The Blues Foundation will honor 21 individuals and organizations with its 2011 Keeping the Blues Alive (KBA) Award during a recognition brunch February 5 in Memphis.
Each year, The Blues Foundation presents the KBA Awards to individuals and organizations that have made significant contributions to the blues music world. The ceremony will be held in conjunction with the 27th International Blues Challenge (IBC) events that will feature the final rounds of the world’s most prestigious blues competition and largest gathering of blues acts, as well as seminars, showcases, and receptions for blues societies, fans, and professionals.
The KBAs are awarded on merit by a select panel of blues professionals to those working to actively promote and document the music. Nominations are accepted from affiliated blues societies, past KBA recipients and current members of The Blues Foundation’s Board of Directors.
The 2011 Keeping the Blues Alive Awards recipients are:
1. Agent: Intrepid Artists, Charlotte, North Carolina
2. Blues Club: Chan’s Fine Oriental Dining, Woonsocket, Rhode Island
3. Blues Organization: Billtown Blues Society, Williamsport, Pennsylvania
4. Education: Gary Allegretto, Los Angeles, California
5. Festival (International): Notodden Blues Festival, Notodden, Norway
6. Festival (U.S.): Tampa Bay Blues Festival, St. Petersburg, Florida
7. Film, Television, and Video: Mako Funasaka, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
8. Historical Preservation: Canada South Museum, Windsor, Ontario, Canada
9. International: Paul Jones, London, England
10. Internet: Mary4Music.com, Baltimore, Maryland
11. Journalism: Tim Parsons, Lake Tahoe Action, California/Nevada
12. Literature: Mary Lou Sullivan, Coventry, Connecticut
13. Manager: Paul Nelson, Bullseye Management, Stamford, Connecticut
14. Photography: Bill Steber, Murfreesboro, Tennessee
15. Print Media: Twoj Blues, Chorzow, Poland
16. Producer: Michael Freeman, Barrington, Illinois
17. Promoter: Didier Tricard, Montferrier sur Lez,France
18. Publicist: Debra Regur, Blind Pig Records, San Francisco, California
19. Radio (Commercial): Mark Pasman, WCSX-FM, Detroit, Michigan
20. Radio (Public): Tom Wendt, KBOO-FM, Portland, Oregon
21. Record Label: Electro-Fi Records, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Learn more at blues.org.