(Memphis, TN –Twenty-one individuals and organizations will be honored with The Blues Foundation's 2007 Keeping The Blues Alive (KBA) Award during a recognition brunch Saturday, February 3, 2007, in Memphis Tennessee. The KBA ceremony will be part of the International Blues Challenge (IBC) weekend of events that will feature the semifinals and finals of the 23rd IBC competition, as well as seminars, presentations and receptions for blues societies, fans and professionals.

The Keeping The Blues Alive Awards recognize the significant contributions to Blues music made by the people behind the scenes. Each is selected on the basis of merit by a select panel of Blues professionals. KBA Chairman Art Tipaldi notes with respect to this year’s recipients, “Once again, the committee was faced with the difficult task of selecting honorees from among the many outstanding men, women and organizations, many of whom could have been selected for the honor in the past due to their record of service to the Blues genre. Each year, we think we cannot match the quality of the previous year’s recipients and, and each year we are wrong. It is a great privilege to be involved in the process that gives these folks their well-deserved recognition.” The KBA Committee has this year added an “International” category to specifically recognize the global reach and popularity of Blues music, even though past KBA Awards have presented to Canadians and Europeans.

This year's Keeping the Blues Alive Award recipients are:

Blues Club: Rum Boogie Café, Memphis Tennessee

Blues Organization: Blues Society of the Ozarks, Springfield, Missouri

Education: Rev. Robert Jones, Detroit, Michigan

Festival: New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival, New Orleans, Louisiana

Film, Television or Video: Antone’s Home of the Blues, SilverStar Entertainment Productions, Austin, Texas

Historical Preservation: Howlin’ Wolf Blues Society, West Point, Mississippi

International: Lucerne Blues Festival, Lucerne, Switzerland

Internet: Pollstar.com, Fresno, California

Journalism: Frank-John Hadley, Newton, Massachusetts & Colts Neck, New Jersey

Literature: Peter Guralnick, West Newbury, Massachusetts

Manager: Charles Driebe, Atlanta, Georgia

Photography: Jef Jaisun, Seattle, Washington

Print Media: Blues Matters!, Brigend, Wales, United Kingdom

Producer: John Porter, Los Angeles, California

Promoter: Terry O’Halloran, Omaha, Nebraska

Publicist: Karen Leipziger, Nashville, Tennessee

Radio-Commercial: Charlie Lockard, WZXR, Hughesville, Pennsylvania

Radio-Public: Bob Corritore, KJZZ, Phoenix, Arizona

Record Label: Ruf Records, Lindewerra, Germany

Retailer: Electric Fetus, Minneapolis, Minnesota

Sponsor: Sierra Nevada Brewing Company, Chico, California

Tickets to the KBA ceremony are included in the Big Blue ticket package available online at www.blues.org. The IBC weekend, commencing Thursday, February 1, 2007, is sponsored in significant part by the Greater Memphis Arts Council, Memphis Convention & Visitors Bureau, bandvillage.com, Blues Revue, Budweiser, XM Satellite Radio, the Legendary Rhythm and Blues Cruise and sonicbids. Additional sponsors include: Beale Street Merchants Association, Doubletree Hotel, FedEx, Gibson Guitars and the Holiday Inn Select. Media Sponsors include Big City Rhythm and Blues, Blues Festival Guide, BluesWax, Downtowner magazine, House of Blues Radio Hour, Living Blues and WREG-TV in Memphis.

The Blues Foundation is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization dedicated to preserving Blues history, celebrating Blues excellence, supporting Blues education and ensuring the future of this uniquely American art form. It is the umbrella organization for a worldwide network of 150 affiliated blues societies and has individual memberships around the globe. In addition to the Keeping the Blues Alive Awards, The Blues Foundation produces the Blues Music Awards, the Blues Hall of Fame Induction and the International Blues Challenge. For more information on how to support The Blues Foundation check us out on the web at www.blues.org.

2007 Keeping The Blues Alive Award Recipients
Synopsis

Blues Club
Rum Boogie Café, Memphis, Tennessee

Established in 1985 as the cornerstone of the Historic Beale Street and Highway 61, the Rum Boogie Café blends down-home Delta dining with smokin’ Memphis Blues played live seven nights a week. Whenever The Blues Foundation needs a club on Beale Street to host a late hour jam session or to showcase a Blues label, the Rum Boogie Cafe always steps forward. The fiirst thing you’ll notice when you step inside the Rum Boogie Café are walls and walls of guitars hanging on every available wall space. There are over 200 pieces of musical memorabilia signed by the likes of Ike Turner, B.B. King and Rufus Thomas to Santana and Sting. The award winning food served, featuring catfish, gumbo or bar-b-que, is some of the tastiest on Beale. Rum Boogie Café is the one place where the music and the food is real Memphis all the time.

