For Hector Anchondo, the third time really became the charmed one. Anchondo entered the 2020 International Blues Challenge in the solo/duo category and came away with the top prize: winning the solo/duo category. He also took home the Memphis Cigar Box Guitar Award for best guitarist in the solo/duo competition, where he performed representing the Blues Society of Omaha. It was Anchondo’s third year performing at the IBC as the BSO’s artist. In 2015 the Hector Anchondo Band made the semifinals (from about 250 artists down to 50 semifinalists) and in 2016 the Hector Anchondo Band went all the way to the finals, playing in the top eight bands chosen by judges from the week of performances.  

Being a winner in the International Blues Challenge is a prestigious honor. For Anchondo, it was the culmination of over two decades of work. “Winning this feels like reward for having stuck with music for 24 years,” Anchondo says. “I had flashbacks of all the journeys, sleeping on floors, years of sleeping in the van, overnight drives, no pay, credit card debt for the cause, broken-down vans, the list goes on.” 

 Anchondo’s dedication to music comes from his heart. He spent time in a popular rock band called Anchondo, but all the while the blues was calling him. Finally, Hector says, “I decided to make the change to what my heart really wanted. At one point in my old band, I started playing more guitar and there were some folks that became upset because I wasn’t sticking to just the songs. That broke my heart and I decided that I was going to do what my heart was asking and switch to the blues and really let my guitar loose.”