coming up and telling us how great it was. It felt good." "It was a super magical experience and excellent response right from the first number," Wainwright said. "That was something I've only experienced a few times after many years of playing. The reaction was amazing." BluesWax said of the show, "Southern Hospitality, which after a single gig has significant players in the blues world taking notice.  Fowler, Wainwright and Soars share much love for the songs of the South. The hot jazz and funk of New Orleans, classic country, gospel, soul, and blues that became rock 'n' roll in Memphis and went global by way of a trucker named Elvis." Since then Southern Hospitality has performed at a handful of select dates and been rehearsing for the recording sessions.  Fowler hopes to do something like the Traveling Wilburys, where each member brings his owns songs to the table, and then everybody works on them together. "We are representing the South," he said of the project. "We wanted to put together a package of where we're from that represents the music we grew up listening to and that we're making our own today." Publicity: Debra Regur   pigpress@blindpigrecords.com   415-550-6484 Radio: Peter Robinson   radio@blindpigrecords.com   773-772-0043 Booking: Piedmont Talent  info@piedmonttalent.com   704-399-2210

DAMON FOWLER TO OPEN FOR B.B. KING!

DAMON FOWLER TO OPEN FOR B.B. KING! Blind Pig recording artist Damon Fowler will open for blues legend B.B. King in the following concerts: SUNDAY, JANUARY 8th FORT MEYERS, FL BARBARA MANN PERFORMING ARTS HALL THURSDAY, JANUARY 13th & FRIDAY, JANUARY 14th CHARLOTTE, NC KNIGHT THEATER "A roots guitar guru in the making." - Living Blues Fowler is a highly accomplished guitarist who's been compared to Johnny Winter, Jeff Beck and Duane Allman. He can play fiery guitar runs with the best of them, but it's his lyrical work on lap steel and Dobro that makes him stand out among the legions of guitar heroes. His guitar skills, truly compelling vocal style and soulful songwriting make for a unique hybrid of roots rock, blues, country and sacred steel. Critics have been taking notice of this young talent since the release of his 2009 Blind Pig debut, Sugar Shack, and last year's followup recording, Devil Got His Way. Guitar Player called Fowler "one of the swampiest guitar pickers to emerge from the humid Southeast since Lightnin' Slim and Tony Joe White." Hittin' the Note said, "Damon Fowler has become one soul-oozin', rock 'n' rollin', swamp stalkin' blue monster of a talent." Blues Revue added, "This is an old soul comfortable in his young skin who has a long career ahead."

She's 19 Years Old - Damon Fowler

With his hybrid of roots rock, blues, and sacred steel, Florida native Damon Fowler started wowing audiences with his musical exploits as a teenager, building a reputation as one of the hottest young players on the scene. Adding songwriting and vocal skills to his repertoire over the years has brought him many accolades, with critics extolling his originality and maturity as well as his technical guitar expertise. In last year's "Best of Tampa" poll, Creative Loafing magazine named him "Best Guitarist... And Slide Guitarist... and Lap Steel Player... And Dobro Player."



Sugar Shack, Damon Fowler's Blind Pig Records debut showcases a fresh and exciting rising star at the height of his powers as a performer and writer. Damon's sparkling original compositions pair perfectly with well-chosen cover tunes from Billy Joe Shaver, Merle Haggard, and the Amazing Rhythm Aces. And Damon's soulful vocal delivery and instrumental prowess continually excite and delight. He said he was honored and excited about working with Blind Pig, noting that he's looking forward to furthering the blues tradition by "making roots music for my generation as well as for generations to come." Scott Cable, renowned for his work on Blind Pig's acclaimed comeback album by Nappy Brown, served as producer.



Fowler's guitar work has been compared to Johnny Winter and Jeff Beck, while his slide guitar has a hint of the late Duane Allman. He can play fiery guitar runs with the best of them, but it's his lyrical work on lap steel and Dobro that makes him stand out among the legions of guitar heroes.



Reviewing a recent performance in Illinois, Juke Joint Soul said, "Fowler's heavy helping of swamp rock and slide guitar blues conjured up a huge lightning storm. Having full command of his voice as an equal instrument to his guitar, Fowler can easily croon you to sleep as he could belt out a jump blues or a Credence-like swamper. This kid has got the tools to take on the big stage."



Born and raised in Brandon, Florida, just outside of Tampa, Damon Fowler first picked up the guitar at the age of twelve. After being shown a few chords, it was apparent that he was a natural. While his friends were listening to the musical flavor of the month, Damon was digging into the Blues, and was soon playing small clubs in and around the Tampa Bay area. Years later, with thousands of shows behind him, he is one of the most unique and seasoned artists on the national circuit.