The winners of the 2026 Blues Music Awards were announced on May 7.
Below is complete list of winners & nominees. Canadian artists are bolded.
International Blues Album
- WINNER: J.T.Lauritsen & The Buckshot Hunters, “Still be friends”
- Brandon Isaak, “Walkin With The Blues”
- Honeybear, the Band, “I Was Wrong”
- The Angelique Francis Band, “Not Defeated”
- Hubert Dorigatti & Blues Harp Masters, “Poor Boy”
Instrumentalist – Harmonica
- WINNER: Billy Branch
- Kim Wilson (from Fabulous Thunderbirds) (signed to Waterdown's Stony Plain Records)
- Bob Corritore
- Brandon Santini
- John Nemeth
Acoustic Blues Album
- WINNER: Doug MacLeod, “Between Somewhere and Goodbye”
- Catfish Keith, “Sugar for Sugar – Vol. 1 2025 Summer Sessions”
- Erin Harpe, “Let The Mermaids Flirt With Me: A Tribute to Mississippi John Hurt”
- Hudspeth & Taylor, “Kimuziki Live in Des Moines”
- Johnny Iguana, “At Delmark”
Acoustic Blues Artist
- WINNER: Kevin Burt
- Catfish Keith
- Doug MacLeod
- Eric Bibb
- Rhiannon Giddens
Album of the Year
- WINNER: D.K. Harrell, “Talkin’ Heavy”
- Blood Brothers Mike Zito & Albert Castiglia, “Help Yourself”
- Bobby Rush & Kenny Wayne Shepherd, “Young Fashioned Ways”
- Larry McCray, “Heartbreak City”
- Tommy Castro & The Painkillers, “Closer To The Bone”
B.B. King Entertainer of the Year
- WINNER: Ronnie Baker Brooks
- Castro Coleman (Mr. Sipp)
- Rick Estrin
- Ruthie Foster
- Vanessa Collier
Band of the Year
- WINNER: Tedeschi Trucks Band
- Anthony Paule Soul Orchestra
- John Nemeth and the Blue Dreamers
- Southern Avenue
- Vanessa Collier Band
Best Emerging Artist Album
- WINNER: Sean McDonald, “Have Mercy!”
- Brody Buster, “Redemption”
- Allison August, “August Moon”
- Robbin Kapsalis, “THE BLUES IS IN THE HOUSE”
- Kyle Rowland, “NOT HOLDING BACK!”
Blues Rock Album
- WINNER: Blood Brothers Mike Zito & Albert Castiglia, “Help Yourself”
- Devon Allman, “BLUES SUMMIT”
- Kent Burnside, “Hill Country Blood”
- Tom Hambridge, “Down The Hatch”
- Walter Trout, “Sign Of The Times”
Blues Rock Artist
- WINNER: Tommy Castro
- Kenny Wayne Shepherd
- Kirk Fletcher
- Walter Trout
Contemporary Blues Album
- WINNER: D.K. Harrell, “Talkin’ Heavy”
- Brandon Santini, “Which Way Do We Go?”
- Carolyn Wonderland, “Truth Is”
- Monster Mike Welch, “Keep Living Til I Die”
- Southern Avenue, “Family”
Contemporary Blues Female Artist
- WINNER: Danielle Nicole
- Carolyn Wonderland
- Ruthie Foster
- Samantha Fish
- Vanessa Collier
Contemporary Blues Male Artist
- WINNER: Christone ”Kingfish” Ingram
- Brandon Santini
- Castro Coleman (Mr. Sipp)
- Chris Cain
- D.K. Harrell
Instrumentalist – Bass
- WINNER: Scot Sutherland
- Benny Turner
- Larry Fulcher
- Michael ”Mudcat” Ward
- Rodrigo Mantovani
Instrumentalist – Drums
- WINNER: Derrick D’Mar Martin
- Chris Layton
- Chris Peet
- Tom Hambridge
- Tony Braunagel
Instrumentalist – Guitar
- Derek Trucks
- Chris Cain
- Christoffer ”Kid” Andersen
- Joanna Connor
- Ronnie Baker Brooks
Instrumentalist – Horn
- WINNER: Trombone Shorty
- Greg Piccolo
- Jimmy Carpenter
- Mark Kaz Kazanoff
- Regi Oliver
Instrumentalist – Piano
- WINNER: Marcia Ball
- Anthony Geraci
- Bruce Katz
- Dave Keyes
- Jon Cleary
Instrumentalist – Vocals
- WINNER: Danielle Nicole
- Candice Ivory
- John Nemeth
- Shemekia Copeland
- Susan Tedeschi
Song of the Year
- WINNER: “Can’t Catch a Break” written by Tommy Castro & Christoffer Andersen
Links: Tommy Castro, More Tommy Castro Stories, Video above courtesy of Tommy Castro - “Mile After Mile” written by Brandon Santini & Jeff Jensen
- “Bye Bye Blues” written by Larry McCray & Charlie Walmsley
- “Upside” written by Tierinii Jackson, Tikyra Jackson, Ori Naftaly, Dylan Altman & Marshall Altman
- “Who Was That?” written by Emmett Ellis Jr. & Kenny Wayne Shepherd
Soul Blues Album
- WINNER: Johnny Rawls, “Make Them Dance”
- Dave Keller, “La Brea”
- Jimmy Burns & Soul Message Band, “Full Circle”
- Tad Robinson Band, “Soul In Blue”
- The Soul of John Black, “Soul Salvation”
Soul Blues Female Artist
- WINNER: Thornetta Davis
- Annika Chambers
- Candice Ivory
- Kat Riggins
- Vaneese Thomas
Soul Blues Male Artist
- WINNER: Curtis Salgado
- Alabama Mike
- John Nemeth
- Johnny Rawls
- Tad Robinson
Traditional Blues Album
- WINNER: Buddy Guy, “Ain’t Done With The Blues”
- Bobby Rush & Kenny Wayne Shepherd, “Young Fashioned Ways”
- Charlie Musselwhite, “Look Out Highway”
- Maria Muldaur, “One Hour Mama: The Blues of Victoria Spivey”
- Roomful Of Blues, “Steppin’ Out”
Traditional Blues Female Artist
- WINNER: Eden Brent
- Diunna Greenleaf
- Maria Muldaur
- Rhiannon Giddens
- Teeny Tucker
Traditional Blues Male Artist
- WINNER: John Primer
- Billy Branch
- Jimmie Vaughan
- Jontavious Willis
- Rick Estrin
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