BLUES NEWS ARCHIVE

Blues Festival Guide is the very BEST way to have your message seen by tens of thousands of blues fans and industry professionals around the world through our 8 Media Products.

Delta Groove has put together a team of professionals to offer quality promotion and development services including: Publicity & Promotion, Press Releases, Radio Promotion, Online Marketing, Premium Ad Placement, Web Design, Distribution, Manufacturing, Festival Production, Studio Production, Blues Talent. If you are looking to increase your awareness and brand but need a source for professional marketing, graphic, and web development, Delta Groove has you covered.

The Kelly Richey band LIVE at The Blue Wisp melds blues, old school funk, and straight up in-your-face rock and roll, dishing up epic grooves and dirty, crunchy guitar riffs injected with a potent dose of thumpin’ and bumpin’ old school funk. The twelve-track album deftly mixes brutish blues guitar and gritty funk swagger for foot stomping rockers designed to bring the house down.

The 35th Blues Music Awards will be presented Thursday May 8, 2014 at the Cook Convention Center in downtown Memphis, Tennessee. Major funding is provided by ArtsMemphis and the Tennessee Arts Commission. The 35th Blues Music Awards will be sponsored also by BMI, Catfood Records, Eagle Rock Entertainment, FedEx, First Tennessee Foundation, Legendary Rhythm & Blues Cruise, Memphis Convention and Visitors Bureau and the Sierra Nevada Brewing
Company.

Our 11th annual, 2014 edition of Juke Joint Festival is dedicated to all of the late, great Delta blues performers / supporters who have passed away during the past year -- including Arthniece "Gas Man" Jones, Willie "Rip" Butler and James "T-Model" Ford. RIP.

Juke Joint Festival is "half blues festival, half small-town fair and all about the Delta." It celebrates our past AND living history by presenting over 100 blues acts during the course of the weekend -- most of them Mississippi or Southern, many in their 60s, 70s, 80s or 90s! This is the real-deal Mississippi blues festival that you've read about. It is like no other in the world.

The torch has been passed like a joyous beacon leading to the rewards of deep soul. “Mississippi Blues Diva” J.J. Thames possesses stunning looks and a gorgeous voice as a magnificent instrument to extol spiritual and earthly desires. Schooled in classical music, jazz and the blues, she delivers music life affirming as a heartbeat.

On Tell You What I Know, one cover and10 heart-stirring originals by Thames and others are rocked by David Hyde (bass), Vince Barranco (drums), Sam Brady (producer, keyboards) and Celeb Armstrong (guitar) with guests Grady Champion (executive producer, harmonica), guitarists Eddie Cotton, Doug Frank and Danny Scallions, Richard Beverly (trumpet), Todd Bobo (tenor sax) and Mike Weidick (trombone).

Polly O'Keary, award-winning and world-touring bass player, vocalist and songwriter, is back in the northwest with her band The Rhythm Method and a brand album titled Compass. Polly has had a long career in blues and brings 25 years of experience to the project. She was first named Washington Blues Society Female Vocalist of the Year in 2004, and has won it twice more since then, as well as many other awards and nominations.

Ventura County Blues Society hosts the 9th annual event to raise funds for the American Diabetes Association and community Charities.

MOORPARK, Calif. Feb. 24th,2014 – Michael John’s Ventura County Blues Festival is returning for a second year to Moorpark College. The ninth-annual event is set for Saturday April 26, 2014.

Tommy Castro has been recording since the mid-1990s and his music has taken him from local stages to national and international touring. His popularity was marked by his winning the 2008 Blues Music Award for Entertainer of The Year. After years of playing guitar-driven blues and R&B backed by a tight horn section, Castro introduced The Painkillers live in 2012, creating a lean, mean four-piece lineup. Castro, along with The Painkillers, will unquestionably be easing pain, lifting spirits and filling dance floors the same way he’s been doing for decades—only now he’s packing an even more feral punch.

Blues Shock represents the first studio-recorded release in nearly fifteen years from veterans Billy Branch and the Sons of Blues, and their first for Blind Pig.

The result is a fascinating mix of daring, and full-bodied new compositions and fresh-sounding standards that followers have long savored at their live shows.

The benefit to Raise the Roof is a once in a lifetime Blues concert presented by the Orange County Blues Society at House of Blues Anaheim on February 23rd, 2014, from 3-7 PM. This event, in conjunction with The Blues Foundation, is part of a Nationwide campaign to raise funds to build a Blues Music Hall of Fame in Memphis, TN.

Canned Heat’s unique blend of modern electric blues, rock and boogie has earned them a loyal following and influenced many aspiring guitarists and bands during the past four decades. Their Top-40 country-blues-rock songs, “On The Road Again,” “Let’s Work Together,” and “Going Up The Country,” became rock anthems throughout the world with the latter being adopted as the unofficial theme song for the film Woodstock.

Black Hen Music Presents...Steve Dawson's brand new album Rattlesnake Cage. Sometimes it’s best to just put up a microphone in a room, sit down and play your guitar... This is the record that Steve Dawson’s growing number of fans have been waiting for.

Pack a bag. Buckle up. Hit the gas. Goin’ To The Delta invites you to ride shotgun with Kim Simmonds on a musical road trip through his spiritual homeland. “When I started the band back in 1965,” says Savoy Brown’s iconic frontman and guitarist, “The concept was to be a British version of a Chicago blues band. Now, here we are in 2014, and once again, the music on this recording echoes the blues sounds of Chicago.”

During the first 34 years of the Blues Hall of Fame balloting, only one saxophonist, Louis Jordan, was elected. The Year of the Saxophonist has come, however, in 2014, as three sax men, Big Jay McNeely, Eddie Shaw, and Eddie "Cleanhead" Vinson, blow their way into the Blues Hall. Two other performers -- Mississippi hill country patriarch R.L. Burnside and the intense and inimitable Robert Pete Williams, will also be inducted May 7.

Michelle Willson is a force of nature -- an emotional ball of talent that inspires you with her original songs and takes you on a journey through what she calls the lost music of vintage soul/R&B legends like Dinah Washington, Ruth Brown and Etta James.

Contemporary Mississippi blues musician Eddie Cotton, Jr. has combined university training with service in his father’s church and a love of the blues to produce commanding music of fiery intensity and power. Following his spectacular 2000 debut Live at the Alamo Theater and Extra in 2002, Here I Come shows the triple threat singer, songwriter and guitarist breaking out and up to establish serious credibility as a major new star demanding and deserving to be heard.

The City of Clearwater, Florida announces the 8th annual Clearwater Sea-Blues Festival and the artists scheduled for February 15 to 16, 2014 at Coachman Park.

Tedeschi Trucks Band, Jimmie Vaughan, Lil’ Ed & The Blues Imperials, Zac Harmon, Soulmate, Doyle Bramhall III and Blackstratblues will spread blues love to India at the Mahindra Blues Festival.

The benefit to Raise the Roof is a once in a lifetime Blues concert presented by the Orange County Blues Society at House of Blues Anaheim on February 23rd, 2014, from 3-7 PM.

Greetings!
The Annual Blues Festival Guide will once again feature a special section that has listings of radio stations and internet radio stations that feature blues; also television programming.

Robert Randolph & The Family Band along with Ana Popovic, will perform on Wed. February 26 at the Belly Up Tavern in Solana Beach, CA (Cedros Ave). Doors at 7pm, show 8pm. Tickets are $28 adv / $30 day of / $49 reserved loft. Show is 21+.

You’ll find traditions and departures on Take Your Time, the new CD by Bernie Pearl. This CD represents the life-long commitment of Los Angeles-born, Long Beach-based guitarist Bernie Pearl to the traditions of the blues guitar. His playing prompted one critic to comment, "Bernie's the best we have and probably the best pure blues guy period." But Take Your Time also represents some departures. One of them is Bernie’s inclusion of Jazz-Blues diva, Barbara Morrison on three vocal duets.

Montrose Records announces the signing of Houston-based blues/soul singer Annika Chambers and release of her debut album, Making My Mark. On the new CD, Annika (pronounced “Ann-NEE-Ka”), is backed by an aggregation dubbed “The Houston All-Stars,” well-named because it boasts the talents of many Grammy winners and nominees.

What were your new year’s resolutions this year? Travel more? See live music? Meet new people? Down Under Answers has the solution to mark them all off right now!  

Australia’s premier blues and roots festival is gearing up to celebrate its 25th birthday and all the stops have been pulled out to throw a spectacular five-day party that you will never forget! With an incredibly lineup featuring some of the world’s biggest names in blues, roots, soul, gospel, R&B and rock giving more than 200 amazing performances across seven stages, do not miss this chance to experience the 25th anniversary Bluesfest.

