WXPN Features Black Joe Lewis & The Honeybears as the XPN Artist To Watch for April

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Created on Tuesday, 31 March 2009 12:09

PHILADELPHIA, PA - WXPN, the nationally-recognized leader in Triple A music and non-commercial radio service of the University of Pennsylvania, names Black Joe Lewis & The Honeybears as its April Artist To Watch. WXPN Assistant Music Director and On-Air Host Mike Vasilikos will present the first of the month's on-air segments on Wednesday, April 1 in the 4 p.m. hour.

First picking up the guitar while on the job at a pawn shop in Austin, Texas, Joe Lewis took the instrument home, practiced tirelessly, and soon began performing at local open mic nights. While on the programming board at the University of Texas, Zack Ernst, his future band mate, booked Joe to open for Little Richard. Out of that explosive show, a partnership formed that would ultimately result in the formation of Black Joe Lewis and the Honeybears. The newly formed group quickly gained notice for their visceral brand of blues and soul that is undeniably young, alive and modern while still managing to channel legends like James Brown, Muddy Waters, and Lightnin' Hopkins. After being flooded with label offers at SXSW two years ago, the band signed to Lost Highway, and delivered their debut, "Tell 'Em What Your Name Is," last month. Continuing to blow concert audiences away, and gaining the attention and praise of critics and fans alike, "Esquire Magazine" recently cited Black Joe Lewis and the Honeybears as one of the "Ten Bands Set to Break Out at 2009's SXSW Festival."

"We're digging Black Joe Lewis and the Honeybears because they are a fun blues band that know how to rock," said Bruce Warren, Assistant General Manager of Programming for WXPN. "They're refreshing - a throwback to James Brown and Howlin' Wolf with a little classic J Geils thrown in to the mix. With Black Joe Lewis what you see and hear is what you get - a straight up blues party."

For more on the XPN Artists To Watch series and this month's featured artist, visit XPN Artists To Watch

The XPN Artists To Watch series reflects WXPN's commitment to nurturing fresh, new talent and exposing listeners to the best new music. Each month, the XPN Artists To Watch series spotlights a different up-and-coming performer who has produced an album or body of work that demonstrates outstanding vision, creativity and songwriting ability. Month-long on-air promotion is combined with online features to help audiences discover each artist.

WXPN, the nationally recognized leader in Triple A radio and the premier guide for discovering new and significant artists in rock, blues, roots, and folk, is the non-commercial, member-supported radio service of the University of Pennsylvania. WXPN produces World Cafe®, public radio's most popular program of popular music hosted by David Dye and syndicated by NPR, and the Peabody Award winning Kids Corner hosted by Kathy O'Connell. WXPN also produces the alternative rock service, Y-Rock On XPN as its secondary radio channel in HD that is also available online. WXPN serves the greater Philadelphia area at 88.5 FM, the Lehigh Valley at 104.9, Worton/Baltimore at 90.5 FM, Lancaster/York at 88.7 FM, Harrisburg at 99.7 FM, and the world via online streaming at XPN.org.