CIBS Blues Crier :: JUNE 2019

UPCOMING CENTRAL IOWA BLUES SOCIETY EVENTS

SUNDAY – JUN 23, 2019 @ 6:00PM
Lefty’s Live Music, 2307 University Ave, DM
The 44s

Doors at 5PM / Show at 6PM – $15 (CIBS Members receive a $5 rebate at the door when checking in at the venue)

The 44’s are a Los Angeles-based band who play blues-roots-rock music.The 44’s are one of the brightest rising stars on the American blues roots scene. Make no mistake about it. The raw rough and tough sounds generated by these four expert musicians during live performances demands to be heard by Blues music fans World Wide.

---

SUNDAY – JUN 30, 2019 @ 6:00PM
Noce, 1326 Walnut St., Des Moines, IA
Doug Deming & the Jewel Tones / The Bel Airs

Doors at 5PM / Show at 6PM – $25 (CIBS Members receive a $5 rebate at the door when checking in at the venue.) DOUBLE BILL SHOW!

DOUG DEMING & THE JEWEL TONES – Doug Deming is an American blues and roots guitarist/vocalist, born and raised in the Detroit area, currently residing on the Gulf coast of Florida. Doug is the 2013 recipient of the Blues Blast Music Awards’ Sean Costello Rising Star Award. Drawing influence from greats like T-Bone Walker, Charlie Christian and Robert Jr. Lockwood, Doug’s traditional taste and style are evident in his original music, with three recordings of primarily original tunes to his credit. Throughout his 20+ year career Doug has enjoyed touring and recording with many top blues artists, including Kim Wilson, Gary Primich, Lazy Lester, Alberta Adams, AC Reed and Johnny “Yard Dog” Jones to name a few; as well as with his own band featuring various artists such as Greg “Fingers” Taylor, Terry Hanck, Steve Guyger and Dennis Gruenling. Doug Deming & the Jewel Tones play traditional blues, West Coast and Texas swing, and early 50s roots rock. This is real deal rocking’ rhythm & blues! www.dougdeming.com

THE BEL AIRS – Fronted by brothers Dick and Dave Pruitt on bass and electric guitars, with Michael Cherry on drums, The Bel Airs play a danceable mix with an authentic but eclectic bluesy-country-soul-and-rock-n-roll sound influenced by the likes of Wilson Picket, Slim Harpo, Howlin’ Wolf and Johnny Cash. Performing together for more than 20 years, the Pruitt brothers’ harmony vocal style sets them apart in the contemporary music scene–leading one reviewer to refer to them as the “Everly Brothers of Blues”. David’s “big guitar” and Dick’s howling vocals over soulful, right-on rhythm playing make this trio a powerhouse. www.belairs.com

---

MONDAY – JUL 8, 2019 @ 7:00PM
Peace Tree Brewery, 317 E Court, Des Moines, IA
CIBS Membership Meeting
featuring Bob Pace

CIBS members that attend the membership meeting are eligible to win door prizes at the end of the meeting… prizes such as tickets to a Blues show, CDs, DVDs, Books, etc. Enjoy some live blues after the meeting!

 

---

---

---

2019 Iowa Blues Challenge

Congratulations to the 2019 Iowa Blues Challenge champions: Avey/Grouws Band– Chris Avey, Jeni Grouws, Randy Leasman, Nick Vasquez & Bryan West in the band category and Generation of Blues – Hal Reed & Kent Burnside in the solo/duo category. Both acts will represent Iowa at the 36th Annual International Blues Challenge to be held January 28 – February 1, 2020 on historic Beale Street in Memphis, TN. Runners up were Tom Buckmiller & the Tone Tailors (band) and Billylee Janey (solo/duo) and third place went to the Brothers Ruckus (band) and the Cedar County Cobras (solo/duo).

Click here for a mess of photos
and video from the event!

Thank you Michael Rolands (photos) and Jay Gilliam (video)

---

---

2019 Blues Music Awards

CONGRATULATIONS to all the 2019 Blues Music Award winners – especially to Scot Sutherland for bringing home a trophy for Band of the Year as part of the Welch-Ledbetter Connection! Scot was also nominated in the Instrumentalist-Bass category and Kevin Burt was nominated in the Best Emerging Artist Recording category. Both are also recent Iowa Blues Hall of Fame inductees.

An excerpt from The Blues Foundation’s press release…

The night’s joyful celebration, however, also held a note of sadness. This year’s top award winner was Michael Ledbetter, who passed away in January. Ledbetter was honored with the Instrumentalist-Vocals award and named B.B. King Entertainer of the Year while his group, The Welch-Ledbetter Connection, were victors as the Band of the Year. Additionally, his co-bandleader, Monster Mike Welch, topped the Instrumentalist-Guitar category. At the ceremony, Welch noted of his late musical partner: “I am the guitarist I am in 2019 because I had to keep up with Mike Ledbetter.”