It may be cold outside, but SteelStacks in Bethlehem is coming alive with three scorchin’ days of music when the ArtsQuest Center hosts the third Blast Furnace Blues festival presented by Highmark Blue Shield Feb. 7-9.

The City of Clearwater is excited to welcome back the 8th Annual Clearwater Sea-Blues Festival on the 15th & 16th of February at Coachman Park, 301 Drew St. Clearwater, FL. This annual festival has brought the perfect combination of waterfront views, delectable seafood, and award winning blues artists since 2007. Previous artists include, Jonny Lang, Taj Mahal, and Johnny Winter.

Modern blues tend to fall into several basic categories. However, occasionally a new band is so startlingly original as to knock expectations upside the head. The trio Hard Garden from Seattle spring from stark, shamanistic Delta blues and elements of popular music like sequencers and digital beats to conjure a debut album quite unlike anything on satellite blues radio.

Bluesoul was recorded live at the 2012 Maxville Musicfest, St. Andrew’s Presbyterian Church. It’s not cliche blues but kind of old school, kind of trippy, like Mark Knopfler, JJ Cale or JB Lenior, Terry is a player whose comfortable voice perfectly suits his economical deep guitar grooves. Terry Gillespie, a sixtysomething bluesman, feels he’s getting close to his ideal musical hybrid by playing the music of the earliest Blues players and mining back to the roots of what inspired them, you will note ‘not a lot of guitar’ features in Terry’s tunes and what you hear is inspirational.

(CLARKSDALE, MISSISSIPPI)
For its fourth year in a row, the Clarksdale Film Festival aims to make you laugh, cry and occasionally, rock out. Organizers promise attendees a feast of Mississippi and Southern filmmaking – plus a little fresh popcorn.

According to Garden & Gun magazine,  "Mississippi gets its close-up... to celebrate the Magnolia State's films and filmmakers" at the Clarksdale Film Festival.

What were your new year’s resolutions this year? Travel more? See live music? Meet new people? Down Under Answer has the solution to mark them all off right now!

Empty Roads is the Blues Society of Western Pennsylvania's submission for the 2014 Best Self-Produced CD presented by The Blues Foundation. Musical technique and vocal ability are prerequisites for popular music, the blues and related genres included.

Award-winning guitarist, vocalist, songwriter Tommy Castro will release his turbo-charged new album, The Devil You Know on Tuesday, January 21, 2014. The Devil You Know, recorded in the Bay Area with his fiery new band The Painkillers, and produced by Castro and Bonnie Hayes, is a contemporary blues tour-de-force. The album is an untamed, high-energy set of 13 songs, including nine written or co-written by Castro and full of driving grooves, funky rhythms and the kind of choruses.

With a lineup that features the Blind Boys of Alabama, Curtis Salgado, BeauSoleil, Maria Muldaur & the Midnight Scramble, Candye Kane, Southern Hospitality and more,

Remembering Little Walter, the live tribute to harp virtuoso and innovator Little Walter Jacobs, has been nominated for a 2014 Grammy as "Best Blues Album." The CD features five of the finest harmonica players on the current blues scene - Billy Boy Arnold, Charlie Musselwhite, Mark Hummel, Sugar Ray Norcia, and James Harman.

Guitarist Mark T. Small announces a January 28, 2014 release date for his fourth CD, Smokin’ Blues, on the Lead Foot Music label imprint. The even-dozen tracks on Smokin’ Blues solidify the Massachusetts-based Small’s place as an emerging master of the guitar, ranging from Delta blues and Chicago styles, to the intricate flatpicking schooled from his early days in “Newgrass” bands.

Now entering its 8th year, the Clearwater Seafood & Blues Festival Presented by The City of Clearwater, Feb. 15-16, 2014, will feature some of the finest blues musicians live in concert and Tampa Bay’s Finest Seafood delights. Presented in Coachman Park, this annual festival has become one of Clearwater’s most beloved signature events, and appeals to thousands of visitors during February each year.

Being compared to Janis Joplin is a heavy burden. However, blonde bombshell Halley DeVestern explodes out of her songs with unbridled passion, power and social principles requiring no comparison for credibility, including performing with Big Brother & the Holding Company. Following Sugar Free (2007), DeVestern has kicked out the jams with three releases to stimulate the mind and body. Her most recent is the aptly titled Fabbo! Boffo! Smasho!, an exhilarating combination of booty-shaking funk, blues, R&B and rock; a punch in the ear and a kick in the pants.

Can't Shed A Tear is the debut CD from Jim Gustin & Truth Jones and was produced by blues veteran Terry Wilson (Teresa James, Eric Burden, Paul Kossoff, Ana Popovic). Gustin, a singer, songwriter, guitarist from Southern California, has a distinctive, powerful voice, soulful and blue with a smoky rasp. He is also a very solid guitarist with great tone and a funky groove. In addition to the talented and versatile Truth Jones band, the CD includes special guest appearances from the incredible Teresa James and John Rabbit Bundrick (Free, Roger Waters, The Who).

“Ghost of the Blues” is a Blues music review featuring the songs of Son House, Etta James, John Lee Hooker, Willie Dixon, and Muddy Waters, with some added surprises. Players include Stacy Brooks as Etta James, Mud Morganfield as his father Muddy Waters (McKinley Morganfield) and Dave “Biscuit” Miller as Willie Dixon.

Blues veteran, Niecie, has a new CD, Wanted Woman, that is exploding the blues world. This new release is produced by the legendary, former Allman Brothers, Johnny Neel. Wanted Woman is raw, rocking blues with flavors of soul and funk mixed in. Blazing guitar licks of Chris Anderson from the Outlaws smoke through the tracks like the Cannonball Express.

The name of his former band, the Heartfixers, hints as to what makes Tinsley Ellis a legend among his second generation postwar fellow blues artists. The passionate singer, consummate songwriter and hellfire guitarist delves deeper into the affairs of the heart through the “hard blues,” in John Lee Hooker’s memorable term. Having long ago absorbed the influences of B.B. and Freddie King, as well as British blues guitarists, Ellis commands a signature style of scalding, explosive power as heard to stunning effect on Midnight Blue… his bluesiest album in decades.

Babe's and Ricky's Inn, the Award winning blues documentary produced and directed by Ramin Niami, chronicles the last days of one of the most unique and vibrant blues clubs in the world.

For over fifty years, Laura Mae  "Mama" Gross, an African American woman from Mississippi, brought musicians together, regardless of race, age, or gender, in a place where only the music mattered. The club was originally located on legendary Central Avenue in South Central LA

Thursday, January 23 and Friday, January 24 from 11:30 a.m. to 5:15 p.m. during IBC week, there will be a party happening at the Purple Haze Night Club in Downtown Memphis. A $5 donation gets one a copy of Blind Raccoon Collection: Volume Two - a sampler of 17 tunes from Blind Raccoon's clients.

Twelve clients of Blind Raccoon perform for the International Blues Challenge attendees. This year the artists appearing are from the states of TX, WA, KS, MO, PA, NY, NJ, AL, New York City and Canada.

“ I read your article and saw your request for our favorite holiday tune and well I couldn't reduce it any further than these twelve and here's why....”

If you’re a fan of Walter “Wolfman” Washington, then you won’t want to miss the opportunity to see this incredible musician perform during the special Blues Brunch at Blast Furnace Blues presented by Highmark Blue Shield Feb. 9 in Bethlehem, Pa. The legendary singer/guitarist will be joined by his band, The Roadmasters, in the intimate setting of the Musikfest Café, serving up a scorching’ set as guests enjoy an amazing New Orleans-style brunch.

The Rosebud Agency will be segueing out of booking representation at the end of 2013. Unforeseen circumstances leading to a concern about being able to deliver the same level of service indicated that it was time to wind down the agency side of the company. Agency founder Mike Kappus will continue to work on special projects in addition to select artist management as he has for the past 42 years.

From the age of 8, Jon Zeeman has been obsessed with guitars, amplifiers, wah-wah pedals, power tubes, Johnny Winter, B.B King, Jimi Hendrix, and Eric Clapton, Growing up outside NYC, he studied classical piano and decided on a career in music at the ripe age of 13.

When Tampa Bay Area-based guitarist Sean Chambers began planning for his next album release, he decided to do things differently than he had on previous albums and looked northward to Nashville with its amazing studios, musicians and songwriting talent. The result will be released on October 15 when Sean’s new album, The Rock House Sessions, comes out on Blue Heat Records.

