Inland Empire Blues Society

Welcome!

About The IEBS:

We are dedicated to the music we love, the Blues, and helping other music
lovers discover and appreciate this genuine American art form. We are a
non-profit organization, recognized by the State of Washington, the I.R.S.
and the US Postal Service. Our members, volunteers and supporting
merchants, sustain us. We are based in Spokane Washington, but we try to
represent Eastern and Central Washington, Northern Idaho, Eastern Oregon,
Southern British Columbia and Western Montana. We are proud to be a
member of The Blues Foundation.

In January of 1992, The Inland Empire Blues Society started out as a small
group of musicians and fans of good music that wanted to try to get more live
Blues shows in the Spokane area. We met a few times and shared our ideas
and hopes, trying to figure out how to pool our energies and resources.
Some details took a while to iron out, and then we really started happening in
April '92, when the official paperwork was completed, and May of 1992 when
the first "Inside Blues" was printed and distributed.

Our purpose, as stated in our By-Laws reads: "The purpose of the Inland
Empire Blues Society shall be to support, preserve, and promote the blues
through such social events as concerts, festivals, and a newsletter." What we
really want to do is put the word in the street that there is some fun music to
be heard, and to coax enough paying customers to the shows to keep our
local bands together and in the area. We also hope to attract more national
Blues acts to stages in the Spokane area. We hope that if we help people to
understand that the Blues is not necessarily about "having the blues," they
will find joy in this.

The Inland Empire Blues Society holds a general membership meeting at
6:30PM the second Thursday of each month, usually at the Bronco Inn, 8714
E Sprague Avenue, although changes are listed in the monthly issue of
"Inside Blues." At the meetings, free, open to the public 21 and over, we
usually offer live music, and have a multitude of blues door prizes such as
tickets to upcoming I.E.B.S. sponsored events, cds, t-shirts, and many other
blues prizes.

As a non-profit organization, we have officers and a board of directors, who,
along with our membership, steer the ship toward our goals, which are blues,
blues, and more blues! (Financial solvency would help!) Membership in the
Inland Empire Blues Society is open to anyone interested in furthering the
purposes and objectives of the Society. Persons may become members by
completing a membership application and paying annual dues, and members
receive a card identifying their membership in the Society. Please see our
membership form.

In addition to a subscription to Inside Blues, the newsletter of the Inland
Empire Blues Society, your membership entitles you to some significant
discounts. Several merchants in the area give discounts to card-bearing
current members. Tickets to I.E.B.S. sponsored events usually cost less if
you are a member. Membership is currently only $20 for a year and the
discounts could easily pay for it.

Some of the event highlights of our society include our popular "Wild Women
of the Blues" (Female Blues Vocalists), "Harp Attack" (harmonica showcase),
"Axe Attack (guitar showcase)," and "Empire Awards" ceremony, where we
thank our local musicians for their dedication towards the music we all love.

The Inland Empire Blues Society can be reached by calling or faxing:
509-534-8185 message box 2, or email us at: i eblues@ieblues.org