Independent Blues Awards 2023 VOTE NOW!

June 1, 2023

Making a Scene Presents the 2023 Independent Blues Awards!

Congratulations to all the nominees!

The 2023 Independent Blues Awards nominations are now in and ready for you to vote on. We do things a bit different than other awards in that we give you the opportunity to explore and experience artists and music you may not be familiar with.

In order to maximize you experience we highly recommend that you sign up for a FREE Spotify Account. We use Spotify players and links throughout the voting ballot so you can listen to and explore the nominated artists. This helps the artists as they get paid for their played songs, but it also helps them get into the Spotify Matrix so they can be discovered by other listeners on Spotify.

It would help them even more if you create your own playlist in your spotify account and add all your favorite songs and artists. Share this playlist on facebook, twitter and with your friends! Being added to spotify user playlists elevates an artists status on Spotify!

As you go through the ballot we use a simple link format, The link attached to the artist’s name will take you to their website, The Link attached to the CD Title will take you to a Spotify playlist for that CD and the Buy Link will take you to Amazon.com if you want to purchase either the physical CD or mp3 downloads. By using these links even if an artists does not win, they will receive a large benefit from their nomination! If you find an artists that you enjoy, help them by purchasing their music either as a download or a physical product. This is more important than ever because the pandemic has eliminated all touring which has essentially put them out of work! SUPPORT INDIE ARTISTS!

This year we have added two new categories to honor and recognize the Record Companies and Publicists that work with Indie Blues Artists. For the Song nominations, We have created a Spotify playlist of all the nominees in the category that you can listen to. Then you can choose your favorite song in each category.

If you take the opportunity to use this ballot as intended this can take some time, which is why we are extending the voting till Midnight on Sept 15 2023! If done right, this is an opportunity to discover new artists and new music.

1 VOTE PER EMAIL ADDRESS

ONLY FULLY COMPLETED BALLOTS WILL BE ELIGIBLE TO BE COUNTED!!

CONGRATULATIONS TO ALL THE NOMINEES and THANK YOU TO ALL WHO VOTES!

VOTE NOW

Male Artist

Tommy Castro Eddie 9v Mike Zito Albert Castiglia Sugaray Rayford Kenny Neal Kirt Fletcher Derrick Procell

Female Artist

Angel Forrest Eliza Neals Serabee Ally Venable Meg Williams Laura Tate Skylar Rogers Angela Easterling Lauren Anderson EG Kight Samantha Fish Kat Riggins Gina Sicilia

Traditional Blues Band

Kenny ‘Blues Boss’ Wayne Yates McKendree Dave Keyes South Island Rhythm Kings Matt Woods Band Grant Dermody Mick Kolassa Rev Shawn Amos The Nighthawks

Contemporay Blues Band

Jeff Dale & The South Woodlawners The Lucky Losers Michele D’Amour and the Love Dealers Laura Tate Patty Tuite Breezy Rodio Derrick Procell Dave Thomas

Blues Soul Artist

The Mighty Soul Drivers Annika Chambers and Paul Delaruiers Sugaray Rayford Dylan Triplett Markey BLue and Ric Latina Kat Riggins The McNaMarr Project Vaneese Thomas John Nemeth

Blues Rock Band

Ally Venable Yulian Taylor The Rusty Wright Band Rick Berthode GA-20 Lauren Anderson Chris Antonik Alex Lopez Too Slim and the Taildraggers Lew Jetton

Modern Roots Band

Searabee Jackie Venson Angela Easterling Taylor Scott Angel Forrest Emmanuel Casablanca Southbound Snake Charmers Larkin Poe

New Artist

Serabee Ben Levin Taylor Scott Band Dylan Triplett Matt Lomeo Southbound Snake Charmers Emanuel Casablanca Yulan Taylor

Acoustic CD

Lee Oskar – Never Forget Paul Oscher Rough Stuff Doug MacLeod – A Soul to Claim Rory Block – Ain’t Nobody Worried Ben Levin – Take your Time

Contemporary Blues CD

The Lucky Losers – Standing Pat Michele D’Amour and the Love Dealers – Hot Mess Patty Tuite – Hard Case of the Blues Breezy Rodio – Underground Blues Derrick Procell – Hello Mojo Dave Thomas – Road to the Blues Kenny Neal – Straight from the Heart Jose Ramirez – Major League BLues Tommy Castro – A bluesman comes to Town Kirt Fletcher – Heartache by the Pound

