July 7th-14

Hi Blues Club friends! We've been having some wonderful jams each and every Wednesday night at Fiery Ron's Home Team BBQ in West Ashley -- and the jams keep getting better every week as our regular players get to know the newer players, everyone inspired by the amazing talent that gathers together! So don't forget to come out every Wednesday night, starting around 8pm. Musicians (except drummers) bring your own instruments. And bring money to pay your dues if you haven't yet joined for 2010 -- $10 for individuals, $25 for a family or band, $100 corporate, under 21 is free!

Also, join us on facebook if you haven't already done so: Lowcountry Blues Club (nonprofit). Many of our jam musicians are on facebook too, so be sure to become a friend or fan of your favorites, and go see them when they play elsewhere during the week or on the weekend. We're on twitter, too.

Featured artists in July will be Willie Dixon, Junior Kimbrough, and Buddy Guy. When you come to the jam, let our jam-master know if you want to play a song by one of the featured artists...

If you've enjoyed the amazing dancing at the Home Team Wednesday jams, you might want to consider taking dance lessons from Aaron "Rat" Barse -- you can contact him at mcratsmith@gmail.com or at 607-651-3329. Thanks for the great dancing, Rat!!

We're starting to look forward to the second annual Lowcountry Blues Club Challenge, a battle of the bands that ends with the winning band and solo/duo act receiving our club's invitation to represent us in Memphis at the International Blues Challenge, in February. Dan Wright represented our club last year, with Landon Moore on bass and Quentin Ravenel on drums -- and Sarah Cole represented us in the Youth Category, with Quentin on drums, Wyatt Garey on guitar, and Chris Cool on bass. Those of us who went to Memphis had a blast -- I recommend that you start saving your pennies now, and plan to go to Memphis for the weekend, whether you're in the winning band or not -- it's a party with great blues bands from all over the world! The challenge begins in August, at Home Team BBQ. More details on the competition are at the end of this email, including some date changes, for those who are interested.

To get info in this weekly email/blog: please submit all the details to Lowcountrybluesclub@gmail.com by Monday of each week. Please put "Attention blog-writers" as the subject line. The blog is posted on either Tues, Weds, or Thursday, most weeks, depending on the blog-writer's schedule. If you'd like to be a blog-writer too, or just submit an article, let us know -- just email us at Lowcountrybluesclub@gmail.com.

Info on the Lowcountry Blues Club Challenge:

The Lowcountry Blues Club’s local competitions for the 2011 International Blues Challenge in Memphis have been set! It’s time for bands and solo/duo acts to make their plans to compete. One band and one solo/duo act will represent the Lowcountry Blues Club in Memphis at the world’s largest gathering of blues musicians from February 2nd through February 5th, 2011.

The preliminary band competitions will be held on Sunday, August 15; Sunday, August 29, and Sunday Sept 12 at the award-winning Firey Ron’s Hometeam BBQ, 1205 Ashley River Rd, Charleston SC 29406. Depending on the number of entries received, we may have to alter the preliminary dates.

Each competition will follow the rules of the Blues Foundation. Each set will be limited to 45 minutes, and each competitor will be allowed one 15-minute set change. Any South Carolina act may enter. However at least one member should be a Lowcountry Blues Club member. Membership can be established at IBC entry, using the membership form. There is a non refundable $25 application fee due at the time your application is submitted for bands. There is a $15 application fee for solo/duo acts. You can obtain an application by emailing: lowcountryblueschallenge@gmail.com or call (843)214-0555. The application fee will be used to fund this event. A $5 cover will be charged at each event to aid in expenses. Any excess funds will be used to defray expenses of the winning solo/duo act and band to participate in the 2011 International Blues Challenge in Memphis. Entry deadline is July 16, 2010. Please mail appications with the entry fee to:

Tim Shaw
LBCC
PO Box 40902
Charleston SC 29423

The Lowcountry Blues Club’s Blues Challenge finals will be held on Sunday, September26 at Fiery Ron’s Hometeam BBQ, 1205 Ashley River Rd, Charleston SC 29407. Winners of the band contest and the solo/duo act will receive the Lowcountry Blues Club’s nomination to the 2011 International Blues Challenge to be held in Memphis TN. Excess funds from the events will be placed with the Lowcountry Blues Club funds for assistance for the winners in their trip to Memphis. Each winner may be required to perform at two fundraisers in 2010 and one fundraiser in 2011 at no charge. All fundraiser proceeds will help with expenses for Memphis. The LBC will help winners in fundraising, but cannot guarantee that all or any expenses for Memphis will be covered.

Judges will evaluate each act using the Blues Foundation scoring criteria (www.blues.org/ibc/scoring.php) and rules (www.blues.org/ibc/rules.php). Application is an initial statement of interest and not a binding agreement between applicant and LBC.

Make your plans to enter now! Applications and entry fees must be received no later than July 16, 2010.

Also don't forget that next Saturday July 17th jam at A Dough Re Mi's new location in the Brickyard subdivision of Mt. Pleasant. And finally Today is Mr. John Paul Jones Jr. Birthday so next time you see him, which may very well be at the jam tonight don't forget to wish him a happy birthday.

KMF