He's still waiting to see the band's picture on the cover of Rolling Stone, but Todd Epley is pleased Leep 27 won two Minnesota Music Awards honors.

Leep 27 won best pop artist and best pop recording honors for the band's album, "Silver."

The awards were presented Sept. 18 at St. Paul's Touchstone Energy Place.

"It's an honor to be nominated and a shock that we won. We're all very grateful," Epley said.

The lead singer and songwriter is an Austin native, who graduated from Austin High School in 1993.

The band has been organized for seven years. Epley said winning the double honors validates the band's existence. "It gives you a good feeling to win these awards from your peers in the music world. The band has worked long and hard to get to where it is today and there's more to come from us," he said.

Leep 27 personnel were nominated for two other individual awards. Epley was a nominee for male vocalist honors and lead guitarist Rick Blomquist, Two Harbors, was nominated for lead guitarist honors.

The four nominations were the most for any individual or band in the 2002 Minnesota Music Awards.

Among the other nominees was Andy Clark, drummer for Dazy Head Mazy, who was nominated for his solo drum work.

Clark, son of Bob and Nancy Clark, Austin, is a 1991 Austin High School graduate, who is a funding member of the 7-year- old band.

Dazy Head Mazy has been a frequent nominee at the Minnesota Music Awards show.

In all, there were 54 categories representing all music genres. Epley, the son of Roger and Lana Epley, rural Austin, said 2002 has been a break-out year for Leep 27.

The band's third CD has sold more than 3,000 copies and the four nominations he said indicates that "Our peers in the music business like us, too."

The only previous nomination for the band came last year when they lost to the Jayhawks in the best pop rock band category.

Among the high-profile gigs Leep 27 has been hired to play include the Nov. 17 Minnesota Vikings and Green Bay Packers football game in Minneapolis and an engagement at the Excel Center, during a Minnesota Wild hockey game. The date has not yet been announced.

Epley praised Leep 27 band's musicianship from Jared Lee, LeSeur, who also sings lead vocals and plays rhythm guitar; Steve Moerke, Mankato, bassist; Chad Satre, Rochester; and Blomquist, the lead guitarist.

"This is big. This is really big for all of us," he said of the band's success.

For more information and a list of upcoming appearances, including a visit to Austin and Torge's Bar and Grill, go to the band's Web site www.leep27.com

Lee Bonorden can be contacted at 434-2232 or by e-mail at :mailto:lee.bonorden@austindailyherald.com