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Photo Moments with the 18th Annual BFG Magazine!
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 HAPPY THANKSGIVING!
Throughout the year we stop and reflect on how thankful we are... sometimes it's when we've accomplished a feat, other times... when we realize our mortality. This year especially has been challenge and an eye-opener to say the least. But even when it seems all may be lost, we can still find peace in the small moments.
We know we should take nothing for granted and we so often have in the past. This year many of us have reflected on the tiniest of life's details and find we are grateful. Now, at Thanksgiving time, we reflect even more on family and friends... here ...and gone. The thought of the warmth and familiarity of them at the holiday time of year can override chaos even though they may not within reach, we remain thankful. I am personally thankful that I can express myself through my voice, my art and my pen and those that relate to that language. I'm thankful I can still find my mental strength when push comes to shove. From myself and the staff at BFG, we're thankful for you and we wish you and yours well.
...Your e-Guide Editor 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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Grainne Duffy :: VOODOO BLUES
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 Grainne Duffy is wickedly talented blues singer, songwriter and guitarist from Ireland. The debut album, Out Of The Dark, led her to the stage of Glastonbury festival in 2008. Duffy also is winner in the writer’s poll of Blues Matters in the categories: “Best Female Vocal” in 2014 and “Best Artist” in 2015.
The new release from Irish blues artist Grainne Duffy, Voodoo Blues, brings together in a perfect musical journey her influences of blues, rock, soul and roots music with her unique Irish Celtic style. A record that encapsulated the mood of a midnight swamp together with the heartfelt sensuality of her blues roots. With a voice that is as powerful as it is heartbreaking, coupled with her melodic guitar style, this album will bring the listener on a journey of heart and mind through the rolling, drumlin hills of her native misty Monaghan, to the roar of the wild Atlantic coast of her homeland, Eire in a unique spellbinding in a way only Grainne Duffy’s songs can do.
 "Voodoo Blues"
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Pascal Bokar :: AMERICAN TRAILS
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 Through his exciting CD release entitled American Trails, virtuoso guitarist, vocalist Pascal Bokar, Father of the “AfroBlueGrazz” sound, makes a resounding musical statement of the nature of the multi-cultural expressions and legacies of West African heritage and African American traditions through the Blues.
This new sound and blues-based CD connects the American musical traditions of the South with the original 4-string instrument from Mail West Africa, Ngoni or banjo and the West African balafon (ancestor of the xylophone) in a powerful rhythmic and multi-sonic Blues based contemporary gumbo that one has yet to discover.
American Trails deepens Pascal Bokar’s exploration of the Blues in his “AfroBlueGrazz” concept with an opening ear-popping version of blues great Otis Spann’s composition, “The Blues Don’t Like Nobody,” in a duet with vocalist Paula Harris and some blistering scat/guitar singing.
The first track of the album is followed by the sultry ballad “I Wanna See You in My Dreams,” also featuring Paula Harris. The funky, grooving “I Can Tell,” introducing the West African balafon (ancestor of the xylophone) and the banjo, is a hard-pulsing number that is sure to get everybody dancing, reuniting the old sonic landscape of the American South in a contemporary Blues and call and response format.
“Your Smile Inside My Nights” projects Pascal’s mellow baritone vocals in a light, syncopated and dance pulse followed by the hard-hitting Blues instrumental, “Let It Groove, All Night Long.” American Trails closes with “Everytime I See You There" featuring Pascal Bokar's fast and delirious guitar work which sums up this upbeat release that will delight audiences of all ages and tastes.
"The Blues Don't Like Nobody"
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Brigitte Purdy :: MEMPHIS HOTLINE (single)
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“Memphis Hotline” is the latest masterpiece from the multi-award winner, singer-songwriter and producer under Grammy consideration, Brigitte Purdy. Equally at ease with spitfire blues and sophisticated soul, the L.A. bred artist has continually climbed her way up the charts with silky, soulful hits such as “Lucille Don’t You Weep,” a tribute to the late B.B King, and her spellbinding “Hoodoo.”
“Brigitte is just so commanding of your attention. Purdy once again displays a mastery of her voice as she runs a gamut of emotions that can purr like a kitten or bring down the heavens with a growl that would have the devil running for cover.” …Peter Merritt, 106.7 Melbourne Australia
“Memphis Hotline” serves up a generous heaping of grit, great and toe tapping feet. Combining the brilliance of Drake Shinning on B3 and Dave Osti on guitars.
“Brigitte is a hidden gem. Her depth of expressivity and emotiveness, together with her rich, compelling and soulful tone, and her flawless technical prowess, make Brigitte Purdy a world-class lead vocalist of legendary potential.” ...Frank Simes, Musical Director for The Who.
“Robust musical arrangements, well-crafted lyrics and most of all, an artist capable of transferring her emotions from her singing voice to her listener.” …Gio Pilato, Blue Bird Reviews, UK
To have the ability to sing is something that many of us are naturally gifted from a very early age. Very few individuals, though, are able to connect such ability to their own emotions and translate them into singing and songwriting. Thanks to her pure and silky singing voice, Brigitte Rio Purdy has been invited to perform on the same stage with artists like Walter Trout, Sugaray Rayford, Tim Bogart, Dionne Warwick, and Dolly Parton among others, plus recorded background vocals for such artists as The Who and Paul Rodgers.
