International Blues Challenge Web Site

 

 

 

 

 
 

BAND INFO & SIGN UP PAGE

The International Blues Challenge launched national recording artists like Susan Tedeschi, Stacy Mitchhart, Zac Harmon, Diunna Greenleaf & Blue Mercy, Trampled Under Foot, Laurie Morvan, Teeny Tucker, Michael Burks, JP Soars & the Red Hots and Grady Champion (2010 IBC winner) into fame and fortune. Will you be next? The winners of the International Blues Challenge receive cash and prizes such as professional consultations and assistance, gigs at some of the country's best festivals, as well as a slot on the 2012 Legendary Rhythm and Blues Cruise!

Contest Dates       Contest Info       Online Entry Form       Printable Entry Form       IBC Prizes

Blues Society Of The Ozarks Memphis Bound awards include:

BSO BAND PRIZES

BSO SOLO/DUO PRIZES

  • Grand Prize Solo/Duo: A performance slot on the Second Stage at the Greater Ozarks Blues Festival.
  • A trip to Memphis to compete in the 2012 International Blues Challenge which includes 1 room for 3 nights at the Blues Foundation’s Host Hotel and 200 dollars expense money.

New Improved Scoring Method for Memphis Bound Band competitions!

Who advances to the finals will be determined by point totals after both semi-finals are completed. We think this is fairer to all contestants. This way it doesn't matter who plays which night. The top scores advance. The number of bands in the Finals (either 4 or 5) will be determined after all entries are submitted.

To insure impartiality, judges at the band competitons
consist of non-members and members of the BSO.
Finals judges wll be different than the Sem-Finals judges.

CONTEST DEADLINES

All Band Entries must be received by October 13th (extended).
Solo/Duo deadline is October 31st.

Any date or time preference will be considered in the order
we receive the applications, so don't delay and enter today.

All bands subject to approval by the Memphis Bound Committee.

Band Competition Dates

Saturday October 15th
Band Semi-Finals #1 @ Nathan P Murphy's

Friday October 21st
Band Semi-Finals #2 @ Nathan P Murphy's

Friday November 4th
Band Finals @ Nathan P Murphy's

Solo/Duo Competition Dates

November 18th
Solo Duo Competition @ Nathan P Murphy's

Event Location

Nathan P Murphy's
218 S Campbell Ave - Springfield, MO - (417) 863-1909

Requirements to compete and General Info

The dates for the 2012 International Blues Challenge (IBC) will be January 31 - February 4, 2012. The competition will be held in Memphis, TN in the Beale Street entertainment district.. Your act must be available these dates.

All local competition club venues are located in Springfield MO.

Drums and bass amp will be provided. You will need to bring your own cymbals for the drums.

You must be open to play at the preliminaries on either October 15th or 21st.

If you are chosen for the Finals, you must be open to play on November 4th.

Any changes in your act must be approved by the BSO Memphis Bound Committee.

Each act will play a 25 minute set. The sets are timed (like in the International Blues Competition). Points will be deducted for going over your allowed time, so get your set time down.

All entries must submit a short bio (submit in form below). This is the act description that will be used on the program and sent to the IBC, so don't put something simple like "We like to play Blues. Come party with us". Use the bio to highlight you band in the best way.

All entries must submit a promo picture to Ric Lund at ric@bluessocietyoftheozarks.com. If your image is too large to email me, contact me at ric@bluessocietyoftheozarks.com and I'll arrange an upload. Note: The IBC requires a 3' x 2" at 300dpi (900 x 600 pixels). Photographs not meeting the criteria will not be used in the IBC event program or on the IBC website. If your photo does not meet the minimum requirements a one point deduction will be assessed at the IBC. Make sure you photo is at least this size. Larger photos will be resized by Ric Lund at no charge to meet IBC requirements. The picture you submit with your registration is for the BSO event programs. If a better picture is needed for the winners to submit to the IBC, Ric Lund will arrange a photo shoot with you at no charge.

Any inquiries in regards to the contest, contact Ric Lund at ric@bluessocietyoftheozarks.com.

 


Memphis Bound Entry Form

Sorry - Accepting no more 2011 applications

          Band or Solo/Duo Name:

          Are you a Band or Solo/Duo entry?:

Name Of Individuals Performing
(Only those listed will be allowed to compete)

Note: Member1 should be the main band contact
(IMPORTANT: This is who the BSO contacts for schedule)

Member1: Instruments:

Email Address:

Phone: City: State:

Additional Band Members

Member2: Instruments:

Member3: Instruments:

Member4: Instruments:

Member5: Instruments:

Member6: Instruments:

Member7: Instruments:

Member8: Instruments:

 

Short Band Bio:

Sorry - Accepting no more 2011 applications

By submitting you confirm that you are an authorized representative of the band and that you agree to the terms and conditions below. A confirmation email will follow to you. It's return will verify that you and all other band members understand and meet the eligibility requirements.


 

If you get chosen to go to Memphis, here's what you'll have a shot at:.

