Toronto Blues Society | » Loose Blues News – January 2018

Loose Blues News – January 2018

Published January 5, 2018 in Loose Blues News, News

 

Blues Music Awards Broadcast:

The Blues Foundation in partnership with broadcast partner Ditty TV will announce the 39th Blues Music Awards nominees LIVE from Memphis on Tuesday, January 9, 2018. Bobby Rush, Kenny Neal, and John Nemeth will emcee the announcements beginning at 10am CST. You can watch the announcements in real time on any of Ditty TVs multiple platforms as well as via Facebook Live on The Blues Foundation Facebook page. Tickets to the BMAs will go on sale in conjunction with this BMA Nominee broadcast so you can visit blues.org to purchase your tickets online and get the direct link to the broadcast.

 

New website for Grand River:

The Grand River Blues Society website has a new look! The redesign is part one of a multi-phase restructuring of GRBS communications that will include better utilization of social media platforms. The new website was created by GRBS Board Member Abby Goodrum, who began the redesign process by reaching out to the local community of blues supporters and musicians to get a sense of their information needs. The new website is optimized to display on mobile devices. Check it out at www.grandriverblues.org.

 

Gone but not forgotten:

Sax player Ron “Jake” Jacobs passed away on Christmas Day at the age of 74. He played with Downchild in the early days and his growling sax is heard on their debut album, Bootleg. He had backed up blues legends like Lowell Fulson and Little Richard and in the late 90s he played with Mike McKenna’s Slidewinder.

Diane Leduc Doran, wife and partner of James Doran in Choose The Blues Productions died on Nov 20th after a long and valiant battle with liver & Lyme disease. James and Diane produced the Blues On The Rideau Fundraiser Series at The Cove Inn, Westport for the past 13 years. She had been on the List for a liver transplant but sadly a donor organ didn’t come through in time. James asks friends and fans to please consider becoming a Living Donor. “Even though Diane didn’t make it, there is still time to save others.” www.beadonor.ca

West Coast blues fans are mourning the loss of blues singer and songwriter Frank Alexander, a pillar of that community for 50 years and as we go to print, we hear about the closing of two beloved live music venues, Grafitti’s in Kensington Market and The Bay City Music Hall in Hamilton. Yes, we’ve got the blues.

Donate Join TBS Volunteer

©2024 Toronto Blues Society. Design by Janine Stoll Media.
TBS logo and WBR artwork by Barbara Klunder


The Toronto Blues Society acknowledges the annual support of the Ontario Arts Council, the City of Toronto through the Toronto Arts Council and the Department of Canadian Heritage, and project support from FACTOR< and the Government of Canada through the Department of Canadian Heritage (Canada Music Fund) and of Canada’s Private Broadcasters, The Canada Council for the Arts, the SOCAN Foundation, SOCAN, the Ontario Media Development Corporation, and the Ontario Ministry of Tourism, Culture and Sport.