Memphis, TN - The Blues Foundation is pleased to announce the nominations for the annual Blues Music Awards, which we will present at the Cook Convention Center in downtown Memphis, TN, on Thursday, May 8, 2014. The Blues Music Awards are universally recognized as the highest accolade afforded musicians and songwriters in Blues music. The annual Blues Music Awards ceremony is the premier event for Blues professionals, musicians, and fans from all over the world.

Festival, set for Feb. 7-9, features 20 blues artists over three days

2013 Blues Music Awards Entertainer of the Year Curtis Salgado, multi-Grammy Award winners the Blind Boys of Alabama and Maria Muldaur & the Midnight Scramble headline three scorchin’ days of the blues during the Blast Furnace Blues Festival presented by Highmark Blue Shield Feb. 7-9, 2014 at the ArtsQuest Center at SteelStacks in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania.

The Tampa Bay Blues Festival returns to the sunny shores of Tampa Bay on April 11, 12, & 13, 2014. This festival will be our 20th year anniversary and we have a spectacular line up of blues talent – Buddy Guy, Michael McDonald, Irma Thomas, The Blind Boys of Alabama, Tommy Castro, James Hunter, Coco Montoya, Big Sam's Funky Nation, Shemekia Copeland and others round out three great days of "Blues by the Bay."

Mule, the full-length, debut album from South Carolina’s Port City Prophets, is dripping with sweat and blood. With a sound born in the marshlands of South Carolina, this is what authentic Low-country blues and soul sounds like.

After 3 years of earning a reputation for incredible live performances, the desire for a studio album to capture the Prophet’s sound was fulfilled. Mule was recorded on James Island, South Carolina between the swamp and a 1000 year old oaks.

When a fresh new voice appears with a combination of power, grace, emotional depth and individuality, it is cause to celebrate. Deb Ryder, from Southern California by way of Chicago, shines like a bright ray from the new rising sun as an extraordinary singer, composer and producer on her debut album, Might Just Get Lucky.

Give the gift of music for Christmas! With our special 5 CDs for only $50 holiday sale you can stock up on stocking stuffers for all your music loving friends and family. No matter what shade of music they're into, you'll find something for just about every musical taste in our catalog of the finest in American roots music. We've got old school, roadhouse rock, Rock & Roll Hall of Famers, soulful R&B, extraordinary singers and more.

Soul Stew Records is proud to share the creative song-writing talent and amazing performance of Bob Eike on his release, happy little songs about futility and despair.

Bob grew up in Texas and is a self-taught guitar player. Throughout his youth, he had a passion for the Blues and Americana music. His musical talents gained him recognition by Guitar Player magazine, featuring him as “an undiscovered great.” He has performed in venues and at festivals throughout the country, including sharing the stage with such notable icons as B.B. King, Johnny Winter, John Hammond, Jr., Taj Mahal, Townes Van Zandt, John Lee Hooker, Lyle Lovett, Leo Kotke and Sonny Landreth.

Vincent Hayes has been making waves in the roots and blues worlds ever since his 2010 debut release titled Reclamation earned him an him a 2011 Blues Music Award Nomination for Best New Artist. Though the “Vincent Hayes Project” moniker was shortened, Vincent comes out of the box swinging hard on his follow up disc, The Grind, released in August 2013 on North 61 Records. The Grind was produced and engineered by Bill Chrysler, and current sound engineer for John Mayer. Mastering was performed by Brian Lucey at Magic Garden Mastering (Black Keys, “Brothers/El Camino”).

Sunday, December 8, Blues Lovers United of San Diego (BLUSD) are throwing a Member Appreciation Party from 1-5pm at the House of Blues (1055 5th Ave., San Diego). Appearing will be L.A.’s blues-roots band, The 44s with special guest James Harman; the Bayou Brothers, 2013 San Diego Music Award’s “Best Blues” winners; Ben Powell, the 2012 BLUSD IBC winner and a set comprised of a youth blues band. Doors 12:15pm. No cover for BLUSD members, $15.00 for non-members (can be applied to a yearly membership of $25 single, $35 family), $5.00 for children 12-17 years of age and no cover for children under 12 years when accompanied by an adult.

On the Legendary Rhythm and Blues Cruise in October, The Blues Foundation had a big presence. A whole bunch of folks raised a whole bunch of money (and awareness) for the Blues Hall of Fame. The Blues Foundation is currently conducting the Campaign for the Blues Hall of Fame, a $3.5 million capital campaign to add Hall of Fame exhibits to their offices at 421 South Main, Memphis, TN.

Memphis Bluesman Jeff Jensen, who has played regularly in Beale Street blues clubs over the past several years, surprised the staff of the Blues Foundation by presenting 1,000 one dollar bills, which he collected over the past year in tips while playing on Beale Street, as a donation to the Foundation’s “Raise the Roof” Campaign for the Blues Hall of Fame. Jensen said his donation was prompted by his love of the blues: “I make my living playing blues music and have for almost 10 years now. It is way more than a job, it truly is a calling. I try my hardest to make people’s lives better through my music. So when I heard the slogan “If not now, when? If not us, who?” it really hit me. That “us” is me. I started thinking about what can I really do, and realized that the tip bucket was the place to start.“

The movie documentary, Harlem Street Singer: The Reverend Gary Davis Story, tells the story of Gary Davis, one of the most underrated musicians of our time. Though Davis has had a huge influence on many well-known musicians, including Bob Weir and Jerry Garcia of the Grateful Dead, Jorma Kaukonen of Jefferson Airplane, David Bromberg, Bob Dylan, Woody Mann, Dave Van Ronk, and Townes van Zandt, his story has gone virtually unknown until now.

Brad Wilson is a California guitar-slinger who plays high-octane, rocked-up blues with a touch of soulful Americana. This charismatic and talented guitarist, vocalist and songwriter performs over 100 shows a year,
His latest release, Hands On The Wheel, is a 14-song package house on the European label, Music Avenue/Blues Boulevard Records. The label has released albums by Elvin Bishop, Buddy Guy and John Lee Hooker, along with today's newest blues stars.

Brazilian blues/roots guitarist Nuno Mindelis’ Shining Stone Records label debut CD is Angels & Clowns. It was produced by Duke Robillard and features backing by the Duke Robillard Band, with a special guest vocal performance by label-mate Sunny Crownover. The rest of the album session players include Bruce Bears on keyboards, Brad Hallen on bass and Mark Teixeira on drums.

Each year, The Blues Foundation presents the Keeping the Blues Alive (KBA) Awards to individuals and organizations that have made significant contributions to the Blues world.

This year the 2014 KBA for Publicist was awarded to Frank Roszak Promotions of North Hills, California. “How sweet it is to be affiliated with an organization like the Blues Foundation along with all the previous and current recipients of the KBA,” said Roszak. “I have never been so honored and humbled”. 

The Chesapeake Bay Blues Festival has canceled the 2014 festival along with the 2014 Southern Maryland Blues Festival which made its debut this past September. The organizers have said they hope to be back in action in 2015.

Congratulations to the 2014 Keeping the Blues Alive Award recipient..

New York Times - Antone’s, a nightclub in Austin, Tex., that played a big part in establishing that city’s reputation as one of the nation’s centers of live music, has agreed to be bought by a consortium including a National Geographic scientist and a former member of the Dave Matthews Band.

The club, founded by Clifford Antone in 1975, was best known as a home for blues, and it helped start the careers of Stevie Ray Vaughan, the Fabulous Thunderbirds and, more recently, Gary Clark Jr. Mr. Antone died in 2006 at 56.

Memphis soul men, The Bo-Keys, just released two vinyl/digital-only 45s this week on Electraphonic Recordings. A mini-documentary chronicles the recording of these sides, featuring band members Howard Grimes (Al Green), Archie "Hubbie" Turner (Al Green), and guest vocalist Percy Wiggins (ATCO Records). This is deep soul from a mix of the folks who recorded with Hi and Stax in the 1960s and a new crop of devotees.

The live and kicking Juke Joint Chapel, Charlie Musselwhite’s latest gem,showcases five originals and seven choice covers with a stone groove band of Matt Stubbs (guitar), Mike Phillips (bass) and June Core (drums). “The blues sounded like how I felt growing up. Too many people think of the blues as sad, but I think many of these tunes will immediately dispel that notion, as they are fun, dancing tunes that lift your spirits. I often tell people that the blues is your buddy in good times and your comforter in bad times. It empowers you to keep going,” states bluesman extraordinaire Charlie Musselwhite. “It is secular spiritual music, the gospel blues. It’s music from the heart instead of the head.”

