The Cash Box Kings, Southern Hospitality Award Winners!

THE CASH BOX KINGS, SOUTHERN HOSPITALITY WIN BLUES BLAST MUSIC AWARDS! The Cash Box Kings and Southern Hospitality both won 2013 Blues Blast Music Awards for their Blind Pig albums at ceremonies held at Buddy Guy's Legends club in Chicago on October 31st. The Cash Box Kings' Black Toppin' was named the best "Traditional Blues Album" and the debut release from Southern Hospitality, Easy Livin', was the winner of the "Best New Artist Debut" award.                                                 Joe Nosek(Photo: Jim Netter) Before being announced winners of the Blues Blast Music Award, The Cash Box Kings performed two songs for the crowd at Legends, skillfully displaying their uncanny ability to deliver authentic, back-in-the-day Chicago blues. Featuring the harp work of Joe Nosek, the outstanding vocals of Oscar Wilson and the sterling guitar playing of Joel Paterson, they put on one of the best performances of the evening. Oscar accepting the BBM award from Cookie Taylor (Photo: Marilyn Stringer) Nosek called the award "a real honor" and said, "a great thanks goes out to all our fans, friends, and family for the support they've given us.  We also really want to thank everyone at Blind Pig for having faith to put out a record like this."  Wilson added, "Blues Blast magazine and all the people associated with this project, I thank you so much.  Yes, fans, thank you guys and gals most of all!" Living Blues magazine proclaimed their release, "a great record by one of the best blues bands in the land," while No Depression added, "The ghosts of Muddy Waters, Hubert Sumlin, Pinetop Perkins and Little Walter must be smiling.  Black Toppin' might be the best blues album you'll hear this year." Southern Hospitality, who were unable to perform at the awards show because they were on tour in Norway, are turning heads far and wide with their incredible live shows.  Fronted by Damon Fowler on lap steel guitar, Victor Wainwright on piano, and JP Soars on guitar, the group has been taking the roots music world by storm, with critics comparing them to the Allman Brothers, Little Feat, and Dr. John. Easy Livin' was produced by Tab Benoit, who said, "Damon, Victor and JP are the future of roots music."   Upon hearing about the award, Soars admitted he was "surprised but very grateful."  Wainwright added, "I'm really humbled and honored.  Winning the Best New Artist Debut is really exciting and I'm very thankful for the tremendous support from our fans, friends and family!"  And Fowler succinctly summed up the group's reaction with, "Yea, man!!!" Hittin' the Note magazine called the album "a dozen potent shots of pure Southern pleasure, reminiscent of the best days of Southern rock."  Vintage Guitar added, "A rock solid release. At the level on which these guys operate, genre is irrelevant. They're simply good players playing at the top their game." To watch the video of the band performing a track from the album, "Kind Lies & Whiskey," please click HERE.