My first visit to the New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival (a.k.a. "Jazzfest") was sort of a happy accident. In 1988, I was a young 20-something Grateful Dead tourhead, and I heard rumors that Little Feat was going to play their first show since the death of Lowell George a decade earlier. The allure was heightened by the fact that the reformed band would play on a riverboat floating on the Mississippi in New Orleans.

The Blues Foundation announced the winners of the 45th Annual Blues Music Awards on May 9 in Memphis.

Guitarist Christone "Kingfish" Ingram emerged as the night's biggest winner, securing four awards, including "Album of the Year" for Live In London. Mike Zito, Bobby Rush, Ruthie Foster, and John Primer also received multiple awards. Congratulations to all of this year's winners!

ND THE WINNERS ARE...(Bold Type; In BOLD)

In celebration of his forthcoming new album Orgy of the Damned out May 17 on Gibson Records, SLASH the iconic, GRAMMY®-winning guitarist and songwriter has curated an all-star Blues lineup for the S.E.R.P.E.N.T. Blues Festival touring North America this summer. SLASH formed the S.E.R.P.E.N.T.

Fans of the iconic Jimi Hendrix should prepare for an exciting event as the much-anticipated Experience Hendrix Tour makes its return this fall. Launching in Hendrix's birthplace, Seattle, this 24-date tour is set to deliver a thrilling tribute to his music and lasting influence, with stops in major U.S. cities throughout September and October 2024.

The beloved three-day festival, Boston Calling, is set to light up the Harvard Athletic Complex this Memorial Day Weekend. With a lineup headlined by musical luminaries such as Ed Sheeran, The Killers, and Tyler Childers, the festival promises a spectacular array of over 50 artists gracing its stages. The event will feature a diverse selection of talent including Leon Bridges, Trey Anastasio and Classic TAB, Hozier, Reneé Rapp, Megan Thee Stallion, and many others.

Following the announcement of his highly anticipated sixth solo album Orgy of the Damned, due out May 17 on Gibson Records, the iconic, GRAMMY®-winning guitarist and songwriter SLASH, has confirmed a North American tour in celebration of the Blues this summer. SLASH’s newly announced S.E.R.P.E.N.T.