Blues Awards in Memphis This Week by Monica Yasher
This week is a happening week in Memphis, as people join to celebrate the Blues Music Awards and the ceremony for the Inductees into the Hall of Fame! We will be rescheduling our normal coverage for these events this Thursday and Friday, to offer the best up to date coverage of this special Blues Occasion. Please check back to see photos and our coverage on Thursday and Friday.
The 2010 show consists of 65 nominees and will include appearances and performances in a dinner table setting at the Cook Convention Center in Memphis, Tennessee. This is the highest honor given to Blues artists. As always, a pre-party will immediately precede the Awards as well as the following activities:
Wednesday, May 5
1:00 pm - 5:00 pm Ticket Will Call Marriott West Foyer on mezzanine at top of escalator
1:00 pm - 5:00 pm Silent Auction Marriott St. Louis Room off West Foyer
6:00 pm Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony Marriott
The Blues Foundation announced the 2010 Hall of Fame Inductees. Since 1980, the Blues Foundation has honored past and present individuals in the following categories: Performers, Non-Performers, Classics of Blues Literature, Classics of Blues Recordings (Songs), Classics of Blues Recordings (Albums). The people honored are individuals that have impacted the blues genre.
These honors are presented in a private special awards dinner in Memphis, on Wednesday, May 5th, 2010, at the Memphis Marriott Downtown in Memphis, Tennessee,the night before the Blues Music Awards. The inductees are determined by a private panel that discusses who should be nominated and awarded and is chaired by Jim O'Neal, founding editor of Living Blues.
The inductees selected for the year 2010 are:
Lonnie Brooks who hails from Louisiana and is based in Chicago.
Charlie Musselwhite, blues singer and harpist.
Bonnie Raitt, singer, songwriter, guitarist and social activist.
W.C. Handy, "The Father of the Blues".
Gus Cannon and Cannon's Jug Stompers who are jug band pioneers.
Amos Milburn, who penned, "One Scotch, One Bourbon, One Beer"
Peter Buralnick an American roots music writer.
Sonny Payne who is the host of the King Biscuit Time program on KFFA radio in Helena, Arkansas.
Sam Charters' who did groundbreaking research on the blues in the 1950s and '60s that resulted in several books including this year's Classics of Blues Literature inductee - The Bluesmen.
Works of individual art that are inducted are:
"All Your Love (I Miss Loving)" by Otis Rush
"Fever" by Little Willie John
"Key to the Highway" by Big Bill Broonzy
"Match Box Blues" by Blind Lemon Jefferson
"Spoonful" by Howlin' Wolf.
Album Works are also being honored:
Strong Persuader by Robert Cray
Hung Down Head by Lowell Fulson
I Hear Some Blues Downstairs by Fenton Robinson
Congratulations to all of the 2010 Blues Hall Of Fame inductees!
The party continues for Thursday, May 6!
10:00 am - 2:00 pm Silent Auction & Blues Music Award Merchandise Sales Marriott West Foyer and St. Louis Room
10:00 am - 4:00pm Ticket Will Call Marriott West Foyer
11:00 am Blues Music Award Poster Signing with Buddy Guy
The Majestic Grille
145 South Main $75 includes signed poster and special blues luncheon buffet
Call 901.522.8555 to make your reservation. Limited Number Available.
All proceeds benefit The Blues Foundation.
3:00 pm Drink Ticket Sales Open Marriott
5:00 pm Ticket Will Call and Drink Ticket Sales Convention Center
5:30 pm The Party Begins reception featuring performances
by 2010 Blues Music Award nominees. Grand Lobby, Convention Center
5:30 pm - 11:00 pm Silent auction & Blues Music Award Merchandise Sales Convention Center
7:00 pm - 1:00 am Dinner, Awards & Nominee performances Convention Center
Until then, just to refresh your memory, here is a summary of the people and places to meet and greet at this event! American Blues News has been privileged to speak to many of the nominees. We have highlighted everyone we have covered in the past year. What a great bunch of people! Readers - Enjoy! And, Best of Luck to the Nominees we are rooting for you all!
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 (Interviews with: Ann, Gaye, Andra)
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 Interview pics
Magic Slim
Rick Estrin
Super Chikan
Taj Mahal
Tommy Castro Interview Pics
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 Interview Pics
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 interview pics
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 interview pics
Contemporary Blues Female Artist of the Year
Bettye LaVette
Candye Kane
Janiva Magness
Ruthie Foster
Shemekia Copeland interview
Contemporary Blues Male Artist of the Year
Derek Trucks (show review, CD review)
Joe Louis Walker
John Nemeth
Michael Burks
Tommy Castro interview pics
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 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 (show review, CD review)
Duke Robillard
Joe Louis Walker
Lurrie Bell
Ronnie Earl
Instrumentalist-Harmonica
Billy Branch LV Banks article more pics
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) (Interview coming!)
