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Photo Moments with the 18th Annual BFG Magazine!
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 Another photo op from my outing to Old Town Blues Club in Temecula, California Sunday afternoon Sept 27. Here's Andy Doty, owner and proprietor of the 21+ venue.
Over the better part of 2019 Doty expanded and remodeled his small venue and we were all so excited at the outcome! Up until just recently, when the county loosened a few restrictions, the club had been doing only live streams to help the bands and try and stay viable. Once they loosened Andy started having food as well which is a welcomed addition. Restrictions are still in force (masks, temps taken, social distancing, limiting capacity) but bands are starting to be booked again now at this popular club.
Photo: Michele Lundeen
*Don't have your 2020 magazine? Order one 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 your photo, caption (120 words or less), a URL if applicable, and photo credit to your e-Guide editor! We Encourage Individual Subscribers. However, if you know of a location that's open that we might send a box to, please let us know.
The Blues Foundation is the official sponsor of our 2020 Blues Festival Guide!
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CD, Single & DVD Releases
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Jose Ramirez :: HERE I COME
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 On his debut album, Here I Come, guitarist Jose Ramirez explained, “I wanted to make a blues album influenced by both soul and R&B musicians such as Ray Charles, Teddy Pendergrass and Al Green, with a Little Johnny Guitar Watson in there as well.” Capitalizing on the momentum he acquired after his second-place finish at the 2020 International Blues Challenge in Memphis, where he was representing the D.C Blues Society (he’s since relocated to Florida) and his home country of Costa Rica, Ramirez teamed up with blues guitar legend and producer Anson Funderburgh to record this studio album.
Funderburgh brought Ramirez to Wire studios in Austin Texas teaming up with Grammy-winning engineer Stuart Sullivan. They assembled the crack team of studio players including Jim Pugh on piano and organ, drummer Wes Starr and bass man Nate Rowe, and the legendary Texas Horns, with Funderburgh lending his guitar skills on a couple of tracks. The nine original compositions showcase Ramirez’s songwriting ability as well as his personal style on two select covers.
“Here I Come,” is a hard-driving blues shuffle then the horn section steps in on the sweet, swinging ballad, “I Miss You Baby,” a T-Bone Walker ‘50s classic. Funderburgh delivers some icepick lead guitar on “Gasoline And Matches.” The edgy “One Woman Man” has Pugh sneaking in a tribute to Cuban piano legend, Chucho Valdés, on the outro.
Stellar piano opens the slinky “Goodbye Letter,” and the horn-driven love song, “The Way You Make Me Feel,” is followed by the deep blues of “Three Years.” Horns help Ramirez ramp up drama on soul ballad, “As You Can See,” and Pugh layers in Hammond B3 on the Hi Records-styled R&B, “Waiting For Your Call.”
Ramirez takes advantage of reinterpreting Robert Johnson’s “Traveling Riverside Blues” with his funky, slow, soulful rendition, giving new emphasis to lyrical phrases, creating a new point of view for an 80-year old tune. He closes with the driving shuffle, “Stop Teasing Me.”
 "Here I Come"
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The Smoke Wagon Blues Band ::
THE BALLAD OF ALBERT JOHNSON
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 delivers over 50 minutes of new Blues classics, stomping swamp boogies, classic R&B, Acadian swing, Memphis soul, and cutting-edge barn burners. The Smoke Wagon Blues Band continue their legacy with tales of triumph and misadventure from New Orleans to the Yukon. This album will get you on your feet and remind you of a time when legends were celebrated through music and story-telling.
Featuring whiskey-stained soul vocals, funky blues harmonica, slick R&B/roots guitar, swinging piano work, soulful organ, riveting saxophone, with a racy, taut rhythm section, The Smoke Wagon Blues Band has been performing on festival stages for over two decades.
Formed in 1996, the band first became crowd favorites in Hamilton, Ontario Canada’s famous Hess Village. Seven independent album releases, international radio play, and a large local fan base propelled the band to venues across the continent. The group’s last three albums were international hits reaching the top of the Roots and Blues charts and garnering 5-star reviews in blues magazines and blogs around the globe.
