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The Sylvester Weaver
Award is given yearly to an individual who exemplifies the goals of the KBS and is
presented to the winner at the Garvin Gate Blues Festival or the Annual KBS General Membership Meeting & Birthday Party.
(The Blues Festival is held the second weekend in October,
the KBS Party is held in November.)
Sylvester
Weaver was a Louisvillian who in 1923 made recording history with his "Guitar
Blues", the first blues guitar record. His career was short-lived, but his music
lives on. He retired as a recording artist in 1927, but the second record that he made,
"Guitar Rag", was appropriated by Bob Wills and the Texas Playboys in the early
1930s and reincarnated as "Steel Guitar Rag", which has become a country
classic.
In 1991, the KBS raised the funds necessary to right
a longtime wrong. We put a headstone on the grave of pioneering bluesman and Louisville
native Sylvester Weaver. A dedication ceremony took place on Sunday, March 29,1992. The
KBS has setup an award, The Sylvester Weaver Award, to honor the memory of a true pioneer
in the blues music world and is presented to those who the KBS feels has dedicated their
lives to presenting, preserving, and perpetuating the blues. Sylvester’s grave is in
the Old Louisville Cemetery and is high on the hill facing Poplar Level Road. Take some
time to visit the site and pay tribute to a great blue musician. (From the November 1999
issue of the KBS newsletter "Blues News" - Text and Photos by Paul Schneider)
Sylvester Weaver Award Winners
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2004 - Keith Clements was quite surprised with
the presentation by Brenda Major, KBS Prez
Photo by Debbie D. Wilson |
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Mark Stein the 2002 winner is flanked by Brenda
Major, President of KBS (far left), his wife Beth, and Joey
"Lamont" Gillispie who was the 1998 winner.
Photo by Debbie D. Wilson |
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Then & Now |
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Henry Woodruff, far
left, received the Sylvester Weaver Award from Rocky Adcock at the
1989 Garvin Gate Blues Festival
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Rocky
Adcock 2000
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Photos by
Keith Clements |
Please see Keith Clement's article
"Weaver
Winners" in the Jan 2005
Louisville Music News
| 2023 |
Bill Dean |
Louisville
Artist
Pictured are Natalie Carter and Keith Clements on
the left
as they present the Weaver Award to Bill Dean at the
2023 Garvin Gate Blues Festival. |
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| 2022 |
Cort Duggins |
Louisville
Artist |
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| 2021 |
Rusty Ends |
Louisville
Artist |
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| 2020 |
Bruce Lively |
Louisville
Artist
(Photo Credit: David True) |
.jpg) |
| 2019 |
Jason Lockwood |
Louisville
Artist |
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| 2018 |
James Warfield |
Louisville Artist
(pictured with KBS Co-founder Keith Clements on
right) |
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| 2017 |
Gary Sampson |
Former KBS
President
WCHQ Vice-President, Music Director & on-air
personality
Germantown-Schnitzelburg Blues Festival organizer
Local Blues Supporter |
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| 2016 |
Mike Suttles |
Garvin Gate Blues
Festival Talent Organizer and MC
Owner of Down in the Alley Records
Local Blues Supporter, Writer and Educator |
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| 2015 |
Natalie Carter |
KBS
Membership Director and
KBS Newsletter Editor since 2000
Local Blues Supporter |
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| 2014 |
Mark "Big Poppa"
Stampley |
Louisville Artist |
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| 2013 |
Byron Davies |
Louisville Artist |
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| 2012 |
Howard Rosenberg |
Garvin
Gate Blues Festival Committee Chairman |
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| 2011 |
Jimmy Brown |
Louisville
Artist and Owner
Guitar Emporium |
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| 2010 |
Robbie Bartlett |
Louisville Artist |
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| 2009 |
Jim Masterson |
Louisville
Artist
(April
2009 Louisville
Music News
Article
on Jim by Keith Clements) |
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| 2008 |
Joe DeBow |
Louisville
Artist |
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| 2007 |
Sonny Sitgraves |
Louisville
Artist |
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| 2006 |
da Mudcats |
Louisville
Band members
Mike Lynch, Gene Wickliffe, Rob Pickett |
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| 2005 |
John Burgard |
Louisville
Artist |
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| 2004 |
Keith Clements |
former
President and founding member of KBS,
Blues Journalist for Louisville Music News,
Blues aficionado and historian,
"KBS Blues Curmudgeon
Emeritus" |
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| 2003 |
Sue O'Neil |
Louisville
Artist |
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| 2002 |
Mark Stein |
Louisville
Artist |
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| 2001 |
Scott Mullins |
Louisville
Blues Promoter & WFPK DJ |
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| 2000 |
Rocky Adcock |
Co-Founder
of KBS, Musician,
advocate of local blues musicians |
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| 1999 |
Tanita Gaines |
Louisville
Artist |
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| 1998 |
Joey Lamont
Gillispie |
Louisville
Artist |
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| 1997 |
Smoketown Red
(Junie Downs) |
Louisville
Artist |
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| 1996 |
Mary Ann Fisher |
Back-up
singer to Ray Charles in the 1950's |
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| 1995 |
Fred Murphy |
Louisville
Artist with 26th
Street Blues Band |
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| 1994 |
Perry Aberli |
Promotion
of the Midwest Blues Fest, South Bend IN
Perry is pictured with
Winston Hardy on the left and
Foree Wells on the right |
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| 1993 |
Winston Hardy |
CD: Mumbo
Jumbo
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| 1992 |
Pen Bogert |
Oral
History Project |
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| 1991 |
Foree Wells |
CD: It's
a New Day Brother
(finally released Dec 12, 2006)
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| 1990 |
Jim Rosen |
CD: Let
Me Play In Your Big Brick Yard
and FOX 100.5 FM Radio Show
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| 1989 |
Henry Woodruff |
House
Band at The Pleasure Inn |
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Top
Blues Talent Competition
One of the big events KBS sponsors is the annual
Blues Talent Competition, which has recently expanded to
include Solo/Duo acts and Best Self-Produced CD. Among prizes that include money, gigs and
notoriety; the winner has the opportunity to compete in the
Blues
Foundation's Annual International Blues Challenge in Memphis.
Past
competition winners are listed on the Contest
Information Page Top
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