BLUES MUSIC AWARD NOMINEES ANNOUNCED

The Blues Foundation will present the Blues Music Awards at the Cook Convention Center in Memphis, TN, on May 6, 2010. 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, Super Chikan, Louisiana Red and Duke Robillard, each received four nominations.

"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.

The complete list of nominees are listed below. Online voting is now open for members. Voting, ticket and host hotel information can also be accessed at www.blues.org.

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 the night before the Awards, May 5. Honorees will be announced in mid-February.

2010 Blues Music Awards

Presenting Sponsor: The Gibson Foundation

NOMINEES

Acoustic Album
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
Annie Raines & Paul Rishell
Doug MacLeod
Guy Davis
Louisiana Red
Samuel James

Album
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
Candye Kane
Magic Slim
Rick Estrin
Super Chikan
Taj Mahal
Tommy Castro

Band
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
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
Bettye LaVette
Candye Kane
Janiva Magness
Ruthie Foster
Shemekia Copeland

Contemporary Blues Male Artist
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 - The Documentary (Saffire-the Uppity Blues Women)
Mojo Rodeo Records A Night in Woodstock (Paul Rishell & Annie Raines)
Vincent Productions Down to the Crossroads Vol. 1 (George Thorogood & the Destroyers w/ Eddie Shaw)

Historical
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
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
Cyril Neville & Mike Zito “Pearl River” (Pearl River--Mike Zito)
James “Super Chikan” 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
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
Barbara Carr
Denise LaSalle
Irma Thomas
Shirley Brown
Sista Monica Parker

Soul Blues Male Artist
Curtis Salgado
Darrell Nulisch
Jackie Payne
Johnny Rawls
Latimore

Traditional Blues Album
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
Ann Rabson
Debbie Davies
Fiona Boyes
Shirley Johnson
Zora Young

Traditional Blues Male Artist
Duke Robillard
John Primer
Johnnie Bassett
Louisiana Red
Super Chikan

www.blues.org

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