South Skunk Blues Society Update

 I hope everyone is surviving the heat!  We have some news that I think is, by its nature, "cool".  The Skunk has definitely been resuscitated and we are in the Year of the Skunk!  Plans are well underway in the planning for the 20th annual South Skunk Bowlful of Blues (See attached lineup).  If you would like to lend a hand with our planning, or volunteer to help out with the Bowl please let me know.

Membership Drive is beginning-  We will soon be emailing everyone whose membership is due now to encourage you to consider renewing your annual membership.  I will attach the membership form to this email so if you want to get a jump on us, please feel free to renew today.   But if your dues are due or coming due soon we will be sending you a separate email.  The South Skunk Blues Society is entirely non-profit run by an all volunteer effort.  No one from the South Skunk Blues Society gets paid for their time and travel expenses.  We are truly non-profit.  Your membership dues help us to put on the Bowl and to support the other things we have begun doing throughout the year (Blues Challenge, Blues in the School...)

We are also beginning the process of contacting each of our great sponsors to encourage them to renew their support.  Sponsorships are very important and very much appreciated.  If you or your business would like to become a corporate sponsor please let me know, and I will share all of the benefits of the various levels of sponsorships.  Also please be sure to support our sponsors; they keep the Blues alive in Skunkland!

Solo Duo Call for Acts for Iowa Blues Challenge:  There is still time to get registered and enter the competition.  The South Skunk Blues Society is one of the co-sponsors for the Iowa Solo Duo competition.  I have attached the “Call” (announcement) to this email.  The deadline for registering is July 15th, 2012.  The Solo/Duo Challenge will be held August 26, 2012 at Zimm’s in Des Moines, IA.   Please feel free to tell musicians that the call for the competition is out, and it is time to get registered if they want to participate.  

Upcoming Shows:
This Saturday, June 30, 2012, we have a double decker night of the blues.  Come on out to Sugar Grove Winery west of Newton from 6:30-9:30 to see The Drama Kings perform their good time music (Blues, Jazz and New Orleans) featuring Scott Davis on trumpet, bass and flugelhorn,  John (Juke) Mattingly on keyboard, and Bobby Brown on drums.    Cover is $5, 17 & under free. (See poster).   Then drive a few miles north to Baxter Fun Night and catch Bob Dorr and the Blue Band playing a street dance at the Baxter Fun Days, 9 PM till midnight. There is a $5.00 cover to benefit the Baxter Fun Days (see attached poster).  This band is a member of the Iowa Rock and Roll Hall of Fame!

Bob Pace Band – Saturday, July 7th at The Speakeasy in Newton 9-1, No Cover

Bob Dorr and the Blue Band, Friday August 10 at the Thunder Nights bike night on the square in Newton 6-10 PM, No Cover

Bowlful of Blues - Labor Day Weekend, September 1 and 2.  http://southskunkblues.org/bowlful.htm

Facebook- We now have a South Skunk facebook page https://www.facebook.com/#!/south.skunk.1  and
a very new and special Bowlful of Blues page  https://www.facebook.com/#!/pages/Bowlful-of-Blues/248977208549411   Check out these facebook sites and friend us so that you can receive all the latest updates!

South Skunk will have its next meeting on Monday July 16th at 6:30 PM at the VFW in Newton.  Come on out and say hello; we just might put you to work on the various efforts we have going for the 20th annual Bowlful of Blues!

PS- If you know of an upcoming blues show here in Skunk Land please let me know so that we can alert everyone to the event.

And lastly please support our corporate sponsors!!!  If not for them we could not keep the blues alive:

Fulton Mechanical Jeff and Laura Fulton
I 80 Farms  - Colfax
Dr. Mark Wetzel DPM, Foot & Ankle Center  - located in Newton
Blue Moon BBQ and Cadillac Jacks in Baxter
Side Tracks Tap  - Kellogg
Sugar Grove Vineyards and Gathering Place  - Newton
The Vernon Company  - Newton
Barney's  - Newton
Gass / Great American Stock Car Series  - Newton
State Farm Insurance  / Chad Wempen  - Newton
The Arts Connection  - Newton
VFW, Men’s Auxiliary Club Post 1655  - Newton
Revolution Cycle  - Baxter
August Bergman Inn – Newton
Town and Country Sanitary Services- Baxter
Jasper County Chapter of Thrivent Financial for Lutherans

Yours Bluely,
 Craig Peterson
President, South Skunk Blues Society             
P.O. Box 951                                   
Newton, Iowa 50208                     
641-227-3209   craig@partnercom.net
Website - http://southskunkblues.org/
Face book -  https://www.facebook.com/#!/south.skunk.1   (South Skunk)
https://www.facebook.com/#!/pages/Bowlful-of-Blues/248977208549411     (Bowlful or Blues)

The South Skunk Blues Society is a non-profit 501(c)(3) organization dedicated to preserving and cultivating Blues music. The Society promotes Blues Music education, public performance opportunities for Blues artists, and seeks to increase the exposure to and appreciation of Blues music by the general public.