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Happy Hanukkah-Merry Christmas-Happy Kwanzaa- & Happy New Year from your friends at BFG!
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 However you celebrate the holidays this time of year... Hanukkah, Christmas, Kwanzaa, New Year's Eve... Celebrate it with love and compassion .... and music of course!
Here's to peace and a better New Year for us all!
Blessings to you & yours and thanks for digging what we do!
Yours in the blues,
Kaati, Cheryl, Michele, Heather, Irene, Tom, Goran, Joana & Belinda
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Photo Moments with the 17th Annual BFG Magazine!!
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 Here's Kim Wilson and your Blues Festival e-Guide editor, singer Michele Lundeen after performing Kim's 19th annual holiday show with the Kim Wilson Blues Revue band at Winston's Beach Club in Ocean Beach, CA.
Wilson, founder and frontman of the Fabulous Thunderbirds, is a multi award winning harmonica man and singer/songwriter whose side project is his popular, allstar Blues Revue band.
*NOTE! Each Spring our annual edition arrives at festivals, blues societies and a few distributors! Get yours and snap photos of you, your friends, and/or artists, etc. with our 17th annual and EMAIL your photo
plus caption & photo credit to us!
**Want more info or your own hard copy? Go to this page!
We're proud that the Blues Foundation is official sponsor of our 2019 Blues Festival Guide annual magazine. |
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Featured Video of the Week
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Lightnin' Hopkins "Happy New Year"
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Ronnie Earl & The Broadcasters ::
BEYOND THE BLUE DOOR
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 Ronnie Earl is a four-time Blues Music Award winner as “Guitar Player of the Year,” and was the hit of the 2019 Blues Music Awards show in Memphis with his show-stopping live performance of the Junior Wells classic, “In the Wee Hours.”
Earl follows that up with his release of the latest Stony Plain Records album (on CD and vinyl formats) from the blues guitar master and his band, the Broadcasters, Beyond the Blue Door. Ronnie Earl believes in the power of music to heal the mind and spirit, and that’s quickly evident in the 15 tracks on his new disc. Special guests on the album include David Bromberg, acoustic guitar and vocals; Kim Wilson, harmonica and vocals; and Greg Piccolo, tenor sax.
The core group of Broadcasters – Ronnie Earl, guitar; Dave Limina, Hammond B3 and piano; Diane Blue, vocals; Paul Kochanski, bass and Forrest Padgett, drums - return to present a solid follow-up to their critically acclaimed and beloved release, The Luckiest Man. They are also joined by Anthony Geraci, piano; Peter Ward, guitar; Mario Perrett, tenor sax; Scott Shetler, Baritone Sax, Larry Luisgnan, guitar; Michael Rush, bass and Scott MacDougal, guitar.
“This is a band album – a community of souls with some guests, new directions and some good old down home blues with Kim Wilson, David Bromberg and Greg Piccolo,”Ronnie Earl says about the new disc..."
...Find more about this artist and release
 "Brand New Me"
Website
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14th San Francisco Kwanzaa Celebration Dec 26-Jan 1
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 (SAN FRANCISCO, CA) - The Village Project presents San Francisco’s 14th Annual Kwanzaa Celebration, with seven days of community events striving to unite and strengthen the family, community, and nation, by highlighting each of the seven principles of Kwanzaa (the Nguzo Saba). From December 26, 2019 through January 1, 2020 there will be 17 free events in 9 different neighborhoods, with exciting and enriching cultural programs, intended to both entertain and engage the entire family.
This year’s entertainment line-up includes: Briana J’s Dance Troupe and The Village Project Kids performing at City Hall, with Dr. Dorothy Tsuruta as keynote speaker. The other headliners are a myriad of rhythm & blues and jazz performers, featuring Tia Carroll, Lady Bianca, David Hardiman & Band, Funkstar and African Guitarist Jessie Sahbi, just to name a few.
There will also be spoken word artists and drumming, all followed by a feast of savory delights. Vendors, along with art, drumming and dance workshops will be available for both adults and children.A spiritual ceremony – pouring of libations and honoring of ancestors– will start each application and will be followed by a feast, live entertainment and the lighting of one of the seven candles of the Kinara. ...Find details about locations and times of events
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JD McPherson Has The Ugly Sweater Blues
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 An Interview by NPR's Steven Kallao
Explaining Christmas to someone who's never heard of it is a strange proposition. As our guest and old friend JD McPherson puts it, there's a tree in your living room, a strange man's walking around your house at midnight eating cookies, and then you get clothes.
I imagine it's an even stranger proposition to write an album of modern Christmas originals. Christmas means so many different things to so many people, and the differences matter: Is your audience children or adults, religious or not? Are they jaded? Feeling humorous? Maybe sentimental? You've got a lot of options.
