The Blues Foundation offices and Blues Hall of Fame Museum will open at 10am. We invite you to visit the newly installed Bricks for the Blues Walkway at your leisure.
The Blues According to Arhoolie
11:30am – 1:00pm | Blues Hall of Fame Museum
421 S. Main Street
This newest exhibit in the LRBC Gallery will honor and celebrate Arhoolie Records. Founder Chris Strachwitz will be in attendance to greet visitors and answer questions about the music he produced and promoted through Arhoolie Records.
Book Signing
Dick Waterman – A Life in Blues, by Tammy L. Turner
1:00pm – 2:00pm | Blues Hall of Fame Museum
421 S. Main Street
Both Dick Waterman and Tammy L. Turner will be in attendance for a short Q & A and to sign your personal copy of this new biography. Books will be on sale in the Blues Hall of Fame Gift Shop.
Blues Hall of Fame Inductions
Halloran Centre for Performing Arts and Education
5:30pm – BHOF Inductee and BMA Nominee Reception
6:30pm – BHOF Induction Ceremony
225 S. Main Street
Doors open at 5:00pm
Big Llou’s 7th Annual Hall of Fame Tribute Jam
Benefit for Generation Blues
8:00pm ’til Late | Jerry Lee Lewis’s Café & Honky Tonk
310 Beale Street
The Blues and Race, Part 2
11:30am – 1:00pm | Sheraton Hotel
250 N. Main Street
The Blues Foundation looks forward to continuing this important conversation about the historical significance of race within the blues genre and what the future holds for the next generation.
Moderated by: Noelle Trent, PhD. (Director of Interpretation, Collections, and Education at the National Civil Rights Museum) Panel Participants: Bobby Rush, Billy Branch, Thornetta Davis, Terrie Odabi, and Paul Benjamin
HART Fund Musician Health Screenings
Noon – 2:30pm | Sheraton Hotel
250 N. Main Street
The HART Fund, a program of The Blues Foundation, will have doctors, nurses, and other health practitioners on site for a variety of health screenings including but not limited to blood pressure, cholesterol, diabetes, PSA testing, and vision screenings that will include eyeglasses free of charge. The HART Fund will also offer ear molds for custom made professional quality earplugs for all musicians and/or members of the music industry who qualify.
Recording Academy™ Reception Celebrating the BMAs
1:00pm – 2:30pm | Sheraton Hotel, Heritage Room – 2nd Floor
250 N. Main Street
Join the Recording Academy™ and your fellow music makers as we celebrate with food and drinks prior to the Blues Music Awards in Memphis. Learn how you can get involved in the GRAMMY Awards® process, from submitting your current projects for awards consideration to voting.
Click here to RSVP.
Open 12-Step Meeting
3:15pm | Sheraton Hotel
250 N. Main Street
40th Blues Music Awards
Memphis Cook Convention Center
255 N Main St, Memphis, TN 38103
5:30pm – Blues Music Awards Pre-Event Reception
featuring nominee music and the opening of the annual BMA silent auction
7:00pm – 40th Blues Music Awards to include seated dinner, nominee performances, and the announcement of awards in 25 Blues categories.
Charter Member Breakfast
10:30am – Noon | Majestic Grille
145 S. Main Street
A Conversation and Book Signing with Alligator Records Founder Bruce Iglauer
1:00pm – 2:00pm | Blues Hall of Fame Museum
421 S. Main Street
Bruce will speak about his blues career and experiences as told in his new memoir Bitten by the Blues. Copies of the book will be on hand for purchase, and Bruce will be available to sign them.
BMA Fest
4:00pm – 9:00pm | Beale Street
Beale Street Clubs will offer blues music into the evening by BMA nominees and other blues musicians of note/ $10 Wristband
8th Annual Play-It-Forward Fundraiser
Benefit for Generation Blues and the HART Fund
5:00pm ’til Late | Hard Rock Cafe
Benefit hosted by Andy T’ Band featuring Al Hill and many BMA Nominees and other artists.
$10 suggested donation
