PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA ▪ John Lilley, one of the Philadelphia area’s most popular and well-known guitarists, will release a CD of his own music, Lucky Kinda Guy (www.johnlilley.com), on October 6, 2009. He will premiere the album’s songs during a performance at World Café Live (upstairs) at 3025 Walnut Street in Philadelphia on Saturday, October 3rd at 9 pm.

For the first time in his career, Lilley is stepping up to the mic as front man and band leader. The October 3rd show, presented by WXPN-FM, is Lilley’s first Philadelphia performance on his own bill.

Best known as guitarist for The Hooters, Lilley has been performing with them throughout Europe this summer, playing for festival crowds topping 100,000. Back on his home turf, he’s looking forward to sharing his purely homegrown music with an intimate audience.

Lucky Kinda Guy was primarily recorded and produced in Lilley’s West Chester studio over the past three years in between the Hooters’ international touring commitments. “I’d barely get unpacked from the road before I’d fire up the studio and get to work on my own stuff,” Lilley said. “I’ve always been a rocker, but it was like this sleeping cowboy just woke up late one night.”

The result is a potent blend of muscular roots-rock (“Digging Deeper Down,” “Second Chance”) and tender love songs (“Safe In Your Arms,” “Stay A Little Longer”), delivered with his stylized voice and road-honed guitar chops. The CD reflects Lilley’s finely-tuned rock sensibilities and his skills as a multi-instrumentalist.

Lilley sings and plays guitar, mandolin, piano, harmonica, mandola, lap steel, Dobro, melodica and accordion, and is joined by band members Tom Hampton (lap steel, pedal steel, guitar and vocals), Fred Di Tomasso (bass, vocals), Tom Geddes (drums) and Rick Bell (organ, vocals).  Additional musicians on selected tracks include Cliff Hillis, Jack Marshall, Shamsi Ruhe, and Hooters members Eric Bazilian, Rob Hyman and David Uoskkinen.

▪ Pierre Robert (WMMR-FM): “Lucky Kinda Guy shows us an entirely different side of this extraordinarily talented musician. He's found his own unique voice, and it works! This is not folk music or country music. It's not blue grass or even rock 'n roll. It's all of that and much more.”

▪ Rob Hyman (The Hooters): “Every note and every word is honest and sincere - he speaks the truth with pure emotion and no hesitation.”

▪ Jon Takiff (Philadelphia Daily News): “Pensive, playful and smartly executed roots-rocking music. We always knew John had the instrumental chops. The solid songs and full-bodied vocals are quite the pleasant surprise.”

▪ Debbi Calton (WMGK-FM): “On this record, you realize how much of the Hooters’ sound can be directly traced back to John: the mandolin, the mandola, the dobro, and lap steel. John brings it all to this collection of songs that proclaim self-confidence, satisfaction and security.”

▪ Bruce Warren (WXPN-FM): “The fabulously talented John Lilley has stepped out with a strong roots rock record that showcases his intimate, warm voice and his musings on life. Go Johnny, go.”

▪ Justin McAneny (Daily Local News): “Stripped down, not quite country, not quite rock and roll, floating somewhere in the middle and tied together with mandolins, steel guitars, sleepy acoustic guitars and organs. It’s an album for long, night time drives with the moon roof open or at home after a night at the bar with that last glass of whiskey and the cigarette you were saving for the next morning. To say the least, it’s intimate.”

▪ Craig Ostroff (Montgomery News): “Filled with introspective, intensely personal songs, Lucky Kinda Guy is a country-tinged, roots-rock journey into Lilley’s mind, his life and, most importantly, into his heart. When Lilley lets that long-hidden voice tell its tales, expect to be taken on a journey through the life of a man who loves music, loves the friendships he’s made through the years, and loves every minute of the life he’s living.”