Vote for the Living Blues Awards! Deadline is June 15!

Living Blues Magazine has announced the nomineees for their 2026 awards. You can vote for your favourites (even write-ins). Deadline to vote is June 15, 2026.

Below is a complete list of nominees. Canadian acts are bolded.

* Signed to Waterdown's Stony Plain Records

Most Outstanding Musician (Keyboard)

• Kenny "Blues Boss" Wayne (formerly from Burlington) *
  
  
  
  Links: Kenny "Blues Boss" Wayne, More Kenny "Blues Boss" Stories, Video above courtesy of Roberto Scorta
  
  
• Booker T. Jones
• Jim Pugh
• Roosevelt Purifoy
• Anthony Geraci
• Mitch Woods
• Victor Wainwright
• Marcia Ball
• Ben Levin
• Dave Keyes

Best Blues Album of 2025 (New Recordings)

• Maria Muldaur: One Hour Mama: The Blues of Victoria Spivey *
• Tommy Castro & the Painkillers: Closer to the Bone
• Charlie Musselwhite: Lookout Highway
• D. K. Harrell: Talkin' Heavy
• Buddy Guy: Ain't Done with the Blues
• Bobby Rush and Kenny Wayne Shepherd: Young Fashioned Ways
• John Primer: Grown in Mississippi
• Christone "Kingfish" Ingram: Hard Road
• Candice Ivory: New Southern Vintage
• Larry McCray: Heartbreak City
• Southern Avenue: Family
• Little Freddie King: I Use to Be Down
• Bob Stroger & the Headcutters: Bob is Back!
• Leonard "Lowdown" Brown: Lowdown Street Party
• Jimi "Primetime" Smith: It's My Time
• Kirk Fletcher: Keep on Pushing
• Sean McDonald: Have Mercy!
• Mavis Staples: Sad and Beautiful World
• Jimmy Burns & Soul Message Band: Full Circle
• Taj Mahal & Keb' Mo': Room on the Porch

Blues Artist of the Year (Female)

• Dawn Tyler Watson
  
  
  
  Links:  Dawn Tyler Watson, More Dawn Tyler Watson Stories, Video above courtesy of laura carbone
  
  
• Maria Muldaur*
• Rory Block*
• Shemekia Copeland
• Kat Riggins
• Thornetta Davis
• Candice Ivory
• Anne Harris
• Ruthie Foster
• Sierra Green

Most Outstanding Musician (Guitar)

• Duke Robillard*
• Christone "Kingfish" Ingram
• Larry McCray
• John Primer
• Kid Andersen
• Jimmy "Duck" Holmes
• Tommy Castro
• Anthony Paule
• Kirk Fletcher
• Eric Gales

Most Outstanding Musician (Harmonica)

• Kim Wilson*
• Charlie Musselwhite
• Billy Branch
• Bob Corritore
• Wallace Coleman
• Big Harp George
• Brandon Santini
• Rick Estrin
• Jason Ricci
• Omar Coleman

Best Blues Album of 2025 (Reissue Recordings)

• Mississippi John Hurt: Today!
• John Lee Hooker: It Serve You Right to Suffer
• Otis Spann: Walking the Blues
• Lightnin' Hopkins: Lightnin' Strikes
• Buddy Guy: This is Buddy Guy
• Various Artists: High Water Everywhere
• Scrapper Blackwell: Mr. Scrapper's Blues
• Muddy Waters: The Best of Muddy Waters
• Clifton Chenier: King of Louisiana Blues & Zydeco
• Howlin' Wolf: Moanin' in the Moonlight

Best Blues Book of 2025

• Before Elvis: The African American Musicians Who Made the King By Preston Lauterbach
• Mr. R&B and the Rhythm & Blues Revival: The Story of Jonas Bernholm Part 2 By Jonas Bernholm
• The Life and Music of Booker "Bukka" White: Recalling the Blues By David W. Johnson
• Go Back and Fetch It: Recovering Early Black Music in the Americas for Fiddle and Banjo By Kristina R. Gaddy and Rhiannon Giddens
• Two Headed Doctor: Listening for Ghosts in Dr. John's Gris-gris By David Toop
• Inside the Moment: Iconic Blues, Soul, Jazz, Rock, and R&B Images and History By Joseph A. Rosen
• Fiddling is My Joy: The Fiddle in African American Culture By Jacqueline Cogdell DjeDje