Stony Plain Records announces the release of Jericho Road, the new CD from multi-award winning singer/songwriter Eric Bibb. The latest album from Bibb is a masterful collection of 13 songs and two bonus tracks that solidifies his journey as a true story-teller, where blues, folk and world music intersect at a musical crossroads. 

The Tampa Bay Blues Festival returns to the sunny shores of Tampa Bay on April 11, 12, & 13, 2014. This festival will be our 20th year anniversary and we have a spectacular line up of blues talent – Michael McDonald, Buddy Guy, Irma Thomas, The Blind Boys of Alabama, Tommy Castro, James Hunter, Coco Montoya, Big Sam's Funky Nation, Shemekia Copeland and others round out three great days of "Blues by the Bay."

Festival, set for Feb. 7-9, features 20 blues artists over three days

2013 Blues Music Awards Entertainer of the Year Curtis Salgado, multi-Grammy Award winners the Blind Boys of Alabama and Maria Muldaur & the Midnight Scramble headline three scorchin’ days of the blues during the Blast Furnace Blues Festival presented by Highmark Blue Shield Feb. 7-9, 2014 at the ArtsQuest Center at SteelStacks in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania. 

Billy Thompson’s  highly anticipated new release, Friend, was conceptualized and recorded with the intention of delivering an ensemble in a live room setting. This was accomplished by laying the basic tracks down in an old grist mill, delivering an open, old-school tone.

Billy Thompson has been delivering virtuosic guitar work that has electrified audiences in the U.S. and throughout Europe, setting the tone for this veteran musician’s sizzling performances, both live and in studio. In his original music, he combines world class slide guitar, searing licks and soulful vocals with a unique amalgamation of styles including blues, rock, funk, New Orleans and R&B.

Magic Honey is the first solo outing for Ruf Records from Grammy-winning singer/percussionist Cyril Neville. On the new CD, Cyril steps outside his Royal Southern Brotherhood membership to create a dazzling roots musical gumbo that stirs the pot with many flavors. Produced by David Z (Prince, Etta James, Buddy Guy) and recorded at Studio in the Country in Bogalusa, Louisiana, Magic Honey delivers an amazing amalgam of sounds, all tethered to Cyril’s most-soulful of vocals, and backed by an all-star band that includes Cranston Clements – guitar; “Mean” Willie Green – drums; Carl Dufrene – bass; and Norman Caesar – keyboards. And if that’s not enough, joining in on the fun as special guests are two roots music icons - Allen Toussaint and Dr. John – on piano and organ respectively, plus fellow Royal Southern Brotherhood bandmate Mike Zito and Walter Trout on guitars. 

The Toronto Blues Society will be celebrating the 17th annual Maple Blues Awards by honouring nationally and internationally recognized Canadian blues artists from across the country on January 20, 2014. The nominees are recognized both for their talent as well as their contribution to the growing Canadian blues music scene. 

Voting is open from midnight Newfoundland Daylight Time on November 1, 2013, through midnight Pacific Standard Time on December 7, 2013. Blues fans can cast their votes online at www.mapleblues.ca.

American Music Abroad (AMA), a cultural exchange program that uses music as a means to engage audiences worldwide, has opened the application round for the 2014-15 season. Bands and ensembles are encouraged to apply at americanvoices.org/ama/apply/application. AMA is a partnership between American Voices and the U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs. The deadline for applications is January 6, 2014.

Attendees at this November 2, 2013 event were treated to a sensational day of musical performances, in a picturesque state park environment, on a sun- soaked Saturday in Ventura, California.

Rumor has it that musicians have two venues on their itinerary these days... Austin, Texas and Ventura, California. This fits well into the master planning of Ross Emery of Roadshow Revival and Kat Merrick of Totally Local VC, who foresee growing this one-day event into a premier two-day spectacle in the coming years. Kat told me their vision is that Blues at the Beach will become a fall season, Doheny-like event for blues fans to soak up the San Buenaventura State Beach experience.

Grand Sierra Resort and Another Planet Presents are pleased to announce the Tedeshi Trucks Band will be performing at the Grand Sierra Theatre in Reno on Friday, December 13 at 8pm.

Tedeschi Trucks Band is an 11-member collective that thrills audiences worldwide with its transcendent live performances and award-winning albums. Formed in 2010 by husband and wife Susan Tedeschi and Derek Trucks, Tedeschi Trucks Band features two harmony singers, a three-piece horn section, keyboards, bass and a pair of drummers.

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Barrelhouse Stomp, Chris James and Patrick Rynn’s third album for the Earwig label, is firmly rooted in traditional Chicago Blues, yet the San Diego-based duo continues to evolve and take chances in the studio, as this collection attests in eloquent fashion. This is tough, real-deal electric Blues to party to... dance to.. sit down and savor.

The “Mississippi meets Chicago” blues partnership of Dave Riley and Bob Corritore is now in its eighth year. Hush Your Fuss!, their third CD together, features original songs and rootsy, old-school storytelling blues that puts you in rural Mississippi by way of Chicago, all in the well-honed style of two who have toured extensively together in the USA, Europe and South America. Their stage show is a real down-home blues throw-down!

Dave Riley grew up in Hattiesburg, Mississippi before moving to the West Side of Chicago. He worked down South in later years and was a close associate of Frank Frost, Sam Carr and John Weston.

In celebration of our 22nd Anniversary, The Blues Audience newsletter, New England's only blues publication, is offering a two-for-one special subscription. Yearly subscriptions for you and a friend.

Play One for Me is the label debut CD from New Orleans-based blues guitarist/singer Bryan Lee, recorded at Severn Record’s new state-of-the-art studios in Annapolis.

Produced by Kevin Anker, David Earl and Steve Gomes, Play One for Me features Bryan Lee’s powerfully soulful vocals and stinging guitar backed by the label’s studio house band of Anker on keyboards, Gomes on bass and Robb Stupka on drums, augmented by special guests Kim Wilson (harmonica) and Johnny Moeller (rhythm guitar) of The Fabulous Thunderbirds. Horns and strings on the new album were arranged and conducted by Willie Henderson.

Tenor and baritone sax player Ron Dziubla, known for his work with legendary rock guitarist Duane Eddy, liberally deploys his formidable lung power and creative juices on the 11 songs of his third and most exciting album, Nasty Habit.

Using the wild language of early rock ’n’ roll sax to serve his own needs, he deploys new instrumental music and refurbished classic material in the image of a rabid, bigger-than-life sax honker and screamer.

Word of Mouth Productions is pleased to announce our lineup of performers for Columbia’s 19th Annual Blues Festival as WOMP presents a day of free live music in Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Park (H Near Five Points 2300 Greene St., Columbia, SC 29205), noon to 10 p.m., Saturday, Nov. 9, 2013.

While times and money are tight, our Blues Audience readers and subscribers are active club-going music lovers. Choosing winners is never easy considering the vast amount of talent we have here in New England, but they took the time to cast their votes by mail and email to show their support for the N.E. blues bands, clubs, and festivals they have enjoyed over the year. 

Winners of the 2013 Blues Blast Music Awards will be honored at an award ceremony at Buddy Guy's Legends in Chicago (700 S. Wabash Ave, Chicago, IL) on October 31st, 2013. Numerous blues artists will be in attendance. Advance tickets are $35 plus $5 handling per order here. Advance tickets will be held at "Will Call." Photo ID is required to pick up tickets. Find the list of the 20+ artists performing here.

Monday, November 18, 3pm-6pm, a forum, presented by Life is Art and the Arts & Business Council, will outline the possibilities and penalties, opportunities and threats faced by artists and arts groups about the new health care law.

The forum will be held at HistoryMiami (101 West Flagler St., Miami, FL 33130). Tickets are only $10 Free Garage parking will be available on NW 2nd Ave provided by Miami-Dade Cultural Affairs Department.

Now until Dec. 23, 2013 we are offering $ 200 off!
Only $1495 for our ten day tours into Blues country from April 4, 2014  - Oct. 21, 2014.

The Fourteenth Blues & Boogie Piano Summit will be held Saturday, Nov 9th, 2013 at the Southgate House Revival (111 E. 6th St., Newport, KY, 859-431-2201)

This event will feature: Mr. Boogie Woogie (Netherlands), Daryl Davis (Silver Spring, MD), Arthur Migliazza (Seattle, WA), Ricky Nye (Cincinnati, OH), With: George Bedard (Guitar), Chris Douglas (Upright Bass), Paul Ellis (drums) 

The evolution of the extraordinary singer, songwriter and guitarist Jim Allchin has been an unlikely combination of events. Born dirt poor in the middle of an orange grove in central Florida, he picked produce, drove tractor and began playing guitar as a youngster. He gigged throughout the South before going to college, resulting in a Ph.D. in Computer Science and a job with Microsoft in 1990.

