Living Blues Awards

Critics’ Poll

Blues Artist of the Year (Male)         

• Christone “Kingfish” Ingram

Blues Artist of the Year (Female)

• Shemekia Copeland

Most Outstanding Blues Singer

• Sugaray Rayford

Most Outstanding Musician (Guitar)

• Christone “Kingfish” Ingram 

Most Outstanding Musician (Harmonica) 

• Charlie Musselwhite

Most Outstanding Musician (Keyboard) 

• Kenny “Blues Boss” Wayne 

Most Outstanding Musician (Bass) 

• Bob Stroger

Most Outstanding Musician (Drums) 

• Rodd Bland

Most Outstanding Musician (Horns) 

• James “Boogaloo” Bolden

Most Outstanding Musician (Other) 

• Cedric Watson (Accordion)

Best Live Performer

• Bobby Rush

Comeback Artist of the Year

• Johnny Tucker

Artist Deserving More Attention

• Crystal Thomas

Best Blues Albums of 2021

Album of the Year

• Christone “Kingfish” Ingram – 662 (Alligator)

New Recordings / Contemporary Blues

• Crystal Thomas – Now Dig This!

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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 &

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Critics’ Poll

Blues Artist of the Year (Male)
Bobby Rush

Blues Artist of the Year (Female)
Shemekia Copeland

Most Outstanding Blues Singer
Mavis Staples

Most Outstanding Musician (Guitar)
Jimmy Johnson

Most Outstanding Musician (Harmonica)
Billy Branch

Most Outstanding Musician (Keyboard)
Marcia Ball

Most Outstanding Musician (Bass)
Benny Turner

Most Outstanding Musician (Drums)
Cedric Burnside

Most Outstanding Musician (Horns)
The Texas Horns: Kaz Kazanoff,

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Critics’ Poll

Blues Artist of the Year (Male)
Lurrie Bell

Blues Artist of the Year (Female)
Shemekia Copeland

Most Outstanding Blues Singer
Shemekia Copeland

Most Outstanding Musician (Guitar)
Lurrie Bell

Most Outstanding Musician (Harmonica)
Billy Branch

Most Outstanding Musician (Keyboard)
Marcia Ball

Most Outstanding Musician (Bass)
Benny Turner

Most Outstanding Musician (Drums)
Cedric Burnside

Most Outstanding Musician (Horns)
James “Boogaloo” Bolden

Most Outstanding Musician (Other)
Rhiannon Giddens – Banjo

Best Live Performer
Bobby Rush

Comeback Artist of the Year
Don Bryant

Artist Deserving More Attention
Marquise Knox

Best Blues Albums of 2018

Album of the Year
Shemekia Copeland – America’s Child – Alligator

New Recordings / Contemporary Blues
Walter Wolfman Washington – My Future Is My Past – Anti-

New Recordings / Southern Soul
Johnny Rawls – I’m Still Around – Third Street Cigar Records

New Recordings / Best Debut
Keeshea Pratt – Believe – No Label

New Recordings / Traditional &

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Critics’ Poll

Blues Artist of the Year (Male) 
Taj Mahal

Blues Artist of the Year (Female)
Mavis Staples

Most Outstanding Blues Singer
Wee Willie Walker

Most Outstanding Musician (Guitar)
John Primer

Most Outstanding Musician (Harmonica) 
Omar Coleman

Most Outstanding Musician (Keyboard) 
Henry Gray

Most Outstanding Musician (Bass) 
Benny Turner

Most Outstanding Musician (Drums) 
Cedric Burnside

Most Outstanding Musician (Horns) 
James “Boogaloo” Bolden

Most Outstanding Musician (Other) 
Jerron “Blind Boy” Paxton – Banjo/Fiddle

Best Live Performer
Bobby Rush

Comeback Artist of the Year
Don Bryant

Artist Deserving More Attention
Jontavious Willis

Best Blues Albums of 2017

Album of the Year
Taj Mahal &

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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 &

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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 & …

The 22nd Annual Living Blues Awards
Critics’ Poll:
Blues Artist of the Year (Male):
B.B. King

Blues Artist of the Year (Female):
Diunna Greenleaf

Most Outstanding Blues Singer:
Bobby Patterson

Most Outstanding Musician (Guitar):
Joe Louis Walker

Most Outstanding Musician (Harmonica):
James Cotton

Most Outstanding Musician (Keyboard):
Kenny “Blues Boss” …

The 21st Annual Living Blues Awards
Critics’ Poll:
Blues Artist of the Year (Male):
James Cotton
Blues Artist of the Year (Female):   
Irma Thomas
Most Outstanding Blues Singer:
Johnny Rawls
Most Outstanding Musician (Guitar):
Lurrie Bell
Most Outstanding Musician (Harmonica):
James Cotton
Most Outstanding Musician (Keyboard):
Barrelhouse Chuck
Most Outstanding Musician (Bass):
Bob Stroger
Most Outstanding Musician (Drums):
Kenny Smith
Most Outstanding Musician (Horns):       
Eddie Shaw
Most Outstanding Musician (Other):
Chuck Campbell – Pedal Steel
Best Live Performer:
Bobby Rush
Comeback Artist of the Year:
Swamp Dogg
Artist Deserving More Attention:
Birdlegg
Best Blues Albums of 2013:
Album of the Year:
James Cotton, …

Critics’ Poll

Blues Artist of the Year (Male)         

Lurrie Bell

Blues Artist of the Year (Female)

Ruthie Foster

Most Outstanding Blues Singer

Bobby Bland

Most Outstanding Musician (Guitar)

Lurrie Bell

Most Outstanding Musician (Harmonica) 

Billy Boy Arnold

Most Outstanding Musician (Keyboard) 

Ironing Board Sam

Most Outstanding Musician (Bass) 

Bob Stroger

Most Outstanding Musician (Drums) 

Kenny Smith

Most Outstanding Musician (Horns) 

Eddie Shaw

Most Outstanding Musician (Other) 

Dom Flemons –

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