Best Live Performer

• John Primer
• Bobby Rush
• Shemekia Copeland
• Christone "Kingfish" Ingram
• Anne Harris
• Mr. Sipp
• Eric Gales
• Southern Avenue
• Ronnie Baker Brooks
• Sean McDonald

Blues Artist of the Year (Male)

• Christone "Kingfish" Ingram
• John Primer
• Bobby Rush
• Mr. Sipp
• Larry McCray
• Taj Mahal
• Bob Corritore
• Ronnie Baker Brooks
• Tommy Castro
• Bob Stroger

Blues Band of the Year

• Southern Avenue
• The Anthony Paule Soul Orchestra
• Rising Stars Fife and Drum Band
• The Phantom Blues Band
• Memphissippi Sounds
• Mississippi Heat
• Kid Andersen's Greaseland All Stars
• The Nighthawks
• Altered Five Blues Band
• Billy Branch & the Sons of Blues

Most Outstanding Blues Singer

• Taj Mahal
• Shemekia Copeland
• Valerie June
• Sugaray Rayford
• Mud Morganfield
• Mavis Staples
• Oscar Wilson
• Candice Ivory
• Thornetta Davis
• Erica Falls

Links: Living Blues, More Living Blues Awards Stories

---

Previous (Victoria Day Videos)

Throwback Thursday: Maple Blues Revue Debut Album

Original Post: May 11, 2009

Updated Post: July 17, 2025

The Maple Blues Revue released it's debut album Live at the Twisted Pines in 2009.

This amazing collection of musicians includes performers from Downchild (Chuck Jackson, Gary Kendall, Pat Carey, Michael Fonfara, Jim Casson), Fathead (Al Lerman, John Mays, Teddy Leonard), Dawn Tyler Watson, Tom Bona, Howard Moore, Chris Murphy & more.

Available: CD at Gary Kendall website (PayPal), spotify

Update: Unfortunately, John Mays & Michael Fonfara have since passed. A similar lineup is now performing under the Maple Blues Band name.

Links: The Maple Blues Revue, More Maple Blues Band Stories, Dawn Tyler Watson, More DTW Stories, Video above courtesy of  jimcasson, More Releases

---

Previous (2025 Blues Blast  Award Nominations) - - - Next (Isy Aboagye Wins TBS Talent Search)

Niagara's Dave Curry Passes

It is with sadness that we announce the passing of Niagara musician Dave Curry on December 30, 2023. He was a founding member of the Mighty Mighty Duck Blues Band and played with many other musicians in the area. Our condolences to his family, friends and fans.

Social Media Reaction

His wife Denise

My life is forever changed.  Yesterday I lost my Best Friend & The Love of My Life to a heart attack. This year we celebrated 50 Years Together. Dave was getting ready to due what he loved to do on a Saturday afternoon: play music with The Mighty Duck Blues Band Gary, Jimmy, Lorraine & Frank on sound. He suddenly had severe chest pains I immediately called 911 for an ambulance & within an hour or so he was gone.  Music was Dave's life he was a kind & amazing man, husband, friend & musician who loved playing his tele. I will always remember his kind smile & loving heart.  I never said goodbye Dave because you will always be by my side.   Your loving wife, Denise.

Gary Kendall (Mighty Duck Blues Band, Downchild) 

Today we lost Dave Curry, the leader and founder of The Mighty Duck Blues Band.  I met Dave over 20 years ago playing with Mojo Willie & Bluesafire at Arizona's in Thorold ON.  At first he was the guy who sat in with the band every week. Before long he was the lead guitar player and on the payroll. 