Black Wind Howlin’ is the new CD from blues-rock guitarist/singer Samantha Fish and follow-up to her 2012 Blues Music Award-winning label debut, Runaway. Produced by Mike Zito, who did the same honors on her last album, Black Wind Howlin’ was recorded at Dockside Studios in Maurice, Louisiana, and features Samantha’s blazing guitar and vocals backed by Mike Zito on guitar and vocals, plus his fellow Royal Southern Brotherhood members Yonrico Scott on drums/percussion and Charlie Wooton on bass. Special guests include Paul Thorn on vocals, Johnny Sansone on harmonica and Bo Thomas on fiddle.

Do not miss the live filming of the Original Legends of The Blues in concert on Friday, December 6, 2013, 8pm at the Englewood Event Center, Englewood, FL. Traditional Blues like you've never seen them before.

The Original Legends of The Blues is a super-group of musicians with over 200 years combined experience  who have formed to bring back some of the great traditional blues tunes they were part of making. There will be a new twist on some old favorites as a CD is in process, as well as original, new material.

Snarky Dave has been there and back…writing about his life experiences and putting them to modern blues riffs. As a creative word master and songwriter, Snarky Dave’s motto is “I won’t write a song without a worthwhile message.” After writing snarkcastic lyrics for years, he decided it was time to produce Big Snark. “I’m not a jukebox and I’m no Guitar Hero”, Snarky says. As his name states, this guy is a true Snarky a$$...but he comes by it honestly and his Snarkcasm is sprinkled throughout his work.

Considered by many to be the father of modern blues piano, Roosevelt Sykes enjoyed a career that spanned some sixty years. In 1929, at age 23, he was one of the earliest blues pianists to record. In the following decades he went on to became a very prolific recording artist, a highly successful bandleader and later, a popular solo artist. He was a pioneering pianist responsible for the classic songs "44 Blues," "Driving Wheel," and "Night Time Is the Right Time."

“Blues at the Beach,” sponsored by Players Casino, has confirmed a variety of different musical acts, including headliner and legendary blues guitarist Elvin Bishop, the award winning group The Mannish Boys with Sugaray Rayford and special guests and harmonica player and singer James Harman. Also gracing the stage will be the R&B Bombers, Guy Martin, the 44s and Shawn Jones. The November 2nd concert at Buenaventura State Beach in Ventura, CA, will come equipped with entertainment for all, vendors providing food and other goodies for purchase and a kid-zone for the little ones.

The Delta Blues Museum Band released their latest CD "From Clarksdale to Kansas City, Vol. II" (pictured here) at the Ground Zero Blues Club in Clarksdale. MS. The CD features blues artists Kenny Brown and Bill Abel as special guests. The CD is $10 and proceeds benefit the Museum's Arts & Education program. 

All Frequencies is the new CD from Ottawa-based blues/roots rockers MonkeyJunk released on Stony Plain Records. Comprised of Steve Marriner (vocals, harmonica, keyboards, baritone guitar), Tony D (lead guitar, background vocals) and Matt Sobb (drums, percussion, background vocals), MonkeyJunk plays a mix of swamp blues and funky roots rock ‘n’ roll. Produced by Steve Marriner and Ken Friesen (Blue Rodeo, The Tragically Hip), the new album includes nine original songs, plus a scorching version of the Bobby Charles classic, “Why Are People Like That?” For the uninitiated, the band takes its name from a chance remark by legendary bluesman Son House: “I’m talkin’ ‘bout the blues. I ain’t talkin’ about monkey junk.”

Initially inspired by Mississippi John Hurt, master Texas acoustic guitarist and singer Steve Howell performs a range of soulful music burning with an inner flame growing brighter with each listening, while revealing layers of expression often lost in high decibel electric blues.

Presented by LoneStar 92.5 and Hooters, the 19th Annual Stevie Ray Vaughan Remembrance Ride & Concert will be held on October 6, 2013 in Dallas, TX. This event, consisting of a motorcycle parade and a blues concert, is a family friendly celebration which is all about remembering the life of Stevie Ray Vaughan. National headlining bands join Texas talent to provide an event every year where both music fans and motorcycle enthusiasts can gather to remember a Texas Legend.

Southern California-based singer-songwriter-guitarist PEACH is at the forefront of female-fronted blues acts performing both modern and old-time blues, with an all-star band of musicians featuring keyboardist Ken Stange (Joe Cocker); bassist Steve Nelson (Chuck Berry); drummer Gary Mallaber (Van Morrison); and guitarist Mark Sells. PEACH - a recent headliner at the Real Blues Festival in Santa Ana, Calif. - has recorded with Taj Mahal, Marty Grebb (The Buckinghams), Reggie McBride (Elton John), Joey Delgado (Delgado Brothers), Garth Hudson (The Band) and Paul Barrere (LIttle Feat). She has co-written with Keb' 'Mo' and Marty Grebb. PEACH is a past Los Angeles Music Awards, Rockwired Radio Awards, All Access Magazine Music Awards, and South Bay Music Awards recipient.

A great day of music, in support of a great organization, in memory of a great musician and person!
"This Was His Wish, To Give Back"

This will be our 5th year benefiting Big Bend Hospice in Pat's honor. Pat Ramsey 
patramsey.com was a well known and loved person, musician & blues singer around the globe. Pat passed away on Nov. 17, 2008 but his music lives on and he is remembered in the hearts of his family, friends and fans.

Marianne's Music along with Lara Price presents: A group of all-star, all-female singers and musicians coming together for a rare appearance during Domestic Violence Awareness month, for Next Door Solutions to Domestic Violence. This 2nd Annual concert will again feature the powerhouse blues revue, Girls Got the Blues, "Rocking for Domestic Violence Awareness Month," Sunday, October 6th, at Theatre on San Pedro Square, 29 N. San Pedro, in downtown San Jose from 8-10:30pm.

Just a reminder--the drawing is coming up on October 6. Have you gotten your tickets yet? Is a chance to win 2 tickets on THE LEGENDARY RHYTHM & BLUES CRUISE worth a $20 donation to the South Florida Blues Society?

Following on the heels of the Texas duo's daring unplugged release, Close to The Bone, Smokin' Joe Kubek and Bnois King return to form with a stripped-down set of tough, electrified roadhouse blues. Road Dog's Life features an arsenal of mostly new and original material, emphasizing King's own wry, insightful lyrics, along with Kubek's searingly incisive, signature guitar, with the exception of only two covers - the Rolling Stones' “Play with Fire” and the Beatles' “Don't Bother Me.” Special guests include the Fabulous Thunderbirds' frontman Kim Wilson, Nightcats' guitarist Kid Andersen, Delta Groove label head Randy Chortkoff, Kansas City bassist Patrick Recob, along with the Mannish Boys' rhythm section, consisting of bassist Willie J. Campbell and drummer Jimi Bott.

Port Everglades (Ft. Lauderdale, FL) roundtrip to Grand Cayman,
Roatan, Honduras and Costa Maya, Mexico on the Holland America Nieuw Amsterdam.
A $250 per cabin deposit holds your spot in line to book a stateroom.
Line-up and cabin selection dates will be announced in 2014.

From Sept. 25th to 29th the Blues once again sounds all over Copenhagen. This is our 13th season, and we invite all blues fans to visit the city's many clubs and venues for 5 days of world class international blues, and some great homegrown blues too.

Our musical ambition is to cover all blues style variations in the best possible way, and to present the blues in a fine balance between traditional and new expressions. So, as always, you'll find the seasoned blues veterans performing alongside some very talented, young artists, who will carry the torch into the future.

On September 23, the Hagar Family Foundation pledged $25,000 to Raise the Roof! Thanks Sammy and family for joining Steve Miller and George Thorogood at that level and remembering the roots. 

What is the 250 Club? It’s an affordable way for every blues fan to help build the Blues Hall of Fame. The 250 Club is 250 individuals or companies who pledge at least $1000 to Raise the Roof! That is a minimum of $250 a year for 4 years. Simple, easy, helpful.

*Great Lakes Blues Society:
Local blues Artists competing in the “Road To Memphis”  

The Great Lakes Blues Society (GLBS) will conduct its fourth annual blues artist competition each Sunday in September beginning the Solo/Duo sets on Sunday, September 22nd , 2013 @ 4:00 pm at the Eastside Bar and Grill at 750 Hamilton Rd., in London. The Bands will compete the next two Sundays (Sept. 29th and Oct. 6th) at the same venue with the same start time.

