Help Us
Since our founding over 25 years ago the Archie Edwards Blues Heritage Foundation has built a unique community known to blues lovers the world over.
We look with pride at our achievements: the weekly Saturday jams which bring together new and experienced acoustic blues players, concerts by renowned blues artists, instrument and vocal workshops to help musicians hone their skills, monthly open mics where both professional and budding performers get a chance to share their talents, and Barbershop ensemble performances that bring acoustic blues to a wider audience.
We are proud that our work has been recognized with national and local honors.
Yet we operate only thanks to the many volunteers who freely give their time and skills to keep the organization going.
We have zero paid staff.
Our directors are unpaid.
More than 70 percent of our funding comes from donations, the rest from concerts, workshops, appearance fees and the occasional grant.
We hope you will consider donating to help us continue to keep acoustic blues music alive.
Please support our cause with a tax-deductible donation
We also welcome cash, check or credit card at a jam, workshop, or concert at the Barbershop - or you can mail a check payable to:
AEBHF
P.O. Box 10124
Washington, D.C. 20018
The Barbershop Ensemble
A great way to support us is by hiring our own Barbershop musicians to perform at your event.
These ensembles are made up of seasoned musicians - many of whom are professional - who offer their talents as a way to help support the Foundation.
Barbershop Ensembles have performed at community events, festivals, private parties, farmers markets, hospitals, food and beverage establishments, and so on.
The acoustic blues performed (amplified or unamplified) is well-suited to a variety of venues.
Performance fees are negotiated on a case-by-case basis.
If you're interested in hiring a Barbershop ensemble for your event, please send a detailed email with your contact information to info@acousticblues.com.
Message from the AEBHF President
At the end of 2023, looking at this past year, I feel a sense of gratitude and pride at what has been accomplished by the Archie Edwards Blues Heritage Foundation. We initiated a relationship with Dumbarton Arts. We embarked on a series of free workshops at the Hyattsville Library and hosted four free concerts for the Washington blues community.
We held several activities to celebrate our 25-year anniversary. And, of course, we opened our doors every Saturday for our legendary blues Jams. Our relationship with Dumbarton Arts, as well as the Mississippi John Hurt Foundation,are ones of reciprocal assistance and publicity. We announce each other’s activities in our respective newsletters and provide support as we are able.
We initiated guitar, harmonica, vocal, and ukulele lessons at the Hyattsville Library. This was done at no cost to attendees and all instructors were provided a stipend for their efforts. The purpose of this instruction was two-fold: first to advance the mission of the foundation of keeping the music alive and second, to attract new-comers to the Barbershop. I spoke to a new-comer recently at the jam. It was his third or fourth time at the Barbershop. He related how much of a community there is here, and he went on to say how welcoming and warm others were on each of his visits. He stated that he intends to make this a regular Saturday afternoon activity. I recall my first visit to the Bunker Hill location in 2006 and the accompanying anxiety that came with that visit. I will always remember those individuals who welcomed me and helped to relieve that anxiety.
It costs us about $500.00 each week to keep our doors open. This includes: rent, insurance, utilities, hospitality, social media, internet, and printing. As our activities and outreach expand, so do our financial needs. Next year, we plan on making
improvements to our physical location and website and to continue music classes and workshops to teach others about the country blues tradition.
Please consider making a contribution to the Archie Edwards Blues Heritage Foundation. Your generous contribution helps us to keep our doors open and our activities ongoing. I thank everyone who makes Archie’s Barbershop their blues home.
Willie Leebel
President, Archie Edwards Blues Heritage Foundation
November 28, 2023