The band’s previous release, Cigar Store, won three Awards at the Independent Blues Awards: Best New Blues, Best R&B Song, and Best Modern Roots Album. Cigar Store spent over 47 weeks on the Top 50 Roots Music Reports Blues Charts reaching #2 in Canada, #6 in USA, and #16 in Australia.
On the Canadian homefront the group has been nominated and won several awards including: Hamilton Music Awards, Hammer Blues Awards and Maple Blues Awards.
"The Fat Man"
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2020 Crescent City Blues & BBQ Festival: Festing In Place, Oct. 16-18
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(NEW ORLEANS, LA) - We can't gather for a live festival this year, but we can still celebrate 15 years of the Crescent City Blues & BBQ Festival - virtually! The New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Foundation is bringing you three days of incredible music, food and crafts just as we always have. We’ll revisit some of the most popular performances from past Blues Fests and we’ll even see some new performances from Walter “Wolfman” Washington and Little Freddie King! And we’re doing this while raising money for a very worthy cause: the Jazz & Heritage Music Relief Fund – a fund that was created to support the Louisiana music community as we all do our part to bring live music events back! There's two ways you can watch or listen October 16-18: Community radio station WWOZ 90.7 FM will broadcast Crescent City Blues & BBQ Festival live from Lafayette Square – over the air and in streaming audio at WWOZ. You can also catch the live stream via our Facebook and YouTube channel!
This year's lineup features some of the most iconic performances ever to hit our stage: The Funky Meters (Art Neville, George Porter, Brian Stoltz and Terrence Houston) plus special guests Allen Toussaint and Irma Thomas, an Excello Reunion with Lazy Lester, Carol Fran, Classie Ballou and Li’l Buck, Little Freddie King, Walter "Wolfman" Washington, Samantha Fish, Robert Finley, Bobby Rush, Kenny Neal, Pat Benoit, Shemekia Copeland, John Mooney, Jonathon Boogie Long, Luther Kent, Mem Shannon, Mel Waiters, Lulu and the Broadsides, Erica Falls, Henry Gray with Terrance Simien and many more!
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MO “Blues In The Park” Sunday Oct 11
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 (JEFFERSON CITY, MO) – The MO Blues, the mid-Missouri blues society, is hosting their annual “Blues in the Park” fundraiser on Sunday afternoon, October 11 from 1-4pm at the Memorial Park Pavilion in Jefferson City, MO.
The band lineup, includes a very young blues band that they’re sure you won't be disappointed in. They will be followed by the Serious Blues Band and Buddha Blue, who are both composed of top-notch bluesmen.
Come out and enjoy the day of music, and try out our BBQ Sundaes. Donations go to support their Blues in the Schools Program. Their new MO Blues t-shirts will also be available for sale.
They have emphasized that they want everyone to stay safe, so bring a lawn chair to help out with social distancing. In compliance the Cole Co. Health Dept. recommendations, masks are encouraged but not required.
Event page
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A Night of Blues, Roots, Rock Oct 23 in Taree, Australia
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 (TAREE, AU) – Friday October 23 will feature a night of roots, rock and blues bangers delivered by two MidCoast based legendary outfits. The Darren Jack Band and The Swamp Stompers will be tearing it up at the Manning Entertainment Centre (33 Manning River Drive Taree, NSW, Australia) as part of the venue’s Live and Local re-opening series.
Multiple award-winning blues artist Darren Jack has been electrifying audiences with his signature powerhouse rock ‘n’ blues and original music for the last twenty years. Jack has taken out 5 Australian Blues Music Awards and has won the Sydney Blues Challenge an unprecedented two times, in 2012 (Band category) and in 2014 (Solo category). He has represented Australia in the International Blues Challenge in Memphis, TN in 2013, and also in 2015. His music will take you from blistering, gut wrenching blues to smooth melodies that will soothe your soul. Jack’s honesty and commitment are the real deal.
The Swamp Stompers play funky rock and blues with heavy grooves. Emerging from the dirty backwaters of the NSW Mid North Coast, the band sounds like the musical lovechild of John Butler Trio, Led Zeppelin, and Red Hot Chili Peppers, with three-part harmonies, catchy guitar riffs, and didgeridoo soundscapes setting this original blues-rock trio apart from the pack. Since this fateful merging of musical minds. The powerhouse trio has stomped their mark on prominent Australian festivals including Caloundra Music Festival (QLD), Blues at Bridgetown (WA), the Thedbo Blues Festival and the Sydney Blues & Roots Festival.
