October / November Blues News
Great Battle of the Blues Bands on October 11th at the Woodlawn Theatre. Congratulations to our band winner Regi Yarbrough and YAC Blues and our duo winner Thomas Trussell & Mac Gray. The winners will represent Alabama at the International Blues Competition in Memphis next January. Also thank you to all entrants who made this competition possible. And thank you to all who attended and all the volunteers who helped make the event a success.
Friday October 30. BlueStages with Jontavious Willis and his AllStar Band.
Jontavious Willis is an American country blues singer, guitarist, songwriter, and multi-instrumentalist from Greenville, Georgia. Mentored by Taj Mahal and Keb’ Mo’, he blends Delta, Piedmont, Texas, and Gospel blues styles. His debut Blue Metamorphosis won the 2018 Blues Foundation Best Self-Produced CD Award, and his GRAMMY-nominated Spectacular Class reached No. 12 on the Billboard Blues Chart. The venue will be in downtown Birmingham at a new location for us in order to accommodate Jontavious and the 3 other very talented musicians he is bringing with him. If you have not been to a Bluestages you don’t know what you are missing. It is an intimate musical experience with like-minded folks who are there to enjoy the music, spend time with old friends and hopefully make some new ones. Doors open 6pm, show at 7pm. Downtown Birmingham location disclosed upon registration. Bluestages REGISTRATION
Sunday November 1st at Elysian Gardens from 4pm-7pm, Elaine Hudson & Force of Nature will entertain us. Elaine Hudson is unique in her style of singing. She can bring the power of Aretha Franklin when she sings R&B or she can calm the savage beast with her smooth soulful jazzy vocals. Elaine started performing live with a local jazz family band at the age of 12 on the club and college campus scene. Elaine joined the US Army and performed with the US Army Band and Chorus in Heidelberg Germany for 3 years and won 1st place all Europe Army Star Search in 1986. During Elaine’s military career in Germany; she met several local German musicians and worked with a couple of outstanding bands Klangk and Crypton before signing a 3-year contract with RCA Records in London England 1990. In October 2025 Elaine entered the Magic City Blues Society’s Battle of the Blues Bands. She won the competition. She has been made an Honorary member of the Magic city Blues Society. Has been inducted into the Alabama Blues Hall of Fame and the Alabama Music Awards awarded her their prestigious Lifetime Achievement Award. $10 Donation requested for the band.
Upcoming Jam's:
1st Friday Jam at Ranelli's - November 6th @ 7:30pm
3rd Thursday Jam at True Story Brewing - November 19th @ 7:30pm