Free to dig the blues...

This Friday in the USA we celebrate the 4th of July, also known as Independence Day. It's considered America's birthday and there will be a whole lot of partying going on including mass fireworks! It's a major day for family and friends, food and music! I do think that a part of our independence and freedom in general was created by musical artists who have not only uplifted our spirits with pride, but have also spoken out against injustices and garnered strength and solidarity in listeners.

 

Exercise your freedom to catch your blues at numerous places around the country as most everyone has live music on the 4th of July! Blues festivals happening this weekend? I've heard that the 27th Safeway Waterfront Blues Festival (July 3-6) in Portland, Oregon is one not to be missed. The Mississippi Valley Blues Festival (July 3-5) in Davenport, Iowa has been going on for 30 years and was awarded the 2014 Keeping The Blues Alive Award (KBA) for Festival. This fest is brought to us by the Mississippi Valley Blues Society. In Topeka, Kansas, it's the 5th annual Spirit of Kansas Blues Festival (July 4) brought to us by the Topeka Blues Society and it's free, thanks to their generous sponsors! There's also the 21st Thunder Bay Blues Festival (July 4-6) in Ontario, Canada and the 2013 KBA International Festival recipient, the Tremblant International Blues Festival (July 4-13) in Quebec, Canada.

 

Feel free to dig the blues! Have fun out there and be safe, too! Happy Birthday America!

 

Birthdays of note: July 3 "Mississippi" John Hurt (1893); July 4 Champion Jack Dupree (1910); July 5 Smiley Lewis (1913); July 7 Pinetop Perkins (1913); July 8 Louis Jordan (1908), Johnnie Johnson (1924); July 10 Casey Bill Weldon (1909); July 11 Blind Lemon Jefferson (1897)

Your ever-grateful editor,

 

The 2014 Blues Festival Guide magazine is now digital

Find the Digital Edition of the 2014 BLUES FESTIVAL GUIDE Magazine online. Log onto our website and enjoy 98 pages jam-packed with blues news, history, lifestyle and of course, FESTIVALS! Our 2014 editions is sponsored by

the Jackson Rhythm & Blues Festival, held Aug 15-16, 2014 in Jackson, MS.

Send us fave photos with the 2014 BFG Magazine

The Bayou Brothers with special guests Madame LeRoux and Peter Oliver, Gator By The Bay guru (center), after their performance at the Simi Valley Cajun & Blues Festival, Simi Valley California.

 

 

*Enjoy the 12th annual magazine in digital format now! 

Want a hard copy? Check with your local blues society, look for one at a blues festival or you can find our magazine order info here.

 

Start snapping those pics with the 12th annual Blues Festival Guide magazine!

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Dave Fields new CD, All In, will electrify you with its rockin’ blues soul. Never before has the fire and intensity of Dave’s guitar been captured in a recording like it has on this new CD! All In features 11 songs produced by Dave: 9 originals an, a funky live version of Led Zep’s “Black Dog” and a burning rendition of the timeless classic “Crossroad.”

All In was recorded mostly live in the studio. It features many of the same musicians on Dave’s first three CD’s, Time’s A Wastin’, All Wound Up and  Detonation: Andy Huenerberg (bass), Kenny Soule (drums), Vladimir Barsky (keys), Dave Moore (drums) and some new comers: Tony Tino (bass) and special guest, BMA nominee, Dave Keyes (piano). Read more details here...

 

Prairie Dog Blues Fest 2 Days – 2 Stages – 12 Bands

July 25-26, 2014

Prairie du Chien, WI – The Prairie Dog is one of the most laid-back blues festivals out there! This year's July 25-26 festival features: Big N’ Tasty Blues, Howard & The White Boys, Big James & The Chicago Playboys, Samantha Fish, Ori Naftaly Band, 88 M.P.H., The Cashbox Kings, Jimmi & The Band of Souls, Lil’ Ed & The Blues Imperials, Carolyn Wonderland, Anthony Gomes, and the Lionel Young Band.

Tickets and camping are available by calling 1-888-567-1567 or online.

Information on accommodations can be found here or call 800-732-1673. 

The Prairie Dog Blues Fest is held every year on historic St. Feriole Island in a beautiful city park, right on the Mississippi River... Read all about it here 

BMA Nominations Open / HOF Donor Wall List

The three-step nomination procedure for the 2015 Blues Music Awards is now open. Step 1 is still the same–send us your CD when it becomes available. Steps 2 and 3 are a little different this year as they have been altered to work with the new website. If you have already released a CD since November 1, 2013, please begin the process now. This applies to artists and record labels. Managers... Read more

 

August 30 will be the last day to make a pledge or donation that will get your name on the List of Donors in the Blues Hall of Fame. If you are planning to give, now is the time since the names are to set to be “in stone” by September 1.
If you have been thinking about having your name on the Donor Wall, now is the time to make your donation of $1000… Read more...

 

Linn County Blues Society determined to carry on 20-year tradition of Bluesmore Festival

The Gazette/Cedar Rapids, Iowa - No more Bluesmore at Brucemore

Bluesmore is no more, but the Linn County Blues Society is determined to carry on the 20-year tradition of staging a major blues blowout in the Corridor.

 

Next year, hopefully. Just not this year. The all-volunteer organization needs time to secure paid and in-kind sponsorships to cover costs for showcasing two national acts, a local act and the Back Porch educational stage that have become hallmarks of the event that has lured thousands of music fans to the front lawn of Brucemore mansion. Read more here

R&B legend Bobby Rush joins Elwood Blues to talk about his favorite blues festivals, some of them near you. You will hear a lot of Bobby’s music, and a lot of the folks hitting the road this summer. Break out your sunscreen and join the fun.

 

Bobby Rush and blues festivals. What more could you want? Next time in the Bluesmobile.

 

 

For a list of stations where you can find BluesMobile Radio Click Here

Marvin & Nona Gaye :: STAR SPANGLED BANNER

Happy 4th of July everyone!  Click Here for video...    

Did you know that I do Custom Comic Strips & Comic Pages as gifts?

To view our entire calendar of more than 500 festivals, click here!

RBA Publishing Inc is based in Reno, Nevada USA. We are woman owned and operated.

 

We produce the annual Blues Festival Guide magazine (publishing our 12th annual in 2014), affiliated with the top-ranking website: www.BluesFestivalGuide.com, and this weekly blues newsletter: The Blues Festival E-Guide with approximately 28,500 weekly subscribers.

 

We look forward to your suggestions, critiques and questions. You can reach the E-Guide editor, Michele Lundeen at editor@bluesfestivaleguide.com or michele@bluesfestivalguide.com.

 

Contact our home office to find out how to advertise in this e-weekly newsletter. Call 775-337-8344.

 

Information both editorial and advertising in the Blues Festival E-Guide is believed to be correct but not guaranteed. Double check info carefully before you attend any event or send money for anything. We do not write the news... we just report it.