Keep
up with us on:
2006
Recipient for Best Blues Society
A group of people
interested in acoustic blues music joined together to form an
informal association. The first meeting was held on March 14, 1985.
The name selected for the group was The Detroit Country and Classic
Blues Society. Individuals had varied reasons to gather but shared
a common love of acoustic blues music. Robert B. Jones, host of the
WDET radio show “Blues from the Lowlands”, commented that he and
others enjoyed touring musicians and wanted to have a place to jam
with them during their Detroit visits.
The Society was formed and met in the First Unitarian-Universalist
Church in Detroit. Electric instruments were not allowed at the
early Society meetings as they would have been too loud for the
people hosting them. The Detroit Blues Club, a group formed by
local blues musicians, was still in existence at that time but was
fading fast as key member Bobo Jenkins had passed away. By 1988 the
format began to include electric instruments and the Society met at
various locations. Included among these were Sully’s, Alvin’s, The
Sunset Grill, The Soup Kitchen and the Attic Bar. During the 1985
to 1990 period the membership numbered around fifty. By 1990 the
number of members were falling and the Society was in danger of
ceasing to exist. It was saved by the efforts of a small group of
dedicated members who began to reorganize the Society.
In January 1992 the name was changed to The Detroit Blues Society
(DBS) and a new Board of Directors was established. The primary
goal at that time was to increase public interest in the Society.
Large-scale events included a number of indoor and outdoor concerts
and school workshops. Increased membership and a more organized
approach allowed the Society to embark on special projects.
Educational programs became more formalized and in 1996 the Scarab
Club Educational/Blues Heritage Series began. Each event featured a
theme based on some aspect of the Detroit blues tradition.
In 1997 the Society completed a project to place a memorial stone
in Mt. Hazel Cemetery to honor the late Eddie James “Son” House.
Another project was initiated to preserve on video the
contributions of Uncle Jesse White. The DBS has also placed stones
on the graves of the Butler Twins in June of 2007 and on the grave
of Calvin Frazier in November of 2009. Others are planned in the
future.
The Detroit Blues Society (DBS) is a registered federal 501(c)(3)
non-profit organization dedicated to the preservation, education,
and advancement of the blues tradition, as it relates to the
Metro-Detroit area. It has as its primary goals to promote a wider
appreciation for the blues by the general public and to serve the
members of the Society. DBS provides members with the monthly
newsletter Blues Notes. This serves to inform members and the
general public regarding relevant news, schedules of upcoming
events and profiles on our members. DBS schedules free blues jam
sessions, usually on the second Saturday of each month (January-May
and September-December), arranges discounts on merchant sponsored
merchandize, discounted event tickets and administers an
educational program.
Members are encouraged to support the Society in its many
activities and are welcome to attend DBS Board meetings. DBS
welcomes personal donations and corporate sponsorship. Please refer
to the application
form for
details. Merchants offering a discount to DBS members will be so
recognized in the Blues Notes.
Have questions? Need
information? Have interest in joining one of the volunteer
activities? Have comments, suggestion, additions or corrections to
the web information? Please let us hear from you.
Email
webmaster Steve Allen at:
webmaster@detroitbluessociety.org
We are always Looking
For Volunteers.
CLICK HERE TO HELP OUT.
The Official Homes of the DBS are:
Snail mail to:
Detroit Blues Society,
P.O. Box 488,
Goodrich, MI 48438
