Tuesday, February 26, 2008

Promising Young Blues Musician Contest.......

Passing along this information….I hope it reaches our young musicians….
Deadline is March 15, 2008.

Gibson Guitar Company and Robert Johnson Blues Foundation New Generation Award Contest Accepting Entries CRYSTAL SPRINGS, MISSISSIPPI -The Robert Johnson Blues Foundation is now accepting entries for the 2008 New Generation Award Contest. The Gibson Guitar/ Robert Johnson New Generation Award will be presented to the year's most promising young blues musician, as determined by an elite panel of music industry professionals, from the entries received.
The contest is open to all young blues musicians at least 12 years of age, but no older than 18 years of age, as of May 10, 2008. Entries must be on VHS or DVD videotape and be postmarked by March 15, 2008. For complete rules and a downloadable application form please visit the Robert Johnson Blues Foundation website at www.robertjohnsonbluesfoundation.org or at www.Sonicbids.com The Robert Johnson Blues Festival has provided winners with once in a lifetime performance slots. Past winner, guitar prodigy Tyler Bryant of Flowermound, Texas was invited to attend Eric Clapton's Crossroads Guitar Festival. Not only did he have the opportunity to perform, but he got to meet "Slowhand" himself. Other past winners have met with award winning industry professionals and been offered key performance slots at a variety of events.The winner of the New Generation Award will receive a Gibson "Robert Johnson" edition guitar, a Robert Johnson harmonica, a certificate signed by Claud Johnson (son of Robert Johnson) and an invitation to perform at the Blues Jam on May 10, 2008 with transportation and lodging for two provided by the Foundation. The Blues Jam is the spring festival sponsored by the Robert Johnson Blues Foundation will be held at Chataugua Park in Crystal Springs, Ms. Scheduled to perform are Honeyboy Edwards, the Muddy Waters Reunion Band and last year's winner, Tyler Bryant. The family and heirs of blues legend Robert Johnson provide services to all generations of blues artists and to preserve and perpetuate the rich heritage of Delta blues music through the Robert Johnson Blues Foundation. Robert Johnson, "King of the Delta Blues Singers", was born in Hazlehurst, MS in Copiah County, on May 8, 1911. Crystal Spring, MS is the sister city and host of the Robert Johnson Blues Foundation Spring Festival which commemorates the birth of the Mississippi blues legend. Johnson is one of the most admired and influential Delta blues artists despite his short life and the small number of recordings that he left. His songs, such as "Sweet Home Chicago", "Come on in My Kitchen", and "Crossroad Blues", are blues classics -- played by thousands of blues artists and adapted by rock 'n' roll artists such as the Rolling Stones, Led Zeppelin and Eric Clapton.Robert Johnson was a gifted singer, guitarist and songwriter whose life story is wrapped in mystery and legend. Only two photographs are known to exist of him and he recorded only 29 songs before his death in 1938 at the age of 27. Many of his contemporaries believed that he met the Devil at a lonely crossroads at midnight and made a deal to sell his soul in return for becoming the greatest blues musician of all time. More likely, he was blessed with enormous talent and spent a lot of time learning from other blues masters and honing his skills. He achieved some success and fame from recordings and performances during his life and was scheduled to perform at the first "Spirituals to Swing" concert at Carnegie Hall when he died. Although his burial place remains uncertain, it is generally accepted that his death was not accidental. Johnson was poisoned by a jealous husband (or girlfriend) while performing at a juke joint near Greenwood, Mississippi and died on August 16, 1938.Johnson's music lives on through his recordings, which were first released as a compilation by Columbia Records in the 1960's. In 1990 a complete two-CD box set of all his recordings (every take of every song) was released and over a million sets were sold. His music also lives on through the many blues musicians alive today -- old and young, throughout the United States and around the world.The Robert Johnson Blues Foundation hopes to ensure that Robert Johnson's legacy and the delta blues heritage continue into the future by recognizing and assisting young blues musicians through the New Generation Award.More information on the foundation and the festivals and events sponsored by the foundation is available at the website: www.robertjohnsonbluesfoundation.org .

Delta State University to receive artist’s collection of life mask sculptures


CLEVELAND— Sculptor Sharon McConnell holds a life mask of David “Honeyboy” Edwards, one of the oldest living blues musicians. The mask is one of many created by McConnell on a quest to preserve the likenesses of blues players.
Delta State University and the Charles Capps Archives and Museum are the recent recipients of a generous gift of a new blues exhibit entitled “A Cast of Blues” by McConnell of Como, and formerly Santa Fe, New Mexico.
This outstanding exhibit will open with a reception on Saturday, March 1, from 5:30-7:30 p.m. in the north lobby alcove of Ewing Hall on the campus and will remain on permanent display at the same location.

Music will be provided by “Blind Mississippi” Morris, whose face is included in the collection. McConnell, creator of the collection, will dedicate it during the reception.

This donation includes 55 life masks of bluesmen, each cast directly from the face of the living person.

The reception is free and open to the public. For more information on the exhibit and other events during the Year of Delta Heritage, call the Delta Center for Culture and Learning at (662) 846-4311.

[deltastate.edu]

Delta State University’s Year of Delta Heritage Unveils New Blues Exhibit

CLEVELAND ―Delta State University and the Charles Capps Archives and Museum are the recent recipients of a generous gift of a new blues exhibit entitled “A Cast of Blues” by sculptor Sharon McConnell of Como, and formerly Santa Fe, New Mexico.

This outstanding exhibit will open with a reception on Saturday, March 1, from 5:30-7:30 p.m. in the North lobby alcove of Ewing Hall on the campus and will remain on permanent display at the same location.

Music will be provided by “Blind Mississippi” Morris, whose face is included in the collection. Sharon McConnell, creator of the collection, will dedicate it during the reception.

This donation includes almost 60 life masks of bluesmen, each cast directly from the face of the living person. Blues fans who have long lamented of the lack of photographs of early bluesmen, will rejoice that McConnell has used her talent to preserve the likenesses of bluesmen in these three-dimensional sculptures, each of which captures the minutest details of a performer’s face.

Blind since her late 20’s from a degenerative eye disease, McConnell expresses her connection to her subjects as a “mapping of their emotional surfaces.” She says, “I have lost sight, but I have gained vision, and sculpture is a vehicle through which I can access my lost sense.” McConnell goes on to say about her work, “It’s very intimate in the sense that you’re touching someone’s face and they can feel your intention and your care. They’re giving me their joy and pain in their portrait, and I’m just kind of mapping it out as my hands go across their face.”

Included in this remarkable gift are the images of Bo Diddley, Bobby Rush, Charlie Musselwhite, David “Honeyboy” Edwards, Pinetop Perkins, Robert Lockwood, Little Milton, Bobby Blue Bland, Koko Taylor, and a host of others.

The reception is free and open to the public. For more information on the exhibit and other events during the Year of Delta Heritage, call the Delta Center for Culture and Learning at (662) 846-4311.
Photo Identification: Life masks of bluesmen by sculptor Sharon McConnell

[deltastate.edu]

Wednesday, February 13, 2008

[News] THE BLUES - New BLIND WILLIW McTELL Album

ATLANTA STRUT by Blind Willie McTell - Brand New Album

Go to www.rockwellrecords.co.uk


Also check out 'They're Red Hot' by Robert Johnson



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