The 3rd Annual Wyoming Blues Challenge is Sunday July 14th –this is one of the Wyoming Blues & Jazz Society’s biggest events, held in the Parkway Hotel Ballrooms, 123 West E St in Casper. Music lovers of all ages are welcome and encouraged to attend!

This is a showcase of Wyoming’s best blues musicians, offering the only chance to represent the Society in the 30th International Blues Challenge, January 2014, in Memphis TN. It is the largest and most prestigious Blues competition in the world!

There are 2 categories: Band, Solo/Duo.

The 5 bands entered:

Gary Small & the Coyote Bros. from Sheridan, the Peculiar Patriots from Laramie, Delta Hazz from Lander, Blue Marble Project and Chad Lore & the Beermen -both from Casper.

In the Solo/Duo category we have 2 entries, Eddy Delbridge of Rock Springs, and Peter "Chanman" Chandler of Teton Village.

We are very pleased to announce our Judges for this year will be Jody Taylor, Dan Treanor and Rick Davis!

Dan is from the Denver area, and his band Afrosippi, with Erica Brown, took 3rd place in the International Blues Challenge earlier this year. He was also the recipient of a “Keeping the Blues Alive” award from the Blues Foundation.

Rick is also from Colorado, but lived in Casper for a time. He is well known in the Colorado blues scene and recently helped found the Mile High Blues Society.

Jody is one of the most well-known blues musicians in the Casper area, having been one of the founders of JD Blues Band, and of the Wyoming Blues & Jazz Society.

And once again Travis “Tee-Roy” Royce, host of our only local blues radio show -the Blues Buffet on 107.9 - will be our Master of Ceremonies!!

Each act will do a 25 minute performance that will be scored on Talent, Vocal, Blues Content, Stage Presence and Originality; the same system that is used at the International Blues Challenge.

After the competition, there will be an open jam session, until 8:30, for all who wish to participate -musicians should bring their instruments.

The competition will begin at 2:00 P.M. All ages are welcome to attend. There is no charge for admission, but donations are appreciated. There will also be several interesting raffle prizes, and all proceeds from the event will go to help pay the winners expenses to make the trip to Memphis next January.

Find all the details on the website www.wyobluesandjazz.org, or call WBC Committee Chairperson Deb Cheatham 258-1423. Full info on the International Blues Challenge can be found at www.blues.org.

 

The Wyoming Blues & Jazz Society was founded in 1999, as a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization. This year we have over 200 dues paying members from all over Wyoming, with a few in other states. Anyone who enjoys live music is welcome to join.

 

 

More From 104.7 KISS-FM