2016 Living Blues Awards

Wee Willie Walker wins Comeback of the Year and Best Blues / Southern Soul Album Awards!

Critics’ Poll

Blues Artist of the Year (Male) 
Buddy Guy

Blues Artist of the Year (Female) 
Shemekia Copeland

Most Outstanding Blues Singer 
Otis Clay

Most Outstanding Musician (Guitar) 
Lurrie Bell

Most Outstanding Musician (Harmonica) 
Sugar Blue

Most Outstanding Musician (Keyboard) 
Allen Toussaint

Most Outstanding Musician (Bass) 
Bob Stroger

Most Outstanding Musician (Drums) 
Cedric Burnside

Most Outstanding Musician (Horns) 
Trombone Shorty

Most Outstanding Musician (Other) 
Freddie Roulette – Lap steel

Best Live Performer 
Bobby Rush

Comeback Artist of the Year 
Wee Willie Walker

Artist Deserving More Attention
Matthew Robinson


Best Blues Albums of 2015

Album of the Year
Shemekia Copeland – Outskirts of Love – Alligator Records

New Recordings / Contemporary Blues
Cedric Burnside Project – Descendants of Hill Country – Cedric Burnside Project

New Recordings / Southern Soul
Wee Willie Walker – If Nothing Ever Changes – Little Village Foundation

New Recordings / Best Debut
The Peterson Brothers – The Peterson Brothers – Blue Point Records

New Recordings / Traditional & Acoustic
Leo “Bud” Welch – I Don’t Prefer No Blues – Big Legal Mess

Historical – Pre-war
Lead Belly – The Smithsonian Folkways Collection – Smithsonian Folkways

Historical – Postwar
Bobby Rush – Chicken Heads: A 50-Year History of Bobby Rush – Omnivore Recordings


Blues Book of the Year

Jas Obrecht – Early Blues: The First Stars of Blues Guitar – University of Minnesota Press


DVD of the Year

Muddy Waters and Friends – Soundstage: Blues Summit in Chicago, 1974 – Sony/Legacy


Producer of the Year New Recording

Bruce Iglauer and Toronzo Cannon – Toronzo Cannon – The Chicago Way – Alligator Records

Producer of the Year Historical Recording

Jeff Place and Robert Santelli – Lead Belly – The Smithsonian Folkways Collection – Smithsonian Folkways


Readers’ Poll

Blues Artist of the Year (Male)
Keb’ Mo’

Blues Artist of the Year (Female)
Shemekia Copeland

Most Outstanding Musician (Guitar)
Buddy Guy

Most Outstanding Musician (Harmonica)
Charlie Musselwhite

Most Outstanding Musician (Keyboard)
Allen Toussaint

Best Live Performer
Buddy Guy

Most Outstanding Blues Singer
Buddy Guy

Best Blues Album of 2015 (New Release)
Buddy Guy – Born to Play Guitar – RCA/Silvertone

Best Blues Album of 2015 (Historical Recording)
Lead Belly – The Smithsonian Folkways Collection – Smithsonian Folkways

Best Blues DVD of 2015
Muddy Waters and Friends – Soundstage: Blues Summit in Chicago, 1974 – Sony/Legacy

Best Blues Book of 2015
Peter Guralnick – Sam Phillips: The Man Who Invented Rock ’n’ Roll – Little, Brown and Company

Comment