The International Blues Challenge (IBC) is a music competition run by the Blues Foundation.
Notable blues artists that have competed in the IBC over the years also includes Fiona Boyes, Eden Brent, Michael Burks, Tommy Castro, Sean Costello, Albert Cummings, Døvydas, Larry Garner, Zac Harmon, Homemade Jamz Blues Band, HowellDevine, Richard Johnston, Julian Fauth, Super Chikan, Susan Tedeschi, Southern Avenue, and Watermelon Slim.
The 1994 event in particular had much talent as Susan Tedeschi, Michael Burks (who won the Albert King Guitar Award) and a 16-year-old Sean Costello competed, although none of them were the eventual winner.
History The competition began in 1984, then named the Blues Amateur Talent Contest. The idea was to give amateur or up and coming musicians a chance to be discovered and get a foothold. In 1986, the event was renamed the National Amateur Talent Contest and 17 bands competed. Prior to 1993, the IBC had a rule that performers had to make less than 50% of their income from performing. This rule was dropped that year and the following year the word "Amateur" was dropped from the name of the event. In 1995, the event was renamed “The International Blues Talent Competition” to reflect the expanded demand and over 40 acts competed. No competition was held in 1999 as the timing of the event was changed from the fall during the King Biscuit Festival to the January/February time frame. In January 2000, the first International Blues Challenge was held with 50 bands competing. As the event has grown in size it was decided to split the acts into two categories, Band and Solo/Duo in 2002. Now each year more than 200 acts from around the world gather on Beale Street in Memphis, Tennessee, to compete for the International Blues Challenge.
Diunna Greenleaf and her backing band, Blue Mercy, won the competition in 2005. In 2006, the Joey Gilmore Band won the Best Band prize. The winners in 2008 were Trampled Under Foot. The 2010 winner of the top Solo/Duo prize was Matt Andersen. Grady Champion and his band won the Best Band title at the 26th International Blues Challenge in 2010, The 2011 winners of the Solo/Duo category were Georg Schroeter and Marc Breitfelder.
The band winner in 2014 was Mr. Sipp, with the solo winner being Tim Williams. In 2015, Eddie Cotton won the best band category, with Randy McQuay coming out on top in the solo/duo division.
Band winners Year Band Blues Society 1984 Reliance A band from Memphis won the first Blues Amateur Talent Contest 1985 Reliance Reliance repeated as winners 1986 Arletta Nightingale Memphis, Tennessee 1987 N/K (The Blues Foundation website does not list a winner) 1988 Larry Garner & the Boogaloo Blues Band Baton Rouge, Louisiana 1989 John Weston Lee County, Arkansas 1990 The Dynamics Bloomington, Indiana 1991 The Roach Thompson Band Miami, Florida 1992 Piano Bob & the Snowman (Robert Wilder & Ken Minahan) Miami, Florida 1993 Evil Gal Boston Blues Society 1994 The Hardway Connection Washington, D.C. 1995 The Movers Boston Blues Society 1996 Smilin Vic & the Soul Monkeys Oklahoma Blues Society 1997 Chris Cameron Fort Smith Blues Society 1998 Abe Reid Piedmont Blues Preservation Society 1999 No challenge held Moved date from King Biscuit Fest to January/February 2000 Dave Keyes Band New York Blues Society 2001 Richard Johnston Beale Street Blues Society 2002 Chef Chris & His Nairobi Trio Canada South Blues Society 2003 Delta Moon Charlotte Blues Society 2004 Zac Harmon & the Mid-South Revue Southern California Blues Society 2005 Diunna Greenleaf and The Blue Mercy Band The Blue Shoe Project 2006 Joey Gilmore South Florida Blues Society 2007 Sean Carney Band Columbus Blues Alliance 2008 Trampled Under Foot Kansas City Blues Society 2009 J.P. Soars and the Red Hots South Florida Blues Society 2010 Grady Champion Mississippi Delta Blues Society of