Traditional Blues CD

Kenny Blues Boss Wayne – Blues from Chicago to Paris Yates Mckendree – Buchanan Lane Dave Keyes – Rhythm Blues and Boogie South Island Rhythm Kings – Still That way today Matt Woods Band – Almost Made it Grant Dermody – Behind the Sun Mick Kolassa – I’m Just Getting Started Rev Shawn Amos – Hollywood Blues The Nighthawks – Est 1972 Trudy Lynn – Golden Girl Dave Weld and the Imperial Flames – Nightwalk Delbert McClinton – Outdated Emotion Buddy Guy – The Blues Don’t Lie

R&B Soul CD

The Might Soul Drivers – I’ll carry you Home Annika Chambers and Paul DeLauries – Good Trouble Sugaray Rayford – in too deep Dylan Triplett – Who is He Markey Blue and Ric Latina – Mississippi Soul kat Riggins – Progeny The McNaMarr Project – Run with me Vaneese Thomas – Fight the Good Fight Mississippi Heat – Madeleine Lady A – Satisfyin GeminiiDragon – Fighting fire with Fire John Nemeth – may be the Last time Laura Tate – Smokey Tango

Blues Rock CD

The Rusty Wright Band – Hanging out at the Deville Lounge Eliza Neals – Badder to the Bone Layla Zoe – The World could change GA-20 – Crackdow Lauren Anderson – Burn it all Down Chris Antonik – Morningstar Alex Lopez – Nasty Crime Lew Jetton – Deja Hoodoo Dana Fuchs – Borrowed Time Bernard Allison – Highs and Lows Albert Castiglia – I Got Love Tinsley Ellis – The Devil May Care

Modern Roots CD

Serabee – Hummingbird Tea Meg Williams – Back to the Blues Durham Country Poets – Out of the Woods Angela Easley – Rise Taylor Scott Band – The Hang Angel Forrest – Angels 11 Emanuel casablanca – Blood on my Hands Gina Sicilia – Unchanged Crystal Shawanda – Midnight Blues Jeremiah Johnson – Hi Fi Drive By Bywater Call – Remain Southbound Snake Charmers – The Snake Larkin Poe – Blood Harmony

LIVE CD

Damon Fowler and Friends – LIVE at the Paladium Vanessa Collier – LIVE at the Power Station Diane BLue LIVE at the Fallout Shelter Ben Reel Locked in and LIVE Matty T Wall LIVE Down Underground Hurricane Ruth LIVE at 3rd and Lindsley Starlite Campbell Band LIVE JOANNE SHAW TAYLOR – BLUES FROM THE HEART Jackie Venson – Love Transends LIVE in Austin Alastair Greene – Alive in the New World

New Artist CD

Ben Levin – Take Your Time Dylan Triplett – Who is He Matt Lomeo – When You Call Yates McKendree – Buchanan Lane Malaya Blue – Blue Credentials Spencer MacKenzie – Preach to my Soul Emmanuel Casablanca – Blood on my Hands Yulian Taylor – Blues Friends

Traditional Blues Song

Voodoo – Yates Mckendree 7 o’clock somewhere – Dave Keyes Honest I Do – Grant Dermody I’m Just Getting Started – Mick Kolassa Moved – Christopher Roberts/Shawn Amos I’ll Come Running Back to you – William S Cook (The Nighthawks) Golden Girl – Trudy Lynn Don’t Tell Mama – Dave Weld/Monica Myhre Connecticut Blues – Delbert McClinton/Kevin Mckendree/Yates Mckendree Follow the Money – Tom Hambridge/Gary Nicholson – Buddy Guy/James Taylor Money Talks – Doug MacLeod Took My Bar and Left me – Matt Lomeo/T Wilson

R&B Soul Song

Who is He and What is he to you – Dylan Triplett Dressed to Kill – Robert Orsi – The Mighty Soul Drivers Heavy Load – Annika Chambers/Paul Delauriers/jp Soars/Chris Peet Gonna Life You Up – Eric Corne (Sugaray Rayford) Mississippi Soul – Eri Latina/Jeannette Markey (markey blue) My City – Kat Riggins Save it Till I See You – Andrea Marr/John McNamara/Dave Reynolds Bad Man – Vanesse Thomas/Al Orlo Rain Down on Me – Lauren Anderson My Kinda Girl – Bernard Allison Smokey Tango – Mel Harker (Laura Tate) Shine a Light on Love – Richard Cousins (Kirk Fletcher) Rumpshaker – crystal Shawanda/Dwayne Strobel

