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Photo Moments with the 20th Annual BFG Magazine!
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 Here's guitarist, singer, songwriter JC Smith showing off his Blues Festival Guide at Bluesday's Tuesday's at Palisades Tahoe.
The charismatic artist delivers the goods from jumpin’ Blues to old school Soul. Originally a drummer, Smith switched to his Gibson 335 guitar in 2000 and never looked back. Based in the San Jose, CA area, he has toured the world and shared stages with notables including Pinetop Perkins, B.B. King, Buddy Guy, Hubert Sumlin to name a few. A multi-award winning artist, Smith's accolades include Bay Area Blues Society "West Coast Band of The Year."
Photo: David Rocco
ORDER YOUR 2022 MAGAZINE!
*GET US A PIC WITH ANNUAL BFG MAG! If you're a BFG client contact your sales rep for one.
Anyone can Order 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 the 20th Anniversary Blues Festival Guide!
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In the midst of Hot August Blues... whew & yay!
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 Who can forget, and I know we'd like to, when the Spring of the 2020 festival season stumbled, then literally fell, lifted itself up here and there, and then somehow, thankfully, albeit carefully, slowly eased it's way back onto the live scene, little by little, by little, come Spring of 2021.
Back in those dark days, we spent each week having to type "cancelled and "postponed" on the majority of festival listings that had been entered on our online calendar. It was heartbreaking for us all... artists, promoters, venues, fans, not to mention loss of momentum and the damage to livelihoods for those who depended on it. Thank goodness for the "virtual" spinoffs that ensued, and the creative startups from music lovers like the folks at "Can't Stop The Blues." Those virtual, musical life rafts kept us afloat! But still... we longed to experience the soul-enriching music and the camaraderie of a live event. Festival days were a given and a reward we looked forward to. Then there were next to none.
Today I was recalling that in Aug 2020 there were a mere 15 events listed and the majority ended up cancelled due to COVID concerns. As a community, I believe we all remained vigilant and as careful as we could, but man, it seemed like the lockdown would never end and the prospects of anything returning to normal (whatever that was going to be), seemed dim.
But low and behold, now this Aug 2022 there are 50 festival events listed (and you know there's more out there as well). This made me smile to know that our patience as a whole (such as it was!), due diligence and persistence seems to have paid off. We are thrilled that our musical lifeline has been coming back!
Also, on that note, if you're a promoter, and your upcoming festival is not listed on our website, please list ASAP via this link (free of charge)! Listing your festival allows us to share your efforts, which in turn helps music lovers find you and enjoy and support your event and the talented artists that also live to perform.
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Saturday’s MVBF Main Stage includes Rick Estrin and Vanessa Collier
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 (DAVENPORT, IA) – Saturday’s Main Stage artists at the 2022 Mississippi Valley Blues Fest (MVBF) include Ivan Singh, Altered Five Band, Rick Estrin & The Nightcats, Vanessa Collier, and Bernard Allison.
Held on Friday and Saturday, September 16-17 at the historic LeClaire Park in Davenport, Iowa, there will be food vendors and merchandise along with top talent. Tickets can be purchased here or at the gate. Attendees 16 and younger are free with adult!
The unrivaled, uniquely crafted talent that oozes from Rick Estrin & The Nightcats band may only be upstaged at times by the soulful and brilliant Estrin’s sideways glance as he delivers his one-two punch of humorously, raw-honest observations of life in song. This original, multi award-winning unit is unstoppable, in-your-face, serious and infectious fun. The top-notch lineup of Estrin on vocals/harmonica, Kid Andersen on guitar/background vocals, Lorenzo Ferrell on piano/organ, and force of nature Derrick “D’Mar” Martin on drums and gymnastics, deliver like none other.
Also on Saturday you’ll witness young, dynamic Vanessa Collier delivering a fiery, passionate set. As a master musician and multi-instrumentalist, Vanessa Collier, weaves funk, soul, rock, and blues into every performance. She’s downright impressive as well as personable. With soulful vocals, searing saxophone, and witty, insightful songwriting, Vanessa has racked up an impressive arsenal of honors including Contemporary Blues Female Artist of the Year (2022), and Blues Music Awards (BMA) for Horn Player of the Year (2019-2020).
Look for details on the remaining MVBF Saturday artists in next week’s e-Guide.
