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Photo Moments with the 18th Annual BFG Magazine!
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 Got out of the house to go see one of the longstanding, local faves ... Len Rainey & The Midnight Players performed some super tight, rockin' blues and soul at the Old Town Blues Club in Temecula, California Sunday afternoon Sept 27. Staff took temps at the patio entrance and were keeping a head count and not letting the inside get packed at all. The club is now serving food.
Lt-Rt are award-winning bassist, singer, songwriter Len Rainey, Grammy and multiple Gold recording artist (Elvin Bishop), producer, blues and slide guitarist, singer, songwriter Johnny V Vernazza, and award-winning saxman, singer Walter Gentry.
Photo: Michele Lundeen
*Don't have your 2020 magazine? Order one here! Once you receive, have fun, get creative and SNAP A PHOTO of you, your friends, and/or artists, etc. with the BFG magazine and EMAIL your photo, caption (120 words or less), a URL if applicable, and photo credit to your e-Guide editor! We Encourage Individual Subscribers. However, if you know of a location that's open that we might send a box to, please let us know.
The Blues Foundation is the official sponsor of our 2020 Blues Festival Guide!
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CD, Single & DVD Releases
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BigLLou Johnson :: SUNSHINE ON YO FACE
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 It’s been a minute since Blues Music Award Winner, BigLLou Johnson as released any new blues music. Not that he hasn’t been in the studio though. Au contraire, he practically lives in his own home studio where he says he tries to stay busy churning out voice overs for TV and radio spots and even doing character voices for toys. But you may know him best as the Voice Host of one of the biggest blues stations in the world, B.B. Kings Bluesville on Sirius-XM, a gig he’s had since Sirius and XM merged. He was chosen by the original and legendary Program Director, Bill Wax.
The two became great friends and it was Bill who encouraged him to record his first blues album and use local musicians from Chicago. Bill also invited him to co-host the Blues Music Awards which were broadcast on Bluesville at the time. It was in Memphis that he met the blues legend Mr. Bobby Rush who gave him the advice, “When you make a record... make sure you put your name in it so folks will remember you.” And that’s how the Blues Music Award winning album, They Call Me Big LLou, came into being. BigLLou took home the award for “Best New Artist” in 2013.
Fast forward to 2020 — America is divided and in the throngs of a pandemic, so BigLLou thought that this was as good a time as any to put pen to paper and finish the album he’d been working off and on for years. “SunShine On Yo Face” is the first release from the upcoming album, Big Man – The Legend of BigLLou, on GoldenVoice Audio Recordings. The tune is available on all streaming platforms and from his website. Portions of the proceeds from the single will benefit the Covid-19 Blues Musician Emergency Relief Fund. ...Read more about BigLLou's adventures
 "SunShine On Yo Face"
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Guanipa King Band :: GUITAR MAN
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 Santiago Hernández, Guanipa King (1971), was born in Galicia and moved to Andalusia at a young age. Self-taught in his musical training, he plays the guitar and harmonica. Composing from a very young age, it is with this project, the Guanipa King Band, that he wants to express those passions and bring them to the stage. Musical influences range from Joe Cocker to B.B. King, to Buddy Guy and John Lee Hooker among others. Two projects prior to this one defined his style. A first project, the Latin Blues Band, is where he began to present his own compositions in Spanish. Later it would be the Guanipera Blues Band with which he toured the southern part of Portugal combining his own compositions with versions of classics such as “Let The Good Times Roll,” “Sweet Home Chicago,” “Born Under A Bad Sign,” etc.
In 2017 he started and promoted the Guanipa King Band to definitively embark on his own compositions in Spanish. Joining this project are Sevillian drummer Jorge Hidalgo and Canarian Fabio Pérez on bass. Together they shape this compact band that brings a show full of strength and elegance without fanfare to the stage.
In 2018 they recorded their debut album, El Camino más Difícil, featuring 10 original songs in blues, rock and country styles. In 2019, their second album, Whiskey y Blues, offered another 10 original songs that feature styles from folk, rock, blues.
In 2020 they've recorded their third album, Guitar Man which Blues 21 calls "rock blues in it's purest form."