Blues Organization
Blues Society of the Ozarks, Springfield, Missouri

Founded in 1991, the Blues Society of the Ozarks today boasts over 500 enthusiastic members from the Springfield, Missouri and surrounding areas. The society, along with The Little Theatre and Springfield Symphony, recently conducted its 10th annual Greater Ozarks Blues Festival in Springfield. Each year, the society presents their Ozarks Blues Achievement Awards to individuals who have, through the years, been instrumental in keeping the Blues alive. In addition, since 1999, it has been involved in hosting an annual winter fundraising event, Jingle The Blues Away, which has raised over $17,000 for local children’s charities. To further develop strong ties between members and the community, the society hosts a potluck picnic and Blues jam on the third Sunday of the month from April to October, drawing over 300 people. Ideas like these demonstrate the commitment the members of the Blues Society of the Ozarks have to keep the Blues alive.

Education
Rev. Robert Jones, Detroit, Michigan

When school children hear Rev. Robert Jones play Son House's "Death Letter Blues", they are immediately transported into the life of the Delta Blues legend, but a few seconds later they are made aware that modern rap is based in the same structure that House helped to pioneer. Jones' presentations emphasize the evolution of African-American traditional music from the spiritual into the Blues, and from Blues into everything else. Jones, a full time Baptist pastor in Detroit, has taught and lectured for over 15 years at Wayne State University, Loyola, and the University of Mississippi, among others. In addition, he has taken his unique presentation to into grammar, middle and high schools all over the country. Jones works primarily in the Midwest, but wherever he travels, his sense of humor, engaging storytelling, broad knowledge of Blues history and skills as a multi-instrumentalist makes his presentation a winner with audiences of all ages. In 2005-2006, the Mississippi Valley Blues Society brought Rev. Jones to the Quad City area for a series of 12 very successful workshops.

Festival
New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival, New Orleans, Louisiana

If you are a fan of American music, make sure you make a pilgrimage to the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival. “Jazz Fest” as the regulars call it, features 12 stages of virtually every style of music including Jazz, Gospel, Cajun, Zydeco, Blues, R&B, Rock, Funk, African, Latin, Caribbean and Funk as well as a huge crafts fair, hundreds of unique specialty foods, vibrant second-line parades and so much more. Jazz Fest is the celebration of the distinct culture and heritage of New Orleans and Louisiana. Each year, Jazz Fest expertly blends the homegrown talents of artists such as Irma Thomas, Dr. John, the Dirty Dozen Brass Band and Allen Toussaint along with musical icons like Bob Dylan, John Fogerty, Santana, and Paul Simon. Founded in 1970, the 38th edition of the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival is scheduled for April 27 – May 6, 2007 at the Fair Grounds Race Course.

Film, Television or Video
Antone’s Home of the Blues, SilverStar Entertainment Production, Austin, Texas

Every Blues fan knows the storied history of Antone’s club in Austin, Texas. From the day it opened in 1975, Antone’s may have single-handedly kept the Blues alive in the days of disco. But this documentary is about more than the club; it is about the deep love its founder, Clifford Antone, had for the Blues. Developing Antone’s as the premier Blues club in the country, Clifford booked legendary acts like Eddie Taylor, Jimmy Reed, Jimmy Rogers, Albert King and Muddy Waters, at the same time exposing younger musicians like Stevie Ray Vaughan, Kim Wilson, Jimmie Vaughan, Angela Strehli, Marcia Ball, and Doyle Bramhall, to essential Blues. Produced by E. Colleen Saro and Lucky Tomblin, directed by Dan Karlok, released by Koch Vision, the archival performance video alone is essential for every Blues fan to see and hear. But the intimate stories that are shared by Antone, Strehli, Wilson, Jimmie Vaughan and others paint a nostalgic portrait of a time past. “Clifford Antone’s respect and love for Blues artists and their music is so unique and special that it defies description … until this film,” wrote David Adelson of Hits Magazine and E! Entertainment Television.” Clifford Antone’s untimely death in the summer of 2006 is the one blue note which echoes throughout.

