| The Blues Foundation has announced the nominees for the 40th Annual Blues Music Awards to be held in Memphis, TN on Thursday, May 9th. Learn more about the awards, the nominees, and how to attend this amazing event at www.blues.org. Acoustic Album A Woman’s Soul, Rory Block Black Cowboys, Dom Flemons Global Griot, Eric Bibb Journeys To The Heart Of The Blues, Joe Louis Walker/Bruce Katz/Giles Robson Wish The World Away, Ben Rice Acoustic Artist Ben Rice Guy Davis Hadden Sayers Harrison Kennedy Rory Block Album of the Year America’s Child, Shemekia Copeland The High Cost Of Low Living, The Nick Moss Band Feat. Dennis Gruenling Journeys To The Heart Of The Blues, Joe Louis Walker/Bruce Katz/Giles Robson Rough Cut, Curtis Salgado and Alan Hager Why Did You Have To Go, Anthony Geraci B.B. King Entertainer Beth Hart Bobby Rush Lil’ Ed Williams Michael Ledbetter Sugaray Rayford Band of the Year Anthony Geraci & The Boston Blues All-Stars Larkin Poe Lil’ Ed & the Blues Imperials Nick Moss Band Welch-Ledbetter Connection Best Emerging Artist Album Burn Me Alive, Heather Newman Free, Amanda Fish Heartland And Soul, Kevin Burt Tough As Love, Lindsay Beaver Wish The World Away, Ben Rice Blues Rock Album The Big Bad Blues, Billy F Gibbons High Desert Heat, Too Slim and the Taildraggers Live At The ’62 Center, Albert Cummings Poor Until Payday, The Reverend Peyton’s Big Damn Band Winning Hand, Tinsley Ellis Blues Rock Artist Billy F Gibbons Eric Gales J.P. Soars Kenny Wayne Shepherd Tinsley Ellis Contemporary Blues Album America’s Child, Shemekia Copeland Belle Of The West, Samantha Fish Chicago Plays The Stones, The Living History Band Hold On, Kirk Fletcher Wild Again, The Proven Ones Contemporary Blues Female Artist Beth Hart Danielle Nicole Samantha Fish Shemekia Copeland Vanessa Collier Contemporary Blues Male Artist Kenny Neal Rick Estrin Ronnie Baker Brooks Selwyn Birchwood Toronzo Cannon Instrumentalist – Bass Danielle Nicole Michael “Mudcat” Ward Patrick Rynn Scot Sutherland Willie J. Campbell Instrumentalist – Drums Cedric Burnside Jimi Bott June Core Tom Hambridge Tony Braunagel |
| Instrumentalist – Guitar Anson Funderburgh Christoffer “Kid” Andersen Laura Chavez Monster Mike Welch Ronnie Earl Instrumentalist – Harmonica Billy Branch Bob Corritore Dennis Gruenling Kim Wilson Mark Hummel Instrumentalist – Horn Doug James Jimmy Carpenter Kaz Kazzanof Mindi Abair Nancy Wright Vanessa Collier Instrumentalist – Pinetop Perkins Piano Player Anthony Geraci Bruce Katz Jim Pugh Marcia Ball Mike Finnigan Instrumentalist – Vocals Beth Hart Danielle Nicole Janiva Magness Michael Ledbetter Shemekia Copeland Song of the Year “Ain’t Got Time For Hate,” written by John Hahn and Will Kimbrough “Angelina, Angelina,” written by Anthony Geraci “Cognac,” written by Buddy Guy, Tom Hambridge, Richard Fleming “No Mercy In This Land,” written by Ben Harper “The Ice Queen,” written by Sue Foley Soul Blues Album Back In Business, Frank Bey Every Soul’s A Star, Dave Keller I’m Still Around, Johnny Rawls Love Makes A Woman, The Knickerbocker All-Stars Reckoning, Billy Price Soul Blues Female Artist Annika Chambers Barbara Blue Candi Staton Thornetta Davis Whitney Shay Soul Blues Male Artist Frank Bey Johnny Rawls Sugaray Rayford Wee Willie Walker William Bell Traditional Blues Album The Blues Is Alive And Well, Buddy Guy The High Cost Of Low Living, Nick Moss Band Feat. Dennis Gruenling The Luckiest Man, Ronnie Earl & The Broadcasters Tribute to Carey Bell, Lurrie Bell & the Bell Dynasty Why Did You Have To Go, Anthony Geraci Koko Taylor Award (Traditional Blues Female Artist) Fiona Boyes Lindsay Beaver Ruthie Foster Sue Foley Trudy Lynn Traditional Blues Male Artist Anthony Geraci Cedric Burnside James Harman Lurrie Bell Nick Moss |
