Reader’s Awards:
Blues Artist of the Year (Male):
B.B. King
Blues Artist of the Year (Female):
Shemekia Copeland
Most Outstanding Musician (Harmonica):
Sam Myers
Most Outstanding Musician (Guitar):
Buddy Guy
Most Outstanding Musician (Keyboard):
Pinetop Perkins
Most Outstanding Blues Singer:
Solomon Burke
Best Live Performer:
Chick Willis
Best Blues Album of 2005 (New Recording):
Buddy Guy, Bring ‘Em In (Silvertone/Zomba)
Best Blues Album of 2005 (Historical Recording):
Ray Charles, Pure Genius—The Complete Atlantic Recordings (1952-59) (Atlantic/Rhino)
Best Blues DVD of 2005:
Marvin Sease, Live With The Candylicker (Malaco)
Critic’s Awards:
Blues Artist of the Year (Male):
Little Milton
Blues Artist of the Year (Female):
Irma Thomas
Most Outstanding Musician (Bass):
Willie Kent
Most Outstanding Musician (Harmonica):
Big George Brock
Most Outstanding Musician (Keyboard):
Floyd Dixon
Most Outstanding Blues Singer:
Etta James
Most Outstanding Musician (Horns):
Big James Montgomery
Most Outstanding Musician (Guitar):
Magic Slim
Best Live Performer:
Bobby Rush
Artist Deserving More Attention:
Cool John Ferguson
Most Outstanding Musician (Drums):
Cedric Burnside
Comeback Artist of the Year:
Bettye LaVette
Most Outstanding Musician (Other):
Calvin Cooke—Pedal Steel Guitar
Album of the Year:
Otis Rush, All Your Love I Miss Loving: Live At Wise Fools Pub Chicago (Delmark)
New Recording/ Soul-Blues:
Bobby Rush, Night Fishin’ (Deep Rush)
New Recordings/ Best debut:
Earl Gilliam, Texas Doghouse Blues (Dialtone)
New Recordings/ Traditional & Acoustic:
Precious Bryant, My Name Is Precious (Music Maker)
New Recordings/ Contemporary Blues:
Eddie Burns, 2nd Degree Burns (Blue Suit)
Historical Reissue/ Pre-War:
Various Artists, Good For What Ails You—Music Of The Medicine Shows 1926-1937 (Old Hat)
Historical Reissue/Post-War:
Blind Arvella Gray, The Singing Drifter (Conjuroo)
Producer of the Year/ New Recording:
Joe Henry, Betty LaVette’s I’ve Got My Own Hell To Raise (Anti)
Producer of the Year—Historical/Reissue:
Marshall Wyatt, Good For What Ails You (Old Hat)
DVD:
Tail Dragger, My Head Is Bald: Live At Vern’s Friendly Lounge, Chicago (Delmark)