2022 Women in Blues Showcase
Memphis is on my mind! Only weeks away from the International Blues Challenge and the National Women in Blues and Endless Blues Records get the honor of showcasing a bakers dozen of female blues artists! Through our Showcase at Alfred's on Beale and our Live-stream interviews, we will bring nearly 30 female blues artists to your attention! Some well known and up and comers. Talented beyond measure.
This years showcase is in honor of Lola Gulley, who we lost too soon. We will be lead at the showcase by our Featured artist performing and as MC, Lady A...yes, the original, the Real Lady A!! She is in Europe now but will be back for us. As always, we have the indomitable Redd Velvet to bring our show to a strong close. In between, oh my. Talk about talent and fun. This years house band led by Meg Williams, with Debbie Flood, PK Hanna and Kiana Smith. All of them talents in their own right and backing artists traveling without their own band.
Plenty will have their bands with them and we are excited to see them all. In this years showcase are Mary Washington Brooks, Libby Rae Watson, Jill Marie Burnham (and Mark), the Bridget Kelly Band (with Tim Fik), Cathy Grier + The Troublemakers, Rochelle & The Sidewinders, Mama Hope (aka Brandy Hammond), Parijita Bastola and the band 'bastola', Rae Gordon, Tracy Madison and Menza Madison Band, Deborah Stafford & The Night Stalkers, and Ms Tovia with the Lady A band. We will miss Susan Angeletti who had to bow out this year due to medical stuff (not covid).
Live-streams are gonna be off the hook. This years On Air Host is none other than Keeshea Pratt who graciously agreed to help when our normal host Erica Brown was not available. Having WiBs interview WiB's is so much more fun and some of this years guests include, Betty Padgett, Dottie Kelly, Val Starr, Barbara Blue, Skylar Rogers and Debra Power. We may surprise you with a few more yet scheduled.
The 2022 WiB Showcase and Live-streams promises to get you excited. A huge shout out to Honorary Ovary Award winner, Mick Kolassa of Endless Blues Records for being our main sponsor again. He has truly earned his ovaries. A shout out to Terri Robbins of Crystal Visions Stained Glass, Vinny Marini of Music On The Couch, Andrea Zucker of Andrea Zucker Photography and Mark E Caldwell of Memphis Blues Society for their support and assistance.
We could not do this if not for The Blues Foundation holding the International Blues Challenge each year and embracing our efforts to support, promote, mentor and edify female blues artists from around the world.
It's gonna be a wang dang doodle kind of weekend and we can't wait to see you all!
Last shout out to the entire Board of the National Women in Blues, as they help run the event, keep things in check, manage the stage, handle the CD sales, and fight to keep Women in Blues in the forefront! I salute each of them and am thankful for their support in this mission.
See you at the Showcase, May 7th at Alfreds on Beal and again on May 8th Online via Facebook for live-streams!
This CBW is excited!!
2022 WiB Showcase
May 7th, 2022
11:30am-4:00pm
WiB Live-streams here on Facebook with the artists tagged so you can find it directly on their page or at the National Women in Blues group or page wall and our Twitter feed!