Sedalia Blues Society

The Sedalia Blues Society, formerly called the James River Blues Society of Sedalia, is a sanctioned member of The Blues Foundation.

Formed in 1991, the society’s mission is to preserve blues history, support blues education and celebrate blues music. In other words, we:

  • Cooperate with the Commonwealth of Virginia to research, prepare and dedicate Historical Markers in Virginia to preserve the Blues traditions and musicians. The society has already erected historical markers to songster and bluesman Luke Jordan in Lynchburg (dedicated 2001), string-band and blues musician Carl Martin in Big Stone Gap (dedicated 2004), bluesman John Jackson in Rappahannock County (dedicated 2005), bluesman William Moore (dedicated in 2005), and the 1936 Prison Recordings at the Virginia State Farm, Goochland County (dedicated 2006). In addition, the brochure “Old Dominion Songsters” has been produced with funds from the Virginia Foundation for the Humanities and a traveling exhibition of the same name is currently touring the state, produced by the Library of Virginia. The current project is another collaboration of public and private interests working together to dedicate a historical marker to Flora Molton. Flora sang “spiritual and truth music,” a combination of traditional religious songs and her own compositions.
  • Partner with others to promote Blues Events 
  • Each year the Sedalia Center holds the Sedalia Blues Festival which includes a competition of Blues musicians. This is a judged competition with the winner representing the JRBS of Sedalia in an International Competition held each February in Memphis. We'll have a Silent Auction at this year's Blues Festival and are now taking donations so we can send the winner to this international event.

As Sedalia continues to evolve and grow our Blues Festival, we wanted to be clear in our direction as an organization. With that in mind, we are excited to be changing the name of the affiliate society with the Blues Foundation to The Sedalia Blues Society. We feel it clarifies who we are and removes any confusion that may have been previously blurred.

The Sedalia Blues Society will sponsor the 13th Annual Blues Talent Competition as part of the Sedalia Blues Festival on July 10,2010.  Download the competition information here. Deadline for entry is May 31, 2010.