By Marie Walters

Johnny Wheels & The Swamp Donkeys in the IBC Finals – photo by Marie Walters

This rookie’s first Journey To Memphis was a whirlwind of preparation, travel, showcases, jams, performances, and eateries — all topped off with lack of sleep. I was lucky to be traveling with IBC ‘veterans’ so I had plenty of advice on how to navigate my week on Beale Street, starting with “you simply can’t see it all.” And that’s the truth! With over 200 bands and musicians performing in 17 different venues over four days, 10,000 steps a day was easy while crisscrossing Beale Street trying to catch every act I wanted to see. These included the CBA’s own entries: Generation Headstrong in the Youth Showcase, Louis Creed and the Geezer in the Solo/Duo category, and Johnny Wheels and the Swamp Donkeys (JW/SD) competing with other bands.

Although I also wanted to see other artists who’d previously played Portland, including Duffy Bishop, Blue Moon Marquee, and JW Jones (in HOROJO Trio), not to mention showcases and jams with local favorites, it wasn’t possible to be everywhere I wanted to be.

All competitors performed twice during the quarterfinals on Wednesday and Thursday. By the second day there was buzz about JW/SD, and bodies were packed right out to the street wanting to check out this powerhouse band! Late that night they announced the Donkeys made it to the semi-finals and we all celebrated well into the wee hours.

Generation Headstrong, Youth Showcase IBC Memphis – photo by Marie Walters

Friday we learned when and where JW/SD were playing that evening. Meanwhile the Youth Showcase took place early evening across 12 different venues. Generation Headstrong had an early slot and did a great job on stage, building on all they learned in workshops that week. The audience loved their set, especially their covers of Zeppelin’s “Rock and Roll” and “Walking the Dog”!

Even at the larger venue, Johnny and the Donkeys had the place packed inside and out, receiving standing ovations for their out-of-the-ballpark set. Nobody was really surprised when they announced JW/SD were among the eight bands going to the finals at the Orpheum on Saturday — but everyone sure was thrilled!

JW/SD were the first band to play on the Orpheum stage Saturday. They rocked a slightly shorter set to keep within their time slot. All these bands and solo/duo acts were the best of the IBCs and so much talent crossed that stage, but it was nerve racking to wait through 14 more performances and an All Star Showcase before knowing the result!

Finally Blues Foundation President Barbara Newman took the stage to announce the winners. In the band category, HOROJO Trio (with JW Jones, who also won the Gibson Guitarist Award) from Ottawa took first place, the Jose Ramirez Band from D.C. was second, and the Pitbull of Blues Band out of Florida came third.

In the Solo/Duo category, Hector Anchondo from Omaha won first place, and also the Memphis Cigar Box Award. Felix Slim from Long Island took second place and won the Lee Oskar Harmonica Award.  Our own Rich Layton was short-listed for Best Self-Produced CD, however Sweet Thing Moonshine Society out of Virginia won in that category.  Congratulations to ALL the bands that made it to the finals! If it was difficult for me to narrow down the best beyond the top four or five, I can only imagine how difficult it was for the judges!

The Journey To Memphis is the Cascade Blues Association’s regional competition to select the acts that will represent our organization and region in 2021’s International Blues Challenge in Memphis, Tennessee. Up to 250 acts from around the world converge on Beale Street to perform before the music industry searching for new talent, with the chance to win recognition and prizes that include major festival performances and more. But the only way an act may participate is to win a regional competition held by one of The Blues Foundation’s affiliated societies, like our Cascade Blues Association.

The Journey To Memphis competition consists of two rounds. The opening round will be held this year in early-to-mid-May at a venue to be determined.  The event may take place over more than one night depending on the number of acts wishing to compete. Acts are scored by a trio of judges selected for their backgrounds and knowledge of the blues. The highest scoring acts from each night of competition (up to four acts) will advance to the finals held at the Waterfront Blues Festival on July 4th.

Applications to participate in the competition will be accepted from now until Wednesday, April 1 at the Cascade Blues Association membership meeting. No late applications will be accepted. All acts that meet our criteria as described below will be eligible to compete. The performance schedule for the competition is drawn at random.

Here’s the application information:

• Entry fee is $25.00
• Each act must have at least one person in the band who is a member of the Cascade Blues

Association.

• Only acts located within the region of Oregon, or Washington are allowed to enter the

Journey To Memphis.

• Any act or member of an act that has been nominated for or received a Blues Music

Awards from The Blues Foundation are ineligible to compete. No exceptions.

• Any act that has competed in the International Blues Challenge two consecutive years,

regardless whether with the same society or as a solo/duo or band act, must sit out a year

before being allowed to compete again. Acts can only participate three times in Memphis

(acts competing previous to 2017 will be grandfathered and may compete three times

starting from 2017).

• Along with your $25.00 application fee, send an up-to-date band bio including names of

all members, a 300 dpi photo of the band, full song samples of the band’s music (this

may be used on a radio broadcast to promote the event), and we need to be made aware

of any band member who may be under 21 years of age at the time of the competition so

the venue is aware ahead of time for Oregon or Washington Liquor Commission laws.

• We require that any act that moves forward in the competition must use the same band

members that they won the rounds with. In other words, if you won with a certain bass

player or drummer at the Waterfront Blues Festival, that bassist and drummer must be in

your band to compete in Memphis. Exceptions will made in rare circumstances beyond                              the control of the act, such as health issues.

• We do not prevent acts competing with the Cascade Blues Association from doing so

with other societies. All that we ask is that if you win another group’s competition before

ours is held, or if you win ours before theirs, please remove yourself from further

competitions to allow other acts the chance to win the right to go to Memphis.