Page 42 - Blues Festival Guide Magazine 2023 Digital Edition

Cast Your Vote for the
Cast Your Vote for the

Blues Blast Music Awards
Blues Blast Music Awards

The end-of-night jam session at the 2019 BBMAs had the house on its feet!
Photo by Nate Kieser

Blues music thrives thanks to its fans, and the Blues in contemporary blues music, giving the artists with the most
Blast Music Awards give fans the opportunity to voice their votes a “people’s choice” award!
favorites! Celebrating its 16 anniversary, the Blues Blast BBMA nomination categories include:
th
Music Awards (BBMAs) honor contemporary blues artists
and their recordings. Whether from major labels or the indie Contemporary Blues Album
scene, all blues musicians are eligible and can submit their Traditional Blues Album
music directly for consideration. Soul Blues Album
The BBMAs originated in 2008 by Blues Blast Magazine Rock Blues Album
Publisher Bob Kieser who got together with a group of blues Acoustic Blues Album
industry professionals – including music critics, journalists, Live Blues Recording
festival promoters, music venue managers, producers, Historical or Vintage Recording
musicians and others – to create a new independent way to New Artist Debut Album
recognize the best in blues music. Blues Band of the Year
Regarding his inspiration for the BBMAs, Kieser says, “It Sean Costello Rising Star Award
was a way to provide recognition from average blues fans to Female Blues Artist
artists who were not getting any at the time. At that time, you Male Blues Artist
had to be a paid member of a foundation or other organization Record Producer of the Year
to vote in any award series. There were no fan-based awards
series to recognize the multitude of independent artists or Electric Guitarist of the Year
artists just starting out, so I started the BBMAs. It got huge Acoustic Guitarist of the Year
support from the blues community and has grown every year.” Slide Guitarist of the Year
Sixteen years later, BBMA industry professionals curate Bass Guitarist of the Year
submissions from across the globe. Blues musicians submit Percussionist of the Year
their music directly to BBMA nominators for consideration, Harmonica Player of the Year
resulting in a recognition series that includes a wide variety Horn Player of the Year
of artists and labels. Nominators select their “best of” choices Keyboard Player of the Year
(so ALL nominees are effectively winners earning “the critic’s Vocalist of the Year
award”), then it goes to the fans. Blues fans vote for the best Blues Video of the Year

40 Blues Festival Guide 2023