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The Beale Street Blues Society will crown its new Talent Competition winner at the finals of its annual contest on Aug. 29. For the past five weeks, unsigned bands and individuals have been competing for the right to represent the Beale Street Blues Society in the International Blues Talent Competition finals. The five weekly winners will each perform at the finals, which will be at the Black Diamond on Beale Street. Each entrant in the contest was allowed 12 minutes to perform. They were judged on blues content, talent and presentation. None of the performers could be signed to a recording, management or publishing contract. The weekly winners each received $100. The overall winner will receive $300, a paid gig and a recording package at a local studio. Second place takes home $200 and third place receives $100. The winner of the Memphis competition will compete with about 45 others at the International Blues Talent Competition, which will be in Memphis on Oct. 23-24. The Blues Foundation, which produces the event, awards the international winner a cash prize, recording studio time and guaranteed slots at major blues festivals, including the King Biscuit Blues Festival in Helena, Ark. The winner also will perform at the 1999 W.C. Handy Awards. This year, the foundation also is arranging for several paying gigs in private clubs around the country. Last year's Beale Street Blues Society winner, Keith Brown, finished second in the international competition. For more information, call the blues society hot line at (901) 527-4585.
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