To Sam Joyner, the blues are not just a genre of music. They are a way of life.

“Some people are born into the blues,” Joyner said. “It is not that it is special to me, it is a way of life. Just like people have a way of life wherever they grow up at. If you come from a family of dentist or postal workers, that’s the way of life. I come from a blues environment and it has been my way of life since early childhood.”

The New Orleans-based pianist was one of 18 blues musicians from around the world to make the finals at The International Blues Challenge in Memphis Saturday. Joyner’s road to Memphis started in Vicksburg where he was one of the winners of the Vicksburg Blues Challenge in August.

Two hundred and sixty musicians took part in the 2018 International Challenge and Joyner advanced through two rounds to make the finals for the second straight year.

“Unexplainable, just pure relief and happiness,” Joyner said of making the finals. “I feel like I am a lot better prepared this year and a little more seasoned.

“Once you get past the anxiety it is a great feeling. We got the word at like 4 a.m. this morning, the people that made it to the finals. My show was at 9 p.m., so from 9 to 4 in the morning, I was on pins and needles to see if I made it to the finals.”

The finals of the competition were held throughout Saturday at The Orpheum Theater.

“It is a pretty awesome feeling to be on the stage in The Orpheum Theater,” Joyner said. “It is pretty incredible. Win, lose or draw, The Orpheum is the ultimate as far as the International Blue Challenge is concerned. Just making it here is a great feeling.”

Joyner was joined in Memphis by the Mississippi Boogie Krewe made up of Chris Gill, Henry Rhodes, Gary Scott, Scotty “TBone” Turner and Forrest “Juke” Gordon. The Boogie Krewe won the band division in Vicksburg and advanced to the semifinals in Memphis.

“It was fabulous,” Gill said. “The first night is a lot of jitters and getting there. It is always a challenge because maybe the amps aren’t right or it took you too long to get here. You’ve got to be on your game. It always feels like some of that next night some of that nervous energy maybe is gone and then you are really on your game.”

Gill previously made it to the finals as part of a duo, but he said the experience is completely different playing with a band.

“I have been playing with these guys for 20 years,” Gill said. “It feels great. It is a lot stronger because it is a band, five us up there as one unit. It is great. A lot more energy and in a way there’s not as much pressure because you’ve got friends to be there and help you out.”

A winner from The Vicksburg Blues Challenge has advanced to the finals every year since 2013 and representatives won the International Challenge in 2014 and 2015.

“The blues touched my soul a long time ago and it has always been with me,” Gill said. “It is the music of all the other musics. Like Willie Dixon from Vicksburg said, ‘Blues is the roots and everything else is the fruits.’ That is why I love it and embrace it so much.”