Blues for A Cure - The Story

The idea behind Sean Carney’s Blues For A Cure was born during a phone call Sean had with his friend Dr. Paul McCarthy, owner of Honeybee Records.  They discussed the notion that Blues music can effect positive change in the world.  They then discussed how to support that notion by raising money for a charity, paying the artists a reasonable wage, and presenting an awesome showcase of live Blues worthy of festival designation. At the time, Sean’s mother was undergoing chemotherapy for Hodgkin's Lymphoma. His younger sister and stepmother are cancer survivors and his piano player, John Popovich, is in remission. The charity was clear. Click here to read full story.

Since inception, concerts and auctions have raised a total of over $400,000 for many cancer research, education and screening organizations across Ohio and also in support of the Columbus Blues Alliance and Blues Foundation in Memphis, TN. Click here to see a totals breakdown by organization. 

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Upcoming Events

Check out our upcoming charity concert events.

Sean Carney’s Blues For A Cure 2024 - Harrison County

MPLX Gathering and Processing presents the Thirteenth Annual Sean Carney's Blues For A Cure 2024 – Harrison County. A Free Public Concert to be held Friday (6pm start) June 28 and Saturday (4pm start) June 29, 2024, at The Mark Stage at Sally Buffalo Park, 43000 Industrial Park Rd., Cadiz, Ohio. The proceeds benefit WVU Harrison Community Hospital Foundation and the Harrison County Cancer Crusaders. Since inception, this annual charity concert event has raised nearly $300,000 for the local area. Blues For A Cure, has raised over $400,000 since Sean Carney started the fund in 2007. This is the fourth year the event is a two-night concert and will be hosted on the newly constructed outdoor stage, The Mark At The Park.

Proceeds benefit WVU Harrison Community Hospital and Harrison County Cancer Crusaders.

for more information on this event.

What: Free Public Concert This is our Thirteenth Annual Sean Carney's Blues For A Cure 2024 – Harrison County concert event. When: Friday, June 28, 2024 starting at 6:00 pm Saturday, June 29, 2024 starting at 4:00 pm Where: Sally Buffalo Park, 43000 Industrial Park Rd Cadiz, OH 43907 (740) 942-8844

