Blues Award Winner in Sioux Falls Friday

Janiva Magness may be the most decorated woman in the 35-year history of the Blues Music Awards (the blues equivalent of the Grammy Awards) and she's coming to Sioux Falls this Friday night (August 30) for an intimate show at Old Skoolz!

Magness was turned on to the blues by attending an Otis Rush concert in Minneapolis where she said Rush sang like his life depended on it. She was studying to become an engineer in the Twin Cities while working part time at a recording studio. She was asked to sing some backing vocals for a number of artists including Kid Ramos and R.L. Burnside, and the rest, as they say, is history. Thankfully Magness decided to give us the gist of her music instead of continuing to be an engineer.

She's been singing professionally since the mid 1980's, but since 2006, she has captured the attention of the world, racking up an incredible 22 Blues Music Award nominations in that time, including five this year! She was just the second woman to win the B.B. King Entertainer of the Year Award (after Koko Taylor) She also was named Contemporary Blues Female of the Year at the awards this year...for the FOURTH time. If that wasn't enough, she won Song of the Year as well.  Simply put, Magness is a blues STAR.

This Friday (August 30) you have the rare opportunity to see one of the biggest blues stars in the world in the intimate Old Skoolz in Sioux Falls (921 E. 8th St.) Each show at Old Skoolz has a capacity of 70, so limited tickets remain for $22.50 in advance, $25 at the door. Showtime is 8pm.