SEAN COSTELLO Source: Inland Blues Empire Date: 04/2008 Writer: Ted Todd

This shocking and sad news just in from Steve Hecht of Piedmont Talent: Blues singer/guitarist Sean Costello was found April 15, 2008 dead in his hotel room in Atlanta, Georgia. Cause of death is not known but details will posted on the Piedmont Talent website as they are revealed. Sean had recently released his fifth CD, “We Can Get Together” on the Delta Groove Record Label, and was a featured guitarist on the acclaimed new Nappy Brown CD “Long Time Coming” on Blind Pig Records. A handsome young man with amazing guitar ability, a fine voice, and a strong sense of carrying forward the tradition of the blues, Sean was a rising star with a brilliant career in front of him. In a world where we sorrowfully watch so many elder statesman of the blues pass, the loss this youthful bright light is especially hard to take. Rest in peace, Sean.

Costello was born in Philadelphia on April 16, 1979 and moved with his family to Atlanta at the age of 9. Soon after, he picked up the guitar. By 14 he had won the Memphis Blues Society’s talent award and was already on the road with his own band. In 1996, the 17 year-old released his first album, “Call The Cops.” Real Blues Magazine called it “an explosive debut.” Around this time Costello joined up with fellow blues guitarist Susan Tedeschi, touring with her and laying down some exuberant lead guitar work on her Gold-certified Tone-Cool debut “Just Won’t Burn.”

In 2000, when he released “Cuttin’ In” on Landslide Records, Costello wasn’t even 20 years old and he already had a gold record on his wall. “Cuttin’ In” earned him a slew of critical acclaim as well as a prestigious W. C. Handy Award nomination for “Best New Artist Debut.” The album received a four and a half star review from the AllMusicGuide and Blues Revue Magazine exclaimed, “Sean Costello blows in like a gust of fresh spring air!”

With 2002’s “Moanin’ For Molasses,” also on Landslide, came a Blues Revue cover story touting Costello as “the top contender to be the next blues star…and soon.” Costello’s hometown paper The Atlanta Journal-Constitution called his guitar playing “masterful” and of “remarkable maturity.” The paper also compared him to such legends as B. B. King, Eric Clapton and Stevie Ray Vaughan.

In 2005, “Sean Costello” was released by Artemis Records. This self-titled volume, produced by Steve Rosenthal (The Rolling Stones, Suzanne Vega, Freddy Johnston) was the guitarist’s fourth release and by far his most diverse and spectacular. In it, Costello shifted gears from Chicago blues to a crafty mixture of soul, funk, upbeat rock and his native blues, joined by some special guests: Levon Helm of The Band sits in on two tracks, as does his daughter, Amy Helm, with her group, Ollabelle. Steve Jordan, Willie Weeks and the Conan O’Brien horn section.

Costello, who has been fortunate enough to earn the respect and admiration of many of his own idols, has had the opportunity to sit in with these mentors. He has already shared stages with B.B. King, Buddy Guy, James Cotton, Pinetop Perkins, and Bo Diddley to name a few. These extraordinary performers are Sean Costello’s heroes, and it would not be surprising to see him fall in with their ranks one day. “All I’ve ever wanted to do was play the guitar well. “I’ve been fortunate to be able to make a living doing it, and I plan to keep it up for the rest of my life.”