Black Joe Lewis & the Honeybears
Encyclopedia
Black Joe Lewis & the Honeybears is a blues
band influenced by Howlin' Wolf
and James Brown
. It was formed in Austin
, Texas
in 2007. In March 2009, Esquire
listed Black Joe Lewis and the Honeybears as one of the "Ten Bands Set to Break Out at 2009's SXSW Festival."
While working at a pawn shop in Austin, Joe Lewis first picked up the guitar. For the next few years, he performed around Austin at open mic nights and various weekly gigs with his blues trio. The Honeybears formed after Zach Ernst, a member of the University of Texas Music and Entertainment Committee, booked Lewis to open for Little Richard
at the University of Texas' annual festival Forty Acres Fest. After gaining local acclaim, the band toured as openers for Spoon
and Okkervil River in 2007.
The band signed to Lost Highway Records in 2008. Following the signing and performances at 2008's Lollapalooza
and Austin City Limits Music Festival
, Black Joe Lewis & the Honeybears released a four song EP
on January 27, 2009.
Their debut album Tell 'Em What Your Name Is! was released on March 17, 2009. It was produced
by Spoon's drummer Jim Eno
.
Black Joe Lewis & the Honeybears have performed at music festivals including Bonnaroo, Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival
, Bumbershoot
, Outside Lands Music and Arts Festival
, Sasquatch! Music Festival
, Wakarusa Music and Camping Festival
, Latitude Festival
, and Splendour in the Grass
. The band has appeared on The Late Late Show With Craig Ferguson
, Late Show with David Letterman
, Austin City Limits
, and Later... with Jools Holland.
Blues
Blues is the name given to both a musical form and a music genre that originated in African-American communities of primarily the "Deep South" of the United States at the end of the 19th century from spirituals, work songs, field hollers, shouts and chants, and rhymed simple narrative ballads...
band influenced by Howlin' Wolf
Howlin' Wolf
Chester Arthur Burnett , known as Howlin' Wolf, was an influential American blues singer, guitarist and harmonica player....
and James Brown
James Brown
James Joseph Brown was an American singer, songwriter, musician, and recording artist. He is the originator of Funk and is recognized as a major figure in the 20th century popular music for both his vocals and dancing. He has been referred to as "The Godfather of Soul," "Mr...
. It was formed in Austin
Austin, Texas
Austin is the capital city of the U.S. state of :Texas and the seat of Travis County. Located in Central Texas on the eastern edge of the American Southwest, it is the fourth-largest city in Texas and the 14th most populous city in the United States. It was the third-fastest-growing large city in...
, Texas
Texas
Texas is the second largest U.S. state by both area and population, and the largest state by area in the contiguous United States.The name, based on the Caddo word "Tejas" meaning "friends" or "allies", was applied by the Spanish to the Caddo themselves and to the region of their settlement in...
in 2007. In March 2009, Esquire
Esquire (magazine)
Esquire is a men's magazine, published in the U.S. by the Hearst Corporation. Founded in 1932, it flourished during the Great Depression under the guidance of founder and editor Arnold Gingrich.-History:...
listed Black Joe Lewis and the Honeybears as one of the "Ten Bands Set to Break Out at 2009's SXSW Festival."
While working at a pawn shop in Austin, Joe Lewis first picked up the guitar. For the next few years, he performed around Austin at open mic nights and various weekly gigs with his blues trio. The Honeybears formed after Zach Ernst, a member of the University of Texas Music and Entertainment Committee, booked Lewis to open for Little Richard
Little Richard
Richard Wayne Penniman , known by the stage name Little Richard, is an American singer, songwriter, musician, recording artist, and actor, considered key in the transition from rhythm and blues to rock and roll in the 1950s. He was also the first artist to put the funk in the rock and roll beat and...
at the University of Texas' annual festival Forty Acres Fest. After gaining local acclaim, the band toured as openers for Spoon
Spoon (band)
Spoon is an American rock band formed in Austin, Texas. The band is composed of Britt Daniel ; Jim Eno ; Rob Pope and Eric Harvey .-History:...
and Okkervil River in 2007.
The band signed to Lost Highway Records in 2008. Following the signing and performances at 2008's Lollapalooza
Lollapalooza
Lollapalooza is an annual music festival featuring popular alternative rock, heavy metal, punk rock and hip hop bands, dance and comedy performances, and craft booths. It has also provided a platform for non-profit and political groups. The music festival hosts more than 160,000 people over a...
and Austin City Limits Music Festival
Austin City Limits Music Festival
The Austin City Limits Music Festival is an annual three-day American music festival that takes place in Austin, Texas at the city's central public park, Zilker Park...
