Loading AI tools
The Blues Music Awards, formerly known as the W. C. Handy Awards (or "The Handys"), are awards presented by the Blues Foundation, a non-profit organization set up to foster blues heritage. The awards were originally named in honor of W. C. Handy, "Father of the Blues".[1] The first award was presented in 1980 and is "universally recognized as the highest accolade afforded musicians and songwriters in blues music".[2] In 2006, the awards were renamed Blues Music Awards in an effort to increase public appreciation of the significance of the awards.[3]
They are presented annually in Memphis, Tennessee, where the Blues Foundation is located, although the 2008 award ceremony was held in Tunica, Mississippi.[4] The 39th Blues Music Awards were held on May 10, 2018, at the Memphis Cook Convention Center. Two new award categories had been announced (Instrumentalist-Vocals and Blues Rock Artist of the Year) bringing the number of awards to be presented up to 26 in total.[5] The 40th Blues Music Awards took place on May 9, 2019, with the Historical Album of the Year category being dropped, reducing the overall number of categories to 25.[6]
The 41st ceremony was scheduled for May 7, 2020, but the live event was cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.[7][8] The 2020 winners were announced at a virtual event.[9] The 42nd ceremony was again presented at a virtual event on June 6, 2021.[10] The 43rd ceremony took place on May 5, 2022, as the first in-person event since 2019.[11] The 44th event was held on May 11, 2023, in Memphis.[12] The 45th event took place on May 8, 2024, in Memphis.[13]
| Category | Winner |
|---|---|
| Acoustic Album of the Year | Raw Blues 1, Doug MacLeod |
| Acoustic Artist of the Year | Keb' Mo' |
| Album of the Year | Live In London, Christone "Kingfish" Ingram |
| B.B King Entertainer of the Year | Bobby Rush |
| Band of the Year | Nick Moss Band |
| Best Emerging Artist Album | The Right Man, D.K. Harrell |
| Contemporary Blues Album of the Year | Live In London, Christone "Kingfish" Ingram |
| Contemporary Blues Female Artist of the Year | Danielle Nicole |
| Contemporary Blues Male Artist of the Year | Christone "Kingfish" Ingram |
| Instrumentalist – Bass | Bob Stroger |
| Instrumentalist – Drums | Kenny "Beedy Eyes" Smith |
| Instrumentalist – Guitar | Christone "Kingfish" Ingram |
| Instrumentalist – Harmonica | Jason Ricci |
| Instrumentalist – Horn | Vanessa Collier |
| Instrumentalist – Vocals | Ruthie Foster |
| Pinetop Perkins Piano Player | Kenny "Blues Boss" Wayne |
| Koko Taylor Award (Traditional Blues Female) | Sue Foley |
| Blues Rock Album of the Year | Blood Brothers, Mike Zito and Albert Castiglia |
| Blues Rock Artist of the Year | Mike Zito |
| Song of the Year | "What Kind of Fool", written by Ruthie Foster, Hadden Sayers and Scottie Miller |
| Soul Blues Album of the Year | All My Love for You, Bobby Rush |
| Soul Blues Female Artist of the Year | Annika Chambers |
| Soul Blues Male Artist of the Year | John Nemeth |
| Traditional Blues Album of the Year | Teardrops for Magic Slim: Live at Rosa's Lounge, John Primer |
| Traditional Blues Male Artist of the Year | John Primer |
| Category | Winner |
|---|---|
| Acoustic Album of the Year | Mississippi Son, Charlie Musselwhite |
| Acoustic Artist of the Year | Doug MacLeod |
| Album of the Year | The Blues Don't Lie, Buddy Guy |