When that band fizzled Dave and his wife/life partner Denise accepted an offer from The Golden Pheasant (The Duck) in St. Catharines ON to set up a Saturday afternoon blues series.  The plan was to feature a house band with special guests.  Dave got the first gig, named the band and along with Denise made sure we always had a venue to play in.  Eventually that led us to Jo Blos Rock & Wok, the current home base.  He didn`t care about touring  or even playing other gigs, his passion was The Mighty Duck Blues Band, the special guests and a good house gig.

Dave Curry was a really good musician, a really good guitar player and a good friend. Being a good friend was one of his many talents.  When the band first started half the audience was made up of personal friends of Denise and Dave.  We never had to build a crowd, they brought it. 

Jim, Lorraine, Francis and I are going to miss him terribly.  We`re in a state of shock and will do what we can to rally around Denise, from day one, she`s been the band`s guiding light.  When the time is right we`ll organize a musical tribute to Dave Curry.  For now we`ll have to get used to him not taking his seat stage right, strapping on the Tele, flashing the smile and letting us know he was ready to play.  Sail on brother, see you on the other side..

Jim Casson (Mighty Duck Blues Band, Downchild) 

Today we lost one of the best people I know.  An amazing musician, a great friend, a kind and generous soul and a loving husband to Denise.  The Mighty Ducks are gutted.  I will long for those sly looks that we would share when someone else on stage made a mistake and we both knew it, those pregnant pauses before counting off the opening song while he was wiping his guitar neck or sticking his pick on his finger, the starting the solo in the third bar because his head was down and didn’t realize it was his turn, the candies at the end of the gig.  But most of all, his joy when we played together.  I think it’s been more than 20 years that we’ve been playing together on Saturday afternoons.  

I will always see you when I look to my right.  

Sleep well, Dave.  We love you.

Below is the final song he played with the Mighty Duck Blues Band

Links: The Mighty Duck Blues Band, More MDBB Stories, Dawn Tyler Watson, More DTW Stories, Video above courtesy of Jim Meyers

---

Previous (Christmas Videos) - - - Next (National Bird Day Videos)

Winners of Maple Blues Awards, Day Two

This year, the Maple Blues Awards are online and divided between four Mondays in February.

Day two (February 8) was streamed from Ottawa.

Below is a video of the second ceremony:

Video above courtesy of the Toronto Blues Society

Below is a complete list of winners

• Female Vocalist: Angel Forrest
  
  
  
  Links: More Angel Forrest Stories, Video above courtesy of Angel Forrest - Topic
  
  
• Entertainer : Dawn Tyler Watson
  
  
  
  Links: More DTW Stories, Video above courtesy of Dawn Tyler Watson - Topic
  
  
• Blues with a Feeling Award (Lifetime Achievement Award): Ken Whiteley/Joe Murphy
  
  
  
  Links: Video above courtesy of Ken Whiteley
  
  
• Bassist: John Dymond (Colin Linden)
  
  
  
  Links: Colin Linden, More Colin Linden Stories, More John Dymond Stories, Video above courtesy of randallstaffordcook

Blast from the Past: Last Years' Winners

Links: Maple Blues Awards, More Maple Blues Awards Stories, Day 1 of 2021, Day 2 of 2021, Day 3 of 2021, Day 4 of 2021

---

Previous (Brandon P. General's Buddy Holly Covers Album) - - - Next (Carole King's tapestry Turns 50)

CONGRATS! Downchild Blues Band and Tom Bona Bring Home Maple Blues Awards

AMAZING! Two local artists brought home Maple Blues Awards this year. On February 3, 2020 at Koerner Hall in Toronto, the legendary Downchild Blues Band (whose lineup includes members from Brantford and Niagara) won Entertainer of the Year. 



Links: Downchild Blues Band, More Downchild Stories, Video above courtesy of Downchild Blues Band - Topic

Also Tom Bona (from Waterloo band Soulstack) earned Drummer of the Year honours for his work with Sue Foley.