"Guanipa King Band is a blues-rock trio led by songwriter, guitarist, harmonica, and singer Guanipa King. A blues and rock and roll devourer who insists on moving away from orthodoxy to incinerate the most purist ears with his eloquent penetration into the twelve bars. Sing in Spanish, your language, and in profane ears it may not fit, but the texts, the force and their mimicry are inherited directly from Chuck Berry and John Lee Hooker. Rock blues in its purest form." (Guitar Man review from www.blues21.com)
"Kisses Around Me"
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Colombia’s Virtual Edition of The Blues & Folk Festival 2020 now thru Oct 3
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 The 2020 Virtual Edition of the Blues & Folk Festival event began Sept 21 and runs through Oct 3rd. The event celebrates roots music through Blues, Folk and other local musical forms with influences from Rock, Jazz, and Soul as well as African and Colombian folk rhythms. Here’s the official Festival program. The event will be streaming through the social media pages of the Centro Cultural Colombo Americano and its partners around the country.
Watch at the Colombo American Cultural Center YouTube site or their Facebook page.
Enjoy concerts plus educational activities such as conferences and discussion panels. Artists have prepared music from a wide range of venues that go from home studios, living rooms and outdoor venues. Acts include a variety of Colombian musicians from all around the country like Victor Roll (Cali), Madriguera (Cali), Cali Blues Brothers (Cali), plus some international artists including Jonn Del Toro Richardson, Austin Walkin’ Cane and Ben Rice (United States), Supertonics (Armenia) and more. The Mixed Tape closing of the virtual edition includes other surprise appearances from artists in the United States and Spain.
With the support of the US Embassy in Colombia, the municipal government of Cali, Colombia, the Network of American Spaces in Colombia, universities and local cultural organizations, the 2020 Virtual Edition of the Blues & Folk Festival is a response to the current COVID-19 crisis, a celebration of artists’ resilience and society’s desire to stay safe and stay together through music.
Returning this year after receiving The Blues Foundation´s prestigious “Keeping The Blues Alive Award 2020,” the first Latin-American organization to receive the award, the Blues & Folk Festival Virtual Edition could be described as a tapestry of digital ingenuity and labor of love. The national line up also includes some important streaming in partnership with the Blues & Fusion Festival in Pereira and the Medellin Blues Festival.
Here's the festival's sample Playlist of artists
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13th annual Bellevue Jazz & Blues Festival is Virtual Oct 3-9
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The 13th annual Bellevue Jazz & Blues Festival, hosted by Bellevue Downtown and the Washington Blues Society, has gone virtual! Introducing the #HeartofBellevue Jazz & Blues Music Series: stream performances produced at Resonance Events (plus get great deals on takeout). Watch here.
Blues acts, many Washington Blues Society Award Winners, include the Stacy Jones Band, blues-rocker Cory Vincent, Polly O’Keary and the Rhythm Method, Mercedes Nicole (jazzy-blues), C.D. Woodbury Trio, Ben Hunter & Joe Seamons (folk-blues), Chris Eger, (rock-blues) Jacqueline Tabor & Marina Albero (jazz-blues), Brian Butler Blues Band, The High Note Group, and Lady A.
20 FREE performances featuring 60+ top, local musicians. Special food and drink offers at select venues.
See Full Lineup
Facebook Event Page
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Recording Submission Final Deadline Oct 15 for 2021 Blues Music Awards Consideration
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 (MEMPHIS, TN) - All musicians are invited to submit their Blues recordings for consideration for The Blues Foundation's 2021 Blues Music Awards. Blues music released between November 1, 2019 and October 31, 2020 is eligible for consideration.
You may formally submit your album or minimum 6-song EP for consideration via our online service. All album and EP submissions are allowed a free "Song of the Year" submission with your entry.
This year, we have added the opportunity to submit a single for "Song of the Year" consideration even if you do not have a full album or EP released. To be eligible for submission, your single must be a first-ever recording professionally released to the public between November 1, 2019 and October 31, 2020 and may not be part of a larger EP or full album release. To submit a single for "Song of the Year," you must contact Joe Whitmer via email. Singles may not be directly uploaded to the online submission platform without a special code.
