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