Links: Tom Bona, More Tom Bona Stories, Sue Foley, More Sue Foley Stories, Video above courtesy of Smoky

Here's a complete list of winners. Local musicians are bolded.

• Entertainer: Downchild Blues Band
• Drummer: Tom Bona (Sue Foley)
• Male Vocalist: Matt Andersen
• Electric Act: Colin James
• New Artist: Miss Emily
• Guitarist: Paul DesLauriers
• Piano/Keyboard: Kenny "Blues Boss" Wayne
• Horn Player (tie): Chris Whiteley, Kaven Jalbert (Ben Racine Band)
• Bassist: Alec McElcheran (Paul DesLauriers Band)
• Recording/(Producer): Dawn Tyler Watson - Mad Love (François Thiffault and Dawn Tyler Watson)
• Acoustic Act: Matt Andersen
• Female Vocalist: Miss Emily
• International Artist: Buddy Guy
• Songwriter: Dawn Tyler Watson
• Blues with a Feeling Award (Lifetime Achievement Award): Michael Jerome Browne
• Harmonica Player (tie): Harpdog Brown, Steve Marriner
• Blues Booster: Brian Blain
• Sapphire Video Award: Miss Emily: Hold Back The River, Runners up: Terra Hazelton: Anybody’s Baby, Lucas Haneman Express Ms. McGrim
• Cobalt Prize: Rich Junco: Cope, Runners Up: Bad Luck Woman and Her Misfortunes: Cruel Thing, (tie) Joe Nolan Paranoia Day 36 Blues/Loryn Taggart: In My Company

From the official new release:

Toronto, ON -- A dedicated and excited crowd of blues music fans filled Koerner Hall in Toronto to celebrate the nominees and winners of the 23rd annual Maple Blues Awards. The gala evening celebrated artists from coast-to-coast and featured rousing performances from nominees. Three artists took home two awards – Kingston’s Miss Emily won awards for Female Vocalist of the Year and New Artist of the Year, New Brunswick’s Matt Andersen took home trophies for Male Vocalist of the Year and Acoustic Act of the Year while Montreal’s Dawn Tyler Watson was awarded Recording/Producer of the Year and Songwriter of the Year.

For only the second time in Maple Blues Awards history, there were tied winners in two categories - Harpdog Brown and Steve Marriner both won Harmonica Player of the Year and Chris Whiteley
and Mat “Moose” Mousseau each won the award for Horn Player of the Year.

The Blues with a Feeling Award (Lifetime Achievement Award) was awarded to Montreal-based Michael Jerome Browne, whose long and illustrious career has seen him tour around the world, recording seven albums and guesting on countless others, and recently was nominated for Blues Album of the Year at the upcoming JUNO Awards.  Also honoured for a long career dedicated to the preservation and promotion of blues music was Toronto Blues Society’s own Brian Blain, who received the Blues Booster of the Year Award.

A new addition to the Maple Blues Awards program is the inaugural Sapphire Video Award. Sapphire has one single category and both live performance and staged production/interpretive videos were accepted. The winner of the Sapphire Video Award was Miss Emily for her video for “Hold Back The River” with the runners up announced as Terra Hazelton for her video for “Anybody’s Baby” and Lucas Haneman Express for their video for the song “Ms. McGrim”. The winning artist received a cash prize of $1,500 while the two runners up each received $250.

A collaboration between The Toronto Blues Society and Paul Reddick, the sixth annual COBALT Prize for Contemporary Blues Composition Award is to promote blues music through exploration of its form. The winning composition was judged on its ability to creatively utilize blues traditions within the broad contemporary musical landscape. The winner of the Cobalt Prize for Contemporary Blues Composition was Rich Junco for his song "Cope", while the first runner up was Bad Luck Woman and Her Misfortunes for their song "Cruel Thing" and a tied win for the second runner up was Joe Nolan for "Paranoia Day 36 Blues” and Loryn Taggart for "In My Company". A cash prize of $1000 was presented to the winner and the runners up each received $250.

