(Memphis, Tennessee) Early this morning I met with my old friend John Catt, and Dave and Susan Knox, parents of the very talented Grand County Blues Society contestant in the IBC Youth category, Michaela Rae. It was truly a delight to see Dave and John again and to meet Susan and Michaela. I had seen her perform at the Snowy Range Music Festival as reported here earlier this year. She started playing at 4 and is now 14 years old.
Today she stood all by herself infront of the television cameras and simply ripped on the guitar. She did not miss one single note and her playing is truly inspired. Listening to the music alone it is incomprehensible that it all originates form a 14 year old young lady but her beautiful tone through the 1958 Bassman in combination with her Paul Reed Smith guitar has to be heard to be believed. I was pleasantly stunned. Great job, Michaela. You have made many friends in Memphis and we all wish you well in the competition and in your bright future in the BLUES.
getting ready for the Memphis TV shoot
Michaela chats with WREG's Marybeth Conley and Alex Coleman
Michaela Rae hangs with senior editor of
Michaela Rae
Tripwire Blues Band at the Superior Bar(this bar used to be a police station)
author and old friend
Johnny Lowebow, inventor of the cigar box guitar of the same name
Johnny Lowebow
The mighty
LowebowContact him at Xanadu in Memphis and get one of your own:
2200 Central Ave
Memphis, TN 38104
Tel. 901.274.9885
JB Hobson at The Pig on Beale
John Rogers at the Tap room
Federico Teiler and
Sebastian Casis of
Argentine band
Mo' Blues at the Rumboogie Cafe
Sebastian Casis gets some help from the crowd
Sebastian Casis jumps out onto the floor at the Rumboogie
harp player
Jay Gaunt and
Charley Burch
awesome Colorado bassist
Andy Irvine and the author
BJ Allen and Blue Voodoo
from Kirksville, MO, BJ Allen and Blue Voodoo
my friend BJ Allen
BJ Allen
Australia's
Dan Dinnen at Wet Willie's
Dan Dinnen blows acoustic harp for an appreciative crowd
my Australian friend
Bryan Cook
Donna Donald and XM radio's
Bill Wax
my friend
Steady Rollin' Bob Margolin leads the big jam at Rumboogie
old friends
the vernerable
Guy Venable, I55 Productions' Brad Webb and
harp playing singer
David Hudson
Brad Webb and the author
bigtime blues promoters
Brent "Big B" Harding and Hugh Southard of
Blue Mountain Artists
guitarist
Laura Chavez, and singers
Barbara Blue and
Candye Kane
Laura Chavez,
Barbara Blue and
Candye Kane
one last look down Beale
As I walk into the parking lot I wish they could utilize this great lounge for more than just the Blues Ball every year. Oh well, maybe they will some day.
More Blues News The following four CDs have advanced to the final round of judging for the Best Self Produced CD. The winner will be announced at Solo/Duo Finals on the Orpheum Theater stage January 23, 2010 as part of the International Blues Challenge in Memphis, TN.
1. Blues Society of Tulsa - Little Joe McLerran, "Believe I'll Make a Change"
2. Colorado Blues Society - The Informants, "Crime Scene Queen"
3. Maine Blues Society - Pat Pepin, "In It For the Long Hall"
4. Santa Clarita Valley Blues Society - Laurie Morvan Band, "Fire It Up!"
Nineteen individuals and organizations will be honored with The Blues Foundation's 2010 Keeping the Blues Alive (KBA) Award during a recognition brunch at the Downtown Doubletree Hotel Saturday, January 23rd, 2010, in Memphis, Tennessee. The KBA ceremony begins at 10:00 A.M. and will be held in conjunction with the 26th 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, showcases, and receptions for blues societies, fans, and professionals.
The Keeping the Blues Alive Awards recognize the significant contributions to blues music made by the people behind the scenes. Each is selected on the basis of merit by a panel of blues professionals. KBA Chairman Art Tipaldi notes with respect to this year’s recipients: “We are very pleased to bestow this recognition on people and organizations who have promoted blues music for many, many years. Increasingly, this is an international effort, and this year’s recipients reflect the worldwide impact of blues music.”
The
2010 Keeping the Blues Alive Award recipients are:
Art and Photography: Michael Maness, Memphis, Tennessee
Blues Club: Bradfordville Blues Club, Tallahassee, Florida
Blues Organization: Connecticut Blues Society
Education: Spencer Bohren, New Orleans, Louisiana
Festival: Heritage Music Blues Festival, Wheeling, West Virginia
Festival International: Piazza Blues, Bellinzona, Switzerland
Historical Preservation: Eric Leblanc, Victoria, British Columbia, Canada
International: Finnish Blues Association, Helsinki, Finland
Journalism: David Fricke, Rolling Stone, New York, New York
Literature: Crossroads: The Life and Afterlife of Blues Legend Robert Johnson, Tom Graves, Memphis, Tennessee
Manager: Pat Morgan, Kailua-Kona, Hawaii
Print Media: Block, Almelo, Netherlands
Producer: Andy McKaie, Universal Music Enterprises, Santa Monica, California
Promoter: Pozitif Productions, Istanbul, Turkey
Publicist: Richard Flohil, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Radio Commercial: Charles Evers, Jackson, Mississippi
Radio Public: Rick Galusha, Omaha, Nebraska
Record Label: Crosscut Records, Bremen, Germany
Visual Broadcast: Film, Television and Video: Pocket Full of Soul.
MORE NEWS AS IT HAPPENS at:
AMERICAN BLUES NEWSBookmark us at http://Ameriblues.comCome back tomorrow for news of all the IBC winners!check out my website at
http://RobertNighthawkTooms.com©Robert "Nighthawk" Tooms, 2010
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