Appearing on the Main stage Friday are Kevin Burt and Big Medicine, Billy Branch and Sons of The Blues, Joe Louis Walker, and Sue Foley.
On the Tent Stage Friday is Avey Grouws Band, and Molly Nova & The Hawk, and Saturday, it’s Kent Burnside, The Soul Searchers, and The Matt Woods Band.
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Canada’s 2022 Bluezha Paloozha Blues Circus Sept 3-4
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 (CALGARY, ALBERTA, CANADA) - The Bluezha Paloozha 2nd Annual Blues Circus festival will be held Sept 3-4 on the grounds of the Calgary Shrine Centre (5225 101 St. NW, Calgary). The festival is a partnership between The Blues Can and The Calgary Shriners Of Southern Alberta to help raise money for Shriners' activities.
Over 2 days, 14 acts will be featured, plus beer gardens, vendors, and a food truck alley as well as plenty of available parking. After hours dance parties will also be happening both nights.
The lineup includes JC Smith from San Jose, California, Jack Semple from Regina, Saskatchewan, Casey Hensley from San Diego, California, Kenny "Blues Boss" Wayne with Donald Ray Johnson, and The Legendary Downchild Blues Band from Toronto, Ontario.
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R&B Hall of Fame to be built in Birthplace of American Music – The Mississippi Delta
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 (MARKS, MS) - The National R&B Hall of Fame (NRBHF) was founded in 2010 and since 2013, it has inducted over 200 world-renowned artists. After numerous attempts to build a Hall of Fame to honor R&B icons such as James Brown, Aretha Franklin, and Mississippi’s own, B.B. King, it is finally going to happen.
A permanent brick-and-mortar state-of-the-art world-class complex housing the National Rhythm & Blues Hall of Fame (NRBHF) will be built in Marks, Mississippi. The City of Marks-Quitman County has donated five (of a possible 30) acres of land known as Industrial Park and $500,000 from a state grant to jump-start this one-of-a-kind international tourist attraction.
The NRBHF has brought in a few partners to assist with funding and is currently conducting a GoFundMe campaign to help complete this project. The NRBHF’s Ground-Breaking Ceremony will kick off the Annual Mules & Blues Fest in Marks, MS on Friday, September 30, 2022.
NRBHF’s Founder/CEO Mr. Robinson says of this historic undertaking: “I have been a long-time activist and advocate for preserving the history of R&B and its legends. There is no other hall of fame in the world that is primarily focused and dedicated to the history of R&B music on a national scale. My vision to build a hall of fame to honor R&B and its contributions to civil rights, America, and the entire world is something that I don't take lightly. I can’t think of a better resting place for these artists, than in the Mississippi Delta. R&B goes hand and hand with the Civil Rights Movement, and one of the reasons for choosing Marks is the role that it played in Dr. Martin Luther King’s ‘Poor People’s Campaign (PPC)."
“[Mr. Robinson] sees this project as bringing awareness to our musical roots and heritage and a means to create opportunities within our community,” stated Marks’ Mayor Joe Shegog.
For more information, visit the website.
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Which Legendary Rhythm & Blues Cruise Hits Your Groove?
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Bluesin’ is back baby! We're excited to Return to the West Coast in 2022! Cabins on Sale Now!
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LRBC #37
Sea Of Cortez
Cabins On Sale NOW!
Over 97+% Sold…
Oct. 29 ~ Nov. 5, 2022
San Diego, CA to Cabo San Lucas, La Paz & Loreto. Sailing on Holland America’s ms Koningsdam
Band Lineup, Cabin Availability & More Here!
LRBC #38 Eastern Caribbean
Cabins SOLD OUT & Wait List is HOT!
Jan. 28 ~ Feb. 4, 2023
Ft. Lauderdale, FL to St. John, St. Maarten & Half Moon Cay (Bahamas Private Island). Sailing on Holland America’s
ms Nieuw Statendam.
Band Lineup, Cabin Pricing & More Here!
(816) 753-7979
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LEGENDARY RHYTHM & BLUES CRUISE
More Than A Cruise… More Than A Festival…
More Than You Can Imagine!
The Best Blues Experience on the Planet!
