Blues Society of Western PA - Newsletter

We had success last year at the Clarion for the 6th IBC's in many ways. It was our largest crowd ever, we made enough money to pay for all the expenses and more. Mostly, we had the best group of competitors ever. We promptly decided to not mess with success and do it there in 2011. This year we had to cover more costs, though. We did not get the same amount of sponsorship that we did last year. We had to pay a sound man which we were happy to do after last year's fiasco. For those who didn't hear, we had a sound man who volunteered his services to get advertising and get in with the Blues Society. He got a call in the middle of the day and left! Poof! We were lucky he left the equipment and that Jim Hamel was knowledgeable enough to handle the sound for the rest of the night. Thanks to the blues fan, TJ who has since passed for assisting Jim. This year we had an excellent sound team, Big Cat Entertainment, who we paid for but at a much reduced rate. It was well worth it. Great job, Charlie and Jeff.

That was only one improvement over last year. The competition was even better than last year! There was not a weak spot in the line-up, as all the judges echoed. This is the thing that amazed me, though. Three years ago, we had to call bands from other areas to get enough bands for an interesting competition. Some people liked it, because there were new bands to hear. Others thought we should just do a half day with the few bands from the area who joined. We had 15 acts this year. Most thought it was the most talented that we have ever had ...AND every band was from Western Pennsylvania! This was the first time since I have been a member (5 years) that we have had all Western PA bands. More evidence of a growing pool of talent in the region. It was a good mix of bands we all know, like the band winners, Jill West and Blues Attack. This was their third win. Good luck to them. They had new stuff and they closed with their trademark "freeze." They ran away with first place this year (four 1st places and a 2nd on the score sheets). I thought that was unusual considering the level of competition, but way to go Blues Attack! The next three bands were separated by fractions of a point. Ron Yarosz and the Vehicle (last year's winners),Wayne and Wildroot and the Jimmy Adler Band. All of the bands got good comments. The judges had told me that this was the highest level of competition, top to bottom, that they had seen.


As far as the solo competition, the voting was tight. All three entries had solid marks. It was both tie-breakers that gave the victory to Chris Yakopcic. It was his solid guitar playing that gave him the victory. He plays old style blues guitar and switched up a guitar and dobro. The judges liked that.

The crowd was good again and we received many comments (most of them good) about the venue, the bands and mainly the atmosphere. The mix of tension ,excitement ,expectation and curiosity was everywhere. For those who have yet to come to an IBC competition, you don't know what you are missing. I remember my first. While the level of competition and few entries were nothing close to what we have today, it was still exciting. Make it next year!

So, thank you to the people who came to hear the bands. Thank you to the bands for giving their best 20 minutes. Thank you to the judges who have the toughest job. All I can say is "wait till next year!"

~ Article: Don Vecchio, Photos: Tom Martin

On April 10 , 2010, we got there - new backdrop ready to hang (special thanks to Angelica for design help), tables to set , last look to make sure nothing was missing besides Diane Devine and her sick booby. (No, I don't mean Dave.) All seemed well, and we were off! The judges arrived. As I gave them the lowdown on the judging criteria, I noticed people arriving already. Quite early for that. Sean McDowell from WDVE came over to get info on the bands and the Blues Society  to use as he emceed. I looked and saw at least 50 people there already. Wow! We knew we needed a good crowd- at least 125, just to break even. It looked good. I asked the hotel staff to put up a couple more tables, which they did. The competition had started, and I watched the first artist, the Olga Watkins Band. They were good! Great start to the competition. After I added their scores, I looked at the room. It was packed! Over a hundred people were here already. Within a few hours, there were well over 200 people there.


Our sound guy had disappeared. Jim Hamel stepped in to take control. That was the last problem we had. Artists continued to play all day and night to the crowd who seemed to be consumed in the music and the competition.   We had bands that we had seen and loved for years and we had newer artists that grabbed our attention. By the end of the day, only three prizes would be given out: best band, best solo/duo act and the Jim Weber memorial award, given to the best guitarist.

The winners were as follows: Best Band -Ron Yarosz and the Vehicle, Best Solo/Duo -Gary Prisby, who had come in second place twice in prior years. We were happy he won, especially after a close second the year before. Lastly, Greg Krupa (from Jill West and Blues Attack) won the first Jim Weber memorial award. Congratulations to all the winners and all the participants! 

