The winners of the 2008 Blues Blast Music
Awards were announced Sunday November 2nd, 2008 at a Gala
Blues celebration at Buddy Guy's Legends in Chicago, IL.
The award winners are:
Best Contemporary Blues Recording - Holmes Brothers - State
Of Grace
Best Traditional Blues Recording - Lurrie Bell - Lets Talk
About Love
Best New Artist Debut Recording - John Németh - Magic
Touch
Best Blues Song - Nick Moss - Mistakes from the Past
Best Male Artist - Buddy Guy
Best Female Artist - Koko Taylor
Best Blues Band - Magic Slim & The Teardrops
Sean Costello Rising Star Award - John Németh
Blues Blast Magazine also awarded their first
ever Lifetime Achievement Award to Delta Blues Legend David
"Honeyboy" Edwards. The Lifetime Achievement Award
recognizes significant contributions and a lifetime body
of work in the field of Blues music.
The ceremonies included performances by Magic
Slim & the Teardrops, Lurrie Bell, Matthew Skollar,
Nick Moss, Gerry Hundt , John Németh, The
Kilborn Alley Blues Band 
,
Dave Riley, Bob Corritore, Eden Brent, Sugar Ray Norcia,
Teeny Tucker, Gina Sicilia, Dave Gross, Tim "Too Slim"
Langford and others.
The winners were chosen by the 11,000 Blues
Blast magazine readers from all 50 states and more than
40 countries voting at the IllinoisBlues.com website. There
was no cost or fees to be eligible to vote. These awards
truly represent the Peoples Choice for the best in Blues
music.
Celebrity award presenters included Eric Steiner,
president of the Washington Blues Society, Linda Cain Publisher
of ChicagoBluesGuide.com, Chicago Blues woman Deb Seitz,
August "Lordy" Lord, owner of ChicagoBluesBeat.com
, Blues Writer James "Skyy Dobro" Walker, Blues
Songwriter, Musician, DJ and Journalist, Ben Cox, Matt Eimer,
Promoter of the Simply The Blues Fest in Fort Madison, Iowa
and Kate Moss Publicity director for Blue Bella Records.
The sponsors of the Blues Blast Music Awards
were WGL Blues 24/7 a FREE online Blues Music stream and
Podcast from WGLT radio, a public radio station in Normal,
Illinois (www.WGLT.org) and The Chicago Blues Guide (www.ChicagoBluesGuide.com)
Blues Blast magazine is a FREE weekly Blues
"web-zine" available from IllinoisBlues.com. The
Blues Blast Music Awards recognize the best of today's Blues
music.
A group of Blues industry professionals including
artists, music writers, radio D.J.'s, artist managers and
festival promoters selected five nominees in each of the
eight categories. Voting for the awards took place during
July and August online at the IllinoisBlues.com website.
More than 2000 votes were cast and the awards ceremonies
were a celebration of the artists and the music that represent
the best in Blues music today.
For further information contact Bob Kieser
at info@illinoisblues.com
Wednesday March 12th Nothin But Trouble will
be at: Kclingers 304 Poplar Street Hanover, PA (717)633-9197
This band represented The Baltimore Blues Society in Memphis
at the IBC this year. For more info see www.nothinbuttroubleband.com
or www.myspace.com/nothinbuttroubleband
The summer of 2007 has certainly proved
memorable for 20-year-old guitarist Zack Wiesinger. On June
16, Zack performed in the Guitar Center King of the Blues
(article 1, article 2) competition as one of four finalists
out of an initial field of over 4,000 competitors. While
Wiesinger didn't capture the crown, he walked away with
several new guitars, a laptop computer, other prizes from
the competition, and very little time to worry about the
outcome. Eight days later, Zack was on stage in Luxomberg
as the opening act for Steve Vai's Sound Theories Tour of
Europe.
>>
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Conneaut Lake Blues Festival has been
cancelled. It had been scheduled for July 28, 2007. It's
been cancelled due to the well-documented financial difficulties
that the park is experiencing causing it to remain closed.
I got the word this morning unfortunately, too late to stop
it from being advertised in the latest edition of the BSWPA
newsletter. This is a big blow to all 3 bands involved (Boss
Diablo, Blu Razor, and Sonic Blues) since I don't believe
any of us have been invited to play at any of the other
local festivals. It would have given blues fans in the W.
Pa./Ohio area a chance to hear some of the exciting new
bands coming from this area. At least we'll get the opportunity
to strut our stuff in the IBC's! We all look forward to
that opportunity.
The BSWPA, in conjunction with the Greater
Pittsburgh Community Food Bank, set up a table display at
the Lawrenceville Fireworks Festival in Arsenal Park.
>> READ MORE
Izzy Stetar (2007 National IBC finalist)
and his harp player Chris Nacy have been offered a recording
contract by the 80/20 Music Entertainment, LLC label. They
will be recording their first CD at the Grammy award winning
Audible Images Recording Studio. Look forward to a huge
signing party later in June.
About
the BSWPA
