Here are the results of the 29th annual Living Blues awards for 2021.
Living Blues is one of the premier blues publications, and has been since its U.S. inception in1970, when it was the first American blues magazine.
In its May 2022 issue, the magazine announced its nominees for its 2021 Living Blues Readers’ Poll Awards. Here are the results:
Critics’ Poll
Blues Artist of the Year (Male)
- Christone “Kingfish” Ingram
Blues Artist of the Year (Female)
- Shemekia Copeland
Most Outstanding Blues Singer
- Sugaray Rayford
Most Outstanding Musician (Guitar)
- Christone “Kingfish” Ingram
Most Outstanding Musician (Harmonica)
- Charlie Musselwhite
Most Outstanding Musician (Keyboard)
- Kenny “Blues Boss” Wayne
Most Outstanding Musician (Bass)
- Bob Stroger
Most Outstanding Musician (Drums)
- Rodd Bland
Most Outstanding Musician (Horns)
- James “Boogaloo” Bolden
Most Outstanding Musician (Other)
- Cedric Watson (Accordion)
Best Live Performer
- Bobby Rush
Comeback Artist of the Year
- Johnny Tucker
Artist Deserving More Attention
- Crystal Thomas
Best Blues Albums of 2021
Album of the Year
- Christone “Kingfish” Ingram – 662 (Alligator)
New Recordings / Contemporary Blues
- Crystal Thomas – Now Dig This! (Dialtone)
New Recordings / Traditional & Acoustic
- Eric Bibb – Dear America (Provogue)
New Recordings / Southern Soul
- Wee Willie Walker & The Anthony Paule Soul Orchestra – Not in My Lifetime (Blue Dot)
New Recordings / Best Debut
- Buffalo Nichols – Buffalo Nichols (Fat Possum)
Historical / Pre-war
- Various Artists – The Matchbox Bluesmaster Series (Matchbox Records)
Historical / Postwar
- Various Artists – Down Home Blues: Miami, Atlanta & The South Eastern States (Wienerworld)
Blues Book of the Year
- I Ain’t Studdin’ Ya: My American Blues Story
- By Bobby Rush with Herb Powell
- Hachette Books
Producer of the Year: New Recording
- Tom Hambridge: Christone “Kingfish” Ingram – 662 (Alligator)
Producer of the Year: Historical Recording
- Tom Vickers: Chicago / The Blues / Today! – (Vanguard)
Readers’ Poll
Blues Artist of the Year (Male)
- Christone “Kingfish” Ingram
Blues Artist of the Year (Female)
- Mavis Staples
Most Outstanding Musician (Guitar)
- Buddy Guy
Most Outstanding Musician (Harmonica)
- Charlie Musselwhite
Most Outstanding Musician (Keyboard)
- Marcia Ball
Best Live Performer
- Buddy Guy
Most Outstanding Blues Singer
- Mavis Staples
Best Blues Album of 2021 (New Release)
- Christone “Kingfish” Ingram – 662 (Alligator)
Best Blues Album of 2021 (Historical Recording)
- Jimmie Vaughan – The Jimmie Vaughan Story (The Last Music Company)
Best Blues Book of 2021
- King of the Blues: The Rise and Reign of B.B. King
- By Daniel de Visé
- Atlantic Monthly Press
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