Since the Topeka Blues Society was founded in 2008, the TBS Board has made participation in the International Blues Challenge a high priority. We started in 2009 by sending Just ‘Cuz (Nick Hern’s band) as our representative to the non-competive Youth Showcase portion of IBC. Blues societies from all over the world send young blues musicians to the Youth Showcase so that they get a chance to perform on Beale Street in Memphis. The kids also get a chance to meet established blues artists and watch the IBC participants perform in venues all over downtown Memphis. This is a brilliant strategy by the Blues Foundation to get young people interested and invested in blues music.
Nick Hern was hooked from the beginning and returned to participate in the Youth Showcase in 2010 and 2011. Then in 2012, The Nick Hern Band actually competed and won the local IBC competition and earned the right to represent TBS as our band representative at IBC. We have enjoyed watching Nick’s talent grow and were thrilled when he joined the legendary Bryan Lee and The Blues Power Band as the bass player this summer. He has been on tour all over the United States and Canada these last several months. Come see why we’re so darned proud of him when Bryan Lee and The Blues Power Band play Uncle Bo’s on Saturday, December 1st!