| B.B King Entertainer of the Year | Tommy Castro |
| Band of the Year | Tedeschi Trucks Band |
| Best Emerging Artist Album | Who Is He?, Dylan Triplett |
| Contemporary Blues Album of the Year | The Blues Don't Lie, Buddy Guy |
| Contemporary Blues Female Artist of the Year | Ruthie Foster |
| Contemporary Blues Male Artist of the Year | Christone "Kingfish" Ingram |
| Instrumentalist – Bass | Danielle Nicole |
| Instrumentalist – Drums | Kenny "Beedy Eyes" Smith |
| Instrumentalist – Guitar | Laura Chavez |
| Instrumentalist – Harmonica | John Németh |
| Instrumentalist – Horn | Deanna Bogart |
| Instrumentalist – Vocals | Shemekia Copeland |
| Pinetop Perkins Piano Player | Anthony Geraci |
| Koko Taylor Award (Traditional Blues Female) | Sue Foley |
| Blues Rock Album of the Year | I Got Love, Albert Castiglia |
| Blues Rock Artist of the Year | Albert Castiglia |
| Song of the Year | "Blues Don't Lie" (Tom Hambridge), Buddy Guy |
| Soul Blues Album of the Year | In Too Deep, Sugaray Rayford |
| Soul Blues Female Artist of the Year | Thornetta Davis |
| Soul Blues Male Artist of the Year | Curtis Salgado |
| Traditional Blues Album of the Year | May Be the Last Time, John Németh |
| Traditional Blues Male Artist of the Year | John Primer |
| Category | Winner |
|---|---|
| Acoustic Album of the Year | Dear America, Eric Bibb |
| Acoustic Artist of the Year | Keb' Mo' |
| Album of the Year | Tommy Castro Presents A Bluesman Came To Town, Tommy Castro |
| B.B King Entertainer of the Year | Tommy Castro |
| Band of the Year | Tommy Castro & The Painkillers |
| Best Emerging Artist Album | Live On Beale Street: A Tribute To Bobby "Blue" Bland, Rodd Bland and the Members Only Band |
| Contemporary Blues Album of the Year | 662, Christone "Kingfish" Ingram |
| Contemporary Blues Female Artist of the Year | Vanessa Collier |
| Contemporary Blues Male Artist of the Year | Christone "Kingfish" Ingram |
| Instrumentalist – Bass | Danielle Nicole |
| Instrumentalist – Drums | Tom Hambridge |
| Instrumentalist – Guitar | Eric Gales |
| Instrumentalist – Harmonica | Jason Ricci |
| Instrumentalist – Horn | Jimmy Carpenter |
| Instrumentalist – Vocals | John Németh |
| Pinetop Perkins Piano Player | Mike Finnigan |
| Koko Taylor Award (Traditional Blues Female) | Sue Foley |
| Blues Rock Album of the Year | Resurrection, Mike Zito |
| Blues Rock Artist of the Year | Albert Castiglia |
| Song of the Year | "I'd Climb Mountains", Selwyn Birchwood |
| Soul Blues Album of the Year | Long As I Got My Guitar, Zac Harmon |
| Soul Blues Female Artist of the Year | Annika Chambers |
| Soul Blues Male Artist of the Year | Curtis Salgado |
| Traditional Blues Album of the Year | Pinky's Blues, Sue Foley |
| Traditional Blues Male Artist of the Year | Taj Mahal |
| Category | Winner |
|---|---|
| Acoustic Album of the Year | Rawer Than Raw, Bobby Rush |
| Acoustic Artist of the Year | Keb' Mo' |
| Album of the Year | 100 Years of Blues, Elvin Bishop and Charlie Musselwhite |
| B.B King Entertainer of the Year | Shemekia Copeland |
| Band of the Year | Rick Estrin & The Nightcats |
| Best Emerging Artist Album | Harlem, King Solomon Hicks |
| Contemporary Blues Album of the Year | Uncivil War, Shemekia Copeland |
| Contemporary Blues Female Artist of the Year | Shemekia Copeland |
| Contemporary Blues Male Artist of the Year | Christone "Kingfish" Ingram |
| Instrumentalist – Bass | Danielle Nicole |
