Blues Foundation News http://www.blues.org/ News form the Blues Foundation offices in Memphis Happy Birthday Kim Wilson! http://www.blues.org/about/news.php4?Id=705 http://www.blues.org/about/news.php4?Id=705 Latest 25th International Blues Challenge News Here http://www.blues.org/about/news.php4?Id=668 http://www.blues.org/about/news.php4?Id=668 You can find all the information you need about tickets, tee-shirts, travel and lodging and the schedule as we now know it <a href="http://www.blues.org/ibc/index.php4"target="_blank">here</a>. 1/6/09 The first two acts have been confirmed to perform at Blues Night at the FedEx Forum Wednesday, February 4 before and during the Houston Rockets v. Memphis Grizzlies. Appropriately, <b>The Delta Flyers</b>, sponsored by the <b>Houston Blues Society</b> will perform as will the <b>Patrick Vinin... IBC and Polo Shirts Available http://www.blues.org/about/news.php4?Id=702 http://www.blues.org/about/news.php4?Id=702 Help The Blues Foundation by purchasing our latest shirts and proudly wearing them in public!! The Blues Foundation now has available 25th International Blues Challenge tee shirts in a number of styles, as well as a long-sleeve polo shirt. The 25th IBC shirts have a special, one-time only 25th IBC design. The shirts can be viewed from the IBC ticket page. After you ge there, scroll down and click "next" to access the tee-shirts. Click <a href="https://www.blues.org/tickets/ibc.php "tar... 2009 Maple Blues Award Nominations http://www.blues.org/about/news.php4?Id=676 http://www.blues.org/about/news.php4?Id=676 Blues fans will be thrilled with the many new faces filling the ballot for this year's Twelfth Annual Maple Blues Awards, Canada's national award program that promotes and recognizes outstanding achievement in blues music. Nominees from Atlantic Canada to BC have been announced for 2009. The Gala Awards Ceremony will take place in Toronto at 8:30 pm on Monday, January 19, 2009. Although there is a strong showing from all across this blues land of ours, of the sixteen Maple Blues Awards categ... Blues Music Award Voter Contest First Drawing Winners http://www.blues.org/about/news.php4?Id=704 http://www.blues.org/about/news.php4?Id=704 Each Friday during January, we will draw 5 names from among those who have exercised their civic duty and voted for their favorites on the Blues Music Award ballot. The top prize will be a set of Blues Music Award posters and the remaining four winners will be sent a CD by one of the 30th Blues Music Award nominees. <p> On January 2, we drew five names from among those members who have voted. <b>Brian Kelm</b>, who voted on 12/19 will receive a set of six Blues Music Award posters. The fol... 2008 Blues Music Award DVD on Sale in The Blues Store http://www.blues.org/about/news.php4?Id=701 http://www.blues.org/about/news.php4?Id=701 Two hours of the 2008 Blues Music Awards, divided into two segments. The first feaures the presentation of the awards and performances by these winners: The Holmes Brothers; Deanna Bogart; Diunna Greenleaf & Blue Mercy; Muddy Waters alumni (Margolin, Smith, Jones) w/ Johnny Dyer & Kenny Wayne Shepherd; Bobby Rush; Tommy Castro; and Watermelon Slim & the Workers. In addition, accepting awards but not performing Sam Lay, Koko Taylor, Hubert Sumlin, Tab Benoit and Bettye LaVette. The second s... Best Self Produced CD - Finalists http://www.blues.org/about/news.php4?Id=700 http://www.blues.org/about/news.php4?Id=700 <b>The finalists are in!</b> The six CDs that made it to the finals of the Best Self Produced CD contest are listed below. Every year the judges report that it is getting harder and harder to choose between the polished and professional discs that are submitted. For those who think Blues music is a dying genre only need look at this contest to see that GREAT Blues are produced each year. Our hats come off to each of the entries and big congratulations to the finalists.<p> <br><b>Blues Lovers ... International Blues Challenge 2009 - Acts Announced http://www.blues.org/about/news.php4?Id=685 http://www.blues.org/about/news.php4?Id=685 <head> <style> <!-- p.MsoNormal {mso-style-parent:""; margin-bottom:.0001pt; font-size:12.0pt; font-family:"Times New Roman"; margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in; margin-top:0in} --> </style> </head> <p class="MsoNormal">The International Blues Challenge preparations are well underway! Below are the acts that will be competing February 4-7 on historic Beale Street in Memphis, Tennessee. There are 100 bands and 64 solo duo acts, hailing from 36 states and 9 countries, including ... 30th Blues Music Awards Nominees, Tickets and Voting http://www.blues.org/about/news.php4?Id=698 http://www.blues.org/about/news.php4?Id=698 30th Annual Blues Music Awards confirmed for May 7 in Memphis, Tennessee. MANNISH BOYS TOP NOMINATIONS WITH SIX; OTHERS NOMINATED INCLUDE BUDDY GUY, B.B. KING, ELVIN BISHOP, MAGIC SLIM<p> For a complete list of the 30th Blues Music Awards Nominees, click <a href="http://www.blues.org/bluesmusicawards/nominees.php4"target="_blank">here</a>.