2019 Best Self-Produced CD Competition Entries Now Being Accepted

Since 2005, The Blues Foundation has held an annual competition to recognize excellence in independent blues recordings. The Best Self-Produced CD competition is open to affiliated blues societies from around the world to submit one entry each, preferably selected by a regional competition. The Cascade Blues Association has participated in this event since its inception, including submitting the overall winner in 2011 — Joe McMurrian’s Get Inside This House.

The CBA is now accepting submissions for this year’s Best Self-Produced CD competition. All are welcome to enter with the exception of artists who have been nominated for or received a Blues Music Award, or recordings released on labels that have been nominated or received a Blues Music Award. No compilation discs are accepted. Only compact disks from artists in Oregon, Washington, or Idaho released after November 1, 2017 are eligible for the CBA’s consideration.

Entries will be judged by a committee and will be based on the same criteria that The Blues Foundation will later use in their own judging. These are: Blues Content, Musical Performance, Audio Quality and Production Value of the Recording, Professionalism and Visual Appearance of Cover Art and Design, and Credits and Liner Note Information.

After submissions from each affiliated blues society have been received, The Blues Foundation will conduct its judging in three stages, with the first two rounds being conducted by a select group of radio/print media people. The finalists will be announced a week prior to the 35th annual International Blues Challenge and the winning recording will be named at the IBC finals in Memphis in January 2019.

All entries for the CBA must be received no later than the October 3 membership meeting at Catfish Lou’s. Entries can be mailed to: BSPCD c/o Cascade Blues Association, PO Box 6566, Portland, Oregon 97228 or can be delivered in person at the September or October membership meetings.