For 25 years, the Blues Foundation has sponsored the annual International Blues Challenge (IBC), usually held in late January. Member blues societies around the world hold local competitions to decide who will represent them at the IBC in Memphis, Tennessee.

This year, the Rainy Day Blues Society will again choose a blues act to represent us at the International Blues Challenge.

Eligibility Criteria:

• Solo, duo, or band
• Electric or acoustic
• At least one entrant in group must be a member of the Rainy Day Blues Society
• At least half of the members must live in Oregon
• No act or member of any act may have competed in any other IBC event this year
• An act may not include a board member or officer of the Rainy Day Blues Society

• List of the act’s members, including names, instrument(s) played, and places of residence,
• Stage plot
• Bio of at least 75 words and not to exceed 200 words
• High-resolution photograph suitable for reproduction or a scanned photo of at least 300 dpi in a .jpg format
• CD with up to six songs performed by the act, the total length of which does not exceed 30 minutes
• Name of principal contact for the act and an alternate with mailing address, telephone number, and e-mail

Judging, Selection of Finalists, and the Finals:

Acts will be scored in four categories (Blues Content, Talent, Originality, and Stage Presence) by a three-judge panel of music professionals. Finalists will go on to compete in the Rainy Day Blues Society IBC finals on Sunday, September 19, 2010 at Cozmic Pizza from 1:30 to 5:30 pm.  Finalists will perform for up to 30 minutes.

Past Winners:

• 2009: Adam Scramstad
• 2008: Al Rivers
  

Our 2010 winners include The Vicki Stevens Band in the Band Category; Brian Chevalier in the Solo/Duo Category; and Po O'Hara in the Youth Category.