2025 Blues Music Awards nominees announced
The Blues Foundation has announced nominees for the 2025 Blues Music Awards. The 2025 BMAs will be held in Memphis, Tennessee on May 5th. The Blues Music Awards are voted on by members of the Blues Foundation.
See the full list of nominees below.
BB King Entertainer of the Year
Duke Robillard
Mr. Sipp (Castro Coleman)
Rick Estrin
Shemekia Copeland
Sugaray Rayford
Album of the Year
Blame It On Eve, Shemekia Copeland
Fine By Me, Curtis Salgado
Hill Country Love, Cedric Burnside
Person of Interest, Billy Price
What Are You Waiting For?, Anthony Paule Soul Orchestra featuring Willy Jordan
Band of the Year
Anthony Paule Soul Orchestra
John Nemeth and the Blue Dreamers
Nick Moss Band
Rick Estrin and the Nightcats
Southern Avenue
Song of the Year
“Blues For My Dad”
performed and written by Chris Cain
“Blues In My DNA”
performed and written by Ronnie Baker Brooks
“Mama, I love you”
performed by Albert Castiglia and written by Albert Castiglia, Kevin Burt, & Jerry Jemmott
“Tough Mother”
performed by Shemekia Copeland and written by John Hahn & Will Kimbrough
“Watch the World Go By”
performed by Eden Brent and written by Bob Dowell & Eden Brent
Best Emerging Artist Album
8000 Miles to the Crossroads, Prakash Slim
Carry On, Destini Rawls
Drifter, Jovin Webb
Go Be Free, Sonny Gullage
Revelation, Piper & The Hard Times
Acoustic Blues Album
Naked Truth, Tinsley Ellis
One Guitar Woman, Sue Foley
Raw Blues 2, Doug Macleod
The Legend of Sugarbelly, Guy Davis
Things Done Changed, Jerron Paxton
Blues Rock Album
About Time, Dennis Jones
Broken, Walter Trout
Life is Hard, Mike Zito
Righteous Souls, Albert Castiglia
Struck Down, The Fabulous Thunderbirds
Contemporary Blues Album
Blame It On Eve, Shemekia Copeland
Blues In My DNA, Ronnie Baker Brooks
Do It My Own Way, Vanessa Collier
Good Intentions Gone Bad, Chris Cain
The Hits Keep Coming, Rick Estrin & the Nightcats
Soul Blues Album
Fine By Me, Curtis Salgado
Human Decency, Sugaray Rayford
Person of Interest, Billy Price
REVIVAL, Kat Riggins & her Blues Revival
What Are You Waiting For?, Anthony Paule Soul Orchestra featuring Willy Jordan
Traditional Blues Album
Crawlin’ ’Kingsnake, John Primer & Bob Corritore
Getaway Blues, Eden Brent
HAPPY HOUR, Mitch Woods
Hill Country Love, Cedric Burnside
Roll With Me, Duke Robillard
Acoustic Blues Artist
Doug MacLeod
Eric Bibb
Guy Davis
Keb’ Mo’
Kevin Burt
Blues Rock Artist
Albert Castiglia
Mike Zito
Tab Benoit
Tommy Castro
Walter Trout
Contemporary Blues Female Artist
Beth Hart
Carolyn Wonderland
Danielle Nicole
Ruthie Foster
Vanessa Collier
Contemporary Blues Male Artist
Chris Cain
Johnny Sansone
Mike Zito
Mr. Sipp (Castro Coleman)
Ronnie Baker Brooks
Soul Blues Female Artist
Annika Chambers
Candice Ivory
Kat Riggins
Thornetta Davis
Vaneese Thomas
Soul Blues Male Artist
Alabama Mike
Billy Price
Curtis Salgado
Johnny Rawls
William Bell
Traditional Blues Female Artist (Koko Taylor Award)
Diunna Greenleaf
Eden Brent
Rhiannon Giddens
Sue Foley
Teeny Tucker
Traditional Blues Male Artist
Cedric Burnside
Duke Robillard
Jimmie Vaughan
John Primer
Jontavious Willis
Instrumentalist – Bass
Benny Turner
Bob Stroger
Jerry Jemmott
Michael ”Mudcat” Ward
Rodrigo Mantovani
Instrumentalist – Drums
Chris Peet
Derrick D’Mar Martin
June Core
Kenny ”Beedy Eyes” Smith
Tony Braunagel
Instrumentalist – Guitar
Chris Cain
Christoffer ”Kid” Andersen
Christone “Kingfish” Ingram
Eric Gales
Ronnie Baker Brooks
Instrumentalist – Harmonica
Billy Branch
Bob Corritore
Kim Wilson
Mark Hummel
Rick Estrin
Instrumentalist – Horn
Jimmy Carpenter
Doug James
Deanna Bogart
Trombone Shorty
Vanessa Collier
Instrumentalist – Piano (Pinetop Perkins Piano Player)
Anthony Geraci
Ben Levin
Bruce Katz
Eden Brent
Mitch Woods
Instrumentalist – Vocals
Beth Hart
Billy Price
Curtis Salgado
Danielle Nicole
Ruthie Foster
Where is Ally Venable Band?