The submission process officially closes on October 15, 2020. You must upload your music and artwork and complete payment for your submission transaction no later than October 15th to be considered for a Blues Music Award nomination.
All music must be uploaded as a WAV file with album artwork uploaded as a JPEG or PDF file. If you need assistance with uploading your music, album artwork, and/or liner notes, please contact Joe Whitmer via email.
The submission link is also available on The Blues Foundation website.
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A Farewell Note from Barbara
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 Dear Blues Friends,
When I shared with The Blues Foundation’s board leadership last winter that I had made the very hard decision to step down from my role as its President and CEO to begin my retirement at the end of September, I could not begin to fathom how quickly these 7 ½ months would fly by. Yet here we are, and at the close of today, I’ll be passing the baton to your new Blues Foundation leader, Patty Aden, as I begin to shift into my own new normal of slower days, more time with family, travel on the horizon, and baskets of fond memories of my years at the helm of this wonderful and important organization.
I reflect upon my time with The Blues Foundation and feel the bittersweet tug of looking ahead to my future while recognizing that I am stepping away from a role I have loved. My passion for the blues inspired me to give my all to the organization and will stay with me long after I clean out my desk and turn in my keys. This job has been more fulfilling than anything I have ever taken on before and has been way more fun than I ever thought work could be. I recognize that I have stood on the shoulders of all who came before me – musicians, industry, fans, and prior Blues Foundation leadership. I am filled with great pride for all we have accomplished together in these past five years: from digitizing and expanding the Blues Music Awards submission process, nominations, and awards show to growing and developing the programming of the International Blues Challenge; from forming new and powerful industry alliances to broadening the worldwide reach and awareness of The Blues Foundation and with it this genre.
...Find more of Barbara's heartfelt farewell
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LRBC "Driftin' & Driftin'" Happy Hour Episode 5 with Shemekia Copeland & Rev. Billy C. Wirtz Live on Oct 1st
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Join us for Legendary Rhythm & Blues Cruise Happy Hour with Shemekia Copeland! Tune in Thursday, Oct. 1st @ 5-6PM CST.
LRBC’s Driftin' & Driftin' is a close up with our Blues stars. On each episode, Rev. Billy C. Wirtz talks musician to musician with our favorite Cruise artists!
Don’t Miss! Thursday, October 1st @ 5PM CST
Facebook Events or Facebook Live or LRBC YouTube
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Winners chosen for their One-On-One “Live” Video Experience with an Award-Winning Blues Artist
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Our One-On One “Live” Video Experience Contest
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 Hey Blues Lovers,
Check out the video of BigLLou announcing our 3rd winner, Pete Lindstrand from Visalia, California.
Pete says, "...thanks for selecting me... this whole process should be fun!"
All our winners have now been picked and we congratulate them!! Our last winner will be announced in next week's issue. Our 4 winners will enjoy their individual one-on-one with award winning artists Sugaray Rayford, Albert Castiglia, Southern Avenue and Dawn Tyler Watson. We'll also keep you posted on the outcome of their one-on-one Zoom meeting!
Winner’s names were randomly drawn by celebrity entertainer BigLLou (Facebook).
This contest is brought to you by Blues Festival Guide, Chasing the Blues Podcast, The Blues Foundation and BigLLou.
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Thoughts about venues opening... share yours!
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 Hey Blues Fans!! We see some blues music venues are opening up around the country. Albeit, opening then closing then opening, etc.
"I attended a live show Sept 27 (see the "Photo Moments with your BFG" section this issue) at Old Town Blues Club (Temecula, CA) which is now serving food. They've just very recently started with live music. The staff were conscientious (took temps), the tables on patio and inside were spread apart and they made sure that occupancy was limited to 50%. It was so amazing to get out and hear live music and see some music friends. Yay! As a working musician myself this has been extremely hard! It's my life!! However, I've been very cautious as well plus I have had no public gigs per se, which has stopped me in my tracks financially (and mentally).
It was hard for the audience to stay contained towards the very end of the afternoon (cocktails and tight grooves), but most maintained distance. Elbow "hugs" were in full force overall. People were eating and drinking but masks were worn when people entered or were up moving around. The band were also longtime friends and bandmates who invited me up on a few tunes (mic was disinfected). I have to tell you I was in heaven.
