Fate, Opportunity, Provenance……they all came into play today. I rolled into Memphis about 1:00PM CDT and figured that I would go ahead and have a little Blues Food/Barbeque and do another review for this blog. Then, things started happening. I rode into the parking lot at Corky’s (review later this weekend) and started securing my gear and bike to go inside. At that time a car pulled up next to me, two guys got out and we struck up a conversation. I soon found out that they were to be seated that evening at a table very close to mine at the Blues Foundation Awards and show. That’s when I meet these two really great guys, Jim and Phil Jones, an uncle and his nephew from the Toronto area down for their annual week of Memphis Blues and the Awards show. These guys are real aficionados of the Blues scene and with their knowledge; they know and hang with many of the Blues entertainers. Jim’s son books and facilitates various Blues acts into Canadian Blues clubs and festivals. We spent the next hour and a half talking Blues and eating Q. Jim and Phil promised an evening of Blues at the Awards Show that would rival or beat any Blues show that I had ever seen before. My excitement for the evening ahead continued to build. What an afternoon! I now recognize that I am an unashamed old “Blues Groupie”……. and pretty happy about it. Well, Jim and Phil did not disappoint but, may have actually understated a bit. Many photos and narrative on the incredible Blues Awards evening will follow shortly.