Downtown Crowd

Bringing the Blues

Blues Society of Northwest Florida to Host Regional Blues Competition

The annual Regional Blues Challenge is returning to Seville Quarter in Pensacola on August 20, where top blues musicians from across the region will perform for the chance to represent the Blues Society of Northwest Florida (NWFL) at the International Blues Challenge on January 23, 2023, in Memphis, Tennessee.

Hosted annually by The Blues Society of NWFL, this regional Blues competition consists of 14 to 15 acts, where musicians perform as part of a band, a duo or a solo act for their chance to advance to the international level. The Blues Society of NWFL will select winning musicians from each performance category to go on to compete in the International Blues Competition, hosted annually by The Blues Foundation.

Established in 1983, The Blues Foundation is a nonprofit organization based out of Memphis. Since its establishment, The Blues Foundation has dedicated itself to keeping the art of blues music alive, with annual events such as the International Blues Challenge, the Blues Music Awards and the Keeping the Blues Alive awards. Per its mission statement, the Foundation “preserves Blues heritage, celebrates Blues recording and performance, expands worldwide awareness of the Blues and ensures the future of the uniquely American art form.” Today, The Blues Foundation has roughly 180 affiliate societies across the globe, with the Blues Society of NWFL being the only society located within the Northwest Florida corridor.

The earliest official record of the Blues Society of NWFL dates back to 1998, when the articles of incorporation were first filed. There was, however, an earlier formation a few years before the society became an official nonprofit corporation. According to Scott Riggs, the current President of the Blues Society of NWFL, the original document stated, “The specific purpose for which the corporation is organized is to promote and support blues music in its historic and modern forms through events, “The jam helps publications to give newer and education.”

The earliest official record of the Blues Society of NWFL dates back to 1998, when the articles of incorporation were first filed. There was, however, an earlier formation a few years before the society became an official nonprofit corporation. According to Scott Riggs, the current President of the Blues Society of NWFL, the original document stated, “The specific purpose for which the corporation is organized is to promote and support blues music in its historic and modern forms through events, “The jam helps publications to give newer and education.”

Over the years, live stage experience and the Society has changed leadership, with helps them to Mike Bounds learn the ropes taking over as president in of the Blues,” 2000. In 2004, Sam Richardson helped the Society launch its popular Monday Night Blues program, which is held weekly and serves as the longest running Blues jam in Florida. Today, the Blues Society of NWFL continues to host its Monday Night Blues jam sessions each week at Seville Quarter. 

In 2019, Bounds officially passed the torch on to Riggs and vice president Lee Maskery, who, with the help of multiple legacy donors, got the Society back to its full 501c3 nonprofit status. Today, the Society’s primary goal remains to keep the Blues alive in Pensacola through their Monday Night Blues jams.

For each Monday Night Blues session, the Society brings in international, national, regional and local blues musicians to perform before beginning the weekly jam session. “The jam helps to give newer musicians live stage experience and helps them to learn the ropes of the Blues,” Riggs explained.

Riggs and the Society’s Board of Directors, use specific guidelines provided by The Blues Foundation to organize and conduct the official judging for each of the acts competing in the Regional Blues Challenge. For the challenge, each act will be allotted 25 minutes to perform their set, and going over this time limit will result in a loss of points. Each act will be judged on blues content, originality, vocals, instrumental talent and stage presence. There will be a timekeeper and three judges awarding points for each act. The two acts that earn the highest composite score will then advance to the International Blues Competition and are guaranteed a spot in the quarterfinals, which are held on Beale Street in downtown Memphis.

Riggs also explained that The Blues Society of NWFL would like to begin working with more of the younger musicians in the local community. During the main competition each year, the International Blues Competition also hosts a special Youth Challenge. The Society is looking to start a separate Regional Blues Challenge for young musicians to represent them in the Youth Challenge each year. Riggs said that this challenge would serve as a separate competition from the Regional Blues Challenge on August 20. The official date for the Youth Blues Challenge is expected to be announced at a later date.

Musicians interested in performing in the upcoming Regional Blues Challenge have until August 13 to sign up and should either message the Society on their Facebook page, or speak with Riggs directly during one of the Monday Night Blues jam sessions.

The Blues Society of NWFL’s 2022 Regional Blues Challenge will be held August 20 from 3 pm to 9 pm at Lili Marlene’s inside Seville Quarter at 130 East Government St. in downtown Pensacola. This event is free and open to the public. For more information on the upcoming Regional Blues Challenge or the Blues Society of NWFL, visit the @BluesSocietyNWFL Facebook page.