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From our house to yours....
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Photo Moments with the 21st Annual BFG Magazine!
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 The talented, personable, multi-award winning harmonica maestro, Mr. Charlie Musselwhite
during autograph night aboard the Oct 2023 Legendary Rhythm & Blues Cruise (LRBC). This blues harp player, singer, songwriter and guitarist has earned and deserves to be honored as a true master of his craft and the genre!
Photo: Michele Lundeen
ORDER your own 21st Annual Magazine *ONCE YOU GET IT, SEND US A PIC WITH IT! BFG clients, contact your sales rep for your own copy!
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 (100 words or less), URL if applicable, and photo credit to e-Guide editor!
The Blues Foundation is official sponsor of the 21st Annual Blues Festival Guide!
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Illinois - The Middle of Beats & Blues Float
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(PASADENA, CA) - Illinois will showcase its musical heritage during the upcoming 135th Rose Parade, presenting a float for the second year.
The Rose Parade also is known as the Tournament of Roses Parade. The New Year's Day parade through Pasadena, California, covers 5.5 miles and lasts two hours. The annual parade begins 8am PST, 10am CST, 11am EST on Monday Jan 1, 2024.
The 2024 theme is "Celebrating a World of Music," and the Illinois float — "Illinois: The Middle of Beats & Blues" — will feature the musical history of Route 66. It will include a live performance by the a cappella group Straight No Chaser.
The 24-foot-tall float took three months to build and will include 30,000 flowers.
"We are thrilled to showcase Illinois at the 2024 Rose Parade for the second year in a row and celebrate the state’s rich music history along Route 66," said Daniel Thomas, deputy director of the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity's Office of Tourism. "From the Route 66 starting point in Chicago to Springfield and Collinsville and all the historic small towns in between, the Mother Road serves as the crossroads of cultural expression, offering unique attractions and adventures you can only experience in Illinois."
The float will be displayed through Jan 2 during the parade's Float Fest in Pasadena that follows the parade.
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New Year’s Evening on Maui
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 (KAHULUI, MAUI, HI) - You can celebrate a day of jazz and blues at the scenic Ocean Vodka Organic Farm & Distillery in Kahului, Maui, Hawaii on Dec 31st from 4-7pm.
The concert features Brazilian-style guitar master Dr. Nat, the duo Levi Huffman and Joie Yasha Taylor, and Fast Freddy and the Blue Lava Blues Band with Honolulu singer-harmonica player Kevin Coleman from the band Flat Five Blues.
The festival takes place at 4051 Ōmaʻopio Road on a grassy plateau overlooking the Central Valley.
Admission is $20 and can be paid via Open Table. Or, for more information, including tickets, call for reservations 808-877-0009.
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Erie Blues & Jazz Festival returning in 2024
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(ERIE, PA) - For 30 years running, on the first weekend in August, local musicians shared their talents on the stages at Frontier Park. That is until the Summer of 2023 when Erie’s Blues and Jazz Festival was canceled.
Organizers cited substantial gaps in funding, volunteers, and talent. The hiatus provided an opportunity for reorganization.
The festival recently added new members to its board and has hired a producer and artistic director.
Matt Walker, the new producer and artistic director, said there "absolutely" will be an Erie Blues & Jazz Festival in 2024. The 31st annual is now planned for Aug. 3-4, 2024, at Frontier Park in Erie, Pennsylvania.
Walker says it will have a similar standard of musical excellence as seen in past festivals and will still be a family friendly event that appeals to a diverse crowd. As of now, it will also remain free to enjoy.
However, Walker added to be a success, the festival needs participation. Volunteers, sponsors, vendors, businesses, etc. are needed to succeed.
They also want to say they could not continue hosting a free, world-class weekend without your generous support! You can donate via Erie Arts & Culture noting it’s for "Erie Blues and Jazz," or find more info at the festival website.
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Delta Blues Museum Expand Virtual Tours
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 (CLARKSDALE, MS) - Delta Blues Museum continues to expand its Virtual Tours, thanks to a $20,000 grant received from the Mississippi Delta National Heritage Area (MDNHA). The Museum's upcoming online educational programming focus is on Clarksdale's Blues community.
The FY 24 MDNHA grant will funding the Museum's latest project, “45 Years into Celebrating the Blues and the Clarksdale Community” and includes a new virtual field trip through Clarksdale’s New World District as well as a new exhibit and accompanying panel discussion on Margaret’s Blue Diamond Lounge. Additionally, the Museum will develop a snapshot of the life and music of Little Milton Campbell through a new interactive Explore and Learn feature.
