QUEBEC BLUES ARTISTS SWEEP MAPLE BLUES AWARDS

QUEBEC BLUES ARTISTS SWEEP MAPLE BLUES AWARDS The Paul DesLauriers Band and Angel Forrest win multiple awards The fast-paced performance rich gala featured a moving memorial tribute to the late John Mays (Fathead), Brian Cober and past Blues With A Feeling Award Winner Bob Walsh (January 23, 2017) Toronto, ON – Canadian blues artists from coast-to-coast were honoured by their peers at the 20th Annual Maple Blues Awards gala in Toronto last night as a crowd of blues lovers gathered to celebrate Canadian blues at Koerner Hall.   Quebec blues artists swept the awards with honours going to trio The Paul DesLauriers Band who won Entertainer of the Year, Electric Act of the Year, Drummer of the Year for Sam Harrisson, and Bassist of the Year for Greg Morency. Blues belter Angel Forrest took home three awards including Female Vocalist of the Year, Recording/Producer of the Year and Songwriter of the Year. The Blues With A Feeling Award for lifetime achievement was awarded to Stephen Barry, who has been a fixture on the Quebec blues scene for over 40 years. Montreal-based Frankie Thiffault of Ben Racine Band took home the hardware for Horn Player of the Year.   British Columbia blues artists were well recognized with awards going to David Gogo for Guitarist of the Year, Harpdog Brown for Harmonica Player of the Year and Kenny “Blues Boss” Wayne for Piano or Keyboard Player of the Year. Other winners at the sold-out gala event were Manitoba’s Big Dave McLean for Acoustic Act of the Year, Ontario’s 17-year old newcomer Spencer MacKenzie for New Artist or Group of the Year, New Brunswick’s Matt Andersen for Male Vocalist of the Year, and Joe Bonamassa for International Artist of the Year. Edmonton’s Cam Hayden, a long-time broadcaster on CKUA and co-founder of the Edmonton Blues Festival was presented with the Blues Booster of the Year award, a very special Maple Blues Award honouring outstanding contribution to the Canadian blues music industry.   In addition to the Maple Blues Awards, the third annual Cobalt Prize Contemporary Blues Composition Award was handed out last night to Ann Vriend for her song “All That I Can”, with runners up Michael Kaeshammer for his song “Sweet Grace" and The Harpoonist And The Axe Murderer for their song "Father's Son”. A cash prize of $1000 was presented to Vriend with second and third place winners each receiving $250, courtesy of the benefactor The Unicorn Project.   Hosted by Steve Marriner of MonkeyJunk, the 20th annual Maple Blues Awards included outstanding performances from nominees past and present, including Calgary’s Tim Williams, Toronto’s Sugar Brown and Shakura S’Aida, British Columbia’s Michael Kaeshammer and the evening’s big winners, The Paul DesLauriers Band along with the awards gala house band, The Maple Blues Band.   Winners of the 20th Annual Maple Blues Awards     ENTERTAINER OF THE YEAR The Paul DesLauriers Band   ELECTRIC ACT OF THE YEAR The Paul DesLauriers Band   ACOUSTIC ACT OF THE YEAR Big Dave McLean   MALE VOCALIST OF THE YEAR Matt Andersen FEMALE VOCALIST OF THE YEAR Angel Forrest   NEW ARTIST OR GROUP OF THE YEAR Spencer MacKenzie RECORDING/PRODUCER OF THE YEAR Angel's 11 (Morningstar) Artist: Angel Forrest. Producers: Angel Forrest and Denis Coulombe BLUES WITH A FEELING (Lifetime Achievement) Stephen Barry   B.B. KING INTERNATIONAL ARTIST OF THE YEAR Joe Bonamassa   GUITARIST OF THE YEAR   David Gogo   HARMONICA PLAYER OF THE YEAR Harpdog Brown   PIANO/KEYBOARD PLAYER OF THE YEAR Kenny "Blues Boss" Wayne   HORN PLAYER OF THE YEAR Frankie Thiffault   DRUMMER OF THE YEAR Sam Harrisson    BASSIST OF THE YEARGreg Morency   SONGWRITER OF THE YEAR Angel Forrest & Denis Coulombe   BLUES BOOSTER OF THE YEAR Cam Hayden

Blues Music Award nominees announced by the Blues Foundation; ceremony is May 11

THE BLUES FOUNDATION ANNOUNCES 38TH BLUES MUSIC AWARD NOMINEES  Awards ceremony to be held May 11, 2017 in Memphis