FB Event page
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Shoutout from Washington Blues Society’s Eric Steiner
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 (SEATTLE, WA) - In their October issue, longtime Washington Blues Society (WBS) Bluesletter editor, WBS past president and former Blues Foundation Board member Eric Steiner gives a shoutout to our 2020 Blues Festival Guide magazine. "I also am pleased to include in this issue a quick review of this year’s Blues Festival Guide," say Steiner in his Letter from The Editor. "While the guide page count is cut 50% from last year, I still find this year’s 60-page publication informative and vital. Of course, I’m biased. I’m biased because my feature article, “Living Legend: Charlie Musselwhite” is in this year’s issue. I strongly encourage each and every Bluesletter reader to not only read the Blues Festival Guide online but purchasing their own.”
We'd like to think that Eric was so pleased with our overall 2020 magazine that his "quick" review ended up over a page and a half!
"I wanted to get the details exactly right," Steiner explains about his Living Legend article, "as this was my first time contributing to a national publication in a long time. During this process, I learned and re-learned a lot about Charlie Musselwhite, and am very proud of the article that landed on the printed pages (and on the screens of the virtual edition).”
Steiner took a personal approach with part of his story – “I wanted to take Blues Festival Guide readers back to my first experiences with Charlie Musselwhite’s music in the 1970s as a young college DJ.”
We thank Eric Steiner for his review, his heartfelt, informative and fun contribution to our annual, and for his many years supporting, sharing and enriching the “blues.”
“The online guide is a true blues multi-media experience,” exclaims Steiner. “... I heartily recommend this year’s Blues Festival Guide!”
You can find the WBS October Bluesletter here.
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Cyril Neville "Love Has Got To Win"
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One-On-One “Live” Video Experience with Award-Winning Blues Artist
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Our One-On One “Live” Video Experience Contest
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Hey Blues Lovers,
Our 4 winners are getting it together to enjoy their individual one-on-one with award winning artists Sugaray Rayford, Albert Castiglia, Southern Avenue and Dawn Tyler Watson. We'll keep you posted on the outcome of their one-on-one Zoom meeting!
Winner’s names were randomly drawn by celebrity entertainer BigLLou (Facebook).
This contest is brought to you by Blues Festival Guide, Chasing the Blues Podcast, The Blues Foundation and BigLLou.
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Thoughts about venues opening... share yours!
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 Hey Blues Fans!! We see some blues music venues are opening up around the country. Albeit, opening then closing then opening, etc.
Here's a note from a reader:
"I’ve had excellent experiences with the Hideaway Café in St. Pete, Florida, trying to stay afloat and keep live blues happening in our area. We’ve been running at 50% capacity which has been tough, but even with complying with COVID restrictions a great time is still being had. Tables are strategically placed and the patrons do wear the masks when leaving their tables. The staff remains masked throughout the night. The music continues to be high quality (Kid Royal, Damon Fowler, Luther Guitar Junior Johnson, Betty Fox…) with everyone doing what they can to make it work. It’s very much needed and appreciated. ...Mike Shivvers"
We're interested in your thoughts:
- Have you attended any shows and where?
- If so, how was the vibe (i.e. joyous, awkward, crowded, etc.)
- If not, when will you feel comfortable attending?
- If you're a musician, have you performed live for an audience recently?
- If so, how was the vibe and attendance?
Email me 100 words MAX and make sure to put "VENUES OPENING" in subject line (so it doesn't get lost in my email). Tell us where in the world you're located. Feel free to send me a pic of your favorite blues music experience if you like, too.
Wishing you all good health and peace,
Michele
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Which Legendary Rhythm & Blues Cruise Hits Your Groove?
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Our Artists & Headliners Stay & Play, They Don’t Hit & Run!!
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 LRBC#35 Southern Caribbean: Oct. 24~31, 2021 From Ft. Lauderdale, Fl To Willemstad, Curacao; Oranjestad, Aruba & Half Moon Cay (Bahamas Private Island) On Holland America’s Ms Eurodam. Cabins & Info HERE
 LRBC #36 Eastern Caribbean: Jan. 29~Feb. 5, 2022 From Ft. Lauderdale, Fl To Tortola, St. Thomas & Turks And Caicos On Holland America’s New Flagship Ms Rotterdam. Cabins & Info @ HERE
Visit Reservations Or Call (816) 753-7979 To Reserve Your Cabin!
