Story by Melanie Christiansen People often say blues music is a feeling, but a feeling is just the beginning when you aim for a spot on the stage at the annual International Blues Challenge (IBC) in Memphis, Tennessee. That’s according to John Durr, the Melbourne Blues Appreciation Society (MBAS) President who can claim to know more than most people about this coveted award in the annals of the world’s finest music, The Blues.  John Durr has seen the IBC evolve over the last 20 years from a [...]

Story by Dennis Atkins Photo from Nick Charles Instagram account ("nickcharles28") Nick Charles should have felt pretty calm and assured when he walked into the Orpheum Theatre on the corner of Beale Street and South Main, in Memphis, Tennessee. This storied venue is THE place in Memphis — it's no wonder a memento at the Elvis Museum and Mansion is a 1956 photograph of the King of Rock'n'Roll standing outside the theatre, the same year he recorded his breakthrough song, Heartbreak Hotel. Elvis, though, is one of [...]