Prairie Crossroads Blues Society

Champaign-Urbana IL

Blues Happenings

[Blues Jam]

PCBS Blues Jams!
Pipa's Pub, 604 S. Country Fair Dr., Champaign
2nd Sunday of each month, 4:00 - 7:00 pm
4th Wednesday of each month, 7:00 - 10:00 pm

Prairie Crossroads Blues Society holds two jams each month. The 2nd Sunday of each month from 4:00 to 7:00 pm and the 4th Wednesday of each month from 7:00 to 10:00 pm. Both jams are held at Pipa's Pub, 604 S. Country Fair Dr., Champaign.

The host band typically plays the first set, then we open it up to all the jammers in the house. Bring your instrument and plan on sitting in!

Wow! What a Jam! Hope you were able to catch the Jam at Pipa's on Sunday Nov. 11. One of the best Blues vocalists of his generation, Michael Ledbetter (Nick Moss Band, Welch-Ledbetter Connection) hosted. Besides that his friend, ace guitarist Dany Franchi, a young Italian player came along. Add in Andrew "Blaze" Thomas from Bloomington to play drums and Nick Fane on bass. Simply amazing!

Hey, we had two special jams as part of the Blues Fest Weekend. The Painkillers hosted the Happy Hour Blues Jam, Friday August 10, at Bunny's in Urbana from 4:30 to 8:30. On Sunday August 12, Robert Kimbrough Sr. brought his Cotton Patch Soul Blues to Pipa's Pub and hosted the jam from 4:00 to 7:00. Those were both great jams, hope you had a chance to participate.

Grab your instrument and join in the fun!

Google map to Pipa's Pub, 604 S. Country Fair Dr. Champaign.

Prairie Crossroads Blues Society is happy to help revive the tradition of a blues jam in the C-U area!

Blues Fest is Back, Baby!


Prairie Crossroads Blues Fest
Saturday August 10 2019, 2:00 - 10:00 PM
Champaign County Fairgrounds
Rain or Shine!
Food trucks, beverages, 8 hours of great Blues Music!

2019 Acts have been announced!
Check out our Blues Fest page

One of our headliners was featured in this NPR Jazz Night in America segment. Lucious Spiller performing "Walk With Me Lord" at the historic Messengers Pool Hall in Clarksdale, MS.

You don't see this deep blues emotion often these days.
Come out to our Fest and you will!

You can now order your 2019 Wristbands on our Blues Fest page

BITS

Blues In The Schools
PCBS is presenting a couple more in our series
of educational programs in area schools.
We had a 6-week program at Wiley School in Urbana
Mondays, April 1, through May 6
There's also two blues assemblies in Champaign,
one at South Side School, Tuesday May 14,
and another at Bottenfield School Wednesday May 15.

Thanks to our instructors,
Gus Wood, David Adcock and Andrew Duncanson
Thanks to Krannert Center for the Performing Arts
and Hohner Harmonica for their support.

The Blues Foundation presented the
Blues Music Awards
in Memphis, TN on Thursday May 9

Visit blues.org to find out all the winners!

Mike Ledbetter won 3 Awards posthumously including the prestigious
B.B. King Entertainer of the Year Award

Double winners included Shemekia Copeland and Danielle Nicole. Our friend Johnny Rawls won the BMA for the Soul Blues Album of the Year for his "I'm Still Around" CD. Here's a heads up that Johnny will be at The Iron Post Saturday Nov.16. Other winners included Nick Moss, Dennis Gruenling, Monster Mike Welch, Marcia Ball and Samantha Fish who'll be here during the Ellnora Fest this Fall.

For a quick story and list of the winners visit American Blues Scene for their article on the Blues Music Awards.

[Kilborn Alley promo]

PCBS Monthly Meeting/Juke Joint Show
5:30 pm Thursday June 13
Po' Boys, 202 East University Ave., Urbana
Kilborn Alley plays 6:30 - 9:30

We combined our monthly meetings with the Kilborn Alley Juke Joint shows at Po' Boys! It's a chance to enjoy some delicious Po' Boys food, some beverages from local craft brewer's Triptych Brewing with great blues music and lively conversation. The joint's been packed with blues fans, friends and family enjoying the party atmosphere!

We're always open to suggestions about our monthly blues jams and are looking for folks to get more involved with our Blues In The Schools program. Consider becoming a PCBS Member and help us reach out to other blues lovers in our communities.

R.I.P.

Cash McCall
(born Morris Dollison Jr.)
1/28/40 - 4/20/19
Nola Blue Records on Facebook

[BluesCentral Monday Dance Poster]

Blues Dancing every Monday
BluesCentral hosts Lessons and Dancing
6:00 Free Lessons
7:00 - 9:00 Free Dancing
Guido's, 2 E. Main St. Champaign

BluesCENTRAL Dancers sponsor lessons & dances, 6:00 pm every Monday night. NOTE: New Location Lessons and Dances are taking place at Guido's for the next couple months due to construction at the original location.

NOTE: New Location Lessons and Dances are taking place at Guido's for the next couple months due to construction at the original location.

