The annual Blues Music Awards took place in Memphis last night, with the Tedeschi Trucks Band and soul man Curtis Salgado walking away as the night’s biggest winners with three awards each. Tedeschi Trucks won for both band and rock blues album (Let Me Get By) while lead singer/guitarist Susan Tedeschi took home the prize for contemporary blues female artist; Salgado earned nods for soul blues male artist, soul blues album (The Beautiful Lowdown) and song (“Walk a Mile in My Blues”).
Bobby Rush won awards for two different albums, with his Porcupine Meat taking the album of the year honors and Chicken Heads: A 50-Year History of Bobby Rush being named historical album. Joe Bonamassa and Kenny Neal both also received multiple awards on the night, Bonamassa winning in the guitarist and B.B. King Entertainer of the year categories and Neal capturing the contemporary album (Blood Line) and contemporary male artist honors.
In other album categories, Lurrie Bell‘s Can’t Shake This Feeling was named best traditional blues album, and Jonn Del Toro Richardson‘s Tengo Blues received the award for best emerging artist album.
Mavis Staples won in the soul blues female artist category, Diunna Greenleaf for traditional blues female (Koko Taylor Award), Bob Margolin for traditional blues male artist, and Kim Wilson for harmonica.
The complete list of winners can be viewed on the Blues Foundation’s website.
Congratulations to the winners, as well as to all who were nominated!