Kentuckiana Blues Society History and Awards
Louisville and the surronding area has a rich history of blues music.
Since 1988, The Kentuckiana Blues Society has dedicated to the preservation, promotion and perpetuation of the blues tradition in all of its forms. In additon, KBS honors the community with the Syslvester Weaver Award, as well as providing the annual KBS Blues Challenge in which bands compete for a chance to represent this area in Memphis in the International Blues Challenge. KBS also has proudly been a part of the Blues in the Schools program. Passing on the blues tradition to our youth is major mission of KBS.
Sylvester Weaver Award
The Sylvester Weaver Award is given yearly by the Kentuckiana Blues Society to an individual who exemplifies the goals of the KBS. In 1991, the KBS raised the funds necessary to right a longtime wrong. We put a headstone on the grave of pioneering bluesman and Louisville native Sylvester Weaver. A dedication ceremony took place on Sunday, March 29,1992. The KBS has setup an award, The Sylvester Weaver Award, to honor the memory of a true pioneer in the blues music world and is presented to those who the KBS feels has dedicated their lives to presenting, preserving, and perpetuating the blues. Sylvester’s grave is in the Old Louisville Cemetery and is high on the hill facing Poplar Level Road. Take some time to visit the site and pay tribute to a great blue musician.
About Sylvester Weaver
Sylvester Weaver was a Louisvillian who in 1923 made recording history with his "Guitar Blues", the first blues guitar record. His career was short-lived, but his music lives on. He retired as a recording artist in 1927, but the second record that he made, "Guitar Rag", was appropriated by Bob Wills and the Texas Playboys in the early 1930s and reincarnated as "Steel Guitar Rag", which has become a country classic.
Sylvester Weaver Award Winners
1989
1989
1989
Henry Woodruff
1990
1989
1989
Jim Rosen
1991
1989
1991
Foree Wells
1992
1992
1991
Pen Bogert
1993
1992
1993
Winston Hardy
1994
1992
1993
Perry Aberli
1995
1995
1995
Fred Murphy
1996
1995
1995
Mary Ann Fisher
1997
1995
1997
Smoketown Red (Junie Downs)
1998
1998
1997
Joey Lamont Gillispie
1999
1998
1999
Tanita Gaines
2000
1998
1999
Rocky Adcock
2001
2001
2001
Scott Mullins
2002
2001
2001
Mark Stein
2003
2001
2003
Sue O'Neil
2004
2004
2003
Keith Clements
2005
2004
2005
John Burgard
2006
2004
2005
da Mudcats
Mike Lynch, Gene Wickliffe, Rob Pickett
2007
2007
2007
Sonny Sitgraves
2008
2007
2007
Joe DeBow
2009
2007
2009
Jim Masterson
2010
2010
2009
Robbie Bartlett
2011
2010
2011
Jimmy Brown
2012
2010
2011
Howard Rosenberg
2013
2013
2013
Byron Davies
2014
2013
2013
Mark "Big Poppa" Stampley
2015
2013
2015
Natalie Carter
2016
2016
2015
Mike Suttles
2017
2016
2017
Gary Sampson
2018
2016
2017
James Warfield
2019
2019
2019
Jason Lockwood
2020
2019
2019
Bruce Lively
2021
2019
2021
Rusty Ends
2022
2022
2021
Cort Duggins
2023
2022
2023
Bill Dean
Blues in The Schools
KBS has proudly been involved with Blues in the Schools for many years. It is important to continue the blues tradition, and what a better way than going directly to area children with lessons in blues music history and performance.