I hope some of you can make it to Memphis next January to cheer them on AND I hope I can join you there.

~ Don Vecchio

We asked people to fill out surveys at the IBCs and had some interesting suggestions. Some are worth considering and some can't be done, but I'm sure many of you didn't know why. I'm picking out a few to answer and invite anyone to send me their questions individually if you like to: Don Vecchio ...P.O. Box 97978... Pittsburgh, PA 15227 or e-mail to donv21@yahoo.com. 

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1. Lorie R. -Set up 2 stages- to have constant music.

ANSWER:  Sounds good. However, the problem is that the judges need a break. We are there 11 hours. We have to have the same judges for all the acts. It is the only way to be fair to everyone.  We're all human and need to stretch and snack occasionally. We do not let any band start playing until all the judges are seated. Also, it was hard enough to set up one sound system and keep it running smooth, two would be impossible, not to mention the space it would take up.
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2. Mike F. had 2 suggestions
A). Have previous year's winner play while votes are being tallied and

ANSWER: As far as the first question, this year took much longer to tally than any other year because of tie-breakers. We did have last year's solo-duo winner play at breakfast the next morning. We had considered what you suggested and are so glad that we are on same page.

B). Have challenge held in Erie.   

ANSWER: As far as holding in Erie, we tried to do that last year with four 4 semi finals that would have included Pittsburgh, Beaver Falls, Dubois and YES, Erie. People had asked us to try to spread out through the state. We decided that we would absorb the extra cost and do it. We had bands sign up everywhere EXEPT Erie (at the Docksider). Not one band signed up in Erie. Only one band had signed up in Dubois, so we had to cancel Dubois and Erie.
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3. From 3 different people - have outdoor summer concerts

ANSWER:  Great idea. We do have our annual picnic (editor: August 29, 2010 Boston Waterfront - see poster below for more details). However with the three area Festivals, it is hard to find the right time to do many more. I think we will try to squeeze in an extra Blues Day Out this year…maybe in July. Send suggestions please. We had problem finding the right place. Most parks are taken early.  It would be helpful if more people came to meetings and brought suggestions (and maybe pie).
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 4. Anonymous - Give bands more time to play

ANSWER: We can't! The 20 minute time limit is set in stone by the Blues Foundation, whose rules we have to abide by. These are the same rules that Blues Societies around the world MUST use. Our winners join others in Memphis for fame and fortune to the eventual winners and finalists. Every single band throughout the world had 20 minutes to do their set.
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5. Lastly, I want to address the person whose suggestion bothered me. We aren't perfect and I can accept criticism. We are all fairly new and learning what and how to do things. However, this, I take personally.  I won't give her name. Her suggestion was, "Be honest with your votes" ?????

ANSWER: Are you suggesting we're not honest? Or that we vote for personal favorites?  I have been running the judging for 3 years now, using judges from different areas and different positions: blues writers, musicians, fans and officers from other Blues Societies, to assure there would be no bias. I go over the judging criteria so they are all aware of scoring system.  I have someone there to re-check my addition. I have judges sign their sheets to make sure no one has amended their scores. Afterwards, I send the judges sheets to all the contestants. I do not judge, nor do ANY members of our board. I have not always agreed with the decisions. BUT, I always read the results as the judges scored...PERIOD. WE HAVE NO VOTES. We want the artists that will represent us the to be the best. Hopefully, ones that will bring back a prize to boot. I want everyone, not just you, to know how things work. If anyone wants to see a judge's (blank) score sheet, maybe we can put one website.

Thank you all for taking the time to fill out the survey and thanks for some great suggestions. Most were complimentary and I thank you for that. Not to toot our own horn, but we do work hard to put this together and assure the best possible show, venue, and talent for the blues fans. That's our job - BUT we get no pay. We do it because we enjoy it!

I hope you all come to our future events. It made all that we do worthwhile seeing what a wonderful crowd came out for our show. Come say 'hi' to us at the blues fests, picnic, blues night outs, etc.
~ Don Vecchio

...The first and second place winners of the 6th Annual 2010 BSWPA Blues Challenge

Ron Yarosz and the Vehicle
The 1st place Band Winner

The members of this Erie based band are: Ron Yarosz on keyboards, organ, harp and vocals; Ron Sutton on drums; Jason Lewis on bass and Eric Brewer on guitar. Ron splits his time between the Hammond B3 and fronting the stage playing High Energy electric harmonica. Ron and his band specializes in doing modern versions of blues standards...always putting their own spin on the song. Ron has independently released two albums: "The Vehicle" in 2003 and "What It Is." Ron Yarosz and the Vehicle won the Blues Society of Western Pennsylvania's Blues Challenge in 2006 and again in 2010 in Pittsburgh. They will be representing the BSWPA at the 2011 International Blues Challenge that will be held February 1-5, 2011 on historic Beale St. in Memphis, Tennessee. Ron's thoughts on being a musician, "although we are broke we are among the richest people in the world."

