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The 23rd International Blues Challenge kicks off Thursday in Memphis and runs through Saturday. The Blues Foundation touts the three-day event as the world's largest gathering of blues bands with more than 150 acts scheduled to participate.
Among those confirmed to perform at this year's IBC is BMA nominee Janiva Magness, who will play the opening ceremony, with Duke Robillard booked for the Gibson Lounge.
The Memphis portion of the contest is the result of dozens of regional "battles of the bands" that play out many months before the event. The winners of these preliminary events then go head-to-head in order to qualify for a chance to compete in the international event in Memphis for cash and prizes. Among the blues artists who have seen their careers enhanced by their participation in the event are Susan Tedeschi, Michelle Wilson, Michael Burks, Tommy Castro, Albert Cummings, Larry Garner, Richard Johnston, Zac Harmon and Matthew Skoller.
Coinciding with the festivities is the Blues Showcase Memphis Style at the Gibson Lounge following the I.B.C. finals on Feb. 3. Headlining the event are The Billy Gibson Band, Charlie Wood, and Daddy Mack Orr. All three acts have been favorites on the Living Blues International Radio Charts.
The Jan. 1, 2007 chart reported Gibson's "Southern Livin'" at #10, Wood's Lucky at #5, and Daddy Mack's "Bluestones" at #3.
Here is a list of the 2007 IBC contestants:
The 63 Solo/Duo entries listed in alphabetical order by their sponsoring affiliate are:
Atlanta Blues Society – Ross “Peadboy” Pead
Billtown Blues Association – Jonah Gregory aka" Dr. Whiskey Shivers"
Black Swamp Blues Society – Lucky Brother
Blues Alliance of the Treasure Coast – Ben Prestage
Blues Blowtorch Society – The Delta Jets
Blues Lovers United of San Diego – Nathan James and Ben Hernandez
Blues Society of Central PA – Tom Dunn
Blues Society of the Ozarks – King Clarentz and Bobby Lloyd Hicks
Blues Society of Tulsa – Little Joe and Robbie Mack
Blues Society of Western New York – Blue Roadhouse
Blues Society of Western PA – Israel Stetar
Blues Society on Taiwan – David Chen & Conor Prunty
Blues Sur Seine – Roland Tchakounte & Mick Ravassat
Blues, Jazz and Folk Music Society – Austin "Walkin' Cane" Charanghat
Boston Blues Society – The Shufflebots
Cape Fear Blues Society – Spider Mike Bochey
Cascade Blues Association – Rollie Tussing
Central Iowa Blues Society – Bad Luck City
Charlotte Blues Society – Conjure Hands
Cincy Blues Society – Sonny Moorman
Columbus Blues Alliance – Ray "Hounddog" Fuller
Connecticut Blues Society – Walter Lewis
Creekside Blues Society – Terry Davison and Wrench
Crossroads Blues Society of Indiana – Homer Pass and MIke Butler
Crossroads Blues Society of Mississippi – Lightnin' Malcolm
DC Blues Society – Robert Lighthouse
Detroit Blues Society – Christy and Jeff Howard
Downstate NY Blues Association – Bennett Harris
Frederick Blues Society – Bo Weevil
Friends of Rentiesville Blues Inc. – Lee Earl McWaters
Greater Twin Cities Blues Music Society – Papa John Kolstad & Clint Hoover
Houston Blues Society – Jeremiah Johnson
Illinois Central Blues Club – Jake Shane
Jersey Shore Jazz and Blues Foundation – Frank Fotusky
Kansas City Blues Society – John Paul Drum and Bill Dye
Kentucky Blues Society – Brennan Graves
Long Island Blues Society – Mac and the Rockets
Loyal Blues Fellowship – Elyssa Mahoney
Magic City Blues Society – Leonard Watkins
Mahoning River Blues Society – Damian Knapp
Melbourne Blues Appreciation Society – Nick Charles
Memphis Blues Society – Michael "Blind-Dog" Gatewood
Mid North Michigan Blues Society – Shar-Baby
Mississippi Delta Blues Society of Indianola – Terry “Harmonica” Bean
Mojo Station – Stefania Calandra
Music City Blues – Melissa Sigler
Blues Society of Northwest Florida – Memphis Annie
North Texas Blues Society – Cheryl Arena & Aaron Burton
Northeast Blues Society – Tas Cru
Ozark Blues Society of Northwest Arkansas – JC/BC
Phoenix Blues Society – Mikel Lander
Red White and Blues Foundation – PP & Hooch
Reno Blues Society – Jeff Jones
River City Blues Society (IL) – South Side Cindy & the Slip-Tones
Sacramento Blues Society – Marta Gee
Santa Barbara Blues Society – Karen Tyler
Santa Clarita Valley Blues Society – rizorkestra
Shagbark Blues Society – Mark Austin Blues Project
Spa City Blues Society – Brian Martin & Greg Batterton
Suncoast Blues Society – Ed Wright
Texarkana Blues Society – Mark Searcy
Vicksburg Blues Society – Sherman Lee Dillon
Yesterday & Today's Rhythm & Blues Society – Black On Tan
The 94 Band entries and their sponsoring affiliates are:
Atlanta Blues Society – Chicago Joe Jones
Baltimore Blues Society – The BUICKS
Bay Area Blues Society – Chick Willis
Billtown Blues Association – The Blind Chitlin Kahunas
Black Swamp Blues Society – Josh Boyd & the VIP Band
Blues Alliance of the Treasure Coast – The Nouveaux Honkies
Blues Blowtorch Society – Deb Sietz and the Swank Daddys
Blues Club of India – Soulmate
Blues Society of Central PA – Krypton City Blues Revue
Blues Society of Northwest Florida – Tin Feet
Blues Society of the Ozarks – Norman Jackson & the Pawn Shop
Blues Society of Tulsa – Bluesdogs
Blues Society of Western New York – Patti Parks Band
Blues Society of Western PA – Ron Yarosz and the Vehicle
Blues Society on Taiwan – BoPoMoFo
Blues Sur Seine – Malted Milk
Blues, Jazz and Folk Music Society – Marci Stanley and the Ride Kings
Boise Blues Society – Lori B! and The Boys
Boston Blues Society – Evan Goodrow / EGB
Canada South Blues Society – The Bluesers
Cape Fear Blues Society – WSNB
Capital Area Blues Society – Mark Arshak Band
Cascade Blues Association – The Ben Rice Band
Central Iowa Blues Society – The Juke Joint Sinners
Charlotte Blues Society – Pat “MotherBlues” Cohen
Cincy Blues Society – II Juicy
Columbus Blues Alliance – Sean Carney Band
Connecticut Blues Society – Ryan Hartt & the Blue Hearts
Creekside Blues Society – Mike Patrick & The Blues Drivers
Crossroads Blues Society of Indiana – Carol Lockridge
Crossroads Blues Society of Mississippi – The Moonbeams
DC Blues Society – Clarence "The Blues Man" Turner
Detroit Blues Society – Rusty Wright Blues
Diamond State Blues Society – Mikey Jr. & the Stone Cold Blues
Downstate NY Blues Association – Sweet Suzi and the Blues Experience
EARTH Awareness – Steve Thorpe
Friends of Rentiesville Blues Inc. – Jennifer Marriott
Grand County Blues Society – The Andy Irvine Blues Collective
Greater Twin Cities Blues Music Society – Cool Disposition
Houston Blues Society – Little Stanley Hampton and The Executives
Illinois Central Blues Club – Black Magic Johnson
James River Blues Society – Deanie Blues Band
Jersey Shore Jazz and Blues Foundation – The Chuck Lambert Band
Kalamazoo Valley Blues Association – Vincent Hayes Project
Kansas City Blues Society – Levee Town
Kentuckiana Blues Society – The Stella Vees
Kentucky Blues Society – CJ Vaughn & Highway 58
Kitchener Blues Community – Shawn Kellerman
Lake of the Ozarks Blues Society – The Doghouse Daddies
Lehigh Valley Blues Network – Mary Hawkins Blues Band
Loma Blues – Ärräpää Orchestra
Long Island Blues Society – Pamela Betti and the Dirty Love
Loyal Blues Fellowship – Robert Farrell Band
Magic City Blues Society – The Blue Light Specials
Mahoning River Blues Society – Jang-A-Lang
Memphis Blues Society – Tony Vega Band
Mid North Michigan Blues Society – Charlie's Root Fusion
Mississippi Delta Blues Society of Indianola – Homemade Jamz’ Blues Band
Mo Blues Association Inc – The Bottoms Up Blues Gang
Monterey Bay Blues Festival – Ike & Val
Music City Blues – The Corey McClain Band
Northeast Blues Society – The Nate Mills Band
Oklahoma Blues Society – Dan Danger & the Danger Zone
Ozark Blues Society of Northwest Arkansas – Eoff Brothers
Phoenix Blues Society – Tommy Dukes & the Soul Kings
Piedmont Blues Preservation Society – Big Rick & The Bombers
Red White and Blues Foundation – The Dennis Peters Band
Reno Blues Society – The Shane Dwight Band
River City Blues Society (IL) – Lizzi Neal Band
River City Blues Society (VA) – Blues On Board
Sacramento Blues Society -Lara Price Band
Saginaw Bay Area Blues Society – Mojo & the Boogieman
San Angelo Blues Society – The Jeff Strahan Band
Santa Barbara Blues Society – Mikey Mo Band
Santa Clarita Valley Blues Society – Jeff Jensen Band
Shagbark Blues Society – Kayla Reeves
Sierra Blues Society – Wingnut Adams Band
Smoky Mountain Blues Society – Jenna & the Joneses
South Florida Blues Society – David Shelley Band
South Sound Blues Association – The Michal Miller Band
Southern Arizona Blues Heritage Foundation – The King Bees
Southern California Blues Society – Teddy Lee Hooker
Space Coast Blues Society -The Bucketeers
St. Louis Blues Society – Alvin Jett & the Phat noiZ Blues Band
Suncoast Blues Society – Walker Smith Group
Sydney Blues Society – The Stayers
Texarkana Blues Society – Big Red & The Soul Benders
Triangle Blues Society – Mighty Lester
Vicksburg Blues Society -Crossthread
Washington Blues Society -Becki Sue & Her Big Rockin' Daddies!
West Michigan Blues Society -The Chris Canas Blues Revolution
Wichita Blues Society – RKO
Yesterday & Today's Rhythm & Blues Society – Debbie Ritter & 4-40 Blues