Singer Johnny Rawls is Remembering O.V. on new tribute to soul/blues great O. V. Wright

EL PASO, TX – Catfood Records announces an October 15 release date for Remembering O.V., the new CD from Blues Music Award-winning singer Johnny Rawls that pays tribute to his late friend and mentor, O.V. Wright. Blues Hall of Fame singer Otis Clay is a special guest on three tracks of the album, which features nine songs associated with Wright and an original cut, “Blaze of Glory,” that closes the album in rousing fashion.

California Beer Festival, one of the most anticipated two-day live music and craft beer events of the year in Southern California, returns to Mission Park, Main St. and Figueroa St. in Ventura, with its Craft Beer Heaven on Saturday, September 21; and Blues & BBQ Fest on Sunday, September 22, respectively.

The Blues & BBQ Fest lineup features three of today's best contemporary guitar players: Four-time Blues Music Awards nominee, Ana Popovic (in her only California area appearance); five-time Grammy nominee, Robben Ford; and Texas native Carolyn Wonderland, described as a cross between Janis Joplin and Stevie Ray Vaughan.

Bad things sometimes have a GOOD ending! Two weeks ago legendary blues musician Ron Thompson had his car stolen with ALL of his musical equipment in it. BLUES NOW offered a reward for the return of his equipment. Ron's team of fans and friends put the word out with fliers and emails letting the SF Bay Area community know his gear was stolen and that there was a reward being offered.

Little Mike & The Tornadoes have toured almost non-stop across North America and Europe establishing themselves as true road-warriors. Forgive Me on ElRob Records, features that touring band of Troy Nahumko, Chris Brzezicki, and Cam Robb, and special guests Sonny Rhodes, and Jim Mckaba.

On October 26th, BLUZAPALOOZA will be bringing the Blues to Walter Reed National Military Medical Center in Bethesda, Maryland to entertain our Wounded Warriors, their families and the staff and families of all of our military personnel and patients stationed there. .

People often ask "What do I get by joining the Foundation?" All members receive a membership card that allows YOU to vote for your favorite artists for the Blues Music Awards annually. Not to mention you get the personal satisfaction of supporting the programs of The Blues Foundation--supporting the Blues Music Awards, the Blues Hall of Fame, the International Blues Challenge and the Keeping the Blues Alive awards, to name a prominent few.

Old Louisville, KY – Now in its seventh year since its revival in 2007, the Garvin Gate Blues Festival continues to be the largest local FREE Blues festival in the city of Louisville. The two-day event will be held on Friday and Saturday, October 12 and 13, at The Gate on Garvin Place at Oak Street in historic Old Louisville. The Festival also showcases arts and craft vendors each night.

Greetings Soul and Blues Fans, We are less than a week away from what is sure to be an incredible 72 hours of great music and great times at Sin City Soul & Blues Revival. Stress-free partying and camaraderie with old and new Blues Friends in Las Vegas, Sept 15-17! 

Memphis is writ large throughout J.T. Lauritsen’s seventh album, Play By The Rules. Lauritsen (vocals, harp, accordion and Hammond B3) and regular drummer Jon Grimsby hired Memphis’ legendary Ardent Recording Studios which has produced recordings from the likes of Robert Cray, B.B. King, ZZ Top and Albert Collins over the years.

Texan James Goode describes himself as an “old rascal and beat-up coach,” but this Rockabilly Hall-Of-Fame inductee, songwriter, bass player, and creator of the Ruff Kutt Blues Band certainly knows how to field one hell of a Blues team. That’s When The Blues Begins features fourteen songs written or co-written by Goode, performed by world class Bluesmen including vocalist/guitarist Zac Harmon, vocalist Finis Tasby, and producer/guitarist Anson Funderburgh.

The test by fire for any blues musician is before an audience, holding nothing back while reaching to produce a cathartic experience. When the performance is recorded, however, it must hold up to repeated listenings. Los Angeles singer, songwriter and guitar dynamo Phil Gates more than withstands the scrutiny with his devastating live set before a riveted crowd in Southern California.

Texas-born Sugaray Rayford may be a new name to blues and music fans outside of his current Southern California base, but he's got the blues as deep and wide as his commanding, gospel-drenched voice. His new Delta Groove release, Dangerous, represents a cross section of classic and contemporary, originals and seldom-heard covers, all representing the truth at the core of Sugaray's blues soul. From the Son House classic "Preaching Blues" and post-war gems from Junior Parker, Gatemouth Brown and Pee Wee Crayton, to well-honed originals like Sugaray's own "Stuck for a Buck," "Need a Little More Time" and "I Might Do Somethin' Crazy" …it's all killer, no filler.

Chesapeake Bay Events, Inc. is pleased to announce that Tony "Maddog" Colter, host of the Bluesville radio station on SiriusXM radio will MC the First Southern Maryland Blues Festival. "We are very excited to have Tony Colter here to kick off our inaugural festival. He brings a world class voice to the stage" states Don Hooker, promoter.

(Helena, Arkansas) — "A man can live a long time without water or food, but a man cannot get along without hope." So says blues legend Bobby Rush, one of 11 participants in the third annual Call and Response Blues Symposium beginning at noon on Saturday, October 12 at the Malco Theater, in historic Helena, Arkansas, a featured event at the 28th annual King Biscuit Blues Festival, the foremost showcase of authentic blues.

Historic Gloucester Village will rock with great blues again this year when "Main Street Blues and Brews" returns for its fourth year on Saturday, October 12, 2013 from 11:30AM - 7:00PM. Located on a shady and pleasant downtown corner, with plenty of cool shops and restaurants nearby, Gloucester Virginia's popular annual blues and beer festival brings over 1,000 blues fans from up and down the east coast to its vibrant and charming downtown.

Sin City Soul and Blues Revival is happening at the Rio Hotel in Las Vegas, NV; 40 Bands, two indoor stages and one at The Pool. Las Vegas Sept. 15-17. Right now they’re offering Half-Price Ticket Packages and Ticket-Only Packages are now available for a limited time! 40 Bands on 2 Indoor Stages and One at The Pool, all just an elevator ride from your suite! Grab your great time at www.SinCitySoulandBluesrevival.com

Moving, the brand new, full acoustic release by Little G Weevil out on Vizztone Label Group, includes eleven original numbers and a cover of the beautiful southern blues ballad, "Let`s Talk It Over (Come Back Baby)." Moving features a soulful, tight band on three tracks and shows Little G at his very best.

Old Pal Records announced the release of Account to Me, the new CD from singer/harmonica player Hank Mowery featuring five songs written by the late singer/harmonica player Gary Primich, including two previously-unrecorded tunes. 

“We don’t consider this a ‘tribute’ CD, but more of a collaboration with the Primich family,” says Hank Mowery about the new album, which also features Gary’s former bassist Patrick Recob, and detailed liner notes about the songs as well as Primich’s importance to blues by Severn Records singer/harmonica player Tad Robinson, a long-time friend.

MusicDish*China announced it has booked French blues guitarist and singer Pascal Cosimo to a residency at Oldwood Village, a livehouse in Jiaxing, China. Cosimo will perform six days a week as the house band over the month of September.

The Jersey Shore Jazz and Blues Foundation’s (JSJBF) Summer Series of Festivals ends on a good note at the Tenth Annual Long Branch Jazz and Blues Festival on Saturday, August 24th from 12:00 -10:00 p.m. on the Great Lawn at 28 McKinley Avenue in Long Branch, NJ.

Hottest Blues-Rock Producer Keeps on Getting Hotter with Four Top Ten Albums

Daily Political - Prolific producer, songwriter and performer Tom Hambridge has indelibly left his mark on five albums currently climbing the Billboard Blues Chart this summer, producing four albums, contributing songs to all five and performing on a number of the tracks as drummer and vocalist. It’s no wonder that Hambridge is considered one of the most sought after producers in the business today.

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Contemporary electric blues guitarists swagger as the aggressive nature of the genre and the searing sounds squeezed from the instrument go hand in hand. Included is the unspoken challenge of measuring up to one’s peers, let alone the legends from T-Bone Walker on. Be reassured, Tommy Z from the wilds of Western New York passes every test of his mettle with cool determination forged in part by his unselfish service to his country. The son of a Viet Nam vet, he has been performing concert tours overseas to US troops since 2003, including in some of the most war-torn locales on earth, and his second album, entitled Sometimes, shows his deep soul and unquenchable burning passion.