Jill West and Blues Attack
The 2nd place Band Winner

Jill West and Blues Attack were third place winners at the 2006 International Blues Challenge in Memphis, Tennessee. This Pittsburgh based blues band plays their own style of hard edged blues with a guitar blast, in the tradition of the Vaughn brothers, B.B. King and Muddy Waters. Lead by the dynamic vocals of Jill West, Blues Attack has been igniting audiences all over the tri-state area for over ten years. They have gotten their blues education from playing the steel city's smoky bars, road travels and sharing the stage with greats like Koko Taylor, Buddy Guy, Bo Diddley and B.B. King. The members that back Jill West are: Gregg Kruppa on lead guitar, Hank "the Hammer" Raffetto on bass, Nicky "No Shoes" Crano and keyboard master, Steve Binsberger. Theirs discography include: Faceful of Blues, Code Blue and Headline Blues.

Gary Prisby
The 1st place Band Winner

When asked about his music, Gary stated, "I am a self-taught musician from Pittsburgh, PA. I have been playing the music scene here for over 25 years. While primarily playing solo acoustic gigs, I also enjoy singing and playing electric lead/slide guitar with my band, KPG. I love writing and performing as well as recording my own music. My most recent compositions are blue-influenced pieces. The live audiences seem to connect with them the most. I hope to have an acoustic Blues CD out in the next year entitled, "Bare Bones." Gary draws his music from the likes of: Allman Brothers, Eric Clapton, Cory Stevens and Santana.


 Chris Yakopcic
2nd Place Solo/Duo Winner

This solo performer specializes in the finger picking Delta and Piedmont styles of the pre-war blues musicians. He first became interested in this music many years ago when he stumbled upon Fruteland Jackson playing an afternoon set at Buddy Guy’s Legends. Since this introduction, Chris has been inspired by the music of Blind Blake, Robert Johnson, Bill Broonzy, and many others. As a guitarist, harmonica player, and vocalist, he can be heard covering many seminal acoustic blues tunes as well as writing his own material.

Blues Society of Western Pennsylvania

   2010 International Blues Challenge Application

Saturday, April 10, 2010 

   Ramada Inn (Greentree), 401 Holiday Drive, Pittsburgh, PA 412-922-8100

DEADLINE FOR APPLICATION: 

MARCH 10, 2010

THE BLUES SOCIETY
OF WESTERN PENNSYLVANIA
PROUDLY ANNOUNCES
2009 Blues Challenge Finals

Sunday, April 26, 2009, 2:00 pm
MOONDOG’S
378 Freeport Road
Blawnox, PA 15230, Phone: (412) 828-2040

The winning bands from the Kendrews and D'Vine Wine competitions
will compete for the coveted $1000 prize.

The solo/duo acts will compete
at Moondog's on the day of the finals.
The winning solo/duo will be awarded
$500. Both the winning band and the winning solo/duo will have the opportunity to compete in Memphis in 2010 to represent the BSWPA.
Come out and join the fun!

The places will be sizzling with the best twenty minutes that each band has to give.

Photos by Tom Martin

…Memphis Bound….
It was a Thursday night in Memphis. The clock was striking twelve. We had just stepped out of BB King’s club. I gazed down that lonely stretch known to many as Beale Street. Snowflakes were slowly trickling down and dancing among the many neon lights that dotted that infamous roadway. The street was virtually empty. Its unexpected beauty and pristine calm were fascinating and so very, very deceiving. The streets were empty but the clubs were still packed. It was the first night of the 2006 IBCs (the International Blues Competition). The action and the warmth of the music were blazing away inside each and every club. It had proved to be an intoxicating experience for those who loved the blues. Memories of our first IBC in Memphis were slowly ebbing back.

