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Get your 19th Annual Blues Festival Guide Magazine!
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 We're excited to get back to the live music scene, and we know you feel the same. The 19th Blues Festival Guide is here! We're thrilled to have the talented Kevin Burt on our 19th annual cover thanks to the photography of Marilyn Stringer!
Our magazines are shipping so get your orders in to have and to hold and refer too throughout the year! The magazine is also digital on our website.
If you are a festival, venue, blues society, etc., please contact our distribution manager or your sales rep.
Along with our festival, artist and blues related features, here’s some of the the cool editorial:
Keeping the Blues Alive During a Pandemic By Irene Johnson
What’s Cookin’ with Larry Garner
The Lore of the Train By Michele Lundeen
Blues Against Hunger Society ...feeding thousands in the last decade while supporting, promoting and preserving the blues
Living Legend: Miss Lavelle White By Pam Cosel
The Blues Foundation Welcomes New Leadership... an interview with the new CEO and President
Ladies Sing & Play the Blues By Reverend Billy C. Wirtz
Thanks for digging and supporting the blues!
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Photo Moments with the New 19th Annual BFG Magazine!
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 Here's award-winning photographer and publisher Marilyn Stringer, Marilyn is this year's cover photographer.. She's here with the amazing, multi-talented, multi-faceted violinist, singer, songwriter, actress, Anne Harris.
The photo was captured during the 2021 North Atlantic Blues Festival, held July 10-11 in Rockland, Maine, where Harris performed with Gumbo, Grits & Gravy that also featured Guy Davis and Marcella Simien.
Photo courtesy Marilyn Stringer
Want your picture here with the Guide? Order the 19th annual now!
*ONCE YOU GET YOUR 9TH ANNUAL BLUES FESTIVAL GUIDE MAGAZINE, SEND US A PIC WITH IT!
If you're a BFG client? Reach out to your sales person so they can send to you!
Anyone can also 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 photo, caption (120 words or less), URL if applicable, and photo credit to e-Guide editor!
The Blues Foundation is official sponsor of our 2021 Blues Festival Guide!
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CD, Single & DVD Releases
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Jimmie Bratcher :: I’M HUNGRY
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"Mama Won't Fry No Chicken"
Website
The expression “Soul Food” gained popular notoriety in the 1960s, with its roots in African American and Native American culture dating back to the colonial period. The phrase has grown beyond a reference to traditional foods and has become synonymous with music, art, fashion, dance, and all aspects of African American culture.
Kansas City singer-songwriter, guitarist and ordained minister, Jimmie Bratcher was surely inspired by this legacy during the creation of his latest project simply titled I’m Hungry. With the help of his wife, Sherri, he has created a cookbook of nearly 200 recipes gathered from some of the world’s finest chefs and friends and family with an accompanying album of culinary inspired tunes. Bratcher earned the moniker, “The Electric Rev,” by delivering inspirational live performances and writing compelling material, which pairs the musical language of the blues with spiritual messages for decades. For his 12th album Bratcher gathered several musical friends in Kansas City and Nashville to record 10 original tracks and two inspired cover songs to round out this unique project. The music ranges from barrelhouse boogie to straight-ahead blues, roots rock and soul, mixed to enhance and inspire the downhome recipes, creating an entertaining and irreverent collection.
While the songs on the album don’t reference any specific recipes, beyond the reference to fried chicken, they do speak of many of the ingredients and the joy of cooking.
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Maria Muldaur with Tuba Skinny ::
LET'S GET HAPPY TOGETHER
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"Let's Get Happy Together"
Maria Muldaur Website
Tuba Skinny Website
Six-time Grammy nominee Maria Muldaur, dubbed “The First Lady of Roots Music,” continues her exploration of the great American roots music songbook, this time into the vintage jazz and blues sounds of the 1920s/’30s. For Let’s Get Happy Together, Maria teamed up with acclaimed New Orleans street band Tuba Skinny members Shaye Cohn – cornet; Todd Burdick – tuba; Barnabus Jones – trombone; Jason Lawrence – banjo; Craig Flory – clarinet; Greg Sherman – guitar; Max Bien-Kahn – guitar; and Robin Rapuzzi – washboard. This gem was recorded at Marigny Studios in New Orleans on Stony Plain Records
When Maria discovered the music of Tuba Skinny, she learned that just like her, these musicians study, play and immerse themselves in the early blues, jazz and jug-band music of the ‘20s and ‘30s. “They were not just playing a marvelous repertoire of cool tunes with great skill and authenticity, but somehow channeling the very atmosphere and vibration of that bygone era,” she says.
Just prior to the COVID Pandemic in January, 2020, Maria asked Tuba Skinny to collaborate for a showcase performance at the International Folk Alliance Conference in New Orleans. It was so well-received that an album was immediately conceived and recorded later that year, with the title track summing it all up: “Let’s Get Happy Together!” Performing 12 songs as closely as possible in feeling to the original recordings, Maria and Tuba Skinny breathed new life into rarely heard gems from this incredible era.
