- in Entertainment News by Mike
Blues Hall Of Fame Finally Gets Permanent Base
The Blues Foundation, the Memphis-based international blues music organization, will proceed with construction of the Blues Hall of Fame. A ceremonial “ground breaking” will take place May 9 with construction slated to get underway, in earnest, by June 1st.
Beyond the individuals inducted, the Blues Hall of Fame has honored 83 iconic blues singles (or album tracks) and 76 blues albums into the Hall of Fame. Additionally, 40 “Classics of Blues Literature,” published books, that deal with various topics and aspects relating to America’s most singular art form, have been enshrined.
The math is compelling: 393 people and works have been inducted but, until now, those inductees resided in the virtual world. At long last, geography and architecture are coming into play with a physical, brick and mortar Blues Hall of Fame about to become a reality.
• Pay tribute to the great blues men and women, giving them and their music the respect and validation they deserve.
• Educate tens of thousands of visitors about blues music and its performers, whether those visitors are young school children or music fans from around the globe.
• Bring tens of thousands of visitors into contact with The Blues Foundation and its programs
The Blues Hall of Fame will occupy a 12,000 square foot site located at 421 South Main Street in Memphis, directly across from the National Civil Rights Museum. That location has, most recently, served as the headquarters of the Blues Foundation. It will be gutted to accommodate both the Blues Hall of Fame and Blues Foundation offices with the Foundation lodged in temporary quarters over the course of the anticipated 10-month construction process.
Thereafter, for the first time, the Foundation’s collection of artifacts and ephemera that relate to those who have been inducted, their music and chronicles of the milestones they achieved will be displayed and/or accessible to the general public. Some of the materials include virtually priceless recordings, instruments, articles of clothing and writings associated with the legends who have been honored with induction.
Design, repurposing and renovations to the building and construction of exhibit areas are set at almost $2.5 million. To date, the Blues Foundation’s ‘Raise the Roof!’ capital campaign has raised $2.7 million. The capital campaign is not completed as additional funds will help maximize the qualitative content of the exhibits such as film, artifacts and original art.
Approximately $850,000 has been donated by Memphis philanthropists and the remainder has come from blues fans around the world.
Jay Sieleman, President and Chief Executive Officer of the Blues Foundation, commented, “The dream of building a Blues Hall of Fame dates back to the inception of this organization and has been one of its core goals for the better part of four decades. Thanks to the hard work of our Board, scores of donors, our member organizations and blues fans around the world, that dream is just months away from coming true. We’ve got ‘the keys to the highway,’ so to speak, and we’re looking forward to using them to open the door of the Blues Hall of Fame at long last.”
Renderings of exterior and interior of the Blues Hall of Fame
The Blues Foundation is Memphis-based, but world-renown as THE organization dedicated to preserving our blues music history, celebrating recording and performance excellence, supporting blues education and ensuring the future of this uniquely American art form. Founded in 1980, The Blues Foundation has 4100 individual members and 200 affiliated local blues societies representing another 50,000 fans and professionals around the world. Its signature honors and events–the Blues Music Awards, Blues Hall of Fame, International Blues Challenge and Keeping the Blues Alive Awards–make it the international center of blues music. Its HART Fund provides the blues community with medical assistance while its Sound Healthcare program offers musicians health insurance access. Blues in the Schools programs and Generation Blues scholarships expose new generations to blues music. Throughout the year, the Foundation staff serves the worldwide Blues community with answers, contact information and news.