Those memories danced as softly as the snowflakes that were drifting down onto my face. It was January 2006. The Steelers were on their way to the Super Bowl and the Webers were on their way to Memphis. It was early on a Wednesday morning as Jim and I sleepily trudged into the airport. As we approached the gate area, we started running into many other Pittsburgh Blues fans that were one their way to Memphis also. The lure was the Jill West fan base and the curiosity of experiencing the International Blues Challenge. We soon stumbled over Dusty the photographer, Jan and Dave Hasch, Nancy and Mike Longo, Trish, and many other Blues fans that we have seen at various events. The buzz and the hum of the excitement charged the air. The delight of sharing our journey with familiar faces proved immeasurable. As we all became fast friends, we all shared the mission---being groupies for the weekend. We boarded the baby jet that was to whisk us away to Memphis. The flight crew announced that our band and their entourage were on their way to a music adventure. Our fellow passengers cheered and clapped. The excitement continued to build. After we landed, we kept running into more and more people from Pittsburgh. They walked, drove, bussed, and flew into Memphis from many parts of the country to unite to follow Jill West and the Blues Attack (The Weisingers definitely made up the largest and friendliest group that attended.) We chattered about where to meet for dinner, shared comments about the itinerary, and enjoyed the sights and the museums. Foremost, we shared the music. We raced to Pat O’Brien’s that night to stake out spots so that the “whole gang” could watch “our band” in their moment of glory. Pittsburgh, undoubtedly, had the largest fan base. We cheered, yelled, and exhausted ourselves in “our” quest to support and encourage “our band.” Other bands and their fans noticed and commented on how the crowd from the “burg” made the event even more exciting and fun filled. People leaned in the open windows of O’Brien’s wondering who that kid was that was “tearing” up the stage with his wild guitar. It was Zack Weisinger, now known as Guitar Zack. Our spirits soured even higher as the band played on. We were part of the experience.

Later, that evening we saw a rockabilly group, The Dempsies. Everyone raved about their high-energy antics and their knack for entertaining. We met at the Rum Boogie later that evening to hear the Bob Margolin Jam session. The next day, we took in more sights. We stopped in at Silky’s on Beale Street to see Barbara Blue, a Pittsburgh girl. We stopped and chatted with Joe Bonamassa on Beale Street. I told him I would see him in Pittsburgh in a few weeks. He looked at me and said, “Oh yeah, I will be at the Rex, Cool!” We even ran into a Weber cousin. He was there for a rendezvous with his bride and had no interest in the blues. It was hard to believe that anyone would be in Memphis for the “big” weekend and not be a fan. We kept running into each other and rehashing the “scene” from the night before. The Rendezvous was the restaurant of choice for their southern barbecue.

On the second of the competition, we were in our places and assuming our “roles” as devoted groupies. Our role included encouraging “our” band and urging them on in their role as competitors. After “our” band had played, we all ran up and down Beale Street. We were in and out of clubs seeing the best twenty minutes that every band had to offer. The streets were abuzz with commentaries on the various bands and their offerings. Again, we met at the Rum Boogie later that night. The place was packed with expectant fans. Blues celebrities popped in and out of that famous music landmark. Janiva Magness was one such Blues’ star that showed up. She swept into the room with her vivacious, magnetic style. She tossed her wrap to the side and strode up to the stage. This was the way that I had always envisioned my trip to Memphis…the music, the personalities, the feeling, the aura. Our group slowly trickled in. We chattered and cheered. Zak went up on stage to assist Bob Margolin. Collectively, we rehashed the performances of our band but with greater gusto…. and for good reason. Jill West and the Blues Attack were finalists in the International Blues competition.

Being ill prepared for the finals and not having the correct tickets, we as a group scoured the entire area for extra tickets. (We have since learned to buy the correct tickets in advance.) “Our band” was in the finals; we just had to get there! The Pittsburgh network became scavengers to make it possible for each and every member in the group to see the finale. Hmmm, there is more to that story. Seeing Jim Weber running through the pouring rain with his blues hat on backward, carrying a guitar case, grabbing my hand, and running me, the last person, into the historic, Old Daisy Theater, yes, …there is more to that story and only the insiders know for sure. Finally, the entire group had made it into the finals arena. The unbridled anticipation of what was to come in the finals that night charged the air. The Old Daisy was a very old, tired building. It came to life that evening with the music and the people. The Blues were alive like I had never imagined. Whew, I felt like all the breath was being squeezed out of me. It was nerve wracking to wonder when, how, and why. …Would we be in the winners’ circle? The air crackled with the enthusiasm. As the evening drew to a close and the winners were announced……….
Jill West and the Blues Attack placed third in a field of one hundred and sixty two international bands. …. The fans placed first.