| Instrumentalist – Drums | Kenny "Beedy Eyes" Smith |
| Instrumentalist – Guitar | Christone "Kingfish" Ingram |
| Instrumentalist – Harmonica | Kim Wilson |
| Instrumentalist – Horn | Jimmy Carpenter |
| Instrumentalist – Vocals | Ruthie Foster |
| Pinetop Perkins Piano Player | Anthony Geraci |
| Koko Taylor Award (Traditional Blues Female) | Rory Block |
| Blues Rock Album of the Year | Mike Zito and Friends – Rock 'n' Roll: A Tribute to Chuck Berry, Mike Zito |
| Blues Rock Artist of the Year | Mike Zito |
| Song of the Year | "All Out of Tears" – written by Walter Trout, Marie Trout, and Teeny Tucker (performed by Walter Trout) |
| Soul Blues Album of the Year | That's What I Heard, Robert Cray Band |
| Soul Blues Female Artist of the Year | Bettye LaVette |
| Soul Blues Male Artist of the Year | Curtis Salgado |
| Traditional Blues Album of the Year | 100 Years of Blues, Elvin Bishop and Charlie Musselwhite |
| Traditional Blues Male Artist of the Year | John Primer |
| Category | Winner |
|---|---|
| Acoustic Album of the Year | This Guitar and Tonight, Bob Margolin |
| Acoustic Artist of the Year | Doug MacLeod |
| Album of the Year | Kingfish, Christone "Kingfish" Ingram |
| B.B King Entertainer of the Year | Sugaray Rayford |
| Band of the Year | The Nick Moss Band featuring Dennis Gruenling |
| Best Emerging Artist Album | Kingfish, Christone "Kingfish" Ingram |
| Contemporary Blues Album of the Year | Kingfish, Christone "Kingfish" Ingram |
| Contemporary Blues Female Artist of the Year | Shemekia Copeland |
| Contemporary Blues Male Artist of the Year | Christone "Kingfish" Ingram |
| Instrumentalist – Bass | Michael "Mudcat" Ward |
| Instrumentalist – Drums | Cedric Burnside |
| Instrumentalist – Guitar | Christone "Kingfish" Ingram |
| Instrumentalist – Harmonica | Rick Estrin |
| Instrumentalist – Horn | Vanessa Collier |
| Instrumentalist – Vocals | Mavis Staples |
| Pinetop Perkins Piano Player | Victor Wainwright |
| Koko Taylor Award (Traditional Blues Female) | Sue Foley |
| Blues Rock Album of the Year | Masterpiece, Albert Castiglia |
| Blues Rock Artist of the Year | Eric Gales |
| Song of the Year | "Lucky Guy", Nick Moss |
| Soul Blues Album of the Year | Sitting on Top of the Blues, Bobby Rush |
| Soul Blues Female Artist of the Year | Bettye LaVette |
| Soul Blues Male Artist of the Year | Sugaray Rayford |
| Traditional Blues Album of the Year | Lucky Guy!, The Nick Moss Band featuring Dennis Gruenling |
| Traditional Blues Male Artist of the Year | Jimmie Vaughan |
| Category | Winner |
|---|---|
| Acoustic Album of the Year | Journeys to the Heart of the Blues, Joe Louis Walker, Bruce Katz, Giles Robson |
| Acoustic Artist of the Year | Rory Block |
| Album of the Year | America's Child, Shemekia Copeland |
| B.B King Entertainer of the Year | Mike Ledbetter |
| Band of the Year | Welch-Ledbetter Connection |
| Best Emerging Artist Album | Free, Amanda Fish |
| Contemporary Blues Album of the Year | America's Child, Shemekia Copeland |
| Contemporary Blues Female Artist of the Year | Danielle Nicole |
| Contemporary Blues Male Artist of the Year | Kenny Neal |
| Instrumentalist – Bass | Danielle Nicole |
| Instrumentalist – Drums | Cedric Burnside |
| Instrumentalist – Guitar | Monster Mike Welch |
| Instrumentalist – Harmonica | Dennis Gruenling |
| Instrumentalist – Horn | Vanessa Collier |
| Instrumentalist – Vocals | Mike Ledbetter |
