JP Soars Nominated in Blues Rock Artist Category of 40th Annual Blues Music Awards

Florida-based guitarist-vocalist JP Soars is nominated in the Blues Rock Artist category for the (2019) 40th Annual Blues Music Awards (BMA), taking place Thursday, May 9 at Cook Convention Center, 255 N. Main St. Tickets/Info: (901) 527-2583 or visit www.bluesorg.

The recognition from the Blues Foundation committee is well-deserved. Soars has earned the nickname The "Hardest-Working Blues Musician in Florida" for his non-stop touring both in-state and around the U.S. with his band, The Red Hots, delivering a blistering live performance.

Soars - a yearly performer at the Big Blues Bender in Las Vegas with his trio - continues to occasionally perform with the blues "super-group" he is a longtime member of, Southern Hospitality. Both Soars' band and Southern Hospitality are booked for the 2019 Big Blues Bender.

What The Media Is Saying About Southbound I-95 and JP Soars

"Soars brings the blues to listeners around the globe in a contemporary and refreshing way...make sure you have a fire extinguisher handy when you play Southbound I-95, 'cause J.P. Soars and his gang are on fire."

Brian M. Owens/BLUES MUSIC MAGAZINE

"Southbound I-95 is well-executed music. The production is excellent, The songwriting is also solid, with enough stylistic variety so the listener doesn't get bored. Soars' voice and guitar are the glue that holds the album together. Both are the common thread through the various songs and both inject all of the tracks with a warmth and humanity. J.P Soars is much more than just a gun-slinger."

Steve Ovadia/AMERICAN BLUES SCENE

Southbound I-95 is Soar's fourth studio full-length release. "Over the years I have been fortunate to have met and played with some incredible musicians - musicians I look up to, musicians that I admire and inspire me," confesses the ever-so-humble blues guitarist-vocalist. "Some of these musicians appear here on (Southbound I-95). A few of the aforementioned include highly-regarded vocalist Teresa James; blues harp great, Lee Oskar (War, Lowrider Band); guitar greats, Jimmy Thackery and Albert Castiglia; and Jason Newsted, onetime bassist for multi-platinum-selling hard rock act, Metallica.

Born in California and raised in Arkansas, JP Soars has called South Florida home since 1985. It's safe to say most blues guitarists haven't played in extreme metal bands and aren't influenced by jazz icons like Wes Montgomery and Django Reinhardt, which explains why Soars has developed a unique style that stands apart from the rest of the pack. The proof is in the pudding as Soar's touring schedule continues to grow with performances throughout the U.S., Canada, Europe and South America, as well as repeat appearances on the Legendary Rhythm & Blues Cruise, and, most recently, the celebrated Big Blues Bender in Las Vegas.

For the past several years, Soars has additionally been part of the regional all-star blues act, Southern Hospitality, that also features guitarist-vocalist Damon Fowler and 'The Piana From Savannah,' keyboardist-vocalist, Victor Wainwright; plus Red Hots drummer, Chris Peet and Fowler's bassist, Matt Walker. The Blind Pig recording artists earned a Blues Blast Award ("Best New Artist Debut Release") for their 2013 CD Easy Livin,' and have toured worldwide in between the three bandleaders' own schedules. Southern Hospitality appears with a host of international blues icons on the Legendary Rhythm & Blues Cruise, sailing out of Fort Lauderdale, Florida this coming February.

Soars got bitten by the blues bug via a legendary source in 1988, when he won a guitar and two tickets in a raffle to see B.B. King in concert. Meeting the iconic guitarist and singer further enhanced the young musician's quest to learn more about the timeless power of the music. Soars started his blues recording career a decade ago with the 2008 release Back of My Mind, followed by More Bees With Honey (2011) andFull Moon Night in Memphis (2014). Collectively, his catalog has received extensive airplay on the XM Radio programs of Little Steven ("Underground Garage") and B.B. King ("Bluesville"); Top 50 status on the Living Blues charts, Blues Music Award nominations for "Best Contemporary Male Blues Artist of the Year," and "Best Blues CD" and "Album of the Year" accolades from the Palm Beach Post. Soars is a past winner of both the IBC (International Blues Challenge) and the prestigious Albert King Award.