... to preserve, promote and perpetuate the Blues Tradition ...

Contest Information
(Previous Winners Listed Below)

The Kentuckiana Blues Society presents:
The 2009 Annual Blues Contest
for Bands, Solo/Duo, Best Self Produced CD
and Youth Category

This contest is a qualifying round with an automatic berth in the Blues Foundation's Annual International Blues Challenge held in Memphis each year (early 2010). KBS uses the Blues Foundation's rules and scoring as the basis for our competition. For the Foundations complete set of rules, visit the IBC Section of the Blues Foundation's Web Site. 

The KBS competition is open to any Kentuckiana blues performer or act who is at least 21 years of age (see Youth Category for under 21), whose name has never appeared on a final Handy Award ballot and whose act did not win the KBS contest the previous year. (The rule that all members must be at least 21 years of age is required in order to enter any venue that serves alcohol, which is where we hold the competition.)

We limit the geography of the acts to the boundaries of the Commonwealth of Kentucky and areas close to Louisville (75 miles +/-). You must reside or regularly play in Kentucky or Southern Indiana. In the event of a controversial entry or too many entries, final selection will be done by a committee of KBS Board Members. If you have any questions, please ask.

The 2009 contest was in June.
This earlier date will allow for more time to prepare for future events for the winners.
We follow the rules for the International Blues Challenge with the exception that all members of the Band and Solo/Duo must be 21 years of age at the time of the competition because of the venues we use.

Band Competition will be on June 14 2009 at
Stevie Ray's Blues Bar, Louisville, KY

Solo/Duo Category on June 28 2009 at
Lisa's Oak Street Lounge, Louisville KY

Deadline for Band and Solo/Duo Entry is May 30 2009

Best Self-Produced CD - entries must have been released from Nov 1, 2008 thru Oct 31, 2009
If you have a CD you would like considered, send us a copy requesting that it be considered

Youth Category is a new category for 2009
(you must be under 21 thru Jan 23, 2010)
Deadline for Youth Entry is Oct 26, 2009
Youth Competition will be held on Nov 8, 2009 (2:00pm) at
Bardstown Road Presbyterian Church
CANCELLED

$100 to the Winner and a berth to the IBC

Youth Category Announcement Letter
Youth Category Application

Band winner receives First Prize Money of $500 plus recording studio time
appearance at the 2009 Garvin Gate Blues Festival
and possibly other prizes from our sponsors!

Solo/Duo winner receives First Prize Money of $100 plus recording studio time
and possibly other prizes from our sponsors!

Best Self Produced CD winner is automatically entered into the Best CD category at the IBC

Youth winner prizes other than any automatic berth to the IBC are yet to be determined

For the following links, please use your browser's BACK button to return here.
Documents are in PDF Format - Get the Free Adobe Acrobat Reader (link will open in a new window).

• Official Announcement  2009
  (contains several details ... be sure to read this to understand what you are getting into)

• Application Form  2009

Get your act together and join the fun !

If you have any questions or problems,  please send e-mail to: Info@KBSBlues.org