Prairie Crossroads Blues Society

Champaign-Urbana IL

Blues Happenings

PCBS Monthly Meeting
5:30 pm Thursday Oct. 13, 2022
Po' Boys - Urbana

Now with music too - TBA 10/13/22

Thanks to our friends at Po' Boys for supplying a great place for PCBS to hold our monthly meetings. Inside or outside, socially distanced when necessary. Come out as we look back at our Festival and look forward to future Blues In The Schools programs.

As you're probably aware Po' Boys has some great food and cold beverages. Save room for desert, their pies are outstanding!

Thanks again to Kandra Miller for stepping into the PCBS Secretary position. We once again have Meeting Minutes uploaded on our web pages PCBS Meetings.

Blues In The Schools - BITS 2022

Prairie Crossroads Blues Society is delighted to announce that Blues in the Schools is starting again! On Friday, September 30 the six-week after-school program will begin at Martin Luther King School. Thanks to music teacher Cara Maurizi for helping us make it come together. We expect a group of up to 30 students from grades 4 and 5.

We have two awesome instructors for the program. Bishop Lawton, PhD student in African American History, will teach the roots and history of Blues. Joe Asselin, well-known outstanding local Blues musician, will teach Blues harmonica. Each student will receive a Blues harmonica of their own. We are excited!

In cunjunction with our Prairie Crossroads Blues Fest in August 2019 we had Mississippi bluesman Lucious Spiller do two assemblies at Kenwood Elementary School in Champaign.

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.


CU Folk & Roots Fest
October 20 - 22
Various Downtown Urbana Venues

[C-U Folk & Roots 2022 poster ]

Dom Flemons, Leyla McCalla
Bryan Wilson & Family (yep aTrain), Donna Herula Trio
Afro D & Global Soundwaves

Thanks for all the generous donations at the
Candy Foster Parkland Scholarship Fundraiser

[Candy Foster Parkland Scholarshiup Fundraiser]

PCBS is assisting Candy Foster
we've set up this Paypal Fund to accept donations to the
Candy Foster Parkland College Scholarship Fund

Candy has been handing out scholarships to
Fine Arts student at Parkland College for several years
we're looking to hand out an extra scholarship this year

You can still make a donation using the Paypal Donate button above

News Gazzette story (prior to the event)

Prairie Crossroads Blues Fest
August 12 & 13 - Bunny's Tavern - Urbana

[PCBS Blues Fest - Lineup]

Melody Angel Band

Thanks to Everyone!

[Melody Angel - Foxy CD]

Check out Melody Angel's
new CD "Foxy" at her website melodyangelmusic.com

Happy Birthday PCBS!

On May 23, 2010, the historic first meeting of the organization was held at Jupiters at the Crossing, with eleven members present. The mission of the society was framed in the following words: To educate, preserve, and promote the blues tradition in East Central Illinois

read - "The Prairie Crossroads Blues Society is Created"
by Sandy Hannum

The second meeting was held on June 22 at the Champaign Library. Volunteers stepped up to fill the following committee chairs: Membership, Sherry Cibelli; Marketing, Scott Harper; Entertainment, Dave Adcock; Newsletter Co-chairs, Dennis Wismer and Sandy Hannum:

Backstory
Local blues buffs Rich and Sherry Cibelli had been attending Memphis in May for many years. They enjoyed hanging around in the blues tent with fellow Illinoisan Bob Paleczny. All were members of The Blues Foundation, and were enthused about the work of the organization

and read - "The Backstory of the Prairie Crossroads Blues Society"
by Sandy Hannum

[Prairie Crossroads Blues Society Jack Davis Logo]

Renew your Membership

As we were formed in late May & early June of 2010 and signed up many new members at the Urbana Blues Brews & BBQ's that year, PCBS has switched and now all Memberships renew in June. It's time for most of you to renew your Memberships

Visit the PCBS Membership Sign Up Page to Sign up or renew your membership (there's even a way to sign up for multiple years)

Want to become part of the 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 strive to bring new blues artists to our area, many 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

Pipa's Pub
604 S. Country Fair Dr.

Music 3 days a week

Prairie Crossroads Blues Society thanks Pipa's Pub for being an outstanding supportor of live local music

Congratulations to all the Performers

[2022 IBC Winners]

Congratulations to Decatur's
Charles Tiner
reprsenting Springfield's Illinois Central Blues Club
Charles made the Finals in the Solo/Duo Category !!

2022 Blues Hall of Fame Inductees
Lucille Bogan, Little Willie John, Johnnie Taylor
Otis Blackwell, Mary Katherine Aldin
Induction Ceremony - May 4, 2022

Congratulations to 2022 BMA Winners
Tommy Castro won 3 Awards
BMA Winners !!

The Blues Foundation in Memphis, TN
has set the dates for the 2023 IBC Challenge
January 24 - 28, 2023
IBC

Kilborn Alley Blues Band
NEW CD - "Takin' Time"

[Kilborn - County Line Motel - Iron Post]

Hey folks, Kilborn Alley released their new CD in April. Here's a link to one of the new tracks, County Line Motel on Youtube, it's available on most other platforms as well. This is a duet featuring Laquisha Burries!

Here's a treat for you! PCBS' Kandy Miller went to the IBC's in Memphis in January 2020. Read her review of a CD she purchased from a band she saw in the competition.

Johnny Wheels & The Swamp Donkeys "Live at Pyrate Llama"

Hurricane Ruth
PCBS 1st IBC Challenge Winner

[Hurricane Ruth Winner PCBS 1st IBC Challenge]

11 years ago - back in 2011

Prairie Crossroads Blues Society held our 1st IBC Challenge at Memphis On Main. Hurricane Ruth won and we sent the band down to Memphis to compete in the International event put on by the Blues Foundation.

R.I.P Dave
you're sorely missed!!
12/1/54 - 3/8/22

[Fauble on Soprano]

Our Blues family is hurting.
Dave Fauble, Long time Sax player
with the Kilborn Alley Blues Band
passed recently

Dave's News-Gazette Obit

Our music community has lost a lot of talent and a lot of love over the last year. In 2020 we lost Alex Jenkins to COVID. In 2021 we've lost Jerry Lee Gingery, Kevin Flowers, Paul Wirth and Dr. Bob McIntyre.

the thoughts and prayers of PCBS go out to their friends & families. We've set up a special page to remember these wonderful musicians and their love of Blues