|
|
|
|
|
Please stay safe and optimistic!
|
|
|
We are thinking of you and wishing you good health!
|
|
|
Blues Festival Guide Magazine Media Platforms Feature Live Streams, Online Concerts & more
|
The Blues Festival Guide platforms are fast becoming the main portal for blues live stream and blues online concert events. As fast as an online event is announced, the Blues Festival Guide team makes the announcement and link go live in a special section on the top-ranking Blues Festival Guide Website, as well as on their social media platforms ( Facebook with 195,000 Followers, and Instagram @bluesfestguide with 6,000 Followers). This service is provided for free to the artist as well as the viewer.
Even though music festivals and clubs are on lockdown across the globe, there are loads of brand-new music and live concerts via live stream, both small and large, local and international, that can be watched from the safety of your couch on your own TV, computer or phone.
An ever-increasing number of artists are working very hard and still trying to provide stellar live music and concert experiences for fans without sacrificing safety.
With almost 20 years of experience delivering blues music and blues music news around the world, Publisher Kaati Gaffney says, “We are experienced digital marketers specializing in live music events. During this time of pandemic, while festivals and events are virtual, it is our pleasure to provide this service.” ...Find more about BFG or to contact us
|
|
|
Annual Magazine Ad Deadline Extended to May 10
|
 First of all, we hope you are all staying safe!
Music is the universal healer, and blues fans are clamoring for their annual copy of the Blues Festival Guide, but due to to the cancellation of so many events and closure of so many businesses that distribute our magazine, the printing of the 2020 Blues Festival Guide will be delayed until May.
We will be extending distribution throughout the summer and hit all the festivals, blues museums, clubs, music stores, etc., once they reopen.
You don't want to miss out on this once-a-year marketing opportunity!
We offer Ad sizes for every budget. Call us today to brainstorm and find out what Discounts & Package Deals we have available.
We make it easy, affordable and fun! We will even make your ad for you.
Main office: 707-630-3304 / Kaati's cell: 775-846-8238 (call or text)
Email: info@bluesfestivalguide.com
Thanks and we look forward to helping you,
Kaati, Cheryl, Tom, Heather and Irene
RBA Publishing/Blues Festival Guide
*Photo taken at the Big Blues Bender in Las Vegas 2017 featuring BFG Sales Director Cheryl O'Grady-Yearnshaw (back lt), Kaati Gaffney (Publisher) and singer and E-Guide editor Michele Lundeen (ctr) with Charlie "Tuna" Dennis (guitarist/singer formerly of the B.B. King Band) and guitarist/singer LaMonte DeMille McKinnon of San Diego (rt). Last week's photo was of Lectric Liz Lottman of Divas On Fire at Ground Zero in Clarksdale.
|
|
Photo Moments with the BFG Magazine!!
Grab yours NOW & take fun photo & email it to me!
|
 Here's Brandon Santini, the multi-Blues Music Award and Blues Blast Award nominee, Memphis vocalist and harmonica player after playing his set at the Forgotten Blues Festival in Port St. Joe, Florida Nov 2019.
Brandon is a current 2020 Blues Music Award Nominee for “Instrumentalist- Harmonica.” The 41st Blues Music Awards will now be held online virtually for safety reasons.
Photo: Tom Andrews
*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. |
|
|
Featured Video of the Week
|
|
|
Hard Times - Little Village Foundation Artists
|
|
______________________________________
|
|
|
 Musical cross-pollination creates unique and rare artists. On their new release, Alive, Sister Lucille presents a potent collection of original modern blues. It’s powerfully delivered with a soulful twang, a mighty rhythm section and sublime guitar work.
Sister Lucille features the wedded duo of Kimberly Dill and Jamie Holdren. When they got together their musical worlds collided in a fusion of Country, rock and blues.
Alive encompasses the entire band’s influences in American roots music, which include; blues, Country, rock, soul and funk. Sister Lucille has put together a strong and playful set of fresh blues rockers with a little help from some Memphis friends.
The vocals on Alive were produced by Memphian Reba Russell who also sang background vocals, it was mixed by the Grammy Award Winner Jim Scott who produced Tedeschi Trucks Revelator and mastered by Grammy Award winner Richard Dodd.
Alive draws its title from Kimberly’s years long battle with her health and her emergence as a healthy woman at the end. It’s a celebration of victory and a look forward toward a bright future. . ..More about this artist and release
 "Won't Give Up"
Website
|
|
|
Virtual Juke Joint Festival Celebration Saturday April 18
|
(CLARKSDALE, MS) - This weekend's planned Juke Joint Festival in Clarksdale, Mississippi, may be on hiatus till next year due to Covid-19, but fans from around the world can now enjoy a daylong online celebration in its place. The first-ever Virtual Juke Joint Festival Celebration will stream online Saturday, April 18th, via www.LiveFromClarksdale.org from 12 noon - 9 pm CDT. It will be followed by the world-premiere of the new film Juke Joint Festival Revisited at 9 pm. The film was created by Grammy-and Emmy-award winning documentary filmmaker Ted Reed and shot at last year's festival.