Jeff Jensen has been a musical work in progress for over a decade, blending Blues, Soul, West Coast Swing and Americana into a mature sound that now defines his latest highly-anticipated release, Road Worn and Ragged. Having moved to Memphis, TN from Portland, OR just two years ago, Jeff immediately began touring with Beale Street staple Brandon Santini and recently co-produced and co-wrote on Santini’s acclaimed album This Time Another Year.

Picture this: A crisp blue sky hovering over a grassy park with San Diego bay on one side, a marina and downtown skyline on the other and some great blues music all around. The AimLoan.com San Diego Blues Festival will include all that, as well as three members of the Blues Hall of Fame, a shining new blues star and a Grammy winner.

(Telluride, CO)  – The Telluride Blues & Brews Festival is excited to announce additional artists to the 2013 festival lineup, and a Special 20th annual Celebration Show to kick off the festival weekend in Telluride, Colorado on Thursday, September 12th. The 20th annual festival takes place September 12-15th in beautiful Telluride, Colorado.

35th Blues Music Awards - May 8, 2014
The CD Submission Process is open. If you are a record label or blues musician who released a CD or DVD during the period November 1, 2012 to October 31, 2013, now is the time to place your release on the 2014 BMA Eligible List for consideration by the nominators. If you wish to guarantee that your release- CD or DVD-- gets into the hands of the anonymous nominators, the nominators do request they receive submissions as soon as possible so they can have plenty of time to evaluate your recording.

This Sunday and Monday, August 18-19, 2013 is “an extremely special week! This marks the 6-year anniversary of our world-famous, weekly blues concerts!” says host, Cadillac Zack. “Come party with us like never before as we throw more blues fuel on the fire than ever before!"

The Department of Cultural Affairs and Special Events is proud to announce the first ever Chicago Music Summit to be held September 20, 2013 at the Chicago Cultural Center (78 E. Washington Street.)

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High Country Press - This year will mark the 11th year of the New River Blues Festival, held on Sept. 1 at the River House Inn in beautiful scenic Grassy Creek. Over the past decade, a plethora of talented bands and artists have performed on the Blues Festival stage to cheering crowds, going on to become blues icons in their own right.

New York-based blues-rock singer Dana Fuchs has released Bliss Avenue on Ruf Records. The follow-up to her 2011 label debut, Love to Beg, Bliss Avenue showcases Dana’s magnificent pipes in all their power-edged, soulful glory, laying bare her innermost feelings with provocative and thought-provoking lyrics, backed by an incendiary band led by her long-time wingman and guitarist, Jon Diamond.

Swaggering musicians have posed as ramblers, desperados, outlaws and bad dudes. But heavyweight bluesman RB Stone was an authentic cowboy and his muscular music bucks hard and shoots straight. He has notched countless accolades and accomplishments in a variety of genres and his 16th album, Loosen Up, shows the extraordinary singer, songwriter, guitarist and harmonicist in the company of ace producer and drummer Tom Hambridge.

(Lt) Dennis Hooker of Mechanicsville and his daughter, Brittany Hooker, help keep blues festivals going, 15 years after an inaugural event raised funds for a charity that assisted her amid a childhood illness. (Staff photo by Reid Silverman)

SoMdNews - During the years when a young St. Mary’s girl lived mostly in a hospital, battling a rare form of cancer, a charitable organization offered a trip to Walt Disney World. That gift spurred her father’s gratitude and brought an annual blues concert to the Chesapeake Bay [Maryland].

Chicago Sun-Times - Buddy Guy is a smart guy. Chicago’s living face of the blues — who turned 77 last week — is worried about the lack of blues music on commercial radio (with the exception of Chicago’s WXRT-FM). So he is using the polished sound of his new double CD, Rhythm and Blues, to back-door the blues into rock stations.

The first CD consists of 11 tracks packaged under “Rhythm,” and these are the radio-friendly cuts. They range from “Justifyin’,” anchored by a 1980s funk bottom, to the splendid, Muscle Shoals-influenced soul ballad “One Day Away” with guest vocalist Keith Urban (although Dan Penn would have been a better choice).

Shiver & Sigh, Kara Grainger's Eclecto Grooved debut, features 11 tracks including five of her originals, as well as soulful re-imaginings of Robert Johnson's "C'mon in My Kitchen" and Al Jackson Jr./Timothy Matthews "Breaking up Somebody's Home." The CD was recorded at the Hobby Shop Studios in Los Angeles with Grammy Award winning producer David Z at the helm. Joining Kara in the studio are Kirk Fletcher and Josh Sklair (guitars), Mike Finnigan (keys), Hutch Hutchinson (bass), Jimi Bott and James Gadson (drums), Lenny Castro (percussion), Mitch Grainger (harmonica), Paulie Cerra (saxophone), Paul Litteral (trumpet) and George Stanford (trombone). The result is a recording that shows the richness and diversity of Kara's influences – Soul-contemporary pop-Americana-blues.

The Dally Record - You talk to a lot of guitarists – particularly blues-oriented guitarists – and their heroes are the usual suspects: Jimi Hendrix, Buddy Guy, Eric Clapton.

Robert Randolph’s musical heroes are less well-known: Calvin Cooke, the Campbell Brothers, Willie Eason. All are masters of the pedal steel guitar as used in the church Randolph attended as he was growing up in Irvington in the 1980s and 1990s.

PRLog - The NYC Blues Society will host the inaugural "International Blues Music Day" concert Saturday, August 3, 2013, at Webster Hall  (125 E. 11th St.), in New York City (212-353-1600). Showtime is 5pm and tickets can be found online.

Performers includes: JOHNNY CHILDS, BILL SIMS JR, DAVE FIELDS, SWEET GEORGIA BROWN, CHRIS BERGSON , IRVING LOUIS LATTIN,DAVID COPPA, MICHAEL HILL, DAVE KEYES, BEAREATHER REDDY, MICHAEL BRAM, INT BLUES DANCERS And: INAUGURAL IBMD PRESENTATION, WORLDWIDE TOAST TO THE BLUES, GUITAR RAFFLES, CONCERT TICKET RAFFLES. 

The Perfect Gift or Award for any Celebration
 
Scream Guitars are playable guitars and basses that are wrapped, engraved or hand-painted with artwork of your choosing, including logos, photos, paintings, tattoo reproductions … and any other graphic you might imagine or desire.

Envision a custom, electric guitar with the entire face portraying - in vivid color - your company logo, a photo of your band, the colors and emblem of your favorite sports team, your tattoo, or a collectible piece of original art. Scream Guitars provides you with that custom designed instrument, at a price below those of other handmade and individually designed guitars.

Pre-booking starts July 8th at 11am CDT for LRBC #23 Mexican Riviera October 4~11, 2014! Port of Los Angeles World Cruise Center (San Pedro, CA) roundtrip to Cabo San Lucas, Puerto Vallarta and Mazatlan on the Norwegian Cruise Line Sun.

A $250 per cabin deposit holds your spot in line to book a stateroom. Line-up and cabin selection dates will be announced as early as November.

You too can win a set of 5 CD’s by Various Blues Artists including: Tweed Funk, Jay Gordon Band, The Randy Oxford Band, Delta Wires, Mark Robinson, Kelly Richey, Cassie Taylor, Alan Wilson, Kirby Sewell, Bernie Mora, Tangent and more by being one of our Top 25 Fans of the week! We will be selecting One Top Fan each week.
*Be One of Our Top 25 Fans for the Month of July for a chance to win this "Arkansas Rumble" painting! 
"Arkansas Rumble" is roots artist Lennie Jones' tribute to the late wonderful guitarist Michael Burks...It measures 22" X 28", acrylic on canvas. Original, never reproduced. Lennie can furnish a National Registry Certificate of Authenticity. 

Blues legend B.B. King, in collaboration with Votto Vines Importing, is proud to release a new line of signature wines bearing his name across the United States. The Rock and Roll and Blues Hall of Famer has debuted the B.B. King Signature Collection. The Blues Festival Guide is partnering with the distributors to get the word out to blues fans throughout the U.S.

Wingnut Adams was honored by The West Coast Blues Hall of Fame as "Band Leader of the Year." Averaging over 200 dates annually year after year, Adams brings great roots music to the people. From small blues dives to large festivals, this blues man delivers the goods.

Wingnut Adams sets the bar high, there is no middle ground. Sweat and soul, every time, all the time! As a direct result of his live shows, he has sold over 30,000 CDs without industry support. 

Welcome to our weekly events calendar! Below are the events and activities happening at the B.B. King Museum and Club Ebony in the next 7 days. For updates on these or other events, please check our Facebook page and website.