MEMPHIS, Tenn. — The Blues Foundation is pleased to announce the nominations for its annual Blues Music Awards, which the international organization will present on Thursday, May 11, 2017 at the Cook Convention Center in downtown Memphis, Tennessee. Universally recognized as the highest accolade afforded blues musicians, The Blues Music Awards upholds its rich cultural tradition by honoring the past year’s superior achievements in blues performance, songwriting, and recording. This annual ceremony represents the premier event for blues professionals, musicians, and fans around the globe.   Sugar Ray Norcia, individually, and collectively with his band, The Bluetones, received the most nominations with seven, including B.B. King Entertainer Award, Best Song, Best Album and Best Band. The total reaches ten with the inclusion of his Bluetones bandmates Monster Mike Welch (Instrumentalist-Guitar), Michael “Mudcat” Ward (Instrumentalist-Bass) and Anthony Geraci (Pinetop Perkins Piano Player). Chicago-based guitarist Toronzo Cannon garnered four nominations and he faces off against Norcia in both the Best Song and Best Album categories. Best Album probably ranks as the most competitive category, with Norcia and Cannon battling Bobby Rush, Kenny Neal, William Bell and the Nick Moss Band, who all have three nominations.   Several nominees will be defending their titles won at last year’s Blues Music Awards. Instrumentalist-Harmonica winner Kim Wilson is one of this year’s nominees, and Cedric Burnside might again claim the Instrumentalist-Drums crown. Shemekia Copeland and Bettye LaVette also return to the categories they won last year (Contemporary Blues Female Artist and Soul Blues Female Artist, respectively), while 2016’s Acoustic Artist winner, Doug MacLeod, is one of this year’s contenders too.    The Awards also honor the next generation of blues performers with the Best Emerging Artist Album category. In fact, two Emerging Artist nominees also are contenders for a second award. Detroit native Thornetta Davis’s “I Gotta Sang the Blues” is up for Best Song, while Terrie Odabi is competing against the likes of Bettye LaVette and Mavis Staples to be named Soul Blues Female Artist.   The complete list of 38th Blues Music Award nominees also can be found at the Blues Foundation’s website — www.blues.org. A ballot will soon be sent to all Blues Foundation members, as they have the privilege of deciding which nominees will actually take home a Blues Music Award in May. Anyone interested in casting a vote to decide this year’s winners may receive a ballot by joining or renewing their membership with The Blues Foundation at any time up to February 28, 2017.  The Blues Music Awards ceremony annually proves to be one of the year’s best shows. Not only does almost every nominee attend, but they also perform, creating a lineup featuring the best of the best in blues all in one evening. More information regarding membership, voting, ticket, and host hotel information can be found at www.blues.org or by calling 901.527.2583.   Major funding is provided by ArtsMemphis and the Tennessee Arts Commission.  The 38th Blues Music Awards are also sponsored by BMI, GET and I-55 Productions, Legendary Rhythm & Blues Cruise, Memphis Convention and Visitors Bureau, the Sierra Nevada Brewing Company and Sony/Legacy.     The Blues Foundation is Memphis-based, but world-renowned as THE organization whose mission is to preserve blues heritage, celebrate blues recording and performance, expand worldwide awareness of the blues, and ensure the future of this uniquely American art form.  Founded in 1980, The Blues Foundation has approximately 4000 individual members and 200 affiliated local blues societies representing another 50,000 fans and professionals around the world.  