The Cadillac Kings have just been awarded three top honours in the The Running Horse/Wychwood Brewery Blues Award Winners For 2005. They were voted Best Blues Band, Best Harmonica - Gary Potts and Best Keyboards - Henri Herbert (solo & occasional Cadillac King!). The Cadillac Kings CD "Highway 17" appearred in the list of the top albums of 2004 in the Times alongside CD's by U2, the Scissor Sisters, the Streets, the Cure, Razorlight and Interpol. The Cadillac Kings’ eagerly awaited follow-up to their award winning debut CD ‘Lou Ann’ was released on September 20th 2004 on ‘33’ Records 33WM131. This album is, along with 3 Realaudio tracks for you to check out, available to order from this site now. Click here for the Realaudios and ordering details.

‘33’ is home to some of the best names in UK & european jazz, latin & world music including Stan Tracey, Clarke Tracey, Don Weller, Zubop, Dick Heckstall-Smith & vocalist Tina May. Label boss Paul Jolly has taken a sidestep, with the Cadillac Kings, into the rhythm & blues & jive scenes, knowing that what they have in common with the rest of ‘33’s catalogue is that they SWING!

Recorded & mixed at 33’s Koolworld Studios by Van Morrison’s concert sound engineer, Dave Wooster, the 14 track CD successfully captures all the excitement & fun of a Cadillac Kings’ gig. In the words of BBC Southampton blues DJ Phil Aldridge singer Mike Thomas ‘seems to have the ability to turn out numbers that make you want to dance & smile at the same time!’

Advance reviews include:

“This is the CD of the year for me, the one I cannot take off my player, the one which is a perfect pick me up and is guaranteed to get you on your feet, or if you’re chair bound to have the old leg jumping!” Ashwyn Smyth, Digital Blues Show Phoenix FM/ Blues Matters

“Prima facie evidence that the spirits of Louis Jordan, Joe Liggins & Wynonie Harris are alive & well and, what’s more, living in today’s British Blues scene.” Phil Aldridge, BBC Radio South

“The steamiest, swingingest rock'n'roll since the wild nights of the Balham Alligators at the Half Moon Putney!” Doug McPherson, Classic American Magazine

"…If I had heard this band blindfold I would definitely have assumed that The Cadillac Kings were from the West Coast of the USA. They have that lazy swing and hard hitting attack so beloved of California outfits like Rod Piazza's Mighty Flyers, with a little side step into Texas…" Phil Wight, Blues & Rhythm May 2002.

Click here to read the very latest (February 2004) review of the Cadillac Kings at the bottom of their Sounds n' CD's page.

The Cadillac Kings play Blues, Boogie, Jump-Jive & Rock 'n' Roll with the look, sound & intentions of the 1950's - music to put a smile on your face and your feet on the dancefloor.

In a particularly strong line-up, they feature not only one of the UK's & Europe's best harp players, Gary Potts (2002 Blues in Britain nominee for best UK harp player), but also the superb guitarist, Paul 'T-Bone' Morgan. Journalist and photographer Steve Cooke wrote in Blueprint "Paul Morgan stands alongside any of his American counterparts in capturing that fat bodied guitar sound".

The band are fronted by Mike Thomas, ex-Poorboys frontman, a singer & slide guitarist with over twenty years experience of playing R&B, Blues, R & R, Cajun and Zydeco in clubs and at festivals all over Europe. Mike & The Poorboys recorded two highly rated CDs for the Italian/ American label Appaloosa, and appeared on tour alongside such acts as Los Lobos, The Fabulous Thunderbirds, Omar & The Howlers, and Little Charlie & The Nightcats.

The top notch rhythm section comprises 'Uncle' Roy Webber on drums & Orlando Shearer on double bass. Roy's pedigree includes stints with two of the UK's best bluesbands, Big Joe Louis' Blues Kings and Wes Weston's Bluesonics. Orly's bass playing has been seen & heard with Big Joe Louis, Errol Linton, James Hunter, & for the last couple of years he has been touring with Otis Grand's band. 

The Cadillac Kings' line-up is completed by the hugely experienced pianist Mike Adcock, a virtuoso New Orleans stylist, who just also happens to be one of the best UK Cajun & Zydeco accordeonists, and whose CV includes The Poorboys, Flaco Jiminez' Band & Accordians Go Crazy. 

In the relatively short time this band have been together, they have been in demand at venues and festivals across the UK, including three consecutive appearances at The Great British R&B Festival. With their superb stage presence they have quickly joined acts such as Otis Grand, Paul Lamb and The Big Town Playboys as regular favourites with the audiences and dancers at London's top R&B venue, The 100 Club. 

November 2001 saw the much anticipated release of the band's debut CD 'Lou Ann'. Rob Austin of The 100 Club wrote " Lou Ann is one of the best blues & swing albums we've heard in years!!" This view was backed up by airplay from Paul Jones, Bob Harris, Johnny Walker, Henry Ayrton & many other UK DJs. In the states the record was even chosen for inclusion in the 2002 American Swing Award nominations. 

It has also proved a real favourite on European blues radio programmes particularly in Scandinavia, France & Holland where the Dutch Blues Connection chose it as their CD of the month for July 2002. 

As a result of this the band made their first appearances outside the UK this year at clubs and festivals in Norway, Belgium & Holland. 2002 Festival highlights at home include The Gloucester Blues Festival, Wales' Dragon Blues Festival, Hampshire's Blues at The Fort & The Isle of Wight Blues Weekend.

"This is a UK blues & swing outfit who really do cut the mustard!" - Ken Smith, manager, Red Lick Records

"The Cadillac Kings' secret weapon is Gary Potts, a harmonica great in the making" - Tom Hyslop, Blues Revue USA August 2002

'Over the last couple of years this band has evolved into one of the most dynamic, jumpin' swing and blues bands anywhere in the world! '- Robert Austin / The 100 Club, London

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