James Brown hasn't been reincarnated, but Black Joe Lewis sure does follow in his footsteps. These days, the twentysomething Texas soul singer works with a band called The Honeybears, composed of blues-rockers with names like Sleepy, Sugarfoot, Rooster, Big Show, Wild Bill and Slyder McKnight the Night Train. With a tight horn section, blazing guitar licks and Lewis' raw vocals, the band is quickly moving well beyond the Austin garage-rock scene.
The band's official debut, Tell 'Em What Your Name Is, hit shelves in March, while Lewis and his ensemble were rocking out at the 2009 SXSW music festival. The album stays true to the group's retro-rock sound, complete with plenty of '60s-style riffs.
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