2018 Blues Music Awards Winners

Aloha!

The 2018 Blues Music Awards ceremony was held on May 10 in Memphis, Tennessee and there was a strong list of nominees so it was sad that most of them were not going to win, but they are all winners in my book anyway. Here are the results:

Acoustic Album: “Break the Chain” — Doug MacLeod

Acoustic Artist: Taj Mahal

Album: “TajMo” — Taj Mahal & Keb’ Mo’

B.B. King Entertainer: Taj Mahal

Band: Rick Estrin & the Nightcats

Best Emerging Artist Album: “Southern Avenue” — Southern Avenue

Contemporary Blues Album: “TajMo” — Taj Mahal & Keb’ Mo’

Contemporary Blues Female Artist: Samantha Fish

Contemporary Blues Male Artist: Keb’ Mo'

Historical: “A Legend Never Dies, Essential Recordings 1976-1997” — Luther Allison (Ruf Recordings)

Instrumentalist-Vocalist: Beth Hart

Instrumentalist-Bass: Michael “Mudcat” Ward

Instrumentalist-Drums: Tony Braunagel

Instrumentalist-Guitar: Ronnie Earl

Instrumentalist-Harmonica: Jason Ricci

Instrumentalist-Horn: Trombone Shorty

Pinetop Perkins Piano Player (Instrumentalist — Piano): Victor Wainwright

Koko Taylor Award (Traditional Blues Female): Ruthie Foster

Rock Blues Album: “We’re All In This Together” — Walter Trout

Rock Blues Artist: Mike Zito

Song: “The Blues Ain’t Going Nowhere” written by Rick Estrin and performed by Rick Estrin

Soul Blues Album: “Robert Cray & Hi Rhythm” — Robert Cray & Hi Rhythm

Soul Blues Female Artist: Mavis Staples

Soul Blues Male Artist: Curtis Salgado

Traditional Blues Album: “Right Place, Right Time” — Mike Welch and Mike Ledbetter

Traditional Blues Male Artist: Rick Estrin

Mahalo!