Expanding web-based offerings remains a focus for Museum Director Shelley Ritter, as the Museum looks to reach new audiences and enhance the museum experience for online visitors. "Funding partners like MDNHA offer us a path to provide more educational resources online and create lifelong learning opportunities for Blues fans of all ages," says Ritter.
All of Delta Blues Museum's Virtual Tours and Field Trips are free to the public--viewer donations are suggested and appreciated. Online access to the educational tours are available here.
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Inspiring hope, Creativity and Greatness
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 (INDIANOLA, MS) - What a year the B.B. King Museum and Delta Interpretive Center had! 2023 brought lots of excitement at the Museum and marked the 15th anniversary of the Museum with an attendance of 23, 243 visitors. Along with the rest of the world, the museum notes they were happy to see tourists return, host events, and continue their educational programs.
They also reopened Historic Club Ebony after a complete renovation. During the exciting three-day event, the museum hosted musical guests including Mr. Sipp, Ray Neal & Brothers, Tony Coleman, Susan Tedeschi and Derek Trucks. Visitors enjoyed seeing the interpretive displays that showed the breadth of national talent that had played there in its heyday.
Some Museum highlights over 2023:
• 693 children were served from pre-K to 12th grade in their FREE education programs• Had 599 student exhibit tours from 29 schools all over the U.S.
• Held eight FREE music events for the community
• 404 people were served in their FREE Health Programs
• 214 people attended their FREE community outreach programs
• Facilities were freely shared with community partners for eleven events
The "thrill" is still there! Museum Director Malika Polk-Lee exclaims they can't wait to welcome the community back, and are thrilled to start 2024.
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Learning the Blues: Tupelo 4th graders learn with harmonicas
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 (TUPELO, MS)– Fourth graders at one Tupelo school are studying blues music and learning to play a small instrument with a big sound.
Their teacher for the introductory class is the top administrator in the district.
Inside Anna Cates’ reading class, Tupelo Public School Superintendent Dr. Rob Picou is leading the first harmonica lesson.
Picou learned to play the harmonica during his college days…
This is the third year Lawndale fourth graders are studying the history of blues music. Each student gets a harmonica, and the first lesson focuses on fundamentals.
Joining Picou is Mark Maharrey, a teaching artist with the Mississippi Arts Commission, which uses the arts to teach different subjects.
“We bring arts into the class but then use art to teach science, to teach math, counting. It’s easy to start. It’s one- two- three- four, then you start over. And you can add, divide, do lots of things,” said Maharrey.
Students will study the history of the blues and how it has influenced modern music and culture. They will also learn to play the classic spiritual, Michael Row Your Boat Ashore, on the harmonica, as a group.
“I’m hoping they enjoy it. They learn that music is fun and enjoyable. And whether they aspire to be musicians or not, we have a strong music program here in Tupelo,” said Picou.
Fourth graders promise a stellar performance when they showcase their harmonica skills during a concert for parents in February.
Excerpts from article by Allie Martin/WCBI
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Which Cruise Hits Your Groove?
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LEGENDARY RHYTHM & BLUES CRUISE
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Jools Holland & his R'n'B Orchestra and Ruby Turner "Jumpin' At The Jubilee"
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Popa Chubby and The Beast Band ::
LIVE AT G. BLUEY'S JUKE JOINT NYC
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 Live at G. Bluey’s Juke Joint NYC, is the Gulf Coast Records label debut live double-CD set from New York City-based blues guitar slinger Popa Chubby’s (aka “The Beast from the East”).
The album was recorded at G. Bluey’s Juke Joint in Long Island City, New York, on October 24 and 25, 2022, and features Popa Chubby (guitar and vocals), backed by his all-star “Beast Band,” which consists of Mike Merritt - bass (Conan O’Brien, Billy Gibbons); Mike Dimeo - keyboards (Johnny Winter, Tommy James); and Stefano Giudici - drums.
“This record is a reunion in a lot of ways,” stated Popa Chubby. “Rejoining with my long-time ally and bassist extraordinaire Mike Merritt and recording in my old Manny’s Car Wash engineer Glen Forrest’s studio. The icing on the cake was Mike Dimeo on keys. Add the Centurion Stefano Giudici on drums and you’ve got some heavy blues rock! It’s a live best of for the ages!”
“In the early ‘90s, Popa Chubby was the house band at New York City’s Manny’s Car Wash,” says the man, himself. “I hosted the jam every Sunday that saw everyone from the Allman Brothers, Stephen Stills, Joe Sample, Odetta and many more pass through. The apprentice Soundman was Glen Forrest. I had a small recording studio in the West Village and I hired Glen to work for me. He proved himself beyond my expectations and with great vision and perseverance set out to create the ultimate recording environment. He landed in Long Island City, New York, where he holds court over three floors of a building which house the studio, lounges, art galleries and warehouse. We recorded the record there because it gave us a great vibe, sound and an intimate live in the studio setting.”