“It is my hope that by sharing the origins of these tunes, you will be inspired to look up these wonderful artists yourself on YouTube and start exploring and enjoying the endless abundance of incredible music they left us!” says Maria.
This is Maria’s 43rd album release in a long and storied career, (her ninth on Stony Plain).
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They’ve got it all at Prairie Dog Blues Festival July 30-31
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(PRAIRIE DU CHIEN, WI) - The Prairie Dog Blues Festival is one of the most laid-back blues festivals out there! It is held every year on Wisconsin’s historic St. Feriole Island in a beautiful city park, right on the Mississippi River and nestled between jagged cliffs and green hills untouched by the Ice Age! Once you get that cold drink in your hand, great tunes in your ear and good, friendly people all around, you'll realize you're at one of the most beautiful venues anywhere and will soon be calling yourself a Prairie Dogger!
This year's festival is July 30-31 and features: Ally Venable Band, Reverend Raven & The Chain Smokin' Altar Boys Featuring Westside Andy, Lil' Ed & The Blues Imperials, John Németh, Hooten Hallers, Avey Grouws Band, Roscoe Foster and The Rascal Theory, Bell Bros. Blues Revival (Lurrie and Steve Bell), Amanda Fish, Tony Holiday, Altered Five Blues Band, and Vella.
Plus, there is onsite camping or hotels nearby with shuttles running back and forth. You can camp right on site with your friends and meet new friends! Typical walk from your site to the gate of the festival is 200-300 yards. Food and drink as well as campfires, singing, playing music and telling stories is strongly encouraged. The festival is a 1-block walk off The Island and you are downtown surrounded by family-owned pubs, restaurants and small retail stores. Most of the downtown pubs this year will have bands as well. If staying in a motel, blues fest shuttles will get you to the fest in a 5-minute drive or less!
Tickets and camping are available online after May 1 at the website. Information on accommodations can be found here or by calling 800-732-1673. Like our Facebook page and watch to win free tickets to the Fest!
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River Basin Blues Fest is July 31 in Indiana
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 (NEWBURGH, IN) – The River Basin Blues Society and Moore Music will present the 2021 River Basin Blues Fest, Saturday, July 31st at Friedman Park Amphitheater in Newburgh, Indiana from 1pm-9pm (CST). The event is free and there will be both regional and national live music, food trucks and a beer garden.
Performing are the Houston based, international award-winning Keeshea Pratt Band who possess the skill and artistry of the blues and old-school Motown. Keeshea Pratt is the siren featured on the soaring, soulful, Mississippi-inspired vocals.
Big Al & the Heavyweights will be offering up a musical gumbo from Cajun to zydeco, blues to rock, and everything in between.
Blues 4 U is the only band to play all 30 years of the W.C. Handy Blues and Barbeque Festival in Henderson, Kentucky. The group features a Who’s Who of all-star area talent.
Boscoe France’s authentic musical style is an awe-inspiring alchemy of blues, rock, and little bit of down-home soul.
The acoustic blues guitar and harmonica duo of guitarist RJ Rigdon and harmonica man Gary Jines follow in the styles of Robert Johnson, Son House, and Big Bill Broonzy. The duo has been a fixture with the River Basin Blues Society since their beginnings.
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Switzerland's Smallest Big Blues Festival thru Aug 5
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(VALLEMAGGIA, SWITZERLAND) - Vallemaggia Magic Blues continues through August 5 on the beautiful squares of Switzerland's villages of Vallemaggia, which are the stages for this annual event. The festival offers many exciting evenings of a variety of blues music.
This small but great open-air festival, now in its 19th edition, welcomes dozens of national and international interpreters of blues and blues-rock music over the course of 5 weeks. Thanks to the original union between quality music and inviting sceneries, the event has definitely carved out a space among the major music festivals of the region. This year the program runs July 9 through August 5, with about twenty concerts on the squares of the villages of Vallemaggia.
Over the past years, about 500 concerts and 300 musicians have performed.
Find ticket info and artist lineups on their media sites.
Facebook
Website
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Vote for your fave 2021 Blues Blast Music Award Nominee
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Voting is going on now for the 2021 Blues Blast Music Awards and continues until August 6th, 2021. Find the link to vote here.
