Bobby Rush

Beth Hart

Mr. Sipp (Castro Coleman) 

Lil’ Ed Williams 

Vanessa Collier

TEARDROPS FROM MAGIC SLIM, John Primer

Live In London, Christone “Kingfish” Ingram

SoulFunkn’BLUES, Blackburn Brothers

Soul Side of Sipp, Mr. Sipp (Castro Coleman)

Get Your Back Into It!, Nick Moss Band Featuring Dennis Gruenling

Listen to nominees on Spotify

Larkin Poe

Nick Moss Band

Selwyn Birchwood Band

Southern Avenue

Tedeschi Trucks Band

“Bobby’s Blues” performed by the Blackburn Brothers, written by Brooke Blackburn

“Horns Below Her Halo” performed by Selwyn Birchwood, written by Selwyn Birchwood

“Midnight Heat” performed by Christone “Kingfish” Ingram, written by Tom Hambridge & Richard Fleming

“The Bait In the Snare” performed by Nick Moss Band featuring Dennis Gruenling, written by Nick Moss

“What Kind Of Fool” performed by Ruthie Foster, written by Ruthie Foster, Hadden Sayers & Scottie Miller

When the Levee Breaks: The Music of Memphis Minnie, Candice Ivory

The Right Man, D.K. Harrell

Up Next, Mathias Lattin

Everybody’s Buddy, Nic Clark

Motel Mississippi, Tony Holiday

Listen to nominees on Spotify

Wild Ox Moan, Catfish Keith

Raw Blues 1, Doug MacLeod

Sticks & Strings, EG Kight

Ridin’ the Blinds, Hudspeth & Taylor

Ghost Hymns, William Lee Ellis

POWER, Anna Popovic

Writing On The Wall, Coco Montoya

Blues Deluxe Vol. 2, Joe Bonamassa

Blood Brothers, Mike Zito/ Albert Castiglia

What Key Is Trouble In?, Nick Schnebelen

662, Kingfish 

Damage Control, Curtis Salgado 

Holler If You Hear Me, Altered Five Blues Band 

Raisin’ Cain, Chris Cain 

Tommy Castro Presents A Bluesman Came To Town, Tommy Castro

Listen to nominees on Spotify

Stuff I’ve Been Through, Alabama Mike

SoulFunkin’ BLUES, Blackburn Brothers

All My Love For You, Bobby Rush

Walking Heart Attack, Johnny Rawls

Soul Side of Sipp, Mr. Sipp (Castro Coleman)

TEARDROPS FOR MAGIC SLIM: John Primer

Nothing But Time, Monster Mike Welch

Get Your Back Into It!, Nick Moss Band Featuring Dennis Gruenling

Savoy, Taj Mahal

Oscar’s Motel, The Cash Box Kings

Catfish Keith

Doug MacLeod

Eric Bibb

Keb’ Mo’

Kevin Burt

Ana Popovic

Joe Bonamassa

Kenny Wayne Shepherd

Mike Zito

Warren Haynes

Carolyn Wonderland

Danielle Nicole

Janiva Magness

Teresa James

Vanessa Collier

Chris Cain

Christone “Kingfish” Ingram

Marquise Knox

Mr. Sipp (Castro Coleman)

Selwyn Birchwood

Annika Chambers 

Trudy Lynn 

Terrie Odabi 

Kat Riggins 

Thornetta Davis

Alabama Mike

Billy Price

John Nemeth 

Johnny Rawls 

William Bell

Diunna Greenleaf

Rhiannon Giddens

Shaun Murphy

Sue Foley

Teeny Tucker

Billy Branch

Cedric Burnside

John Primer

Jontavious Willis

Nick Moss

Bob Stroger

Larry Fulcher

Michael “Mudcat” Ward

Rodrigo Mantovani

Willie Weeks

Derrick D’Mar Martin

June Core

Kenny “Beedy Eyes” Smith

Tom Hambridge

Tony Braunagel

Christoffer “Kid” Andersen

Christone “Kingfish” Ingram

Derek Trucks

Laura Chavez

Sue Foley

Billy Branch

Bob Corritore

Dennis Gruenling

Jason Ricci

Kim Wilson

Deanna Bogart

Jimmy Carpenter

Mark Kaz Kazanoff

Trombone Shorty

Vanessa Collier

Ben Levin

Dave Keyes

Jim Pugh

Kenny “Blues Boss” Wayne

Mitch Woods

Billy Price

Diunna Greenleaf

John Nemeth

Ruthie Foster

Shemekia Copeland

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

The best blues album in any style released to the public during the eligibility period.

(May be an album nominated in another category)

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

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.

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.)

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.

That album released to the public during the eligibility period with a majority of songs that best portrays the Blues Rock 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.

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.

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.

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.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

That blues album or collection released during the eligibility period, with all recordings at least five years or older, which serves to preserve historical blues recording and/or performance. In addition to recording and performance content, liner notes and general packaging of the content will be taken into consideration. Submissions for this category are reviewed by a special committee of blues historians, journalists, and ethnomusicologists. This category is not included as part of the nominations announcement or the BMA ballot.