Page 12 - BiTS_01_JANUARY_2024

LL: How can The Blues Music Foundation support blues artists whose careers are
struggling to recover from the COVID pause?

KH: Although we no longer have the COVID-19 Relief Fund, we do still have in operation the
HART Fund and the Blues Musician Emergency Relief Fund. The HART Fund provides for acute,
chronic and preventive medical and dental care as well as funeral and burial expenses, and
throughout the year at various events the HART Fund provides musicians free health screenings.
The Blues Musician Emergency Relief Fund provides much-needed financial assistance to
full-time blues musicians who find
themselves unable to work due to an
emergency.

LL: Would you please tell us all about
the upcoming IBC event at The Blues
Foundation?
KH: The 2024 IBC will be held January
16-20th in Memphis on Beale Street. We
are looking forward to welcoming
thousands of our blues family back to
Memphis as well as our new family that
will be joining us for the first time. We
will have plenty of events going on
throughout the week for everyone to
enjoy such as musician workshops and
information sessions. This all-in
conjunction with great music all along
the way as bands sent from Blues Societies from all over the world perform, compete, and
entertain the enthusiastic blues fans! The solo/duo category for 2023 was won by Frank Sultana
from Australia. The blues is a universal language known worldwide.

LL: Following the IBC’s will be The Blues Music Awards. When will that happen and what
does The Blues Foundation have planned?

KH: The Blues Music Awards will be held on May 9th at the Renasant Center. The Blues Hall of
Fame Induction will be held on May 8th at the Cannon Center. This will be the 45th year so we
are looking forward to making it big and having lots of fun with the blues with stellar
performances tributes and presentations. Nationally syndicated radio host Tavis Smiley will be
the host of the evening. We plan to have previous Hall of Fame Inductees present for a possible
special performance. We will have merchandise for sale and a silent auction for those who wish
to attend and take a part of the night home with them.

LL: What about The Blues Hall of Fame? What’s coming up there in 2024?

KH: The Blues Hall of Fame houses artifacts from different artists that have been inducted into
the Hall of Fame since it began in 1980. We plan to upgrade the technology that we have inside
the museum with more interactives and new exhibits including electronic placards that will not
only display artist information but also play different tracks from Hall of Fame inducted artists.

LL: How can the blues community support The Blues Foundation and its goals?

KH: The blues community has always been incredibly supportive with generous donations,
volunteering for events and attending events. We would love for donations to come in to benefit
the Hall of Fame as well as the modern technology campaign that will be starting soon.
~ © Lawrence Lebo 2023-2024

Lawrence Lebo is an award winning, critically acclaimed Blues recording artist, living in
Northeast Ohio, USA. She can be found on the web at www.lawrencelebo.com