Madison Blues Society

Madison Blues Society, Latest Posts

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  Artist Profile: James Earl Tate
  James Earl Tate is one of Wisconsin’s most beloved blues voices—a singer whose life story is woven directly into the music he performs. At 77, Tate embodies the blues with a depth earned through hard work, perseverance, and a lifetime of turning struggle into song. “Everyone wants to know why I sing the blues and I always go, ‘I am the blues,’” he says, a statement that reflects both his history and his artistry.
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  Shari Davis & the BA Band
  Shari Davis & the BA Band is a blues and roots music act based in Madison, Wisconsin, known for live… Read more: Shari Davis & the BA Band
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  Artist Profile: Tony Kannen
  Tony Kannen stands as one of Wisconsin’s enduring voices in American roots music—a singer shaped by family tradition, sharpened in decades of club and festival performance, and still evolving as a creative force in the Midwest blues community. His sound blends blues grit, rock‑and‑roll fire, and soul‑driven warmth, delivered through a voice that is both commanding and deeply expressive.
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  Artist Profile: Alberta Adams
  Known as “Queen of the Blues” she was noted as “the personification of the Detroit blues scene,” stating that “the undisputed, unrivaled, peerless Detroit Queen of the Blues is Alberta Adams.” Mostly a self-taught vocalist, her influences were the blues shouter Big Joe Turner and the singer-songwriters Dinah Washington, Sarah Vaughan, and LaVern Baker.
• The Impact of Women in Blues Music
  Historical Contributions of Women in Blues Music Women have shaped the blues from its earliest days, defining the sound,… Read more: The Impact of Women in Blues Music