When the dust settled Saturday at the Orpheum Theater in Memphis, Eddie Cotton was crowned king of the International Blues Challenge.

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. Castro Coleman who performs as Mr. Sipp won the competition in 2014.

“We blew the lid of the Orpheum,” said Shirley Waring, president of the blues society. “When Eddie finished, the place just went crazy.”

Cotton lives in Clinton and performs about once a month at Ameristar’s Bottleneck Blues Bar as part of an ongoing series from the blues society.

“It comes as no surprise to us that Eddie Cotton won this award given his talent and ability to always get the crowd moving in the Bottleneck Blues Bar,” said Annie Jenkins, Vice President and Assistant General Manager of Ameristar Casino. “We are proud of him and are looking forward to his next performance.”

He beat out 255 acts composed of 824 musicians from around the world for the 2015 title. For placing first, Cotton and his band won $3,000 and earned a number of performance spots across the country.

“Eddie was ready and he got it done,” Waring said.

Bringing home two titles in as many years is no easy feat for the world’s premier blues competition.

“Everybody understands that there’s definitely something. Maybe it’s the water down here,” Waring said.

Or perhaps what makes Cotton stand out is his unique mix of soulful vocals and blistering electric guitar. His father founded Christ Chapel Church of God, and after studying music theory at Jackson State University, Cotton became minister of music at his father’s church. The gospel background is evident in his vocals, but he obviously draws as much inspiration from juke joints as church.

“I told him all these acts are great talented people but they’re trying to be bluesmen. You’re the real thing,” Waring said.

Waring said she hopes being the home to two consecutive blues challenge winners will boost music heritage tourism in Vicksburg.

“The International Blues Challenge is a great opportunity for us to showcase great Mississippi Blues Talent,” she said. “The Vicksburg Blues Society is so honored to win top honors at this prestigious event again this year.”

Cotton will be taking the stage this weekend at the Bottleneck with Grady Champion, the 2010 challenger winner, and Mr. Sipp, who won in 2014. The concert beings at 9 p.m. and wraps up about 1 a.m. Friday and Saturday.

In addition to Cotton’s regular performances, the second and third place finishers in the blues challenger are slated to perform at the Bottleneck later this year.

Noah Wotherspoon of the Dayton, Ohio, Blues Society placed second followed by Nico Wayne Toussaint of the Southern California Blues.