| Pinetop Perkins Piano Player | Marcia Ball |
| Koko Taylor Award (Traditional Blues Female) | Ruthie Foster |
| Blues Rock Album of the Year | The Big Bad Blues, Billy F Gibbons |
| Blues Rock Artist of the Year | Eric Gales |
| Song of the Year | "No Mercy In This Land", Ben Harper and Charlie Musselwhite |
| Soul Blues Album of the Year | I'm Still Around, Johnny Rawls |
| Soul Blues Female Artist of the Year | Annika Chambers |
| Soul Blues Male Artist of the Year | Sugaray Rayford |
| Traditional Blues Album of the Year | The Blues Is Alive and Well, Buddy Guy |
| Traditional Blues Male Artist of the Year | Nick Moss |
| Category | Winner |
|---|---|
| Acoustic Album of the Year | Break the Chain, Doug MacLeod |
| Acoustic Artist of the Year | Taj Mahal |
| Album of the Year | TajMo, Taj Mahal & Keb' Mo' |
| B.B King Entertainer of the Year | Taj Mahal |
| Band of the Year | Rick Estrin & The Nightcats |
| Best Emerging Artist Album | Southern Avenue – Southern Avenue |
| Contemporary Blues Album of the Year | TajMo, Taj Mahal & Keb' Mo' |
| Contemporary Blues Female Artist of the Year | Samantha Fish |
| Contemporary Blues Male Artist of the Year | Keb' Mo' |
| Historical Album of the Year | A Legend Never Dies, Essential Recordings 1976-1997 – Luther Allison |
| Instrumentalist – Bass | Michael "Mudcat" Ward |
| Instrumentalist – Drums | Tony Braunagel |
| Instrumentalist – Guitar | Ronnie Earl |
| Instrumentalist – Harmonica | Jason Ricci |
| Instrumentalist – Horn | Trombone Shorty |
| Instrumentalist – Vocals | Beth Hart |
| Pinetop Perkins Piano Player | Victor Wainwright |
| Koko Taylor Award (Traditional Blues Female) | Ruthie Foster |
| Blues Rock Album of the Year | We’re All In This Together, Walter Trout |
| Blues Rock Artist of the Year | Mike Zito |
| Song of the Year | "The Blues Ain’t Going Nowhere", Rick Estrin |
| Soul Blues Album of the Year | Robert Cray & Hi Rhythm – Robert Cray & Hi Rhythm |
| Soul Blues Female Artist of the Year | Mavis Staples |
| Soul Blues Male Artist of the Year | Curtis Salgado |
| Traditional Blues Album of the Year | Right Place, Right Time, Monster Mike Welch and Mike Ledbetter |
| Traditional Blues Male Artist of the Year | Rick Estrin |
| Category | Winner |
|---|---|
| Acoustic Album of the Year | The Happiest Man in the World, Eric Bibb |
| Acoustic Artist of the Year | Doug MacLeod |
| Album of the Year | Porcupine Meat, Bobby Rush |
| B.B King Entertainer of the Year | Joe Bonamassa |
| Band of the Year | Tedeschi Trucks Band |
| Best Emerging Artist Album | Tengo Blues, Jonn Del Toro Richardson |
| Contemporary Blues Album of the Year | Bloodline, Kenny Neal |
| Contemporary Blues Female Artist of the Year | Susan Tedeschi |
| Contemporary Blues Male Artist of the Year | Kenny Neal |
| Historical Album of the Year | Chicken Heads: A 50-Year History of Bobby Rush, Bobby Rush |
| Instrumentalist – Bass | Biscuit Miller |
| Instrumentalist – Drums | Cedric Burnside |
| Instrumentalist – Guitar | Joe Bonamassa |
| Instrumentalist – Harmonica | Kim Wilson |
| Instrumentalist – Horn | Terry Hanck |
| Pinetop Perkins Piano Player | Victor Wainwright |
| Koko Taylor Award (Traditional Blues Female) | Diunna Greenleaf |
| Rock Blues Album of the Year | Let Me Get By, Tedeschi Trucks Band |
| Song of the Year | "Walk A Mile In My Blues", Curtis Salgado |
| Soul Blues Album of the Year | The Beautiful Lowdown, Curtis Salgado |
