The 2026 edition of the UK Blues Challenge took place on 26th September at Marshall Studios, Bletchley, next door to the Marshall Amplification factory making their iconic speakers. This was organised by the UK Blues Federation with the winners representing the UK at both the International Blues Challenge in Memphis, USA (taking place in January 2027) and the European Blues Challenge (taking place in Portugal in April 2027).
The five bands chosen for this year’s challenge were Bison Hip, Will Wilde, Lightning Threads, Hollie Rogers and The Whisky Flowers. The running order had been agreed by drawing lots and each band/artiste had 25 minutes to impress the five judges. The judges included the editors of Blues in Britain, Blues Matters, the 2025 winner Emma Wilson and Stephen Steinhaus (Upton Blues Festival) and Penny Lee from The Haven, Oxford. They were marking with five elements, Vocal Talent, Instrumental Talent, Stage Presence, Originality and Blues Content.
With introductions to all the bands from Paul Long, first up was Bison Hip from Glasgow, Scotland and their performance included ‘Writing You a Love Song’ a great blues rock sound with guitar & piano breaks and energetic vocals from Paul Sloway. They followed this with ‘I Forgot to Tell My Heart That You Were Gone’ a heavier song with powerful vocals, heavy beat and strident vocals.
Have a look at the Full Bands Image Gallery
Have a look at the Full Bands Image Gallery
‘The Bullfighter’ was a love song with a slower tempo with echoey keys and guitar and solid drums & bass. A Mellow & evocative song which the audience loved.
Also, in their set was ‘This Time’ an early single a more mellow song.
Next up was harmonica maestro Will Wilde and his band and their set included ‘Call Me the Wild Man’ with great harmonica and rhythm section, ‘Don’t Play with Fire Baby’ an upbeat R&B song with strident vocals and great and impassioned harmonica playing.
‘You Stole Your Love From Me’ was a slower harmonica led bluesy song with lovely gentle blues break on guitar. It then gets quicker & heavier with mellow interludes, ‘Your Kinda Love’ which ups the tempo with a funky R&B rhythm with audience participation with Will Wilde showing he is a showman.
They finished with ‘The Blues is Still Alive’ a bluesy vocals and guitar song with slinky tempo, with keys break from Ben Maxwell.
Sheffield’s Lightning Threads were up next with their powerful three played blues rock and their set included ‘Brown Liquor, Black Coffee’ a slower number with evocative vocals from Tom Jane and ‘Devil Inside of Me’ a heavy blues rock number to finish.
Then newly married Hollie Rogers (who went on a skateboard down the aisle!) and a scratch band took to the stage. They gave us ‘Bad Woman’ an upbeat song with lots of power and guitar breaks, ‘Strange’ with wailing guitar from Russ Stewart with Hollie’s evocative vocals.
Also ‘Some Kinda Lover’ led with Hollie’s passionate vocals, then a slower song next ‘The Coast Road’ with Hollie solo with a lovely acoustic song with passionate vocals from Hollie.
She finished with the title track from her latest album ‘Everything’s Fine’ with great vocals and guitars.
Then we had from Kettering The Whisky Flowers with their energic blues with lead vocals & guitar with Steph Ashcroft and lead guitar & vocals from Aiden Pryor, backed by Elliot Clark on Bass and Ben Hart on drums.
Their set included ‘Alive’ with its mystic gothic feel with great guitarwork from Aiden, a brand-new song just recorded in the studio ‘Can You Feel the Rain’ a heavy blues rocker and ‘Save Me From Myself’ another heavy blues rock number with dual lead vocals and passionate drumming & bass complimenting Steph & Aiden.
Then it was time from UK Blues Federation Chair Richard Dunning to collect the completed voting forms back from the five judges to tot up the results. After a few minutes with the anticipation rising Richard took the stage. It was obvious from his early words that there was a shock in store, in particular when he said four of the bands’ votes were within 3 votes apart.
He then announced that the 2026 UK Blues Challenge winners were The Whisky Flowers to a lot of pandemonium in the audience. The band took to the stage in shock and Aiden accepted the win on behalf of the band, which has only been together for two years.
So, they will be looking forward to competing representing the UK in Memphis, Tennessee and Portugal in 2027