Check out a video recap at the link below and the entire list of winners HERE->

 

---

Mississippi  Valley Blues Fest

Check out the terrific line-up our friends at Mississippi Valley Blues Fest have put together this year… Ronnie Baker Brooks, Samantha Fish, Tab Benoit, Victor Wainwright, North Mississippi All-Stars and MORE! The fest has been relocated to Murphy Park in East Moline because of the record-breaking flood this year.

Get ALL the details HERE ->

 

---

Lefty’s Live Music – HVAC Benefit!

WEDNESDAY – JUL 10, 2019 @ 6:00PM
Lefty’s Live Music, 2307 University Ave, DM
HVAC Benefit for Lefty’s Live Music

Our friends at Lefty’s Live Music could use our help. The AC has been on the blink for the last couple summers and it’s been effecting the bottom line which then makes it hard to make enough to do the repairs. Please join us in supporting this great venue. Benefit concert featuring Butter Cow Blues Band, Patresa Hartman and more is slated for July 10. Get more details at this link as they develop. There is also a GoFundMe set up. CLICK HERE to donate that way.

 

---

2019 Blues Blast Music Award Nominees

CONGRATULATIONS to Iowa’s Matt Woods and Catfish Keith for being nominated for a Blues Blast Music Award! Check out all of the nominees and be sure to vote for your favorites. Voting opens on July 1st at www.bluesblastmagazine.com.

---

CIBS Blues Angels

Blues music affects its fans in many ways. To some, it is a soundtrack of experiences of their past, or maybe their present.  Stories of love and loss are set to notes and rhythms that grip the heart and and give a voice to one’s soul.  But listening to the blues is different than living the blues. When love and loss become one in our personal reality, the emotional devastation is so raw we yearn to do something (anything) to ease the heartache of a relationship ended prematurely and to insure that our loved one is held in a lasting memory.

The Central Iowa Blues Society now offers an opportunity to create a memorial for a departed loved one who was a member of CIBS. By generating a donation to CIBS of $500, the past member will be designated a Blues Angel and recognized in the newsletter as well as permanently listed on the CIBS website.

To initiate this memorial, Beth Bloom is now recognized as a Blues Angel.  Taken from us on February 14, 2019, Beth was a longtime contributing member and known around the membership to be a supportive volunteer, an attentive listener, and a lot of fun wherever she went.

We are currently working on a designated page on
our website dedicated to the Blues Angel program. 

 

---

– – – – – – –

The “Crossroads: A Journey With The Blues” program is growing! Here is a list of what is scheduled so far.

Forest Avenue Library, 1326 Forest Ave

• July 27 (2-3pm) – Bob Pace
  Student Harmonica giveaway with lessons
  
• August 24 (2-3pm) – Scott Davis
  Blues History with Videos
• October 5th (1:30-4pm) Heath Alan and Chad Elliott
  Party On The Patio – outdoors with snacks and drinks provided

Franklin Ave Library,  5000 Franklin Ave

• August 3rd (10:30am-11:30am) Tina and Rob
  performance with storytelling
• October 5th (10:30am-11:30am) Malcolm Wells
  Student Harmonica giveaway and lesson

Eastside Library, 2559 Hubbell Ave

• August 10th (10:30am-Noon) Chad Elliott
  Summer Reading Program – Outdoors with snacks and drinks provided

A HUGE Blues thank you to, Dana Smith and Nikki Hayter of the Forest Ave library, Jennifer Leveck of the Franklin Ave library and Theresa Weeks of the Eastside library.

– – – – – – –

KFMG – Recently, I have been contributing Central Iowa Blues Society music education information on shows including, John Busbee’s Culture Buzz and George Formaro and Jim Duncan’s Kitchen Insider. Culture Buzz is posting a “Cool Show Alert” in their newsletter every week.

– – – – – – –

BLUES IN THE SCHOOLS – The 2019 CIBS Blues In The Schools (held April 22-26) was a huge success. CIBS Resident Educator, Kevin Burt brought Blues music education through six Des Moines Public Schools; Moore, Monroe, Samuelson and Hillis Elementary, Meredith Middle, and Hoover High schools. We are looking forward to adding Woodlawn Preschool to the DMPS list. As Kevin Burt says, “They’re never too young to start music appreciation.”  The Des Moines Area Community Community College, Ankeny Campus Jazz and Music appreciation classes also got a Kevin Burt style Blues music education.

All in all, Kevin Burt brought his style of Blues music education to just under one thousand students. This was a week of big smiles, a lot of laughs and quite a few tears, not just from students, but teachers were also looking for something to dry the happy Blues tears as they all reacted to Kevin’s music.

Thank you to all of the Central Iowa Blues Society Blues In The Schools sponsors, Des Moines Public Schools (Vanessa Howell–Community Partnership Coordinator, Kelly Schnackenberg–Performing Arts Coordinator ) Stoney Creek Inn in Johnston, Zimm’s Food and Spirits on Ingersoll (Doug Zimmerman, Owner).

We are looking forward to the 2020 Blues In The Schools that is scheduled to run Monday, April 20th through Friday, April 24th.