The 30th annual Blues Music Awards will be handed out in Memphis on May 7 and the nominations have been announced. Singer Janiva Magness and newcomer Eden Brent received a year's best four nominations while several other artists received three.
Buddy Guy's Skin Deep and Magness' What Love Will Do are among the nominees for Album of the Year along with efforts from veteran Elvin Bishop, Curtis Salgado, and The Mannish Boys, who also received three nominations this year. While the legendary B.B. King, who actually has an award named after him, was nominated for two awards, his album was mysteriously not among the Album of the Year nominations.
Among the list of nominees are a lot of familiar names, including Watermelon Slim, Nick Moss, and Gerry Hundt. Moss is an 11-time nominee who has yet to bring home a statue from the BMAs, but in November picked up an award for Song of the Year from the Blues Blast Awards for his song “Mistakes From the Past” from his Play It 'Til Tomorrow album. Newcomer Eden Brent's Mississippi Number One was nominated in the Acoustic category as well as for best debut album. Joining Brent in the debut category are wonder kids Homemade Jamz Blues Band and Chris James and Patrick Ryan's collaboration. Lil' Ed Williams and his Blues Imperials were also nominated three times, including a nod for Entertainer of the Year.
Here is the full list of nominees:
Album of the Year
The Mannish Boys - Lowdown Feelin'
Curtis Salgado - Clean Getaway
Buddy Guy - Skin Deep
Janiva Magness - What Love Will Do
Elvin Bishop - The Blues Rolls On
Acoustic Album of the Year
Eden Brent - Mississippi Number One
Rory Block - Blues Walkin' Like a Man
Paul Rishell & Annie Raines - A Night in Woodstock
Hans Theessink & Terry Evans - Visions
Fiona Boyes, Mookie Brill & Rich Del Grosso - Live from Bluesville
Acoustic Artist of the Year
Article comments
1 - Pico
While the legendary B.B. King, who actually has an award named after him, was nominated for two awards, his album was mysteriously not among the Album of the Year nominations.
Agreed. The fact that it's only nominated as traditional blues record of the year indicates that the powers that be sees One Kind Favor as some museum piece. That's b.s. It's the living blues, man.
2 - Josh Hathaway
I haven't finished my Best of 2008 yet but One Kind Favor is going to be on it. It's one of the best albums I heard all year, independent of genre. This is a real mistake.
3 - Mark Saleski
it makes you wonder about the selection process, doesn't it? man, it's a fine, fine record.
4 - Glen Boyd
Don't forget to alert Bicho about this travesty...
-Glen
5 - Josh Hathaway
I don't know if I'd go as far as travesty but I was pretty disappointed at the omission.