2012 INTERNATIONAL BLUES CHALLENGE
BAND PRIZES

1st Place Band
-- First Place International Blues Challenge plaque
-- $2000 cash
-- Interview in BluesWax
-- One-year subscription to Blues Revue.
-- Free CD listing at cdmojo.com
-- Ad in Blues Festival Guide and banner ad on its website
-- Professional press kit from Groovedaddy Graphics

Great gigs, including:
-- Legendary Rhythm and Blues Cruise, Pacific Cruise
-- Heritage Blues Festival, Wheeling, WV
-- St. John Blues Festival, St John, US Virgin Islands
-- BLUESTOCK, Presented by Steve and Jeff Simon - Hunter Mountain, NY.
-- Telluride Blues and Brews Festival, Telluride, CO
-- Arkansas Blues and Heritage Festival , Helena, AR
-- Hot Springs Blues Festival, Hot Springs, AR
-- River City Blues Society of VA , Richmond, VA Blues and Brews.
-- Eureka Springs Blues Weekend, Eureka Springs, AR
-- Greater Ozark Blues Festival, Springfield, MO
-- Gladstone SummerTime BluesFest, Gladstone, MO
-- Ground Zero Blues Club, Clarksdale, MS
-- Charlie West Blues Festival, Charleston, WV
-- Tremblant International Blues Festival, Mont-Tremblant, Quebec Canada

2nd Place Band
-- 2nd Place International Blues Challenge plaque
-- $1000 cash
-- One-year subscription to Blues Revue
-- Free CD listing at cdmojo.com
-- Professional press kit from Groovedaddy Graphics

Gigs, including--
-- Canal Bank Shuffle , Thorold, Ontario, Canada
-- Ground Zero Blues Club, Clarksdale, MS


3rd Place Band
-- 3rd Place International Blues Challenge Plaque
-- $750 cash
-- One-year subscription to Blues Revue.
-- Free CD listing at cdmojo.com
-- Professional press kit from Groovedaddy Graphics

INTERNATIONAL BLUES CHALLENGE
SOLO/DUO PRIZES

1st Place Solo/Duo
-- 1st place International Blues Challenge plaque
-- $1500 cash
-- Interview in BluesWax
-- One-year subscription to Blues Revue
-- Free CD listing on cdmojo.com
-- Ad in Blues Festival Guide and banner ad on its website
-- Professional press kit from Groovedaddy Graphics

Great gigs, including:

-- International Folk Alliance Conference Memphis, TN
-- Traditional Acoustic Blues Festival Columbus, OH
-- Rootsway Roots 'n' Blues & Food Festival Parma, Italy
-- Heritage Blues Festival Wheeling, WV
-- Alonzo's Memorial Day Picnic, Baltimore, MD
-- Hot Springs Blues Festival, Hot Springs, AR
-- Blues Sur Seine France
-- 2012 Legendary Rhythm and Blues Caribbean Cruise

2nd Place Solo/Duo
-- 2nd Place International Blues Challenge plaque
-- $750 cash
-- One-year subscription to Blues Revue
-- Free CD listing on cdmojo.com
-- Professional press kit from Groovedaddy Graphics

ADDITIONAL INTERNATIONAL BLUES CHALLENGE PRIZES

Best Guitrarist Award (in Band Finals)
-- Gibson Custom ES-335 guitar with Blues Foundation logo
-- Category 5 Amp

Best Harmonica Player sponsored by Lee Oskar Harmonicas
- Autographed Lee Oskar gold plated limited edition Lee Oskar harmonica
- Complete set of Lee Oskar harmonicas
- Additional set of Lee Oskar reed plates & accessories
- An opportunity to perform with Lee Oskar & friends in Seattle, WA at the famous Highway 99 Blues Club & Restaurant.

Best Self Produced CD
-- Personalized Plaque
-- $750 cash prize
-- Radio airplay on Sirius XM Satellite Radio's B.B. King's Bluesville; Music Choice, your cable and satellite TV Blues channel, Blues Breaker status on The House of Blues Radio Show with Elwood Blues, as well as on radio shows hosted by our deejay judges around the country.

 

BSO Terms and Conditions

The Blues Society of the Ozarks reserves the right to use any contestants name, voices, pictures, visages and other likeness for the purpose of advertising, publishing and promoting “ MEMPHIS BOUND “ and/or The Blues Society of the Ozarks. The Blues Society of the Ozarks reserves the right to videotape or otherwise record all “MEMPHIS BOUND “ performances. The Blues Society of the Ozarks shall retain total ownership of all recordings and programs, and reserves the right to edit the program and the right to broadcast the program for promotional purposes only.

The Blues Society of the Ozarks and event host will not be liable for accidents, injury or loss through the duration of the competition. Any grievance concerning The Memphis Bound Competition will be addressed to the competition director. No other committee member, competition judge, BSO member or management and staff of event host are to be approached concerning grievances. Failure to comply may result in ineligibility to participate in future BSO events.

The winning act will represent the Blues Society of the Ozarks at the 2012 Annual International Blues Challenge in Memphis Tennessee, this upcoming January. The winning act must consist of the original members (those individuals registered with the Memphis Bound Competition). Any change in personnel and will be handled on a case by case basis by the Memphis Bound steering committee. If for some reason the winning act is dissolved, the second place winner will assume all remaining awards.

Each act participating in the Memphis Bound Competition must submit a play list to the Competition Director just prior to their performance, consisting of composition title, composer, original or cover (in the case a composition was written for the band/ performer by an outside composer the composition will be considered an original). Registered members of all entered acts will receive an all events pass for Memphis Bound regardless of outcome of preliminary rounds.

If you win, the IBC has certain requirements that must be met, such as band bio & pictures, before they may enter. If they are not in, the committee has the option of awarding first place to the next placed winner. The cash awards will be presented the final night of competition except for the winning acts. All accommodations, 3 rooms for 3 night (band competition), 1 room for 3 nights (solo/duo) at Blues Foundation’s host hotel shall be arranged by the Memphis Bound Committee authorized agent of the Blues Society of the Ozarks. Expense money and reservation information will presented to the winning act January 2012. The award of a spot at the next Greater Ozarks Blues Festival has certain conditions. First, the winning band must be together as a performing act up till the day of the festival, to break up & reform the band for that event will not be allowed. Secondly, if members of the band change, the GOBF booking agent has the right to make a ruling on those changes and decide if the winning band still has the essence of the band that won the Memphis Bound competition.

International Blues Challenge Rules (on The Blues Foundation web site)