While the 9 hours of live-streamed blues and roots music are free, fans are encouraged to tip musicians through PayPal and Venmo. Tips will go directly to the musicians. The filmmakers also invite fans to consider a donation to the Blues Foundation's Covid-19 Fund and the MS Blues Foundation's Blues Musician Fund.
"Through the magic of the world wide web, we'll be streaming live performances from Clarksdale to Columbia, from New Orleans to Nashville," explained Roger Stolle, Juke Joint Festival co-founder. "Confirmed acts include Reverend Peyton, Johnny Rawls, Jimbo Mathus, Lucious Spiller, Grace Askew, Watermelon Slim and many more who were originally booked to play this year's Juke Joint Festival." ...Find links to performances and more details
|
|
|
Mississippi’s Cathead Distillery Donates Hand Sanitizer to Blues Artists in Poverty
|
 (JACKSON, MS) - In the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, Mississippi’s Cathead Distillery has shifted their operations to produce hand sanitizer. Today, it expanded its support of the arts nonprofit Music Maker Relief Foundation by sending their elderly partner artists bottles of their Comfort and Mercy hand sanitizer. The partnership between the distillery and the nonprofit has thrived for over 10 years.
The need among Music Maker Relief Foundation partner artists is dire. These artists are over the age of 55, living in poverty, and have had their shows canceled for the foreseeable future. Ester Mae Wilbourn, Robert Lee Coleman, Mary Lane and Chuck Bush are four of the elder musicians that will receive hand sanitizer from Cathead.
Based in Como, MS, Ester Mae Wilbourn is the eldest member of the Como Mamas (Daptone Records). Ester recently had a new roof put on her house with the help of Music Maker and is glad to be in a safe place during the COVID-19 outbreak.
Guitar hero Robert Lee Coleman is based in Macon, GA and formerly played with James Brown and Percy Sledge. He was slated to play with the Music Maker Blues Revue at Jazz Fest for the very first time but the festival has been postponed to the fall of 2020 with no firm dates in place. Additionally, all of Coleman’s local gigs have been canceled. He’s been featured in Premier Guitar and was gifted a PRS guitar by Paul Reed Smith himself.
Born in 1936, in Clarendon, Arkansas, Mary Lane grew up picking cotton until moving to Chicago where she quickly became a staple on the Westside Blues scene, playing alongside greats such as Howlin’ Wolf, Elmore James, and Junior Wells. ...Find more about artists and Cathead Distillery
|
|
Silver City Blues Festival to Stream Online May 22-24
|
 (SILVER CITY, NM) - In consideration of the health and well being of our community and visitors, the Mimbres Region Arts Council is canceling the Silver City Blues Festival as planned in Gough Park. In its place, a series of live stream performances will be scheduled during the weekend of May 22-24.
CW Ayon, Missy Andersen, Brandon Perrault, and Rhythm Mystic will perform from their homes. The Mimbres Region Arts Council, through a grant from New Mexico Arts, plans to broadcast these performances online. More information and event schedule will be available on their website at www.silvercitybluesfestival.org
Performers that would like to be included as part of the online festival should contact booking@mimbresarts.org or call 575 538-2505. For any questions, contact us directly by emailing info@mimbresarts.org or call 575 538-2505. Be Safe & Be Well. ...Find links to watch the festival artists or even be a part of the festival
|
|
Mike Zito’s Quarantine Blues is the Band’s Gift
|
 “While flying home from Europe after all of our tours being cancelled, I decided the band and myself would record a free album for our fans,” says Mike Zito. “Individually, we had been quarantined for 14 days and this idea of writing, producing and releasing an album in the 14-day period seemed like quite an effort and a distraction for us. In return, fans from around the world contributed to our Gofundme and it has been an amazingly rewarding experience.
I hope our fans enjoy the album and the music we have written. I followed no rules. I wrote what I was feeling regardless of style or genre and used my feelings of fear, hope, love and rebelliousness to fuel my creativity.
I have collaborations with LA Guns and Guns n Roses founding member, Tracii Guns on the song ‘Don’t Touch Me’ and several songwriting efforts with my label partner Guy Hale. I left the ‘rules’ on the floor and followed my heart. I think these are some of the best songs I have written in years.”
