St. Louis Blues Society
| Formation | 1984 |
|---|---|
| Type | Music Society |
| Headquarters | St. Louis, Missouri |
Region served | United States |
| Affiliations | Blues Foundation |
| Website | http://www.stlouisbluessociety.org/home |
The St Louis Blues Society is an organization that preserves and fosters blues music in St. Louis, Missouri, the city being one of the historic cradles of the blues. It has been in operation since 1984.[1] The society funds local musicians, concerts, and educational events [2] as well as features articles on such initiatives in their bi-monthly magazine, the Bluesletter.[3] The organization is governed by officers and a board of directors, which includes the son of legendary blues artist, Henry Townsend.[4]
Initiatives
The St. Louis Blues Society has three funds they created. This includes The Mission Fund, The Archive Project, and the Alvin Jett Blues Education Initiative. The Mission Fund was created to support Blues and R&B musicians in times of need including health issues or unforeseen problems. This fund was especially beneficial during the COVID-19 pandemic, where the St. Louis Blues Society gave over $90,000 to support artists.[5][6][7] St. Louis is one of the richest cities in the United States in terms of music history, and the Archive Project works with other publication companies to preserve the music and artists from this region. The end goal of this project is to create a central repository that houses both physical and digital content.[8] The Alvin Jett Blues Education Initiative focuses on educating people about the music and artists of St. Louis. This is meant to highlight the talent that St. Louis has produced, share the legacy of the blues in the city, and inspire new artists to emerge. Its namesake, Alvin Jett, is a St. Louis Blues musician who regularly donated to the St. Louis Blues Society. This initiative is also funded by the Atomic Blues Festivals held by the society.[9] The Road to Memphis [10] is a regional preliminary International Blues Challenge [11] competition hosted by the St. Louis Blues Society. Road to Memphis crowns a Solo/Duo Act and a Band Act champion, both of which represent St. Louis at the International Blues Challenge in Memphis, Tennessee.
Albums
According to its website, The St. Louis Blues Society has produced six annual compilation CDs and one CD of an archive project featuring two local musicians. Each album can be purchased online and is available to stream on Spotify and Amazon Music.
| Title | Year | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| St. Louis Blues Society Presents: 14 in '14 [12] | 2015 | |
| St. Louis Blues Society Presents: 15 in '15 | 2016 | |
| St Louis Blues Society Presents: 16 in '16 [13] | 2017 | Most played album on KDHX FM in 2017 |
| St. Louis Blues Society Presents: 17 in '17 | 2018 | Most played album on KDHX FM in 2018 |
| St. Louis Blues Society Presents: 18 in '18 | 2019 | Dedicated to St. Louis native DJ Gabriel [14] |
| St. Louis Blues Society Presents: 19 in '19 | 2020 | |
| The St. Louis Blues Society Archive Project Presents: Leroy Pierson and Tom Hall Live at the Schlafly Tap Room Bluesfest 1993 | 2024 | Instead of featuring a wide array of artists, this work features two St. Louis steel guitar players |
| The St. Louis Kings of Rhythm 1986 European Tour Showcase recorded in the Netherlands | 2026 (unreleased) |
References
- ^ Moore, Cara (2014), The 12 Bars That Were Shaped by St. Louis: Community Growth and Blues Music; 1940-1965, Southern Illinois University at Edwardsville ProQuest Dissertations & Theses
- ^ https://www.stltoday.com/news/local/st-louis-blues-societys-relief-fund-exceeds-expectations-helping-local-blues-artists-survive/article_47ed3f6b-7dde-52c7-aba1-343518ebf0b4.html
- ^ https://stlouisbluessociety.org/bluesletter-magazine
- ^ https://stlouisbluessociety.org/board-of-directors
- ^ Goodwin, Jeremy (2020), St. Louis Blues Society Sends $90,000 To Musicians Facing Hard Times In The Pandemic, St. Louis Public Radio
- ^ Clark, Patrick (2021), St. Louis Blues Society helping musicians during the pandemic, Fox 2 News
- ^ St. Louis Blues Society and the Mission Fund relief, Blues Festival Guide, 2016
- ^ St. Louis Music Archive, Waterleftfrog Publications
- ^ Beardsley, Dave, The STLBlues interview – an afternoon hanging out with Alvin Jett & bandmate Frank Bauer, STLBluesTALENT
- ^ St. Louis Blues Society's "Road to Memphis" Challenge, October 19, American Blues Scene
- ^ International Blues Challenge, The Blues Foundation
- ^ 14 in '14: St. Louis Blues Society 2014 Compilation, Al Holliday Music
- ^ Baugh, Bob, St. Louis Blues Society presents '16 in '16, KDHX
- ^ Delaney, Robert, The Story of Gabriel, St. Louis Media History Foundation