Finnish Blues Society ry (FBS) is a non-profitable association, sponsored by the Finnish Ministry of Culture and the City of Helsinki. Finnish Blues Society (FBS) is the publisher of the Blues News magazine and the owner of the Blue North records. The subscribers of the Blues News are automatically members of the Finnish Blues Society. Finnish Blues Society (FBS) is the Affiliate member of Blues Foundation (Memphis, TN), and the Active Member of the European Blues Union (EBU). FBS has selected and sponsored the entrant for the annual European Blues Challenge (EBC) organized by EBU.
Board members for Finnish Blues Society in 2024:
Maiju Lasola, President of Finnish Blues Society
Harri Suokas, Vice President
Aarno Alén, Member/Treasurer
Aimo Ollikainen, Member/Secretary
Kari Kempas, Member
Heikki J. Koskinen, Member
Antti Lehtinen, Member
Pertti Nurmi, Member
Juha Seila, Member
Jari Kolari, Vice Member
Riku Metelinen, Vice Member
Pete Hoppula, Managing Editor of Blues News Magazine
Kalle Mänttä, Technical specialist
Some milestones for FBS:
– Finnish Blues Society’s founding meeting on July 3, 1968.
– Blues News 1/1968 published on July 12, 1968.
– Finnish Blues Society’s second founding meeting on May 24, 1970.
– Finnish Blues Society ry was officially registered on November 13, 1970
– FBS renamed Finnish Afro-American music association (SAMY) in spring 1980.
– The name of the society returned to the Finnish Blues Society (FBS) on August 29, 2006.
– Blues News celebrated its 40th anniversary in Helsinki Gloria Theatre on September 19, 2008.
– Finnish Blues Society revealed a commemorative plaque for Eddie Boyd at his former home house in Kallio, Helsinki, on May 16, 2009.
– Finnish Blues Society became an Affiliate Member of Blues Foundation (Memphis, TN) on January 1, 2009.
– Finnish Blues Society was awarded with “Keeping the Blues Alive Award” by the Blues Foundation in Memphis on January 23, 2010 for long-term and selfless work on behalf of the blues music.
– Finnish Blues Society participated in building up the European Blues Union (EBU) and became its Active Member in 2010.
– Finnish Blues Society was awarded with “Blues Behind The Scenes Award” by the European Blues Union on March 17, 2018.
– Finnish Blues Society was awarded with “Jemma Award” by Pirkanmaan bluesyhdistys-Blues Lovers ry on December 13, 2018.
– Blues News’ historical 300th publication (issue 6/2019) comes out in December 2019.
– Blues News was awarded in connection with the Helsinki Book Fair in October 2023 honorable mention in the “Quality Magazine of the Year 2023” competition.
