President’s Message for October 2022

President’s Message for October 2022

President’s Message for October 2022

SAVE THE DATE:

Your Suncoast Blues Society will be partnering with the Palladium for a special Holiday Show on November 19th featuring Southern Hospitality! SBS members will have the benefit of a $5 discount on tickets with a special code that will be included in next week’s eblast so stay tuned!!!!

October 20-22 is Camping with the Blues and Mother Nature has perfect weather planned for us! Your Suncoast Blues Society will be there as always, selling memberships and limited merchandise. We will be offering 3 free CDs with every membership/renewal so be sure and stop by.

Johnny Sansone , New Orleans blues musician, singer, songwriter and recording artist, is coming!!  The Johnny Sansone Band Florida tour will feature Johnny on guitar, harp and accordion, Russ Broussard on drums, Jeff Bridges on bass, and John Fohl, long time guitarist with Dr. John. You have two opportunities to see them this weekend:

  • Masaryk Winery this Saturday 10/22 at 6pm
  • Cottonmouth southern soul Kitchen in Bradenton this Sunday, October 23 at 11:30am for their Hillbilly Gospel Brunch

Johnny’s  long awaited new album, “Into Your Blues”  will be available for purchase at these shows – their first tour behind the new release. It is in the first round for the Grammys nominations and features 11 originals songs, representing Dallas Blues guitar with Mike Morgan, Chicago Blues guitar with Johnny Burgin, a special guest appearance with New Orleans legend Little Freddie King, and a collaboration with Johnny and New Orleans “Mooncat”, the unstoppable Jason Ricci. Some come on out to one, or both, of these shows and get your signed copy.

IBC Challenge Update

IBC Challenge Update

IBC Challenge Update

IBC Challenge Update

Your Suncoast Blues Society Board of Directors recently met to discuss the Blues Foundation’s 2023 International Blues Challenge (IBC). The conclusion of the 2022 event resulted in our representative band, Memphis Lightning, taking home the award for Best Produced CD! Congratulations to the band for their award, and for their success in the competition. You can read about the award on our website.

While their decision to move the 2022 challenge from January to May was necessary, it did not give your Board enough time to properly plan for and host a 2023 challenge. The work to host a challenge is extensive and takes close to six months to pull together. Therefore, your Society will NOT be hosting a challenge for the 2023 IBC.

However, we strongly encourage any member band or solo/duo to reach out to other Florida blues societies for participation in their challenge. In fact, last year our contestant band Randy Stephens and the Groove Makers was encouraged by your Board to apply to Southwest Florida Blues Society’s challenge, and they won!

We are aware of three challenges of interest:

The Villages Blues Society (TVBS) is hosting their challenge on November 14 at City Fire Restaurant Lake Sumter Landing 1018 Canal Street The Villages. A maximum of six bands will compete, and there will be no solo-duo competition. Entry is on first come basis, so if you are interested in competing at TVBS challenge, promptly contact Marcia Adams at thevillagesblues@gmail.com.

Southwest Florida Blues Society (SWFBS) is hosting their challenge on October 16th at Cape Cabaret in Cape Coral. Information, including a registration form is available on the SWFBS website.

Orange Blossom Blues Society (OBBS) is hosting their challenge on Sunday, November 20th at the Alley in Sanford. Deadline to register for the event is Oct 30th. The registration fee of $50 must be received by that date as well, and at least one member of the band (or solo/duo) has to be a member of OBBS in order to compete.  Interested musicians can email obbs4u@gmail.com for any questions they may have.

Thank you for your understanding and your continued support – 

Terri O’Brien

 

IBC Challenge Update

President’s Message for April 2022

President’s Message for April 2022

What a weekend – don’t know about you but I need a week to recuperate from the Tampa Bay Blues Fest! So much great music and what a turnout – folks were obviously hungry for live music, and they were well fed! 

Your Suncoast Blues Society was there of course, and we want to thank all our loyal Blues lovers and supporters who bought merchandise and memberships (almost seventy!!) – we had a blast talking with everyone that stopped by. 

We could not have done it without our wonderful volunteers that helped us: Beverly Moribito,  Julie Deschaine, Mark Thompson, Warren McDougle, Mike Hennesey, Vinny Marini, John Herzog, and Liz & Doc Pennock – you were amazing!

Also want to thank Chuck Ross for supporting Youth Sunday again this year – about twelve young people and their chaperones had the opportunity to hear live Blues for the first time. This is a collaboration we do with Chuck every year as part of our mission to share Blues music with future generations.

