Blues Roadhouse

The first annual Canadian Blues Music Awards nominees have been announced.

The CBMAs will replace the Maple Blues Awards, which had been produced by the Toronto Blues Society. Last year’s Maple Blues Awards were criticized for naming only white artists (with one exception, Indigenous Artist of the Year, Crystal Shawanda.) The selection of winners by public voting has been dropped, and winners will now be chosen by juries of industry experts. More information is available here.

Here are the nominees for this year’s awards:

Electric Blues Recording of the Year

• Angelique Francis: Not Defeated
• Brandon Isaak: Walkin’ With The Blues
• Crystal Shawanda: Sing Pretty Blues
• David Gogo: YEAH!
• Steve Marriner: Hear My Heart

Acoustic Blues Recording of the Year

• Al Lerman: Country-Fried Blues
• Big Dave McLean: This Old Life
• Blue Moon Marquee: New Orleans Sessions
• David Vest & Terry Robb: CrissCross
• Sue Foley: One Guitar Woman, A Tribute to the Female Pioneers of Guitar

Blues Song of the Year

• Angelique Francis: “Train Coming” (Not Defeated)
• Blue Moon Marquee: “What I Wouldn’t Do” (New Orleans Sessions)
• Brandon Isaak: “Walkin’ With The Blues” (Walkin’ With The Blues)
• Crystal Shawanda: “Sing Pretty Blues “(Sing Pretty Blues)
• Ndidi O: “Working Girl” (Simple Songs For Complicated Times)

Blues Producer of the Year

• Blue Moon Marquee (Blue Moon Marquee: New Orleans Sessions)
• Brandon Isaak (Brandon Isaak: Walkin’ With the Blues)
• Renan Yildizdogan & Ross Hayes Citrullo (Marcus Trummer: From The Start)
• Steve Dawson (Ndidi O: Simple Songs For Complicated Times)
• Steve Marriner (Steve Marriner: Hear My Heart; Big Dave McLean: This Old Life; David Gogo: YEAH!)

Emerging Blues Artist or Group of the Year

• Glenn Marais & the Mojo Train (Glenn Marais & the Mojo Train: Red Hot and Blue)
• Jeff Rogers (Jeff Rogers: Dream Job)
• JP LeBlanc (JP LeBlanc: All In My Blood/Je l’ai dans l’sang)
• Ollee Owens (Ollee Owens: Nowhere to Hide)
• Paul Black (Paul Black: Beautiful Sin)

Blues Video of the Year

• Blue Moon Marquee: “Come On Down” (New Orleans Sessions)
• Angelique Francis: “Train Coming” (Not Defeated)
• The Harpoonist: “Show Me The Green” (Did We Come Here To Dance)
• Bywater Call: “Colours” (Shepherd)
• André Bisson: “Latchford” (Latchford)
• Ray Lemelin & Steve Hill: “Walk On”/“Ain’t No Use In Worryin’” (Brother Ray Lemelin & The Matinee Kings: Stirring the Pot)
• JP LeBlanc: “All On Your Own” (All In My Blood/Je l’ai dans l’sang)

Female Blues Vocalist of the Year

• Angelique Francis (Angelique Francis: Not Defeated)
• Crystal Shawanda (Crystal Shawanda: Sing Pretty Blues)
• Dana Wylie (Secondhand Dreamcar: Answer the Call)
• Ndidi O (Ndidi O: Simple Songs For Complicated Times)
• Samantha King (Samantha King and the Midnight Outfit: Samantha King and the Midnight Outfit)

Male Blues Vocalist of the Year

• Big Dave McLean (This Old Life)
• Brandon Isaak (Walkin’ With The Blues)
• Jeff Rogers (Dream Job)
• Marcus Trummer (From The Start)
• Wayne Nicholson (Gin House)

Blues Guitarist of the Year

• Brandon Isaak (Brandon Isaak: Walkin’ With The Blues)
• David Gogo (David Gogo: YEAH!)
• Paul DesLauriers (Chambers DesLauriers: Our Time To Ride)
• Sue Foley (Sue Foley: One Guitar Woman, A Tribute to the Female Pioneers of Guitar)
• Tony D (Tony D: Electric Delta)

Blues Keyboard Player of the Year

• David Vest (David Vest & Terry Robb: CrissCross)
• Jeff Rogers (Jeff Rogers: Dream Job)
• Kenny “Blues Boss” Wayne (Kenny “Blues Boss” Wayne: Ooh, Yeah!)
• Miles Evans-Branagh (Marcus Trummer: From The Start; Sandra Bouza: A Sound In The Dark)
• Rooster Davis (Secondhand Dreamcar: Answer the Call)

Blues Harmonica Player of the Year

• Al Lerman (Al Lerman: Country-Fried Blues)
• Guy Bélanger (Guy Bélanger: Postcards from London)
• Shawn Hall (The Harpoonist: Did We Come Here To Dance)
• Steve Grant “Cabbagetown Steve” (Little Magic Sam: Live At The Rivoli)
• Steve Marriner (Steve Marriner: Hear My Heart; Big Dave McLean: This Old Life; David Gogo: YEAH!)

Blues Horn Player of the Year

• Jerry Cook (Wailin’ Walker: All Fired Up)
• Julian Nalli (Bywater Call: Shepherd)
• Kharincia Francis (Angelique Francis: Not Defeated)
• Kira Francis (Angelique Francis: Not Defeated)
• Loretta Hale (André Bisson: Latchford)

Blues Bassist of the Year

• Angelique Francis (Angelique Francis: Not Defeated)
• Harry Gregg (Secondhand Dreamcar: Answer the Call)
• Jack Lavin (Wailin’ Walker: All Fired Up)
• Jasmine Colette (Blue Moon Marquee: New Orleans Sessions)
• Mike Meusel (Bywater Call: Shepherd)

Blues Drummer of the Year

• Bruce McCarthy (Bywater Call: Shepherd)
• Jim Casson (Davis Hall & The Green Lanterns: Canboro Canborough)
• Kiran Francis (Angelique Francis: Not Defeated)
• Sandro Dominelli (Samantha King and the Midnight Outfit: Samantha King and the Midnight Outfit)
• Sylvain “Sly” Coulombe (Chambers DesLauriers: Our Time To Ride)

Blues Industry Person of the Year

• Bruce Morel (Morel Music International)
• Ken Simms (Think Tank Music Network)
• Ken Wallis (Blues Source Entertainment)
• Lori & Paul Murray (Music By The Bay Live)
• Ron Simmonds (Blues In The Dark)

Lifetime Achievement Award

• Amos Garrett
• Bobby Dean Blackburn
• Kenny “Blues Boss” Wayne
• Russell Jackson
• Tim Williams