The Renasant Convention Center played host to scores of blues musicians and fans Thursday night, as the ceremonies of the 43rd Annual Blues Music Awards (BMAs) took place. Between handing out honors in over two dozen categories, the evening featured performances from many nominees, culminating in a joyous all-star jam by the night’s end.
It was especially welcome after the 2020 and 2021 ceremonies took place online only. Judith Black, president and CEO of the Blues Foundation, recognized the watershed moment in a statement: “What an amazing reunion after nearly three years of separation. It was an awards evening filled with awesome music, wonderful fellowshipping, and exciting honors. It was apparent everywhere you looked that people were thrilled to be back and, I am sure they could tell we were ecstatic to welcome everyone back.”
Tommy Castro snagged three BMAs: the B.B. King Entertainer of the Year (which he won previously in 2010 and 2008); the Album of the Year for Tommy Castro Presents A Bluesman Came to Town; and Band of the Year for Tommy Castro & The Painkillers.
Sue Foley, who we featured in this week’s music column, was one of two double-winners, with her Pinky’s Blues recognized as the year’s best Traditional Blues Album, and Foley herself garnering the Traditional Blues Female Artist – Koko Taylor Award, repeating her 2020 win in that category. Fresh off his Grammy win, Christone “Kingfish” Ingram took home Contemporary Blues Male Artist for the third consecutive year. He was also awarded Contemporary Blues Album, which he previously won in 2020.
Also on the local tip, the Best Emerging Artist Album award went to Rodd Bland & The Members Only Band for Live on Beale Street: A Tribute to Bobby “Blue” Bland. Native Memphian Eric Gales won in the category of Instrumentalist – Guitar, and longtime Memphis resident John Nemeth took home the award for Instrumentalist – Vocals.
The complete list of 2022 Blues Music Award winners:
Acoustic Blues Album: Dear America, Eric Bibb
Acoustic Blues Artist: Keb’ Mo’
Album of the Year: A Bluesman Came to Town, Tommy Castro
B.B. King Entertainer: Tommy Castro
Band of the Year: Tommy Castro & The Painkillers
Best Emerging Artist Album: Live on Beale Street: A Tribute to Bobby “Blue” Bland, Rodd Bland & the Members Only Band
Blues Rock Album: Resurrection, Mike Zito
Blues Rock Artist: Albert Castiglia
Contemporary Blues Album: 662, Christone “Kingfish” Ingram
Contemporary Blues Female Artist: Vanessa Collier
Contemporary Blues Male Artist: Christone “Kingfish” Ingram
Instrumentalist-Bass: Danielle Nicole
Instrumentalist-Drums: Tom Hambridge
Instrumentalist-Guitar: Eric Gales
Instrumentalist-Harmonica: Jason Ricci
Instrumentalist-Horn: Jimmy Carpenter
Instrumentalist Pinetop Perkins Piano Player: Mike Finnigan
Instrumentalist-Vocals: John Nemeth
Song of the Year: “I’d Climb Mountains,” written & performed by Selwyn Birchwood
Soul Blues Album: Long As I Got My Guitar, Zac Harmon
Soul Blues Female Artist: Annika Chambers
Soul Blues Male Artist: Curtis Salgado
Traditional Blues Album: Pinky’s Blues, Sue Foley
Traditional Blues Female Artist Koko Taylor Award: Sue Foley
Traditional Blues Male Artist: Taj Mahal
Meanwhile, the Blues Hall of Fame held this year’s induction ceremony on May 4th. The inductees included pre-war performer and songwriter Lucille Bogan; soul, blues, and rock ‘n’ roll star Little Willie John; renowned songwriter, artist Johnnie Taylor; and legendary songwriter Otis Blackwell.
Classic recordings that the Blues Hall of Fame honored this year were Sonny Boy Williamson II’s “Eyesight to the Blind,” Bobby “Blue” Bland’s “Farther Up the Road,” Roy Brown’s “Good Rocking Tonight,” B.B. King’s “Rock Me Baby,” “Rollin’ and Tumblin’” by the Baby Face Leroy Trio, and Bo Diddley’sclassic album, Bo Diddley. This year’s non-performing inductee was Mary Katherine Aldin, who worked as an editor, disc jockey, compiler, and annotator of blues and folk reissue albums. The Classic of Blues Literature entrant was Red River Blues: The Blues Tradition in the Southeast, written by British author Bruce Bastin.
Today, May 6th, the total blues immersion continues with a special reception at the Blues Hall of Fame for award-winning music photographer Jérôme Brunet, and the first volley of a four-day run for the International Blues Challenge.
