Musician Lubos Bena is considered to be the most frequently travelling Slovak bluesman. Lubos was born and still lives in Záhorie, which is also the birthplace of John Dopyera – the inventor of the „Dobro“ resophonic guitar. In the late 90-ties, influenced and impressed by the U.S. stars who performed at the Trnava Dobrofest festival, he took a serious interest in the resophonic guitar and the blues. The Slovak Blues Society voted him the „Newcomer of the Year“ in 2001 and awarded him a prestigious title the „Bluesman of the Year“ in 2004 and 2008.
He took part in a couple of music workshops directly in the cradle of the blues in the South of the U.S.A. In order to study better and deeper the authentic blues, he travelled all over Mississippi, Louisana, Arkansas and Tennessee states and had become the first ever Slovak bluesman who performed there for the local audience. On top of that, he also took part in the recording of a new album of Dr. David Evans, the famous blues guitarist, singer and musicologist.
Lubos performed at prestigious festivals throughout Europe, Russia and played at the U.S. Arkansas Blues & Heritage Festival. He represented Slovakia at the European Blues Challenge 2012 in Berlin, 2013 in france and 2017 in danmark. Lubos was a juryman at the International Blues Challenge 2012 in Memphis and as musician Lubos has represented the Slovak Republic at 29th International Blues Challenge 2013 in Memphis, in the end he went ahead to great semi-final.
Lubos Bena played a small role of a pub musician in the Czech movie „ID Card“ and participated in composing music for the film, too. He was chosen to play as a support at the concert of the legendary American bluesman Johnny Winter during his Czech Republic tour.
Lubos is the organizer of the regular cycle of concerts and festivals known as the „Music In Town“ in his home town Skalica. Besides, he has founded and led the civil association SLOVAKBLUES and portal Bluesmusic.sk. In 2018, Lubos returned to the roots of the American traditional old-time music and renews Prospektori (Prospectors), one of the oldest groups in Western Slovakia.
2020 - 2022 Pause in concerts caused by Covid-19.
2019 Bena & Radvanyi: The Best Blues Duo in Slovakia in 2018
2018 Prospektori: singer and guitarist of old-time music group
2018 Bena & Radvanyi: The Best Blues Duo in Slovakia in 2017
2017 Slovak Blues Project: European Blues Challenge 2017 Horsens
2017 Slovak Blues Project: Newcomer Of The Year 2016 in Slovakia
2016 Slovak Blues Project: Vinner of the Slovakian Blues Challenge 2016
2016 Slovak Blues Project: Vinner of the XIII Galicja Blues Festival, Krosno, Poland
2016 Slovak Blues Project: Vinner of the Czech competition Blues Aperitiv, Šumperk
2016 Bena & Radvanyi: The Best Blues Duo in Slovakia in 2015
2015 Representation of Slovakia at the Jazz Festival in Moscow
2015 Chairman of the jury Croatian Blues Challenge, Pula
2015 Bena & Radvanyi: The Best Blues Duo in Slovakia in 2014
2014 Bena & Radvanyi: The Best Blues Duo in Slovakia in 2013
2013 Bena & Radvanyi: European Blues Challenge, Toulouse
2013 Bena & Slavik: International Blues Challenge (Semifinals), Memphis
2012 Bena & Slavik: European Blues Challenge, Berlin
2012 Official Judge at International Blues Challenge, Memphis
2005 - 2011 Project Bena & Ptaszek: Music of the Mississippi River
2010 Juke Join Musician in Czech film Očanský průkaz
2009 Hohner Newcomer 2009 at World Harmonica Festival
2009 Opening act of Johnny Winter in the Czech Republic
2005 - 2008 Played in Mississippi, Memphis, Arkansas