The BBS is offering bands the opportunity to participate in The Blues Foundation's 28th Annual International Blues Challenge. Past winners of this event have received cash, studio time, recording contracts and showcased appearances. Following the guidelines of the Blues Foundation (www.blues.org), the BBS will offer the Baltimore Blues Challenge to take place Saturday, June 18. Our local winner will represent the BBS at the IBC set for January 31 - February 4, 2012 in Memphis, TN.

  • The competition is open to any Maryland/D.C./PA/VA/DEL area based blues band/performer with at least one band member that is a Member of the BBS on or before the contest finals.
  • Entrants may not be under a management or national recording contract.
  • Interested performers must submit a demo recording to the BBS. The BBS may waive this requirement at it's discretion.
  • Each entry will be judged based on the criteria established by The Blues Foundation. Four to five entrants will be selected based on this criteria to participate in the finals of our competition. See The Blues Foundation for more details.

The criteria that performers will be judged by are:

  • TALENT: The act's level of vocal and instrumental skill
  • BLUES CONTENT: This is a Blues competition. Acts are expected to play an all blues set. As Blues music is a widely defined genre, judges will have to rely on their best judgment in this category.
  • ORIGINALITY: Originality of interpretation. Acts are expected to perform original material at The Challenge. This does not preclude a band from cover songs. It should, however, discourage a band from performing a note-for-note rendition of another artist's song
  • STAGE PRESENCE: Determining factors include showmanship, presentation, appearance and use of stage time.
  • OVERALL IMPRESSION: Self Explanatory

Entry form & materials MUST be received by May 17, 2011.
Finalists will notified A.S.A.P.

The winner of the Baltimore Blues Challenge will receive a $300 cash prize at our local contest. The winner receives $1000 cash toward Memphis travel expenses and paid hotel reservations, to finance their trip to the 27th Annual International Blues Challenge. The local winner will also be booked at Alonzo's Memorial Picnic or another BBS event.

To enter simply fill out the application and submit it with CD/cassette, bio material, and band photo to

Click here for the Blues contest application

BALTIMORE BLUES SOCIETY
BLUES BAND COMPETITION
P.O. BOX 4522
Baltimore, MD. 21212