We're thrilled to announce that the Kivett Bednar Band is Memphis-bound! On July 3rd we won the Cascade Blues Association's Journey to Memphis, a two-round competition in which judges select a band and a solo or duo act to go on and compete in Memphis, TN at the International Blues Challenge. The IBC, which happens January 19-23, 2027, brings together more than 200 acts from around the world to play their best stuff in clubs up and down the iconic Beale Street in a quest for top honors. We're so grateful to the Cascade Blues Association for organizing their regional competition, and we congratulate the very talented Kevin Selfe who will also go to the IBC as a solo act. Our appreciation to the other participating acts – everyone sounded so good!
Traveling to Memphis isn't cheap of course, so we will be doing some fundraising to get ourselves there along with Kevin. The CBA is coordinating a number of musical events you can attend to support us – click here for the latest news on those. But if you're itching to show your support right now, you can do it in two ways: 1) Click here to contribute directly to the band's Memphis fund using Venmo (that's band member Pat's account – add “KBB Memphis” as a note if you like); or 2) If you prefer to make a tax-deductible donation, click here to donate through the Cascade Blues Association – you'll see that it takes you to PayPal, but note that you can choose to pay via PayPal, Venmo OR using a credit card.
You can also support our travels by buying our buttons and/or stickers at our shows! Accessorize your look, promote the band, AND help folks learn how to pronounce “Kivett!” That's a win-win-win!
Thanks so much for all your enthusiasm and support! We look forward to proudly representing Portland and the Pacific Northwest in Memphis.