WCBS Street Stage Lineup

Big Crowds at our stage last year!

We have another fantastic lineup for our WCBS Street Stage this year at the annual Chicago Blues Festival in Grant Park, Chicago, IL. Come out and listen to some outstanding Blues music at our very own Street Stage.  Buy a WCBS tshirt or flask!  Many thanks to Blackjack for his efforts in leading this committee.  Hope to see everyone there.

Friday, June 7th, 2013

WINDY CITY BLUES SOCIETY STAGE
11:00 am – 11:45 am Low-Reen & the Maxwell Street Market Band
12:00 pm – 1:00 pm Jimmy Nick & Don’t Tell Mama
1:15 pm – 2:15 pm Bob Stroger & Friends
2:30 pm – 3:30 pm Mojo Roots
3:45 pm – 4:45 pm KoKo Taylor Celebrity Aid Foundation w/ Joe Barr & the Soul Purpose Band
5:00 pm – 6:00 pm Smiley Tillmon Band w/ Billy Flynn & special guests
6:15 pm – 7:15 pm Geneva Red & the Original Delta Fireballs

Saturday, June 8th, 2013

WINDY CITY BLUES SOCIETY STAGE
11:00 am – 11:45 am Brother Jacob Schulz & His Blues Crew w/ Toronzo Cannon
12:00 pm – 1:00 pm Fernando Jones & Blues Kids of America
1:15 pm – 2:15 pm Sam Lay joins Bob Riedy & Bob Corritore
2:30 pm – 3:25 pm Matthew Curry & The Fury
3:40 pm – 5:10 pm “Baker’s Dozen” Harp Blowout hosted by Harry Garner Band
5:25 pm – 6:20 pm Shake ‘Em On Down: Rick Sherry, Joel Paterson & Beau Sample
6:30 pm – 7:30 pm The Michael Frank & Michael Packer Duo

Sunday, June 9th, 2013

WINDY CITY BLUES SOCIETY STAGE
11:00 am – 12:00 pm Black Oil Brothers
12:15 pm – 3:30 pm Five bands compete in Round 1 of the “Chicago Blues Challenge”
3:45 pm – 4:45 pm Kevin Purcell & the Nightburners
5:00 pm – 6:00 pm Tweed Funk
6:15 pm – 7:15 pm The Bill Whitehead & Paul Streff Duo

Ballroom Dancers at the WCBS Street Stage

We Need Volunteers for the Chicago Blues Festival!

2012 WCBS Booth at the CBF

Each year we host a stage with live Blues and a booth, FOUR full days of fun at the festival this year!

We need volunteers to help us staff our booth selling memberships, tshirts, buttons and other merchandise.

Volunteers work 2 or more hours and get a free WCBS Staff t-shirt, a $15 value!). It’s alot a fun, great music and a great way to meet other Blues fans.

Complete/submit our Volunteer form to get your name on the list…
Click me for more info…

Chicago Blues Festival 2013

The City of Chicago has expanded the festival to FOUR days this year!

Chicago WEBSITE

Chicago Blues Challenge WINNERS

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The Chicago Blues Challenge Band Category winner is Kevin Purcell and the Nightburners.  Congratulations to Kevin Purcell and the band they will be a great representative as would any of the finalists.

The winner of the Solo/Duo category is Bill Whitehead and Paul Streff.

We thank all the artists for their participation.

On the night of the finals it was announced that Nigel Mack and the Blues Attack had won.  After an independent audit was concluded it was determined that Kevin Purcell and the Nightburners are the actual winners.

The Windy City Blues Society apologizes for the initial mistake.  We are proud to act honestly and with integrity in correcting the error.  The Society has implemented controls in our scoring process to prevent this from happening again.

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2012 Street Stage Video

Chicago Blues Festival 2012 Recap

Chicago Blues Festival!

Well it’s over and it was the best WCBS Street Stage/Booth event so far in our first three years of hosting these parties! And what a party it was. Fantastic Blues music from 11 to 7 three straight days. The booth churning out memberships, tshirts, posters, buttons and beads. And we sold 25 beautiful flasks (stainless steel) engraved with our logo! Yahoo!

Amidst all this commerce and wailing harmonica and guitar was the party and festivities in our nearby hospitality tent! Thanks to a very generous donation from Cermak Foods, Chicago, IL for donating sandwiches and more., we had what seemed like unlimited submarine sandwiches, salad and chips for the entire three day festival. Another donation came from Costco Corp–cases and cases of bottled water. All these good things created an atmosphere where many musicians were able to chat with each other, enjoy a cold refreshment and sandwich. It’s was about the best possible formulation of music, food, drink and friendly camaraderie.

Super Thank You to all the fantastic Musicians that brought energy, soul, passion for the Blues and more to our stage! Thanks to the many volunteers who staffed our booth and managed the stage (Michael from Germany, Megan, Dwayne, Rudy and many more. Many thanks to Opal Sound, Norridge, IL (Phil, Mark, Nick, ___, Mickey) for their exceptional quality service and expertise. What a resource! One of the sound board guys sat in and played the drums in a pinch.  And super thanks to the record labels and other sponsors who donated CDs including Alligator Records, BlindPig Records, Earwig Music, Vizztone Records, Blues for a Cure and BratGirlMedia!

