Critics’ Poll
Blues Artist of the Year (Male)
Jimmy Johnson
Blues Artist of the Year (Female)
Shemekia Copeland
Most Outstanding Blues Singer
Bettye LaVette
Most Outstanding Musician (Guitar)
Christone “Kingfish” Ingram
Most Outstanding Musician (Harmonica)
Billy Branch
Most Outstanding Musician (Keyboard)
Kenny “Blues Boss” Wayne
Most Outstanding Musician (Bass)
Benny Turner
Most Outstanding Musician (Drums)
Cedric Burnside
Most Outstanding Musician (Horns)
Maceo Parker
Most Outstanding Musician (Other)
Leyla McCalla (Cello)
Best Live Performer
Bobby Rush
Comeback Artist of the Year
Tutu Jones
Artist Deserving More Attention
Andrew Alli
Best Blues Albums of 2020
Album of the Year
Shemekia Copeland – Uncivil War (Alligator)
New Recordings / Contemporary Blues
John Primer & Bob Corritore – The Gypsy Woman Told Me (SWMAF)
New Recordings / Southern Soul
Sonny Green – Found! One Soul Singer (Little Village Foundation)
New Recordings / Best Debut
Steve Washington – Just a Matter of Time (JSP)
New Recordings / Traditional & Acoustic
Bobby Rush – Rawer than Raw (Deep Rush)
Historical / Pre-war
Various Artists – The Harry Smith B-Sides (Dust-to-Digital)
Historical / Postwar
Rev. Gary Davis – See What the Lord Has Done for Me (Stefan Grossman’s Guitar Workshop)
Blues Book of the Year
Brother Robert: Growing Up with Robert Johnson
By Annye C. Anderson with Preston Lauterbach, published by Hachette Books
Producer of the Year, New Recording
Steve Jordan – Bettye Lavette – Blackbirds (Verve)
Producer of the Year, Historical Recording
John Stedman – Various Artists – Barrelhousin’ Around Chicago – The Legendary George Paulus 1970s Blues Recordings (JSP Records)
Readers’ Poll
Blues Artist of the Year (Male)
Taj Mahal
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 2020 (New Release)
Shemekia Copeland – Uncivil War (Alligator)
Best Blues Album of 2020 (Historical Recording)
John Lee Hooker – Documenting the Sensation Recordings, 1948–52 (Ace Records)
Best Blues Book of 2020
Brother Robert: Growing Up with Robert Johnson
By Annye C. Anderson with Preston Lauterbach, published by Hachette Books