Contemporary Blues Album: Selwyn Birchwood – Living In A Burning House, Joyann Parker – Out of the Dark, Clarence Spady – Surrender, Chris Cain –Raisin’ Cain, John Németh – Stronger Than Strong, Shemekia Copeland – Uncivil War
Traditional Blues Album: Kim Wilson – Take Me Back, Anthony Geraci – Daydreams In Blue, Nora Jean Wallace – Blues Woman, Bobby Rush – Rawer Than Raw, Bob Corritore – Bob Corritore & Friends: Spider in My Stew, Elvin Bishop and Charlie Musselwhite – 100 Years Of Blues
Soul Blues Album: Bette Smith – The Good The Bad and The Bette, Tia Carroll – You Gotta Have It, Sonny Green – Found! One Soul Singer, Kevin Burt – Stone Crazy, Curtis Salgado – Damage Control, Dave Keller – You Get What You Give
Rock Blues Album: Gary Moore – How Blue Can You Get, Jeremiah Johnson – Unemployed Highly Annoyed, Walter Trout – Ordinary Madness, Alastair Greene – The New World Blues, Peter Parcek – Mississippi Suitcase, The Reverend Peyton’s Big Damn Band – Dance Songs For Hard Times
Acoustic Blues Album: Donna Herula – Bang at the Door, Catfish Keith – Blues at Midnight, EG Kight – The Trio Sessions, Dustin Arbuckle & Matt Woods, Erin Harpe – Meet Me In The Middle, Rob Stone featuring Elena Kato and Hiroshi Eguchi – Trio in Tokyo
Live Blues Album: Little G Weevil – Live Acoustic Session, Lady A – Lady A Live in New Orleans, Kenny Wayne Shepherd – Straight To You: Live, Blues Caravan 2020. George Benson – Weekend In London, The Halley DeVestern Band – Money Ain’t Time
Historical Or Vintage Recording: Fiona Boyes – Blues in My Heart, Franck Goldwasser – Going Back To Paris, Henry Gray and Bob Corritore – Cold Chills, Kid Ramos & Bob Corritore – Phoenix Blues Sessions, Little Richard – Southern Child, New Moon Jelly Roll Freedom Rockers -Volume 1
New Artist Debut Album:
Big Mike Aguirre feat. The Blu City All Stars – Mississippi Stew, Veronica Lewis – You Ain’t Unlucky, Sir Rod & the Blues Doctors – Come Together, Skylar Rogers – Firebreather, West Side Joe & The Men of Soul – Keep On Climbin’, Harvey Brindell – Pennies On The Dollar
Blues Band: Sugar Ray & the Bluetones, Anthony Geraci & The Boston Blues Allstars, John Németh & The Blue Dreamers, Rick Estrin & The Nightcats, Nick Moss Band Featuring Dennis Gruenling, The WildRoots
Male Blues Artist: John Németh, Chris Cain, Bobby Rush, Curtis Salgado, Selwyn Birchwood, Dave Keller
Female Blues Artist: Nora Jean Wallace, Shaun Murphy, Shemekia Copeland, Fiona Boyes, Lisa Mann, EG Kight
Sean Costello Rising Star Award: Crystal Thomas, Eddie 9V, Veronica Lewis, Kevin Burt, Ben Levin, Ghalia Volt
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- Greater West Texas Blues Society Thurs BYOB Blues Jam
- 2021 Iowa Blues Challenge Sept 19, 2021
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 (MIDLAND, TX) - The Destination (1705 W Industrial Avenue, Midland, Texas) has partnered with the Greater West Texas Blues Society (GWTBS) to support local musicians and promote Blues Music. Every 4th Thursday of each month starting Thursday, July 22nd from 7:30-10:30pm, join them for a live blues music jam.
Info at the GWTBS website. Email or call 432-553-5064 to let them know you're coming! Memberships and Sponsorships are also available.
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 (DES MOINES, IA) - All preliminary/final Iowa Blues Challenge rounds have been consolidated into one exciting competition taking place on September 19, 2021 from 4-9pm at Lefty’s Live Music in Des Moines, Iowa. A maximum of 4 Bands and 4 Solo/Duo acts will compete to move forward to the International Blues Challenge in Memphis, Tennessee. The application process will open August 1st and be on a first come first in basis. Only complete applications will be considered.
Participating acts will be vying for a prize package which included cash, recording time, opportunities for paid gigs (including but not limited to the 2022 Winter Blues Fest) and travel expense stipend for the 2022 International Blues Challenge in Memphis, Tennessee, presented by The Blues Foundation. Please contact the Iowa Blues Challenge Chair Julie Spong with questions via email.
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The Keeshea Pratt Band - "Believe"
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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!!
Announcing #37 West Coast LRBC
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 BOOK YOUR CABIN NOW!
LRBC#35 Southern Caribbean: Nov. 6~13, 2021 from Ft. Lauderdale, FL To Willemstad, Curacao; Oranjestad, Aruba and Half Moon Cay (Bahamas Private Island) on Holland America’s Ms Nieuw Amsterdam. Cabins & booking info HERE
SOLD OUT! JOIN WAITLIST: 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 ms Rotterdam. Bands & Waitlist info HERE.
