The Blues Foundation will honor 15 individuals and organizations with its 2015 Keeping the Blues Alive Awards during a recognition luncheon Friday, January 23, 2015, in Memphis, Tennessee. Each year, The Blues Foundation presents the KBA Awards to individuals and organizations that have made significant contributions to blues music. The KBA ceremony will be held in conjunction with the 31st International Blues Challenge, which begins January 20 and features the final rounds of the world’s largest and most prestigious blues music competition, as well as seminars, showcases, and receptions for blues societies, fans, and professionals.
The KBAs are awarded by a select panel of blues professionals to those working actively to promote and document the music. KBA Committee Chairman Art Tipaldi notes, “The KBA Committee always looks to honor longevity. This year’s slate of 15 recipients comes with over 400 years of dedicated service to spreading blues music. With so many dedicated organizations here and abroad, the committee decided to honor two blues society affiliates, one American and one international. The Blues Foundation is pleased to honor these people and organizations as a tribute to the years each has given to supporting blues music.”
The 2015 Keeping the Blues Alive Awards recipients are:
1. Affiliated Organization: Asociación Musical Blues Hondarribia – Hondarribia, Spain
2. Affiliated Organization: Sacramento Blues Society – Sacramento, California
3. Club: Rosa’s Lounge – Chicago, Illinois
4. Education: Jerzy Kossek – Katowice, Poland
5. Festival (International): Bluesfest Eutin – Eutin, Germany
6. Festival (U.S.): Winthrop Rhythm & Blues Festival – Winthrop, Washington
7. Film, Television and Video: Peter Carlson – Rio Rancho, New Mexico
8. Historical Preservation: Guido van Rijn – Overveen, Netherlands
9. International: Goran Stensrud – Fetsund, Norway
10. Journalism: B.J. Huchtemann – Omaha, Nebraska
11. Literature: Ben Sandmel – New Orleans, Louisiana
12. Photography: Pertti Nurmi – Helsinki, Finland
13. Producer: Mike Vernon – Antequera, Spain
14. Radio (Commercial): Charlie Frazier – Burlington,Vermont
15. Radio (Public): Gary Wagner – Long Beach, California
A summary for each recipient can be found here (select 2015 in Year Pull-Down)
Tickets to the KBA ceremony are available online at www.blues.org or by calling 901-527-2583. The International Blues Challenge is sponsored in significant part by ArtsMemphis, AutoZone, Beale Street Merchants Association, BMI, Catfood Records, the Consulate General of Canada – Atlanta, First Tennessee Foundation, Gibson Guitar, Jontaar Creative Studios, Lee Oskar Harmonicas, Legendary Rhythm & Blues Cruise, Memphis Convention & Visitors Bureau, Saint Blues Guitar Workshop, Sierra Nevada Brewing Company, Tennessee Arts Commission, and VividPix & Design.