JD McPherson, however, is up for it, even if that means dragging a Christmas tree into a recording studio in May. His 2018 album, Socks, is his take on the most wonderful time of the year, and it's equal parts earnest, loving, and irreverent. It's a bit like the NPR World Cafe conversation — where they talk all things sweaters, socks, and the best Christmas gift he ever received.
...Listen to interview and music by JD
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Story of the Blues: An Empire risen from the ashes of the Plantation
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 By Harshil Shil/Creative Yatra
Blues is referred to as the origin of modern western music. From jazz to hard rock, most of the genres that we listen to were created by artists who were inspired by the blues. But where did the blues come from and how did it evolve?
“I’ll never, I’ll never
Get out of these blues alive
You know I’m doomed to the blues,
I’ll be doomed till the day I die”
- John Lee Hooker
There is a deep history when it comes to understanding where the Blues really came from. As the name suggests, in the simplest terms, it is music that came, primarily, from your blues—one’s melancholia, longing and despondency. And as times passed, it became an embodiment of expressing one’s deepest emotions. However, with the introduction of electronic instruments and revolutionary musicians, Blues slowly transformed giving birth to multiple new genres like jazz and rock & roll.
Blues wasn’t born in any studio, or a pub. It came from the American plantations in the 19th century. The African-American who worked as slaves in these plantations were bearers of some of the most heinous atrocities known to humankind. They were sold, beaten, killed, and treated like animals. ...Read full story and author's interpretation and see accompanying videos
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Blues that bind them together
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By Monika Monalisa/New Indian Express
(BENGALURU, INDIA) - When Rudy Wallang and Tipriti Kharbangar from Soulmate, go on stage to perform their crowd-favourite, “If You Were My Guitar,” the craziness in the audience is a sight to behold. To weave the same magic, OkCupid, an online dating service, is bringing the band to perform at the newly launched Hard Rock cafe in Whitefield.
Wallang and Kharbangar started the band in October 2003 in Shillong to play Blues and promote the genre, which they still consider as a niche one. Though they are core members of the band, the duo often teams up with other musicians for drums, bass, organ and other backup instruments. “There are quite a few Blues bands/musicians playing at clubs and pubs in India, which is pretty good,” says Wallang who considers B.B. King, Freddie King, Albert Collins, Etta James, Koko Taylor as his idols.
Amid protests across the country, the band has been performing and spreading the message of peace. “It takes people away from the dreariness and dirt of politics. Music keeps them sane for a while,” she says. Kharbangar agrees, “CAA is a dirty word. It insults us as Indian citizens and tries to destroy the Constitution of our great country.”
The band has a huge fan base in Bengaluru, but why did they stop performing here? “I’m sure you know exactly what has happened in Bengaluru. We love playing here, but looks like the administration doesn’t want live music venues around... Read more about this Indian Blues Band
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Music Release and Art Benefit Project for Holiday Season
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 (SAN FRANCISCO, CA) - In honor of the holiday season, Jerry Garcia Music Arts has released a mastered live recording of the soul classic "Everybody Needs Somebody to Love," performed by the Jerry Garcia Band. The music is offered as a holiday gift to the community this Christmas in the form of 10,000 free streams available on multiple digital platforms. The Aug 10, 1991, live recording was mastered by Joe Gastwirt, a highly acclaimed audio engineer, who Garcia referred to as a "whiz kid" in a 1987 WNEW Radio interview. Joe's discography includes the Beatles, the Grateful Dead, Jimi Hendrix, Yes, and Crosby, Stills Nash and Young.
The song "Everybody Needs Somebody to Love," written in 1964 by preacher and singer Solomon Burke, songwriter and record producer Bert Berns and music journalist Jerry Wexler, is about the virtues and gifts of love. It has recently gained popularity as the song in a 2019 Amazon holiday commercial and was featured on the soundtrack for the 1980 musical comedy film The Blues Brothers. Earlier this year, the song was released by Round Records on CD and vinyl as part of the Jerry Garcia Band live Electric on the Eel album... ...Read entire article and where to download
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Which Legendary Rhythm & Blues Cruise Hits Your Groove?
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More Than A Cruise… More Than A Festival… More Than You Can Imagine!
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 LRBC #34 Western Caribbean: Jan 19-26, 2020
SOLD OUT! Join Waitlist here!
OPEN CABIN SALES launched today, Dec. 26 @ 11am CST.
Taj Mahal & Phantom Blues Band, Keb’ Mo’, Elvin Bishop’s Big Fun Trio, Charlie Musselwhite, Ruthie Foster, Tab Benoit, Walter Trout, Tommy Castro & the Painkillers, Kenny Neal Band w/ Tyree Neal, G. Love & Special Sauce, Danielle Nicole, Shemekia Copeland, Johnny Rawls, Rev. Peytons’ Big Damn Band, Vanessa Collier, Marquise Knox, Shakura S’Aida, RUF Records Blues Caravan, Jonathon Long, Doug MacLeod, Mitch Woods Club 88, Rev. Billy C. Wirtz, Kelley Hunt, Daryl Davis, Eden Brent & many more!
