INTRODUCTION:

Generating a fresh and deliberate advocacy platform for blues music is the Interstate 5 Blues Association (I-5 Blues Association), a dedicated network of musicians, old school blues enthusiasts, and historians all sharing a genuine admiration for live blues music, and fostering a deep support for local, meaningful, live blues causes.

The I-5 Blues Association is a California, not for profit, membership-based, volunteer organization intended to deepen the appreciation for blues music and its rich history by supporting blues artists and associated blues music supporters.

The membership financially supports the organization. The primary benefits of joining the I-5 Blues Association are to support local Blues artists, gain access to exclusive content, and open doors to valuable networking opportunities.

MISSION:

The mission of the I-5 Blues Association is to promote a wider appreciation for the blues by the general public. Our mission expands to include preserving the legacy of live blues music while also nurturing its future with a vast array of resources to help produce, sell, and support live blues music.

The I-5 Blues Association is about celebrating the timeless genre of live blues music while also supporting a noble cause of enriching both the cultural and social fabric of local communities.

THE CHALLENGE: 

The blues business is reinventing itself. Concerts are back to being one of the key driving forces of live entertainment. There are far more places that are receptive to booking blues talent that are not historically blues clubs, but rather corporate events, fund raisers and private parties.

However, many of our legendary elder and often Self-taught Blues Musicians who used to play six nights a week now have few or no options. Our less experienced remote blues musicians struggle as well.

What is often heard is that, “all any Blues musician ever wants is that next gig”.

Concert promoters, planners and mediators exist at the intersection of art and business.

These are cooperation opportunities for Live Blues musicians and artists who are in need of help with their careers. Corporate event planners and coordinators, as well as investors, seldom consider real blues artists for their events.

Most often it is a matter of decision makers knowing how because they don’t know of a real blues artist and have never heard a real blues group.

Another challenge is Live Blues musicians and artists often are not connected to other musicians and artists ten miles away.

Collaboration is key to making a bigger impact in the I-5 Blues community.

On a best effort basis, the I-5 Blues Association will reduce or eliminate these challenges by working together with other organizations having similar goals, and those looking toward building stronger communities, and delivering a more significant social impact on the issues live blue participants care about such as more job creations.

The I-5 Blues Association views these as opportunities to take on new challenges by creating a collaborative culture that includes not only the local live blues artists and local business, but also local parks, schools, and community groups.

WHAT DO WE DO? 

Recent economic impact studies of music festivals and live events show a positive impact on local communities. 

Festivals foster event tourism and bring not only tourists and revenue to a city, but they create jobs, boost tax revenues, and generate business for hoteliers and local businesses. 

The economic benefits of successful live blues events ripple throughout a local economy and includes non-tourism-related businesses as well.

The I-5 Blues Association is the bridge for our members to connect with other artists, promoters and audiences in the vast and fragmented music industry, and-music-related businesses alike.

This means establishing the organization as the one-stop source for LIVE BLUES MUSIC ENTERTAINMENT management and production services for small to medium size live blues events and venues.

For our members, we provide live and online blues music event management, marketing, and consulting for independent Blues artists living, working or playing along the Interstate 5 between San Diego, California and Blaine, Washington.

We connect these groups with venues who need first-class entertainment and professionals to handle the logistics of their concerts or live events.  This is our core job producing endeavor.

Our approach is by engaging in, and carrying on, the historic art form of Live Blues Music Event Management and Promotion started in the 1940’s by early Blues Disc Jockeys (or Deejay’s). We are not Talent or Booking Agents. They are our friends. Not our competitors. They are our partners.

For the I-5 Blues Association, it’s all about meeting the moment. It is about increasing brand awareness, establishing long-term relations, and providing professional events management for Blues Music Artists.

The power of the I-5 Blues Association is the job creation mechanism to be set in place for the underserved.

Contact our production VP for assistance in any of these arenas. 

We hope to be viewed as the premier support system for transporting independent blues music artists to real blues arenas and helping to assure a greater experience for attendees

We work to bring you a joyful and profitable experience.

VISION:

The I-5 Blues Association believes that by promoting the I-5 Live Blues Music community and advocating, supporting, and celebrating the many voices that make up the I-5 diverse creative community and the local businesses, our vision of helping preserve the unique character and diversity of the blues music community will drive the Live Blues Music community forward.

