16th Annual PBPS Talent Showcase

2002 Winner

August 10th & 11th, 2002

The 16th annual Piedmont Regional Blues Talent Showcase will be held on the weekend of August 10th & 11th 2002 at Chumley’s on 1614 North Main Street, High Point, NC.

In the past fifteen years the Talent Showcase has attracted bands from North Carolina, South Carolina, Virginia and Tennessee. Past winners have included: The Blue Note Special, The Kerry Michaels Band, Lightnin’ Charlie & The Upsetters, The Bull City Blues Band, The Knights of Soul, Tad Waters, The Misdemeanors, Johnnie Whitlock and His Amazing Blues Caucus, Blues Hangover, Abe Reid, Blue Smoke Blues Band, The Allison King Band and last years winners from Marion, NC: Blues Kravin.

The showcase consists of two (2) qualifying rounds. The top three scoring acts from each round will compete in the final round held Sunday evening. The winner of the final round will be eligible to represent the Piedmont Blues Preservation Society in the International Blues Challenge in Memphis in the winter of 2003, which in 1998 Abe Reid was this winner. In addition the winner will receive bookings at the Bull Durham Blues Festival, and the 17th Annual Carolina LITE Blues Festival scheduled for 2003. Cash prizes and merchandise and other paid bookings will be awarded to the top three contestants.

After the first qualifying round on Saturday evening, around 11:15 p.m. Blues Kravin, last year's winners will play there final set as the representatives for the Piedmont Blues Preservation Society and following that set will be an open blues jam for all musicians to come and participate.

Contestants may obtain rules and applications by writing to PBPS Contest, P.O. Box 9737, Greensboro, NC 27429 or e-mail BillytheKid@triad.rr.com or log on to piedmontblues.org for further information. The phone number to the blues representative handling the contest is 336.273.2721 if you have any further inquires. Both acoustic and electric acts, bands, duos or soloists are encouraged to apply.