We have a winner -- two, actually.
After a series of three competitions, the Blues Society of Western Pa. has picked the band and the solo/duo group that will represent the society in the International Blues Challenge next year in Memphis.
Felix and the Hurricanes, from Altoona, won in the band category, and Bubs McKeg an Dr. Blue won in the solo/duo category. Dr. Blue also won an award as best harp player through the competition.
BSWPA treasurer Don Vecchio, who passed along the info on the winners, says this was the tightest competition he can remember, with four bands within a vote of winning. He also notes that a good crowd turned out at Moondog's yesterday to watch the finals.
I wasn't there to take any pictures, and the BSWPA promises to make some available on its web site later. But I've thrown in an old photo of my own of Bubs at Moondog's last year, just so you'll know who he is, and a YouTube video of the Hurricanes in the first round of events this year, at the end of this post.
The IBCs are a unique blues event, in which blues societies around the country pick bands to represent them, and the winners face off in Memphis early each year to pick a national blues champ. The winning band gets $1000 and winning solo/duo gets $500. Plus a lot of recognition.
It's a good deal for blues musicians and blues fans -- it all helps keep the music alive a little longer, and it exposes local bands to a wider audience, possibly even a national audience. Congrats and a tip of the blues fedora to the winners.
Posted
Apr 27 2009, 02:57 PM
by
Jim White