Our vision includes generating a substantially larger creative economy to the I-5 community by creating positive social and economic impacts with a strong emphasis on providing employment for young new musicians, and professional area musicians from diverse backgrounds.  The employment opportunities will span the entire music production world.

The I-5 Blues Association, thru a collaborative culture, to include but not limited to, teachers, and diverse musician educators, will host community events such as festivals and celebrations as well as providing a “Blues in Schools” program that promotes community engagement and raise awareness for the organization’s mission.

Our musician educators will be selected and expected to cover a variety of topics such as the history of blues musical instruments including the guitar.

In many cases, our educators are artists who have “lived the blues,” and are happy to share stories, experiences, and music to educate and entertain our communities.

Our passion is to strengthen the social glue of local blues music artists and blues music advocates, with live blues venues and live blues music audiences by professionally arranging production and logistics services in a variety of traditional and non-traditional venues.

We believe that community events, such as free concerts at schools, hospitals, and elder care centers will bring families together and will provide an opportunity to showcase local businesses, artists, and performers while providing a fun and engaging way to create awareness for the I-5 Blues Association. 

For our general membership, we are about making sure folks know about local Blues artists and events, and don’t just hear about a missed event, but are excited to be a part of an upcoming music event! This is featured in our “Who’s Opening and Where?” feature of our Members Only section. 

Not only that, but our jobs board will offer other employment opportunities.

Members are able to note upcoming events, receive emails, and receive discount admissions to certain events, products and services. They, also, are provided much needed blues history, related tips and articles in the Members Only Section.

For our member entrepreneurs, small business operators, investors and corporate members who face the challenge of planning hospitality or corporate events, we offer professional help. The I-5 Blues Association is particularly interested in addressing two major challenges of the business community. 

Those include the community that is interested in Finding New Corporate Event Ideas and those who engage in Special Corporate Events.

When the decision has been made to offer live blues music, what does one do?

The heart of a blues music event lies in its performers.

That group that you sign on to your project that hits the stage and their major selling point is how well (how loud) they can perform, “Sweet Home Alabama” is not likely to be real blues artists.

The same applies to that “Tina Turner Imitator” you hired because of their version of “Proud Mary” may not be “a real blues artists” either.

The beating heart of the work, however, is finding the right acts to fit your goals and objectives.

The I-5 Blues Association is a resource for presenting real blues artists with an opportunity avenue for greater exposure.

Live Music Event promotion is a high-pressure assignment and things don’t always go according to plan. One of the most important things one MUST do in the planning stages of an event is to think about what could go wrong at or during your event. And even after.

It can be hard to tell what you don’t know you don’t know. Two suggestions: Think cybersecurity. Think misinformation.

Technology now plays a huge part of a successful event. Cybersecurity has moved to the top of many organizer’s agenda.

Events or conferences create and distribute a significant amount of information and data on attendees and make it attractive for the cyber bad guys.

If a live blues music event is the offering, the I-5 Blues Association can assist in bringing the best in cyber security to the event through our partner network.

We provide turn-key production for indoor or outdoor festivals right up to the performance on the platform or stage and thereafter.

Every detail of the entertainment event, from contract negotiations to the last detail of your live music event is professionally managed. we do it all including project risk management.

The I-5 Blues Association is live blues music band friendly. 

We understand how difficult it is finding time to manage your band while you are playing in the band.

Sometimes Blues bands need a little help finding new bandmates, or finding a band rehearsal studio, or introducing their music-to-music video producers for the band’s next music video.

We can provide member artists with the help needed and may even provide suitable means to arrive at your gig in style.

Maybe you need a top entertainment attorney or insurance provider.

We know how to connect you with professional resources, and skills you will need. We are overall live blues music vision professionals. Who is your live blues event promotion arm?

For your live blues music event to be a success, it is important to create a unique and memorable experience that sets itself apart from other festivals and events. 

Creating a cohesive fan experience filled with music, food and activities geared to the audience, and accessible amenities should be your goal. 

From there it will be a breeze to market your event because the attendees will do much of the work for you!

Our services are designed to give the independent Blues Artist ways to free up their time and do what they love to do…PLAY BLUES MUSIC. For a complete list of services provided, please see our Members Only Section.