Winners of the First Canadian Blues Music Awards (2025)

The very first Canadian Blues Music Awards took place on March 30, 2026 at the Phoenix Concert Theatre in Toronto. 

Here's a complete list of winners

* Signed to Waterdown's Stony Plain Records

• Keyboard Player: Kenny “Blues Boss” Wayne (Formerly from Burlington)*
  
  
  
  Links: Kenny "Blues Boss" Wayne, More Kenny "Blues Boss" Stories, Video above courtesy of Kenny 'Blues Boss' Wayne - Topic
  
  
• Drummer : Jim Casson (Niagara) (Davis Hall and the Green Lanterns) / Sylvain “Sly” Coulombe (Chambers/DesLauriers) 
  
  
  
  Links: Davis Hall & The Green Lanterns, More DHGL stories, Jim Casson, More Jim Casson Stories, Video above courtesy of jimcasson
  
  
• Acoustic Blues Recording: Sue Foley: One Guitar Woman, A Tribute to the Female Pioneers of Guitar *
  
  
• Producer: Steve Marriner (Steve Marriner: Hear My Heart; Big Dave McLean: This Old Life (ft Hamilton's Jesse O'Brien on keys); David Gogo: YEAH! - (All 3 ft Hamilton's Jesse O'Brien on keys)
  
  
• Bassist: Jasmine Colette (Blue Moon Marquee) 
  
• 
  
• Electric Blues Recording: Brandon Isaak: Walkin’ With The Blues
  
  
• Emerging Blues Artist or Group: Ollee Owens
  
  
• Fan Favourite: Blue Moon Marquee
  
  
• Female Blues Vocalist: Crystal Shawanda
  
  
• Harmonica Player: Steve Marriner / Guy Bélanger
  
  
• Horn Player: Jerry Cook (Wailin’ Walker) 
  
  
• Industry Person: Ken Simms (Think Tank Music Network) / Bruce Morel (Music Marketing International Inc)
  
  
• Guitarist: Brandon Isaak
  
  
• Lifetime Achievement Award: Tim Williams
  
  
• Male Blues Vocalist: Marcus Trummer
  
  
• Song: Brandon Isaak: Walkin’ With The Blues
  
  
• Video: The Harpoonist: Show Me The Green
  
  
  
  Links: Harpoonist, Video above courtesy of The Harpoonist

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Nominees for the Inaugural (2025) Canadian Blues Music Awards

With the Maple Blues Awards is no longer around, the Canadian Blues Music Awards has risen to take it's place. The inaugural list of nominees was recently announced. The ceremony takes place March 30, 2026 at the Phoenix Concert Theatre in Toronto. GOOD LUCK EVERYBODY.

Below is a video of the nominee announcements.

Video above courtesy of Canadian Blues Music Awards.

Here's a complete list of nominees. Local acts are bolded.

*Signed to Waterdown's Stony Plain Records

Acoustic Blues Recording

• Sue Foley: One Guitar Woman, A Tribute to the Female Pioneers of Guitar *
• Big Dave McLean: This Old Life (ft Hamilton's Jesse O'Brien on keys)
  
  
  
  Links: Big Dave McLean, More Dave McLean Stories, Jesse O'Brien, More Jesse O'Brien Stories, More Muddy Waters Covers/Stories, Video above courtesy of Big Dave McLean - Topic
  
  
• Al Lerman: Country-Fried Blues
• Blue Moon Marquee: New Orleans Sessions
• David Vest & Terry Robb: CrissCross

Blues Drummer 

• Jim Casson (Niagara) - Davis Hall & The Green Lanterns
  
  
  
  Links: Davis Hall & The Green Lanterns, More DHGL stories, Jim Casson, More Jim Casson Stories, Video above courtesy of jimcasson
  
  
• Bruce McCarthy (Bywater Call) 
• Kiran Francis (Angelique Francis) 
• Sandro Dominelli (Samantha King and the Midnight Outfit)
• Sylvain “Sly” Coulombe (Chambers DesLauriers)

Blues Guitarist

• Sue Foley*
• Brandon Isaak
• David Gogo
• Paul DesLauriers (Chambers DesLauriers)
• Tony D 