I also attended another friend's outdoor blues gig the week before. The bandleader has recently crafted a flatbed trailer as a stage to be able to pull up a safe distance in the parking lot alongside the venue's patio (he's also developed some other sanitizing safety measures). The venue was limiting occupancy as well and requiring masks. What a treat it was to hear and see and "feel" live music again. Masks and mostly distancing were the norm here. (More on the flatbed stage, etc. later.)"
Michele Lundeen/San Marcos, CA
We're interested in your thoughts:
- Have you attended any shows and where?
- If so, how was the vibe (i.e. joyous, awkward, crowded, etc.)
- If not, when will you feel comfortable attending?
- If you're a musician, have you performed live for an audience recently?
- If so, how was the vibe and attendance?
Email me 100 words MAX and make sure to put "VENUES OPENING" in subject line (so it doesn't get lost in my email). Tell us where in the world you're located. Feel free to send me a pic of your favorite blues music experience if you like, too.
Wishing you all good health and peace,
Michele
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Which Legendary Rhythm & Blues Cruise Hits Your Groove?
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Our Artists & Headliners Stay & Play, They Don’t Hit & Run!!
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 LRBC#35 Southern Caribbean: Oct. 24~31, 2021 From Ft. Lauderdale, Fl To Willemstad, Curacao; Oranjestad, Aruba & Half Moon Cay (Bahamas Private Island) On Holland America’s Ms Eurodam. Cabins & Info HERE
 LRBC #36 Eastern Caribbean: Jan. 29~Feb. 5, 2022 From Ft. Lauderdale, Fl To Tortola, St. Thomas & Turks And Caicos On Holland America’s New Flagship Ms Rotterdam. Cabins & Info @ HERE
Visit Reservations Or Call (816) 753-7979 To Reserve Your Cabin!
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LEGENDARY RHYTHM & BLUES CRUISE
313 Lawrence St., Kansas City, MO
- More Than A Cruise… More Than A Festival…
More Than You Can Imagine! -
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Chasing The Blues Podcast
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Tom "The Suit" Forst Chasing The Blues will be back next week
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 SEASON 2:
Listen for Chasing the Blues Podcast on Apple Music, iTunes, Spotify and wherever podcasts are streamed around the world. Stay tuned for the new Chasing the Blues YouTube Television show starting soon.
Chasing the Blues Podcast is produced by Factory Underground Studio, and Marketed by Factory Underground Media (Norwalk, CT). The season sponsor of the podcast is Blues Festival Guide Magazine, which Bobby Rush calls the "Roadmap to the Blues."
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Michael "Iron Man" Burks - "Fire & Water"
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Print & Digital Versions Available
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18th Blues Festival Guide Magazine Print & Digital Editions
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 (ARCATA, CA) — RBA Publishing offers the 18th annual Blues Festival Guide magazine in both print and digital formats as well as our weekly Blues Festival e-Guide newsletter.
Blues legend Bobby Rush calls our magazine: The Roadmap to Everything Blues. Indeed, the articles offer something for everyone, all blues related, of course. This year’s engaging editorial is once again from aficionados in the blues community.
- Living Legend: Charlie Musselwhite By Eric Steiner
- Blues Movies Reel Away the Blues By Roger Stolle
- The Healing Blues By Anita Schlank, Ph.D.
- What’s Cookin’ with Victor Wainwright
- The Jus’ Blues Music Foundation
- Jammin’ On the High C’s On Board the LRBC By Mitch Woods
- A King and A Duke By Reverend Billy C. Wirtz
- Festivals Receive KBA
- Blues: An African Sonic Response By Pascal Bokar Thiam, Ed.D.
To order a hard copy mailed to your home, send $9 to RBA Publishing Inc. P.O. Box 920, Arcata, CA 95518. To read the 64-page magazine online for free, visit our website.
Blues Festival Guide is a division of RBA Publishing, Inc, which specializes in blues publishing, publicity and marketing.
