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You could win this guitar!
As an affiliate of the Memphis-based Blues Foundation, a nonprofit organization that sponsors the International Blues Competition, the Boston Blues Society has been given permission to sell a limited number of raffle tickets for a chance to win a silver Gibson ES-135 guitar.
This baby has been signed by several 2008 Blues Music Award winners, including Memphis Slim, Bobby Rush, Jimi Bott, Janiva Magness, Duke Robillard, Sugar Blue, and Watermelon Slim, among others. (see photo.)
Raffle tickets cost $2 each and will be sold each night of the Boston Blues Challenge in Quincy.
The drawing for the guitar will take place Feb. 7, 2009, in Memphis, at the finals of the International Blues Competition.
The Boston Blues Society will send the winner of our challenge to the competition. Money from raffle ticket sales supports the Boston Blues Society, and will help us continue to hold such challenges.
The semi-finals will be held Aug. 1 and Aug. 2 at Club 58, 58 Ross Way, Quincy.
The shows will start at 8 p.m. each night, with bands performing 30-minute sets.
The schedule for Aug. 1 is Andy James Band, Lois Greco, Delta Generators, and Rick “King” Russell.
The great Racky Thomas is our MC. Judging the first night of the semi-finals will be John Moricone, trumpeter from the Chicken Slacks, and former frontman of Mission of Blues; Terrence Slagle, host of “Blues on the Stoop” on Internet radio www.theworldofblues.com; and Steve Todesco, guitarist from Mission of Blues.
Aug. 2 kicks off with Dave & the Goliaths, followed by Alley Blues, Paul Speidel, and the Joe Poppen Band.
Racky returns for another super night as MC. Our judges for the second night of the semi-finals will be Steve DiCecco from the Steve DiCecco Band, Mark Gillard, former president of the Boston Blues Society, and DJ Terry Slagle, back for a second night.
The top two bands selected those nights will compete in the finals beginning at 8 p.m. Aug. 9 at Club 58. The winner of the finals will be the sponsored by the Boston Blues Society to compete at the International Blues Competition in Memphis in February 2009.
The Aug. 9 finals will be hosted by Boston’s famous blues lady Holly Harris, who has a new Internet radio show on www.ultimateblues.com. Holly was the 1995 winner of the W.C. Handy “Keeping the Blues Alive” award. The judges will be Doug Bell, guitarist and founder of Bellevue Cadillac, Ed Burke, owner of the legendary Huntington Avenue blues club of the same name; and Mark Gillard, who will be back for a second night.
There is a $5 cover charge each night of the challenge. The money will be used to offset the winning band’s travel expenses for the trip to Memphis.
Please try to come out and catch the best of Boston’s blues!
Last year, we were unable to hold the challenge due to a lack of volunteers and poor attendance during the previous year's (2007) semi-finals and finals. However, the Society did vote to send the Bruce Marshall Group to the 2008 IBC in Memphis.
We hope reviving the challenge this year will draw more people out to see our great local bands, and help it grow each year.
For sponsorships, questions, or more information, email bbschallenge@gmail.com
Please refer to 2008 IBC Rules.
Please refer back to this page for more information as it becomes available