The recently crowned king of blues was welcomed home Friday with a reception and concert at the Bottleneck Blues Bar.
State and city officials presented Eddie Cotton of Clinton with proclamations honoring his recent International Blues Challenge championship. Cotton, whose band won the 2015 contest, is the second Vicksburg Blues Society entrant in two years to win the prestigious contest that draws musicians from across the globe.
“I felt like I was flying. It was over and done. It was history then,” Cotton said of winning the contest in Memphis.
Cotton plays a unique mix of soulful vocals and blistering electric guitar. After studying music theory at Jackson State University, Cotton became the minister of music at his father’s church. He was the first performer to take the stage when Ameristar opened the Bottleneck.
Castro Coleman who performs as Mr. Sipp, won the competition in 2014, and both he and Cotton received resolutions from the House of Representatives and City of Vicksburg.
“It’s people like you that make us proud and honored that we put this on at Ameristar,” Vicksburg Mayor George Flaggs Jr. said during the presentation.
In the 2015 International Blues Challenge, Cotton beat out 255 acts composed of 824 musicians from around the world, earning a $3,000 cash prize and international recognition.
“This has been a fabulous year and we’re getting ready for another big, big year,” said Shirley Waring, president of the Vicksburg Blues Society.

Flaggs also presented Waring with a resolution honoring her and the blues society for bringing top-tier entertainment to Vicksburg.
“Between you and Ameristar, you have raised the level,” Flaggs said.
State Rep. Oscar Denton said Cotton’s championship should help raise the profile of Vicksburg and the state.
“People don’t realize that we have world-class entertainment right here, and it’s free,” Denton said.
Cotton will be taking the stage this weekend. The concert beings at 9 p.m. and wraps up about 1 a.m. Friday and Saturday.
In addition to regular performances by Cotton and other local artists, the second and third place finishers in the blues challenger are slated to perform at the Bottleneck later this year.