News from The Blues Foundation

2009 Blues Music Awards Nominations
The Blues Music Awards honor those professional artists
and recordings that stand out within the eligibility period, which runs from November 1 through October 31. In addition to the awards for the past year’s top recordings, additional categories honor individual, actively touring artists for their overall excellence and accomplishment in that year.

Each September, The Blues Foundation solicits from the labels -- even the single artist label- -a list of their eligible recordings. If you are a record label or blues musician who released a CD during the period November 1, 2007 to October 31, 2008, go to Nomination Procedure** for details and submission info.

(**NOTE: This is not to be confused with the
Best Self-Produced CD Award - a part of the IBC)

If you are thinking about travel plans to Memphis for the IBC, keep in mind that we are advertising the dates of the 2009 IBC as February 4 - 7 --that is Wednesday through Saturday.

As you know, in 2008, Wednesday started out with a Beale Street Merchants reception and Delta Blues concert at the New Daisy as well as Blues Night at the Memphis Grizzlies NBA game. While we are not yet sure what is going to happen on Wednesday night, be assured that something will. In addition, the seminars will begin on Thursday (rather than Friday) so in order to take full advantage of these learning and networking opportunities, you will want to arrive on Wednesday.

The seminars are scheduled for Thursday, because of the number of showcases set for Friday afternoon, whether events like the 2008 Blind Raccoon showcase at the Rum Boogie or The Blues Foundation’s first ever Youth Showcase in 2009. The work will begin on Thursday so all can enjoy the music Friday afternoon. In the meantime, click here for the latest IBC updates.

Thousands of people around the world visit our website every day. Musicians, record labels, festivals, online stores and authors, among others, have found it beneficial to advertise on www.blues.org. As an example, during a recent advertising effort, Art Tipaldi had 1683 clicks to his book Children of the Blues. And right now Art is in the south of France, so that proves advertising on our pages is financially rewarding!! Laurie Morvan generated almost 3000 visits to her website when she ran a top banner ad earlier this year. And remember, all proceeds benefit your Blues Foundation.

Blues Kids Featured....
Check it out -- Blues Kids are featured on The Blues Foundation website. Let us know about the kids in your area that are serious about Blues music. Let them know about this feature and have them send text, photo and web address to Jay at jay@blues.org. You are the ones who are familiar with the young people with whom the rest of us should become familiar.

Homemade Jamz
Blues Band
The Homemade Jamz Blues Band, sponsored by the Mississippi Delta Blues Society of Indianola, Ryan (14), Kyle (12) and Taya (8) Perry of Tupelo took second place at the 23rd International Blues Challenge in Memphis February 3, 2007.
You had to see and hear this to believe it.

Song of the Year
'The Wheel Man' - William Homans, Watermelon Slim & The Workers - The Wheel Man
'The Last Words of A Fool' - Sugar Ray Norcia, Sugar Ray & The Bluetones - My Life, My Friends, My Music
'Jimmy Reed Highway' - Omar Kent Dykes & Steve Callif, Omar Dykes & Jimmie Vaughan - On the Jimmy Reed Highway
'Gonna Buy Me a Mule' - Koko Taylor, Koko Taylor - Old School
'Poor Man's Paradise' - Johnny Sansone, Johnny Sansone - Poor Man's Paradise

Soul Blues Album of the Year
Tad Robinson - A New Point of View
Mem Shannon - A Night At Tipitina's
Holmes Brothers - State of Grace
Eugene Hideaway Bridges - Eugene Hideaway Bridges
Root Doctor - Change Our Ways

Traditional Blues Album of the Year
Big George Brock - Live at Seventy Five
Darrell Nulisch - Goin' Back To Dallas
Nappy Brown - Long Time Coming
Koko Taylor - Old School
Omar Kent Dykes & Jimmie Vaughan - On the Jimmy Reed Highway

Traditional Blues Female Artist of the Year
Koko Taylor
Diunna Greenleaf
Sharrie Williams
Ruthie Foster
Nora Jean Bruso

Traditional Blues Male Artist of the Year
Lurrie Bell
Bob Margolin
Phillip Walker
Hubert Sumlin
Nappy Brown
Magic Slim



