MEMPHIS, TN (CelebrityAccess) — On Tuesday, the Blues Foundation revealed the nominees for the 44th annual Blues Awards with Sugaray Rayford, Tommy Castro, Eric Gales, Bobby Rush, and Mr. Sipp (AKA Castro Coleman) all in the running for Entertainer of the Year.
John Németh leads the list of nominations with five picks for 2023, including nominations for Song of the Year, Traditional Blues Album, Band of the Year, Instrumentalist – Harmonica, and Instrumentalist – Vocals, which he won in 2022.
Shemekia Copeland, Rory Block and Eric Gales each earned three nominations each, with Shemekia Copeland up for Song of the Year, Contemporary Blues Album, and Instrumentalist – Vocals. Rory Block is up for Acoustic Blues Album, Acoustic Artist and Traditional Blues Female, and Eric Gales is up for Song of the Year, BB King Entertainer of the Year, and Blues Rock Album.
Willie J. Campbell, who passed away this past December, was posthumously nominated for Instrumentalist – Bass.
The 44th annual Blues Music Awards will take place on May 10th at Renasant Convention Center in Memphis. A blue carpet pre-show will begin at 5 p.m. and will be followed by the awards gala
The night before the BMAs, The Blues Foundation’s Blues Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony takes place Wednesday, May 10, 2023, at Memphis’ Halloran Centre at the Orpheum (225 South Main Street). Following a 5:30 p.m. cocktail reception, the inductions begin at 7:30 p.m. in the Halloran Theater. Tickets, which include ceremony and reception admission, are $75 each and, as with any other musical event or charitable donation, they are non-refundable. The 2023 class of inductees will be announced in the coming weeks.
Major funding for the 44th Blues Music Awards is provided by ArtsMemphis, Tennessee Arts Commission, and Memphis Tourism. Special thanks to partners Memphis Airport Authority and DittyTV.
Tickets range from individual seats for $150 to Premium tables (seats 10) for $1800 are on sale now and can be purchased here.
44th Blues Music Award Nominees
B.B. King Entertainer of the Year
Sugaray Rayford
Tommy Castro
Eric Gales
Bobby Rush
Mr. Sipp (Castro Coleman)
Band of the Year
Anthony Geraci & The Boton Blues Allstars
John Németh and the Blue Dreamers
Rick Estrin and the Nightcats
Southern Avenue
Tedeschi Trucks Band
Song of the Year
Altered Five Blues Band “Great Minds Drink Alike” (Jeff Schroedl)
Buddy Guy “The Blues Don’t Lie” (Tom Hambridge)
Eric Gales “I Want My Crown” (Eric Gales, Joe Bonamassa)
John Németh “The Last Time” (John Németh)
Shemekia Copeland “Too Far to Be Gone” (John Hahn/Will Kimbrough)
Best Emerging Artist Album
Blue Moon Marquee / Scream, Holler & Howl
DaShawn Hickman / Drums, Roots & Steel
Dylan Triplett / Who Is He?
Jose Ramirez / Major League Blues
Yates McKendree / Buchanan Lane
Acoustic Blues Album
Charlie Musselwhite / Mississippi Son
Corey Harris / The Insurrection Blues
Duwayne Burnside / Acoustic Burnside
Harrison Kennedy / Thanks for Tomorrow
Rory Block / Ain’t Nobody Worried
Blues Rock Album
Albert Castiglia / I Got Love
Bernard Allison / Highs & Lows
Colin James / Open Road
Eric Gales / Crown
Tinsley Ellis / Devil May Care
Contemporary Blues Album
Buddy Guy / The Blues Don’t Lie
Diunna Greenleaf / I Ain’t Playin’
Janiva Magness / Hard to Kill
Larry McCray / Blues Without You
Shemekia Copeland / Done Come too Far
Soul Blues Album
Kat Riggins / Progeny
Kirk Fletcher / Heartache by the Pound
Sugaray Rayford / In Too Deep
The Love Light Orchestra / Leave the Light On
Trudy Lynn / Golden Girl
Traditional Blues Album
Kenny Neal / Straight From the Heart
Bob Corritore / Bob Borritore & Friends: You Shocked Me
Duke Robillard / They Called it Rhythm & Blues
John Németh / May Be the Last Time
John Primer / Hard Times
Acoustic Blues Artist
Doug MacLeod
Guy Davis
Harrison Kennedy
Rhiannon Giddens
Rory Block
Blues Rock Artist
Walter Trout
Albert Castiglia
Tommy Castro
Joanne Shaw Taylor
Tinsley Ellis
Contemporary Blues Female Artist
Ruthie Foster
Beth Hart
Janiva Magness
Teresa James
Vanessa Collier
Contemporary Blues Male Artist
Selwyn Birchwood
Chris Cain
Christone “Kingfish” Ingram
Ronnie Baker Brooks
Mr. Sipp (Castro Coleman)
Soul Blues Female Artist
Annika Chambers
Trudy Lynn
Thornetta Davis
Kat Riggins
Vaneese Thomas
Soul Blues Male Artist
John Németh
Johnny Rawls
Curtis Salgado
Don Bryant
Billy Price
Traditional Blues Female Artist (Koko Taylor Award)
Dietra Farr
Diunna Greenleaf
Rhiannon Giddens
Rory Block
Sue Foley
Traditional Blues Male Artist
Billy Branch
Duke Robillard
John Primer
Johnny Burgin
Sugar Ray Norcia
Instrumentalist – Bass
Bob Stronger
Danielle Nicole
Larry Fulcher
Michael “Mudcat” Ward
Willie J. Campbell
Instrumentalist – Drums
Chris Layton
Cody Dickinson
Derric D’Mar Martin
Kenny “Beedy Eyes” Smith
Tony Braunagel
Instrumentalist – Guitar
Chris Cain
Christoffer “Kid” Andersen
Joanna Connor
Kirk Fletcher
Laura Chavez
Instrumentalist – Harmonica
Billy Branch
Bob Corritore
Jason Ricci
John Németh
Dennis Gruenling
Instrumentalist – Horn
Deanna Bogart
Gregg Piccolo
Jimmy Carpenter
Mark Kaz Kazanoff
Sax Gordon Beadle
Instrumentalist – Piano (Pinetop Perkins Piano Player Award)
Anthony Geraci
Ben Levin
Dave Keyes
Jim Pugh
Kenny “Blues Boss” Wayne
Instrumentalist – Vocals
Curtis Salgado
Danielle Nicole
Diunna Greenleaf
John Németh
Shemekia Copeland
