New York, NY (Top40 Charts) Back when Keb' Mo' shot up to number one on the Americana chart I thought man this guy is on to something. Equally when the Grammy membership supported celebrating the blues by opening a museum in Mississippi I thought there could be synergy between the Foundation and the Grammy folks. Enter Barbara Newman and the 2016 Board. Man have things moved forward folks. I noticed a marked difference in external communications when a Grammy meeting was hosted by the Chicago chapter of the Grammy organization at the Blues Music Awards this past May. If you were in that meeting room then you know the chat between the blues pros and the Grammy panel was real - I mean right to the point. Soon afterward the Grammy organization announced an expanded set of choices for those submitting blues genre. That was cool. Next I noticed that Blues Foundation Board Members were going to be at the Americana Music Association meeting this month. My point is that this board is building bridges. But it doesn't end with just these examples. The Board meets on a regular basis in various cities across the U.S. and while in those cities these men and women go out and evangelize the value of the Foundation's programs. That's really cool. Now, about the International Blues Challenge, literally thousands upon thousands of blues fans will attend. Beale Street will be so crowded that you simply cannot see the pavement on some nights. If you haven't made the trek do yourself a favor and block out Jan 31st thru Feb 4th and check it out, nothing like it anywhere. I mention this because blues societies all around the world are choosing their 2017 entries and once again the Board is out and about supporting our passion. All of this is very cool.....
I do PR work across six genres and time and again be it a rock artist or a country artist or even an artist from a another genre many of them share that they got their start playing the blues. Every one of them of them will share that the blues remains in their heart to this very day. Personally I don't play an instrument or sing but from the very first time I heard the blues I knew it was for me. We can all get into the blues whether we are a listener or a performer. So in closing I just want to say that if you have ever heard someone say something on the order of "well I saw so and so just before they went big time" and you would like to be in that position too I kid you not the International Blues Challenge is that place.
Barbara Newman, President/CEO Blues Foundation, shares: "I was just at the Big Blues Bender with The Delgado Brothers, the band who won last year, and they told me that winning the IBC in 2016 was a game changer for them. Their careers have expanded well beyond their regional base, they are being booked at festivals across the country and in fact are making their first trip overseas to play a blues festival. And it�s not just the winners whose careers are impacted. Many artists are discovered and many move their careers forward after performing in Memphis at the IBC."
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