2009 Blues Music Awards Nominations The Blues Music Awards honor those professional artists and recordings that stand out within the eligibility period, which runs from November 1 through October 31. In addition to the awards for the past year’s top recordings, additional categories honor individual, actively touring artists for their overall excellence and accomplishment in that year. Each September, The Blues Foundation solicits from the labels -- even the single artist label- -a list of their eligible recordings. If you are a record label or blues musician who released a CD during the period November 1, 2007 to October 31, 2008, go to Nomination Procedure for details and submission info. (NOTE: This is not to be confused with the Best Self-Produced CD Award - a part of the IBC) Deadline for CD submissions to The Blues Foundation is October 17th. Artists, label representatives, managers, or anyone else wishing to be involved in The Blues Music Awards process are free to submit recording nominations. Does that mean we want every act that released a CD during the period to submit? Probably not, but whether your release has a legitimate shot at a Blues Music Award nomination--that is your call. This part of the process will end in mid October. 2009 International Blues Challenge If you are thinking about travel plans to Memphis for the IBC, keep in mind that we are advertising the dates of the 2009 IBC as February 4 - 7 --that is Wednesday through Saturday. As you know, in 2008, Wednesday started out with a Beale Street Merchants reception and Delta Blues concert at the New Daisy as well as Blues Night at the Memphis Grizzlies NBA game. While we are not yet sure what is going to happen on Wednesday night, be assured that something will. In addition, the seminars will begin on Thursday (rather than Friday) so in order to take full advantage of these learning and networking opportunities, you will want to arrive on Wednesday. The seminars are scheduled for Thursday, because of the number of showcases set for Friday afternoon, whether events like the 2008 Blind Raccoon showcase at the Rum Boogie or The Blues Foundation’s first ever Youth Showcase in 2009. The work will begin on Thursday so all can enjoy the music Friday afternoon. In the meantime, click here for the latest IBC updates. "I continue to be amazed at how well an event this big comes off. I heard the comment over and over that win or lose, the experience and meeting so many other people in the buisness is the real prize. The ones that walk away unhappy have missed the whole point of the event in my opinion. To me I see year after year bands evolving from hobby bands to professional bands and a lot of the evolution comes from networking and learning at this event. The big fish from the little ponds learn if they can swim in the big pond." ~ Mike Dew, WNCW 88.7 Spindale NC. Advertise on The Blues Foundation’s website Thousands of people around the world visit our website every day. Musicians, record labels, festivals, online stores and authors, among others, have found it beneficial to advertise on www.blues.org. As an example, during a recent advertising effort, Art Tipaldi had 1683 clicks to his book Children of the Blues. And right now Art is in the south of France, so that proves advertising on our pages is financially rewarding!! Laurie Morvan generated almost 3000 visits to her website when she ran a top banner ad earlier this year. And remember, all proceeds benefit your Blues Foundation. Blues Kids Featured.... Check it out -- Blues Kids are featured on The Blues Foundation website. Let us know about the kids in your area that are serious about Blues music. Let them know about this feature and have them send text, photo and web address to Jay at jay@blues.org. You are the ones who are familiar with the young people with whom the rest of us should become familiar. Homemade Jamz Blues Band The Homemade Jamz Blues Band, sponsored by the Mississippi Delta Blues Society of Indianola, Ryan (14), Kyle (12) and Taya (8) Perry of Tupelo took second place at the 23rd International Blues Challenge in Memphis February 3, 2007. You had to see and hear this to believe it. 2008 Blues Music Award Winners continued.... Song of the Year 'The Wheel Man' - William Homans, Watermelon Slim & The Workers - The Wheel Man 'The Last Words of A Fool' - Sugar Ray Norcia, Sugar Ray & The Bluetones - My Life, My Friends, My Music 'Jimmy Reed Highway' - Omar Kent Dykes & Steve Callif, Omar Dykes & Jimmie Vaughan - On the Jimmy Reed Highway 'Gonna Buy Me a Mule' - Koko Taylor, Koko Taylor - Old School 'Poor Man's Paradise' - Johnny Sansone, Johnny Sansone - Poor Man's Paradise Soul Blues Album of the Year Tad Robinson - A New Point of View Mem Shannon - A Night At Tipitina's Holmes Brothers - State of Grace Eugene Hideaway Bridges - Eugene Hideaway Bridges Root Doctor - Change Our Ways Traditional Blues Album of the Year Big George Brock - Live at Seventy Five Darrell Nulisch - Goin' Back To Dallas Nappy Brown - Long Time Coming Koko Taylor - Old School Omar Kent Dykes & Jimmie Vaughan - On the Jimmy Reed Highway Traditional Blues Female Artist of the Year Koko Taylor Diunna Greenleaf Sharrie Williams Ruthie Foster Nora Jean Bruso Traditional Blues Male Artist of the Year Lurrie Bell Bob Margolin Phillip Walker Hubert Sumlin Nappy Brown Magic Slim	2008 Blues Music Awards (winners shown in bold type) Acoustic Album of the Year Marie Knight - Let Us Get Together Bobby Rush - Raw Fruteland Jackson - Tell Me What You Say Dave Riley and Bob Corritore - Travelin' The Dirt Road Jimmy "Duck" Holmes - Done Got Tired Of Tryin' Acoustic Artist of the Year Mary Flower Doug MacLeod Eric Bibb Bobby Rush Fruteland Jackson Guy Davis Album of the Year Sugar Ray & the Bluetones - My Life, My Friends, My Music Nick Moss & The Flip Tops - Play It 'Til Tomorrow Omar Dykes & Jimmie Vaughan - On The Jimmy Reed Highway Watermelon Slim & The Workers - The Wheel Man Koko Taylor - Old School Bettye LaVette - The Scene of the Crime James Blood Ulmer - Bad Blood In the City B.B. King Entertainer of the Year Bobby Rush Janiva Magness Tommy Castro Watermelon Slim Bettye LaVette Band of the Year Watermelon Slim & The Workers Nick Moss &The Flip Tops Mannish Boys Magic Slim & The Teardrops Lil' Ed & The Blues Imperials Best New Artist Debut John Nemeth - Magic Touch The Soul of John Black - The Good Girl Blues Diunna Greenleaf & Blue Mercy - Cotton Field to Coffee House The Insomniacs - Left Coast Blues Gina Sicilia - Allow Me to Confess Contemporary Blues Album of the Year Watermelon Slim & The Workers - The Wheel Man Kilborn Alley Blues Band - Tear Chicago Down Bryan Lee - Katrina Was Her Name James Blood Ulmer - Bad Blood in the City Tommy Castro - Painkiller Contemporary Blues Female Artist of the Year Bettye LaVette Candye Kane Debbie Davies Fiona Boyes Teresa James Contemporary Blues Male Artist of the Year Watermelon Slim Tab Benoit Kim Wilson James Blood Ulmer Ronnie Baker Brooks DVD Willie King - Down in the Woods Carey & Lurrie Bell - Gettin' Up: Live at Buddy Guy's Legends, Rosa's and Lurrie's Home Pinetop Perkins - Born in the Honey Son Seals - A Journey Through the Blues: The Son Seals Story Kenny Wayne Shepherd - 10 Days Out: Blues From the Backroads Historical Album of the Year Epic/Legacy - Breakin' It Up, Breakin' It Down - Muddy Waters, Johnny Winter, James Cotton Delmark - Steady Rollin' Man - Robert Jr. Lockwood Blind Pig - The Essential Magic Slim - Magic Slim Delmark - Kidney Stew Is Fine - Eddie "Cleanhead" Vinson Blue Witch - House Rockin' and Blues Shoutin' - Various Artists Instrumentalist-Bass Bob Stroger Bill Stuve Michael "Mudcat" Ward Jeff Turmes Calvin "Fuzz" Jones Larry Taylor Instrumentalist-Drums Jimi Bott Sam Carr Sam Lay Richard Innes Robb Stupka Instrumentalist-Guitar Lurrie Bell Duke Robillard Kid Ramos Nick Moss Bob Margolin Instrumentalist-Harmonica Kim Wilson James Cotton Sugar Ray Norcia Mark Hummel Carey Bell Sugar Blue Instrumentalist-Horn Big James Montgomery Kaz Kazanoff Deanna Bogart Doug James Calvin Owens Instrumentalist-Other Sonny Rhodes - Lap Steel Gerry Hundt - Mandolin Robert Randolph - Pedal Steel Johnny Sansone - Accordion Otis Taylor - Banjo Pinetop Perkins Piano Player of the Year Henry Butler Honey Piazza Ann Rabson Bruce Katz David Maxwell Soul Blues Female Artist of the Year Irma Thomas Denise LaSalle Sista Monica Parker Sharon Jones Barbara Carr Soul Blues Male Artist of the Year Jackie Payne Mem Shannon Eugene Hideaway Bridges Bobby Rush Tad Robinson
THIS PAGE IS UPDATED AS NEWS IS RECEIVED FROM THE BLUES FOUNDATION...