By Hal Horowitz

When the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame was looking to fill the harmonica spot for their tribute to the great Paul Butterfield in 2015, they had their pick of dozens of talented blowers who would have…

By Tom Scarborough

In the early evening of May 6, Lachy Doley stood alone on the stage of the Royal Albert Hall, peering out at the opulent, empty Victorian era theater, where in a few hours he would be taking…

Samantha Martin & Delta Sugar proves on ‘A Beautiful Buzz’ why the Canadian band has become one of today’s strongest soul and blues acts. These live recordings capture raw energy, powerful vocals and a band firing on all cylinders.

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Congratulations to River City Junction for winning the 2026 “Road to Memphis” Challenge.  They will represent Ottawa, when they head to Memphis in January of 2027 to compete in the International Blues Challenge.

River City Junction: Ottawa Band…

Allen Toussaint’s acclaimed live album Songbook returns May 29 as a deluxe edition featuring 20 unreleased tracks and its first-ever vinyl release.

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Thirty-nine minutes of no wasted space — The Record Company’s debut still packs a full-body punch.

Every time someone mentions The Record Company I immediately hear Alex Stiff’s opening bass line on “Off the Ground,” the first track from the…

On Wednesday, March 4th, Canadian Roots, Rock, and Soul band Bywater Call release of their second studio single of 2026, “How Long”, from their forthcoming fourth studio album, set to come out July 2026 with more details to come…

Decades of conversations reveal the full measure of John Hammond — the man who once had a young Jimi Hendrix as his sideman, and who loved doing it all his way. Don’s remembrance carries the weight of history, and the…

few words from past winners….

OBS Road to Memphis - Local Blues Challenge 2026

The Ottawa Blues Society (OBS) will hold a band challenge this year and one winner will be chosen to represent the Ottawa Blues Society at the…

The upcoming documentary Gregg Allman: The Music of My Soul, directed by James Keach, will be released in theaters this summer by Subtext in association with Rolling Stone Films. The film explores the life, music, struggles, and legacy of the…

Award-winning blues guitarist Sue Foley announces her new book Guitar Women, a powerful collection of intimate conversations with legendary female guitarists including Bonnie Raitt, Nancy Wilson, and Joan Armatrading. Blending memoir, oral history, and cultural insight, the book arrives in…

CALLING ALL BLUES BANDS

Compete for the chance to represent Ottawa at the International Blues Challenge in Memphis, TN!  The first seven registered bands will be accepted!

CATEGORY: BANDS ONLY

PRIZE: The honor of representing Ottawa on the world stage…

Joe Bonamassa has announced that Lachy Doley will join his touring band as the new keyboard player, replacing longtime collaborator and Rock and Roll Hall of Famer, Reese Wynans.

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The cooling board is a wooden plank used for laying out a corpse so it could be prepared for burial. Back when funerals were community affairs and bodies were prepared for burial at home, the cooling board would be placed…

The 8,000-capacity event will see acts performing in a big top-style tent at the city's recently refurbished Northern Meeting Park on 28 March.

The programme includes blues artists and bands from across the world, including Grammy Award-nominated, Memphis-based Southern Avenue…