Backed by his band the Honeybears, Lewis draws inspiration from such legendary "shouters" as Howlin' Wolf, Wilson Pickett, and James Brown, as well as smoother crooners like Sam Cooke. Black Joe Lewis released his debut album on Weary in 2007. Around the same time, his appearance at the South by Southwest Festival in Austin, TX, garnered increased fan and press support. In 2009, Black Joe Lewis & the Honeybears released Tell 'Em What Your Name Is! on Lost Highway, produced by Spoon drummer Jim Eno. The band toured relentlessly over the next year before they reconvened at Austin's Public Hi-Fi studio with Eno to record their even grittier follow-up, Scandalous. The set contained an appearance by the gospel group the Relatives on "You Been Lyin'." Scandalous was released on Lost Highway in March of 2011. ~ Matt Collar