Our mission
The South Sound Blues Association is committed to preserving and promoting blues music and the blues community; supporting blues education; and promoting the South Sound area blues scene and its blues musicians. We are dedicated to preserving the blues as an American art form on behalf of its performers and fans through education, community and performances. Our mission guides our association to include all in our community, volunteers, patrons, and staff regardless of race, sex, age, orientation, gender identity, religion, veteran or marital status, national origin, ethnicity, culture, socio-economic class, ability, or professional status.
Our history
The South Sound Blues Association was founded in 2005 as a volunteer-run nonprofit organization. The following year the SSBA sponsored their first band in the International Blues Challenge (IBC) to Memphis, TN. It became the goal of the organization for years to send a band or solo/duo to compete in the IBC.
SSBA has helped promote incredible musical talent in the South Puget Sound area by backing many of them in the IBC, to name a few: Randy Oxford Band, Michal Miller Band, Blues Redemption, King Kom Beaux, Red Hot Blues Sisters, Arthur Migliazza, JD Hobson, Son Jack Jr, Nolan Garrett, Josh Violette, Lonesome Pines, and Felicia Agrelius.
The SSBA has had its growing pains over the years. Many volunteers and musicians have been involved in its history as well as its success in Keeping the Blues Alive as an evolving American Art form.
In 2016, SSBA sponsored the Randy Oxford band in the International Blues Challenge (IBC) (aka Back to Beale Street) in Memphis, TN.
Today they are working with Venue’s to promote more live music in the South Sound area. They sponsor and promote Blues festivals, musicians, and Concert events south of Seattle to Olympia and even Centralia and the Long Beach Peninsula. They take their booth to 6-10 festivals all over the state of Washington each year, making friends and growing the Blues community to keep the blues alive in the area.
Recently, the South Sound Blues Association moved to work more with other Blues organizations wherever they could by sharing information, co-sponsoring events and helping promote the blues and its community. In 2019, 2021, 2022, and 2023 they worked with the Inland Empire Blues Society to help the Washington Blues Society, promote their regional competitions and fundraisers for the International Blues Challenge.
What’s the next chapter? Join this nonprofit organization and be part of its history.