Telluride Blues Challenge Gives Aspiring Artists A Shot On The Main Stage

The Acoustic Blues Competition gets a makeover in 2014, as the Telluride Blues & Brews Festival partners with the Telluride Blues Society and the Colorado Blues Society to present the new and improved Telluride Blues Challenge. Following the previous guidelines of the Acoustic Blues Competition, the new event seeks talented musicians who excel in the Blues genre. The competition is open to any solo and duo performer, acoustic and electric, who is not currently signed to a MAJOR record label or publishing deal.

The top six entries will be invited to play at the festival's Telluride Blues Challenge held during the ever popular Blues for Breakfast at Telluride's Elks Lodge on Saturday, September 13th from 9:00 a.m. to Noon.

The Telluride Blues Challenge finalists will be judged on the quality of their overall live performance including but not limited to Blues content, instrument use, vocals, and overall presentation. During the performance, each competitor is expected to perform a maximum of 20 minutes during their music set.

The winner of the 2014 Telluride Blues Challenge will receive a $300 dollar cash prize, and a premium Martin Guitar, courtesy of Telluride Music Company. The winner will also be given the opportunity to perform a musical set on the festival's Main Stage on Saturday, September 13th and an opportunity to perform a full festival set at the 2015 Telluride Blues & Brews Festival on the new Blues Stage. The Blues Challenge runner-up will also receive a cash prize of $200 and a performance slot at the 2014 Blues for Breakfast event. All participating finalists receive a commemorative festival tee shirt, a Three-Day festival pass, and a $25 gift certificate to Telluride Music Company.

Telluride Blues Challenge contest submissions must be received or postmarked by August 22, 2014. To enter, please submit a clean recording of your solo or duo performance, playing two songs. Submissions can be on CD, tape, or in mp3 format for uploading online here. There is a $10 submission fee to participate in the Telluride Blues Challenge. For CD and audio tape submissions, please mail your demo and an enclosed check for $10 payable to Telluride Blues & Brews Festival to:

Valerie James - Telluride Blues Challenge, 410 Monroe St NE, Albuquerque, NM 87108

Be sure to include your mailing address, phone number, email, and a short bio with your demo. Again, the deadline for submission is August 22, 2014. Remember competitors cannot be signed to a record label or publishing deal. No full bands are allowed - this is a solo and/or duo competition only. Finalists will be notified on or before Aug. 29, 2014.

Renowned as one of the most scenic and intimate music festivals in the country, Telluride Blues & Brews is located within the world-famous resort town of Telluride, Colorado, in the heart of the Rocky Mountains. Blues & Brews is a three-day celebration of music and microbrews held in Telluride Town Park, an outdoor music venue with breathtaking 13,000 foot mountains as a backdrop. The festival offers an eclectic mix of live blues, funk, rock, jam band, gospel and soul performances, and some of the best microbreweries in the country, with a wide variety of food and craft vendors, a second stage, children's activities, late night jams, and much more.

Three-Day, Juke Joint (late night shows), and Camping passes are currently on sale now. For more festival information or to learn more about the Telluride Blues Challenge, visit us online.