There was much planning and effort put out by the board of the BSWPA in the months leading up to the International Blues Challenge at Cefalo’s. We wanted something special. It was less than six months since our last IBC’s and while it was fun and we had some great bands, we did not have much time to plan and ended up busting our butts for no financial gain to the Blues Society that we were trying to revitalize. All of the board members contributed-distributing flyers, putting up posters, looking for acts to join so that we would have a full day of music for the fans. When it became apparent that we would not have enough acts, Jim Weber made calls to bands that he knew in other states. We were hoping not to do that, but after months of pushing local acts to join-we had to do something. We knew that it was controversial, but I agreed, as did most of the others that it was something that had to be done.

April 26th finally arrived and we started to set up. We all wondered: “Did we do the right thing,” “Would we get a good crowd? Would people not show because of the out of state acts? Was Cefalo’s the right venue? Would all the acts show up? Were eighteen acts too many? A few hours later, we had our answer. As Mike Lange would say, “IF YOU MISSED THIS ONE-SHAME ON YOUR FOR SIX WEEKS.”

Some of the comments that I heard from the crowd were (many had been do several IBC’s in different locations): “I’ve never seen so many great acts,” “…all five solo acts were great, I’ve never been so entertained by solos,” “I didn’t see a bad act all day,” “I have to come back next year,” and “This place (Cefalo’s) is the best place that I’ve ever been for any blues show-great sound, great seats.” Hearing those things made it all worth while-the work, the planning and the lost sleep. We saw bands that we had never seen before and some from our own backyards: the Ian Arthur Band and Step Off George. Both impressed the fans. We saw Willie Phoenix (Columbus) perform strange gymnastic feats with his guitar. We saw the colorful Gil Snyder (Mystic Knights) energize the crowd with the accordion. The overall band winner was, “Nothin’ But Trouble” from Delaware. About twenty seconds into their first song, we all knew that they had something extra. I did not think anyone would get close after their performance. People were gasping! Both the Pat McLaughlin Band and the Jimmy Adler band got first place votes and made it interesting. When all was counted, Nothin’ But Trouble had the best scores and accolades from the judges like: “They just blew me away,” “well established band with talent and professionalism on stage,” and simply, “WOW, AWESOME!” To me, they were the definition of what a band should be. Here is why-their set consisted of five tunes.
1. “Ain’t got a Clue” –written by guitarist, Chris Mcafee
2. “Oh You” –written by guitarist, Joey Fulkerson
3. “The Turnaround” –written by drummer, Billy Meyers
4. “$3.49 a Gallon –written by bassist, Greg Haughey
5. “John, the Revelator” –(a cappella by all four members)

Versatility! Each member wrote and led their own tune and then they harmonized beautifully. We found out Greg Haughey is a McKeesport High School grad and played in bands like “Tempo Tantrum” and “Raoul & the Passions.” He also played at Moondog’s, Luna Lounge, Penn Café and the Decade. I congratulated Greg on his band’s win and he said, “We had a great time and are proud to represent such a great group of people. We want to play in Pittsburgh very much.”

This was not the only hot act that day. Many others were being talked about: Willie Phoenix contorting like a man half his age, Tas Cru playing great tunes wonderfully despite getting “parkway delayed,” Memphis Cradle being a great band with great people, and Pat McLaughlin’s band had an amazing beat for just three guys. Other positive comments were made about the solo artists that included: Brennan John, Gary Prisby and Jill Simmons (whose voice always captivates me), the colorful Gary Applegate and the solo winner- our own Bubs McKeg! Bub’s inspiration for entering the competition was a lady who was in the hospital at the same time as him. She had lost her house in a fire. He also did a great modern blues song whose lyrics hit home, “Drive into Town.”
We also heard some of the groups that we love and flock to every week here in “the burgh”: the Mystic Knights, the Jimmy Adler Band, Blu Razor, Ms. Freddie an Blue Faze, Step Off George, the Ian Arthur Band, Shot O’ Soul and last but not least, Angel Blue and the Prophets.
I personally want to thank all of the bands and all of the fans for making this an unforgettable day for each other and for all of us involved.