The 23rd annual Maple Blues Awards not only featured heart-warming moments and great speeches from the winners, but the audience was treated to exciting performances from Big Dave McLean, Matchedash Parish, Miss Emily, Dawn Tyler Watson, Michael Jerome Browne, and the evening’s hostess Raha Javanfar (Bad Luck Woman) with special guests, students from The Regent Park School of Music, all backed by the awards house band The Maple Blues Band.

Blast from the Past: Last Years's Winners

Links: Maple Blues Awards, More Maple Blues Awards Stories

---

Previous (Play Your Ukulele Day Videos ft Ian Reid) - - -  Next (Canadian Winners at the International Blues Challenge)

CONGRATS! Canadians Win in 3 International Blues Challenge Categories!

.

Musical Canucks made an amazing showing at the 33rd International Blues Challenge. Montreal boasted two champs: Dawn Tyler Watson (Band- 1st place) and her guitarist Ben Racine (Guitar- Band). Ottawa's JW Jones won for Best Self-Produced CD. Toronto Bluesman Sugar Brown was also a finalist in the Solo/Duo category.

CONGRATS EVERYONE!



Video above courtesy of GoEntertainment



Links: Dawn Tyler Watson, More Dawn Tyler Watson Stories, Video above courtesy of laura carbone



Links: JW Jones, More JW Jones Stories, Video above courtesy of Jw Jones

Here's a complete list of winners. Click here for all the finalists.

Bands

• 1st: Dawn Tyler Watson
• 2nd: The Souliz Band ft Sugar and Spice
• 3rd: Rae Gordon and the Backseat Drivers 

Solo/Duo

• 1st: Al Hill
• 2nd: Brody Buster’s One Man Band
• Finalist: Sugar Brown

Best Instrumentalists

• Ben Racine (Guitar - Band)
• Al Hill  (Guitar - Solo)
• Brody Buster (Harmonica)

Best Self-Produced CD

• JW Jones - High Temperature

Blast from the Past: Last Year's Winners

Links: International Blues Challenge, More IBC Stories

---

Previous (New Greg Moverley Album) - - - Next (Videos: Godboogie, Jerry Johnson, Frank Cosentino, Steve Negus)

Videos: Al Lerman, Robin Banks, Carlos Del Junco, Dawn Tyler Watson

With the sudden loss of the Golden Pheasant in St, Catherines, the Niagara region lost a wonderful Saturday matinee hosted by the amazing Mighty Duck Blues Band.

Thankfully, the matinee returned in September and the band is back in action at the Bar Upstairs.  They be rockin' the joint with a nunber of very special guests.

Here are a few videos from some upcoming guests.

November 19: Al Lerman of Fathead

Links: Al Lerman, More Fathead Stories, Video above courtesy of Annelie Jönsson

November 26: Robin Banks



Links: Robin Banks, More Robin Banks stories, Video above courtesy of randallstaffordcook

December 3: Carlos Del Junco



Links: Carlos Del Junco, More Carlos Del Junco Stories, Video above courtesy of Richard Sugarman

December 10: Dawn Tyler Watson



Links: Dawn Tyler Watson, More Dawn Tyler Watson Stories, Video above courtesy of Laura Carbone

Links: Mighty Duck Blues Band, More MDBB Stories

---

Previous (Cory Cruise and Gillian Nicola Videos) - - - Next (News Roundup: Leonard Cohen, Skylark, Beatles Trivia Video, Passings)

De Keyzer and Daddy Long Legs on Blind Lemon Blues Best of 2013 List

Local musicians Daddy Long Legs and Jack De Keyzer made their way onto Blind Lemon Blues's top 20 Blues songs of 2013 list (numbers 12 and 16 respectively).  Jack also makes another appearance as part of James Boraski's album (#15).  The only other performer to be listed twice is Paul Deslauriers.  The popular radio show (on 93.5 CHMR in St. John's Newfoundland) has its listeners vote for their favourites every year.   CONGRATULATIONS!