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LEGENDARY RHYTHM & BLUES CRUISE
313 Lawrence St., Kansas City, MO
- More Than A Cruise… More Than A Festival…
More Than You Can Imagine! -
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Chasing The Blues Podcast
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Tom "The Suit" Forst Chasing The Blues with Mark May
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 SEASON 2/EPISODE 25:
Gulf Coast Recorded recording artist Mark May calls into the show to chat with Tom about his new album, Deep Dark Demon, which went to #6 on the Billboard Living Blues chart.
Mark talks about how he and Tom Forst's bass player Dave Stoltz auditioned for the Allman Brothers Band together, and later both performed with the Dickie Betts solo band. Mark also discusses the influence Dickie Betts had on his own style of playing, which is a mix of rock and various blues styles.
LISTEN
DOWNLOAD
SEASON 2/EPISODE 26: Tom The Suit Forst chats with Tom Burger, a blues guitarist who plays in a "blues revival" band titled the Creature Collective. Burger calls the music a unique mix of blues, rock, roots, jam and psychedelic. As such, we would say he and his group are on the forefront of young musicians taking the blues in new directions.
Burger also discusses his work with Wolfson Entertainment which manages John Oates, and Hall and Oates. Of course, we met Tom Burger through having John Oates on Chasing the Blues a few weeks ago.
LISTEN
DOWNLOAD
Also listen for the Chasing The Blues Podcast on Apple and Spotify
Chasing the Blues Podcast is produced by Factory Underground Studio, and Marketed by Factory Underground Media (Norwalk, CT). The season sponsor of the podcast is Blues Festival Guide Magazine, which Bobby Rush calls the "Roadmap to the Blues."
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Print & Digital Versions Available
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18th Blues Festival Guide Magazine Print & Digital Editions
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 (ARCATA, CA) — RBA Publishing offers the 18th annual Blues Festival Guide magazine in both print and digital formats as well as our weekly Blues Festival e-Guide newsletter.
Blues legend Bobby Rush calls our magazine: The Roadmap to Everything Blues. Indeed, the articles offer something for everyone, all blues related, of course. This year’s engaging editorial is once again from aficionados in the blues community.
- Living Legend: Charlie Musselwhite By Eric Steiner
- Blues Movies Reel Away the Blues By Roger Stolle
- The Healing Blues By Anita Schlank, Ph.D.
- What’s Cookin’ with Victor Wainwright
- The Jus’ Blues Music Foundation
- Jammin’ On the High C’s On Board the LRBC By Mitch Woods
- A King and A Duke By Reverend Billy C. Wirtz
- Festivals Receive KBA
- Blues: An African Sonic Response By Pascal Bokar Thiam, Ed.D.
To order a hard copy mailed to your home, send $9 to RBA Publishing Inc. P.O. Box 920, Arcata, CA 95518. To read the 64-page magazine online for free, visit our website.
Blues Festival Guide is a division of RBA Publishing, Inc, which specializes in blues publishing, publicity and marketing.
...Click here to read cool mini descriptions of these fine articles
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 Birthdays upcoming of note:
Oct 8-Andy “T” Talamantez; Oct 9-O.V. Wright (1939-1980); Oct 10-Cyril Neville (1948); Oct 12 Nappy Brown (1929-2008), Sam Moore (1935), Barbara Blue; Oct 13 Dorothy Moore (1946); Oct 14 Jimmy Liggins (1924-1983), Son Thomas (1926-1993), Kenny Neal (1957); Oct 15 Victoria Spivey (1906-1976); Oct 16 Sugarpie DeSanto (1935), Big Joe Williams (1903-1982); Oct 18 Chuck Berry (1926-2017), Jessie Mae Hemphill (1923-2006); Oct 19 William "Piano Red" Perryman (1911-1985); Oct 20 Jelly Roll Morton (1890-1941), Bugs Henderson (1943-2012), Vasti Jackson (1959); Oct 21 Steve Cropper (1941), Elvin Bishop (1942), Michele Lundeen (yer faithful e-Guide Editor)
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Missed your copy of the Weekly e-Guide?
