Blues Foundation News

1. Happy Birthday Taj Mahal & Happy Anniversary Priscilla & Jay
   Coincidence?
2. 33rd Blues Music Award Photos
   Joe Dempsey offers the first gallery of photos from the May 10 Blues Music Awards. Check them out here.
3. 33rd Blues Music Award Winners
   The 33rd Blues Music Awards are in the books after a wonderful evening of community, awards and music. The big winners are Tab Benoit and the Tedeschi-Trucks Band. Tab took home both three awards and Susan Tedeschi and Derek Trucks combined for five awards. Tab took top honors in Contemporary Male Artist and Album and B.B. King Entertainer of the Year. The Tedeschi Trucks Band took Band and Album of the Year Awards, while Susan is the top Contemporary Female Artist and Derek is the Gibson Gui...
4. First Tennessee Foundation Gives to Blues Hall of Fame
   The First Tennessee Foundation will distribute $385,000 in grants to 15 Memphis-area arts organizations through a new ArtsFirst grants partnership with ArtsMemphis. Awards were announced at an April 26 reception celebrating the 25th anniversary of The First Tennessee Heritage Mural at the First Tennessee Building downtown. “Arts are the foundation of a vibrant community, and First Tennessee is pleased to be a long-term supporter of the arts in a city that’s a mecca for creative people from...
5. Brad Vicker's & His Vestapolitans HART Fund Fundraiser
   In support of The Blues Foundation's HART Fund and celebrating the centennial of the first published blues, Brad Vickers & His Vestapolitans bring you Hart Wand's "Dallas Blues". All proceeds benefit the HART Fund. As of April 25, $1000 has been donated to the HART Fund. Special thanks to Frank Roszak Promotions for their generous donation of time and services....
6. Member Spotlight: Alice Faye Duncan
   Blues Foundation member Alice Faye Duncan has created The Delta Blues Coloring Book. And it is not just for kids! From Mississippi cotton fields to plantation dances and juke joints, the Delta Blues was raised up by men and women who shared the pain and beauty of life in song. Their blues gave birth to jazz and rock and roll. With captivating artwork by Delta-born folk artist, Frank D. Robinson, Jr., the Delta Blues Coloring Book is a quick, fun music lesson for the young and old. It is als...
7. 2012 Blues Hall of Fame Inductees Announced
   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, and producer Allen Toussaint. Among the other ind...
8. Planning A Trip To Memphis?
   So much to do and so little time to do it? There are so many things to do and see in Memphis that sometimes it's hard to choose. There are four websites that we recommend for helping with your decisions. www.memphistravel.com is the Memphis Convention & Visitors Bureau's website, www.downtownmemphis.com is the Center City Commission's website, Blues on the Radio

   Looking for Blues music on your radio dial. A very helpful website for finding Blues radio programs is Mary4Music. When you go to the Blewzzman's site, you might just find something more of bluesy interest to you. Smokin' Bluz out of Charlotte, NC is the sponsor of the Smokin' Bluz Youth Showcase each year at the International Blues Challenge. Check out Rick Ballew's Smokin' Bluz 24/7 at
9. Blues Festivals
   For information on summer blues festivals, check out these magazine sites: Big City Rhythm and Blues; Blues Festival Guide; or Blues Revue.