http://www.suntimes.com/entertainment/2004572,buddy-guy-012410.article

Also, in the “Spirit of the Season”, we are making a $500.00 donation to the Quincy Madonna House, which helps area women in need. They have been in dire straights recently, and we felt compelled to help them out. (We’ve helped them out in the past also-as a recipient of our first “Can Jam”). If you would like to learn more about Madonna House, and can help them, here is their website: http://www.madonnahouse.net/ May your Christmas NOT BE BLUE–but if it is-”LET THE BLUES PICK YOU UP!”

It comes with much thought and discussion that we, the Officers of The Board of Directors for the Mid-Mississippi Muddy Water Blues Society,a local 501c3 non-profit Arts Organization, make the following announcement:

Upon reviewing the results of the outcome of the last several years Annual Quincy Area Blues Fest, we as an organization have decided to not host a 2010 Quincy Area Blues Fest. This move is in part fueled by our current economic situation, increasing difficulties of fundraising, a decrease of local attendance, and the event not growing into a more financially self supporting event. We as an organization feel we cannot risk the large financial undertaking that this event requires at this time. If we are to host a festival in 2011, the festival logistics will have to be reworked, to give the event a chance to be a more self supporting festival with stronger local fan support.

Over the past few years, our Societies whole focus has been based solely on working towards funding the annual Festival, and little else. We have always felt that the Festival should not be our Societies sole mission, just one part of it. Ultimately, we have wanted to work towards seeing more Blues Education and Blues awareness in the area. There is now a free Blues music concerts series, live Blues music in other venues, as well as several local radio shows now on the air. We are thrilled with seeing these efforts come about and have success; we have now helped accomplish part of our Societies mission of Keeping the Blues Alive. The local Blues music scene is stronger than it has ever been, and in this fact, we feel a real sense of accomplishment.

We now feel it is time to return towards reviving Blues Music Education to our area schools, with the hopeful return of the Blues in the Schools program to area schools. And we would also like to offer some annual financial support to some area schools music programs in the future, to help young aspiring music students with their pursuit on continuing music education.

Thank you to all of the Sponsors, volunteers, and supporters of this great fest over the past 16 years; you have given many people a wonderful experience to always remember. Though it may seem sad to end one chapter of our Societies history, we are excited in the state of the current local blues scene, and we are ready to begin yet another chapter…

Sincerely,

The President, and Board of the MMMWBS