The Artist and Song with the Most Votes receives Four Months of having your Song Featured on our Top Ranking Blues Website.

The winners of the 34th annual Blues Music Awards, the highest honor given to Blues artists, were announced last night at the gala event at the Cook County Convention Center in Memphis, TN. Congratulations from the Blues Festival Guide to all of the winners and nominees:

(Isleton, CA) " Bringing music back to Main Street" is one of the proud key elements of the 2013 Cajun &Blues Festival set for Father's Day weekend, Saturday and Sunday, June 15-16 on Main Street in the Delta hamlet of Isleton, CA.
National headliners like blues legend/Grammy winner Elvin Bishop and two impressive Cajun bands flying in direct from Louisiana, The Lost Bayou Ramblers and The Magnolia Sisters (with Grammy winner Ann Savoy) will top the line-up.
Also on the bill are Bay Area Louisiana music favorites, Andre Thierry & Zydeco Magic, The Creole Belles with Andrew Carriere, and the 2012 Blues Music Award winner, Terry Hanck and his sizzling blues/soul band. Portland, Oregon's blues diva, Karen Lovely is a barnburner. Oakland's rising blues stars, Howell Devine (Arhoolie Records recording artists) will play both days.

Brownsville, Tennessee, will celebrate its blues heritage Memorial Day weekend with the Exit 56 Blues Fest Saturday, May 25, at the Delta Heritage Center. The annual event presents live Blues from the porch of legendary Blues pioneer Sleepy John Estes' home.

Beginning at noon, 15-yr-old Dylan Whitney of Bixby, Ok., will take the stage. Known as the "Whiz Kid of Blues," he is a very mature guitar player. Tyler Goodson of Jackson, Tenn., didn't start "giggin" until he was 21 and now he plays regularly in Jackson and on Beale Street. Bluesberry Jam Band is a group of West Tennessee natives working to preserve the regions blues and roots tradition. Pep Rally Losers play the raw blues with a sprinkle of rock.

The Blues Foundation has announced the 2012 inductees for the Blues Hall of Fame, including Chicago harp master Billy Boy Arnold; blues-rock guitar virtuoso Mike Bloomfield; brother/sister recording act Buddy & Ella Johnson; South Louisiana swamp blues artist Lazy Lester; Memphis bluesmen Furry Lewis and Frank Stokes; guitar genius Matt "Guitar" Murphy; and New Orleans musician, songwriter, an producer Allen Toussaint.

I don't know what was higher...the mighty Mississippi or the spirits at the Blues Awards. What a great time! What a show! Tanya Jones, volunteer
I am one of those saying..."Best Ever!" My heart is still full, and I will be inspired all year by the people and the music! Debbie Davies, 2010 BMA winner

The 33rd Blues Music Awards will be Thursday May 10, 2012 at the Cook Convention Center in Memphis, Tennessee.

Blues harmonica master James Cotton will join Eric Clapton, Keith Richards, Buddy Guy, Shemekia Copeland and many other musicians live at New York's famed Apollo Theater to pay tribute to the late guitarist Hubert Sumlin. The event will take place on Friday, February 24 and is a benefit for the Jazz Foundation Of America.

Other artists scheduled to appear are Doyle Bramhall II, Gary Clark, Jr., Billy Flynn, Barrelhouse Chuck Goering, David Johansen, Steve Jordan, Danny Kortchmar, Dr. John, Keb Mo, Todd Mohr, Ivan Neville, Robert Randolph, Kenny Wayne Shepherd, Larry Taylor, Susan Tedeschi, Derek Trucks, Jimmie Vaughan, Jimmy Vivino, Willie Weeks, Jody Williams, Kim Wilson and special surprise guests.

Cotton's latest CD is the Grammy Award-nominated Giant.

The Winner of the band competition is: The WIRED! Band (Washington Blues Society)
Band-2nd place: The Bart Walker Band (Nashville Blues Society);
Band-3rd Place: Paula Harris (The Golden Gate Blues Society)

The winner of the solo/duo competition is: Ray Bonneville (Ozark Blues Society of Northwest Arkansas)
Solo/Duo-2nd Place: Dr. Don's Double Dose (Sydney Blues Society).

Also, the Gibson Guitarist Award went to: Bart Walker and the Lee Oskar Top Harmonica Player was awarded to: Randy McQuay.

Several years ago on Christmas Eve I visited a full-security juvenile detention center for teen boys in my hometown to give them a special Christmas gift - harmonicas and Blues lessons through my nonprofit organization, Harmonikids. In my own adolescence, the facility's very name, "Ferris", was used to invoke fear as a deterrent to getting in trouble. Often I was told I would "end up in Ferris" if I didn't "clean up my act". This was about the same time I discovered solace in playing the Blues on a harmonica, which may have actually saved me from going there. Consequently I’ve made it my personal mission to provide these youth the proven benefits of my Harmonikids programs annually. So I guess, in an ironic way I did wind up there - though it was many years later - to provide the healing power of music. Read More...

Online Voting and Ticket Sales Open December 13
Awards to be held in Memphis on May 10th 2012

Memphis, TN (December 13, 2011) – The Blues Foundation is pleased to announce the nominations for their annual Blues Music Awards, which the international organization will present at the Cook Convention Center in downtown Memphis, TN, on May 10, 2012. The Blues Music Awards are universally recognized as the highest accolade afforded musicians and songwriters in Blues music. The annual Blues Music Awards ceremony is the premier event for Blues professionals, musicians, and fans from all over the world. Read More...

The Blind Boys of Alabama are recognized worldwide as living legends of gospel music. Celebrated by The Grammys and The National Endowment for the Arts with Lifetime Achievement Awards, inducted into the Gospel Music Hall of Fame, sung for two presidents in the White House and winners of five Grammy® Awards, they have attained the highest levels of achievement in a career that spans over 70 years and shows no signs of diminishing. Longevity and major awards aside, The Blind Boys have earned praise for their remarkable interpretations of everything from traditional gospel favorites to contemporary spiritual material by acclaimed songwriters such as Curtis Mayfield, Ben Harper, Eric Clapton, Prince and Tom Waits.Read More...

Greetings from the BB King Museum Director

Fall is finally here, and at the B.B. King Museum, that means school tours are in abundance!
In October, we welcomed over 200 students from Jackson, Greenville, Lake Village, Arkansas, and even Ghana to the B.B. King Museum for school tours and music workshops. A visit to the B.B. King Museum is not like your typical field trip. Students enjoy an interactive tour led by a trained Museum docent and a music workshop with one of our local bluesmen. Not only do students learn more about one of Mississippi's greatest ambassadors, B.B. King, but they also learn the history of the Mississippi Delta, the Civil Rights Movement, and American music. Students have a blast at the B.B. King Museum. They have even commented that the B.B. King Museum is "da bomb!" Read More...

Just in, National Blues Museum publicity in France.
This helps drive the Int'l awareness and support needed for a project of this scale - Link

Translated by Google.................

All those present of 6 to 8 October 2011 at King Biscuit Festival in Helena, Arkansas, and October 9, 2011 at the Hopson Plantation in Clarksdale, Mississippi were impressed by the information campaign conducted by Dave Beardsley to publicize the project National Museum of the blues (National Blues Museum) which should open its doors in downtown St. Louis in 2013. Each viewer (or almost) in the audience was presented with a nice card stock paper front / back postcard size with the project. A real painstaking work in the service of a project for the less ambitious. Read More...

South Delta Planning and Development District Receives National Association of Development Organizations 2011 Innovation Award

WASHINGTON, DC – The South Delta Planning and Development District, based in Greenville, MIssissippi received a 2011 Innovation Award from the National Association of Development Organizations (NADO) Research Foundation for the B. B. King Museum and Delta Interpretive Center.

NADO is a Washington, DC-based association that promotes programs and policies that strengthen local governments, communities and economies through regional cooperation, program delivery and comprehensive strategies. The association’s Innovation Awards program recognizes regional development organizations and partnering organizations for improving the economic and community competitiveness of our nation’s regions and local communities. Award winners were showcased during NADO’s 2011 Annual Training Conference, held October 8—11 in Miami, Florida. Read More...

Keeping the Blues Alive (KBA) Awards

Each year, The Blues Foundation presents the Keeping the Blues Alive (KBA) Awards to individuals and organizations that have made significant contributions to the Blues world.

Read More...

Jimmy Thackery - Take My Blues-2011

Jimmy Thackery will be one of the amazing performers on the upcoming Legendary Rhythm and Blues Cruise October 23- 30, 2011. Read More...