, Black Joe Lewis & the Honeybears released a four song EP
Extended play
An EP is a musical recording which contains more music than a single, but is too short to qualify as a full album or LP. The term EP originally referred only to specific types of vinyl records other than 78 rpm standard play records and LP records, but it is now applied to mid-length Compact...
on January 27, 2009.
Their debut album Tell 'Em What Your Name Is! was released on March 17, 2009. It was produced
Record producer
A record producer is an individual working within the music industry, whose job is to oversee and manage the recording of an artist's music...
by Spoon's drummer Jim Eno
Jim Eno
Jim Eno is the drummer and one of the founding members of the Austin, Texas band Spoon. He is also a record producer and a semiconductor chip designer.-Overview:Eno was born in Rhode Island...
.
Black Joe Lewis & the Honeybears have performed at music festivals including Bonnaroo, Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival
Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival
The Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival is a three-day annual music and arts festival, organized by Goldenvoice and held at the Empire Polo Club in Indio, California, in the Inland Empire's Coachella Valley...
, Bumbershoot
Bumbershoot
Bumbershoot is an annual international music and arts festival held in Seattle, Washington. One of North America's largest such festivals, it takes place every Labor Day weekend at the 74-acre Seattle Center, which was built for the 1962 World's Fair. Seattle Center includes indoor theaters,...
, Outside Lands Music and Arts Festival
Outside Lands Music and Arts Festival
The Outside Lands Music and Arts Festival is a music festival held annually in San Francisco, California at Golden Gate Park. The first edition occurred August 22–24 in 2008, and included over 60 musical acts from around the world, as well as several art installations...
, Sasquatch! Music Festival
Sasquatch! Music Festival
Sasquatch! Music Festival is a music festival held annually at the Gorge Amphitheatre in George, Washington. It is presented by the House of Blues. There is an emphasis on indie rock bands and singer-songwriters, although there are also alternative rock, hip hop and comedy acts...
, Wakarusa Music and Camping Festival
Wakarusa Music and Camping Festival
Wakarusa Music and Camping Festival is a four-day music festival held in early June at Mulberry Mountain near Ozark, Arkansas. The festival has been held annually since 2004....
, Latitude Festival
Latitude Festival
The Latitude Festival is an annual music festival that takes place in Henham Park, Southwold, Suffolk, England. It was first held in July 2006....
, and Splendour in the Grass
Splendour in the Grass
Splendour in the Grass is an annual Australian music festival held in July at Woodford, Queensland, and previously held at Belongil Fields, outside Byron Bay...
. The band has appeared on The Late Late Show With Craig Ferguson
The Late Late Show (CBS TV series)
The Late Late Show is an American late-night television talk and variety show on CBS hosted by Craig Ferguson since 2005. It immediately follows Late Show with David Letterman and is produced by Letterman's Worldwide Pants Incorporated...
, Late Show with David Letterman
Late Show with David Letterman
Late Show with David Letterman is a U.S. late-night talk show hosted by David Letterman on CBS. The show debuted on August 30, 1993, and is produced by Letterman's production company, Worldwide Pants Incorporated. The show's music director and band-leader of the house band, the CBS Orchestra, is...
, Austin City Limits
Austin City Limits
Austin City Limits is an American public television music program recorded live in Austin, Texas by Public Broadcasting Service Public television member station KLRU, and broadcast on many PBS stations around the United States...
, and Later... with Jools Holland.
Discography
- 2009 - Black Joe Lewis & the Honeybears - EP - Lost Highway Records
- 2009 - Tell 'Em What Your Name Is! - album - Lost Highway Records/Universal Motown
- 2011 - Scandalous - album - Lost Highway Records
External links
- Official Black Joe Lewis & the Honey Bears Website
- Lost Highway Records
- Official Black Joe Lewis MySpace Profile
- Official Black Joe Lewis Uvumi Profile with streaming songs
Reviews
- http://www.pastemagazine.com/articles/2011/03/black-joe-lewis-the-honeybears-scandalous.html
- http://filtermagazine.com/index.php/reviews/entry/black_joe_lewis_the_honeybears
- http://www.spin.com/reviews/black-joe-lewis-honeybears-scandalous-lost-highway
- http://stuckbetweenstations.org/2010/03/21/black-joe-lewis/
- http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/03/16/AR2009031602752.html
- http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/music_blog/2009/03/black-joe-lewis.html
- http://www3.signonsandiego.com/stories/2009/mar/26/lz1w26playing191927-now-playing/?uniontrib
- http://www.austinchronicle.com/gyrobase/Issue/review?oid=oid%3A756140