ONLINE VOTING AND TICKET SALES NOW OPEN TO
BLUES FOUNDATION MEMBERS
ATLANTA, GA – When The Blues Foundation announced yesterday (December 13) the list of nominees for the 33rd Annual Blues Music Awards, Mark Pucci Media’s artists were well represented with 23 total nominations. The Blues Music Awards are universally acknowledged as the highest honor for musicians and songwriters in Blues music. Winners will be announced on May 10 at the Cook Convention Center in Memphis. Online voting is now open to Blues Foundation members at www.blues.org.
Heading the list of Mark Pucci Media honorees are Severn Records artists Sugar Ray and the Bluetones, who garnered a leading five nominations, including Album of the Year and Traditional Blues Album for their latest CD, Evening, along with nominations for Band of the Year, plus Sugar Ray Norcia for Instrumentalist – Harmonica, and Michael “Mudcat” Ward as Instrumentalist – Bass. Additionally, Kim Wilson, founder and leader of The Fabulous Thunderbirds, which recently signed to the label, was nominated in the Instrumentalist – Harmonica category; and Robb Stupka, a mainstay of the Severn Records studio band, was nominated again for Instrumentalist – Drums.
Canadian label powerhouse Stony Plain Records celebrated its 35th anniversary by gathering a host of nominations for several of its artists. Rory Block was nominated for Acoustic Artist, as was her latest CD, Shake ‘em on Down, a tribute to Mississippi Fred McDowell, for Acoustic Album. Perennial nominee Maria Muldaur received a nomination for the Koko Taylor Award as Traditional Blues Female based on the response to her current CD, Steady Love; and multiple BMA-winner Duke Robillard was also nominated again this year for the Gibson Guitar Award. Previous BMA-winner Joe Louis Walker was nominated for Contemporary Blues Male Artist, and Kenny “Blues Boss’ Wayne is up for the Pinetop Perkins Piano Player Award. Lastly, newly-signed Stony Plain artist Eric Bibb received nominations as Acoustic Artist and for his last CD, Troubadour Live, as Acoustic Album.
El Paso-based Catfood Records had a another strong year, capped by former BMA-winner Johnny Rawls, who received three nominations: in the Soul Blues Male Artist and Soul Blues Album categories for his Memphis Still Got Soul CD, whose titled track was also nominated for Song of the Year. In addition, singer Jackie Johnson received a nod as Soul Blues Female Artist for her Catfood Records debut, Memphis Jewel.
Other Mark Pucci Media artists receiving nominations included folk-blues singer/songwriter Guy Davis for Acoustic Artist, Ruf Records’ artist Samantha Fish as Best New Artist Debut for her Runaway CD, Al Basile for Instrumentalist – Horn, and mandolinist Rich Del Grosso in the Instrumentalist – Other category.
“The number of first-time nominees demonstrate the vitality of blues music and reflect the releases and live performances of the past year,” Jay Sieleman, The Blues Foundation’s Executive Director, said in announcing the nominees. “The nominations prove not only the sustaining power of Blues music, but also its ability to constantly evolve and remain relevant to today’s fans.”
For the sixth consecutive year, The Blues Music Awards will be broadcast live in their entirety on Sirius XM's B.B. King's Bluesville and will be subsequently broadcast on public television.
Mark Pucci Media congratulates all of our nominees and wishes them much success when the winners are announced in Memphis on May 10. See you there!
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