17th Annual River City Ohio Blues Competition

The Blues, Jazz & Folk Music Society of Marietta, Ohio announce their 17th annual
River City Ohio Blues Competition, the oldest and largest blues talent competition
in the state of Ohio. Last year's competition saw 18 great blues acts from all over
Ohio, West Virginia, Michigan and Pennsylvania compete for sponsorship to the
International Blues Challenge ( IBC), and this year we are expecting to showcase
an increasing amount of quality regional blues talent. A full roster of 18 blues
acts competed last year with a close finish. Last year's first place winner is Mojo
Theory from Columbus Ohio. Austin "Walkin' Cane" also placed and so will represent
BJFM in Memphis in 2009.

The first place winner of The River City Ohio Blues Competition will receive $1000
dollars in cash and BJFM sponsorship to the International Blues Challenge in Memphis
early in 2010 where they can gain valuable exposure to record label A&R
representatives and Blues industry professionals and festival promoters capable of
providing real career advancement for a serious blues musician. The second place
winner will receive $200 in cash and the third place winner will receive $100 in
cash. This year, again there will be 18 slots in competition. The big winners,
however, are the blues fans who enjoy a weekend of great blues entertainment rarely
available in Southeast Ohio at a bargain price.

Marietta, being the oldest Blues competition in Ohio has,you might say, set the
stage for the half dozen or so competitions that now exist in the state. One of the
things that makes the Marietta competition unique is that it has no geographic
restrictions and is open to serious Blues acts from anywhere. That is why The River
City Ohio Blues Competition pulls talent from a four, five or six state area and
even from overseas all hoping to win in Marietta and get their ticket punched to
Memphis. The Blues is an attitude and state of mind, not an address -- not confined
to any geographical area. Our Ohio affiliate blues societies have been
well-represented at The International Blues Challenge(s) (IBC) in Memphis. In just
the last few years, there have been several top-ten finishers and winners from the
state of Ohio. The level of talent in the IBC has risen to incredible heights from
the blues acts from all over the country (and the world) and so has the level of
talent from Ohio. Good Blues music seems to be coming from everywhere and
Ohio is no exception. Blues acts from Ohio have been top winners in both the
Solo/Duo Blues category (2006/2nd) and the Band Category (2007/1st) in recent years.

FOR BANDS WHO WANT TO PARTICIPATE: Go to
http://www.bjfm.org/Templates/competition.htm. There is a link on this page to the
rules and the application.

WHERE & WHEN: February 20 & 21, 2009, Hotel Lafayette, 101 Front Street,
Marietta OH. Show is presented by the Blues, Jazz & Folk Music Society, Inc. Smoke
free venue/cash bar.
Friday Night: 8 pm - 11 pm 1st PRELIMINARY; Feb 20, 2009 - 6 Blues Acts Compete -
2 Finalists Chosen.
Saturday Afternoon: 12 noon - 6 pm 2nd PRELIMINARY; Feb 21, 2009 - 12 Blues Acts
Compete - 4 Finalists Chosen.
Saturday Night: 8 pm - 11:30 pm THE FINALS; Feb. 21, 2009 - 6 Finalists Compete -
1st PLACE WINNER, 2nd & 3rd Chosen.

TICKETS & INFORMATION:
Tickets available after December 1, 2008
$10/$15 m/nm Friday Night 8-11pm
$10/$15 m/nm Saturday afternoon 12 noon - 6 pm
$10/$15 m/nm Saturday Night 8 pm - 11:30 pm
$25/$40 m/nm Weekend Pass
Doors open 1 hour before showtime
Information: call Steve Wells (anytime) 304- 295 - 4323 or bluesphotog@yahoo.com
Tickets/passes/info call Peg Bolen (evenings) 740- 376 - 0222 or bolen@bjfm.org
Visa/MasterCard Accepted