The Quarantine Blues album is available, free to stream and download and is Mike Zito and his band's gift to you! Enjoy! ...Find the link to the album to listen or download
|
|
New Interviews, Videos, and Music from Arhoolie
|
We know you're doing your part and staying home, so Arhoolie has added new treasures from their archives for you to explore. Highlights include Blind James Campbell and his Nashville Street Band who had played for decades, bringing a combination of blues, folk, jazz, and country to the streets of Music City. Photos and interviews with Herbert Sam who became a fixture in the Houston Creole music community and Stanley Willis who was an eccentric and accomplished pianist they called the Wild Man. An hour-long documentary, Always Been A Rambler, which celebrates fifty years of the New Lost City Ramblers (Mike Seeger, John Cohen, Tracy Schwarz, and Tom Paley). Arhoolie is making this acclaimed film available for free on YouTube for a limited time. Los Hermanos Chavarría who were one of the pioneer duetos to record in San Antonio. Their fierce rural, defiant, and unrestrained vocal style made them remarkably popular for over a decade.
The Arhoolie Foundation is a 501c3 non-profit organization rooted in the life's work of its founder Chris Strachwitz and his acclaimed independent label Arhoolie Records. Our mission is to document, preserve, and celebrate blues, Cajun, zydeco, gospel, jazz, Tejano/Norteño, old-time, and other tradition-based styles of music ...More about Arhoolie and how you can watch & listen
|
|
2020 Blues Festival Guide Magazine Half-Price Offer
|
 Here’s a Half Price Offer you can’t refuse! Get your 2020 Blues Festival Guide magazine mailed straight to your door for only $4.50. We know everyone is missing their live Blues! We feel your pain and with so many fests cancelling, we also understand there are fewer chances for you to pick up a 2020 Blues Festival Guide! We are moving forward with our 2020 mag and want everyone to have an opportunity to get a copy. We’ll print in May and can mail your copy straight to your U.S. home or P.O. Box for only $4.50 US & Canada (normally $9) and $7 Overseas (normally $14)
Here's the link to order your personal copy or give us a call to place your order at 707-630-3304.
Along with blues festival, blues society and blues radio listings, we feature great editorial like: What’s Cookin’ with Victor Wainwright, The Healing Blues By Anita Schlank, Ph.D., The Jus’ Blues Music Foundation, Blues; An African Sonic Response By Pascal Bokar Thiam, Ed.D., Jammin’ On The High C’s: On Board the Legendary Rhythm & Blues Cruise By Mitch Woods, Living Legend: Charlie Musselwhite By Eric Steiner and more ...Find more details
|
|
|
Which Legendary Rhythm & Blues Cruise Hits Your Groove?
|
|
|
Our Artists & Headliners Stay & Play, They Don’t Hit & Run!!
|
 LRBC #35 Southern Caribbean: Oct 25-Nov 1, 2020 from Ft. Lauderdale, FL to Willemstad, Curacao; Oranjestad, Aruba & Half Moon Cay (Bahamas Private Island) on Holland America’s ms Eurodam. Over 95% Sold! Book your cabin now before they’re gone!! Visit Reservations or call (816) 753-7979. Over 100 scheduled shows on 6 stages. Artist Lineup: 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, Shemekia Copeland, Danielle Nicole, 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, Chuk Barber’s Soul Lounge, Mr. Sipp (Special Guest) & many more!
LRBC #36 Eastern Caribbean: Jan 31-Feb 7, 2021 from Ft. Lauderdale, FL to Tortola, St. Thomas & Turks and Caicos on Holland America’s ms Nieuw Statendam! Join the LRBC email list at https://bluescruise.com/mail-list/ to receive the announcement!
____________________________
LEGENDARY RHYTHM & BLUES CRUISE 313 Lawrence St., Kansas City, MO (816) 753-7979 | BluesCruise.com
- More Than A Cruise… More Than A Festival… More Than You Can Imagine! -
|
|
|
 - Passover ends April 16
- Orthodox Easter April 19
- Earth Day April 22
Birthdays upcoming of note:
April 16-Sean Costello (1979-2008); April 18 Clarence "Gatemouth" Brown (1924-2005), Alexis Korner (1928 – 1984); April 21-Clara Ward (1924-1973); April 22-George "Harmonica" Smith (1924-1983), Bullmoose Jackson (1919-1989); April 23-Charles "Cow Cow" Davenport (1894-1955); April 25-Albert King (1923 –1992); April 26-Gertrude "Ma" Rainey (1886-1939), Johnny" Shines (1915-1992), J. B. Hutto (1926-1983), Mike Finnegan (1945); April 27-Ann Peebles (1947), Michael Ledbetter (1985-2019); April 29-Big Jay McNeely (1927-2018), Otis Rush (1935), Frankie Lee (1941), April 30-Rev. Gary Davis (1896-1972), Mabel Scott (1915-2000), Frankie Lee Sims (1917-1970), Jimmie Lee Robinson (1931-2002)
CORRECTION: My apologies to Lil Ed and Ana Popovic fans! I've had Ed's b'day filed as April 18 and it was actually April 8, and Ana correct b'day is May 13 not April 11. Big thanks to reader Alan Shamblin for pointing that out! Cool!
