the blufes music awards

That album released during the eligibility period that best represents acoustic blues, in which non-electric/amplified instruments are prominently featured on at least 75% of the tracks.

Catfish Keith, “Sugar for Sugar – Vol. 1 2025 Summer Sessions”

Doug MacLeod, “Between Somewhere and Goodbye”

Erin Harpe, “Let The Mermaids Flirt With Me: A Tribute to Mississippi John Hurt”

Hudspeth & Taylor, “Kimuziki Live in Des Moines”

Johnny Iguana, “At Delmark”

That artist (whether solo, duo, or group) whose recordings and/or performances best represent acoustic blues during the eligibility period.

Catfish Keith

Doug MacLeod

Eric Bibb

Kevin Burt

Rhiannon Giddens

The best Blues album in any style released to the public during the eligibility period. (May be an album nominated in another category)

Blood Brothers Mike Zito & Albert Castiglia, “Help Yourself”

Bobby Rush & Kenny Wayne Shepherd, “Young Fashioned Ways”

D.K. Harrell, “Talkin’ Heavy”

Larry McCray, “Heartbreak City”

Tommy Castro & The Painkillers, “Closer To The Bone”

That performer who has best represented and promoted the blues through recordings and performances during the eligibility period.

Castro Coleman (Mr. Sipp)

Rick Estrin

Ronnie Baker Brooks

Ruthie Foster

Vanessa Collier

That group, recording and/or performing as a unit, which best exemplifies blues ensemble playing during the eligibility period.

Anthony Paule Soul Orchestra

John Nemeth and the Blue Dreamers

Southern Avenue

Tedeschi Trucks Band

Vanessa Collier Band

That blues recording that was released during the eligibility period for an act that has not received a prior Blues Music Award or GRAMMY® award nomination. The age of the artist is not of significance, but this award is intended for an artist who is up and coming within the blues/music scene and is at the “jumping off” point of his or her career. An artist’s album may not be considered in this category if that artist has already had a professional release of more than three prior albums or EPs. (Albums submitted for this category may also be submitted in other appropriate categories.)

Brody Buster, “Redemption”

Allison August, “August Moon”

Sean McDonald, “Have Mercy!”

Robbin Kapsalis, “THE BLUES IS IN THE HOUSE”

Kyle Rowland, “NOT HOLDING BACK!”

That album released to the public during the eligibility period with a majority of songs that best portrays the Rock Blues genre, that hybrid that combines elements of blues with elements of rock, generally employing heavy amplification and driving rhythms, and which may employ non-traditional blues song structures.

Blood Brothers Mike Zito & Albert Castiglia, “Help Yourself”

Devon Allman, “BLUES SUMMIT”

Kent Burnside, “Hill Country Blood”

Tom Hambridge, “Down The Hatch”

Walter Trout, “Sign Of The Times”

That performer, whether male or female, whose recordings and/or performance best portray Blues Rock during the eligibility period.

Ana Popovic

Kenny Wayne Shepherd

Kirk Fletcher

Tommy Castro

Walter Trout

That album released to the public during the eligibility period that best portrays Blues in which elements other than those traditionally found in Blues are part of the mix, e.g., different rhythms, different harmonies, more elaborate production values, etc., and which may offer a different approach to sounds, lyrics, instrumentation, arrangements, etc.

Brandon Santini, “Which Way Do We Go?”

Carolyn Wonderland, “Truth Is”

D.K. Harrell, “Talkin’ Heavy”

Monster Mike Welch, “Keep Living Til I Die”

Southern Avenue, “Family”

That female performer whose recordings and/or performances during the eligibility period best portray Contemporary Blues.

Carolyn Wonderland

Danielle Nicole

Ruthie Foster

Samantha Fish

Vanessa Collier

That male performer whose recordings and/or performances during the eligibility period best portray Contemporary Blues.

Brandon Santini

Castro Coleman (Mr. Sipp)

Chris Cain

Christone ”Kingfish” Ingram

D.K. Harrell

That musician whose skills on the bass, in performance and/or on recordings, best portray the blues during eligibility period.

