The term "Special Interest Group" keeps cropping up. We all know what they are talking about. A group of businessmen, who normally compete, get together and pool their resources to promote their industry for the good of all members. The term takes on such an ominous connotation during a campaign that it's almost a dirty word. But we're not here to discuss Presidential Politics. We are here to talk Blues Politics with our own Special Interest Group. The Blues Music Association (BMA).

Founded in 1998, the non-profit BMA was created solely to promote the Blues Music industry much in the same way the Country Music Association represents Country artists, producers, record labels, and other professionals. If you make your living from the Blues, these guys want to hear from you.
 

Short Term Goals:

1. Plan and conduct a demographic market study — who is buying blues records, who is attending live blues performances and how this information can help us expand the marketplace.
2. Develop an image/awareness/marketing plan for blues music.
3. Develop a strategy for use of the Internet as a tool in promoting blues.
4.  Devise a national retail promotion campaign in conjunction with the W.C. Handy Blues Awards.

1. Use our research and marketing abilities to sell the appeal of the use of blues music to the media: commercial radio, TV and print media.
2. Sell blues music to retail as a profitable concept.
3. Provide business and technical support to artists (including the exploration of group insurance).
4. Measure/track financial growth within the blues genre.

The biggest achievement so far has been convincing the Record Industry Association of America (RIAA) to separately track Blues record sales, rather than grouping them under "R&B" or "Rock," as they had done in the past.  This means that, for the first time in the history of Blues recordings, the Blues music industry will be able to cite specific market share as well as information on who is purchasing the music. The BMA will utilize these findings to create greater media coverage and more live performance corporate sponsorship for the Blues.

The first annual BMA General Membership Meeting is set for Friday, May 26, in Memphis, Tenn., at which the results of its Board of Directors election, as well as updates on the BMA's many programs, will be announced. Also at the meeting, the BMA will present the first annual A.G.E.S. (Achieve Greater Economic Success) Award to the Blues professional whom voting members deem the year's most important contributor to achieving the BMA's goal of heightening the commerce of Blues Music.

If you are a Blues professional...JOIN NOW!