Photos from the finals by Dusty Scott
BLUES FOUNDATION AWARDS CANADIAN MATT ANDERSEN
& MISSISSIPPI DELTA BAND GRADY CHAMPION WITH TOP
HONORS AT 26TH INTERNATIONAL BLUES CHALLENGE
[Memphis,
TN] The Blues Foundation's 26th International
Blues Challenge ended on Saturday January 23rd,
2010 with two packed shows at the Orpheum Theatre. Out
of 224 bands that competed for top
honors throughout the weekend only two can be called
winner in the solo/duo and band competition.
The solo/duo winner was Matt
Andersen, sponsored by Harvest Jazz and
Blues fromFredericton, New Brunswick, Canada
and second place honors went to Alphonso Sanders and
Bill "Howl-n-Madd" Perry from Mississippi's
Crossroads Blues Society.
The top prize in the Band competition was awarded to
Grady
Champion of the Mississippi Delta Blues
Society of Indianola. Second place honors were
earned by Karen Lovely Band, Cascade Blues Association,
and the third spot went to Cheryl Renee with Them Bones,
hailing from the Cincinnati Blues Society.
The
finalists in the solo duo category were: Becky
Boyd & Tim Matson (Cleveland Blues Society); Jimi
Lee with PB Shane (Austin Blues Society); Sherman Lee
Dillon (Central Mississippi Blues Society); Tom Walbank
& Arthur Migliazza (Southern Arizona Blues Heritage
Foundation); Ken "The Rocket" Korb (Long Island
Blues Society); and Steve Cohen (Grafton Blues Association).
The finalists in the band competition were:
Mojo Theory (Pomeroy Blues & Jazz Society); R&K
Brew Co (West Virginia Blues Society); Big Boy Little
Band (DC Blues Society); Sonny Moorman Group (Columbus
Blues Alliance); Jesse Greene Band (Ottawa Blues Society);
Jackie Scott & the Housewreckers (Baltimore Blues
Society); Labron Lazenby and LA 3 (Smoky Mountain Blues
Society); and The Avey Brothers (Iowa Blues Societies).
