Nominees from across Canada have been announced for the 13th Annual Maple Blues Awards!

The Maple Blues Awards is Canada’s national blues awards program. Its goal is to promote blues music across Canada, and to recognize outstanding achievement in the field.

Voting opens Friday, October 30th at noon (DST) and is open to Sunday, December 13th at noon (EDT). Blues fans cast their votes online, at www.mapleblues.ca.

This year's winners will be announced at the 13th Annual Maple Blues Awards Gala in Toronto, on January 18, 2010 at Koerner Hall. This very special evening is Canada's national annual celebration of homegrown blues talent. It's also a night of great music by the Maple Blues Band, comprised entirely of Maple Blues Awards winners and nominees.

Danny Marks, Host of BLUZ FM and David Gogo, Cordova Bay Recording Artist, will be hosting the Maple Blues Awards.


13th ANNUAL MAPLE BLUES NOMINEES

Entertainer Of The Year
Downchild
Jack de Keyzer
Little Miss Higgins
Monkey Junk
Shakura S’Aida

Electric Act Of The Year
David Gogo
Garrett Mason
Jack de Keyzer
Monkey Junk
The Twisters

Acoustic Act Of The Year

Big Dave McLean
Braithwaite & Whiteley
Harrison Kennedy
Harry Manx
Julian Fauth

Male Vocalist Of The Year

Harrison Kennedy
Jim Byrnes
John Mays (Fathead, Maple Blues Revue)
Paul Reddick
Steve Marriner (Monkey Junk)

Female Vocalist Of The Year

Jolene “Little Miss” Higgins
Roxanne Potvin
Shakura S’Aida
Suzie Vinnick
Treasa Levasseur

New Artist/Group Of The Year

Blackburn
Blues Delight
Clio & The Blues Highway
Ross Neilsen
Scott McCord & The Bonafide Truth

Recording Of The Year

Come Out Swingin' (NorthernBlues)
The Twisters
Producers: Chris & Brandon Isaak

One Dog Barkin’ (Electro-Fi)
Harrison Kennedy
Producer: Harrison Kennedy

Songs From The Road (Stony Plain)
Jeff Healey
Producer: Alec Fraser

SugarBird (NorthernBlues)
Paul Reddick
Producer: Colin Linden

Tiger In Your Tank (Beefy)
Monkey Junk
Producers: Steve Marriner and Monkey Junk

Blues With A Feeling Award
(Lifetime Achievement)

Alec Fraser
Chris Whiteley
Danny Brooks
Ellen McIlwaine
Joe Murphy
Ken Whiteley
Michael Fonfara
Paul James
Terry Wilkins
Tom Lavin

BB King International Artist Of The Year

John Mayall
Maria Muldaur
Taj Mahal
Tommy Castro
Watermelon Slim

Guitarist Of The Year

Garrett Mason
Jack De Keyzer
Steve Dawson (Jim Byrnes)
Steve Strongman
Tony D (Monkey Junk)

Harmonica Player Of The Year

Carlos del Junco
David Hoerl (The Twisters)
David Rotundo
Jerome Godboo
Steve Marriner (Monkey Junk)

Piano/Keyboard Player Of The Year

Bill Stevenson (Easley Stevenson Arsenault)
Julian Fauth
Kenny "Blues Boss" Wayne
Lance Anderson (Shakura S'Aida and Danny Brooks)
Michael Fonfara (Downchild, Maple Blues Revue)

Horn Player Of The Year

Al Lerman (Fathead, Maple Blues Revue)
Chris Murphy (Maple Blues Revue)
Chris Whiteley (Maple Blues Revue)
Johnny Ferreira
Pat Carey (Downchild, Maple Blues Revue)

Drummer Of The Year

Al Cross
Bucky Berger (Fathead)
Chris Nordquist
Geoff Arsenault (Easley Stevenson Arsenault)
Tom Bona (Raoul & The Big Time, Maple Blues Revue)

Bassist Of The Year

Alan Duffy (Jack De Keyzer)
Alec Fraser (Broken Joe, Jeff Healey)
Gary Kendall (Downchild, Maple Blues Revue, Gary Kendall Band)
Keith Picot (The Twisters)
Tom Easley (Easley Stevenson Arsenault)

Songwriter Of The Year

Brandon Isaak (The Twisters)
Chris Whiteley & Diana Braithwaite
Harrison Kennedy
Paul Reddick
Treasa Levasseur


The Maple Blues Awards are supported by FACTOR and the Government of Canada through the Canadian Music Fund, the SOCAN Foundation, SOCAN, the Ontario Arts Council, Ontario Trillium Foundation, the City of Toronto through the Toronto Arts Council, the Ontario Ministry of Culture, KMP Designs Inc., Long & McQuade Musical Instruments, DAWG FM, Cisco Ottawa Bluesfest, Stony Plain, Saturday Night Blues, and Lee Oskar.

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For more information, photos, interviews, please contact:
Tim Des Islets
Toronto Blues Society
416-538-3885
info@torontobluessociety.com
 




Maple Blues Awards