The winners of the Fifteenth Annual Maple Blues Awards were
announced at the Annual Maple Blues Awards Gala at Koerner Hall in
Toronto Monday, January 16 and as promised here's a list of the winners.
The winners are underlined; and the artists in boldface have strong associations with Toronto, either
born and raised here or having transplanted themselves here for the
long haul.
For more info, see previous blog with the nominees.
ENTERTAINER OF THE YEAR
Jim Byrnes
Kenny “Blues Boss” Wayne
Matt Andersen
MonkeyJunk
Shakura S’Aida
ELECTRIC ACT OF THE YEAR
Bill Johnson
David Gogo
Keith Hallett & Garrett Mason
MonkeyJunk
Rita Chiarelli
ACOUSTIC ACT OF THE YEAR
Harrison Kennedy
Harry Manx
Matt Andersen
Suzie Vinnick
Tim Williams
MALE VOCALIST OF THE YEAR
Harrison Kennedy
Jim Byrnes
John Mays (Fathead)
Matt Andersen
Steve Marriner (MonkeyJunk)
FEMALE VOCALIST OF THE YEAR
Rita Chiarelli
Robin Bank$
Shakura S’Aida
Suzie Vinnick
Treasa Levasseur
NEW/ARTIST GROUP OF THE YEAR
24th Street Wailers
Douglas Watson R&B Revue
Kat Danser
Sabrina Weeks & Swing Cat Bounce
Tim Vaughn
BB KING INTERNATIONAL ARTIST OF THE YEAR
Bettye LaVette
Duke Robillard
Greg Allman
JJ Grey & Mofro
Tedeschi Trucks Band
RECORDING OF THE YEAR
Me ‘n’ Mabel (SV)
Artist: Suzie Vinnick
Producer: Danny Greenspoon
Music From The Big House (Mad Iris)
Artist: Rita Chiarelli
Producer: Rita Chiarelli
Still Blue (BJ)
Artist: Bill Johnson
Producers: Jody Baker & Bill Johnson
Strictly Whatever (Stony Plain)
Artists: Harry Manx & Kevin Breit
Producers: Harry Manx & Kevin Breit
To Behold (Stony Plain)
Artist: MonkeyJunk
Producers: Steve Marriner & Ken Friesen
Blues With A Feeling Award (Lifetime Achievement Award)
Alec Fraser
Danny Brooks
Ellen McIlwaine
Joe Murphy
Ken Whiteley
Michael Fonfara
Paul James
Stephen Barry
Tom Lavin
GUITAR PLAYER OF THE YEAR
David Gogo
Garrett Mason
Jack de Keyzer
Kevin Breit
Steve Strongman
HARMONICA PLAYER OF THE YEAR
Carlos del Junco
David “Hurricane” Hoerl (Twisters)
David Rotundo
Roly Platt
Steve Marriner (MonkeyJunk)
PIANO/KEYBOARD PLAYER OF THE YEAR
Curley Bridges
David Vest
John Lee Sanders
Julian Fauth
Kenny “Blues Boss” Wayne
HORN PLAYER OF THE YEAR
Al Lerman (Fathead)
Chris Murphy
Chris Whiteley
Pat Carey (Downchild)
Neil Braithwaite (Blackburn)
DRUMMER OF THE YEAR
Al Cross (Jerome Godboo)
Bucky Berger (Fathead)
Geoff Arsenault (Morgan Davis)
Matt Sobb (MonkeyJunk)
Vince Maccarone (Johnny Max)
BASSIST OF THE YEAR
Alan Duffy (Jack de Keyzer)
Alec Fraser (Fraser Daley)
Gary Kendall (Downchild)
Keith Picot (Twisters)
Omar Tunnoch (Fathead)
SONGWRITER OF THE YEAR
Bill Johnson
Diteodoro/Marriner/Sobb (MonkeyJunk)
Harrison Kennedy
Harry Manx
Suzie Vinnick
BLUES BOOSTER OF THE YEAR
Liz Sykes