MEMPHIS. TN (CelebrityAccess) – The Blues Foundation has publicly announced the winners of this year’s International Blues Challenge.
Awarded during the IBC finals at the historic Orpheum Theatre in Memphis on January 26, this year’s winners included Ms. Hy-C (a.k.a. Jacinta Branch-Griffin), who took home Best Band, Jon Shain (representing North Carolina’s Triangle Blues Society), who took home Best Solo/Duo winner, Gabe Stillman (representing the Billtown Blues Association from Williamsport, Penn.), who took home the Gibson Guitar Award, Steve Strongman (representing Grand River Blues Society in south-central Ontario, Canada), who took home the Memphis Cigar Box Guitar Award, and Darryl Carriere, who took home the Lee Oskar Harmonica Award, among others.
The winning instrumentalists, not surprisingly, all received instruments.
The IBC is a part of an annual event that sees more than 200 acts takeover Memphis for an entire week each year. This year’s 35th annual big week of blues, also presented networking events, panels, workshops, master classes, exhibits, film, and the always-popular Keeping the Blues Alive Award ceremony.
The 36th annual IBC is scheduled to take place January 28–February 1, 2020.
Complete List of International Blues Challenge 2018 Winners:
Band Division
Winner: Ms. Hy-C & Fresh Start (St. Louis Blues Society)
2nd Place: Sammy Eubanks & the Work’in Class (Washington Blues Society)
3rd Place: Celso Salim Band (Santa Clarita Valley Blues Society)
Solo/Duo Division
Winner: Jon Shain (Triangle Blues Society)
2nd Place: Theresa Malenfant & Scott Medford (East Coast Blues Society)
Gibson Guitar Award For Best Band Guitarist
Winner: Gabe Stillman (Billtown Blues Association)
Memphis Cigar Box Guitar For Best Solo/Duo Guitarist
Winner: Steve Strongman (Grand River Blues Society)
Lee Oskar Harmonica Player
Winner: Darryl Carriere, the Celso Salim Band (Santa Clarita Valley Blues Society)
Best Self-Produced CD
Winner: Lock Up the Liquor – The Little Red Rooster Blues Band (Central Delaware Blues Society)
