23rd Annual W.C. Handy Blues Awards Nominees

Blues Entertainer of the Year
B. B. King
Bobby Rush
Ike Turner
Marcia Ball
Rod Piazza
Shemekia Copeland

Blues Band of the Year
Anson Funderburgh & The Rockets featuring Sam Myers
The Holmes Brothers
Lil’ Ed & the Blues Imperials
Magic Slim and The Teardrops
Rod Piazza & the Mighty Flyers

Contemporary Blues-Male Artist of the Year
Buddy Guy
Chris Thomas King
Kid Ramos
Kim Wilson
Larry Garner
Rod Piazza

Contemporary Blues-Female Artist of the Year
Debbie Davies
Deborah Coleman
Marcia Ball
Maria Muldaur
Shemekia Copeland

Soul/Blues-Male Artist of the Year
Bobby Rush
Ike Turner
Mighty Sam McClain
Otis Clay
Little Milton Campbell

Soul/Blues-Female Artist of the Year
E. C. Scott
Etta James
Francine Reed
Irma Thomas
Toni Lynn Washington

Traditional Blues-Male Artist of the Year
Henry Gray
James Cotton
Magic Slim
R. L. Burnside
Robert Lockwood, Jr.

Traditional Blues-Female Artist of the Year
Alberta Adams
Ann Rabson
Big Time Sarah
Koko Taylor
Odetta

Acoustic Blues-Artist of the Year
Corey Harris
Eric Bibb
Honeyboy Edwards
John Hammond
Keb' Mo'
Louisiana Red

Best New Artist Debut
The Crudup Brothers - Franktown Blues
Harry "Big Daddy" Hypolite - Louisiana Country Boy
Otis Taylor - White African
Paul Reddick & The Sidemen - Rattlebag
Rico McFarland - Tired of Being Alone

Blues Instrumentalist-Guitar
Buddy Guy
Duke Robillard
Jimmie Vaughan
Kid Ramos
Ronnie Earl

Blues Instrumentalist-Harmonica
Charlie Musselwhite
James Cotton
Kim Wilson
Rod Piazza
Snooky Pryor

Blues Instrumentalist-Keyboards
Dr. John
Henry Butler
Henry Gray
Honey Piazza
Marcia Ball
Pinetop Perkins

Blues Instrumentalist-Bass
Bill Stuve
Calvin “Fuzz” Jones
Johnny B. Gayden
Larry Taylor
Willie Kent

Blues Instrumentalist-Drums
George Rains
Jimi Bott
Sam Carr
Sam Lay
Willie "Big Eyes" Smith

Blues Instrumentalist-Horns
Eddie Shaw
Kaz Kazanoff
The Memphis Horns
Sax Gordon Beadle
Roomful of Blues Horn Section

Blues Instrumentalist-Other
Boozoo Chavis - accordion
Buckwheat Zydeco - accordion
C.J. Chenier - accordion
Clarence "Gatemouth" Brown - fiddle
Sonny Rhodes - lap steel

Acoustic Blues Album of the Year
Chris Thomas King – The Legend of Tommy Johnson
David "Honeyboy" Edwards - Mississippi Delta Blues Man
John Hammond - Wicked Grin
Maria Muldaur - Richland Woman Blues
Otis Taylor - White African

Comeback Blues Album of the Year
Dick Heckstall Smith - Blues and Beyond
Henry Gray - Plays Chicago Blues
Ike Turner - Here and Now
James Montgomery Blues Band - Bring It On Home

Contemporary Blues Album of the Year
Buddy Guy - Sweet Tea
The Holmes Brothers - Speaking in Tongues
Jimmie Vaughan - Do You Get the Blues
Kim Wilson - Smokin' Joint
Marcia Ball - Presumed Innocent

Soul/Blues Album of the Year
Curtis Salgado - Soul Activated
Ike Turner - Here & Now
Little Milton - Feel It
Mighty Sam McClain - Sweet Dreams
Terry Evans - Mississippi Magic

Traditional Blues Album of the Year
Billy Boy Arnold - Boogie N Shuffle
Henry Gray - Plays Chicago Blues
Kid Ramos - Greasy Kid Stuff
Odetta - Looking for a Home
R. L. Burnside - Burnside on Burnside

Blues Album of the Year
John Hammond - Wicked Grin
Kid Ramos - Greasy Kid Stuff
Kim Wilson - Smokin' Joint
Marcia Ball - Presumed Innocent
Otis Taylor - White African

Historical Album of the Year
Charley Patton - Screamin' and Hollerin' the Blues
Lightnin’ Hopkins - Lightnin’ and the Blues: The Herald Session
Magic Sam - The Essential Magic Sam: The Cobra and Chief Recordings
Mississippi Fred McDowell - I Do Not Play No Rock 'n' Roll
Muddy Waters - Fathers And Sons

Blues Song of the Year
“Charlie's Old Highway 51 Blues” - Charlie Musselwhite
(Kid Ramos - Greasy Kid Stuff)
“Gratitude Is Riches (And Complaint Is Poverty)” – James Harman
(Kid Ramos - Greasy Kid Stuff)
“Kokomo” - Eric Bibb
(Eric Bibb - Painting Signs)
“My Soul's in Louisiana” - Otis Taylor
(Otis Taylor - White African)
“S. U. V.” - Mem Shannon
(Mem Shannon - Memphis in the Morning)