The Wiregrass Blues Society Presents:
"Battle of the Blues Bands"
An International Blues Challenge Affiliate
Are you ready to make blues history?
The Wiregrass Blues Society is bringing the heat with The Battle of the Blues Bands,
This is your chance to prove you’ve got what it takes to represent the Wiregrass and South Alabama on the biggest stage in blues!
This electrifying showdown is held in conjunction with the International Blues Challenge (IBC) in Memphis, Tennessee, where blues legends are born. One band will emerge victorious, earning an all-expenses-paid trip (lodging, fuel, and food) to Memphis and a coveted spot at the International Blues Challenge
January 7th - 11th, 2026
The ultimate proving ground for rising blues talent.
Competition: Rules, Regulations & Restrictions
Any blues band or act that is a Wiregrass Blues Society (WBS) member is welcome to enter.
Acts must perform traditional blues, incorporating Blues scales, Blues-based chord progressions (such as the 12-bar blues), and blues-inspired vocal arrangements.
Learn more about the International Blues Challenge (IBC) competition and official rules here:
https://blues.org/international-blues-challenge/
Competition Format
The WBS will send one Band/Act to represent at the International Blues Challenge
in Memphis, TN, in January 2026.
This Competition Day is: Saturday, Nov. 8th, 2025
Location: Music Venue Rain in Downtown Dothan Al.
Structure: Semi-Finals & Finals are held on the same day.
Enrollment & Fees:
Solo, Duo, or full Band, the Entry Fee is: $100.00
Deadline: Applications & Entry fees must be received by October 10th, 2025
All proceeds will help fund expenses for the Memphis-bound Act
Rules, Regulations & Restrictions
Acts will be judged using the Blues Foundation scoring criteria
Applicants may not be affiliated with the WBS Board at the time of application
Acts cannot compete in the IBC more than three consecutive years
Each winning act must agree to:
Perform at a minimum of two fundraisers in 2025
Perform at one fundraiser in early 2026
No performance fee will be paid for these events; proceeds help defray Memphis travel costs.
The Wiregrass Blues Society's “all-expense paid” trip guarantee is set within a predetermined budget and limited to, fuel cost for one automoblie going and coming back, 2 hotel rooms for the night before the show, two nice meals the day of, and fuel for the drive home
Important to Note
This application is a statement of interest, not a binding agreement between the applicant and the Wiregrass Blues Society.
Best Self-Produced CD
Best Self-Produced CD Official Rules:
https://blues.org/self-produced-cd-award/
Entries for the Best Self-Produced CD are permitted by Blues Foundation Affiliated Organizations only.
Each Affiliate is permitted one entry. Compilations are not eligible.
Only CDs released between November 1, 2024, and October 31, 2025, are eligible for consideration as The 2025 Best Self-Produced CD.
The Best Self-Produced CD is given out at the International Blues Challenge as part of our mission to celebrate blues recording and to ensure the future of this uniquely American art form.
How to Submit:
Submit 4 copies of the album by October 10th, 2025, to:
Wiregrass Blues Society
PO BOX 6185
Dothan Al. 36302
Official Rules: https://blues.org/self-produced-cd-award/