| Soul Blues Female Artist of the Year | Mavis Staples |
| Soul Blues Male Artist of the Year | Curtis Salgado |
| Traditional Blues Album of the Year | Can't Shake This Feeling, Lurrie Bell |
| Traditional Blues Male Artist of the Year | Bob Margolin |
| Category | Winner |
|---|---|
| Acoustic Album of the Year | The Acoustic Blues & Roots of Duke Robillard, Duke Robillard |
| Acoustic Artist of the Year | Doug MacLeod |
| Album of the Year | Born to Play Guitar, Buddy Guy |
| B.B King Entertainer of the Year | Victor Wainwright |
| Band of the Year | Victor Wainwright & the WildRoots |
| Best New Artist Debut | The Mississippi Blues Child, Mr. Sipp |
| Contemporary Blues Album of the Year | Born to Play Guitar, Buddy Guy |
| Contemporary Blues Female Artist of the Year | Shemekia Copeland |
| Contemporary Blues Male Artist of the Year | Joe Louis Walker |
| Historical Album of the Year | Buzzin’ the Blues, Slim Harpo |
| Instrumentalist – Bass | Lisa Mann |
| Instrumentalist – Drums | Cedric Burnside |
| Instrumentalist – Guitar | Sonny Landreth |
| Instrumentalist – Harmonica | Kim Wilson |
| Instrumentalist – Horn | Terry Hanck |
| Pinetop Perkins Piano Player | Allen Toussaint |
| Koko Taylor Award (Traditional Blues Female) | Ruthie Foster |
| Rock Blues Album of the Year | Battle Scars, Walter Trout |
| Song of the Year | "Gonna Live Again", Walter Trout |
| Soul Blues Album of the Year | This Time for Real, Billy Price and Otis Clay |
| Soul Blues Female Artist of the Year | Bettye LaVette |
| Soul Blues Male Artist of the Year | Otis Clay |
| Traditional Blues Album of the Year | Descendants of Hill Country, Cedric Burnside Project |
| Traditional Blues Male Artist of the Year | John Primer |
| Category | Winner |
|---|---|
| Acoustic Album of the Year | Timeless, John Hammond |
| Acoustic Artist of the Year | John Hammond |
| Album of the Year | Can't Even Do Wrong Right, Elvin Bishop |
| B.B King Entertainer of the Year | Bobby Rush |
| Band of the Year | Elvin Bishop Band |
| Best New Artist Debut | Don't Call No Ambulance, Selwyn Birchwood |
| Contemporary Blues Album of the Year | BLUESAmericana, Keb' Mo' |
| Contemporary Blues Female Artist of the Year | Janiva Magness |
| Contemporary Blues Male Artist of the Year | Gary Clark, Jr. |
| Historical Album of the Year | Soul & Swagger: The Complete “5” Royales 1951-1967 – The "5" Royales |
| Instrumentalist – Bass | Lisa Mann |
| Instrumentalist – Drums | Jimi Bott |
| Instrumentalist – Guitar | Joe Bonamassa |
| Instrumentalist – Harmonica | Charlie Musselwhite |
| Instrumentalist – Horn | Deanna Bogart |
| Pinetop Perkins Piano Player | Marcia Ball |
| Koko Taylor Award (Traditional Blues Female) | Ruthie Foster |
| Rock Blues Album of the Year | Step Back, Johnny Winter |
| Song of the Year | "Can't Even Do Wrong Right", Elvin Bishop |
| Soul Blues Album of the Year | Memphis Grease, John Németh |
| Soul Blues Female Artist of the Year | Sista Monica |
| Soul Blues Male Artist of the Year | Bobby Rush |
| Traditional Blues Album of the Year | For Pops (A Tribute to Muddy Waters), Mud Morganfield, Kim Wilson |
| Traditional Blues Male Artist of the Year | Lurrie Bell |
| Category | Winner |
|---|---|
| Acoustic Album of the Year | There's A Time, Doug MacLeod |
| Acoustic Artist of the Year | Doug MacLeod |
| Album of the Year | Remembering Little Walter, Billy Boy Arnold, Charlie Musselwhite, Mark Hummel, Sugar Ray Norcia and James Harman |