"Memphis Hotline"
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Bobby Rush in concert Dec 19
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 (MERIDIAN, MS) - Bobby Rush, a Blues Hall of Fame member, Grammy Award winner and legendary live performer, will present a solo blues concert at the historic MSU Riley Center (Meridian, Mississippi). The concert is scheduled for Saturday, Dec. 19, at 7:30 p.m. Kiss 104.1 FM is sponsor.
Rush, a singer, harmonica player and guitarist, began playing in juke joints in 1951, when he was just a teenager. His first hit record, “Sock Boo Ga Loo,” came in 1967, and he first hit the national charts with “Chicken Heads” in 1971.
Rush is still writing songs and still putting out records. He released his latest album, Rawer than Raw in August.
“I’m happy about what I’m doing and still enthused about what I’m doing,” he says. “And I think we’ve got some good songs.”
Awards voters agree.
Rush’s 2016 album Porcupine Meat won a Grammy as Best Traditional Blues Album and a Blues Music Award as Album of the Year. He has won 12 other Blues Music Awards and has received four other Grammy nominations, most recently for his 2019 album Sitting on Top of the Blues. Also in 2019, he made a cameo appearance in the film Dolemite Is My Name, which starred Eddie Murphy as 1970s and 1980s Black filmmaker Rudy Ray Moore.
Rush grew up in Arkansas and came to fame in Chicago when that was the center of the blues universe in the 1950s. For years now he has lived in Jackson, where a Mississippi Blues Trail marker is dedicated to him. He was inducted into the Mississippi Musicians Hall of Fame in 2012.
Rush has taken many musical roads over the decades, but he always comes back to the blues. …Read full story
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63rd GRAMMY Award Nominees
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Congratulations to these nominees!
The 63rd GRAMMY Awards® will air on Sunday, January 31, 2021, live on CBS.
BEST TRADITIONAL BLUES ALBUM
All My Dues Are Paid Frank Bey
You Make Me Feel Don Bryant
That's What I Heard Robert Cray Band
Cypress Grove Jimmy "Duck" Holmes
Rawer Than Raw Bobby Rush
 BEST CONTEMPORARY BLUES ALBUM
Have You Lost Your Mind Yet? Fantastic Negrito
Live At The Paramount Ruthie Foster Big Band
The Juice G. Love
Blackbirds Bettye LaVette
Up And Rolling North Mississippi Allstars
BEST AMERICANA ALBUM
El Dorado Marcus King
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Talk A Blues Streak Documentary Wins Award
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Talk A Blues Streak, a documentary produced by Bill Prewitt and hosted by Richard (Dick) Shurman, just won the 62nd Annual Chicago/Midwest Emmy Award for Interview/Discussion Programming. Prewitt has been a staple of the Chicago Blues Scene Since 1967 as the first permanent guitar and harp player for Otis Rush. Dick Shurman is a record producer, sound engineer, music journalist, music historian, and publisher among other accolades.
The documentary, a story about Bill Prewitt and his music filmed live at "B. L. U. E. S. On Halsted, features some great Chicago Blues history with stories about Otis Rush, Paul Butterfield, and Sam Lay among others, and a variety of photos, memorabilia interlaced.
Prewitt exclaimed, “To win an Emmy in the category Documentary/ Interview is more than humbling. Richard Shurman hosting made everything come together along, with the genius of Director/Producer Hector Perez and the entire crew at Rocket Productions here in Chicago that included Charlie Celenza, Dan Perez & Linda Melazzo. Thanks to Jennifer Littleton and Matk Skyer (better known as Mark Skyer) from B.L.U.E.S. nightclub. Thank you Don Winter for the incredible job of lighting the set and Don Griffen for all the audio engineering. Special thanks to Sam Lay and Mike Wheeler for being part of the project!”
Congratulations on this fine project for posterity.
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New Art Available in Blues Foundation's Online Store!
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 (MEMPHIS, TN) - For visitors to the Blues Hall of Fame Museum, the artwork of Karyn Klinger should look familiar. We are excited to feature her work in the Blues Foundation Online Store.
Karyn has created limited edition illustrations depicting Blues Hall of Famers on 45 records and wood pieces.
The online store has also replenished Blues Foundation face masks.
Click here to shop the online store
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Can't Stop The Blues (CSTB)
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This Week on Can't Stop The Blues
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 Follow this link for the shows at Can’t Stop the Blues:
• FRIDAY 11/27:
9pm EST: Mr. Sipp - Sipp’s Groove Room Encore
10pm EST: Greaseland Fridays w/ Friends Festival - Vol 4
• SATURDAY 11/28: 9pm EST: Tommy Castro & The Painkillers at Rancho Nicasio Parts I & II Encore
• SUNDAY 11/29: 9pm EST: Professor Louie's Blues and Inspiration, w/The Crowmatix
10pm EST: Rick Estrin & The Nightcats - Together Again Encore
• MONDAY 11/30:
9pm EST: Winthrop R&B Presents: The Greyhounds
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Frank Bey & The Anthony Paule Soul Orchestra "Imagine"
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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.
