In 1980, the Powder Blues, led by Tom Lavin, had double platinum sales for their debut album 'Uncut', which also had four top ten songs. The band won a Juno for 'Best New Group'. The second album, "Thirsty Ears", released on Capitol Records had platinum sales, and a top 5 single. In 1983, Powder Blues played at the Montreux Jazz Festival in Switzerland and North Sea Jazz Festival in the Netherlands. In 1986, the band won the W.C. Handy Award for blues in Memphis, Tennessee for 'Best Foreign Blues Band'. Studio albums and touring continued from the 1990s until the present day.