Main Blues

Photo By Margene Schotz

Building on the success of the Washington Blues Society  (WBS) representatives in the 2012 International Blues Challenge – The WIRED! Band won first place in the band competition and Randy Norris and Jeff Nicely made it to the semi-finals – the WBS has set the stage for next year’s 2013 International Blues Challenge! One band and one solo/duo act will represent the Washington Blues Society in Memphis at the world’s largest gathering of blues musicians in February of 2013.

The Washington Blues Society (WBS) is working with the Walla Walla Blues Society and the Inland Empire Blues Society to hold semi-finals across the state to make it easier for blues acts to participate. They will hold semi-final competitions on May 11th in Kennewick, May 27th in Spokane, June 10th in Snohomish, June 17th in Vancouver, and June 24th in Anacortes. The finalists will compete on Sunday, August 19th at the Taste Of Music Festival in historic downtown Snohomish.


Judges will evaluate each act using the Blues Foundation score sheet. Acts may not be affiliated the WBS Board upon application. IBC rules also prohibit any act from competing three consecutive years at the IBC. All of the competition rules can be found HERE.

Each competition will follow the rules of the Blues Foundation. Each set will be limited to 25 minutes and set changed will be 15 minute. Any blues act that resides in WA, OR, ID, MT, BC or ALB, may enter. One member of each entrant must be a dues current member of the host area’s blues society (e.g., Spokane – Inland Empire Blues Society; Tri-Cities – Walla Walla Blues Society, and all other preliminary locations – Washington Blues Society). Membership can be established at IBC entry, using the membership form in the WBS Bluesletter or the local blues society’s publication. The membership application may be downloaded HERE, and include the non-refundable entry fee, which pays for the backline and a PA system. Each winner will be required to perform at a minimum of two fundraisers in 2012 and one fundraiser in 2013 at no charge. Proceeds from these events and fees, will be deposited into a WBS fund to help defray expenses to get each winning act to and from Memphis, but we cannot guarantee an “all expense-paid” trip. Band entry fee is $30; solo duo entry fee is $15. Applications and entry fees must be received no later than Monday, April 30, 2012.

All proceeds will help with expenses for Memphis. The WBS will help winners in fundraising, but cannot guarantee that all expenses for Memphis will be covered. Judges will not be affiliated with the WBS Board or any competitor. Application is an initial statement of interest and not a binding agreement between the applicant and the WBS.