On 13th December 2011, the Blues Foundation announced the nominees in the 2012 Blues Music Awards (BMAs). These awards which used to be known as the W C Handy Awards, are considered to be the highest accolade available to blues artists and a nomination is, in itself, a great achievement.
Members of the Blues Foundation can cast their votes by visiting the Blues Foundation’s website at www.blues.org and following the Blues Awards tab. If you are not a member, please think about joining and lending your support to the work that the Foundation carries out supporting and encouraging the blues and the musicians playing this wonderful music.
The Awards will be presented on May 10th 2012 at theCookConvention Center inMemphis,Tennessee.
The nominees for the 2012 Awards are:
Acoustic Album
Conversations in Blue – David Maxwell & Otis Spann Brand New Eyes – Doug MacLeod Troubadour Live – Eric Bibb Misery Loves Company – Mary Flower Shake ‘Em on Down – Rory Block
Acoustic Artist
David Maxwell/ Doug MacLeod /Eric Bibb/ Guy Davis/ Mary Flower/ Rory Block
Album of the Year
Chicago Blues A Living History The (R)evolution Continues – Billy Boy Arnold, John Primer, Billy Branch, Lurrie Bell, Carlos Johnson Rock and a Hard Place – Eugene Hideaway Bridges The Lord is Waiting and the Devil is Too – Johnny Sansone Evening – Sugar Ray & the Bluetones Medicine – Tab Benoit Revelator – Tedeschi Trucks Band
B.B. King Entertainer
Candye Kane /Lil’ Ed/ Ruthie Foster/ Tab Benoit/ Tommy Castro
Band
Bo-Keys/ Lil’ Ed & the Blues Imperials/ Sugar Ray & the Bluetones/ Tedeschi Trucks Band Tommy Castro Band/ Trampled Under Foot
Best New Artist Debut
Choice Cuts – Big Pete /Bad Girl – Demetria Taylor /Runaway – Samantha Fish/ Leave the Light On – Sena Ehrhardt/ The Mighty Mojo Prophets – The Mighty Mojo Prophets
Contemporary Blues Album
Unconditional – Ana Popovic /Don’t Explain – Beth Hart & Joe Bonamassa /The Skinny – Ian Siegal & the Youngest Sons /The Lord is Waiting and the Devil is Too – Johnny Sansone /Medicine – Tab Benoit /Tommy Castro Presents The Legendary Rhythm & Blues Revue–Live! – Various Artists
Contemporary Blues Female Artist
Ana Popovic/ Bettye LaVette /Candye Kane /Janiva Magness/ Susan Tedeschi
Contemporary Blues Male Artist
Joe Louis Walker/ Johnny Sansone/ JP Soars /Tab Benoit /Tommy Castro
DVD
An Evening at Trasimeno Lake – Ana Popovic (ArtisteXclusive) Live at Montreux 2010 – Gary Moore (Eagle Rock) Live At Antone’s – Ruthie Foster (Blue Corn) The Emporium to the Orpheum – Trampled Under Foot (Redwood) All Jams on Deck – Various Artists (Legendary Rhythm & Blues Cruise & Mug-Shot Productions) Play the Blues – Wynton Marsalis & Eric Clapton (Rhino)
Gibson Guitar Award
Derek Trucks / Duke Robillard/ Kirk Fletcher /Lurrie Bell /Michael Burks
Historical Album
Bear Family – Texas Flyer 1974-76 (Freddie King) Chess – Smokestack Lightning/The Complete Chess Masters 1951-1960 (Howlin’ Wolf) Delmark – Hoodoo Man Blues (Junior Wells Chicago Blues Band with Buddy Guy) Electro-Fi – Teardrops Are Falling – Live in 1983 (George “Harmonica” Smith) Virgin – The Essential Modern Records Collection (Etta James)
Instrumentalist-Bass
Biscuit Miller/ Danielle Schnebelen/ Larry Taylor/ Michael “Mudcat” Ward /Patrick Rynn
Instrumentalist-Drums
Chris Layton/ Jimi Bott /Kenny Smith/ Robb Stupka/ Stanton Moore /Tony Braunagel
Instrumentalist-Harmonica
Charlie Musselwhite /Kim Wilson/ Lazy Lester /Rick Estrin /Sugar Ray Norcia
Instrumentalist-Horn
Al Basile /Doug James/ Keith Crossan/ Sax Gordon/ Terry Hanck
Instrumentalist-Other
Ben Prestage, diddley bow/ Lionel Young, violin/ Otis Taylor, banjo/ Rich Del Grosso, mandolin /Sonny Rhodes, lap steel guitar
Koko Taylor Award (Traditional Blues Female)
Diunna Greenleaf /Maria Muldaur /Nora Jean/ Ruthie Foster /Tracy Nelson
Pinetop Perkins Piano Player
David Maxwell/ Eden Brent/ Jon Cleary /Kenny “Blues Boss” Wayne/ Marcia Ball/ Victor Wainwright
Rock Blues Album
2120 South Michigan Avenue – George Thorogood & the Destroyers Dust Bowl – Joe Bonamassa Greyhound – Mike Zito Shiver – Too Slim and the Taildraggers Man in Motion – Warren Haynes
Song
“Appreciate What You Got” – Terry Hanck (Look Out! – Terry Hanck) “Back to the Blues” – Hadden Sayers (Hard Dollar- Hadden Sayers) “Memphis Still Got Soul” – Bob Trenchard & Johnny Rawls (Memphis Still Got Soul – Johnny Rawls) “Thank You for Giving Me the Blues” – Grady Champion, Zac Harmon & Chris Troy (Dreamin’ – Grady Champion) “The Lord is Waiting the Devil is Too” – Johnny Sansone (The Lord is Waiting and the Devil is Too – Johnny Sansone) “The Older I Get the Better I Was” – Joe Shelton (The Older I Get the Better I Was – Big Joe Shelton)
Soul Blues Album
Got to Get Back! – Bo-Keys Show You a Good Time – Bobby Rush Rock and a Hard Place – Eugene Hideaway Bridges Dreamin’ – Grady Champion Memphis Still Got Soul – Johnny Rawls
Soul Blues Female Artist
Alexis P. Suter/ Denise LaSalle/ Jackie Johnson /Sharrie Williams/ Sista Monica Parker
Soul Blues Male Artist
Bobby Rush/ Curtis Salgado/ Eugene Hideaway Bridges/ Johnny Rawls/ Otis Clay
Traditional Blues Album
Chicago Blues A Living History The (R)evolution Continues – Billy Boy Arnold, John Primer, Billy Branch, Lurrie Bell, Carlos Johnson Trying To Hold On – Diunna Greenleaf You Better Listen – Lazy Lester Evening – Sugar Ray & the Bluetones Victim of the Blues – Tracy Nelson
Traditional Blues Male Artist
Charlie Musselwhite/ John Primer/ Lazy Lester /Mac Arnold /Magic Slim
