Blues Foundation President and CEO Barbara Newman reports that “each year, our KBA Selection Committee does a wonderful job of pinpointing those individuals and organizations that are working behind the scenes to celebrate, promote, and bring greater awareness to the blues. Our 2018 Keeping the Blues Alive award recipients are all wonderful examples of blues flame keepers, each working in their own sphere of influence to move the genre forward while honoring its past.”

The 2018 Keeping the Blues Alive Awards recipients are:


1. Gary and Gillian Atkinson
2. Jonas Bernholm
3. Bluesfest Byron Bay
4. Blues Society of Omaha
5. Chesapeake Bay Blues Festival
6. Lucky Clark
7. European Blues Union
8. Tim Fik
9. Brian Kelm
10. Poor House Bistro
11. Albertina Wassenhove
12. Rueben Williams