 Here's a note from a music fan:
"Beachland Ballroom, Cleveland, Ohio, November 12th. The club did an amazing job of making everyone safe. It was wonderful to see and hear Tab and his band. Everyone was so thrilled to be there. Unfortunately they just closed again due to the Covid numbers. It felt like a normal world for a couple of hours."
Patty Duber/Cleveland, OH
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 | (816) 753-7979 | BluesCruise.com
- 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 with Andy Watts
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 SEASON 2/EPISODE 33: Andy Watts, known as Israel's Ambassador of the Blues, joins us in time for Tom to wish fans a Happy Thanksgiving 2020. They chat about Andy's recording career and his recent work with blues superstar Joe Louis Walker, who has himself been a guest on Chasing the Blues.
Andy has performed with many of the modern blues greats including Kenny Neal, Lucky Peterson, Johnny Winter, Rick Estrin, Bernard Alison and Eliza Neals, as well Joe Louis Walker. Andy developed such tight musical chemistry with Kenny Neal that Kenny not only co-produced Andy’s new album Supergroove, but he also released it on his label, Booga Music in conjunction with the Vizztone label group.
 Supergroove is a highly charged album of ten electrifying blues tracks - dusted with a bit of rock, funk and R&B. Along with his great 9-piece band, the album features Andy’s sometimes gritty, sometimes slinky guitar and his soulful vocals.
LISTEN
DOWNLOAD
Listen to the Chasing The Blues Podcast on Spreaker, Apple and Spotify
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Chasing the Blues, now close to the end of it's 2nd Season, is a weekly podcast by Tom The Suit Forst, a blues musician, recording artist, and podcaster who was inducted into the CT and NY Blues Hall of Fame in 2018. This episode is the 83rd broadcast to date.
Chasing the Blues podcast is produced and sponsored in part by Factory Underground Studio in Norwalk, CT. Season media sponsorship is provided by Blues Festival Guide Magazine which Bobby Rush calls the "Roadmap to the Blues." Watch the Chasing the Blues YouTube debut edition that featured an exclusive interview with John Oates of Hall and Oates, discussing his recent blues album. A special follow up YouTube presentation featuring Samantha Fish will launch in December 2020.
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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:
Nov 26 Tina Turner (1939), Bernard Allison (1965); Nov 27 Jimi Hendrix (1942-1970); Nov 29 John Mayall (1933); Nov 30 Robert Nighthawk (1909-1967), Brownie McGhee (1915-1996), Smokin’ Joe Kubek (1956-2015), Shuggie Otis (1953); Dec 4 Larry Davis (1936); Dec 5 Alec "Rice" Miller aka Sonny Boy Williamson II (1912-1965), "Little Richard" Penniman (1932); Dec 6 Sean Carney; Dec 8 Gregg Allman (1947-2017); Dec 9 Junior Wells (1934-1998), Dec 10 Guitar Slim (1926-1959); Dec 11 Big Mama Thornton (1926-1984); Dec 12 Joe Williams (1918-1999), Lonesome Sundown (1928-1955); Dec 13 Lurrie Bell (1958), Lucky Peterson (1964-2020);
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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 13,800+ Blues Freaks at our TWITTER feed @BluesFestGuide
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  Also Follow us on INSTAGRAM with 7,500 BluesersSee 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) ...be back next week
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Billboard Blues Album This week
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Billboard's Top 2 Blues Albums - Week of Nov 28, 2020
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  #1
ROYAL TEA
Joe Bonamassa
#2 A GULF COAST CHRISTMAS
Various Artists
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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 8,000 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
Can't Stop The Blues
Thurs-Sun 9PM EST
Facebook, Universal
Samantha Fish Cigar Box
Guitar Festival
Jan-13-2021 - Jan-16-2021
New Orleans, Louisiana, USA
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
Whitby Rhythm &
Blues Festival
Feb-20-2021
Whitby, North Yorkshire, UK
Southport Blues,
Rhythm & Rock Festival
Feb-21-2021
Southport, United Kingdom
Bluesberry Festival
Mar-06-2021
Covington, Louisiana, USA
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please go to our website
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Cleethorpes Blues,
Rhythm & Rock Festival
Mar-06-2021
Cleethorpes, United Kingdom
Chelsea Blues, Rhythm & Rock Festival
Mar-13-2021
Fulham, London, UK
Looe Blues, Rhythm
& Rock Festival
Mar-19-2021 - Mar-21-2021
Looe, United Kingdom
Juke Joint Festival
& Related Events
Apr-15-2021 - Apr-18-2021
Clarksdale, Mississippi, USA
Baton Rouge Blues Festival
Apr-16-2021 - Apr-18-2021
Baton Rouge, Louisiana, USA
Temecula Blues Festival
Apr-17-2021
Temecula, California, USA
Bob Sykes BBQ & Blues Festival
Apr-24-2021
Bessemer, Alabama, USA
15th Clarksdale
Caravan Music Fest
May-8-2021
Clarksdale, Mississippi, 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 
