Thirty Ninth Annual Blues Music Awards
The Blues Foundation host the 39th Annual Blues Music Awards in Memphis, Tennessee on May 10th, 2018.
The BMAs are generally recognized as the highest honor given to blues musicians and are awarded by vote of Blues Foundation members.
This 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.
Check out the Blues Music Hall of Fame inductees
39th Blues Music Awards Nominees:
Acoustic Album
Catfish Keith – Mississippi River Blues
Doug MacLeod – Break The Chain
Guy Davis & Fabrizio Poggi – Sonny and Brownie’s Last Train
Harrison Kennedy – Who U Tellin’ ?
Mitch Woods – Friends Along The Way
Rory Block – Keepin’ Outta Trouble
Acoustic Artist
Doug MacLeod
Guy Davis
Harrison Kennedy
Taj Mahal
Rory Block
Album of the Year
Don Bryant – Don’t Give Up on Love
Monster Mike Welch and Mike Ledbetter – Right Place, Right Time
Rick Estrin & The Nightcats – Groovin’ In Greaseland
Taj Mahal & Keb’ Mo’ – TajMo
Wee Willie Walker & The Anthony Paule Soul Orchestra – After A While
Band
The Cash Box Kings
Monster Mike Welch and Mike Ledbetter Band
Nick Moss Band
North Mississippi Allstars
Rick Estrin & the Nightcats
B.B. King Entertainer
Bobby Rush
Michael Ledbetter
Rick Estrin
Sugaray Rayford
Taj Mahal
Best Emerging Artist Album
Altered Five Blues Band – Charmed & Dangerous
Larkin Poe – Peach
Miss Freddye – Lady Of The Blues
R.L. Boyce – Roll and Tumble
Southern Avenue – Southern Avenue
Tas Cru – Simmered & Stewed
Contemporary Blues Album
Beth Hart – Fire On The Floor
Corey Dennison Band – Night After Night
Ronnie Baker Brooks – Times Have Changed
Selwyn Birchwood – Pick Your Poison
Taj Mahal & Keb’ Mo’ – TajMo
Contemporary Blues Female Artist
Beth Hart
Karen Lovely
Samantha Fish
Shemekia Copeland
Vanessa Collier
Contemporary Blues Male Artist
Keb’ Mo’
Michael Ledbetter
Ronnie Baker Brooks
Selwyn Birchwood
Toronzo Cannon
Historical Album
Jimmy Reed, Mr Luck: The Complete Vee-Jay Singles, Craft Recordings
John Lee Hooker, King of the Boogie, Craft Recordings
Luther Allison, A Legend Never Dies, Ruf Records
The Paul deLay Band, Live at Notodden ’97, Little Village Foundation
Various, American Epic: The Collection, Sony Legacy
Instrumentalist - Bass
Benny Turner
Bob Stroger
Larry Fulcher
Michael “Mudcat” Ward
Patrick Rynn
Instrumentalist - Drums
Jimi Bott
June Core
Kenny Smith
Tom Hambridge
Tony Braunagel
Instrumentalist - Guitar
Anson Funderburgh
Chris Cain
Christoffer “Kid” Andersen
Monster Mike Welch
Ronnie Earl
Instrumentalist - Harmonica
Billy Branch
Dennis Gruenling
Jason Ricci
Kim Wilson
Rick Estrin
Instrumentalist - Horn
Al Basile
Jimmy Carpenter
Nancy Wright
Trombone Shorty
Vanessa Collier
Instrumentalist - Pinetop Perkins Piano Player
Anthony Geraci
Henry Gray
Jim Pugh
Mitch Woods
Victor Wainwright
Instrumentalist - Vocals
Beth Hart
Don Bryant
John Németh
Michael Ledbetter
Sugaray Rayford
Wee Willie Walker
Koko Taylor Award (Traditional Blues Female)
Annika Chambers
Diunna Greenleaf
Janiva Magness
Miss Freddye
Ruthie Foster
Rock Blues Album
Kenny Wayne Shepherd Band – Lay It On Down
Mike Zito – Make Blues Not War
North Mississippi Allstars – Prayer For Peace
Savoy Brown – Witchy Feelin’
Walter Trout – We’re All In This Together
Rock Blues Artist
Eric Gales
Jason Ricci
Kenny Wayne Shepherd
Mike Zito
Walter Trout
Song
“The Blues Ain’t Going Nowhere” – written by Rick Estrin on Groovin’ In Greaseland
“Don’t Give Up on Love” – written by Don Bryant and Scott Bomar on Don’t Give Up on Love
“Don’t Leave Me Here” – written by Kevin R. Moore, Taj Mahal, and Gary Nicholson on TajMo
“Hate Take A Holiday” – written by Wee Willie Walker, Anthony Paule, and Eugene Williams on After a While
“Prayer For Peace” – written by Luther Dickinson, Cody Dickinson, and Oteil Burbridge on Prayer For Peace
Soul Blues Album
Don Bryant – Don’t Give Up on Love
Johnny Rawls – Waiting For The Train
Robert Cray & Hi Rhythm – Robert Cray & Hi Rhythm
Sugaray Rayford – The World That We Live In
Wee Willie Walker &The Anthony Paule Soul Orchestra – After A While
Soul Blues Female Artist
Bettye LaVette
Denise LaSalle
Mavis Staples
Trudy Lynn
Vaneese Thomas
Soul Blues Male Artist
Curtis Salgado
Don Bryant
Johnny Rawls
Sugaray Rayford
Wee Willie Walker
William Bell
Traditional Blues Album
The Cash Box Kings – Royal Mint
Elvin Bishop’s Big Fun Trio – Elvin Bishop’s Big Fun Trio
Kim Wilson – Blues and Boogie Vol. 1
Monster Mike Welch and Mike Ledbetter – Right Place, Right Time
Rick Estrin & The Nightcats – Groovin’ In Greaseland
Various Artists – Howlin’ At Greaseland
Traditional Blues Male Artist
John Primer
Kim Wilson
Lurrie Bell
R.L.Boyce
Rick Estrin
Visit Blues.org for all the information regarding the upcoming Blues Music Awards
