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".