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BFG Twitter-Instagram-Facebook
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Join Blues Freaks at our Tweeter feed & on Instagram
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Hey, come on over and Join over 13,000+ Blues Freaks at our TWITTER feed @BluesFestGuide
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  Also Follow us on INSTAGRAM See awesome, bluesy festival photos
from our team and fellow blues lovers!
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Get your Face in our Book
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Then please drop on by and"LIKE" us to get a daily dose of blues related stuff! ...
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Radio Submit Roots Blues Airplay Chart (click chart for more)
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Billboard Blues Album This week
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Billboard's Top 2 Blues Albums - Week of Oct 10, 2020
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 #1
100 YEARS OF BLUES
Elvin Bishop & Charlie Musselwhite
 #2RECORD STORE DAY PARTY
WITH CANNED HEAT
Canned Heat
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We've Got You Covered with Live Streams & Online Concerts
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Blues Festival Guide Magazine Media Platforms Feature Live Streams, Online Concerts & more
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The Blues Festival Guide platforms are fast becoming the main portal for blues live stream and blues online concert events.
As fast as an online event is announced, the Blues Festival Guide team makes the announcement and link go live in a special section on the top-ranking Blues Festival Guide Website, as well as on their social media platforms ( Facebook with 195,000 Followers, and Instagram @bluesfestguide with 6,000 Followers). This service is provided for free to the artist as well as the viewer.
Even though music festivals and clubs are on lockdown across the globe, there are loads of brand-new music and live concerts via live stream, both small and large, local and international, that can be watched from the safety of your couch on your own TV, computer or phone.
With almost 20 years of experience delivering blues music and blues music news around the world, Publisher Kaati Gaffney says, “We are experienced digital marketers specializing in live music events. During this time of pandemic, while festivals and events are virtual, it is our pleasure to provide this service.” ...Find more about BFG or to contact us to share your events
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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 ensure that your festival also appears here in the e-Guide Festival Calender EMAIL |
Not all upcoming blues festivals/events are listed here at certain times of the year due to space constraints. Unless highlighted, festivals are no longer inked due to increasing spam
For a complete list and links see our comprehensive website.
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NOTE: Highlighted/Linked events are paid "Featured" ads. For complete list & links go to our website Festival page!
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*CORONAVIRUS UPSETS:
Please click through the festival links on our site for most current updates
VIRTUAL
Bellevue Jazz & Blues Festival
Oct-3-Oct-9-2020
Bellevue, Washington, USA
VIRTUAL
Crescent City Blues & BBQ Festival “Festing In Place”
Oct-16-Oct-18-2020
Interstate Blues Fest
Nov-6-2020 - Nov-7-2020
Hagerstown, Maryland, USA
Bude Blues Rhythm
& Rock Festival
Nov-06-2020 - Nov-08-2020
Cornwall, United Kingdom
Blues at Bridgetown
Nov-13-2020 - Nov-15-2020
Bridgetown, Australia
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| | For festival-event links
please go to our website
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Looe Blues,
Rhythm & Rock Festival
Dec-11-2020 - Dec-13-2020,
Looe, United Kingdom
Cleethorpes Blues,
Rhythm & Rock Festival
Dec-20-2020
Cleethorpes, United Kingdom
Great British Rock & Blues Festival
Jan-15-2021 - Jan-18-2021
Lincolnshire, Skegness, UK
Clarksdale Film & Music Festival
Jan-29-2021 - Jan-31-2021
Clarksdale, Mississippi, USA
Southport Blues,
Rhythm & Rock Festival
Feb-21-2021
Southport, United Kingdom
Bluesberry Festival
Mar-06-2021,
Covington, Louisiana, USA
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Please stay safe and optimistic!
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We are thinking of you and wishing you good health!
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RBA Publishing/Blues Festival Guide
P.O. Box 920, Arcata, CA 95518
Call 707-630-3304
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 annual the 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 over 18 years. Please contact us at 707-630 3304 or EMAIL to findout 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.
We also welcome your e-Guide suggestions, critiques and questions. You can reach our E-Guide editor, Michele Lundeen via EMAIL.
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Hey blues lovers! Got 
