Juno Blues Nominees Announced! The Toronto Blues Society congratulates the following artists on their 2019 Juno Blues Album Nominees: Colin James, Miles to Go (True North/Stony Plain – 2018), Jack de Keyzer, Checkmate (Independent – 2018), Sue Foley, The Ice Queen (Stony Plain – 2018), Myles Goodwyn, Myles Goodwyn & Friends of the Blues (Linus Entertainment – 2018) and Samantha Martin & Delta Sugar, Run To Me (Gypsy Soul Records – 2018). A shout goes out to Kevin Breit (aka Johnny Goldtooth) in the Instrumental Album category and the Slocan Ramblers who were nominated in the Traditional Roots Album category. The awards ceremony will be broadcast from Budweiser Gardens in London, Ontario on Sunday March 17th, 2019 at 8:00PM.

Winterfolk Blues: One of the highlights of this year’s Winterfolk festival (Feb 22-24) will be a special Blues Showcase featuring Bywater Blues, an award-winning seven-piece band drawi ng from the sounds of Southern soul, gospel and blues, featuring 

Juno Blues Nominees Announced! The Toronto Blues Society congratulates the following artists on their 2019 Juno Blues Album Nominees: Colin James, Miles to Go (True North/Stony Plain – 2018), Jack de Keyzer, Checkmate (Independent – 2018), Sue Foley, The Ice Queen (Stony Plain – 2018), Myles Goodwyn, Myles Goodwyn & Friends of the Blues (Linus Entertainment – 2018) and Samantha Martin & Delta Sugar, Run To Me (Gypsy Soul Records – 2018). A shout goes out to Kevin Breit (aka Johnny Goldtooth) in the Instrumental Album category and the Slocan Ramblers who were nominated in the Traditional Roots Album category. The awards ceremony will be broadcast from Budweiser Gardens in London, Ontario on Sunday March 17th, 2019 at 8:00PM.

Winterfolk Blues: One of the highlights of this year’s Winterfolk festival (Feb 22-24) will be a special Blues Showcase featuring Bywater Blues, an award-winning seven-piece band drawi ng from the sounds of Southern soul, gospel and blues, featuring powerful lead vocals and slide guitar, Chloe Watkinson, who launched her solo career in 2018 with performances at Roy Thomson Hall and Yonge/Dundas Square will blow the roof off with her formidable vocals and edgy songs; Toronto-based guitarist Dan McKinnon is a 2017 Toronto Blues Society Talent Search Winner and is establishing himself as a Canadian blues artist on the rise, playing raucous, hard-hitting blues/rock. Others in the blues contingent include; 2016 CBC Sounds of the Season standout Jerome Tucker Band; BLUZ FM personality Danny Marks; the award-winning Gary Kendall Band, two-time JUNO and seven-time Maple Blues Award-winning Artist Jack de Keyzer,  blues harmonica player Ken Yoshioka, slide guitarist Alfie Smith , the slow-cooked folk blues of Brian Blain and a Winterfolk reunion of multi-instrumentalist Ken Whiteley and Mose Scarlett. Winterfolk takes place in 3 clubs within a block on Danforth from February 22 to 24.  www.winterfolk.com

Fire Damage: A GoFundMe page has been set up for Blues On The Rideau @ The Cove in Westport, https://www.gofundme.com/vf84t-the-cove after a major fire broke out on January 18th damaging the building which is home to the owners, Terry and Mary Cowan. They are thankful for the generous donations thus far; their supporters say the total is still far short of the goal and any amount large or small will help greatly to reconstruct their home. The Cove Blues Series is still in full operation, as the building where performances are held remained intact. www.bluesontherideau.ca

Gritty Blues and a Good Cause: Jim Dan Dee and The Muddy York Blues Machine team up for a Hugh’s Room Live show doubling as a fundraiser, as $5 from each ticket is donated to the Toronto Blues Society.  A ‘bourbon fuelled funkabilly grunge blues’ band from Toronto, Jim Dan Dee is also a character, the persona of frontman Jim Stefanuk whose electric and raw performances rein in a solid fan base. Their gritty blues infused with rock and motown hits the Hugh’s Room Live stage on February 28th at 8:30pm. www.hughsroomlive.com

Music Canada Live Becomes The Canadian Live Music Association: Canada’s national live music association, formerly known as Music Canada Live, is getting a new name and logo. In addition to the name change, Erin Benjamin – formerly the Executive Director, becomes the President & CEO (non-voting), a move acknowledging her role in setting the strategic direction of the organization in tandem with the board of directors.  The Canadian Live Music Association represents concert promoters, festivals, venues, clubs, arenas, performing arts centres, agents, ticketing companies, other organizations and suppliers to live music from across Canada. Its mission is to entrench the economic, social and cultural value of live music – creating the conditions for concerts to thrive, from coast to coast to coast. https://canadianlivemusic.ca

– Janet Alilovic, Huma Uster, Brian Blain