STLBS STATEMENT ABOUT GATHERING DURING THE COVID PANDEMIC 

The St. Louis Blues Society is dedicated to preservation and perpetuation of St. Louis Blues Music and the people who create it. During the era of COVID, the STLBS made a conscious choice to protect musicians and industry professionals by postponing programs and events that gather people together through the end of 2021. 

This choice directly affected our annual compilation CD, Atomic Blues Festival and the International Blues Challenge.
It was a very difficult decision for the organization, but the safety and health of our musicians and those that provide support to them is of the utmost importance to the future of music in St. Louis. During the pandemic, the St. Louis Blues Society continued to raise and distribute money to out-of-work St. Louis Blues Musicians as well as support local venues and musicians who are providing safe spaces to enjoy music and community. 

Thank you all for your support and understanding. We now look forward to a time when we can gather, support and enjoy St. Louis Blues Music!

We feel the time is right to return to gathering to enjoy live music together and we will participate in the 38th Annual International Blues Challenge. 

The application window for the Road to Memphis is now closed. Due to low response, we regret that the Road to Memphis has been cancelled. The St. Louis Blues Society will not send delegates to the IBC in 2023. We hope that next year we will see renewed interest and have a wonderful event.

We recognize that it is a lot of work for our local bands to get their applications together and submitted on time. We want to thank the two St. Louis bands that went through the trouble. We hope to see their applications again next year.

Thank you Benbow City Shuffle and Lady J Huston Band for your time and effort.

 

The International Blues Challenge (IBC) represents a worldwide search for the Blues Band and Solo/Duo Blues Acts ready to perform on the international stage, yet just needing that extra big break. Each Affiliate of The Blues Foundation has the right to send a band and a solo/duo act to represent its organization at the IBC.

The IBC is judged by blues professionals from across the world who have years of experience in listening to, producing, and creating blues music. The Blues Foundation has established a set of criteria by which all acts are evaluated throughout the five days of the IBC.

Affiliated organizations are required to stage a regional preliminary IBC competition, with the winner of that event representing the organization in the International Blues Challenge held annually in Memphis, TN along historic Beale Street. While Affiliated Organizations are encouraged to follow The Blues Foundation’s structure and rules during their local challenges, each organization is free to structure its preliminary rounds as it sees fit, as long as a true challenge between multiple acts takes place resulting in a single band and/or solo/duo act being identified as the affiliate representative.

The St. Louis Blues Society holds its local preliminary IBC competition, The Road to Memphis, each year in the fall. Bands or solo/duo acts seeking to participate in the competition must complete and submit an application for admission. 

 

Congratulations to the 2019 Road to Memphis local challenge winners who represented St. Louis at the 36th International Blues Challenge in Memphis, TN, January 2020.

The Jake Curtis Blues Band photo by Reed Radcliffe

Brother Jeff Chapman and Rich McDonough Duo photo by Reed Radcliffe

2018 Road to Memphis band winners: Hy-C and Fresh Start who went on to win the entire ICB competition in Memphis in January 2019! photo by Reed Radcliffe

2017 Road to Memphis solo/duo winners: Nick Pence and Ethan Leinwand. photo by Reed Radcliffe

2017 Road to Memphis band winners: Torrey Casey and the Southside Hustle photo by Lisa Danko