WE’RE EXCITED TO ANNOUNCE OUR RETURN TO THE WEST COAST IN 2022! LRBC #37 Sea of Cortez: Oct. 29~Nov. 5, 2022 from San Diego, CA to Cabo San Lucas, La Paz & Loreto on Holland America’s ms Koningsdam. PREBOOK launches THURSDAY, JULY 15th @ 11am CT (9am PT / 10am MT / NOON ET). Visit HERE at that time!
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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Holidays, Birthdays and... Just In Case
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 "Hard times ain't nothing that music won't help heal..."
(Photo: B.B. King's tour bus c. 1956 by Ernest Withers)
Birthdays upcoming of note:
July 15-Willie Cobbs (1932); Washboard Sam aka Robert Brown (1910–1966); July 16-Denise LaSalle (1939-2018); July 17-Peppermint Harris (1925–1999); July 18 Jalacy "Screamin' Jay" Hawkins (1929–2000), Martha Reeves (1941), Lonnie Mack (1941-2016); July 19 Buster Benton (1932-1996), Little Freddie King (1940); July 20 Carlos Santana (1947), Steve Freund (1952), Sleepy LaBeef (1935-2019); July 21 Floyd McDaniel (1915-1995); July 22- George Clinton (1940); July 23 Tony Joe White (July 23, 1943); July 26 Popsy Dixon (1942), Mick Jagger (1943); July 27-Irene Johnson (BFG Magazine Editor)
 Just in case:
World Listening Day is July 18 and is hosted every year by the World Listening Project, a nonprofit organization that is “devoted to understanding the world and its natural environment, societies, and cultures through the practice of listening and field recording.”
While they explore acoustic ecology, there is no denying that blues rhythms and their vocal expressiveness are definitely part of natural, cultural and environmental “roots.”
Are you listening?
(Photo: Jordan Richman)
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Missed your Weekly e-Guide? Find back issues in our
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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 13,900+ Blues Freaks at our TWITTER feed @BluesFestGuide
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  Also Follow us on INSTAGRAM with 8,900+ BluesersSee awesome, bluesy festival photos
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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 July 17, 2021
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 #1
THE BLACK KEYS
Delta Kream
 #2ALLIGATOR RECORDS VARIOUS ARTISTS
50 Years of Genuine Houserockin' Music
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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 the festival links on our site for CURRENT UPDATES
Vallemaggia Magic Blues
Jul-09-2021 - Aug-05-2021
Vallemaggia / Ticino, Switzerland
VIRTUAL
Winthrop Rhythm & Blues Festival
Jul-16-2021 - Jul-18-2021
Winthrop, Washington, USA
Blues & Soul Legends
"The Relief Sessions"
Jul-23-2021 - Jul-25-2021
Burnsville, Minnesota, USA
Prairie Dog Blues Festival
July-30-2021 - July-31-2021
Prairie du Chien, Wisconsin, USA
River Basin Blues Fest
Jul-31-2021
Newburgh, Indiana, USA
Notodden Blues Festival
Aug-05-2021 - Aug-08-2021
Notodden, Norway
25th Annual Mammoth Festival
of Beers & Bluesapalooza
Aug-05-2021 - Aug-08-2021
Mammoth Lakes, California, USA
Magic City Blues
Aug-06-2021 - Aug-07-2021
Billings, Montana, USA
Lebanon Blues Festival
Aug-06-2021 - Aug-07-2021
Lebanon, Ohio, USA
Blue Ribbon Blues Fest
Aug-07-2021
Fairfield, Iowa, USA
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please go to our website
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In The Market for Blues
Omaha's Blues Fest
Aug-07-2021
Omaha, Nebraska, USA
20th Annual
Heritage Music BluesFest
Aug-13-2021 - Aug-15-2021
Wheeling, West Virginia, USA
Waukesha Rotary BluesFest
Aug-13-2021 - Aug-14-2021
Delafield, Wisconsin, USA
Joliet Blues Festival
Aug-14-2021
Joliet, Illinois, USA
Prairie Crossroads Blues Fest
Aug-14-2021
Champaign-Urbana, Illinois, USA
Blues from the Top
Aug-14-2021
Winter Park, Colorado, USA
Edmonton Blues Festival
Aug-20-2021 - Aug-22-2021
Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
Big Blues Bender
Sep-09-2021 - Sep-12-2021
Las Vegas, Nevada, USA
Tim Hortons Southside Shuffle Blues and Jazz Festival
Sep-09-2021 - Sep-12-2021
Mississauga, Ontario, Canada
Mississippi Valley
Blues Festival
Sep-17-2021 - Sep-18-2021
Davenport, Iowa, USA
Lancaster Roots and Blues
Oct-15-2021 - Oct-17-2021
Lancaster, Pennsylvania, USA
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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 (pictured) via EMAIL.
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Hey blues lovers! Got 
