(MEMPHIS, TN) – The Blues Festival Guide (BFG) will have a table set up at the official IBC Registration area at
the Tin Roof (315 Beale St.). Be sure to drop by and meet BFG Representatives
Tom Andrews and Belinda Holloway and drop off your business card for a chance
to win FREE advertising with Blues Festival Guide! While you’re there you can
grab some Mardi Gras beads (while they last) that were actually caught during
parades at the 2018 Mardi Gras in New Orleans.
The International Blues Challenge represents
the worldwide search for those Blues Bands and Solo/Duo Blues Acts ready to
perform on the international stage, yet just needing that extra big break. Each
Affiliate (blues society) of The Blues Foundation has the right to send a band
and a solo/duo act to represent its organization at the IBC. Affiliates can
also submit a CD for the Best Self-Produced category.
There are over 111 entries in the band,
solo/duo and youth divisions from around the blues globe. The majority of the
acts are from US blues societies, but nearly 20 of them are arriving in Memphis
to compete from Australia, Canada, Croatia, Finland, France, Germany, Italy,
Korea, Lithuania, Norway, Poland, Spain, Switzerland, and the UK.
The 2019 Best Self-Produced CD Finalists are:
Tales of a Rich Girl Kings +
Associates (Adelaide Roots and Blues Association-Australia); Lock Up the Liquor The Little Red
Rooster Blues Band (Central Delaware Blues Society); Get Off On It Robbert Fossen Band (Dutch Blues Foundation); Front Street Blues Jake James (Northeast
Ohio Blues Association (NEOBA); Long Road
Home Midnite Johnny (South Florida Blues Society).
The IBC is judged by blues professionals from
across the world who have years of experience in listening to, producing, and
creating blues music. The Blues Foundation has established a set of criteria by
which all acts are evaluated throughout the five days of the IBC.
If you’re going, there’s tons going on so check the website, get your tickets and have a ball.