–Don Vecchio

The Blues Society of Western Pennsylvania has the pleasure to announce that their 4th Annual Blues Challenge will be held on Saturday, April 26, 2008 at Cefalo’s in Carnegie, Pa. Why set a date this early, you ask? With respect to our participants, we have set a date far enough in advance so that each band can plan their schedules around that date. At the conclusion of the 2007 IBC, the BSWPA Board met and discussed steps that we could take to improve our competition to make it better than ever. That discussion included devising steps to make the competition better organized with improved publicity. We believe that the improvements that we are making will lead to the 2008 IBC being the best in the history of the BSWPA. We are looking forward to accomplishing that goal.

The 2008 competition will be a one-day event to better accommodate those competing. The entry fee will remain $45. The categories again will include solo/duo and band. The winners from the 2007 competition will not be able to compete in the 2008 event.

The gain that you will realize with your entry will be that your band will get to show its best twenty minutes of work. The benefits that each band will realize are:

• Using your creative talents to develop original material
• Competing with fellow musicians in your field
• Exposure to a new, broader fan base through the competition
• The possibility of going to Memphis, TN to compete in an International Competition
• The possibility of attracting national attention
• Cash prize awarded on day of competition to winning solo/duo and band

Enclosed with this letter is an application. We ask that you complete the application that is included with this letter and return it as soon as possible. Sign up now and clear your schedule for Saturday, April 26, 2008.

Please forward your formal application to your choice of the following:

1. Blues Society of Western PA, P.O. Box 97978, Pittsburgh, PA 15227
2. 
   
   Apply online through the Blues Society website, http://www.bswpa.org/IBC.htm
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   

First, I want to thank all the bands that entered and all those who attended the three rounds of the 2007 IBC competition. It was my first IBC and it was both exciting and entertaining. It proved a couple things to me-there is no shortage of blues talent in the area and we do have a following. We did not have a lot of time to put this together and advertise. Our fellow society members in West Virginia were way ahead of us. They had eighteen contestants set up before we started. It was well advertised and they did well. We just had to hope we could attract enough talent to throw a good competition. We did it in three parts: round one at the Thunderbird, round two at Jimmy G’s, and the final at Moondog’s. We had four solo acts with diverse styles and nine bands.

The excitement of seeing these bands play the hottest twenty minutes of music they can, while trying to impress judges and guests alike was just tremendous. As timekeeper, I could feel the pace intensify as each set went on. The judges had a tough job and the voting was so close-every single time.

Congratulations to the winners, Jeff Kelley winner of the Solo Act, and Jill West and Blues Attack winner of the Band Challenge.

For one, I cannot wait for the next IBC competition that we are going to hold all in one day! It will be on Saturday, April 26, 2008 at Cefalo's, Carnegie PA. Plan on being there if you are a fan and entering if you have a band.

-- Don Vecchio

The Blues Foundation's affiliated organizations--your local blues society--will very soon begin the process of determining whom they will send to Memphis for the 2008 IBC.
The IBC has evolved into the nation’s biggest and most respected showcase for Blues musicians ready to take their act to the national stage. The IBC is a judged “Battle of the Bands” in which competitors take the stage and play a short set for a panel of judges. The acts are judged based on an established set of criteria.

The IBC represents an international search by The Blues Foundation and its Affiliated Organizations (mostly blues societies) for the Blues Band and Solo/Duo Blues Act ready to perform on a national stage, but just need that extra break. Each Affiliate of The Blues Foundation has the right to send a band and solo/duo act to represent the organization at the IBC Semi-Finals on Beale Street in Memphis, TN.

Most Affiliates stage a regional preliminary IBC competition, with the winner of that competition representing the organization in the Memphis international competition. Usually, these preliminary rounds are held in clubs as part of a fundraiser or simply an excitement-building event. Each organization is free to structure the preliminary round as it sees fit, as long as a single band and/or solo/duo act is identified. However, since The Blues Foundation scoring criteria will determine the ultimate winner, we strongly encourage our Affiliates to use the same system in the preliminary competitions. The list of blues greats that have competed in the IBC over the years is impressive indeed: Slick Ballinger, Michael Burks, Tommy Castro, Albert Cummings, Delta Moon, Larry Garner, Diunna Greenleaf, Zac Harmon, Richard Johnston, Matthew Skoller, Susan Tedeschi, Watermelon Slim, John Weston and Michelle Wilson.

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