31st Blues Music Awards Nominees

31st Blues Music Awards 2010

It’s that time again – the 2010 Blues Music Awards is right around the corner.  If you are a member of Blues.org, you can login to the site and cast your vote for the album and artists that have been nominated.

Among those nominated this year is Marquise Knox, a young bad-ass guitar player, as well as Derek Trucks, and Louisiana Red.

Below is the article as it appears on the blues.org website, listing out the nominees, and giving further information about the event to be held in Memphis this year.  Check it out!

The Blues Foundation will present the 31st Blues Music Awards on May 6, 2010, at the Cook Convention Center in Memphis, TN. Performers, industry representatives and fans from around the globe will have the chance to celebrate the best in Blues recording and performance from 2009.

Among those heading the list of honorees for the 31st Blues Music Awards is Joe Louis Walker, who garnered five nominations, including Album of the Year, Contemporary Blues Album of the Year, and Song of the Year for “I’m Tide” from his recent release Between a Rock and the Blues. Tommy Castro, Rick Estrin, Louisiana Red, Duke Robillard and Super Chikan each received four nominations. (Full nominee list is below)

“Many nominators noted that narrowing each category to five was an especially difficult task this year, but I think the nominees are very reflective of the past year’s releases. In this holiday season, I like to think of this as a present blues fans can open immediately,” Jay Sieleman, The Blues Foundation’s Executive Director said. “I would hope Blues fans will add the nominated releases and tickets to their shopping lists!”

Almost every nominee will be in attendance and perform so it’s safe to say it will be one of the best shows of the year; where else do you get the chance to see a lineup including the best of the best in blues all in one evening? The 30th Blues Music Awards were widely hailed as the best ever so order now to get the best seats for the show. Members get seating preference and are the only fans who vote to decide which nominees will actually take home the Blues Music Award. Online voting begins December 10 for members. Voting, ticket and host hotel information can be found by clicking on the links to the left.

The Blues Music Awards are universally recognized as the highest honor given to Blues artists. The presenting sponsor will once again be The Gibson Foundation. 2010 BMA sponsors include ArtsMemphis, BMI, Casey Family Programs, Eagle Rock Entertainment, FedEx, Legendary Rhythm & Blues Cruise, Memphis Convention and Visitors Bureau, the Sierra Nevada Brewing Company, and the Tennessee Arts Commission. The Blues Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony and Charter Members’ Dinner will be held on May 5, the night before the Blues Music Awards. Hall of Fame honorees will be announced in mid-February.

Acoustic Album of the Year

David Maxwell & Louisiana Red, You Got to Move

Maria Muldaur & her Garden of Joy, Good Time Music for Hard Times

Saffire-the Uppity Blues Women, Havin’ The Last Word

Samuel James, For Rosa, Maeve and Noreen

Various Artists, Things About Comin’ My Way – A Tribute to the music of the Mississippi Sheiks

Acoustic Artist of the Year

Annie Raines & Paul Rishell

Doug MacLeod

Guy Davis

Louisiana Red

Samuel James

Album of the Year

Duke Robillard’s Jumpin’ Blues Revue, Stomp! the Blues Tonight

Eddie C. Campbell, Tear This World Up

Joe Louis Walker, Between a Rock and the Blues

Louisiana Red & Little Victor’s Juke Joint, Back to the Black Bayou

Various Artists, Chicago Blues A Living History

B.B. King Entertainer of the Year

Candye Kane

Magic Slim

Rick Estrin

Super Chikan

Taj Mahal

Tommy Castro

Band of the Year

Duke Robillard’s Jumpin’ Blues Revue

Nick Moss & the Flip Tops

Rick Estrin and the Nightcats

The Mannish Boys

Tommy Castro Band

Best New Artist Debut

Greg Nagy, Walk That Fine Thin Line

Joanne Shaw Taylor, White Sugar

Marquise Knox, Man Child

Monkey Junk, Tiger in your Tank

The California Honeydrops, Soul Tub!