Contemporary Blues Song

When I Close My Eyes – Eri Latina/Jeannette Markey Standin Pat – Phil Berkowitz/Danny Caron (lucky Losers) Hot Mess – Michele D’Amour Underground Blues – Breezy Rodio Hello Mojo – Derrick Procell/Terry Abrahamson Mount Up on the Wings of the King – Jerry Beach (Kenny Neal) Here in the Delta – Jose Ramirez/Shelly Bonet Heartache by the Pound – Kirk Fletcher/Richard Cousins Somewhere – Tommy Castro/Tom Hambridge Bayou Baby – Sera Buras/Jason McConnell Back at the Groove Shack – David Grant Whyte (Durham Country Poets) I can Let Go – Angela Easley

Blues Rock Song

Barnyard Blues – johnny lee schell/larry Fulcher/Mike finnigann/paul lawrence dunbar/ – Dylan Triplett Devil Man Blues – Russell Wright (Rusty Wright) Queen of the Nile – Eliza Neals/Hureta Neals Dark Heart – Layla Zoe/henrik freischlader Zombie Blues – Lauren Anderson Back to the Good – Chris Antonik/Derek Downham/Henry Lees Just Wait – Alex Lopez Two Lane Road – Robert Lewis Jetton (Lew Jetton) Star – Dana Fuchs/Jon Diamond So Excited – Bernard Allison I Got Love – Albert Castiglia/ephraim Lowell/justine tompkins Beat the Devil – Tinsley Ellis/Kevin McKendree

Modern Roots Song

Loves to Love a Woman – Sera Buras/Jason McConnell Stebly Done Getting Over You – Meg Williams/F Scott Barrier What we Got Going On – Kevin Harvey (Durham Country Poets) One More Last Time – Angela Easley Never Aim to Please – Tommy Stinson (Taylor Scott Band) Whiskey and Wonder – Angel Forrest/denis Coulombe Healing Time – Colin James/Colin Linden/Jim Weider (Gina Scilia) How Bad Do you Want it – Crystal Shawanda/Dwayne Strobel/Darin James Sweet Misery – Jeremiah Johnson/Paul Niehaus IV/Tom Maloney Let me Be Wrong – bywater Call/dave barnes/meghan parnell Whiskey n Mojo – Brooke Maloney/Chris Denman/Gary Ritchie/Nat Sutphin (Southbound Snake Charmers) Preach to My Soul – Spencer MacKenzie/Richard Mackenzie Blood Harmony – kevin John McGowan/Rebecca Lovell/Tyler Brant (larkin Poe) Truth Be Told – Cam Cole

Song For the Common Good

Stand Up – Annika Chambers/Paul Delauriers/JP Soars/Chris Peet United we Stand – Eric Corne/Sugaray Rayford Tears All over the World – Eri Latina/Jeannette Markey (markey Blue) Fight the Good Fight – Vanesse Thomas We’re All The Same – Layla Zoe/Henrik Freischlader World On Fire – Alex Lopez The World Needs Love – Buddy Guy South Gotta Change – Adia Victoria Fall of the USA – Jackie Venson

Best Music Video

Larkin Poe – Southern Comfort Samantha Fish – Faster Jeremiah Johnson Band – Hot Diggity Dog Serabee – New Orleans Cam Cole – Truth Be Told Angel Forrest with Crystal Shawanda – Hope Kenny Neal – New Orleans Alley Venable – Hateful Blues Bywater Call – Remain Kirt Fletcher – Afraid to Die too Scared to Live Adia Victoria – Magnolia Blues Laura Tate – Smokey Tango

Engineer/Producer

Tom Hambridge Mike Zito Selwyn Birchwood Kenny Neal Jim Gaines Eric Corne Tony Braunagel

Gateway Artist

Ally Venable Jackie Venson Jonathan Long Samantha Fish Larkin Poe Mike Zito Albert Castiglia Dana Fuchs Serabee

Content Creator

Mike Zito Joe Bonamassa Samantha Fish Larkin Poe Albert Castiglia Ally Venable Jackie Venson

Road Warrior

Ally Venable Samantha Fish Larkin Poe Mike Zito Albert Castiglia Tinsley Ellis Jackie Venson

Record Labels

Ruf Records Alligator Records Vizztone Lable Group Wild Heart Records Nola Blue Blue Heart Records Gulf Coast Records Forty Below Records Endless Blues Records Qualified Records Delmark Records Whiskey Bayou Records

Publiscists

Blind Raccoon Devious Planet Bratgirl Media MAC Radio Promotion Todd Glazer Radio Promotion Night Train PR Eric Alper Frank Roszak Promotion Mark Pucci Media Sarah French Publicity