Links: Jack de Keyzer, More Jack De Keyzer Stories, Above video courtesy of Marty Murray



Links: Daddy Long Legs, More Daddy Long Legs Stories, Above video courtesy of Hamilton Blues Lovers



Links: James Boraski, More James Boraski Stories, Video above courtesy of James Boraski

Here is the complete list (album is in parenthesis):

1. Steve Hill: Ever Changing World (Solo Recordings, Vol. 1)
2. Marshall Lawrence: Factory Closing Blues (House Call)
3. Highway 125: Key To The Highway (Payin' Dues)
4. Guy Belanger: People Get Crazy (Dusty Trails)
5. Bill Durst: Little Red Rooster (Live)
6. Layla Zoe: Gemini Heart (The Lily)
7. Sunday Wilde: Captured Me (He Gave Me A Blue Nightgown)
8. Angel Forrest: Blue Firegirl (Mother Tongue Blues)
9. MonkeyJunk: Why Do People Act Like That (All Frequencies)
10. 24th Street Wailers: Never Ending Day (Live in Halifax)
11. Dawn Tyler Watson and Paul Deslauriers: Southland of the Heart (Southland)
12. Daddy Long Legs: The Devil's In The Details (The Devil's in the Details)
13. Paul Deslauriers and Anwar Khushid: Nobody's Fault but Mine (Enter The Gate)
14. Kat Danser: Sun Goes Down (Baptized by the Mud)
15. Tie: James Boraski: Comin' Home (Comin' Home featuring Jack De Keyzer)/
    Anthony Gomes: Old Ten Wheeler (Before The Beginning)
16. Jack De Keyzer: Electric Love (Electric Love)
17. David Gogo: Bad 'n Ruin (Come On Down)
18. Tie: James "Buddy" Rogers: My Guitar's My Only Friend (My Guitar's My Only Friend)
    /Ben Racine Band: Shake a Hand (One of a Kind)
19. Fathead: Shame On Ya (Twenty Years Deep)
20. Denis Viel: Sunset Blues (Sunset Blues)

Blast from the Past: 2009 Blind Lemon Blues List

---

Previous (Kaizen Debut Album - featuring Wayne Janus) - - - Next (New Jacob Moon CD)

2014 Maple Blues Award Winners

 
Drummer Tom Bona of Kitchener's Soulstack and Downchild bassist Gary Kendall (who is also part of St. Catharines' Mighty Duck Blues Band) were among the winners of the 2014 Maple Blues Awards.  Congratulations guys!  The hardware was dished out on January 20, 2014 in Toronto.



Links: SoulStack, More Soulstack Stories, Video above courtesy of Jon Knight



Links: Gary Kendal, More Downchild Stories, Video above courtesy of Garmalken

The big winners of the night were Ottawa's MonkeyJunk, who took home five awards. Montreal musician Paul Deslauriers won two.



Links: MonkeyJunk, More MonkeyJunk Stories, Video above courtesy of Blues is Feeling

Below is a complete list of winners:

• Entertainer: MonkeyJunk
• Electric Act: MonkeyJunk
• Acoustic Act: Dawn Tyler Watson & Paul Deslauriers
• Male Vocalist: Jim Byrnes
• Female Vocalist: Angel Forrest
• New Artist Or Group: Mackenzie Blues Band
• Recording: All Frequencies by MonkeyJunk
• Blues With A Feeling (Lifetime Achievement): Bob Walsh
• BB King International Artist: Tedeschi Trucks Band
• Guitar Player: Paul Deslauriers
• Harmonica Player: Steve Marriner (MonkeyJunk)
• Piano/Keyboard Player: Lance Anderson
• Horn Player: Chris Whiteley
• Drummer: Tom Bona (Soulstack)
• Bassist: Gary Kendall (Downchild, Mighty Duck Blues Band)
• Songwriter: MonkeyJunk
• Blues Booster: The Tim Hortons Southside Shuffle

Blast from the Past: 2013 Maple Blues Award Winners

Links: Maple Blues Awards, More About the Maple Blues Awards

---

Previous (New Rae Billing CD) - - - Next (New Julian Paul Band CD)