Living Blues Awards

Critics’ Poll

Blues Artist of the Year (Male)

John Primer

Blues Artist of the Year (Female)

Shemekia Copeland

Blues Band of the Year

Southern Avenue

Most Outstanding Blues Singer

Mavis Staples

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)

Vanessa Collier

Most Outstanding Musician (Other)

Sharde Thomas-Mallory (Fife)

Best Live Performer

Bobby Rush

Comeback Artist of the Year

Maria Muldaur

Artist Deserving More Attention

Sean McDonald

Best Blues Albums of 2025

Album of the Year

D.K.

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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 &

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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.

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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 &

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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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