| B.B King Entertainer of the Year | Buddy Guy |
| Band of the Year | Tedeschi Trucks Band |
| Best New Artist Debut | Daddy Told Me, Shawn Holt & the Teardrops |
| Contemporary Blues Album of the Year | Badlands, Trampled Under Foot |
| Contemporary Blues Female Artist of the Year | Susan Tedeschi |
| Contemporary Blues Male Artist of the Year | Gary Clark, Jr. |
| DVD | Songs From The Road, Royal Southern Brotherhood |
| Historical Album of the Year | The Sun Blues Box, Various artists |
| Instrumentalist – Bass | Danielle Schnebelen |
| Instrumentalist – Drums | Cedric Burnside |
| Instrumentalist – Guitar | Ronnie Earl |
| Instrumentalist – Harmonica | Charlie Musselwhite |
| Instrumentalist – Horn | Eddie Shaw |
| Pinetop Perkins Piano Player | Victor Wainwright |
| Koko Taylor Award (Traditional Blues Female) | Diunna Greenleaf |
| Rock Blues Album of the Year | Made Up Mind, Tedeschi Trucks Band |
| Song of the Year | "Blues in My Soul", Lurrie Bell |
| Soul Blues Album of the Year | Down in Louisiana, Bobby Rush |
| Soul Blues Female Artist of the Year | Irma Thomas |
| Soul Blues Male Artist of the Year | John Németh |
| Traditional Blues Album of the Year | Remembering Little Walter, Billy Boy Arnold, Charlie Musselwhite, Mark Hummel, Sugar Ray Norcia and James Harman |
| Traditional Blues Male Artist of the Year | James Cotton |
| Category | Winner |
|---|---|
| Acoustic Album of the Year | Last Train to Bluesville, The Nighthawks |
| Acoustic Artist of the Year | John Hammond |
| Album of the Year | Living Proof, Buddy Guy |
| B.B King Entertainer of the Year | Buddy Guy |
| Band of the Year | The Derek Trucks Band |
| Best New Artist Debut | On the Floor, Matt Hill |
| Contemporary Blues Album of the Year | Living Proof, Buddy Guy |
| Contemporary Blues Female Artist of the Year | Robin Rogers |
| Contemporary Blues Male Artist of the Year | Buddy Guy |
| DVD | Ruf, Songs From The Road, Luther Allison |
| Historical Album of the Year | Harmonica Blues, Bob Corritore and Friends |
| Instrumentalist – Bass | Bob Stroger |
| Instrumentalist – Drums | Cedric Burnside |
| Instrumentalist – Guitar | Derek Trucks |
| Instrumentalist – Harmonica | Charlie Musselwhite |
| Instrumentalist – Horn | Eddie Shaw |
| Instrumentalist – Other | Sonny Rhodes, Lap steel guitar |
| Koko Taylor Award (Traditional Blues Female) | Ruthie Foster |
| Pinetop Perkins Piano Player | Dr. John |
| Rock Blues Album of the Year | Live! In Chicago, Kenny Wayne Shepherd Band featuring Hubert Sumlin, Willie "Big Eyes" Smith, Bryan Lee and Buddy Flett |
| Song of the Year | "Living Proof", (Tom Hambridge / Buddy Guy), Living Proof, Buddy Guy |
| Soul Blues Album of the Year | Nothing's Impossible, Solomon Burke |
| Soul Blues Female Artist of the Year | Irma Thomas |
| Soul Blues Male Artist of the Year | Solomon Burke |
| Traditional Blues Album of the Year | Joined At the Hip, Pinetop Perkins and Willie "Big Eyes" Smith |
| Traditional Blues Male Artist of the Year | Charlie Musselwhite |
Wikiwand in your browser!
Seamless Wikipedia browsing. On steroids.
Every time you click a link to Wikipedia, Wiktionary or Wikiquote in your browser's search results, it will show the modern Wikiwand interface.
Wikiwand extension is a five stars, simple, with minimum permission required to keep your browsing private, safe and transparent.