Indianola 2011 Lionel Young Band Colorado Blues Society 2012 The WIRED Band! Washington Blues Society 2013 Selwyn Birchwood Suncoast Blues Society 2014 Mr. Sipp Vicksburg Blues Society 2015 Eddie Cotton Vicksburg Blues Society 2016 The Delgado Brothers Ventura County Blues Society 2017 Dawn Tyler Watson Montreal Blues Society 2018 Keeshae Pratt Band Houston Blues Society 2019 Ms Hy-C and Fresh Start St. Louis Blues Society 2020 HOROJO Trio Ottawa Blues Society 2022 The Wacky Jugs France Blues 2023 Mathias Lattin Houston Blues Society 2024 Piper and the Hard Times Nashville Blues and Roots Alliance 2026 Derrick Dove & The Peacekeepers
Solo/duo winners In 2002, the Blues Foundation split the challenge into two categories and began awarding a winner in the Solo/Duo category. Year Band Blues Society 2002 Little Toby Walker Long Island Blues Society 2003 Fiona Boyes Melbourne Blues Appreciation Society 2004 Lightnin' Lee & the Upright Rooster Spa City Blues Society 2005 Jimi Hocking Melbourne Blues Appreciation Society 2006 Eden Brent Mississippi Delta Blues Society of Indianola 2007 Nathan James and Ben Hernandez Blues Lovers United of San Diego 2008 Lionel Young Colorado Blues Society 2009 Little Joe McLerran Blues Society of Tulsa 2010 Matt Andersen Harvest Jazz & Blues 2011 Georg Schroeter & Marc Breitfelder Baltic Blues Society 2012 Ray Bonneville Ozark Blues Society of Northwest Arkansas 2013 Little G Weevil Atlanta Blues Society 2014 Tim Williams Calgary Blues Music Association 2015 Randy McQuay Cape Fear Blues Society 2016 Ben Hunter & Joe Seamons Washington Blues Society 2017 Al Hill Nashville Blues Society 2018 Kevin "B.F." Burt Central Iowa Blues Society 2019 Jon Shain Triangle Blues Society 2020 Héctor Anchondo Blues Society of Omaha 2022 Eric Ramsey Phoenix Blues Society 2023 Frank Sultana Sydney Blues Society 2024 Joe Waters Columbus Blues Alliance 2026 Weary Ramblers
Best Guitarist winners 1995 Geoff Achison Melbourne Blues Appreciation Society 2008 Nick Schnebelen Kansas City Blues Society2016Joey Delgado Ventura County Blues Society 2017 Ben Racine Montreal Blues Society 2018 Artur Menezes 2019 Gabe Stillman Billtown Blues Society 2020 JW-Jones Ottawa Blues Society 2022 T.C. Carter Piedmont Blues Preservation Society 2023 Mathias Lattin Houston Blues Society 2024 Stephen Hull Paramount Music Association 2026 Derrick Dove
Best self-produced CD award Year Band Blues Society 2005 (TIE) Robin Rogers - Crazy, Cryin’ Blues N/A 2005 (TIE) Collard Greens & Gravy - Silver Bird Melbourne Blues Appreciation Society 2006 Roxy Perry - Back in Bluesville N/A 2007 Mighty Lester Band - We are Mighty Lester N/A 2008 Sue Palmer & Her Motel Swing Orchestra - Sophisticated Ladies N/A 2009 Nathan James & Ben Hernandez - Hollerin’ N/A 2010 (TIE) The Informants - Crime Scene Queen Colorado Blues Society 2010 (TIE) Laurie Morvan - Fire It Up! N/A 2011 Joe McMurrian - Get Inside This House Cascade Blues Association 2012 Dave Keller - Where I'm Coming From Rhode Island Rhythm & Blues Preservation Society 2013 Steve Hill - Solo Recordings Montreal Blues Society 2014 Hank Mowery - Account To Me West Michigan Blues Society 2015 Altered Five Blues Band - Cryin' Mercy Grafton Blues Association 2016 Rob Lumbard - Blues in a Bottle Central Iowa Blues Society 2017 JW-Jones - High Temperature Ottawa Blues Society 2018 Jontavious Willis - Blue Metamorphosis Atlanta Blues Society 2019 Little Red Rooster Blues Band - Lock Up the Liquor Central Delaware Blues Society 2020 Moonshine Society - Sweet Thing River City Blues Society (VA) 2022 Memphis Lightning - Borrowed Time Suncoast Blues Society 2023 Josh Hoyer & Soul Colossal - Green Light Blues Society of Omaha 2024 Sister Lucille - Tell the World
References
External links Official web page of the International Blues Challenge A Brief History of the International Blues Challenge