The 2011 Blues Blast Awards

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The 2011 Blues Blast Awards
November 1, 2011
Jim White
Community Voices

managed to let the 2011 Blues Blast Awards slip by me last week (had to get the BlueNotes Halloween costume ready -- if you consider a fedora and shades a costume). So if you've already heard the results, you're dismissed.

The Blues Blast Awards are held by Blues Blast, an online blues mag, with voting this year done by 6,500 participants in 50 states and 75 countries. Yes, it's a popularity contest, but I've got to think that Blues Blast readers are knowledgeable fans, based on the mag's contents. So it's kind of interesting to look at the results. I might quibble a little with the Blues Band Award for Trampled Under Foot, although they do make good music.

I was reminded of all this by an email I received about the winner in the Song of the Year category -- a musician, writer and producer named Tom Hambridge, considered a roots rock artist, who co-wrote the title song with Buddy from Buddy Guy's very excellent album, "Living Proof," last year. Hambridge wrote or co-wrote all the songs and produced the album.

Which is kind of interesting, since Hambridge is a youngish white dude, helping to create this musical world for one of greatest living blues artists. Or more accurately, one of the greatest blues artists, period.

I'm putting the list of nominees and winners below these two videos. The first is the song, "Living Proof," the second is an interview with Guy, talking about the album.

The song:

The interview:

The nominees and winners (winners in bold)(NOTE: Listed first):

Contemporary Blues CD

Buddy Guy - Living Proof
Robin Rogers - Back In The Fire
Eddie Turner - Miracles & Demons
John Németh - Name The Day!
Damon Fowler - Devil Got His Way
J.P. Soars - More Bees With Honey

Traditional Blues CD

Pinetop Perkins & Willie "Big Eyes" Smith - Joined At The Hip
Bob Corritore & Friends (Koko Taylor, Pinetop Perkins & others) - Harmonica Blues
Studebaker John's Maxwell Street Kings - That's The Way You Do
Charlie Musselwhite - The Well
Rich Del Grosso & Jonn Del Toro Richardson - Time Slips By
Magic Slim - Raising The Bar

Song of the Year

Buddy Guy - Living Proof" (Tom Hambridge/Buddy Guy)
Reverend Raven And The Chain Smoking Altar Boys - "Shake Your Boogie" (Big Joe Williams)
Karen Lovely - "Still The Rain" (Dennis Walker/Alan Mirikitani)
Robin Rogers - "Don't Walk Away Run" (Chuck Glass)
Charlie Musselwhite - "The Well" (Charlie Musselwhite)
Reba Russell Band - "Almost A Memory" (Wayne Russell)

New Artist Debut Release

Chris O'Leary Band - Mr. Used To Be
The Sugar Prophets - The Sugar Prophets
Rob Blaine - Big Otis Blues
Vincent Hayes Project - Reclamation
Matt Hill - On The Floor
Peter Parcek - Mathematics Of Love

Male Blues Artist

Buddy Guy
John Németh
Kenny Neal
Tad Robinson
Magic Slim
Nick Moss

Female Blues Artist

Robin Rogers
Teeny Tucker
Reba Russell
Eden Brent
Karen Lovely
Janiva Magness

Blues Band

Trampled Under Foot
Magic Slim & The Teardrops
Nick Moss Band
Reverend Raven And The Chain Smoking Altar Boys
Derek Trucks Band
Reba Russell Band

Sean Costello Rising Star Award

Trampled Under Foot
Gina Sicilia
Damon Fowler
Matt Hill
Joanne Shaw Taylor
Vincent Hayes Project