It has become a tradition for me to attend the Blues Music Awards in Memphis Every May. It always falls around my birthday, so it’s a great way to talk the wife into letting me make the trip with my blues buddies. This year I attended with Rick Lusher (Radio Promoter), Ben Elliot (American Showplace Music) and John Pagano (formally known as JPBlues) and as always we were all looking forward to meeting many of those people we work with, talk to and watch through the year. It is also a great opportunity to meet and talk to those in the blues industry who are actually making a difference.

This year I was taken by the expansion of Blues Music Awards. What was once a one night event has started to morph into a 3 day event. We arrived the day before the actual award dinner and ceremony to attend the Amy Brat showcase at the RumBoogie. I have to say Amy did a fantastic job in putting together one hell of a show. The Host was Ruf Recording artist Albert Castiglia who orchestrated a night of great music and special guests. The list of musicians was long and prestigious to say to least! From Walter Trout to Kim Simmonds (Savoy Brown), from Alastair Greene (Alan Parsons Project) to Mike Zito (Ruf Records) the parade of world class blues and soul talent was staggering.

The next day we was the main event, we mingled at the reception while Tas Cru rocked away at the stage. After which they opened the doors to the hall for dinner and a night of music and awards. I have to commend the Blues Foundation for their nod to the younger indie blues artists. As Barbara Newman noted during her speech “more than half the nominees are under the age of 40”. This is not something that happened by chance. The nomination committee has been revamped to represent a more diverse representation of todays blues. Something that is long overdue! This change brought some very notable nominees and performances during the BMA’s from artists such as Larkin Poe, Southern Avenue, Mike Zito and The North Mississippi Allstars. This is a big shift in how the Blues Foundation is approaching the future and a big step in the right direction!

And the Nominees and Winners **** are!! 

NOTE: click on the link to purchase the nominated CD’s

Acoustic Album of the Year:

Catfish Keith – Mississippi River Blues
Doug MacLeod – Break the Chain ****
Guy Davis & Fabrizio Poggi – Sonny & Brownie’s Last Train
Harrison Kennedy – Who U Tellin’?
Mitch Woods – Friends Along The Way
Rory Block – Keepin’ Outta Trouble

Acoustic Artist:

Doug MacLeod
Guy Davis
Harrison Kennedy
Rory Block
Taj Mahal ****

Album of the Year:

Don Bryant – Don’t Give Up on Love
Monster Mike Welch and Mike Ledbetter – Right Place, Right Time
Rick Estrin & The Nightcats – Groovin’ In Greaseland
TajMo – TajMo****
Wee Willie Walker & The Anthony Paule Soul Orchestra – After a While

Band:

The Cash Box Kings
Monster Mike Welch and Mike Ledbetter
Nick Moss Band
North Mississippi All-Stars
Rick Estrin & the Nightcats****

B.B. King Entertainer of the Year:

Bobby Rush
Michael Ledbetter
Rick Estrin
Sugaray Rayford
Taj Mahal****

Best Emerging Artist Album:

Altered Five Blues Band – Charmed & Dangerous
Larkin Poe – Peach
Miss Freddye – Lady of the Blues
R.L. Boyce – Roll and Tumble
Southern Avenue – Southern Avenue****
Tas Cru – Simmered & Stewed

Contemporary Blues Album:

Beth Hart – Fire on the Floor
Corey Dennison Band – Night After Night
Ronnie Baker Brooks – Times Have Changed
Selwyn Birchwood – Pick Your Poison
TajMo – TajMo****

Contemporary Blues Female Artist:

Beth Hart
Karen Lovely
Samantha Fish****
Shemekia Copeland
Vanessa Collier

Contemporary Blues Male Artist:

Keb’ Mo’****
Michael Ledbetter
Ronnie Baker Brooks
Selwyn Birchwood
Toronzo Cannon

Historical Blues Album:

Jimmy Reed, Mr. Luck: The Complete Vee-Jay Singles – Craft Recordings
John Lee Hooker, King of the Boogie – Craft Recordings
Luther Allison, A Legend Never Dies – Ruf Records****
The Paul deLay Band, Live at Notodden ’97 – Little Village Foundation
Various Artists, American Epic: The Collection – Sony Legacy

Instrumentalist – Bass:

Benny Turner
Bob Stroger
Larry Fulcher
Michael “Mudcat” Ward****
Patrick Rynn

Instrumentalist – Drums:

Jimi Bott
June Core
Kenny Smith
Tom Hambridge
Tony Braunagel****

Instrumentalist – Guitar:

Anson Funderburgh
Chris Cain
Christoffer “Kid” Andersen
Monster Mike Welch
Ronnie Earl****

Instrumentalist – Harmonica:

Billy Branch
Dennis Gruenling
Jason Ricci****
Kim Wilson
Rick Estrin

Instrumentalist – Horn:

Al Basile
Jimmy Carpenter
Nancy Wright
Trombone Shorty*****
Vanessa Collier

Instrumentalist – Vocals:

Beth Hart
Don Bryant
John Nemeth
Michael Ledbetter
Sugaray Rayford
Wee Willie Walker

Koko Taylor Award (Traditional Blues Female Artist):

Annika Chambers
Diunna Greenleaf
Janiva Magness
Miss Freddye
Ruthie Foster

Pinetop Perkins Piano Player:

Anthony Geraci
Henry Gray
Jim Pugh
Mitch Woods
Victor Wainwright

Rock Blues Album:

Kenny Wayne Shepherd Band – Lay It On Down
Mike Zito – Make Blues Not War
North Mississippi Allstars – Prayer for Peace
Savoy Brown – Witchy Feelin’
Walter Trout – We’re All In This Together****

Rock Blues Artist:

Eric Gales
Jason Ricci
Kenny Wayne Shepherd
Mike Zito
Walter Trout

Song of the Year:

“The Blues Ain’t Going Nowhere” – written by Rick Estrin
“Don’t Give Up On Love” – written by Scott Bomar and Don Bryant
“Don’t Leave Me Here” – written by Kevin R. Moore, Taj Mahal, and Gary Nicholson
“Hate Take a Holiday” – written by Willie Walker, Anthony Paule, and Ernie Williams
“Prayer for Peace” – written by Luther Dickinson, Cody Dickinson, and Oteil Burbridge

Soul Blues Album:

Don Bryant – Don’t Give Up on Love
Johnny Rawls – Waiting for the Train
Robert Cray & Hi Rhythm – Robert Cray & Hi Rhythm****
Sugaray Rayford – The World That We Live In
Wee Willie Walker & The Anthony Paule Soul Orchestra – After a While

Soul Blues Female Artist:

Bettye LaVette
Denise LaSalle
Mavis Staples****
Trudy Lynn
Vaneese Thomas

Soul Blues Male Artist:

Curtis Salgado****
Don Bryant
Johnny Rawls
Sugaray Rayford
William Bell
Wee Willie Walker

Traditional Blues Album:

The Cash Box Kings – Royal Mint
Elvin Bishop’s Big Fun Trio – Elvin Bishop’s Big Fun Trio
Kim Wilson – Blues and Boogie Vol. 1
Monster Mike Welch and Mike Ledbetter – Right Place, Right Time****
Rick Estrin & The Nightcats – Groovin’ In Greaseland
Various Artists – Howlin’ At Greaseland

Traditional Blues Male Artist:

John Primer
Kim Wilson
Lurrie Bell
R.L. Boyce
Rick Estrin****