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Magic City Blues Society & Music Maker collaborate Aug 20
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 (COLUMBIANA, AL) - The Shelby County Arts Council and the Magic City Blues Society are pleased to collaborate with Music Maker to bring you this night of blues and R&B. Classic, vintage blues and R&B from some of the south’s finest traditional musicians including Albert White on guitar/vocals Earl Williams on guitar/vocals, Aretta Woodruff on vocals, Ardie Dean on drums, Charles Sugar Harp Burroughs on harmonica, and Randy Clark on Bass. Join us in the Song Theater, Columbiana, Alabama for some down home, authentic music. Music Maker is a nonprofit organization that helps traditional American music artists meet basic expenses and find strategic opportunities. Seats are limited.
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 Singer/songwriter guitarist and producer Bobby Gentilo has spent years digging deep into Mississippi Delta and Hill Country Blues as a member The Cornlickers, the backing band for the late Big Jack Johnson. For the past several years, The Cornlickers have been the official house band for the world-famous juke joint, Red’s Lounge, in Clarksdale, MS. Gentilo has also collaborated with South American artist Carlos Elliot to fuse traditional Colombian music with American roots and blues producing music and touring the world.
Gentilo's debut album ambitiously mixes Mississippi blues and roots with Go-Go, the funk, soul, and blues inspired music from his hometown of Washington D.C. The surprising result is a fresh collection of dance-infected tracks featuring his rich tenor, skillful musical passages and, above all else, great grooves. The ten original tracks on Gentilo, were recorded to tape at his home base, Right Coast Recording in central Pennsylvania, with members of both his trio and full band showing off his skills as a songwriter and producer.
From the gritty, infectious opener, to Hill Country trance blues riffs, to a breezy love song, then a spirited boogie, to a head-bopping instrumental with hot baritone sax jabs and atmospheric guitar, to a sweet, neo soul ballad, to Memphis Blues with swinging horns, to a Delta Blues devotional, to a grunge blues riff, then wrapping with the album’s finale that employs three drummers who weave together complex street-beat rhythms under hypnotic Hill Country Blues guitars and a chanting chorus, creating a modern, sonic stew hybrid.
This upbeat release from Bobby Gentilo rightly reminds us that the spirit of Mississippi is everywhere and by ignoring musical boundaries we can keep the blues alive and bring the world closer together.
Website
 "Troublin'"
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Debbie Davies and Alastair Greene "Done Sold Everything"
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20th Annual Blues Festival Guide
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20th Annual Blues Festival Guide Magazine
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 You can not only get a hard copy of the magazine via select festivals, blues societies or by ordering, but our 20th Anniversary digital edition of the Blues Festival Guide is available on our website! Click the image at left to read and enjoy all 84 pages. Don't forget to turn on the speaker to hear Tulle Brae singing "Seven Bridges."
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 from aficionados in the blues community includes articles from Grammy winner Victor Wainwright, Mitch Woods, Reverend Billy C. Wirtz and Roger Stolle among others.
Our cover by photographer Marilyn Stringer features the talented Tullie Brae and Calvin Johnson at the 2021 North Atlantic Blues Festival!
You can also order your own hard copy here!
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Just In Case... plus Holidays & Birthdays
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 • August is...
"American Artist Appreciation Month"
Birthdays upcoming of note:
Aug 19-Earl Gaines (1935-2009); Aug 20-Issac Hayes (1942-2008); Aug 21-Count Basie (1904-1984); Aug 22-John Lee Hooker (1920-2001), Debbie Davies (1952 pictured here with Alastair Greene); Aug 24-Arthur "Big Boy" Crudup (1905-1974), Wynonie Harris (1915); Aug 26-Jimmy Rushing (1901-1972); Aug 29-Charlie Parker (1920-1955), Dinah Washington (1924-1963); Aug 30-Luther "Snake Boy" Johnson (1934-1976); Aug 31-Joanna Connor (1962), Van Morrison (1945); Sept 2-Billy Preston (1946-2006); Sept 3-Memphis Slim (1915-1988), Freddie King (1934-1976); Sept 4-Meade "Lux" Lewis (1905-1964); Sept 5-Sunnyland Slim (1907-1995); Sept 6-Jimmy Reed (1925-1976); Sept 7-Little Milton Campbell (1934-2005), Latimore (1939); Sept 8-Harmonica Fats (1927-2000), Guitar Shorty (1939), Derrick "D'Mar" Martin
 Just in Case: Aug 19 is "National Photography Day"... We capture moments in time via photos. Some say, enjoy the moment live and put down your phones and cameras, and while that might be true for some of you that are consumed with your cameras (other than pro photographers of course), aren't we glad we have those memories to hold in our hands and share with others. We can simply capture or we can also experiment with photos, especially these days with the advanced technology.
