The Blues Music Awards , formerly known as the W. C. Handy Awardsawards presented by the Blues Foundation , a non-profit organization set up to foster blues heritage. The awards were originally named in honor of W. C. Handy , "Father of the Blues."[1] [2] [3]
The are presented annually in Memphis, Tennessee , where the Blues Foundation is located, although the 2008 award ceremony was held in Tunica, Mississippi .[4] Memphis Cook Convention Center in Memphis. Two new award categories had been announced (Instrumentalist-Vocals and Blues Rock Artist of the Year) bringing the number of awards to be presented up to 26 in total.[5] [6]
The 41st ceremony was scheduled for May 7, 2020, but the live event was cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic .[7] [8] [9] [10]
2021 [ ] [11]
2020 [ ] [9]
2019 [ ]
Category
Winner
Acoustic Album of the Year
Journeys to the Heart of the Blues , Joe Louis Walker , Bruce Katz , Giles Robson
Acoustic Artist of the Year
Rory Block
Album of the Year
America's Child , Shemekia Copeland
B.B King Entertainer of the Year
Mike Ledbetter
Band of the Year
Welch-Ledbetter Connection
Best Emerging Artist Album
Free , Amanda Fish
Contemporary Blues Album of the Year
America's Child , Shemekia Copeland
Contemporary Blues Female Artist of the Year
Danielle Nicole
Contemporary Blues Male Artist of the Year
Kenny Neal
Instrumentalist - Bass
Danielle Nicole
Instrumentalist - Drums
Cedric Burnside
Instrumentalist - Guitar
Monster Mike Welch
Instrumentalist - Harmonica
Dennis Gruenling
Instrumentalist - Horn
Vanessa Collier
Instrumentalist - Vocals
Mike Ledbetter
Pinetop Perkins Piano Player
Marcia Ball
Koko Taylor Award (Traditional Blues Female)
Ruthie Foster
Blues Rock Album of the Year
The Big Bad Blues Billy F Gibbons
Blues Rock Artist of the Year
Eric Gales
Song of the Year
"No Mercy In This Land", Ben Harper and Charlie Musselwhite
Soul Blues Album of the Year
I'm Still Around , Johnny Rawls
Soul Blues Female Artist of the Year
Annika Chambers
Soul Blues Male Artist of the Year
Sugaray Rayford
Traditional Blues Album of the Year
The Blues Is Alive and Well Buddy Guy
Traditional Blues Male Artist of the Year
Nick Moss
[12]
2018 [ ] [13]
2017 [ ] [14]
2016 [ ] [15]
2015 [ ]
Category
Winner
Acoustic Album of the Year
Timeless , John Hammond
Acoustic Artist of the Year
John Hammond
Album of the Year
Can't Even Do Wrong Right , Elvin Bishop
B.B King Entertainer of the Year
Bobby Rush
Band of the Year
Elvin Bishop Band
Best New Artist Debut
Don't Call No Ambulance , Selwyn Birchwood
Contemporary Blues Album of the Year
BLUESAmericana Keb' Mo'
Contemporary Blues Female Artist of the Year
Janiva Magness
Contemporary Blues Male Artist of the Year
Gary Clark, Jr.
Historical Album of the Year
Soul & Swagger: The Complete “5” Royales 1951-1967 – The "5" Royales
Instrumentalist - Bass
Lisa Mann
Instrumentalist - Drums
Jimi Bott
Instrumentalist - Guitar
Joe Bonamassa
Instrumentalist - Harmonica
Charlie Musselwhite
Instrumentalist - Horn
Deanna Bogart
Pinetop Perkins Piano Player
Marcia Ball
Koko Taylor Award (Traditional Blues Female)
Ruthie Foster
Rock Blues Album of the Year
Step Back Johnny Winter
Song of the Year
"Can't Even Do Wrong Right", Elvin Bishop
Soul Blues Album of the Year
Memphis Grease , John Németh
Soul Blues Female Artist of the Year
Sista Monica
Soul Blues Male Artist of the Year
Bobby Rush
Traditional Blues Album of the Year
For Pops (A Tribute to Muddy Waters) , Mud Morganfield , Kim Wilson
Traditional Blues Male Artist of the Year
Lurrie Bell
[16]
2014 [ ]
Category
Winner
Acoustic Album of the Year
There's A Time , Doug MacLeod
Acoustic Artist of the Year
Doug MacLeod
Album of the Year
Remembering Little Walter , Billy Boy Arnold , Charlie Musselwhite , Mark Hummel , Sugar Ray Norcia and James Harman
B.B King Entertainer of the Year
Buddy Guy
Band of the Year
Tedeschi Trucks Band
Best New Artist Debut
Daddy Told Me , Shawn Holt & the Teardrops
Contemporary Blues Album of the Year
Badlands , Trampled Under Foot
Contemporary Blues Female Artist of the Year
Susan Tedeschi
Contemporary Blues Male Artist of the Year
Gary Clark, Jr.