Don't know how to dance to the blues? Don't worry! Beginner lessons at 6:00 pm will get you started. Or just come socialize with us and enjoy Cowboy Monkey's great selection of beers and wines.

Don't have a partner to dance with? No problem! We are friendly and love to dance with everyone!

Check out the BluesCENTRAL Dancers Facebook Page

R.I.P.

Michael Ledbetter
Mike passed 1/21/2019
he was only 33 years old
Truly, that brother was the future of the blues
- Andy Duncanson

Congratulations to local IBC Winners

Torrey Casey & South Side Hustle
Robert "Lefty Preacher" Sampson
The Jenkins Brothers (Alex & Benny)

They all played great sets in Memphis
at the Blues Foundation's
International Blues Challenge, January 22 - 26

Visit the Blues Foundation's website for all the International Blues Challenge information

Donate to Prairie Crossroads Blues Society
to support all of our programs,
2019 Blues Fest, BITS, IBC Band Challenge


You can donate any amount to PCBS
using this Paypal Donation Button

You can earmark your donations specifically for our Education programs. It's a great way to help us achieve our mission of educating about the blues and be a part of bringing up the next generation of blues musicians and fans.

Your tax deductable donation to our Education Fund helps to keep these programs alive

This PayPal link will direct your donation in any amount directly to our educational efforts, including our "Blues In The Schools" (BITS) program.


You can become a PCBS Member or renew your Mempbership online at our Membership page. There's even an option to sign up for multiple years.

R.I.P. Abraham Johnson
12/29/1945 - 11/27/2018

[Abraham Johnson Celebration of Life]

Wow! What a Celebration - Thanks to Everyone!

You can still donate to the Abraham Johnson Memorial Fund
at the Kilborn Alley website

Thanks to our friends at WEFT 90.1 FM
and UPTV (Urbana Public TV)
here's a Youtube video of
Abraham Johnson on WEFT Sessions
featuring Kilborn Alley Blues Band

[Prairie Crossroads Blues Society Jack Davis Logo]

Membership

Want to become part of the growing community of Blues lovers in the Champaign-Urbana and East Central Illinois area? Sign up to become a member of Prairie Crossroads Blues Society. We are a 501(c)3 non-profit organized to Preserve, Promote and Educate about the Blues.

Since we were formed in 2010 we've been supporting local blues artists share their music with a wider audience. We consistently look to bring new blues artists to our area so fans get a chance to see the huge amount of talent touring on a regional and national basis. We also have a strong BITS - Blues In The Schools program.

Whether you enjoy our jams and shows, or support our efforts to teach youngsters the history and basics of blues music, now is the right time to become a PCBS Member

Membership Options:
Student = $10 per year
Individual = $20 per year
Family = $25 per year
Band = $50 per year
Corporate = $100 per year

For Family, Band and Corporate memberships, we'll contact you for the names of additional members or you can send us that information via email: pcbsmembership@gmail.com.

Please select your type of Membership
Name on membership

[Kilborn Alley promo]

Champaign Unit 4 Schools - Instrument Drive
The Music Shoppe, 27 E. Marketview Drive
Fri. Feb. 1, 10 - 6 & Sat. Feb. 2, 10 - 3
Give a child the chance to play music

 

Bring any used instrument to The Music Shoppe and Champaign Schools will provide it to a student in need.

 

Donations are tax deductible and need not be in working order, they'll evaluate for repair if necessary.

 

Contact Angi Franklin (217) 351-3800 ext. 1289

 

Blues In The Schools

Check out the awesome Thank You notes from the South Side Elementary School students after the PCBS Spring 2015 BITS program. Thank You Page

Visit our Education Page for details about many of the educational programs PCBS has put on. If you'd like PCBS to conduct a Blues In The Schools program at your school contact us at: prairiecrossroadsblues@gmail.com.

You can now earmark your donations specifically for our Education programs. It's a great way to help us achieve our mission of educating about the blues and be a part of bringing up the next generation of blues musicians and fans.

Your tax deductable donation to our Education Fund helps to keep these programs alive

This PayPal link will direct your donation in any amount directly to our educational efforts, including our "Blues In The Schools" (BITS) program.


The Blues Blast Music Awards
were recently held in Rockford Illinois

Congratulations to all the Winners

Jimmy Johnson and Sugar Pie De Santo
were honored with Lifetime Achievement Awards

R.I.P.

Jody Williams
2/3/1935 - 12/1/2018

Eddie C. Campbell
5/6/1939 - 11/20/2018

Otis Rush
4/29/1935 - 9/29/2018

Lazy Lester
(born Leslie Carswell Johnson)
6/20/1933 - 8/22/2018

Matt "Guitar" Murphy
(born Matthew Tyler Murphy)
12/29/1929 - 6/15/2018

Eddy "The Chief" Clearwater
(born Edward Harrington)
1/10/1935 - 6/1/2018

Deborah Coleman
10/03/1956 - 4/12/2018

Blues Hall of Famer
Eddie Shaw
3/20/1937 - 1/29/2018

Denise LaSalle
(born as Ora Denise Allen)
7/16/1939 - 1/8/2018