______________________________
Missed your copy of the Weekly e-Guide?
|
|
|
BFG Twitter-Instagram-Facebook
|
|
|
Join Blues Freaks at our Tweeter feed & on Instagram
|
Hey, come on over and Join over 13,000+ Blues Freaks at our TWITTER feed @BluesFestGuide
___________________________________________
  Also Follow us on INSTAGRAM See awesome, bluesy festival photos
from our team and fellow blues lovers!
|
|
|
Get your Face in our Book
|
|
Then please drop on by and"LIKE" us to get a daily dose of blues related stuff! ...
|
|
Radio Submit Roots Blues Airplay Chart (click chart for more)
|
|
|
|
Billboard Blues Album This week
|
|
|
Billboard's Top 2 Blues Albums - Week of April 18, 2020
|
  #1 STAND UP!
Whitney Shay
#2
EL DORADO
Marcus King
|
|
|
To view our entire calendar of more than 500 festivals, click here!
|
|
ATTENTION:
FESTIVAL PROMOTERS
|
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.
|
| | |
|
|
|
NOTE: Highlighted/Linked events here
are paid "Featured" ads
______________________
|
*CORONAVIRUS UPSETS:
Postponed here means they've rescheduled or 2020 is still pending.
Cancelled means some have picked a date for 2021 or are hopeful
CANCELLED
Juke Joint Festival
& Related Events
Apr-16-2020 - Apr-19-2020
Clarksdale, Mississippi, USA
POSTPONED
Birding & Blues Festival
Apr-17-2020 - Apr-19-2020
Pacific City, Oregon, USA
POSTPONED TO 2021
European Blues Challenge
Apr-17-2020 - Apr-18-2020
Amsterdam, Netherlands
POSTPONED
SRV Tribute Show!
Apr-18-2020, Minneapolis
Minnesota, USA
POSTPONED
New Orleans Jazz
and Heritage Festival
Apr-23-2020 - May-03-2020
New Orleans, Louisiana, USA
*VIRTUAL LIVE STREAM
Blues Hall of Fame
Induction Ceremony
May-6-2020
Memphis, Tennessee USA
*VIRTUAL LIVE STREAM
Blues Music Awards
May-7-2020
Memphis, Tennessee USA
|
| | For all festival-event links
please go to our website
_______________________
|
POSTPONED
Kimbrough Cotton Patch Soul Blues Festival
May-15-2020 - May-17-2020
Holly Springs, New York, USA
Sedalia BBQ & Blues
May-16-2020
Sedalia, Virginia, USA
3rd Annual
Baton Rouge Soul Food Festival
May-16-2020 - May-17-2020
Baton Rouge, Louisiana, USA
Bluesfest Eutin
May-21-2020 - May-24-2020
Eutin, Germany
BBQ Blues & Bikes Festival
May-23-2020
Elizabethtown, Kentucky, USA
ABQ Blues & Brews
May-24-2020
Albuquerque, Arizona, USA
Spring Fling Music Festival
May-30-2020
Mobile, Alabama, USA
Chicago Blues Festival
Jun-05-2020 - Jun-07-2020
Chicago, Illinois, USA
Canton Blues Fest
Jun-05-2020 - Jun-06-2020
North Canton, Ohio, USA
|
|
|
|
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!
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 share and report it.
We also welcome your e-Guide suggestions, critiques and questions. You can reach our E-Guide editor, Michele Lundeen via EMAIL.
For Gmail users: By default, emails may get into the Promotions tab in Gmail. Please check your Promotions tab for the download links and follow these instructions to make sure other important
RBA Publishing info is delivered to your main inbox: In your Promotions tab, drag any
RBA Publishing/Reggae Festival Guide/Blues Festival Guide email and drop it over to the Primary tab
2. Choose "Yes" to confirm that you never want to miss our news. For Yahoo!, Hotmail and AOL users: Yahoo!, Hotmail and AOL are using overly strong spam-blocking filters that are very likely to stop you from receiving our emails. Please set up your spam filters to allow mail from the info@BluesFestivalGuide.com and Info@ReggaeFestivalGuide.com
to ensure continuous delivery of our important content.
That’s it! Now you can stay up-to-date.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Hey blues lovers! Got 
