The entrants for International Blues Challenge 2011 are in.  Since only 28 entrants are listed in the IBC Youth Showcase, the Kentucky Blues Society is one of only 28 Blues Societies in the world that has entrants in all 3 IBC live categories!  And with Ryan in with Atlanta’s entry there is even more to show the world that Kentucky, the state where much of the blues began, continues its significant contributions to the blues.

The Kentucky Blues Society is sending three entrants: Tee Dee Young, Wayne Harper and The Diphthongs.  Also going is local musician Ryan Stiles who will be performing as part of the Atlanta Blues society entry, Mike Bourne & Atlanta Boogie.

Tee Dee Young of Lexington, KY got his start backing his father, gospel singer Leonard Young. Tee Dee Young has performed with superstars including Buddy Guy, Al Green, Aretha Franklin, Ike & Tina Turner. Organist Bruce Smith grew up hanging with and learning from Jimmy Smith and Jack McDuff. Drummer Milton Marshall toured with the Drifters for 8 years. With Billy Linton on bass and Dan Jackson on sax.. and incredibly tight from years of performing together.. TEE DEE YOUNG is “the show to see!” for those who want the very best of the blues! teedeeyoung.com

Wayne Harper’s interest in the blues spans over forty years. Hearing his mom’s Boogie Woogie piano and father’s harmonica playing in their rural Kentucky home led to a life-long passion for the blues. His mom taught him to play piano but seeing Elvis perform on the Ed Sullivan show aroused his desire to play the guitar. He started as a teen planing in bands with blues as part of the repertoire. In the seventies, upon seeing Jonathan Edwards perform and meeting Sonny Terry with Brownie McGhee, Wayne’s attention went to mastering the blues harp on a rack while playing the guitar. Today he is an accomplished song writer, musician and blues historian on festival stages and in the “Blues In The Schools” program.

The Diphthongs are a progressive teen blues band from Bowling Green, KY and Scottsville, KY. All are participants in the Kentucky Blues Society Blues Teens, a special program to develop talented teenage musicians as a performing blues group. Members are Zach Smith (16) – vocals & guitar, Aaron Holder (16) – vocals & guitar, Owen Hanna (15) – bass, Graham McKillip (16) – B3 organ, Joseph Jones (17) – drums. The Diphthongs perform both traditional blues and blues rock, exciting audiences and bringing both old and young blues fans to the blues.   www.bluesteens.com

Atlanta Blues Society – Mike Bourne & Atlanta Boogie

Mike Bourne has knocked out audiences and critics in famous venues from the House of Blues and Buddy Guys Legends in Chicago to Sweden’s famous Jazz Club Stampen. And his band has been a favorite at festivals such as the Roots & Blues fest in Columbia and Arvika in Sweden. As front man for Atlanta Boogie, he’s joined by veteran drummer Pete Maier, spectacular double bassist Trix Miller, and young sax player Ryan Stiles, who has shared the stage with a who’s who of roots and blues music. The Atlanta Boogie Band is ripping up the south with shows that come straight from the heart and go all out from the first note. And it’s their original lyrics with modern themes set to a fifties groove that makes them one in a million.

You can check out all the groups, solo/duo, and youth showcase entrants at the following link: http://www.blues.org/#ref=ibc_current

Visit the Kentucky Blues Society at www.kentuckyblues.com