Benny Turner

Larry Fulcher

Michael ”Mudcat” Ward

Rodrigo Mantovani

Scot Sutherland

That musician whose skills on the drums, in performance and/or on recordings, best portray the blues during the eligibility period.

Chris Layton

Chris Peet

Derrick D’Mar Martin

Tom Hambridge

Tony Braunagel

That musician whose skills on the guitar, in performance and/or on recordings, best portrays the blues during eligibility period.

Chris Cain

Christoffer ”Kid” Andersen

Derek Trucks

Joanna Connor

Ronnie Baker Brooks

That musician whose skills on the harmonica, in performance and/or on recordings, best portray the blues during eligibility period.

Billy Branch

Bob Corritore

Brandon Santini

John Nemeth

Kim Wilson

That individual whose skills on any horn (including brass and woodwind instruments) in performance and/or on recordings best portray the blues during eligibility period.

Greg Piccolo

Jimmy Carpenter

Mark Kaz Kazanoff

Regi Oliver

Trombone Shorty

That musician whose skills on the keyboards, in performance and/or on recordings, best portray the blues during the eligibility period.

Anthony Geraci

Bruce Katz

Dave Keyes

Jon Cleary

Marcia Ball

That musician whose vocal skills, in performance and/or on recordings, best portrays the blues during the eligibility period. This category is open to all vocalists on recordings and stage as well as to vocalists who also play an instrument.

Candice Ivory

Danielle Nicole

John Nemeth

Shemekia Copeland

Susan Tedeschi

This award is presented to the songwriter for a first-ever recording of a song initially released to the public during the eligibility period which best portrays the blues by means of theme, structure, and overall feeling.

“Mile After Mile”

written by Brandon Santini & Jeff Jensen

“Bye Bye Blues”

written by Larry McCray & Charlie Walmsley

“Can’t Catch a Break”

written by Tommy Castro & Christoffer Andersen

“Upside”

written by Tierinii Jackson, Tikyra Jackson, Ori Naftaly, Dylan Altman & Marshall Altman

“Who Was That?”

written by Emmett Ellis Jr. & Kenny Wayne Shepherd

That album released to the public during the eligibility period that best portrays Southern soul blues, a type of soul music that emerged from the Southern United States. The music originates from a combination of styles, including blues (both 12 bar and jump) with a strong gospel influence.

Dave Keller, “La Brea”

Jimmy Burns & Soul Message Band, “Full Circle”

Johnny Rawls, “Make Them Dance”

Tad Robinson Band, “Soul In Blue”

The Soul of John Black, “Soul Salvation”

That female performer whose recordings and/or performance during the eligibility period best portray Southern Soul Blues.

Annika Chambers

Candice Ivory

Kat Riggins

Thornetta Davis

Vaneese Thomas

That male performer whose recordings and/or performance during the eligibility period best portray Southern Soul Blues.

Alabama Mike

Curtis Salgado

John Nemeth

Johnny Rawls

Tad Robinson

That album released to the public during the eligibility period with a majority of songs that best portrays traditional electric blues employing traditional blues song structures, harmonic structures and rhythms, and which may also employ instruments such as electric guitar, piano, organ, amplified harmonica, electric bass and drums. This category includes subgenres such as jump/swing blues and Chicago blues.

Bobby Rush & Kenny Wayne Shepherd, “Young Fashioned Ways”

Buddy Guy, “Ain’t Done With The Blues”

Charlie Musselwhite, “Look Out Highway”

Maria Muldaur, “One Hour Mama: The Blues of Victoria Spivey”

Roomful Of Blues, “Steppin’ Out”

That female performer whose recordings and/or performance during the eligibility period best portray Traditional Electric Blues.

Diunna Greenleaf

Eden Brent

Maria Muldaur

Rhiannon Giddens

Teeny Tucker

That male performer whose recordings and/or performance during the eligibility period best portray Traditional Electric Blues.

Billy Branch

Jimmie Vaughan

John Primer

Jontavious Willis

Rick Estrin

Brandon Isaak, “Walkin With The Blues”

Honeybear, the Band, “I Was Wrong”

Hubert Dorigatti & Blues harp masters, “Poor Boy”

J.T.Lauritsen & The Buckshot Hunters, “Still be friends”

The Angelique Francis Band, “Not Defeated”