Historical Preservation
Howlin’ Wolf Blues Society, West Point, Mississippi

Sam Phillips said, "When I heard Howlin' Wolf, I said, 'this is where the soul of man never dies.'" No one, not even Robert Johnson at his haunted best, came close to capturing the feeling of the dark, sinister spirits that Howlin' Wolf conjures up. The Howlin' Wolf Blues Society of West Point, Mississippi, officially opened the new Howlin' Wolf Blues Museum on Thursday, September 1, 2005. The Howlin' Wolf Blues Society and director Richard Ramsey worked long and hard to collect donations from private citizens, the Burnett family, famous musicians and the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame to prepare the exhibits and outstanding collection of memorabilia in Wolf's hometown. Ramsey, who grew up in West Point, worked part-time at his father's store and wrote hunting licenses for Wolf when the Bluesman came home on his biannual visits from Chicago. Ramsey and the Howlin' Wolf Blues Society have devoted the past 11 years to keep Wolf's legacy alive and will continue to do its part to ensure that the soul and the legacy of Chester Arthur Burnett, The Howlin' Wolf, will never die.

International
Lucerne Blues Festival, Lucerne Switzerland

Since its beginning in 1995, the aim of the Lucerne Blues Festival has been to promote and support the Blues culture in Europe. It has certainly met its objective inasmuch as it is now recognized as one of the premier Blues festivals in the world. Its supporting program is spread out over a week and includes concerts in outlying rural areas and Blues in the Schools performances. But there are two things that make this non-profit, all volunteer, festival so deserving of international acclaim: the first is the quality of the programming, whether it be the biggest names in the Blues, its most authentic purveyors from the jukes of Mississippi or the small clubs of Chicago or the almost-unheard-of presence of bands accompanied by full horn sections; the second is the hospitality, both the fun of hanging with the hands-on festival committee members or the thankfulness that comes with five-star accommodations and fully-catered meals. Lucerne makes Blues musicians feel like they are somebody.

Internet
Pollstar.com, Fresno, California

Wonderin’ where Koko Taylor is playing this week? Thinkin’ about when B.B. King is bringin’ the Blues to your town? Planning to travel to Memphis and hopin’ there is some good Blues on Beale? Want to know months in advance who is playin’ at your favorite festival this summer? Heard about a new club and you want to check out the Blues line-up? The most comprehensive site for any music fan is www.pollstar.com. On this site you can check out any artist’s itinerary, any club, city or venue. There is a premium sign-in which allows Pollstar to send you updates on your favorite band’s itinerary and a news section covering every musical genre. This is an essential site for every music fan.

Journalism
Frank-John Hadley, Newton, Massachusetts & Colts Neck, New Jersey

Frank-John Hadley has been a music journalist since 1980. For many years now, he has written the Blues column at Down Beat magazine, reviewing hundreds of Blues albums for its international readership. He's done Blues features and other Blues-related stories for Down Beat as well, dating back to the early-'80s. He introduced and wrote the Blues column at Jazziz magazine for several years, also interviewing Willie Dixon, John Lee Hooker and other notables. He has written about the Blues for Amazon.com, Living Blues, Blueswire, Pulse!, the Boston Phoenix, the Miami New Times, Blender and many more media outlets. Hadley's provided liner notes for albums by Junior Wells, Mighty Sam McClain, J. B. Hutto, among others. He authored the Grove Press Guide to the Blues on CD, and he composed hundreds of biographical essays on musicians for educational purposes at the Original House of Blues in Cambrige, Massachusetts.

Literature
Peter Guralnick, West Newbury, MA

Peter Guralnick has been called “a national resource” by Nat Hentoff for work that has argued passionately and persuasively for the vitality of this country’s intertwined black and white traditions (Blues, Gospel, Country, Soul and Rock ‘n’ Roll) as well as for their integral place in mainstream culture. His books include Feel Like Going Home, Sweet Soul Music, Searching for Robert Johnson, all of which have been inducted as Classics of Blues Literature in The Blues Foundation’s Blues Hall of Fame, as well as prize-winning, two-volume biography of Elvis Presley, Last Train to Memphis and Careless Love. Guralnick has been writing about the Blues ever since first hearing Blind Willie McTell and Blind Lemon Jefferson on record and seeing Lightnin’ Hopkins perform when he was in high school. His love for the music and his belief in its wide-ranging impact have never wavered since Howlin’ Wolf described Elvis Presley to him a “that Blues singer who went to California.” His latest book, 2005’s Dream Boogie: The Triumph of Sam Cooke, has been hailed as “an epic tale told against the backdrop of brilliant, shimmering music, intense personal melodrama and vast social changes.”

