Blues Foundation

The Blues Foundation is an American nonprofit corporation, headquartered in Memphis, Tennessee, that is affiliated with more than 175 Blues organizations from various parts of the world. Founded in 1980, a twenty-five person Board of Directors governs the foundation whose stated mission is to preserve Blues music history. On its formation, the Foundation organized the annual W. C. Handy awards to "give recognition of the finest in blues performances and recordings." The awards have since been renamed "The Blues Music Awards".