The Phoenix Blues Society
 

www.phoenixblues.org
http://www.myspace.com/thephoenixbluessociety

The Phoenix Blues Society is an affiliate of the Blues Foundation, headquartered in Memphis, Tennessee and supports Blues Performers, Blues Music and Blues Excellence in Phoenix, Arizona and the surrounding areas. Founded in 1989, the Phoenix Blues Society traditionally puts on two major blues shows each year: Back Porch, usually held in the fall, supports accoustic blues performers and the traditional methods of playing. Blues Blast, the first blues festival of the year in the United States, is held each February in Mesa, Arizona and showcases the finest blues talent of all genres of the blues. In addition to these two events, the Phoenix Blues Society supports the International Blues Challenge in Memphis by conducting the Arizona Blues Showdown. The Showdown, traditionally held in November, is PBS's contest to determine the best blues band in Arizona. The band division winner advances to Memphis to compete against the winners from the other 150 Blues Foundation affiliates from around the world for prizes and festival contracts. New to the Phoenix Blues Society this year is the best self-produced cd contest. Each and every self-produced cd by Arizona bands that is released between November 1st, 2005 and October 1st, 2006 is eligible for the state contest. The winning cd will advance to Memphis to compete against entries from around the world as well. Our mission as a blues society is to support and promote all forms of blues music. We do that by holding monthly membership meetings at various blues clubs throughout the Valley supporting as many bands as we can during the year.