Blues Horn Player

• Loretta Hale (Hamilton) (André Bisson)
• Jerry Cook (Wailin’ Walker) 
• Julian Nalli (Bywater Call) 
• Kharincia Francis (Angelique Francis) 
• Kira Francis (Angelique Francis) 

Blues Industry Person

• Ken Wallis (Hamilton) (Blues Source Entertainment, Escarpment Blues Society) 
• Bruce Morel (Morel Music International) 
• Ken Simms (Think Tank Music Network) 
• Lori & Paul Murray (Music By The Bay Live)
• Ron Simmonds (Blues In The Dark) 

Blues Keyboard Player

• Kenny “Blues Boss” Wayne (Formerly from Burlington)*
  
  
  
  Links: Kenny "Blues Boss" Wayne, More Kenny "Blues Boss" Stories, Video above courtesy of Kenny 'Blues Boss' Wayne - Topic
  
  
• Miles Evans-Branagh (Hamilton) (Marcus Trummer, Sandra Bouza) 
  
  
  
  Links: Sandra Bouza, More Sandra Bouza Stories, Miles Evans-Branagh, More Miles Evans-Branagh Stories, Video above courtesy of Sandra Bouza Music
  
  
• David Vest
• Jeff Rogers 
• Rooster Davis (Secondhand Dreamcar) 

Blues Video (7 nominees due to ties) 

• André Bisson (Hamilton): Latchford 
  
  
  
  Links: Andre Bisson, More Andre Bisson Stories, Video above courtesy of André Bisson
  
  
• Blue Moon Marquee: Come On Down
• Angelique Francis: Train Coming
• The Harpoonist: Show Me The Green
• Bywater Call: Colours
• Ray Lemelin & Steve Hill: Walk On/Ain’t No Use In Worryin’ 
• JP LeBlanc: All On Your Own

Electric Blues Recording

• Steve Marriner: Hear My Heart (ft Hamilton's Jesse O'Brien on keys)*
• David Gogo: YEAH! (ft Hamilton's Jesse O'Brien on keys)*
• Angelique Francis: Not Defeated 
• Brandon Isaak: Walkin’ With The Blues
• Crystal Shawanda: Sing Pretty Blues

Lifetime Achievement Award

• Kenny Blues Boss Wayne (Formerly from Burlington)*
• Amos Garrett 
• Bobby Dean Blackburn 
• Russell Jackson 
• Tim Williams

Producer

• Steve Marriner (Steve Marriner: Hear My Heart; Big Dave McLean: This Old Life (ft Hamilton's Jesse O'Brien on keys); David Gogo: YEAH! - (All 3 ft Hamilton's Jesse O'Brien on keys)
• Blue Moon Marquee 
• Brandon Isaak
• Renan Yildizdogan & Ross Hayes Citrullo (Marcus Trummer: From The Start) 
• Steve Dawson (Ndidi O: Simple Songs For Complicated Times) 

Blues Bassist

• Angelique Francis 
• Harry Gregg (Secondhand Dreamcar) 
• Jack Lavin 
• Jasmine Colette (Blue Moon Marquee) 
• Mike Meusel (Bywater Call)

Blues Harmonica Player

• Steve Marriner
• Al Lerman
• Guy Bélanger
• Shawn Hall (The Harpoonist) 
• Steve Grant “Cabbagetown Steve” (Little Magic Sam) 

Blues Song

• Crystal Shawanda: Sing Pretty Blues
• Angelique Francis: Train Coming
• Blue Moon Marquee: What I Wouldn’t Do
• Brandon Isaak: Walkin’ With The Blues
• Ndidi O: Working Girl

Emerging Blues Artist or Group

• Glenn Marais & the Mojo Train
• Jeff Rogers
• JP LeBlanc
• Ollee Owens
• Paul Black

Female Blues Vocalist

• Crystal Shawanda
• Angelique Francis 
• Dana Wylie
• Ndidi O
• Samantha King

Male Blues Vocalist

• Big Dave McLean
• Brandon Isaak
• Jeff Rogers
• Marcus Trummer
• Wayne Nicholson

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