CD Releases

Blues Cures Studio Jam Vol. 14 CD - Blues Cures Studio Jam Vol. 14 continues the tradition of bringing International Blues Challenge winners and competitors together to give the world a taste of the incredible talent that comes together every year in Memphis. This year’s lineup includes International Blues Challenge Champions Sean Carney, Noah Wotherspoon and Stacy Mitchhart, along with the Just Strange Brothers Horns, Tom Rastikis, Brian Aylor, Chuck Moore, Jim Godin, Tom Carroll, Lenny Fatigati, Jan Roll, Jamie Peck, Matt & Eryn O’Ree Click here to see the liner notes and listen to audio samples.
Blues Cures Studio Jam Vol. 13 CD - Blues Cures Studio Jam Vol. 13 continues the tradition of bringing International Blues Challenge winners and competitors together to give the world a taste of the incredible talent that comes together every year in Memphis. This year’s lineup includes International Blues Challenge Champions, Sean Carney, Nick Schnebelen Band, Bart Walker and Noah Wotherspoon, along with the Matt O’Ree Band, Scotty Bratcher, Jamie Peck, Matt Salvo, Lenny Fatigati, Jason Edwards. Click here to see the liner notes and listen to audio samples.
Blues Cures Studio Jam Vol. 12 CD - Blues Cures Studio Jam Vol. 11 continues the tradition of bringing International Blues Challenge winners and competitors together to give the world a taste of the incredible talent that comes together every year in Memphis.This one is a gathering of BFAC all time favorites like Hank Williams, Jr. lead guitarist Bart Walker, Marietta College Music Therapy Program graduate and musical powerhouse Sadie Johnson, Pittsburgh’s reigning Blues Queen Miss Freddye, along with her great band, as well as new faces in the fold from Cleveland’s Blue Lunch, lending their little big band swing to the proceedings. Click here to see the liner notes and listen to audio samples.
Blues Cures Studio Jam Vol. 11 CD - Blues Cures Studio Jam Vol. 11 continues the tradition of bringing International Blues Challenge winners and competitors together to give the world a taste of the incredible talent that comes together every year in Memphis. This year’s lineup includes International Blues Challenge Champions, Sean Carney and JP Soars & The Red Hots, along with Jimmy Thackery & The Drivers, Hoard & Jones Band, Miss Freddye’s Blues Band, Dany Franchi and Brandon Pettiford. Click here to see the liner notes and listen to audio samples.
Blues Cures Studio Jam Vol. 10 CD - Blues Cures Studio Jam Vol. 10 continues the tradition of bringing International Blues Challenge winners and competitors together to give the world a taste of the incredible talent that comes together every year in Memphis. This year’s lineup includes International Blues Challenge Best Instrumentalists Guitar Champions, Sean Carney, Jonn Del Toro Richardson, Bart Walker, along with the Matt O’Ree Band featuring Eryn, Miss Freddye Stover, Sadie Johnson, Jan Roll, Lenny Paul Fatigati, Danny Aguiar and Fred Delu. Click here to see the liner notes and listen to audio samples.
Blues Cures Studio Jam Vol. 9 CD - Blues Cures Studio Jam Vol. 9 continues the tradition of bringing International Blues Challenge winners and competitors together to give the world a taste of the incredible talent that comes together every year in Memphis. This year’s lineup includes International Blues Challenge Best Instrumentalists Guitar Champions, Sean Carney, Bart Walker, Noah Wotherspoon, and Harmonica Champion Sam Shepherd of InnerVision along with the Matt O’Ree Band, Sadie Johnson, Wendy DeWitt, Kirk Harwood, Genene Blackwell, Brandon Pettiford, Tonky de la Pena, Rob Thaxton, Brian Aylor, Lenny Fatigati and Tom Larson. Click here to see the liner notes and listen to audio samples.
Blues Cures Studio Jam Vol. 5 CD - Blues Cures Studio Jam Vol. 5 continues the tradition of bringing International Blues Challenge winners and competitors together to give the world a taste of the incredible talent that comes together every year in Memphis. This year’s lineup includes four IBC Champions, Bart Walker, JP Soars, Joey Gilmore and Sean Carney along with second place finisher Karen Lovely. Rounding out the lineup of great Blues artists are Reese Wynans, Jimmy Thackery, Karen Lovely, Damon Fowler, Victor Wainwright, Matt O’Ree, Long Tall Deb, Micah Kesselring, Steev Inglish, George Sheppard, Mark Bumgarner, Lynn Williams, Paul Ossola, Eric Safka, Scott Bennert, John Hummel, Chuck Riley, Chris Peet, Jake Friel, Fuad Farah, Anthony Lump, Steve Neal, Benjamin Thomas, Marty Romie, Tom Collins and Brian Duress. Click here to see the liner notes and listen to audio samples.
Blues Cures Studio Jam Vol. 4 CD - Blues Cures Studio Jam Vol. 4 continues the tradition of bringing International Blues Challenge winners and competitors together to give the world a taste of the incredible talent that comes together every year in Memphis.  This year’s lineup includes three IBC Champions, Joey Gilmore, Jonn Richardson and Sean Carney.  Rounding out the lineup of great Blues artists are Dave Workman, Omar Coleman, Ray Fuller, Long Tall Deb, Franc Robert, Hunter Wolfe, ARE, John Popovich, Marty Romie, Abdell B Bop, Manny Manuel, Trent Sholl and Jan Roll. Click here to see the liner notes and listen to audio samples.
Blues Cures Studio Jam Vol. 3 CD - This 2011 release features Duke Robillard, Sean Carney, Jonn Del Toro Richardson, Enrico Crivellaro, Omar Coleman, Ray Fuller, Phil Berkowitz, with Jon Eshelman, Steve Perakis, Louis Tsamous, Larry Carney and Jan Roll.  Blues Cures Studio Jam Vol. 3 is an incredible addition to a recorded legacy that already includes such stalwarts as Jimmy Thackery, Henry Gray, Trampled Under Foot, J.P. Soars, The Matt O’Ree Band and many others.  The collective passion of these musicians, and all involved in this project to battle a dreaded disease, is what brought us together. That love is apparent in each and every one of these tracks. Click here to see the liner notes and listen to audio samples.
Blues Cures Studio Jam Vol. 2 CD - Featuring an unprecedented 4 International Blues Challenge (IBC) "Albert King" award winning guitarists and 2008 champion band Trampled Under Foot.  Jonn Richardson (2005), Sean Carney (2007), Nick Schnebelen (2008) and JP Soars (2009).  In addition, Blues legends Henry Gray and Jimmy Thackery along with 2006 Guitar Center "King Of The Blues" national Champion, Matt O'Ree, along with Ricky Nye, Gene Walker and 2009 IBC Youth Showcase "Best" Micah Kesselring.  Contains 4 new original tracks and a few old standards with a new modern Blues vibe. Listen to audio samples & read the liner notes
Blues Cures Studio Jam CD - One of the things I love the most about the 2008 Blues For A Cure event program is so many generations were represented. We’re happy that theme continues on this Blues For A Cure studio recording with featured artists Henry Gray, Jonn Richardson and Trampled Under Foot.  This session took place on Sunday, December 14, 2008 following The Blues For A Cure Festival that raised $10,000 for the Stefanie Spielman Fund for Breast Cancer Research at the Arthur G. James Cancer Hospital (in memory of Heather Pick) and The American Cancer Society. Click here to see the liner notes and listen to audio samples.

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