Preserve

The first MVBS meeting was informal and happened at RIBCO (Rock Island Brewing Company) in April; the group included Ross and Doris Haecker, Gene and Nancy Morgan, Steve Brundies, Terry O’Brien, Frank Holst, Nathaniel Hawker and Dana Taylor. That following July, MVBS was recognized as a non-profit corporation.

After being approached by the "City Fathers" of Hampton, the MSVB provided a full day of Blues music at Hampton's River Road Days in August. Later that year MVBS presented Koko Taylor and Robert Cray at RIBCO.

In July, the first annual Mississippi Valley Blues Festival happened at LeClaire Park in Davenport. Local and regional blues bands were featured.

In May, MVBS presented Buddy Guy and Jr. Wells with opening act Sugar Blue at the Col Ballroom in Davenport. In July, the Blues Festival extended to three days and featured national acts including John Lee Hooker and Memphis Slim.

In May, MVBS hosted Albert Collins at the Col Ballroom. A few months later in December at the same venue, MVBS hosted Johnny Winter with opening act Little Ed and the Blue Imperials.

MVBS won the National Blues Foundation award for 'Best Blues Society'.

This was the first year that workshops became a part of the annual Blues Festival.

MVBS won the National Blues Foundation award for 'Best Blues Society' again.

BlueSkool became an interactive part of Blues Festival.

And again, MVBS won the National Blues Foundation award for 'Best Blues Society'. LeClaire Park flooded two years in a row, and the Blues Festival was moved to the streets of downtown Davenport.

MVBS launches the new website where hundreds of hours of past Blues performances are archived, and where live Blues events will be streamed. More coming soon!