...Click here to read cool mini descriptions of these fine articles
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 Birthdays upcoming of note:
Oct 1 Albert Collins (1932-1993), George "Wild Child" Butler (1936-2005); Oct 2-Coco Montoya (1951); Oct 3-Stevie Ray Vaughan (1954-1990), Billy Branch (1951), Keb' Mo' (1951), Deborah Coleman (1956-2018); Oct 4-Duke Robillard (1948), Betsie Brown (Blind Raccoon); Oct 5-Roy Book Binder (1943), Rick Estrin (1949); Oct 6-Cheryl O'Grady Yearnshaw (great friend & BFG Sales Director), Diunna Greenleaf (1957); Oct 8-Andy “T” Talamantez; Oct 9-O.V. Wright (1939-1980); Oct 4-Duke Robillard (1948), Betsie Brown (Blind Raccoon); Oct 5-Roy Book Binder (1943), Rick Estrin (1949); Oct 6-Cheryl O'Grady Yearnshaw (great friend & BFG Sales Director), Diunna Greenleaf (1957); Oct 8-Andy “T” Talamantez; Oct 9-O.V. Wright (1939-1980); Oct 10-Cyril Neville (1948)
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Missed your copy of the Weekly e-Guide?
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BFG Twitter-Instagram-Facebook
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Join Blues Freaks at our Tweeter feed & on Instagram
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Hey, come on over and Join over 13,000+ Blues Freaks at our TWITTER feed @BluesFestGuide
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  Also Follow us on INSTAGRAM See awesome, bluesy festival photos
from our team and fellow blues lovers!
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Get your Face in our Book
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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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Radio Submit Roots Blues Airplay Chart (click chart for more)
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Billboard Blues Album This week
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Billboard's Top 2 Blues Albums - Week of Oct 3, 2020
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 #1
LIVE VOL. 1
GP-20
 #2A NEW DAY NOW: 20TH ANNIVERSARY EDITION
Joe Bonamassa
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We've Got You Covered with Live Streams & Online Concerts
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Blues Festival Guide Magazine Media Platforms Feature Live Streams, Online Concerts & more
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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.
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 to share your events
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To view entire calendar of festivals & Live Streams, 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 are paid "Featured" ads. For complete list & links go to our website Festival page!
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*CORONAVIRUS UPSETS:
Please click through the festival links on our site for most current updates
VIRTUAL
Blues & Folk Festival
Sept-21-Oct-3-2020
Cali, Columbia
Oostburg Boogie
Oct-3-2020
Oostburg, Wisconsin USA
VIRTUAL
Bellevue Jazz & Blues Festival
Oct-3-Oct-9-2020
Bellevue, Washington, USA
VIRTUAL
Can't Stop The Blues Fundraiser
Oct-4-2020
Facebook
VIRTUAL
Crescent City Blues & BBQ Festival “Festing In Place”
Oct-16-Oct-18-2020
Interstate Blues Fest
Nov-6-2020 - Nov-7-2020
Hagerstown, Maryland, USA
Bude Blues Rhythm
& Rock Festival
Nov-06-2020 - Nov-08-2020
Cornwall, United Kingdom
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please go to our website
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CANCELLED
CT Rhythm & Blues Festival
Nov-13-2020 - Nov-14-2020
Farmington, Connecticut, USA
Blues at Bridgetown
Nov-13-2020 - Nov-15-2020
Bridgetown, Australia
Looe Blues,
Rhythm & Rock Festival
Dec-11-2020 - Dec-13-2020,
Looe, United Kingdom
Cleethorpes Blues,
Rhythm & Rock Festival
Dec-20-2020
Cleethorpes, United Kingdom
Great British Rock
& Blues Festival
Jan-15-2021 - Jan-18-2021
Lincolnshire, Skegness, UK
Clarksdale Film
& Music Festival
Jan-29-2021 - Jan-31-2021
Clarksdale, Mississippi, USA
Southport Blues,
Rhythm & Rock Festival
Feb-21-2021
Southport, United Kingdom
Bluesberry Festival
Mar-06-2021,
Covington, Louisiana, USA
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Please stay safe and optimistic!
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We are thinking of you and wishing you good health!
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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 18 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 do CD/DVD reviews nor 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.
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Hey blues lovers! Got 