So, let’s keep the music coming! YOUR Suncoast Blues Society has been busy working with venues to book shows for you. Here is a list of our upcoming events – mark your calendars:

  • 4/25 – Doug Deming & the Jewel Tones @ Masaryk Winery
  • 4/26 – Giving Challenge – Live Broadcast from the Music Compound & Bayboro Brewery
  • 5/1 – Memphis Lightning & Trey Wanvig @ Gill Dawg
  • 5/3 – Red Star Live Blues Night w/Damon Fowler & ‘Ed Zepplin’
  • 5/7 – RJ Howson Band @ The Florida One-on-One Doubles Championships!
  • 5/20 – SBS 25thAnniversary Party @ Skippers   
  • 5/31 – 9thAnnual Myakka River Blues Festival @ Snook Haven
  • 6/7 – Red Star Live Blues Night w/Damon Fowler & Ed Zepplin
  • 6/24 – EG Kight Trio @ Masaryk Winery
  • 7/15 – Alastair Greene @ Palladium Side Door
  • 7/16 – Tom Craig Band @ Masaryk Winery
  • 8/28 – SBS Annual Beach Bash!

 

IBC Challenge Update

Message from President – “Board Elections”

Message from President – “Board Elections”

Board Elections!

Last year your Board updated their bylaws – one of the changes we made after much deliberation was that for the sake of continuity, we agreed to elect Board members for 2-year terms.

As you are aware, we sent out requests for several weeks in our weekly Suncoast Blues News that we were looking for individuals to work with us to fill some open Board positions. I was pleased with the response we received! We had the opportunity to meet several dedicated Blues music lovers with an array of skills that will enhance the work of your Board in 2022.

Of the folks that responded, there was 1 person that was eligible to be a full time Board member. The 6 current Board members agreed to another term leaving only 1 open position. Since we had 7 people interested in 7 positions, an election was not needed.

Thus, I would like to present your Suncoast Blues Society Board for 2022:

  • Terri O’Brien will continue as President for the 2nd year of her 2-year term
  • James Randolph will continue as Vice President for the 2nd year of his 2-year term.
  • Scott Morris will continue as Treasurer for the 2nd year of his 2-year term.
  • Jesse Smoot, Pat Smoot and Cheryl Spradling, will remain on the Board for another 2-year term.
  • Lynn Deglin is our newest member of the Board.
  • Lisa Lanza and Linda Rasor have also joined as Alternates.

So, let’s congratulate and meet our new folks…
Lynn Deglin:  After 20+ years in N. California, I moved to St. Pete in October 2020. I am thrilled with the local music opportunities, as well as the plentiful art and outdoor activities. I love the celebratory nature of the Tampa Bay area! Recently, a friend mentioned the Suncoast Blues Society and I am now a member. I was very excited to receive my first newsletter and see how much of this music genre is accessible in the area. Blues is one of my all-time favorites!

I have been an IT Business Systems Analyst / Project Manager for a long time and am about to retire. I want to get engaged in community in a helpful and heart-based way. Being a Board member is a perfect way to do that! I am organized, resourceful and a good problem solver. I am also a very good writer and a long-term photographer.

Linda Rasor:  My interest in becoming a Board member is a result my lifelong love of the Blues. It is important to me not only to preserve this genre but to promote it to younger folk.  It is concerning that the majority of Blues fans are or becoming mature as evident at festivals and concerts.  New and younger fans need to be exposed and cultivated to sustain this art form. Besides my love of the music and artists, I am very interested in working with like minds in a team effort to preserve, promote and support the efforts of the Blues Society.  I wish to meet new folks, work toward a common goal and also have a “fun” experience.

I live in Dunedin and do have the time to devote to the Society.  My professional work involved customer facing experiences and problem solving. I enjoy people interaction and consider myself as a valuable team player. Besides music I am an outdoor enthusiast enjoying bicycling, kayaking and other water sports.

Lisa Lanza:   Blues has been my favorite since the 1960’s and I would enjoy interacting with others who enjoy the Blues as much as I do. I love to volunteer for organizations that I support. I am good at filling gaps. I am very observant, and I work to prevent potential problems from occurring. I have lived in Clearwater since 1978. I am fluent in Spanish. I am always on social media and feel that I can be a benefit to the Board.

