What is "The Blues Music Foundation?"

Date: 4 Feb 2003 11:13:36 -0800
Newsgroups: bit.listserv.blues-l
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I just got off the phone with Bob Santelli of EMP (the Experience Music
Project in Seattle) and asked him who the "Blues Music Foundation" is, since
it is obviously going to be confused with both The Blues Foundation and The
Blues Music Association.
He said that Martin Scorsese, the executive producer of "The Blues"
television series, wanted to make certain that a maximum amount of money
would go to the right purposes so he asked that a 501K be established. It had
to be done quickly in order to oversee money from this Friday night's concert
at Radio City Music Hall.
Since EMP already has the lawyers on staff and a 501K in place, they were
asked to move quickly to establish a foundation. The name was a generic
creation, unfortunately too close to already established organizations.
There should be major income from Friday's concert, of course, but the major
source will come from the sales of CD, DVD and merchandise associated with
the television series once is starts to run later in the year.
Scorsese wanted to make sure that a foundation was in place to receive and
protect the money. There will be a Board of Directors to oversee funding,
grants and distribution of benefits farther down the road.
Since The Blues Foundation is currently rudderless without either money or an
executive director and the R&B Foundation has kept a low profile in recent
years, there is the potential for some power brokers to use their visibility
and fame to bring about some positive moves on behalf of those in need.
It's early in the game but at least we now know that we have a game in
progress . . .
Dick Waterman
Oxford, MS
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