Washington Blues Society Announces 2018 Best of the Blues Awards Nominees

The Washington Blues Society’s annual Best of the Blues Awards (“BB Awards”) returns in April 2018 to honor musicians, artists, events and venues nominated by blues society members in 32 award categories. The BB Awards show features performances by select nominees and recognizes new inductees into the Washington Blues Society Hall of Fame.

The nominees once again represent the very best blues performers from throughout the Pacific Northwest. Blues women of the region have begun to show their prowess with over 25 nominations going to female artists or female-fronted acts and completely dominating the blues performer, songwriter, and album of the year categories. Long-time favorite The Stacy Jones Band collectively leads the field with 12 nominations including Best Blues Band. Having two groups make the semifinals at the 2018 International Blues Challenge in Memphis, the CD Woodbury Trio collectively earned five nominations including Electric Guitarist, Blues Bass, and Drums, and the Brett Benton & Gordon Townsend duo earned five nominations as well. First-time nominees include vocalist Tiphony Dames, songwriter Michele D’Amour, saxophonist Brandon Hailey, guitar man John “Greyhound,” Maxwell, as well as new music venues the Collector’s Choice Lounge of Snohomish, WA., and 192 Brewing Co. of Kenmore, WA.

FULL LIST OF 2018 Best of the Blues Awards Nominees

MARK DUFRESNE MALE VOCALIST AWARD

Chris Eger

Sean Denton

Kevin Sutton

BLUES FEMALE VOCALIST

Sheri Roberts Greimes

Leah Tussing

Stacy Jones

Tiphony Dames

ELECTRIC BLUES GUITAR

CD Woodbury

Jeff Menteer

Dave Miller

SLIDE BLUES GUITAR

Brian Lee

Brett Benton

Sean Denton

BLUES BASS

Tom Jones

Scotty Harris

Patrick McDanel

CHRIS LEIGHTON BLUES DRUMMER AWARD

Richard Sabol

Rick J Bowen

Tommy Cook

Don Montana

BLUES HORN

Mike Marinig

Lonnie Williams

Brandon Hailey

Sheryl Clark

PAUL GREEN BLUES HARMONICA AWARD

Mitch Pumpian

Stacy Jones

Joel Astley

BLUES PIANO/KEYBOARD

Michael “Papa Bax” Baxter

Jeffrey Morgan

Sheri Roberts Greimes

ACOUSTIC BLUES GUITAR

Ryan LaPlante

Brett”Bad Blood “Benton

John “Greyhound” Maxwell

BLUES INSTRUMENTALIST – OTHER

Angelo Ortiz (percussion)

Mike Marinig ( flute)

Joel Gamble (violin)

NEW BLUES BAND

Nick Mardon Trio

Madison Avenue Blues Revue

Brett Benton & Gordon Townsend

BLUES BAND

Stacy Jones Band

CD Woodbury Trio

Mark Hurwitz & Gin Creek

Polly O’Keary & the Rhythm Method

LITTLE BILL & THE BLUE NOTES TRADITIONAL BLUES ACT

Brian Lee & the Orbiters

Brett Benton & Gordon Townsend

Madison Avenue Blues Revue

SOLO/DUO BLUES ACT

Brett Benton & Gordon Townsend

John “Greyhound” Maxwell

Sheri Roberts Greimes

BLUES PERFORMER

Stacy Jones

Polly O’Keary

Patti Allen

CD Woodbury

BLUES SONGWRITER

Stacy Jones

Michele D’Amour

Polly O’Keary

WASHINGTON BLUES RECORDING

Stacy Jones Band “Love is Everywhere”

Polly O’Keary & The Rhythm Method “Black Crow Callin’”

Michele D’Amour & The Love Dealers “Late Nights at the Leopard Lounge” 

(click on album titles to listen)

BLUES CLUB

Madison Avenue Pub

Highway 99 Blues Club

Collector’s Choice Restaurant & Lounge

BLUES WRITER

Amy Sassenberg

Rick J Bowen

Kathy Jacobson

BLUES PHOTO IMAGE

 

BLUES GRAPHIC IMAGE

BLUES DJ

Robin K

Clancy Dunigan

John Kessler

KEEPING THE BLUES ALIVE AWARD

Rick J Bowen

Jim McLaughlin

John Kessler

LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT AWARD

“Stickshift” Anne Eastwood

Billy Stapleton

Scott E Lind

Nora Michaels

BEST NON-FESTIVAL BLUES EVENT

Jones Family Christmas

Gas Station Blues

Snohomish Blues Invasion

BEST REGIONAL BLUES FESTIVAL

Mt Baker

Winthrop

Sunbanks

BEST COMMUNITY BLUES FESTIVAL

Ebey Island Freedom Fest

Poverty Bay Blues & Brews

Old Town – Tacoma

Grey Skies Blues Music Festival

OPEN BLUES JAM

Madison Ave Pub – Unbound Blues Jam

Collector’s Choice Restaurant & Lounge – Blues Jam with Usual Suspects

192 Brewing – Blues Jam with the Groove Tramps

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WASHINGTON BLUES SOCIETY HALL OF FAME (INDIVIDUAL)

Scott E Lind

Nora Michaels

Raven Humphres

Billy Stapleton

WASHINGTON BLUES SOCIETY HALL OF FAME (BAND)

The Slamhound Hunters

The Charles White Band

Jr. Cadillac

**Ballots are printed on page 31 of the FEB 2018 Blues Letter – ballots must be received by the Washington Blues Society -or an officer By TUES MARCH 13. 2018at blues bash at CCR or by mail to WBS PO BOX 70604, Seattle WA 98127. or scanned and emailed to treasuer@wablues.org **

 

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