DVD
Songs From The Road , Royal Southern Brotherhood
Historical Album of the Year
The Sun Blues Box , Various artists
Instrumentalist - Bass
Danielle Schnebelen
Instrumentalist - Drums
Cedric Burnside
Instrumentalist - Guitar
Ronnie Earl
Instrumentalist - Harmonica
Charlie Musselwhite
Instrumentalist - Horn
Eddie Shaw
Pinetop Perkins Piano Player
Victor Wainwright
Koko Taylor Award (Traditional Blues Female)
Diunna Greenleaf
Rock Blues Album of the Year
Made Up Mind , Tedeschi Trucks Band
Song of the Year
"Blues in My Soul", Lurrie Bell
Soul Blues Album of the Year
Down in Louisiana , Bobby Rush
Soul Blues Female Artist of the Year
Irma Thomas
Soul Blues Male Artist of the Year
John Németh
Traditional Blues Album of the Year
Remembering Little Walter , Billy Boy Arnold , Charlie Musselwhite , Mark Hummel , Sugar Ray Norcia and James Harman
Traditional Blues Male Artist of the Year
James Cotton
2011 [ ]
Category
Winner
Acoustic Album of the Year
Last Train to Bluesville , The Nighthawks
Acoustic Artist of the Year
John Hammond
Album of the Year
Living Proof Buddy Guy
B.B King Entertainer of the Year
Buddy Guy
Band of the Year
The Derek Trucks Band
Best New Artist Debut
On the Floor , Matt Hill
Contemporary Blues Album of the Year
Living Proof , Buddy Guy
Contemporary Blues Female Artist of the Year
Robin Rogers
Contemporary Blues Male Artist of the Year
Buddy Guy
DVD
Ruf, Songs From The Road , Luther Allison
Historical Album of the Year
Harmonica Blues , Bob Corritore and Friends
Instrumentalist - Bass
Bob Stroger
Instrumentalist - Drums
Cedric Burnside
Instrumentalist - Guitar
Derek Trucks
Instrumentalist - Harmonica
Charlie Musselwhite
Instrumentalist - Horn
Eddie Shaw
Instrumentalist - Other
Sonny Rhodes , Lap steel guitar
Koko Taylor Award (Traditional Blues Female)
Ruthie Foster
Pinetop Perkins Piano Player
Dr. John
Rock Blues Album of the Year
Live! In Chicago , Kenny Wayne Shepherd Band featuring Hubert Sumlin , Willie "Big Eyes" Smith , Bryan Lee and
Song of the Year
"Living Proof", (Tom Hambridge / Buddy Guy), Living Proof , Buddy Guy
Soul Blues Album of the Year
Nothing's Impossible , Solomon Burke
Soul Blues Female Artist of the Year
Irma Thomas
Soul Blues Male Artist of the Year
Solomon Burke
Traditional Blues Album of the Year
Joined At the Hip , Pinetop Perkins and Willie "Big Eyes" Smith
Traditional Blues Male Artist of the Year
Charlie Musselwhite
[17]
References [ ]
^ "BMI Ain't Singin' the Blues with Sweep of Handys" . BMI.com . 2002-06-02. Retrieved 2021-03-04 .^ "2013 Blues Awards Nominees Announced" . Offbeat.com . December 10, 2013. Retrieved January 9, 2014 .^ [1] Archived September 14, 2007, at the Wayback Machine ^ [2] Archived June 15, 2009, at the Wayback Machine ^ "2018 Blues Music Award nominees announced: Taj Mahal, Mavis Staples, Keb' Mo', N. Mississippi Allstars among nominees. - Blues Foundation" . Blues.org . Retrieved 17 April 2018 .^ "2019 Blues Music Awards: Memphis: May 9, 2019 - Calendar" . Bmi.com . Retrieved 22 April 2019 .^ "The 2020 Blues Music Awards in Memphis, TN are canceled" . Blues.org . Retrieved March 29, 2020 .^ McKay, Robin. "Blues Music Awards" . Blues.org . Retrieved January 29, 2020 . ^ Jump up to: a b McKay, Robin. "BLUES MUSIC AWARDS" . Blues.org . Retrieved May 4, 2020 . ^ McKay, Robin. "BLUES MUSIC AWARDS" . Blues.org . Retrieved April 14, 2021 . ^ Ehrenclou, Martine (June 7, 2021). "2021 Blues Music Award Winners Announced By The Blues Foundation" . Rockandbluesmuse.com . Retrieved June 9, 2021 . ^ "2019 Blues Music Awards Winners Announced" . Antimusic.com . Retrieved 11 May 2019 .^ "Blues Music Awards winners announced; Taj Mahal & Keb' Mo's 'TajMo' wins seven awards - Blues Foundation" . Blues.org . Retrieved 15 May 2018 .^ "2017 Blues Music Awards Winner List" . Americanbluesscene.com . Archived from the original on 2017-05-12. Retrieved 2017-05-24 .^ "2016 Blues Music Awards Winner List" . Blues411.com . Archived from the original on 2016-05-06. Retrieved 2016-05-23 .^ "2015 Blues Music Awards Winners" . Americanbluesscene.com . Archived from the original on 2015-05-19. Retrieved 2015-05-18 .^ "Blues Music Awards 2011 - A Delta Bohemian Perspective" . Deltabohemian.com . 2011-05-26. Retrieved 2014-08-03 .
External links [ ]