2016 Blues Music Awards — Lisa Mann Wins!

Last month’s Blues Music awards in Memphis on May 5, found local musician Lisa Mann once again taking home the big prize for Instrumentalist – Bass for the second consecutive year. Twenty-four awards overall were handed out between musical sets by many of the nominees. This year’s biggest winner had to have been piano man Victor Wainwright and his band The Wild Roots, taking home both the Band of the Year honors and the top prize of the night, the BB King Entertainer of the Year. Buddy Guy, Cedric Burnside, Walter Trout, and the late Otis Clay who also received two awards each and the night.

The night before celebrated the inductees this year into the Blues Hall of Fame. Along with awards given to individuals for literature, recordings, and production, the Hall honored the entry of musicians Eddy “The Chief” Clearwater, Elvin Bishop, John Mayall, Jimmy Johnson and the Memphis Jug Band.

All of this year’s Blues Music Award recipients are listed below:

Acoustic Album: The Acoustic Blues & Roots of Duke Robillard – Duke Robillard
Acoustic Artist: Doug MacLeod
Album: Born to Play Guitar – Buddy Guy
B.B. King Entertainer: Victor Wainwright
Band: Victor Wainwright & the Wild Roots
Best New Artist Album: The Mississippi Blues Child – Mr. Sipp
Contemporary Blues Album: Born to Play Guitar – Buddy Guy
Contemporary Blues Female Artist: Shemekia Copeland
Contemporary Blues Male Artist: Joe Louis Walker
Historical: Soul & Swagger: Buzzin’ the Blues by Slim Harpo (Bear Family Records)
Instrumentalist-Bass : Lisa Mann
Instrumentalist-Drums: Cedric Burnside
Instrumentalist-Guitar: Sonny Landreth
Instrumentalist-Harmonica: Kim Wilson
Instrumentalist-Horn: Terry Hanck
Koko Taylor Traditional Female Artist Award: Ruthie Foster
Pinetop Perkins Piano Player: Allen Toussaint
Rock Blues Album: Battle Scars – Walter Trout
Song: “Gonna Live Again” written and performed by Walter Trout
Soul Blues Album: This Time for Real – Billy Price & Otis Clay
Soul Blues Female Artist: Bettye LaVette
Soul Blues Male Artist: Otis Clay
Traditional Blues Album: Descendants of Hill Country – Cedric Burnside Project
Traditional Blues Male Artist: John Primer