We wanted to let our fans know that Chizmo is doing better. While he gets tired soon, he is in good spirits.We are working on arranging a short time for him to spend at one of the upcoming events in town - given it is approved by doctors and his family. Please stay tuned for updates. Please keep him in your prayers.

Get-well cards can be sent to:
Charles Anderson
Highland Park Care Center
745 N. Highland Avenue
Pittsburgh, Pa. 15206

By Rege Behe - PITTSBURGH TRIBUNE-REVIEW
Wednesday, August 11, 2010 Last updated: 1:45 pm

RON YAROSZ AND THE VEHICLE
2010 BSWPA Blues Challenge Winner
Friday, September 17,8:30 ..$7, $5 BSWPA Members
Moondog's, 378 Freeport Rd., Blawnox, PA 412-828-2040
More information: 724-378-8926 or bswpa.org

BSWPA members will offered a ticket for $15 when they show their active membership card. Price will include food and music.
Doors open at 7 PM
$20 in advance—$25 at door
♫ ♫ ♫ ♫
Appetizers ~ Cash Bar
Silent & Chinese Auctions!
All proceeds will benefit the kids at Circle C Youth & Family Services!
For more information contact 412.937.1650 x227 or visit www.circlec.net
BLUES

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Smithsonian Folkways Recordings is releasing ‘Rappahannock Blues,’ by John Jackson on June 15th. This 20-track album is the latest addition to the Smithsonian Folkways African American Legacy Series, co-produced with the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture.

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The family of Blues Legend Jimmy Reed in cooperation with Columbia College Chicago has just completed production on a documentary about Jimmy Reed. - Read more and watch video.

BLUES MUSIC AWARDS CELEBRATE THE BEST OF BLUES MUSIC WITH 2-DAY MEMPHIS EXTRAVAGANZA
 
BIG HONOREES INCLUDE BUDDY GUY, TOMMY CASTRO AND DEBBIE DAVIES, RECIPIENT OF FIRST-EVER KOKO TAYLOR AWARD
 
Marathon Party Featured Lifetime Achievement Award Winner Buddy Guy, and Performances by Tommy Castro, Eden Brent & Monkey Junk And Others

>> READ MORE

Yes, the Blues Blast Weekend on Saturday, April 10 and Sunday, April 11 was an amazing two days of music. Sixteen entries, twelve bands and four solo/duo entries in one day and over three hundred and fifty people in one room...wow, what a day! The doors opened shortly after noon. The numbers of fans swelled throughout the day. People were there from New York State, Maryland, West Virginia, Ohio, Indiana and from areas throughout Pennsylvania. We even had one new member drive straight from Marco Island on Friday when he learned that there were no flights to be had....so that he and his wife did not miss the competition.

The compliments continued throughout the day: great music and "lots of it," great venue that was easily accessible, attractive and accommodating, friendly people/blues fans everywhere, the professionalism that surrounded the all-day event, great pricing,  etc.

On behalf of the BSWPA, I would like to thank everyone who came out to support this event and to make it a successful "adventure."  A special thanks to all of the entries that participated. The fans savored the outstanding quality of all the music that each entry offered. Each entry proved workable and willing to make the event a great experience. ......READ THE REST OF THE NOTE >>>

BAND - Ron Yarosz and the Vehicle

SOLO/DUO - Gary Prisby

Jim Weber Memorial Award of Best Guitar Player - Gregg Krupa (Jill West and Blues Attack)

Thanks to all of you who came out today and made it a great day. Thanks to the bands for participating. Photos coming soon!!

Listen to Samples

The Blues Society of Western PA would like to thank everyone that made the CD release party a success. The Pamela Bick and the Warehouse Blues Band deserve many kudos for "stepping up to the plate" and generously donating their equipment for a great day of music.

John Deloe brought his sound equipment and maintained the sound system for the day.

We, the BSWPA, would like to thank all of the bands who generously donated their music to Blues from the Burg 2. We thank you for supporting this project....to "keep the music alive."

We would also like to thank those bands who were able to perform at the CD release party.

Mostly, we want to thank the blues fans and blues members from Western PA who came out to share a wonderful day of blues.

Yours in Blues,

The Blues Foundation has announced the inductees for the Blues Hall of Fame in 2010, including Louisiana-born, Chicago-based bluesman Lonnie Brooks, highly-esteemed blues singer and harpist Charlie Musselwhite and singer, songwriter, guitarist and social activist Bonnie Raitt......

The BSWPA is seeking monetary donations, as well as donations of goods and services that would enable our group to host their 7th Annual Blues Challenge on April 10, 2010 at the Greentree Ramada. We are asking that you enable our efforts by securing advertising space in our program or donating goods and services in exchange for program space. This would be a tremendous promotional opportunity for your business while helping a very worthwhile endeavor. - Call 412-882-4916 (after 6pm) 

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• 2009 Blues Challenge
• Blues Goes to School - (BITS) The Society hosted Fruteland Jackson, a blues man and an award-winning instructor from Chicago who is affiliated with the Blues Foundation in Memphis, Tennessee. Mr. Jackson gave his Blues 101 presentations at two area schools. The Society also teemed with Gateway to the Arts to make this project happen.
• The BSWPA helped man the children’s blues tent at the Pittsburgh Blues Festival.
• Eugene Morgan gave a presentation at Avonsworth Middle Schools on behalf of the BSWPA
• The BSWPA created awareness with gatherings during our “Blues Night Out” Tour…The Society provided the opportunity for the venues, fans and the bands to meet and flourish in the Western Pennsylvania area.
• Move! to the Blues for the Fisher House on Sunday, May 31 was held as a cooperative effort with the localVeterans Hospitals to raise funds to build a facility to house disabled veterans' families.
• The BSWPA worked several festivals to increase awareness for the blues genre of music.
• The BSWPA provided music during the 2009 Stand Down for the homeless veterans in Western Pennsylvania.
• Blues Goes Pink was held on August 23. The Blues Divas of Pittsburgh Concert enabled the BSWPA to raise funds for Adagio Health to provide breast and cervical cancer screenings for the many underinsured women in the Western Pennsylvania region.
• The BSWPA hosted the 2nd Annual Blues Day Out picnic
• The BSWPA worked to raise funds for the Greater Pittsburgh Area Foodbank.
• The Blues for Tots and Toys was held in December. The toy drive was a means for the BSWPA to give back to the community.
• The Veterans' Blues is a Healer Tour was taken to Aspinwall Veterans Hospital. Many musicians donated their time to cheer our local veterans. The BSWPA provided assistance.

      ~  working together with you, the members, ...."Keeping the Blues Alive!"

Recording company offering 3 hours of time for $30.
Interested? Email Don Vecchio, our VP, at: donv21@yahoo.com

The PITCH Program (Putting Instruments in the Children's Hands) would appreciate the donation of instruments in good working condition to enable the fulfillment of this program.