2020 Blues Music Awards Winners Announced
The 2020 Blues Music Awards were held virtually and streamed live on Facebook and YouTube on Sunday. Christone “Kingfish” Ingram was the big winner pulling in five different awards including “Album of the Year” and “Best Emerging Artist.” Nick Moss featuring Dennis Gruenling took home three awards including “Band of the Year” and “Song of the Year” while Sugaray Rayford won two awards. Other winners included Eric Gales for “Blues Rock Artist” and Albert Castiglia for “Blues Rock Album.”
The awards featured 26 different categories and included an all-star lineup of presenters featuring Warren Haynes, Beth Hart, Charlie Musselwhite, Keb’ Mo’, Fantastic Negrito, Ruthie Foster, and William Bell.
2020 BLUES MUSIC AWARD WINNERS
BB King Entertainer of the Year
Sugaray Rayford
Album of the Year
Kingfish, Christone “Kingfish” Ingram
Band of the Year
The Nick Moss Band feat. Dennis Gruenling
Song of the Year
“Lucky Guy,” written by Nick Moss
Best Emerging Artist Album
Kingfish, Christone “Kingfish” Ingram
Acoustic Blues Album
This Guitar and Tonight, Bob Margolin
Acoustic Blues Artist
Doug MacLeod
Blues Rock Album
Masterpiece, Albert Castiglia
Blues Rock Artist
Eric Gales
Contemporary Blues Album
Kingfish, Christone “Kingfish” Ingram
Contemporary Blues Female Artist
Shemekia Copeland
Contemporary Blues Male Artist
Christone “Kingfish” Ingram
Historical Blues Album
Cadillac Baby’s Bea & Baby Records – Definitive Collection, Earwig Music
Soul Blues Album
Sitting on Top of the Blues, Bobby Rush
Soul Blues Female Artist
Bettye LaVette
Soul Blues Male Artist
Sugaray Rayford
Traditional Blues Album
Lucky Guy!, The Nick Moss Band Featuring Dennis Gruenling
Traditional Blues Female Artist
Sue Foley
Traditional Blues Male Artist
Jimmie Vaughan
Instrumentalist Bass
Michael “Mudcat” Ward
Instrumentalist Drums
Cedric Burnside
Instrumentalist Guitar
Christone “Kingfish” Ingram
Instrumentalist Harmonica
Rick Estrin
Instrumentalist Horn
Vanessa Collier
Instrumentalist Piano
Victor Wainwright
Instrumentalist Vocals
Mavis Staples
Who judges these awards? This is so bogus! The 19 year old won over all the greatest blues men and women that have been in this for years. It’s this kind of stuff why the blues do not get the recognition here in USA that it deserves.
Faith,
Did you hear every single album by every single one of these artists? I can tell you that I did because when the nominations came out I went out and purchased all the albums in contention in the last three of every artist in contention. To be honest, I didn’t spend all that much because I already had about 90% of them in my collection. Based on that I can say that based on artistry, skill and the ability to convey the blues, it’s no mistake that Christone “Kingfish” Ingram won the awards. Yes, there are many tremendous deserving artists but this isn’t about longevity or seniority. The blues get respect when the awards are based on merit, not age. Standing in line a long time doesn’t give you claim to the front position. Young or old, tall or short, black or white, skinny or fat I would say that Kingfish earn this award and we are fortunate that young people are coming out today with such skill and capability.
Joey
Well said Joey! So happy the youngsters are carrying on the great tradition of the blues!
There are several of my favorites listed like Shameka Copeland, Jimmy Vaughn, Bettye LaVette, and of course the Great Mavis Staples!!!!
I’ve been spinning blues on my radio show for years. Kingfish is definitely the real deal. I saw him perform at the North Atlantic Blues Festival along with so many other great performers that Paul E. Benjamin brings to Maine. Kingfish’s debut CD was/is outstanding. One song even features one of the ‘greatest’ bluesmen of all time – Buddy Guy. Great song! Great music. Members of the Blues Foundation all get a ballot to vote on. Membership is open to anyone and everyone. Each category had 5 nominees and each artist/band was outstanding. Of course I could have included 10 more in many categories – easily. Selecting one to vote for was extremely difficult. As for ‘recognition’ of the genre in the USA, the blues is our musical history. The blues is alive and well thanks to the Blues Foundation, Blues Rock Review and so many other organizations, venues and festivals that feature blues. But most importantly, it’s the artists who keep it alive from 19-year old Kingfish to octogenarian Mavis Staples. Spread the word!
I take it you realise that these awards are judged on material released from November 2018 to October 2019.
They are awards for excellence during a specific recent period not awards for hanging around a while.
Christone’s album would have given any field a run for its money.
Can’t believe that neither Joe Bonamassa nor Beth Hart won any awards
I wonder if it’s because the criteria for the 2020 BMA’s is material released from November 2018 to November 2019…??
Just a thought.