Living Blues Magazine

Living Blues magazine, America’s first blues publication, was founded in Chicago in 1970 by Jim O’Neal and Amy van Singel. From its inception, the magazine has aimed to document and preserve the African American blues tradition. Living Blues was acquired by the University of Mississippi in 1983 and is published bimonthly by the Center for the Study of Southern Culture. Living Blues shares the Center’s mission to promote scholarship and documentary work. Center graduate students frequently serve as interns and contributors for the magazine.

With in-depth features on blues icons like Howlin’ Wolf, Muddy Waters, and B.B. King, as well as more obscure artists and rising stars, Living Blues has provided the best in blues journalism and photography for over forty years. Each issue of Living Blues features current Blues News, “Breaking Out” articles on up and coming artists, and the most extensive CD and DVD review section in the business. The Living Blues Radio Charts provide the music industry with the most accurate compilations of playlists from blues radio programmers throughout the world.

Additionally, since 2003, Living Blues has sponsored the Blues Today Symposium each spring on the University of Mississippi campus. The Symposium has featured such keynote speakers as Paul Oliver, Samuel Charters, and Bill Ferris as well as intimate musical performances by Honeyboy Edwards, Little Milton, and B.B. King.

In 2009, Living Blues was honored by the state of Mississippi with a Mississippi Blues Trail historical marker. Living Blues is also a past recipient of the Blues Foundation’s prestigious Keeping the Blues Alive Award.

View the Living Blues website.