Critics’ Poll
Blues Artist of the Year (Male)
Ronnie Baker Brooks
Blues Artist of the Year (Female)
Shemekia Copeland
Blues Band of the Year
Rick Estrin &
Living Blues Awards
31st Annual Living Blues Awards (2024)
Critics’ Poll
Blues Artist of the Year (Male)
Christone “Kingfish” Ingram
Blues Artist of the Year (Female)
Shemekia Copeland
Most Outstanding Blues Singer
Shemekia Copeland
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)
Jerry Jemmott
Most Outstanding Musician (Drums)
Kenny “Beedy Eyes” Smith
Most Outstanding Musician (Horns)
The Texas Horns
Most Outstanding Musician (Other)
Anne Harris (violin)
Best Live Performer
Bobby Rush
Comeback Artist of the Year
Arthur Adams
Artist Deserving More Attention
D.K.
30th Annual Living Blues Awards (2023)
Critics’ Poll
Blues Artist of the Year (Male)
John Primer
Blues Artist of the Year (Female)
Shemekia Copeland
Most Outstanding Blues Singer
Irma Thomas
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)
Kenny “Beedy Eyes” Smith
Most Outstanding Musician (Horns)
The Texas Horns
Most Outstanding Musician (Other)
Shardé Thomas (Fife)
Best Live Performer
Bobby Rush
Comeback Artist of the Year
Jimi “Prime Time” Smith
Artist Deserving More Attention
Dylan Triplett
Best Blues Albums of 2022
Album of the Year
Diunna Greenleaf
I Ain’t Playin’
Little Village Foundation
Best New Recording / Contemporary Blues
Shemekia Copeland
Done Come Too Far
Alligator
Best New Recording / Traditional or Acoustic Blues
Taj Mahal &
29th Annual Living Blues Awards (2022)
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!
28th Annual Living Blues Awards (2021)
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 &
27th Annual Living Blues Awards (2020)
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,
26th Annual Living Blues Awards (2019)
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 &
25th Annual Living Blues Awards (2018)
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 &
2017 Living Blues Awards
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 &
2016 Living Blues Awards
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 & …
