2003 LIVING BLUES AWARDS

Living Blues Awards for 2003

Reader Awards:

Best Blues Artist (Male):
Willie King

Best Blues Artist (Female):
Shemekia Copeland

Best Musician (Guitar):
Jody Williams

Best Musician (Keyboards):
Pinetop Perkins

Best Musician (Harmonica):
Snooky Pryor

Best Live Performer:
Solomon Burke

Most Outstanding Blues Singer:
Solomon Burke

Best Historical Album:
B.B. King, The Vintage Years (Ace Records)

Best New Album:
Precious Bryant, Fool Me Good (Terminus Records)

Critics Awards:

Best Blues Artist (Male):
Willie King

Best Blues Artist (Female):
Precious Bryant

Most Outstanding Musician:
Jody Williams (Guitar)
Solomon Burke (Vocals)
Bob Stroger (Bass)
Lazy Lester (Harmonica)
Sam Carr (Drums)
Calvin Owens (Horns)
Henry Gray (Keyboards)
Robert Randolph—other instrument (Pedal steel)

Best Live Performer:
Bobby Rush

Comeback Artist:
Jody Williams

Artist Deserving More Attention:
Bettye Lavette

Best Blues Albums of 2002:

Historical Reissue/ Pre-War:
Various Artists, When the Sun Goes Down—The Secret History of Rock & Roll (Bluebird)

New Recordings/ Soul-Blues:
Tommy Thomas, You Put that Dog Ahead of Me (Rock House Records)

New Recordings/ Best Debut:
Precious Bryant, Fool Me Good (Terminus Records)

New Recordings/Contemporary Blues:
Corey Harris, Downhome Sophisticate (Rounder)

New Recordings/ Traditional & Acoustic:
Precious Bryant, Fool Me Good (Terminus Records)

Album of the Year:
Solomon Burke, Don’t Give Up On Me (Fat Possum)

Historical/ Reissue:
Barry Feldman and Colin Escott with David Evans, When the Sun Goes Down—The Secret History of Rock & Roll (Bluebird)

New Recording:
Roy Roberts, Rockhouse Records

Best Liner Notes:
Colin Escott and John Broven,B.B. King, The Vintage Years (Ace Records)

Best Cover Art:
Willie King, Living in a New World (Rooster)
Photo by Bill Steber

Best Song (original composition, released in 2002):
“Terrorized,” Willie King