NEW IBC WINNERS NAMED.
February 25, 2005
| The Blues Foundation announced new winners of the 21st International Blues Challenge Band Competition: Diunna Greenleaf and the Blue Mercy Band; Lady X and the Sunshine Band; and 3rd place is now awarded to Teeny Tucker Band. The Blues Foundation announced today (February 25, 2005) that Joey Gilmore, the 1st place band winner of the 21st International Blues Challenge (IBC), has been determined ineligible due to an issue formally raised shortly after the competition took place in Memphis, February 3-5, 2005. After an investigation and presentation of the findings to a special committee of The Blues Foundation’s Board of Directors, The Blues Foundation finds Joey Gilmore was ineligible to compete in the 21st International Blues Challenge as he had a nationally distributed release within the past ten years. Joey Gilmore’s CD, Just Call Me Joey, was released on August 8, 1995 by Wilbe Records and had national distribution through Ichiban. “The Blues Foundation deeply regrets any anguish that Joey Gilmore, a respected and dignified Bluesman, may suffer as a result of the confusion regarding the release,” says Betsie Brown, Chair of 2005 IBC. “However upon investigation of the facts, all parties acknowledge that the release, Just Call Me Joey, disqualifies Mr. Gilmore.” As a result, congratulations are in order to Diunna Greenleaf and the Blue Mercy Band, sponsored by the Blue Shoe Project, the new 1st place band winner, 2nd place goes to Lady X and the Sunshine Band (Detroit Blues Society), and 3rd place is now awarded to Teeny Tucker Band (Columbus Blues Alliance). "In entering the contest, Joey had no idea that the subject release created an eligibility problem given that the release was distributed almost 10 years ago on a relatively small, boutique label" stated Joey Gilmore’s representative. press release courtesy of the Blues Foundation |
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