Manager
Charles Driebe, Atlanta, Georgia

Charles Driebe is the founder and CEO of Blind Ambition Management Ltd., headquartered in Atlanta. Blind Ambition manages Blues harmonica icon Charlie Musselwhite and gospel legends Blind Boys of Alabama, among others. Musselwhite was a big winner at the 2006 Blues Music Awards and now has 19 such awards, as well as multiple Grammy nominations. (Charlie's day-to-day manager is Hardy McBee of Blind Ambition.) The Blind Boys have won four consecutive Grammy Awards during Charles' tenure as their manager. They have also appeared on the Grammy Awards television show, performed at the White House, toured internationally with Peter Gabriel, collaborated on a CD with Ben Harper and appeared on numerous national TV shows including five appearances on “The Tonight Show with Jay Leno." Charles' first management experience came with blind Blues pianist Henry Butler.

Photography
Jef Jaisun, Seattle, Washington

Jef Jaisun has been actively photographing the Blues for over 30 years. Whether he’s working the Jazz Fest main stage or hanging out at the Back Porch in Chicago, or sitting in your favorite Blues joint, Jef can always be found where the music is. He is staff photographer for Blue Suede News and Blues ToDo Monthly, two long time Northwest music publications. Since 1980, his work has been featured in every major American Blues magazine and on the covers of numerous CDs. In 2004, he donated more than 250 photos to the Blues Music Archives at the Chicago Public Library. His rare 1985 photo of B.B. King embracing Luther Allison at Switzerland’s Nyon Festival was a highlight of 2006’s KBA-winning book, The B.B. King Treasures. Since Hurricane Katrina, Jaisun has worked closely with the New Orleans Musicians Clinic and other organizations, both as photographer and fund-raiser. And 40 years ago, he authored the underground hit, “Friendly Neighborhood Narco Agent,” still played today.

Print Media
Blues Matters!, Brigend, Wales, United Kingdom

Founded in 1999, Blues Matters! quickly established itself as one of the United Kingdom’s most respected music publications and a leader in the Blues genre. It features honest commentary yet stills pays homage to the past masters and the music’s traditions while remaining open to its contemporary adaptation and progression. A true fans’ magazine, each issue features attractively presented interviews and features, a comprehensive range of reviews, the latest Blues news, support for unsigned bands and musical outlets and much more. Blues Matters! provides a service to Blues enthusiasts everywhere so that the Blues can be sustained for, and enjoyed by, future generations.

Producer
John Porter, Los Angeles, California

Though this Brit began his musical career as a guitarist and bass player, John Porter has solidified his place in music history through his decades of expertise as a music producer. As a producer of Blues records, John Porter has a resume like few others. In 2006 alone, he has been at the controls of the John Lee Hooker four CD set, Hooker, and the Buddy Guy four-disc set, Can’t Quit These Blues. In 2003, the Year of the Blues, Porter produced seven CDs in The Blues series. From 1990 to the present, Porter has been the producing hand on recordings by B.B. King, Buddy Guy, John Lee Hooker, Taj Mahal, R.L. Burnside, Lucky Peterson, Jon Cleary, The Phantom Blues Band, John Mayall, Keb’ Mo’, John Dee Holman, Algie Mae Hinton and Otis Rush.

Promoter
Terry O’Halloran, Omaha, Nebraska

Many in the Blues community know Terry O'Halloran simply as Terry O. He is the owner and talent buyer for Shag, a Vodka Bar and Murphy’s Lounge in Omaha, NE. As president of the Blues Society of Omaha for the past 6 years, Terry spends countless hours promoting Blues events throughout the Omaha area. Terry also helps in the booking and promotion of the critically acclaimed Playing With Fire Concert Series, The Omaha Jazz & Blues Festival, as well as The Omaha Summer Arts Festival. Terry goes out of his way to help out agents and artists alike to find dates in Omaha and takes great care of the artists with which he works. He excels with both the promotion and production of shows. As an example of his national support of Blues music, he helped raise a substantial sum of money for Curtis Salgado when he was in need of a liver transplant. Terry O is a friend of the Blues!