<p> WHAT: The Blues Music Awards<br> WHEN: Thursday, May 7, 2009<br> WHERE: Cook Convention Center, 255 N. Main, Memphis, TN<BR> TICKETS: $125; (Tabl... Blues Grammy Nominations Announced http://www.blues.org/about/news.php4?Id=690 http://www.blues.org/about/news.php4?Id=690 The 51st Grammys have been announced. They are: <b>Best Traditional Blues Album </b> The Blues Rolls On - Elvin Bishop [Delta Groove Music] Skin Deep - Buddy Guy [Silvertone Records] All Odds Against Me - John Lee Hooker, Jr. [Steppin' Stone Records/CC Entertainment] One Kind Favor - B.B. King [Geffen Records] Pinetop Perkins & Friends - Pinetop Perkins & Friends [Stoneagle Music/Telarc] <b>Best Contemporary Blues Album</b> Peace, Love & BBQ - Marcia Ball [Allig... LRBC Raises Big $$ for The Blues Foundation http://www.blues.org/about/news.php4?Id=251 http://www.blues.org/about/news.php4?Id=251 <a href="http:\\www.bluescruise.com" target="_blank"> The Legendary Rhythm and Blues Cruise</a> has proven to be one of The Blues Foundation's biggest financial sponsors in the recent years and this year is no exception. We are better at dancing than counting sometimes, but the silent auction on the most recent October Pacific cruise netted The Blues Foundation more than $8000. Earlier this year, the January Caribbean cruise netted over $15,000 for The Blues Foundation and other music charities... 2009 Keeping the Blues Alive Award Recipients Announced http://www.blues.org/about/news.php4?Id=678 http://www.blues.org/about/news.php4?Id=678 Twenty-two individuals and organizations will be honored with The Blues Foundation's 2009 Keeping the Blues Alive (KBA) Award during a recognition brunch at the Downtown Doubletree Hotel Saturday, February 7, 2009 in Memphis Tennessee. The KBA ceremony begins at 10:00 a.m. and will be held in conjunction with the 25th International Blues Challenge (IBC) weekend of events that will feature the semifinals and finals of the world’s largest gathering of Blues bands, as well as seminars, presentatio... Website Advertising http://www.blues.org/about/news.php4?Id=434 http://www.blues.org/about/news.php4?Id=434 Put an ad on The Blues Foundation website and reach up to 20,000 blues consumers each month. Rates start at only $50.00 per month for a side banner ad. The Blues Foundation offers 3 locations for ads on our website: 1. Welcome Page Top Banner - this appears at the top of the welcome page, which is the 1st page most visitors to our site see. The content is usually a photograph. Ads are in a random order rotation so that a different ad appears each time the page is accessed or refreshed. Only 5... Arts Grants for FY2009 http://www.blues.org/about/news.php4?Id=656 http://www.blues.org/about/news.php4?Id=656 The Blues Foundation has received significant grants from both the Tennessee Arts Commission (TAC)and ArtsMemphis for the coming year. ArtsMemphis has been supporting The Blues Foundation for decades and we have applied for and received grants from TAC in each of the past four years, including for the first time in 2009 significant operating support. Thanks to each. Estate Planning http://www.blues.org/about/news.php4?Id=648 http://www.blues.org/about/news.php4?Id=648 The Blues Foundation and the Community Foundation of Greater Memphis have partnered to create a fund to which contributions will be accepted for the long-term endowment of The Blues Foundation. The Community Foundation has a professional staff to answer all your questions, though you should consult with your own financial planning team. For more information you may discuss with Jay Sieleman, Executive Director, at 901.527.2583 ext 12 or with Frank Horrell, CPA CFP, Director of Professional... 2008 International Blues Challenge Photos http://www.blues.org/about/news.php4?Id=576 http://www.blues.org/about/news.php4?Id=576 Video of 2008 Champion Trampled Under Foot a/k/a TUF can be found <a href="http://youtube.com/user/kb4iuj"target="_blank">here</a>. Here is a link to some of first photos of the 2008 International Blues Challenge from <a href="http://brsphoto.zenfolio.com/"target="_blank">Foundation member Barry R. Siegel Photography</a>. You can view the slideshow or purchase photos. You can see some of Dusty Scott's photos at <a href="http://www.modernguitars.com/"target="_blank">www.modernguitars.com</... The Blues Radio Series Available Here http://www.blues.org/about/news.php4?Id=457 http://www.blues.org/about/news.php4?Id=457 It has taken us a while to add to the initial four episodes, but we now have all thirteen episodes of The Blues Radio Series hosted by Keb' Mo available on The Blues Foundation's website under the <a href="http://www.blues.org/blues/radioshow.php">What is the Blues?</a> icon. The series will be permanently located here. The series was produced by the Experience Music Project and Ben Manilla Productions for the presenting station WGBH in Boston with major support coming from Volkswagen. This... Blues on the Radio http://www.blues.org/about/news.php4?Id=39 http://www.blues.org/about/news.php4?Id=39 Looking for Blues music on your radio dial. A very helpful website for finding Blues radio programs is <a href="http://www.mary4music.com/Radio.html"target="_blank">Mary4Music</a>. When you go to the Blewzzman's site, you might just find something more of bluesy interest to you. And check out <a href="http://mountainofblues.com"target="_blank">www.MountainofBlues</a> with host and producer Michael Cloeren. Then there is <a href="http://www.xmradio.com"target="_blank">Bluesville</a> on XM S... Blues Festivals http://www.blues.org/about/news.php4?Id=32 http://www.blues.org/about/news.php4?Id=32 For information on summer blues festivals. Visit <a href="http://www.bluesfestivalguide.com"target="_blank">Blues Festival Guide</a> or check out the list at <a href=" http://www.bluesrevue.com"target="_blank">Blues Revue</a>. The Blues Festival Guide lists 530+ Blues Festivals in 2007. In case you are wondering. Here's how they breakdown by month. January = 12 February = 16 March = 12 April = 20 May = 58 June = 99 July = 105 August = 102 September = 69 October = 22 November = 1...