2016 Living Blues Awards
Critics’ Poll:
Blues Artist of the Year (Male): Buddy Guy
Blues Artist of the Year (Female): Shemekia Copeland
Most Outstanding Blues Singer: Otis Clay
Most Outstanding Musician (Guitar): Lurrie Bell
Most Outstanding Musician (Harmonica): Sugar Blue
Most Outstanding Musician (Keyboard): Allen Toussaint
Most Outstanding Musician (Bass): Bob Stroger
Most Outstanding Musician (Drums): Cedric Burnside
Most Outstanding Musician (Horns): Trombone Shorty
Most Outstanding Musician (Other): Freddie Roulette – Lap steel
Best Live Performer: Bobby Rush
Comeback Artist of the Year: Wee Willie Walker
Artist Deserving More Attention: Matthew Robinson
Best Blues Albums of 2015:
Album of the Year; Shemekia Copeland – Outskirts of Love – Alligator Records
New Recordings / Contemporary Blues: Cedric Burnside Project – Descendants of Hill Country – Cedric Burnside Project
New Recordings / Southern Soul: Wee Willie Walker – If Nothing Ever Changes – Little Village Foundation
New Recordings / Best Debut: The Peterson Brothers – The Peterson Brothers – Blue Point Records
New Recordings / Traditional & Acoustic: Leo “Bud” Welch – I Don’t Prefer No Blues – Big Legal Mess
Historical – Pre-war: Lead Belly – The Smithsonian Folkways Collection – Smithsonian Folkways
Historical – Postwar: Bobby Rush – Chicken Heads: A 50-Year History of Bobby Rush – Omnivore Recordings
Blues Book of the Year:
Jas Obrecht – Early Blues: The First Stars of Blues Guitar – University of Minnesota Press
DVD of the Year:
Muddy Waters and Friends – Soundstage: Blues Summit in Chicago, 1974 – Sony/Legacy
Producer of the Year New Recording:
Bruce Iglauer and Toronzo Cannon – Toronzo Cannon – The Chicago Way – Alligator Records
Producer of the Year Historical Recording:
Jeff Place and Robert Santelli – Lead Belly – The Smithsonian Folkways Collection – Smithsonian Folkways
Readers’ Poll:
Blues Artist of the Year (Male): Keb’ Mo’
Blues Artist of the Year (Female): Shemekia Copeland
Most Outstanding Musician (Guitar): Buddy Guy
Most Outstanding Musician (Harmonica): Charlie Musselwhite
Most Outstanding Musician (Keyboard): Allen Toussaint
Best Live Performer: Buddy Guy
Most Outstanding Blues Singer: Buddy Guy
Best Blues Album of 2015 (New Release): Buddy Guy – Born to Play Guitar – RCA/Silvertone
Best Blues Album of 2015 (Historical Recording): Lead Belly – The Smithsonian Folkways Collection – Smithsonian Folkways
Best Blues DVD of 2015: Muddy Waters and Friends – Soundstage: Blues Summit in Chicago, 1974 – Sony/Legacy
Best Blues Book of 2015: Peter Guralnick – Sam Phillips: The Man Who Invented Rock ’n’ Roll – Little, Brown and Company