In a hard fought battle the Landon Spradlin Blues Band out of Pittsylvania County, Virginia emerged victorious in Sunday's band competition portion of the 22nd Annual Piedmont Blues Preservation Society Blues Challenge. Kudos to all the great performers that made this years competition one for the ages, and a special 'Hell Yeah!' to WSNB who finished second and All Blues who rounded out the top 3.

Here is a copy of John Amberg's press release:

VIRGINIA BLUES QUARTET WINS TALENT SHOWCASE

The band division of the annual Piedmont Blues Preservation Society Blues Challenge concluded on Sunday, October 12 at Zion Bar and Grille in Greensboro, and when the dust settled, the winner was the Landon Spradlin Blues Band, from Pittsylvania County, Virginia.

WSNB, from Morganton, NC, placed second.  The band also finished second in the Blues Challenge in 2006.  Greensboro's All Blues came in third.

The Landon Spradlin Blues Band will join solo/duo winners Bump & Logie in representing the PBPS at the International Blues Challenge (IBC) in early February, 2009 in Memphis, TN.  The IBC is the annual competition presented by the Blues Foundation of Memphis, www.blues.org.   This will be the first time the PBPS will send a full band and a solo/duo band to the IBC.

Landon Spradlin will also appear at the 23rd annual Carolina Blues Festival, tentatively scheduled for Saturday, May 9th, 2009 in downtown Greensboro.

As the highest placing North Carolina band, WSNB earned a slot at next year's Bull Durham Blues Festival, in Durham, NC.

Guitarist/vocalist/band leader Landon Spradlin is minister of the non-denominational church The Move in Gretna, VA.  He was joined in his four-piece band by guitarist Craig Motley, drummer Phil Riddle and bassist Danny Farmer.

This year's entry was the first ever by the Landon Spradlin Blues Band.
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