Contemporary Blues Album of the Year

Candye Kane, Superhero

Joe Louis Walker, Between a Rock and the Blues

Rick Estrin and the Nightcats, Twisted

Ronnie Earl and the Broadcasters, Living in the Light

Tommy Castro, Hard Believer

Contemporary Blues Female Artist of the Year

Bettye LaVette

Candye Kane

Janiva Magness

Ruthie Foster

Shemekia Copeland

Contemporary Blues Male Artist of the Year

Derek Trucks

Joe Louis Walker

John Nemeth

Michael Burks

Tommy Castro

DVD

Delmark Records, It Ain’t Over! Delmark Celebrates 55 Years of Blues, Live at Buddy Guy’s Legends

Eagle Eye Media, Live at Montreux 1993 (B.B. King)

Jo Films & Roadside Productions, Hot Flash (Saffire – The Uppity Blues Women)

Mojo Rodeo Records, A Night in Woodstock (Paul Rishell and Annie Raines)

Vincent Productions, Down to the Crossroads Vol. 1 (George Thorogood & the Destroyers w/ Eddie Shaw)

Historical Album of the Year

Bear Family Records, Taking Care of Business (1956-1973) (Freddie King)

Chess, Authorized Bootleg (Muddy Waters)

Eagle Records, Essential Montreux (Gary Moore)

Hip-O Select, The Complete Chess Masters (1950-1967) (Little Walter)

Landslide Records, Sean’s Blues (Sean Costello)

Instrumentalist-Bass

Bill Stuve

Bob Stroger

Larry Taylor

Mookie Brill

Patrick Rynn

Instrumentalist-Drums

Cedric Burnside

Jimi Bott

Kenny Smith

Sam Carr

Tony Braunagel

Instrumentalist-Guitar

Derek Trucks

Duke Robillard

Joe Louis Walker

Lurrie Bell

Ronnie Earl

Instrumentalist-Harmonica

Billy Branch

Jason Ricci

Kim Wilson

Mark Hummel

Rick Estrin

Instrumentalist-Horn

Al Basile

Big James Montgomery

Deanna Bogart

Eddie Shaw

Keith Crossan

Instrumentalist-Other

Buckwheat Zydeco (accordion)

Gerry Hundt (mandolin)

Johnny Sansone (accordion)

Otis Taylor (banjo)

Rich Del Grosso (mandolin)

Pinetop Perkins Piano Player

Bruce Katz

David Maxwell

Eden Brent

Henry Butler

Henry Gray

Rock Blues Album of the Year

Derek Trucks Band, Already Free

Jason Ricci & New Blood, Done with the Devil

Jim Suhler & Monkey Beat, Tijuana Bible

Mike Zito, Pearl River

Tinsley Ellis, Speak No Evil

Song of the Year

Cyril Neville & Mike Zito, ‘Pearl River’ (Pearl River–Mike Zito)

James Johnson , ‘Fred’s Dollar Store’ (Chikadelic–Super Chikan)

Joe Louis Walker, ‘I’m Tide’ (Between a Rock and the Blues–Joe Louis Walker)

John Hahn & Oliver Wood, ‘Never Going Back to Memphis’ (Never Going Back–Shemekia Copeland)

Vyasa Dodson, ‘At Least I’m Not With You’ (At Least I’m Not With You–The Insomniacs)

Soul Blues Album of the Year

Charles Wilson, Troubled Child

Darrell Nulisch, Just for You

Johnny Rawls, Ace Of Spades

Latimore, All About the Rhythm and the Blues

Mighty Sam McClain, Betcha Didn’t Know

Soul Blues Female Artist of the Year

Barbara Carr

Denise LaSalle

Irma Thomas

Shirley Brown

Sista Monica Parker

Soul Blues Male Artist of the Year

Curtis Salgado

Darrell Nulisch

Jackie Payne

Johnny Rawls

Latimore

Traditional Blues Album of the Year

John Primer, All Original

Johnnie Bassett, The Gentleman is Back

Louisiana Red & Little Victor’s Juke Joint, Back to the Black Bayou

Super Chikan, Chikadelic

Various Artists, Chicago Blues A Living History

Traditional Blues Female Artist of the Year

Ann Rabson

Debbie Davies

Fiona Boyes

Shirley Johnson

Zora Young

Traditional Blues Male Artist of the Year

Duke Robillard

John Primer

Johnnie Bassett

Louisiana Red

Super Chikan