LRBC #36 Eastern Caribbean: Jan 31-Feb 7, 2021PREBOOK NOW with your $500 per cabin deposit.
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LEGENDARY RHYTHM & BLUES CRUISE 313 Lawrence St., Kansas City, MO (816) 753-7979 | BluesCruise.com |
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 Kwanzaa Dec 26-Jan 1
New Year's Eve Dec 31, 2019
Birthdays upcoming of note:
Dec 27 Tracy Nelson (1944); Dec 28 Roebuck "Pops" Staples (1914-2000), Johnny Otis (1921-2012); Dec 29 Matt "Guitar" Murphy (1929-2018), Terry Hanck; Dec 30 Bo Diddley (1928-2008); Dec 31 Odetta (1930-2008); Jan 1 Frank Stokes (1888-1955), Estelle "Mama" Yancey (1896-1986); Jan 2 Little Smokey Smothers (1939-2010), Rubin “Rube” Lacy (1901-1969); Jan 5-Johnny Adams (1932-1998), Wilbert Harrison (1929-1994), Sam Phillips (1923-2003 founder of Sun Records); Jan 6-Kim Wilson (1951)
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Then please drop on by and"LIKE" us to get a daily dose of blues related stuff! ...
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Roots Blues Airplay Chart (click chart for samples & updates)
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Billboard Blues Album This week
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Billboard's Top 2 Sales - Week of Dec 20, 2019
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 #1 MIKE ZITO AND FRIENDS: ROCK 'N' ROLL: A TRIBUTE TO CHUCK BERRY
Mike Zito
#2 MOONLIGHT, MISTLETOE & YOU
Keb' Mo'
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To view our entire calendar of more than 500 festivals, click here!
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ATTENTION:
FESTIVAL PROMOTERS
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LIST YOUR FESTIVAL ON OUR
WEBSITE FOR FREE HERE
To ensure that your festival also appears here in the e-Guide Festival Calender EMAIL |
Not all upcoming blues festivals/events are listed here at certain times of the year due to space constraints. Unless highlighted, festivals are no longer inked due to increasing spam
For a complete list and links see our comprehensive website.
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NOTE: Highlighted/Linked events here
are paid "Featured" ads
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Samantha Fish Cigar Box
Guitar Festival
Jan-15-2020 - Jan-18-2020
New Orleans, Louisiana, USA
Thredbo Blues Festival
Jan-17-2020 - Jan-19-2020
Thredbo, Australia
10th Annual
Pigz in Z'Hills BBQ & Blues Fest
Jan-18-2020
Zephyrhills, Florida, USA
Jamaica Winterfest
Jan-23-2020 - Jan-30-2020
Montego Bay, Jamaica
Costa Rica Blues Festival
Feb-14-2020 - Feb-16-2020
El Coco, Costa Rica
Chelsea Blues, Rhythm
& Rock Festival
Mar-28-2020, London
United Kingdom
Tampa Bay Blues Festival
Apr-03-2020 - Apr-05-2020
St Petersburg, Florida, USA
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please go to our website
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Juke Joint Festival
& Related Events
Apr-16-2020 - Apr-19-2020
Clarksdale, Mississippi, USA
16th Annual Blues By the Sea
Apr-19-2020
Kiawah Island, South Carolina, USA
Lincoln Blues, Rhythm
& Rock Festival
May-09-2020
Lincoln, United Kingdom
Kimbrough Cotton Patch Soul Blues Festival
May-15-2020 - May-17-2020
Holly Springs, New York, USA
Chesapeake Bay
Blues Festival
May-16-2020 - May-17-2020
Annapolis, Maryland, USA
Sierre Blues Festival
Jun-11-2020 - Jun-13-2020
Sierre, Switzerland
Billtown Blues Festival
Jun-12-2020 - Jun-14-2020
Hughesville, Pennsylvania, USA
Greeley Blues Jam
Jun-12-2020 - Jun-13-2020
Greeley, Colorado, USA
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RBA Publishing/Blues Festival Guide
P.O. Box 920, Arcata, CA 95518
Call 707-630-3304
RBA Publishing, Inc. in business since 1993, is a boutique blues-specific PR and marketing firm based on the West Coast. We help musicians, festivals, labels and music-related brands. Our digital campaigns target fans, industry and influencers. We are masterful at email marketing, social media, fan acquisition and long-term marketing plans. Our media services are supported by people who understand and love the blues genre. Publishers of annual the Blues Festival Guide magazine, our top-ranking website, and e-Guide newsletter with approx 30,000 weekly subscribers, we have been blues industry leaders for over 17 years. Please contact us at 707-630 3304 or EMAIL to findout how we can help you!
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Hey blues lovers! Got 
