International Blues Challenge
The International Blues Challenge ( IBC ) is a music competition held annually by the Blues Foundation on Beale Street in Memphis, Tennessee .
history
The competition was first held in 1984 as the "Blues Amateur Talent Contest". It should offer amateur and young musicians a platform on which they could present themselves. In 1986 the name was changed to "National Amateur Talent Contest". Until 1993, the rule was that participants should earn less than 50% of their income from performing. This rule was repealed in 1993 and the word "amateur" was deleted from the name the following year.
In 1995 the competition was named "The International Blues Talent Competition". In 1999 the competition was suspended because it was moved from autumn to the beginning of the year (January / February). In January 2000 there was the first "International Blues Challenge" with 50 participating bands. Due to the growing number of participants, two categories were created in 2002, "Bands" and "Solo / Duo". Today over 200 acts from around the world take part in the competition every year.
Web links
- Official website of the International Blues Challenge (English)
- A brief history of the International Blues Challenge (English)