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Just In Case... plus upcoming Holidays & Birthdays
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 • New Year's Eve Dec 31, 2023
• New Year's Day Jan 1, 2024
• Orthodox Christmas Jan 7, 2024
Birthdays: Dec 28 Roebuck "Pops" Staples (1914-2000), Johnny Otis (1921-2012); Dec 29 Matt "Guitar" Murphy (1929-2018), Terry Hanck (1944); Dec 30 Bo Diddley (1928-2008); Dec 31 Odetta (1930-2008); Jan 1-Frank Stokes (1888-1955), Estelle "Mama" Yancey (1896-1986); Jan 2-Little Smokey Smothers (1939-2010), Rubin “Rube” Lacy (1901-1969); Jan 4-Laurie Morvan; Jan 5-Johnny Adams (1932-1998), Wilbert Harrison (1929-1994), Sam Phillips (1923-2003 founder of Sun Records); Jan 6-Kim Wilson (1951); Jan 8-Elvis Presley (1935-1977), Tampa Red (1904-1981), Bill Graham (1931-1991 promoter at the legendary Fillmore)
 Just in case: January 3 is "Women Rock Day"... Honoring the many brilliant women who have contributed to the rock and blues rock genre and paved the way for future generations by breaking into male-dominated spaces. On this day, we pay tribute to the many female musicians who were pioneers in their own right.
Early women artists like Memphis Minnie, Sister Rosetta Tharpe, Etta James, and Big Mama Thornton come to my mind, as does Janis Joplin.
Modern artists that fit the bill are Joanna Connor, Susan Tedeschi, Danielle Nicole, Ana Popovic, Joanne Shaw Taylor, Eliza Neals (pictured) and many more of course...
Who's on your lists?
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Billboard #1 Blues Albums
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Billboard & iTunes #1 Blues Album - as of Dec 28, 2023
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Blues Deluxe Vol. 2
#1 iTunes
KENNY WAYNE
SHEPHERD
Dirt On My Diamonds
Volume 1
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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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New Orleans
Cigar Box Guitar Festival
Jan-18-2024 - Jan-20-2024
New Orleans, Louisiana, USA
Go Mexico Tequila
Rock 'n Blues Explosions Fest
Jan-19-2024 - Jan-28-2024
Zihuatanejo & Ixtapa, Mexico
South Orange International
Blues Festival - Winter Edition
Jan-27-2024
South Orange , New Jersey, USA
Winter Blues Fest
Feb-09-2024 - Feb-10-2024
Des Moines, Iowa, USA
Cincinnati Winter Blues
Experience V
Feb-10-2024
Mason, Ohio, USA
Pigz in Z Hills BBQ & Blues Fest
Feb-10-2024
Zephyrhills, Florida, USA
Mahindra Blues Festival
Feb-10-2024 - Feb-11-2024
Mumbai, Maharashtra, India
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| | For more festivals &
events plus tons of links
please checkout our website
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Winterfolk Blues
& Roots Festival
Feb-16-2024 - Feb-18-2024
Toronto, Canada
Poulsbo Blues & Jazz Festival
Feb-24-2024
Poulsbo, Washington, USA
Vero Beach Blues Festival
Feb-24-2024 - Feb-25-2024
Vero Beach, Florida, USA
St. Kilda Blues Festival
Mar-01-2024 - Mar-04-2024
St Kilda, Victoria, Australia
24th Annual Blues Café
Mar-08-2024 - Mar-09-2024
Rothschild, Wisconsin, USA
Blues Bash at the Ranch
Mar-15-2024 - Mar-17-2024
Bradenton, Florida, USA
Tampa Bay Blues FestivalApr-12-2024 - Apr-14-2024 St Petersburg, Florida, USA
Milwaukee Blues FestivalApr-19-2024 Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA
3rd Annual
Buffalo Blues & Roots FestivalApr-20-2024 Buffalo, NY, New York, USA
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21st Annual Blues Festival Guide magazine
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Are you missing us at times?
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 Hi blues peeps...Sometimes your weekly e-Guide newsletter may arrive a little late due to us, but other times some end up as soft bounces (ones that are temporarily undeliverable). We send to the soft bounces addresses after the first initial batch has completed sending, but some may still end up as soft bounces.
*As a friendly reminder, and to hopefully help this situation, please remember to set up your spam filters to allow mail from the info@BluesFestivalGuide.com and eguide+bluesfestivalguide.com@mnb.email to ensure delivery.
We hate if you don't get your newsletter that often includes time-sensitive events and special interest bluesy content we know you don't want to miss.
Here's to a music and sunshine filled week ahead.
Yours in the blues,
Team BFG
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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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