Internationally Renowned Canadian Blues Artists Honoured with Maple Blues Awards

Ottawa’s MonkeyJunk, Toronto’s Suzie Vinnick and Hamilton’s Steve Strongman Win Multiple Awards   (January 21, 2013) Toronto, ON - Internationally renowned Canadian Blues Artist from Coast-to-Coast were honoured by their peers at the 16th Annual Maple Blues Awards gala in Toronto last night as a sold out crowd of blues lovers gathered to celebrate Canadian blues at Koerner Hall.   Ottawa’s MonkeyJunk and its members took home three awards, including, Electric Act of the Year, Harmonic Player of the Year (Steve Marriner) and Drummer of the Year (Matt Sobb).  Hamilton guitar slinger Steve Strongman also received three awards including Songwriter of the Year, Recording of the Year for his recent release "A Natural Fact" and Guitar Player of the Year. Now based in Toronto, Saskatoon native Suzie Vinnick won awards for Acoustic Act of the Year and Female Vocalist of the Year.     Nova Scotia’s Matt Minglewood was honoured with the Blues With a Feeling (Lifetime Achievement Award). Minglewood’s extensive career as a blues performer, spanning nearly four decades, makes him widely considered to be a Canadian music icon. John Valenteyn, a founding member and tireless volunteer of the Toronto Blues Society received the Blues Booster of the Year award, a very special Maple Blues Award honouring outstanding contribution to the Canadian blues music industry, presented by internationally recognized blues artist and Maple Blues Award winner Shakura S’aida and former Toronto Blues society vice president, “Blues Doctor” Julie Hill. Mrs. Laureen Harper wife of Prime Minister Stephen Harper, alongside blues guitarist Jack de Keyzer, presented the awards for Harmonica Player of the Year to Steve Marriner and Horn Player of the Year to Jon Wong.   Hosted by Raoul Bhaneja, a Toronto actor and musician most noted for his work performing Shakespeare’s Hamlet solo and his blues band Raoul and the Big Time, the Maple Blues Awards included outstanding performances from Maple Blues Award nominees past and present, including Matt Minglewood, Nanette Workman, Carlos del Junco, Harrison Kennedy, Suzie Vinnick, Steve Strongman and The Harpoonist & The Axe Murderer, all backed by gala house band, The Maple Blues Band.   Winners of the 16th Annual Maple Blues Awards     ENTERTAINER OF THE YEAR Colin James   ELECTRIC ACT OF THE YEAR MonkeyJunk   ACOUSTIC ACT OF THE YEAR Suzie Vinnick   MALE VOCALIST OF THE YEAR Matt Andersen FEMALE VOCALIST OF THE YEAR Suzie Vinnick   NEW ARTIST OR GROUP OF THE YEAR Steve Kozak RECORDING OF THE YEAR “A Natural Fact" Steve Strongman, Producer Rob Szabo BLUES WITH A FEELING (Lifetime Achievement) Matt Minglewood   BB KING INTERNATIONAL ARTIST OF THE YEAR Tedeschi Trucks Band   GUITAR PLAYER OF THE YEAR Steve Strongman   HARMONICA PLAYER OF THE YEAR Steve Marriner   PIANO/KEYBOARD PLAYER OF THE YEAR David Vest   HORN PLAYER OF THE YEAR Jon Wong   DRUMMER OF THE YEAR Matt Sobb   BASSIST OF THE YEARGary Kendall   SONGWRITER OF THE YEAR Steve Strongman   BLUES BOOSTER OF THE YEAR   John Valenteyn For more information contact:   Sarah French Sarah French Publicity 416-566-4188 | sarah@sarahfrenchpublicity.com   Jordan Safer Toronto Blues Society 416-538-3885 | info@torontobluessociety.com