GENERATION BLUES
What is Generation Blues?
Youth Membership
The purpose of Generation Blues is to inspire and cultivate the next generation of blues lovers – whether aspiring musicians or fans. We encourage young blues enthusiasts to join The Blues Foundation as Youth Members. To make membership accessible, there is no cost for youth to join. Youth can maintain their free membership with The Blues Foundation until they turn 21 years of age. By offering our next generation of blues lovers free membership, we are inviting them to begin a lifetime of listening and playing this great music. The advantages include starting young supporters to participate in the activities of their local / regional blues societies and The Blues Foundation. In doing so, we are working to ensure the love of blues music and its history is passed on from generation to generation.
Generation Blues Grants
To support Affiliates interested in helping to fund youth blues camps and other approved blues education programs, The Blues Foundation offers grants through Generation Blues. Generation Blues grants are offered in support of experiential blues education programs. We invite Affiliates to share with us details about youth blues programs they are looking to support by completing the grant application. Applications must be completed prior to the start of the blues camp season. Affiliates applying for grants are required to provide proof of their 501c3 tax exempt status.
Photo by LeVern A. Danley III
Generation Blues Application
For questions regarding the Generation Blues program, please contact:
LaTasha Nathaniel
(901) 527 – 2583, ext. 10
The Generation Blues Experience
“My favorite part of the camp was the faculty concert and sit-in which happened every evening. In this event, the band, which consisted of all the instructors, played multiple songs showcasing their amazing playing abilities. After that, each student got an opportunity to play a song of their choice in the band… I would like to thank The Blues Foundation for this scholarship as this camp was truly a life-changing event for me.”
— Jack Meyer, age 1
4(Robben Ford’s Traeling Dojo Camp
“My experience at this workshop went way beyond any year that I had been there before. Our guitar instructor was famed Australian musician Fiona Boyes, a woman in blues! She taught me how to use a slide, which was a skill that I had not yet achieved. I was also able to reconnect with many other blues youths from around the country. We may only get to see each other once a year, but we have made friendships that will last a lifetime. Thank you to The Blues Foundation and Generation Blues for helping me attend this masterclass. We are doing all we can to Keep the Blues Alive!
— Grace Kuch, age 1
5(Pinetop Perkins Youth Workshop
“I was able to learn from heroes of mine such as Craig Ventresco and Jerron Paxton, as well as play and perform with incredible musicians like Pat Donahue and Jontavious Willis. This is why the Generation Blues scholarship is very important to me, because living in Arizona, without the support of The Blues Foundation, it would be almost impossible for me to get to Washington and continue my study of this wonderful music.”
— Roman Barten-Sherman, Age 1
5(Port Townsend Acoustic Blues Workshop
Educational Programs
Below is a list of summer Blues camps and workshops for students interested in the blues. These are independent programs. The Blues Foundation does not manage or hold any supervisory role over these programs, and is not responsible for the camp or the program experience. This list is provided for your convenience in finding and researching blues camps. We encourage you to contact the camp directly to learn about its services, safety guidelines, and programs before enrolling.
Harmonica Collective (Louisiana)
Pinetop Perkins Foundation Youth Workshop Series (Mississippi)
Port Townsend Acoustic Blues Workshop (Washington)
Robben Ford's Traveling Dojo Guitar Camp (New York)
Sean Carney’s Camp Blues (Ohio)
The Collective School of Music (New York)
The Uptown Music Collective (Pennsylvania)
Our Sponsors and Partnerships
