W.C. Handy Awards Nominees Announced

Nominees have been announced for the 23rd Annual W.C. Handy Blues Awards, to be presented May 23, 2002 at the Orpheum Theatre in Memphis, Tenn. The star-studded ceremony will be followed by two days of Blues music on Beale Street.

Named in honor of W.C. Handy, "Father of the Blues," the awards ceremony traditionally opens the Handy Weekend. Celebrations include the Blues Symposium with workshops, a Children's Festival, the Handy Awards Festival with Blues bands performing in the clubs along Beale Street, and a Handy Artists Relief Trust Benefit Concert.

The W.C. Handy Blues Awards are presented by Gibson Guitars.

23RD ANNUAL W.C. HANDY BLUES AWARDS NOMINEES:

Blues Entertainer of the Year:

B. B. King

Bobby Rush

Ike Turner

Marcia Ball

Rod Piazza

Shemekia Copeland

Blues Band of the Year:

Anson Funderburgh & The Rockets featuring Sam Myers

The Holmes Brothers

Lil' Ed & the Blues Imperials

Magic Slim and The Teardrops

Rod Piazza & the Mighty Flyers

Contemporary Blues-Male Artist of the Year:

Buddy Guy

Chris Thomas King

Kid Ramos

Kim Wilson

Larry Garner

Rod Piazza

Contemporary Blues-Female Artist of the Year:

Debbie Davies

Deborah Coleman

Marcia Ball

Maria Muldaur

Shemekia Copeland

Soul/Blues-Male Artist of the Year:

Bobby Rush

Ike Turner

Little Milton Campbell

Mighty Sam McClain

Otis Clay

Soul/Blues-Female Artist of the Year:

E. C. Scott

Etta James

Francine Reed

Irma Thomas

Toni Lynn Washington

Traditional Blues-Male Artist of the Year:

Henry Gray

James Cotton

Magic Slim

R. L. Burnside

Robert Lockwood, Jr.

Traditional Blues-Female Artist of the Year:

Alberta Adams

Ann Rabson

Big Time Sarah

Koko Taylor

Odetta

Acoustic Blues-Artist of the Year:

Corey Harris

Eric Bibb

Honeyboy Edwards

John Hammond

Keb' Mo'

Louisiana Red

Best New Artist Debut:

The Crudup Brothers – Franktown Blues

Harry "Big Daddy" Hypolite – Louisiana Country Boy

Otis Taylor – White African

Paul Reddick & The Sidemen – Rattlebag

Rico McFarland – Tired of Being Alone

Blues Instrumentalist-Guitar:

Buddy Guy

Duke Robillard

Jimmie Vaughan

Kid Ramos

Ronnie Earl

Blues Instrumentalist-Harmonica:

Charlie Musselwhite

James Cotton

Kim Wilson

Rod Piazza

Snooky Pryor

Blues Instrumentalist-Keyboards:

Dr. John

Henry Butler

Henry Gray

Honey Piazza

Marcia Ball

Pinetop Perkins

Blues Instrumentalist-Bass:

Bill Stuve

Calvin "Fuzz" Jones

Johnny B. Gayden

Larry Taylor

Willie Kent

Blues Instrumentalist-Drums:

George Rains

Jimi Bott

Sam Carr

Sam Lay

Willie "Big Eyes" Smith

Blues Instrumentalist-Horns:

Eddie Shaw

Kaz Kazanoff

The Memphis Horns

Roomful of Blues Horn Section

Sax Gordon Beadle

Blues Instrumentalist-Other:

Boozoo Chavis – accordion

Buckwheat Zydeco – accordion

C.J. Chenier – accordion

Clarence "Gatemouth" Brown – fiddle

Sonny Rhodes – lap steel

Acoustic Blues Album of the Year:

Chris Thomas King – The Legend of Tommy Johnson

David "Honeyboy" Edwards – Mississippi Delta Blues Man

John Hammond – Wicked Grin

Maria Muldaur – Richland Woman Blues

Otis Taylor – White African

Comeback Blues Album of the Year:

Dick Heckstall Smith – Blues and Beyond

Henry Gray – Plays Chicago Blues

Ike Turner – Here and Now

James Montgomery Blues Band – Bring It On Home

Contemporary Blues Album of the Year:

Buddy Guy – Sweet Tea

The Holmes Brothers – Speaking in Tongues

Jimmie Vaughan – Do You Get the Blues

Kim Wilson – Smokin' Joint

Marcia Ball – Presumed Innocent

Soul/Blues Album of the Year:

Curtis Salgado – Soul Activated

Ike Turner – Here & Now

Little Milton – Feel It

Mighty Sam McClain – Sweet Dreams

Terry Evans – Mississippi Magic

Traditional Blues Album of the Year:

Billy Boy Arnold – Boogie N Shuffle

Henry Gray – Plays Chicago Blues

Kid Ramos – Greasy Kid Stuff

Odetta – Looking for a Home

R. L. Burnside – Burnside on Burnside

Blues Album of the Year:

John Hammond – Wicked Grin

Kid Ramos – Greasy Kid Stuff

Kim Wilson – Smokin' Joint

Marcia Ball – Presumed Innocent

Otis Taylor – White African

Historical Album of the Year:

Charley Patton – Screamin' and Hollerin' the Blues

Lightnin' Hopkins – Lightnin' and the Blues: The Herald Session

Magic Sam – The Essential Magic Sam: The Cobra and Chief Recordings

Mississippi Fred McDowell – I Do Not Play No Rock 'n' Roll

Muddy Waters – Fathers And Sons

Blues Song of the Year:

"Charlie's Old Highway 51 Blues" – Charlie Musselwhite (Kid Ramos – Greasy

Kid Stuff)

"Gratitude Is Riches (And Complaint Is Poverty)" – James Harman (Kid Ramos –

Greasy Kid Stuff)

"Kokomo" – Eric Bibb (Eric Bibb – Painting Signs)

"My Soul's in Louisiana" – Otis Taylor (Otis Taylor – White African)

"S. U. V." – Mem Shannon (Mem Shannon – Memphis in the Morning)