 

IBC Challenge Update

Message from the President

Message from the President

Message from the President

We have some exciting news to share with you – your Suncoast Blues Society has been asked to sponsor one of the stages at Dunedin Wines the Blues this year on Saturday, November 13th! We have been busy booking artists and have a stellar lineup that will be playing at the EAST Stage:

2:00 – 3:15pm –  Trey Wanvig Band
3:45 – 5:00pm –  The TBone Hamilton Band
5:30 – 7:00pm –   Brian Leneschmidt Band
7:30 – 9:00pm –   Dottie Kelly Band

And don’t forget…

  • 15-17th we have the 8th Annual Camping with the Blues at Sertoma Youth Ranch.
  • Nov 2, head up north to Homosassa for Blues ‘n Bar-B-Que sponsored by the Nature Coast Friends of Blues (NCFOB).
  • Nov 7th SBS will be back at Gill Dawg in Port Richey to feature our Regional IBC Challenge winner, Memphis Lightningwith Julie Black
  • The 10th anniversary of the Bradenton Blues Festival Weekend,  3-5th
And we have a winner!!!

And we have a winner!!!

And we have a winner!!!

And we have a winner!!!

Your Suncoast Blues Society is proud to announce the winner of their 2021 regional blues challenge…

Memphis Lightning Band consisting of Lightning Thiboutot, Red Thiboutot Sr. and Stephen Jeremia. “Lightning” will now represent the Suncoast in the 37th edition of The Blues Foundation’s International Blues Challenge! This event will be held January 18 through the 22nd, 2022 along Beale Street in Memphis, Tennessee.

What an exciting day it was – even though we got off to a late start (some of which we had no control over), the 4 bands that participated put on a great show and the audience appeared to be having a wonderful time.

After drawing for the performance order for the 25-minute sets, Randy Stephens & The Groove Makers started the show, and set the tone with a fine set of original blues music. It is always tough to go first during these competitions. But Randy and the band delivered the goods and set a high bar for the rest of the afternoon.

Following was the eventual winner, Memphis Lighting Band. To say this set was high energy is an understatement. The band presented a set of original material, punctuated with storytelling and a performance that kept the crowd engaged and enthused. The band left the stage receiving much applause.

Veterans of this competition, Memphis Rub Band put on a fine performance of original material. Including songs previously not heard by the many MRB fans in attendance. Arguably this band was never better than they were on July 25th and on another day might have won the competition with their score.

Finally, JSanti & The Gamblin’ Shame took the stage with the largest group of musicians of the day. The ensemble included a group of singers who contributed memorable vocal harmonies. While falling short in the scoring this band showed promise for future competitions.

Approximately 300 faithful blues lovers attended and showed their support. On veteran IBC Challenge performer commented this might have been the largest IBC challenge crowd they had seen. And thanks to the attendees, we were able to raise funds to provide financial assistance to our winning band for their trip to Memphis in January.

Believe it or not, putting on an event like that is a huge amount of work! Your Board has been working on this for the past 7 months, especially our Treasurer and Suncoast Blues News editor, Scott Morris!

Many other people to thank…

Our 5 judges: Mark Thompson, Mark Goodman, Rick Lewis, Velma Glover and Jose Ramirez.

Nicole Wanvig for single-handedly putting together the Silent Auction. Steve Wanvig for being the event timekeeper.

Bill Hubbard, who was not able to attend, but put in many hours on our planning committee.

And to my fellow Suncoast Blues Society Board members: Cheryl Spradling for along with myself work hard at the door taking care of the large walk-up crowd; and Jesse and Pat Smoot who took care merchandise and memberships.

Special thank you to Josh Rowand and his ‘Pitbulls’ (Deny Rowand and Richie Corricelli) who worked their butts off setting up the stage and then tearing it all down afterwards. The sound in the room was awesome!  And put on a show of their own while the Board tabulated the judges scores.

Josh Rowand and The Pitbull of Blues Band hosted a great jam. This band knows how to host a jam party! Including in the “musical mayhem” were 2021 Suncoast Blues Society IBC Youth Showcase representative Trey Wanvig, whose wonderful gold-top Gibson was the envy of some musicians; his playing the same for others! “Detroit” Michael Hepner added keyboards to the “Pitbulls” and was joined onstage by “Lightning”. The guitar work between the area’s “young guns” of Lightning and Trey – this might have been the first time they played together. Let us hope it is not the last! Wow!

Steve Arvey joined the jam and our “singing judge” Velma Glover came onstage and showed why with Sugar and Spice she made the final stage at an earlier IBC in Memphis. A surprise guest, former NFL great, 3-time Super Bowl winner with the Oakland Raiders and now a Bluesman Henry Lawrence joined Velma in a smoking version of Steppin’ Out.

And of course, thanks to all of you – the best Blues fans in Florida! – for your continued support through your membership, buying our merchandise, and attending our events!

Next up… Suncoast Blues Society Annual Beach Bash on August 29th at the Sunset Beach Lions Club.

See you there – Terri