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 (show review, CD review)
Jason Ricci & New Blood, Done with the Devil
Jim Suhler & Monkey Beat, Tijuana Bible
Mike Zito, Pearl River (Review, Interview)
Tinsley Ellis, Speak No Evil Interview
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 Interview coming!
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
Congratulations to all of the 2010 Blues Awards Nominees!
And, let's not forget the backbone of the blues awards, the people that are constantly out there keeping this genre available for music fans across the globe. We are speaking of the Keeping the Blues Alive Awards.
Along with the International Blues Challenge, the Blues Foundation presented the Keeping the Blues Alive (KBA) Awards. This award was given to individuals and organizations that have been recognized for their various efforts in the Blues world. Categories are determined on a yearly basis.
On Saturday, January 23, 2010, at the Doubletree Hotel in Memphis, TN, the Blues Foundation presented the 2010 KBA Awards during a recognition brunch. Individuals or groups were recognized and awarded the KBA by a select panel of Blues professionals.
Typically, a KBA is awarded to an individual or organization only once.
Congratulations to the 2010 Keeping the Blues Alive Award recipients:
Art and Photography: Michael Maness, Memphis, Tennessee
Blues Club: Bradfordville Blues Club, Tallahassee, Florida
Blues Organization: Connecticut Blues Society
Education: Spencer Bohren, New Orleans, Louisiana
Festival: Heritage Music Blues Festival, Wheeling, West Virginia
Festival International: Piazza Blues, Bellinzona, Switzerland
Historical Preservation: Eric Leblanc, Victoria, British Columbia, Canada
International: Finnish Blues Association, Helsinki, Finland
Journalism: David Fricke, Rolling Stone, New York, New York
Literature: Crossroads: The Life and Afterlife of Blues Legend Robert Johnson, Tom Graves, Memphis, Tennessee
Manager: Pat Morgan, Kailua-Kona, Hawaii
Print Media: Block, Almelo, Netherlands
Producer: Andy McKaie, Universal Music Enterprises, Santa Monica, California
Promoter: Pozitif Productions, Istanbul, Turkey
Publicist: Richard Flohil, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Radio Commercial: Charles Evers, Jackson, Mississippi
Radio Public: Rick Galusha, Omaha, Nebraska
Record Label: Crosscut Records, Bremen, Germany
Visual Broadcast: Film, Television and Video: Pocket Full of Soul.
Congratulations to all of the 2010 Keeping the Blues Alive Recipients!
Copyright © 2010 Copyright Monica L. Yasher. All Rights Reserved.
Artists that are Friends of American Blues News
- Alastair Greene
- Ana Popovic
- Brandon Santini & Delta Highway
- David Bromberg
- Ernie Hawkins
- Foghat
- Jimmy Thackery and the Drivers
- John Pizzarelli
- Jorma Kaukonen
- Lennie Jones - Folkart Blues
- Leon Russell
- Mark May Band
- Marshall Lawrence-Doctor of the Blues
- Mystic Knights
- North Mississippi All-stars
- Reba Russell
- Stacy Brooks
- Tangiers Blues Band
- Tim Woods
- Victor Wainwright
- Will Jacobs & Dirty Deal
More Artist Friends....
Blues Festival and Blues Page Friends
Blues Society Friends
American Blues News Staff
Mon: Memphis Correspondent - Robert "Nighthawk" Tooms
Nighthawk is our resident globetrotter and man behind the scenes, as he tours with the Reba Russell Band.
Tues: New York Correspondent - J. Blake
Blake is the American Blues News review and interview guru. You may catch him out and about in NY playing the blues.
Wed: National Correspondent - Monica Yasher
Monica is our executive director and artist interview specialist. You can catch Monica singing the blues around Pittsburgh or working on some country music songs in Nashville.
Thurs: Washington, DC Correspondent - Virginiabluesman
Geraldo offers inteviews and reviews. You may have seen him at an Ana Popovic concert or conversed with him on her websites, as he offers administrative support with her music.
Fri: Northeast Photographer - Nelson Onofre
Nelson offers a Friday column of blues photography and pictorial support for the interviews covered by the team.
Jim Stick in Colorado
Jim will be focusing on the Blues Festivals in the beautiful state of Colorado, and the artists that live and visit there.
Maureen Elizabeth, our resident art correspondent, will be focusing on blues art as she explores the creation of CD covers, or speaking with artists who also have a love of creating pictorial art in addition to their music! She may also feature some of her good friends in the Pittsburgh area. In her love of art, you may find Maureen's photography accompanying writer's articles on our pages. Maureen is also our marketing director.
Pittsburgh correspondent and photographer, CR Bennett, will share the Pittsburgh scene with all of you. You may also see CR's pictures accompanying other writer's articles.
We head to the big state of Texas! Abby Owen, our Texas correspondent.
Another big area to cover, the West Coast with Casey Reagan, Casey will feature many artists and events on this ocean's shores.
Lastly, we have our roving blues entertainment writer,
Chef Jimi.
And of course, we will surprise you sometimes!