The Blues Foundation presented the 35th Blues Music Awards Thursday night, May 8 in Memphis. The event brings together Blues performers, industry representatives and fans from all over the world to celebrate the best in Blues recordings and performances from the previous year. Three awards went to Susan Tedeschi and Derek Trucks and their band, while a Little Walter tribute featuring five top harmonica players received two awards, including album of the year. First time winners included Gary Clark Jr., Doug MacLeod, John Németh, Shawn Holt & the Teardrops, Trampled Under Foot and their female bassist Danielle Schnebelen.
The complete list of winners are:
Acoustic Album: There’s a Time – Doug MacLeod
Acoustic Artist: Doug MacLeod
Album: Remembering Little Walter – Billy Boy Arnold, Charlie Musselwhite, Mark Hummel, Sugar Ray Norcia, James Harman
B.B. King Entertainer: Buddy Guy
Band: Tedeschi Trucks Band
Best New Artist Debut: Daddy Told Me – Shawn Holt & the Teardrops
Contemporary Blues Album: Badlands – Trampled Under Foot
Contemporary Blues Female Artist: Susan Tedeschi
Contemporary Blues Male Artist: Gary Clark Jr.
DVD: Ruf Records – Songs from the Road (Royal Southern Brotherhood)
Historical Album: Bear Family – The Sun Blues Box
Instrumentalist-Bass: Danielle Schnebelen
Instrumentalist-Drums: Cedric Burnside
Instrumentalist-Guitar: Ronnie Earl
Instrumentalist-Harmonica: Charlie Musselwhite
Instrumentalist-Horn: Eddie Shaw
Koko Taylor Award: Diunna Greenleaf
Pinetop Perkins Piano Player: Victor Wainwright
Rock Blues Album: Made Up Mind – Tedeschi Trucks Band
Song: ”Blues in My Soul” – Lurrie Bell
Soul Blues Album: Down in Louisiana – Bobby Rush
Soul Blues Female Artist: Irma Thomas
Soul Blues Male Artist: John Nemeth
Traditional Blues Album: Remembering Little Walter – Billy Boy Arnold, Charlie Musselwhite, Mark Hummel, Sugar Ray Norcia, James Harman
Traditional Blues Male Artist: James Cotton
The 35th Blues Music Awards are sponsored by BMI, Catfood Records, Eagle Rock Entertainment, First Tennessee Foundation, Jontaar Creative Studios, Legendary Rhythm & Blues Cruise, Memphis Convention and Visitors Bureau, Sierra Nevada Brewing Company and Sony Music/Legacy Recordings.