January, 1999

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

CONTACT:  Karen Leipziger - KL Productions
(615) 297-4452 

Chicago blues great Eddy "The Chief" Clearwater is nominated for two 1999 W.C. Handy Awards for "Blues Artist Most Deserving Wider Recognition" and his song "Cool Blues Walk", the title cut from his new album, for "Blues Song Of The Year."

COOL BLUES WALK, Clearwater's second release on Bullseye Blues & Jazz/Rounder, is #1 on the January 1999 blues radio chart.

"A blues veteran of 40-plus years, Eddy Clearwater, like Buddy Guy and Otis Rush, is an original purveyor of Chicago's West Side sound.  Delivering a good-time blend of Berry-flavored rock and Magic Sam's blues...'Cool Blues Walk'...is a fun, rollicking journey through eight Clearwater originals and a trio of covers. When Clearwater plugs in, a party's likely to follow."   (Guitar Shop/Sean McDevitt)

"With a blast of finger-busting guitar licks, veteran Eddy Clearwater demands right from the opening 'Blues Walk' that we notice he's in a career renaissance. If that's not enough to snap yer head around, there's the smell of smoke on most of the CD as he reignites the fires of the knife-edged blues from Chicago's West Side and the git-down rock of Chuck Berry that were the cornerstones of his sound when he first broke out in the '60s. 'Boppin' at the Top of the Rock' slaps hard enough to be one of Chuck's 'great 28'".    -- Pulse!/Ted Drozdowski

"Clearwater fires off his own scorching licks on the title track and 'Boppin' at the Top of the Rock'...The Chief's West Side roots inform sizzling covers of Junior Parker's 'Stranded' and Willie Dixon's 'I Just Want To Make Love To You'.    --   Living Blues/Bill Dahl

"Not only the heavy hitters can knock one out of the ballpark...and that's just what Eddy 'The Chief' Clearwater does on 'Cool Blues Walk', an album that elevates the southpaw guitar- slinger's already solid Chicago style blues to a new level while showcasing his effortless versatility."
--  Philadelphia Inquirer/Nick Cristiano

"...his best all-around effort yet... Clearwater's voice is strong throughout and his guitar work ...is even more impassioned than usual. 'Cool Blues Walk' ranks as one of the most jumping ... well-conceived, and downright fun blues albums to be released in recent memory." "The Best Of 1998"/#1 Eddy Clearwater 'Cool Blues Walk'    --  Illinois Entertainer/Kevin Toelle

"His excellent new CD 'Cool Blues Walk', is a reminder that the lefthanded guitarist is also a fine, witty songwriter."   --  Minneapolis Star-Tribune/Tom Surowicz

"These blues cry tears of joy" --  Daily Herald/Mark Guarino

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