Publicist
Karen Leipziger, Nashville, Tennessee

Karen Leipziger, through her publicity company KL Productions, has been actively supporting and promoting her artists for well over a decade. Throughout the years, her clients have included Duke Robillard, Eddy "The Chief" Clearwater, Ronnie Baker Brooks, Walter Trout, Ann Rabson, Debbie Davies, Mark Hummel, Jimbo Mathus, CeDell Davis, The Holmes Brothers, Dick Waterman, Paul Oscher, Jimmy "T99" Nelson, Willie "Big Eyes" Smith, Kenny "Blues Boss" Wayne and many others. Through her tireless efforts, Karen's clients have been seen in everything from national music and consumer publications to major daily newspapers, Blues society newsletters, weekly alternative papers, and heard and seen nationally on radio and TV programs including NPR'S "Morning Edition", ''All Things Considered" and "Fresh Air", "Mountain Stage", the Late Show with Conan O'Brien, CBS Morning News and Austin City Limits.

Radio: Commercial
Charlie Lockard, WZXR, Hughesville, Pennsylvania

Charlie Lockard is a prime example of how one man’s love of the Blues can touch numerous individuals and make a difference. To fulfill a life-long dream of doing a Blues radio show, Charlie purchased two hours of radio time in 1989, learned the board himself, worked from his own record collection and gave birth to the “Goodtime Charlie’s Got The Blues” radio program. As Charlie discovered an avid Blues fan base in his rural Pennsylvania area, he co-founded the Billtown Blues Association in 1990. From that organization, came the Billtown Blues Festival. Today, he continues as the on-air Blues voice for two hours every Sunday morning on WZXR, Williamsport Pennsylvania’s “home of Rock ’n’ Roll.” Once that show is over, Charlie drives 50 miles to host a second show on the Susquehanna University station.

Radio: Public
Bob Corritore, KJZZ, Phoenix, Arizona

Bob Corritore first hit the KJZZ airwaves in 1984 and hasn't ever looked back. Bob's five-hour, weekly radio slot has earned a strong regional following by sticking to a very traditional and entertaining approach to programming. He is committed to sharing his knowledge of the Blues in order to convert listeners into well-educated fans. This radio Blues party aspect is evident in Blues On My Radio, a 20th anniversary disc, compiling radio archive performances from Lowell Fulson, Louisiana Red, Lazy Lester, Robert Lockwood Jr., Charlie Musselwhite and others. Bob also keeps Blues uppermost in his life as an internationally-touring harmonica player, the owner of Phoenix's premier Blues club, the Rhythm Room, and the producer of numerous Blues records on labels such as HighTone, Rooster Blues, M.C. Records, Fat Possum, HighJohn, Earwig Music, SWMAF and Fedora.

Record Label
Ruf Records, Lindewerra, Germany

In 1994, Thomas Ruf started a record label for his rising Blues hero, Luther Allison. In the first 12 years, Ruf produced 120 releases, sold 1.2 million records, and received two Grammy nominations and ten Blues Music Award nominations. Ruf Records describes itself as “Where Blues Crosses Over” because its artists cross over geographically and in their Blues stylings. Ruf believes the more variations of Blues its offers, the more new Blues fans it develops. Ruf Records shows no signs of slowing down. In addition to its stable of artists that include Walter Trout, Sue Foley, Bernard Allison, Candye Kane, Bob Brozman, and Omar & The Howlers, 2007 will see new releases from newly-signed artists like Blues veteran Jeff Healey, Corey Stevens and newcomer Roxanne Potvin.

Retailer
Electric Fetus, Minneapolis, Minnesota

Founded by Keith Covart, Dan Foley, Ron Korsh and Roger Emalie, this one-of-a-kind music retailer first open its doors in 1968 in Minneapolis. Today, it boasts three locations--in Minneapolis, Duluth and St. Cloud. To this day, it is still the “go-to” store to find the most complete collection of Blues music (and every other variety of music) for sale. Electric Fetus is involved with various festivals including Duluth’s Bayfront Blues Festival, selling CDs for many of the performers, and hosts “in-store” performances with a wide variety of Blues artists. They also serve as an important “one-stop” supplier to smaller stores around the region.

Sponsor
Sierra Nevada Brewing Company, Chico, California

For the past two years, Sierra Nevada has been an active sponsor of The Blues Foundation’s premier event—The Blues Music Awards. The brewery, founded in 1981, has risen to become one of the top 10 breweries in America. In addition to sponsoring the Blues Music Awards, Sierra Nevada has built the 350-seat Big Room, a beautifully designed live music venue constructed on the west end of the brewery to feature live music events for all ages. Blues musicians like Marcia Ball, Elvin Bishop, Rod Piazza, Tommy Castro, Roy Rogers, Charlie Musselwhite, Magic Slim, Kim Wilson and many others have played the room. In addition, Sierra Nevada currently sponsors Sierra Center Stage, a series filmed in the Big Room and modeled after Austin City Limits that now reaches 350 PBS stations.

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