The Story of Blues at the Crossroads Festival In 2000, Connie Wrin started the Blues at the Crossroads Festival. It began as just a “little party” outside the Verve, which I opened in December 1999. We were shocked that attendance was well over a thousand people, so we decided to do it again. In 2005, we set up a not-for-profit so we could use the proceeds from the event to help others throughout the year. That year, Hurricane Katrina devastated the Gulf Coast. We were able to fill two box trucks with supplies which Todd Nation and Connie Wrin drove down to Alexandria, AL. Blues at the Crossroads was also able to make a monetary donation of $2,000 to the American Red Cross. For the next few years proceeds from the event went to the American Red Cross and the Terre Haute Boys Club. Then in 2012 we collaborated with Community School of the Arts to create the Music is Key program. This program provides new guitars and a year of music lessons to at risk children in our community. At the beginning of each academic year we reach out to the Vigo County School Corporation who assists us in identifying at risk children who are interested in learning to play guitar. These children write a short essay about why they want to learn to play guitar and all those children receive a new guitar and a certificate for free music lessons through ISU School of Music. These children receive their guitars during the Saturday opening ceremonies at the Blues at the Crossroads Festival. If the children continued to take lessons throughout the year they got to perform the following year at the Blues Festival.

Connie Wrin – Organizer and Founder. Owner of The Verve.
 Sam Kigin – Staff Coordinator. 
Cathy Wood – Media Consultant.
Cheryl Maners – Backstage Liaison.

Alec Thompson – Marketing and Graphic Design.