Thanks to you, the Blues lovers of Reno & Sparks, our 14th annual MASH BASH was a huge success.  There was a great crowd, great music, and, best of all, we helped out some great local charities. 

The costumes this year seemed like the best yet as everyone got into the spirit of the event.  It both a fun Blues Party and a way of celebrating Veteran's Day in our own unique way.  The music was exceptional as great local Blues bands belted it out over the course of 6 hours.  There was much dancing, fun, and frolic. 

 The Reno BLUES Society extends their thanks to Terrapin Road, The Blues Monsters, Blue Haven, The Jason Kng Band, The Rick Hammond Band, the Reno Plaza Hotel, and all the volunteers that bring this event to life every year. 

The RBS sincerely thanks the local businesses an dorganizations who made generous donations to this year's MASH BASH.  Please help support them as well.  Click on the links below to learn more. 

New RBS General Social Meeting -- Third Thursdays at 3rd Street

After taking the show on the road for the past year, the board, with member input, has decided to settle down for a while. Following the direction of other blues societies, we've picked a location to hold our meeting that will provide a steady stream of Blues music for members to enjoy.

To take advantage of the show case of some local talent in this town at the ongoing Blues Jams at 3rd Street on Thursday nights, we are moving the general meetings to the 3rd Thursday of every month.

We will be dropping the 2nd Tuesday as the General Meeting night, and also moving Board Meeting to the same Thursday night.

Board Business will start at 6:00 PM, Membership at 7:00, Music to follow with Blues Jam hosted by Blue Haven. The first new meeting will be on Thursday August 21st.  Come on out and socialize, get to know other members, and hear some great local talent!

The 2008 Blues Music Awards were announced in the Mississippi Delta on Thursday, May 8, 2008.
The winners selected by the vote of the Blues Foundation's members are:

• B.B. King Entertainer of the Year - Tommy Castro
• Band of the Year - Watermelon Slim & the Workers
• Album of the Year - Watermelon Slim & the Workers – The Wheel Man
• Song of the Year - “Gonna Buy Me a Mule” – Koko Taylor
• Acoustic Artist - Bobby Rush
• Acoustic Album Bobby Rush - Raw
• Contemporary Blues Album - Tommy Castro - Painkiller
• Contemporary Blues Female Artist - Bettye LaVette
• Contemporary Blues Male Artist - Tab Benoit
• DVD - Kenny Wayne Shepherd – 10 Days Out: Blues from the Backroads
• Traditional Blues Male Artist - Hubert Sumlin
• Traditional Blues Female Artist - Koko Taylor
• Traditional Blues Album - Koko Taylor – Old School
• Soul Blues Male Artist - Bobby Rush
• Soul Blues Female Artist - Irma Thomas
• Soul Blues Album - The Holmes Brothers – State of Grace
• Historical Album - Epic/Legacy – Breakin’ It UP, Breakin’ it DOWN
• Best New Artist Debut - Diunna Greenleaf & Blue Mercy 
• Pinetop Perkins Piano Player of the Year - Honey Piazza
• Instrumentalist-Guitar - Bob Margolin
• Instrumentalist-Harmonica - Kim Wilson
• Instrumentalist-Bass - Bob Stroger
• Instrumentalist-Drums - Sam Lay
• Instrumentalist-Horn - Deanna Bogart
• Instrumentalist-Pedal Steel- Robert Randolph

The 2009 Blues Music Awards will be  May 6-9 in Memphis, TN.
Find lots of Blues information at www.blues.org

     I have read a lot of blues books in my time but the one that i am reading now is certainly one of the best. It is written by Paul Oliver, and is titled "The Story of the Blues". It is copyright 1969 by Chilton Book Company, so I don't know if it is still in print. As the back cover says "this is perhaps the most exciting and complete book on the blues to be published in many years". They are not kidding. The photographs alone are worth the price of admission. all of the old juke joints, all of the old performers, all of the rich texture of where the blues was born and grew up is in this book. And the text literally brought tears to my eyes because of the harsh conditions and sad stories that make the blues the story of life. It was written in 1969 so you won't find the North Mississippi All-Stars, or even Stevie Ray Vaughan, but the book is a very valuable piece of evidence for anyone building a case for the blues. If you can't find it at your bookstore check your library. And check their cd section while you are there.    

--Roger Slugg,  host of "Take Names Later Blues" on KUNR,and "Atlantis Straight Ahead" on KJIV

p.s. On checking the Blues Foundation's website at blues.org I see that Paul Oliver is to be inducted into the Blues Hall of Fame this year.