The Blues Festival Guide and Sonicbids are proud to announce a new program called "Blues Artists on the Rise”. We will be selecting at least one Sonicbids blues artist per month for review in our weekly e-guide.

We will also be selecting from the pool of monthly winners, a grand prize winner who at the end of the year will  receive a free FULL PAGE article/feature in the Blues Festival Guide magazine. For more information or to submit your Sonicbids EPK visit   www.sonicbids.com/bluesfestivalguide

Sonicbids was launched in 2001 on a simple idea: that it should be super-easy for artists and music promoters to find each other online, without sending bulky press kits through the postal mail.

Since then, Sonicbids has become one of the fastest-growing music communities on the web trusted by over 70,000 artists and over 6,000 festivals, music conferences, and clubs from over 100 countries.

The first "Blues Artists on the Rise" winner will be reviewed in next week's Blues Festival E-guide.

Correction from last week: Jessie Mae Hemphill was actually 82 at the time of her passing, not 71 as previously reported. Our apologies.

Hot Blues and BBQ
June 23 - 24 - 25
Oxford, Michigan

The Detroit Blues Society is the oldest blues society in Michigan and there's a good reason for that. They throw a hell of a party! Take equal parts concert, festival, IBC challenge and gospel brunch and you've got what it's all about. Oxford, located just north of Detroit is a small town of 3,500 but this weekend the numbers grew as people came from as far away as Pittsburgh to attend the festivities.

Friday the music was in downtown Centennial Park where people could spread out blankets and lawn chairs and the kids had room to run and play and the music coming from an old fashion band shell. On Saturday the event was moved to the much larger Scripter Park that offered everything from a bevy of rib offerings to a beach for swimming. This day was deemed the kick off for the Detroit Blues Society's IBC Challenge with twelve hours of music, vendors, food and of course, a beer tent. Billy Davis Rhythm Machine won the competition. Also on Saturday, "The Exceptional Blues Volunteer Award" was given to Jim Zimmerman from the Saginaw Area Blues Society and a more deserving person you'll never find. Jim shows up at every, and any blues event and is first in line to volunteer to help no matter how big or small the job.  Then Sunday it was back to the band shell in Centennial Park for the music of . Calvin Cooke and Sacred Steel.

I also have to acknowledge and thank Steve Allen and his staff of volunteers from the Detroit Blues Society that put many hours into the organization and operation of this successful event. Many hours were spent planning this and the smoothness at which it ran is a testimonial to the commitment they all have for the blues and its musicians.  Tim Richards/BluesSource.com

Second Annual Reno-Tahoe Blues Fest Returns to Reno on August 12 and 13
 
The second annual Reno-Tahoe Blues Festival will kick off Saturday, August 12, at Rancho San Rafael park with great blues and R&B legends performing over the two-day event.
 
Prices start at $55/day for general admission, and $85/day for reserved reserved seating. Two-day passes (your best value) are $100 for general admission and $160 for reserved seating.
 
 Check out our new VIP Ticket Package: both days for $200/person, VIP area seating, and includes parking fees
 
Saturday August 12th                  Sunday, August 13th
Gates open at noon                                   Gates open at noon
Kenny Neal                                     Larry McCray
Eddie Cotton                                 Shemekia Copeland
Millie Jackson                                Bobby Rush
Buddy Guy                                      Keb Mo
Patti LaBelle                                  Chaka Khan
 
 The Fest is a non-profit organization and a portion of proceeds to support music education for youth. The Board of Directors for the Reno-Tahoe Blues Fest is committed to supporting music and educational programs that serve the needs of the youth of the Reno area.   775-857-FEST (3378)
 

SIERRA BLUES BENEFEST 
August 26, 2006
Auburn, California

On August 26, 2006, the historic town of Auburn, CA will come alive with the sound of the healing power of the Blues at the 4th Annual Sierra Blues Benefest & Crafts Fair. Fast becoming one of the stellar outdoor music events of the year for the foothills of California, this event displays the enormous generosity and compassion of our communities for the beneficiary, the Auburn Community Cancer Endowment.

Check out this lineup! Charlie Musselwhite, Ford Blues Band, Blues Revue featuring Rusty Zinn, Angila Witherspoon and Twanna Turner (plus some very special guests. Is this a show or what?

And to top that off, we¹re gonna have a workshop and acoustic stage this year! They¹ll include presentations on the history of the stringed instruments, a look at Delta and Piedmont blues, Big Bones with a harmonica lead/rhythm session ala Big Bones Blues, and then there¹ll be a walk thru legendary mentors with Charlie Musselwhite, Rusty Zinn (and possibly a special guest) moderated by the publisher of Blues Revue and Blues Wax, Chip Eagle!

Admission for this year¹s event is $15 at the gate and $10 in advance. Tickets are available at Encore Music and Sun River Clothing Co. in Auburn; The Laundry House in Georgetown; Sierra Music Center, Placerville; Foggy Mountain Music and Lake of the Pines Music in Grass Valley, and in the Central Sacramento Valley at all Dimple Records locations; and you can also order them online at www.HighSierraTickets.com  Gates will open at 1:00 PM and the music will go from 2:00 till 10:00 PM at the Auburn Recreation Park on Recreation Drive in Auburn, CA

If you need Ticket or Media information, have Vendor inquiries, wish to volunteer or have any other questions, please, call us at 530/268-9166 or 530/346-8525, or email us at benefestsierrabluessociety.org. You can also keep posted on updates at www.sierrabluessociety.org/BENEFEST06.htm

Thom Myers/President Sierra Blues Society