More so than any other form of music, Blues relies heavily on a grass roots network of societies, festivals and associations for support. (For ease of reference, we refer to these and all similar groups as "Blues Organizations.")
Blues music is primarily a "live" art form. In fact, Blues albums have rarely achieved the impressive sales numbers that rock, rap, and country records have achieved. As a result, even top level Blues talent must go on the road to keep a career vibrant. Across the USA and around the world, scores of Blues Organizations help keep these artists going by producing festivals, booking club gigs, or just by coming out, paying a cover charge, and making noise. These nonprofit, all volunteer organizations provide an important backbone to the Blues, and occupy a vitally important spot in the pantheon of Blues music. In locations from Maine to California, from Iowa to Mississippi, and from Italy to Australia, Blues fans who band together for the support of the music they love play an irreplaceable role in the international Blues scene.
The Blues Foundation recognizes the importance of Blues Organizations, and we constantly seek new ways to provide support to these groups. The Foundation itself operates as an umbrella organization for Blues Organizations, and over 125 such groups in five countries have paid $100 annual dues to become an Affiliate Organization of The Blues Foundation.
For information on your organization becoming an Affiliate Organization of The Blues Foundation, and the benefits associated with that membership, look around the site. To join, call The Blues Foundation at 901-527-2583 or e-mail Jay at: jay@blues.org.
