Critics’ Poll
Blues Artist of the Year (Male)
Bobby Rush
Blues Artist of the Year (Female)
Rhiannon Giddens
Most Outstanding Blues Singer
William Bell
Most Outstanding Musician (Guitar)
Lurrie Bell
Most Outstanding Musician (Harmonica)
Billy Branch
Most Outstanding Musician (Keyboard)
Henry Gray
Most Outstanding Musician (Bass)
Bob Stroger
Most Outstanding Musician (Drums)
Cedric Burnside
Most Outstanding Musician (Horns)
Big Jay McNeely
Most Outstanding Musician (Other)
Jerron “Blind Boy” Paxton – Banjo
Best Live Performer
Bobby Rush
Comeback Artist of the Year
William Bell
Artist Deserving More Attention
Bruce “Mississippi” Johnson
Best Blues Albums of 2016
Album of the Year
Lurrie Bell – Can’t Shake This Feeling – Delmark
New Recordings / Contemporary Blues
Toronzo Cannon – The Chicago Way – Alligator
New Recordings / Southern Soul
William Bell – This Is Where I Live – Stax
New Recordings / Best Debut
Anthony Sherrod & the Cornlickers – Right on Time – No label
New Recordings / Traditional & Acoustic
Jimmy “Duck” Holmes – It Is What It Is – Blue Front Records
Historical – Pre-war
Washington Phillips – Washington Phillips and His Manzarene Dreams – Dust-to-Digital
Historical – Postwar
B.B. King – The Complete RPM–Kent Recordings Box – P-Vine Records
Blues Book of the Year
Martin Hawkins – Slim Harpo: Blues King Bee of Baton Rouge – LSU Press
DVD of the Year
Sherman Robertson – Takin’ You to Texas – JSP Records
Producer of the Year : New Recording
Scott Billington – Bobby Rush – Porcupine Meat – Rounder Records
Producer of the Year: Historical Recording
Michael Corcoran, April G. Ledbetter and Steven Lance Ledbetter – Washington Phillips and His Manzarene Dreams – Dust-to-Digital
Readers’ Poll
Blues Artist of the Year (Male)
Buddy Guy
Blues Artist of the Year (Female)
Shemekia Copeland
Most Outstanding Musician (Guitar)
Buddy Guy
Most Outstanding Musician (Harmonica)
Charlie Musselwhite
Most Outstanding Musician (Keyboard)
Marcia Ball
Best Live Performer
Buddy Guy
Most Outstanding Blues Singer
Buddy Guy
Best Blues Album of 2016 (New Release)
Toronzo Cannon – The Chicago Way – Alligator
Best Blues Album of 2016 (Historical Recording)
B.B. King – The Complete RPM–Kent Recordings Box – P-Vine Records
Best Blues DVD of 2016
David “Honeyboy” Edwards – I’m Gonna Tell You Somethin’ That I Know – R.B.I. Media / Pro Sho Bidness
Best Blues Book of 2016
Alan Harper – Waiting for Buddy Guy: Chicago Blues at the Crossroads – University of Illinois Press