Omitting Samantha Fish is ridiculous.
Yes, I miss her in the listings
What about Samantha Fish, and Larkin Poe ?? Really, these awards besides Kingfish are just a joke. 🙄
Rick Estrin, Tinsley Ellis, Kids Andersen..
None of them are a joke.
Agreed!
No Larry McCray? For any category? You’ve got to be kidding me.
Anthony Gomes travels all over the world and has had album awards. Why is he always left out?
I agree. No better showmansither.
Because hes just anothet bar band.
Nothing memorable.
Kenny Wayne Sheppard, Joanne Shaw Taylor, Samantha Fish?
Agree with you sir!
Exactly. And no Bonamassa??
Bonnamossa & Shepard are rip off artists pretending to be bluesmen.
Yeah, these awards are a joke W/O KWS, Samantha Fish and Larkin Poe. At least Jimmie Vaughn is up for an award.😒
Joe BONAMASSA ??? WHAT GIVES!!!
You ain’t NEVER lied, Mark!
Taj Farrant should be there, he has many #1 on his first album
Totally agree….
100% agree!! Taj Farrant should be on one of these lists! 6 #1’s, #1 album…
Taj Farrant out plays them all seen him at Knuckleheads in Kansas City a couple months ago hard to believe he is only 15 years old should be number 1 on the list at the least!!! Anthony Gomes very good blues -Rock at the finest
Absolutely!
Absolutely a missed opportunity to recognize Taj Farrant!!! He’s got true talent, and above all integrity. But I guess that’s not what this industry wants.
Joe Bonamassa left off?
Slash’s
Orgy of the Damned was 13 weeks at #1 on Billboard Blues charts.
Not even a Nod !!!
Come on
Really? Where is Joe Bonamassa?
Bonnamassa is not a blues artist
Prejudice against JB has been going on for years. More talent than the rest
Learn how to spell Bonamassa! Apparently you don’t listen to KWS or Joe B .
You’re not even a fan. You can’t even spell his name right so your opinion is trash.
No Bonamassa? No Tab Benoit’s I Hear Thunder? KWS, Samantha Fish, Kingfish all getting shorted. Smh. Does anybody here actually go to shows?
No kidding WTF …….
Anthony Gomes last Album was in the top 10 on the Blues Billboard Carts in 2023 into 2024 for 58 weeks. He never receives any kind on nomination. Thats just wrong.
COULDN’T AGREE MORE JIM!!!!!!!!!!
ANTHONY GOMES/BLUES ROCK???????????????????
-“Gomes is a power player who is at his best when his gear is in the scorched earth between blues and rock. After all, it’s the electric guitar; sometimes tickling it is not enough”….GUITAR WORLD
-“Gomes’ authentic voice and the formidable guitar chops place him in the forefront of modern blues.”-BLUES MUSIC MAGAZINE
-“A very talented guitarist… and where did that voice come from?” BB KING
-“Equal parts down home blues and hard rock.”
HELLO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Joe Bonnamossa isn’t named because the record industry doesn’t own him, like they do everyone else.
Good call.
It’s difficult to believe that nominators finally saw how great drummer Chris Peet is but completely missed, standing just a few feet away, one of the all time great guitarists – JP Soars.
What about Dom Martin? Or is it USA centric?
There’s such a great European blues scene. Dom Martin is definitely on top international level!
Where is Gary Clark Jr?
Kenny Wayne Shepherd. Bobby Rush. Bobby Thompson.
There were a lot of great nominees, but I am so shocked the Damon Fowler was not nominated for any category. I feel that he has it all! He is a very talented, singer, guitar player and songwriter. I have not heard a bad album by him. His latest album is very good, not to mention, he is a good showman, he is whitty, and connects well with his audiences! Just saying.
Has nobody heard about Muireann Bradley? Just signed to Decca ! Proper delta guitar player at the age of 17 she’s going to be a force to be reckoned with!
You forgot You still got me, album and song are worthy of at least being included in this nominations…
I also think that Greg Koch and Chris Duarte should have been nominated as well!
I think Chris Beard should have been in nominations he’s been around forever
His first Cd was nominated and nothing since he has a new release out Now
Great guitar player and great song writer
You just gotta enjoy all the Blues that’s out there.
I like all listed nominees and hundreds more A to Z. Blues, Blues Rock .
Luke Winslow-King and Roberto Luti are mighty fine southern blues masters!
Surprised Josh Smith isn’t on the list. He’s one of the better recent guitarists I’ve heard.
The super everything Eliza Neals should be nominated just listen to her voice alone, nuff said.
Joe Bonamassa should be on this list. He is the titan of Blues doing great things for the younger generations. Always giving from the heart supreme guitar player and singer
Seems like same people always get nominated. They must not listen to any new musics or artists out there. Lazy way to nominate people.