Dear Friends, Well, we did NOT make it to the Saturday Finals. The band in our "ten band heat" that I thought was the best strictly traditional Blues Band of the bunch got the nod. On a two block stretch on Beale Street(Memphis was "wide open" back in the 1920's and so Beale has a long history of being a mecca for live Blues music), there were ten clubs featuring 10 bands each and six clubs with ten singles/duos each so the whole place was crawling with Blues musicians and fans from all over the world. The Blues Foundation(sponsor of the International Blues Challenge...www.blues.org) is very "Traditional Blues' oriented and we knew that but decided to do half Traditional and half "Blues-related"(including some originals)songs. I found the three bands that I heard at the Finals playing pretty much stuff that I would have heard 20-30 years ago. I really liked some of the acts in the Single/Duo Finals, including a one man Country Blues band(slide-guitar/vocals/drums played with his feet) named Alex John Mason(www.alexjohnmason.com) from Colorado and whom I hope can make it to Boise for one of the summer festivals. The Band Finals winner was a young three-sibling band from Kansas City called Trampled Underfoot who, judging by the applause they garnered when mentioned by name, seemed to reaally impress people in attendance. My favorite part in Memphis was the Stax Records Museum(Otis Redding, Booker T and the MG's, Sam and Dave, Wilson Pickett's "In The Midnight Hour" etc). It was very well done with a lot of videos/info on Gospel, Blues, Memphis History and lots more. The company had a very neighborhood/family atmosphere and was started by Jim Stewart and his sister Estelle Axton. We saw Booker T's Hammond M-3 organ, Al Jackson's drum set, Duck Dunn's Fender bass guitar and Steve Cropper's Fender Telecaster. Priceless. Blues pianist Memphis Slim's house was right around the corner and it was amazing how many famous Blues/Soul pioneers lived in the immediate neighborhood. We did not get to Sun Records where Elvis, Johnny Cash, Howling Wolf( Sun mastermind Sam Phillips said he was his favorite artist that he ever worked with), Jerry Lee Lewis and Carl Perkins got their start but Barney, Dee, Carmel and Ellen went to Graceland. One of Carmel's favorite rooms was the awards room which demonstrated the huge amount of money Elvis gave back to all kinds of charities/organizations(including a lot of children's causes). We gave away business cards and almost 100 cd's to everyone and anyone-local and out of town. Also, one can now purchase our cd at: www.bandvillage.com. If I heard a foreign accent, the owner got a cd. We stopped in the Oyster Bar Restaurant(I enjoyed an Amberjack Sandwich), on Main St, and gave away a few cd's to some friendly University of Memphis alumni celebrating their basketball team's victory. After awhile the manager came up and we got to talking and he asked "Would y'alls music fit in here?" Well, they were playing Professor Longhair et al so I vigorously assented and within a few moments, The Hoochie Coochie Men cd was wailing through the sound system. I just wish the Blues festival promoters would have had neon signs over their heads designating their status but everyone was dressed the same. I've never eaten Fried Pickles before but I have now. Five of us also went to the Civil Rights Museum, most of which is situated in and across the street from the Lorraine Hotel where Dr. Martin Luther King was assassinated. The old trolley loop through downtown and along the Mississippi River was cool and I never realized how Memphis is situated right where Tennessee, Arkansas and Mississippi come together at the river. We really appreciate all your help in getting us to this "Largest gathering of Blues Bands in the world." I feel we played well and the other musicians really seemed to dig us. Our next gig is a fundraiser for the Garden City Community School on Saturday, February 16 from 6-8:30PM at the Unitarian Church in Garden City(6200 Garrett, three blocks north of Chinden at the bottom of the hill below HP). HERE is a cool thing:a free, downloadable podcast of the "Chicago Blues Audio Tour", narrated by Buddy Guy! The free 50 minute tour combines an interactive map, tour stop directions, archival photos, video, music clips and interviews. Historic Chicago Blues tour stops include Maxwell Street, Chess Records and Muddy Waters former home. There are also profiles of five Chicago Blues innovators: Jimmy Yancey, Tampa Red, Willie Dixon, Muddy Waters and Koko Taylor. DOWNLOAD at: www.downloadchicagotours.com. And don't forget this June 5-8, the annual Chicago Blues festival, the largest free Blues festival in the world! THANKS AGAIN for all your support! Barney, Mike, Bud, Dean, Ken The Hoochie Coochie Men www.myspace.com/hcmen