At one point I was sitting on the white cooler, listening to music and this dude & I start yacking. After a few he tells me he’s playing at 2:00p. It was Buzz Krantse. And like all the musicians, he was excellent when he played and entertained at 2! Many other musicians were greeting each other between sets. It was great synergy of energy.

A great celebration.

SEND US your photos, videos, notes/memories so we can include on our website and newsletter… contact form

I’ve updated the WCBS Musicians Directory, adding new musicians who played our stage this year and affixing this years award. Musicians… if you see any discrepancies or want to add more detail to your entry, use our contact form to send us a note. Here’s a sample of an entry!

Our next event is CBC Round #2 in early JULY. Details forthcoming, Check back on the website soon. And if you’re not a member, visit our membership page and join now and support this important non-profit. Support the Chicago Blues scene!

Michael “Iron Man” Burks, July 30th, 1957 – May 6, 2012

Guitarist, vocalist, songwriter Michael “Iron Man” Burks died in Atlanta on Sunday, May 6, 2012. He was 54 years old. He was returning from a tour of Europe and collapsed at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport. He was rushed to South Fulton Medical Center where he could not be revived. The preliminary diagnosis for cause of death was a heart attack.

Michael “Iron Man” Burks earned his moniker by his hours-long, intensely physical performances, fearsome guitar attack, and tough, smoky vocals. He also earned it by the thousands of miles he personally logged behind the wheel of his touring van. Burks was a true modern blues hero whose music was driven by an intense, blue collar work ethic that had won him well-deserved national and international recognition. His instantly identifiable guitar sound and his live charisma earned him four Blues Music Award nominations. He won the 2004 Living Blues magazine Critics’ Award for Best Guitarist. Burks received a nomination for the 2012 Blues Music Award for Best Guitarist.

Born in Milwaukee in 1957, Burks grew up immersed in the blues, and learned to play guitar at an early age. His family moved to Camden, Arkansas in the early 1970s. There, Burks and his siblings helped their father build the Bradley Ferry Country Club — a 300-seat juke joint. By this time Michael was fronting his own band as well as backing several of the blues and R&B greats that passed through town. Burks left music to raise a family and returned to performing blues in the 1990s.

After self-releasing his first CD in 1997, Burks signed with Chicago’s Alligator Records in 2001 and released three critically acclaimed albums. GuitarOne named his debut album, Make It Rain, one of the Top 200 greatest guitar recordings of all time. He has toured the world, headlining blues festivals, concert halls and clubs. His status as an Arkansas musical hero was confirmed by his receipt of the prestigious Sonny Payne Award for Blues Excellence in 2006, presented by the Delta Cultural Center, and by his multiple headlining appearances at The Arkansas Blues & Heritage Festival. Burks had just finished recording his fourth Alligator CD, which is due for release at the end of July 2012.

“Burks has learned to burn his own signature onto almost everything he touches. The aching passion of Burks’ voice and the probing intensity of his guitar lines come together in a searing evocation of desire and desperation. Burks has the ability and the imagination to fuse the best of the old and the new.”

–Living Blues

Alligator President Bruce Iglauer Named A Chicagoan Of The Year

Bruce Iglauer

Among the many other highlights of the label’s 40th anniversary, one of the most significant came in June during the Chicago Blues Festival, when Iglauer received a proclamation from Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel. Mayor Emanuel honored Iglauer’s contribution to the city’s musical heritage on a night dedicated to the label’s anniversary, featuring performances by blues icons Lonnie Brooks, Eddy “The Chief” Clearwater, Michael “Iron Man” Burks, Rick Estrin and Shemekia Copeland.

In October, Poland’s Rawa Blues Festival hosted a 40th anniversary celebration, inviting Iglauer along with stars Lil’ Ed & The Blues Imperials, Marcia Ball, C.J. Chenier and Corey Harris. Closer to home, SPACE in Evanston, IL, hosted a six-part concert series featuring Tinsley Ellis, The Siegel-Schwall Band, The Tommy Castro Band, Lonnie Brooks, Charlie Musselwhite, Michael “Iron Man” Burks and hometown favorites Lil’ Ed & The Blues Imperials.

greatest recording sources

——— Forwarded message ———-
From: BlackJack
Date: Sat, Jan 7, 2012 at 6:48 AM
Subject: Request: Website link – Blues Recordings
To: Tom

http://www.wirz.de/music/american.htm

Tom-

Can you put/list this link anywhere on our site (maybe favorites and other places?) – This is one of the greatest recording sources I have seen over the years – Thanks…BlackJack

Willie Big Eyes Smith RIP

The Blues world lost another giant today, Willie Big Eyes Smith. We all know what he meant to the blues world and for those who knew him well, how nice and generous he was. The WCBS was honored to have him and his band play at our Street Stage this past summer at the Chicago Blues Fest. The crowd for his set was extended way down Columbus Drive where his fans could only hear the music. The Windy City Blues Society would like to offer its condolences to his family at this time. RIP Willie..!

David Honeyboy Edwards RIP

New Blues “Music Row” on Michigan Avenue?

Click on the link for a recent Chicago Sun-Times editorial promoting the possibility of a mile-long “Music Row” showcasing the blues on South Michigan Avenue…

Click link: http://www.suntimes.com/opinions/6974832-474/time-for-a-music-row-to-showcase-the-blues.html