Speaking of pros though, there are some utterly amazing captures of artists, some from the past we would never have seen and some current we also may never get a chance to see. There a countless images online as well as crafted volumes of poignant and brilliant work from some skilled and prolific photographers.
But that being said, go ahead with your bad, picture-taking self... sometimes the best things come unexpected and end up cherished! Like, I'm grateful I took this selfie with the late, and greatly missed Michael Burks.
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Radio Submit Roots Blues Chart
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Billboard #1 Blues Albums
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Billboard #1 Blues Album - as of Aug 18, 2022
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#1 Billboard
HANK WILLIAMS JR.
Rich White Honky Blues
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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 highlight your festival on our web and here in the e-Guide Festival Calendar please EMAIL for ad rates
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Due to space constraints
Not all upcoming Blues festivals/events are listed here
For a complete list & links see our comprehensive website.
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NOTE: Highlighted/Linked events
are paid "Featured" ads.
Checkout our website Festival page!
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KWS Backroads
Blues Festival Tour
Aug-18-2022 – Aug-21-2022
Springfield, MA - Roanoke, VA
& Portsmouth, VA USA
Madison Ribberfest
BBQ & Blues
Aug-19-2022 – Aug-20-2022
Madison, Indiana, USA
Big Bull Falls Blues Fest
Aug-19-2022 – Aug-20-2022
Wausau, Wisconsin, USA
White Mountain Boogie & Blues Festival 25th Annual
Aug-19-2022 – Aug-21-2022
Thornton, New Hampshire, USA
Swing Wespelaar
Aug-19-2022 – Aug-21-2022
Wespelaar, Belgium
Edmonton Blues Festival
Aug-19-2022 – Aug-21-2022
Edmonton , Alberta, Canada
Big Blues Bender
Aug-25-2022 – Aug-28-2022
Las Vegas, Nevada, USA
Trois-Rivières en Blues
Aug-25-2022 – Aug-28-2022
Trois-Rivières, Quebec, Canada
Trinidaddio Blues Fest
Aug-26-2022 – Aug-27-2022
Trinidad, Colorado, USA
Kenlake Hot August Blues
Aug-26-2022 – Aug-27-2022
Hardin, Kentucky, USA
Old Capitol Blues and BBQ
Aug-26-2022 – Aug-27-2022
Springfield, Illinois, USA
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| | For more festivals & events plus links
please go to our website
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Crossroads Blues Festival
"Women In Blues"
Aug-27-2022
Rockford, Illinois, USA
Peoria Blues & Heritage
Music Festival
Sep-02-2022 – Sep-03-2022
Peoria, Illinois, USA
Rentiesville Dusk til Dawn
Blues Festival
Sep-02-2022 – Sep-04-2022
Rentiesville, Oklahoma, USA
Bluezha Paloozha Blues Circus
Sep-03-2022 - Sep-04-202
Calgary, Alberta, Canada
Tim Hortons
Southside Shuffle
Sep-09-2022 – Sep-11-2022
Mississauga, Ontario, Canada
AimLoan.com San Diego
Blues Festival
Sep-10-2022
San Diego, California, USA
Western New York
Blues Society Festival
Sep-10-2022
Hemlock, New York, USA
Blues and Bones Festival
Sep-24-2022
Angels Camp, California, USA
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We continue to stay optimistic!
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We're thinking of you.. here's to good health & good music!
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 RBA Publishing/Blues Festival Guide
P.O. Box 920, Arcata, CA 95518
Call 707-630-3304
We welcome e-Guide suggestions and questions. You can reach our E-Guide editor, Michele Lundeen (pictured here) via EMAIL.
Michele is also a singer, songwriter, performer and bandleader based in the San Diego County, California area and nicknamed the "Queen of Steam" for her high energy and passionate style.
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 the annual 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 20 years. Please contact us at 707-630 3304 or EMAIL to find out 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.
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Hey blues lovers! Got 
