Put A Roof Over The Blues Hall of Fame in Memphis

By Magical Madge

TWO VIDEOS IN POST

If the blues has blessed you, nourished you, touched your soul, even remotely or briefly, and whether you know much about the blues or know very little, then an organization which has a domain name blues.org has got to be worthy of some attention, especially if it is earmarked for an outstanding endeavor.

From our over 200 videos on the Delta Bohemian® YouTube Channel, our most popular one by far is the Blues Music Awards 2011 – A Personal Perspective. An anonymous kind soul unbeknownst to us posted a link to the video on the Blues Music Award Wikipedia page. Hey, thanks, whoever you are.

Yesterday, when the delightful Priscilla Hernandez, Blues Liason and volunteer for The BLUES Foundation, walked into the Delta Bohemian® Gift Shop and introduced herself, I couldn’t help but tell her how much that simple link to our video has blessed us. She had no idea the video was posted there either. I guess that is Wikipedia for ya.

As I am often known to do, I asked what brought her to Clarksdale on a Friday afternoon in August. She was killing time while her husband, Jay Sieleman, the President and CEO of The BLUES Foundation, was visiting with our Mayor Bill Luckett.

What about, I asked.

We want to build a BLUES Hall of Fame in Memphis at our foundation location and Jay is asking for some help.

How close are you to your financial goal?

Very, but we still need more donations to make it a reality.

I don’t know about you but the idea of having a historical account of the men and women who have made the Blues what it is today, through performance, recordings and documentation, thrills me. These important pioneers need a monument to honor their efforts. Now! Before we lose any more of them.

There are plenty of great ideas floating around out there but few act on them. A Blues Hall of Fame started out as a dream then somebody decided to make it a reality and Jay Sieleman, Joe Whitmer, Cindi James, Glenda Mace and Priscilla Hernandez, the present Staff of The Blues Foundation along with many others, are actually doing it.

Over 4,500 individuals are members of the Foundation and another 200+ blues societies representing more than 50,000 fans and professionals around the world are financial supporters. A Board of Directors governs the Foundation and its mission was clear upon its formation in 1980: The Blues Foundation seeks to preserve and to highlight the rich history of Blues.

Here is how they do it: BLUES Music Awards (Memphis), International BLUES Challenge (Memphis), Keeping the BLUES Alive (Award Recognition), HART Fund and SOUND Healthcare (medical assistance and health insurance accessibility for Blues community), BLUES in the Schools (youth studying the blues—the first pure American music form), Generation BLUES (scholarship program for youth up to age 21) and the soon to be realized with your help, the BLUES HALL OF FAME.

Let’s put the gravy on top and help this organization reach their financial goal; help create a home for the Blues in Memphis.

In exchange this new hall of fame will be the place to:

• Honor inductees year-round.
• Listen to and learn about the music.
• Enjoy historic mementos of this all-American art form.
• Educate the public on the past, present and future of the blues.

Help the Blues Hall of Fame Raise The Roof, a final push is needed, by creating a new home for the Blues. Donate online at https://www.blues.org/capital campaign/donate.php

KICK OFF is the next Blues Music Awards Presentation in May 8, 2014! Join The Blues Foundation and plan on attending the event.

Visit blues.org. Become a part of helping The Blues Foundation continue to forge ahead and elevate this art-form we love and cherish.