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 **