Toronto Blues Society

About me:

The Toronto Blues Society was formed in 1985, by Derek Andrews, David Barnard and John Valenteyn. They wanted to ensure that blues music, an indigenous North American art form, was guaranteed a continued presence in Toronto. Although the blues scene at the time was thriving, it had almost disappeared during the late 1970s disco era. This suggested the need for an organization that would work to create a climate in which the opportunities for live performances, radio airplay and national touring that can make a career in music viable were being made available to blues musicians.

The TBS is now a provincially funded Art Service Organization, governed by a working Board of Directors who meet on a monthly basis, and has a paid Office and Events Coordinator who administers the affairs of the organization, and a paid Grants Officer. Self-generated revenue from memberships, advertising and fundraising has been supplemented by funding from government, foundations and corporations and is supported by a large core of volunteers that is continually renewing. This year, the TBS celebrates its 23rd anniversary.

The Toronto Blues Society monthly newsletter, MapleBlues, is well known throughout the international blues community and the website is an indispensable portal for blues fans with an online edition of the newsletter and links to hundreds of other Canadian blues artists and resources. The TBS created the Online BluesBook directory and the MapleBlues listserve, an online discussion group for the Canadian blues community.

The TBS programs a diverse array of activities that includes workshops, a Blues in the Schools program, the Annual Women's Blues Revue, concerts, showcases and community outreach events, consultation to musicians and the music industry, and advocacy on behalf of the blues community. The Maple Blues Awards has become a national blues event with an annual gala. The TBS New Talent Search has attracted up and coming blues bands from across the country and provided a launching pad for many new artists. As the Toronto Blues community grows, the TBS continues to find new ways to promote this music that is so deeply connected to the North American spirit.