The Montreal Blues Society is once again proud to participate in the 2020 International Blues Challenge’s Best Self-Produced CD Award contest. In 2005, The Blues Foundation established an award for the Best Self-Produced CD, given out at the International Blues Challenge, as part of their mission to celebrate blues recordings and to ensure the future of this uniquely American art form. The award was created to recognize excellence in independent Blues recordings.

The Blues Foundation, based in Memphis, is the organization which oversees the Blues Hall of Fame, the Blues Music Awards, and the International Blues Challenge. The Blues Foundation organizes the International Blues Challenge (IBC) which allows blues artists all over the world to perform in front of people from the industry and to showcase their art.   

During the last 3 years, Quebec artists have benefited from this event on the international scene. In the past, albums by Riot and the Blues Devils, Guy Bélanger, and Angel Forrest have been selected by a panel of independent judges to represent the Montreal Blues Society. In 2013, our entry by Steve Hill (Solo Recordings: Volume 1) was chosen as the worldwide winner by the IBC panel in Memphis. Who will it be this year? 

Prizes and opportunities for the winner vary from year to year. For more information about the Best Self-Produced CD Award competition, please visit The Blues Foundation’s website at: https://blues.org/self-produced-cd-award/

To participate in this competition, your album must have been released between November 1st, 2018 and September 30th, 2019.

 

With the help of some of Quebec’s blues personalities, the winner will be selected based on the following criteria, in order of importance: 

 10 points will be awarded for each category. The album with the most points will be selected and mailed off to Memphis to compete. 

 Please be advised that three copies of your album will be required for the judges.

If your entry is selected to represent the Montreal Blues Society, 4 additional copies of the CD will be sent to Memphis.

The winner does NOT have to attend the International Blues Challenge in Memphis for this category. The winner will be announced at the conclusion of the Solo/Duo and Band category finals at the Orpheum Theater in Memphis on February 1, 2020. 

Send the requested material at the following mailing address by September 30th, 2019 to confirm your entry. If you’re album has already been released when you read this, please submit your application now – do not wait until the deadline please!

There are no fees to enter this contest. 

IMPORTANT: If you are planning on releasing your album after September 8th, please get in touch with us for more information.

Thank you for your participation. 

Montreal Blues Society

Attention: Best Self-Produced CD

63 Perrier

Ile Perrot, Qc  J7V 8X4

For more information or if you have any questions, please contact: phil@bluesmontreal.com