Last night was the eloquent presentation of the 32nd annual Blues Music Awards. Hundreds of artists & industry leaders, and even more fans were in attendance for the show at the grand Marriot Convention Center in Memphis, Tennessee. This year’s competition in the various categories was exceptionally fierce, with some of the biggest names in the blues vying for the prestigious award in their category. There was also a solemn reminder of the great many blues giants that were lost this year, with Robin Rogers and Pinetop Perkins both winning awards in different categories. Both tragically passed away in the last five months. See all of the winners, highlighted in blue, below. Our most sincere congratulations go out to all of the winners and the nominees. Being commended for excellent work by even being nominated for a Blues Music Award is possibly the highest honor an artist can have in the blues community.
Acoustic Album of the Year
The Nighthawks – Last Train to Bluesville
Paul Oscher – Bet On The Blues
Eric Bibb – Booker’s Guitar
South Memphis String Band – Home Sweet Home
Lucky Peterson – You Can Always Turn Around
Acoustic Artist of the Year
John Hammond
Doug MacLeod
Eric Bibb
Guy Davis
Paul Oscher
Album of the Year
Buddy Guy – Living Proof
Eden Brent – Ain’t Got No Troubles
The Mannish Boys – Shake for Me
Janiva Magness – The Devil is an Angel Too
Charlie Musselwhite – The Well
B.B King Entertainer of the Year
Buddy Guy
Janiva Magness
Joe Louis Walker
Kenny Neal
Super Chikan
Band of the Year
Derek Trucks Band
Magic Slim & the Teardrops
Nick Moss Band
Rick Estrin & the Nightcats
The Holmes Brothers
The Kilborn Alley Blues Band
The Mannish Boys
Best New Artist Debut
Matt Hill – On the Floor
Chris O’Leary Band – Mr. Used to Be
Claudette King – We’re Onto Something
Peter Parcek 3 – The Mathematics of Love
The Vincent Hayes Project – Reclamation
Contemporary Blues Album of the Year
Buddy Guy – Living Proof
Smokin’ Joe Kubek & Bnois King – Have Blues Will Travel
John Nemeth – Name The Day!
Karen Lovely – Still The Rain
Janiva Magness – The Devil Is An Angel Too
Contemporary Blues – Female Artist of the Year
Robin Rogers
Candye Kane
Janiva Magness
Karen Lovely
Shemekia Copeland
Contemporary Blues – Male Artist of the Year
Buddy Guy
Joe Louis Walker
John Nemeth
Kenny Neal
Nick Moss
DVD of the Year
Luther Allison – Songs From The Road
Various Artists – The Mississippi Sheiks Tribute Concert
Tail Dragger – Live at Rooster’s Place
Watermelon Slim & the Workers – Live at Ground Zero Blues Club
Mac Arnold – Nothing to Prove
Historical Album of the Year
Bob Corritore & Friends – Harmonica Blues
Little Smokey Smothers & Elvin Bishop – Chicago Blues Buddies
Various Artists – Jimmy Dawkins Presents the Leric Story
Junior Wells & the Aces – Live in Boston 1966
Luther Allison – Songs From The Road
Best Instrumentalist – Bass
Bob Stroger
Bill Stuve
Larry Taylor
Patrick Rynn
Steve Gomes
Best Instrumentalist – Drums
Cedric Burnside
Jimi Bott
Kenny “Beedy Eyes” Smith
Robb Stupka
Tony Braunagel
Best Instrumentalist – Guitar
Derek Trucks
Duke Robillard
Joe Louis Walker
Kirk Fletcher
Ronnie Earl
Best Instrumentalist – Harmonica
Charlie Musselwhite
Bob Corritore
James Cotton
Kim Wilson
Paul Oscher
Best Instrumentalist – Horn
Eddie Shaw
Big James Montgomery
Doug James
Keith Crossan
Terry Hanck
Best Instrumentalist – Other
Sonny Rhodes – lap steel guitar
Gerry Hundt – mandolin
Johnny Sansone – accordion
Otis Taylor – banjo
Rich Del Grosso – mandolin
Pinetop Perkins Piano Player
Dr. John
David Maxwell
Eden Brent
Henry Butler
Mitch Woods
Rock Blues Album of the Year
Kenny Wayne Shepherd Band – Live! In Chicago
Steve Miller Band – Bingo
Walter Trout – Common Ground
Nick Moss – Privileged
Derek Trucks – Roadsongs
Song of the Year
Tom Hambridge & Buddy Guy – “Living Proof” (Buddy Guy – Living Proof)
Bruce Iglauer, Wyzard & David Kearney – “Please Mr. President” (Guitar Shorty – Bare Knuckle)
Steve Gomes – “Rained All Night” (Tad Robinson – Back In Style)
Charlie Musselwhite – “Sad and Beautiful World” (Charlie Musselwhite – The Well)
Dennis Walker & Alan Mirikitani – “Still the Rain” (Karen Lovely – Still The Rain)
Soul Blues Album of the Year
Solomon Burke – Nothing’s Impossible
Denise LaSalle – 24 Hour Woman
Tad Robinson – Back in Style
The Holmes Brothers – Feed My Soul
Eugene “Hideaway” Bridges – Live In San Antonio
Arthur Adams – Stomp the Floor
Soul Blues – Female Artist of the Year
Irma Thomas
Barbara Carr
Claudette King
Denise LaSalle
Sista Monica Parker
Soul Blues – Male Artist of the Year
Solomon Burke
Bobby Rush
Curtis Salgado
Eugene ‘Hideaway’ Bridges
Tad Robinson
Traditional Blues Album of the Year
Pinetop Perkins & Willie “Big Eyes” Smith – Joined At The Hip
James Cotton – Giant
Duke Robillard – Passport To The Blues
The Mannish Boys – Shake For Me
Charlie Musselwhite – The Well
Traditional Blues – Male Artist of the Year
Charlie Musselwhite
Alabama Mike
James Cotton
Magic Slim
Super Chikan
Koko Taylor Award (Traditional Blues – Female Artist of the Year)
Ruthie Foster
Eden Brent
Reba Russell
Sue Foley
Teeny Tucker
Zora Young
4 Comments
Maybe Sista Monica Parker can make the Soul Blues – Female Artist of the Year next time.
It’s really tough these days to actually find a site that will break down the award winners when it comes to the BMAs. But I’m glad I found this as I will be able to use it as a reference to other material I’m putting together. I don’t know if I am totally sold with ALL the winners. But these blues musicians and groups are by far the best of the best and I look forward to next years BMAs.
Thanks, Blues Fan! Whether they walked away with the big award or not, they are, indeed, the cream of the crop.