Its signature honors and events — the Blues Music Awards, Blues Hall of Fame, International Blues Challenge and Keeping the Blues Alive Awards — make it the international center of blues music. Its HART Fund provides the blues community with medical assistance for musicians in need, while Blues in the Schools programs and Generation Blues Scholarships expose new generations to blues music. The recent opening of the Blues Hall of Fame Museum, in Memphis, TN, now adds the opportunity for music lovers of all ages to interact with the music and the history. For more information, log onto www.blues.org. 38th Blues Music Award Nominees Acoustic Album Doug MacLeod - Live in Europe Eric Bibb - The Happiest Man in the World Fiona Boyes - Professin' the Blues Jimmy “Duck” Holmes - Live at Briggs Farm John Long - Stand Your Ground Luther Dickinson - Blues and Ballads (A Folksinger's Songbook) Vol I and II Acoustic Artist Doug MacLeod Eric Bibb Fiona Boyes Jimmy “Duck” Holmes Luther Dickinson Album Bobby Rush - Porcupine Meat Kenny Neal - Bloodline Nick Moss Band - From the Root to the Fruit Sugar Ray & the Bluetones - Seeing is Believing Toronzo Cannon - The Chicago Way William Bell – This Is Where I Live           Band Golden State Lone Star Blues Revue Lil’ Ed & The Blues Imperials Nick Moss Band Sugar Ray and the Bluetones Tedeschi Trucks Band   B.B. King Entertainer Joe Bonamassa John Nemeth Lil’ Ed Williams Sugar Ray Norcia Sugaray Rayford Best Emerging Artist Album Corey Dennison Band - Corey Dennison Guy King - Truth Jonn Del Toro Richardson - Tengo Blues Terrie Odabi - My Blue Soul Thornetta Davis - Honest Woman Contemporary Blues Album Al Basile - Mid Century Modern Kenny Neal - Blood Line Nick Moss Band - From the Root to the Fruit The Record Company - Give It Back To You Toronzo Cannon - The Chicago Way Contemporary Blues Female Artist Alexis P Suter Ana Popovic Janiva Magness Shemekia Copeland Susan Tedeschi   Contemporary Blues Male Artist Albert Castiglia Kenny Neal Mike Zito Sugaray Rayford Toronzo Cannon Historical Album Arthur “Big Boy” Crudup, A Music Man Like Nobody Ever Saw, Bear Family Records B.B. King, More B.B. King: Here’s One You Haven’t Heard, Ace Records Bobby Rush, Chicken Heads: A 50-Year History of Bobby Rush, Omnivore Recordings Michael Burks, I’m A Bluesman, Iron Man Records Pinetop Perkins & Jimmy Rogers, Genuine Blues Legends, Elrob Records   Instrumentalist-Bass Biscuit Miller Bob Stroger Michael “Mudcat” Ward Patrick Rynn R W Grigsby   Instrumentalist-Drums Cedric Burnside Jimi Bott June Core Tom Hambridge Tony Braunagel Instrumentalist-Guitar Bob Margolin Joe Bonamassa Kid Andersen Monster Mike Welch Ronnie Earl  Instrumentalist-Harmonica Dennis Gruenling Jason Ricci Kim Wilson Mark Hummel Sugar Ray Norcia     Instrumentalist-Horn Al Basile Nancy Wright Sax Gordon Beadle Terry Hanck Vanessa Collier  Koko Taylor Award (Traditional Blues Female) Annika Chambers Diunna Greenleaf Inetta Visor Shaun Murphy Trudy Lynn Pinetop Perkins Piano Player Anthony Geraci Barrelhouse Chuck Henry Gray Jim Pugh Victor Wainwright Rock Blues Album of the Year Albert Castiglia - Big Dog Mike Zito - Keep Coming Back Moreland & Arbuckle - Promised Land or Bust Tedeschi Trucks Band - Let Me Get By Walter Trout - Alive in Amsterdam Song “Blues Immigrant” written by Matthew Skoller & Vincent Bucher and performed by Matthew Skoller on Blues Immigrant “I Gotta Sang The Blues” written and performed by Thornetta Davis on Honest Woman “Seeing Is Believing” written by Ray Norcia and performed by Sugar Ray & The Bluetones on Seeing Is Believing “Walk A Mile In My Blues” written by David Duncan, Curtis Salgado & Mike Finigan and performed by Curtis Salgado on The Beautiful Lowdown “Walk it Off” written and performed by Toronzo Cannon on The Chicago Way Soul Blues Album Bobby Rush - Porcupine Meat Curtis Salgado - The Beautiful Lowdown Johnny Rawls - Tiger in a Cage Wee Willie Walker - Live! Notodden Blues Festival William Bell - This Is Where I Live         Soul Blues Female Artist Bettye Lavette Lara Price Mavis Staples Terrie Odabi Vaneese Thomas Soul Blues Male Artist Bobby Rush Curtis Salgado Johnny Rawls Wee Willie Walker William Bell Traditional Blues Album Big Jon Atkinson & Bob Corritore - House Party at Big Jon's Bob Margolin - My Road Golden State Lone Star Blues Revue - Golden State Lone Star Blues Revue Lurrie Bell - Can't Shake This Feeling Sugar Ray & the Bluetones - Seeing is Believing Traditional Blues Male Artist Bob Margolin John Primer Lil’ Ed Williams Lurrie Bell Sugar Ray Norcia