Blues Blast Award Winners including Kenny "Blues Boss" Wayne

Blues Blast Magazine recently annouced the winners of  their 2025 awards. Former Burlington resident Kenny “Blues Boss” Wayne was the only Canadian to win.

Waterdown's Stony Plain Records was also represented by two wins: Kenny and Duke Robillard

• Keyboard Player Of The Year: Kenny “Blues Boss” Wayne (formerly from Burlington) (signed to Waterdown's Stony Plain Records)
  
  
  
  Links: Kenny "Blues Boss" Wayne, More Kenny "Blues Boss" Stories, Video above courtesy of Kenny 'Blues Boss' Wayne - Topic
  
  
• Historical Or Vintage Recording: Duke Robillard – Roll With Me (Released on Waterdown's Stony Plain Records)
• Acoustic Blues Album: Giles Robson & John Primer – Ten Chicago Blues Classics
• Acoustic Guitarist Of The Year: Keb’ Mo
• Bass Guitarist Of The Year: Danielle Nicole
• Blues Band Of The Year: Tab Benoit Band
• Blues Video Of The Year: Bobby Rush & Kenny Wayne Shepherd – Uncle Esau
• Contemporary Blues Album: Tommy Castro & The Painkillers – Closer To The Bone
• Electric Guitarist Of The Year: Tab Benoit
• Female Blues Artist: Shemekia Copeland
• Harmonica Player Of The Year: Charlie Musselwhite
• Horn Player Of The Year: Vanessa Collier
• Live Blues Album: Willie Buck – Live at Buddy Guy’s Legends
• Male Blues Artist: Tab Benoit
• New Artist Debut Album: Christopher Wyze & the Tellers – Stuck in the Mud
• Percussionist Of The Year: Kenny “Beedy Eyes” Smith
• Producer Of The Year: Mike Zito
• Rising Star Award: Matt “The Rattlesnake” Lesch
• Rock Blues Album: Tab Benoit – I Hear Thunder
• Slide Guitarist Of The Year: Derek Trucks
• Soul Blues Album: Curtis Salgado – Fine By Me
• Traditional Blues Album: Bobby Rush & Kenny Wayne Shepherd – Young Fashioned Ways
• Vocalist Of The Year: Bobby Rush

Links: Blues Blast Magazine, More Blues Blast Awards Stories

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Winners of the 2024 Living Blues Awards Including Local Artists

Recently, Living Blues Magazine revealed the winners of their 2024 awards. Burlington's Kenny "Blues Boss" Wayne won another in a very long line of accolades by getting the Most Outstanding Musician (Keyboard) award in the Critic's Poll. Waterdown's Stony Plain Records was also well represented as many of their talented artists (including Kenny) won the top spot in a few categories.

Below is a complete list of winners.

* signed to Waterdown's Stony Plain Records

Critics Poll

• Most Outstanding Musician (Keyboard): Kenny "Blues Boss" Wayne (Burlington)*
  
  
  
  Links: Kenny "Blues Boss" Wayne, More Kenny "Blues Boss" Stories, Video above courtesy of Kenny 'Blues Boss' Wayne - Topic
  
  
• Best New Recording / Traditional or Acoustic Blues: Eric Bibb: Ridin' (guest starring Hamilton's Harrison Kennedy)*
  
  
  
  Links: Eric Bibb, More Eric Bibb Stories, Harrison Kennedy, More Harrison Kennedy Stories, Video above courtesy of Eric Bibb Official 
  
  
• Best Blues Album: Taj Mahal: Savoy*
• Artist Deserving More Attention: D.K. Harrell
• Best Blues Book: Biography of a Phantom: A Robert Johnson Blues Odyssey by Robert "Mack" McCormick and John Troutman
• Best Historical Reissue / Postwar: Down Home Blues: Chicago, Vol. 3 – The Special Stuff 
• Best Historical Release / Pre-war: Memphis Blues Box: Original Recordings 1914–1969
• Best Live Performer: Bobby Rush
• Best New Recording / Best Debut Release: D.K. Harrell – The Right Man 
• Best New Recording / Contemporary Blues: Christone “Kingfish” Ingram – Live in London
• Best New Recording / Soul Blues: Johnny Rawls – Walking Heart Attack
• Blues Artist of the Year (Female): Shemekia Copeland
• Blues Artist of the Year (Male): Christone "Kingfish" Ingram
• Comeback Artist of the Year: Arthur Adams
• Most Outstanding Blues Singer: Shemekia Copeland
• Most Outstanding Musician (Bass): Jerry Jemmott
• Most Outstanding Musician (Drums): Kenny “Beedy Eyes” Smith
• Most Outstanding Musician (Guitar): Christone "Kingfish" Ingram
• Most Outstanding Musician (Harmonica): Charlie Musselwhite
• Most Outstanding Musician (Horns): The Texas Horns
• Most Outstanding Musician (Other): Anne Harris (violin)
• Producer of the Year / Historical Reissue: Jeff Place and John W. Troutman – (Playing for the Man at the Door: Field Recordings from the Collection of Mack McCormick 1958–1971)
• Producer of the Year / New Recording: Kid Andersen – (Alabama Mike – Stuff I’ve Been Through)

Readers' Poll

• Most Outstanding Musician (Keyboard): Marcia Ball *
• Best Blues Album (New Release): Taj Mahal: Savoy*
• Blues Artist of the Year (Female): Shemekia Copeland
• Blues Artist of the Year (Male): Christone "Kingfish" Ingram
• Best Blues Album (Historical Recording): Ike & Tina Turner – River Deep – Mountain High
• Best Blues Book: Tell It Like It Is: My Story – Aaron Neville
• Best Live Performer: Buddy Guy
• Most Outstanding Blues Singer: Shemekia Copeland
• Most Outstanding Musician (Guitar): Buddy Guy
• Most Outstanding Musician (Harmonica): Charlie Musselwhite

Links: Living Blues, More Living Blues Awards Stories

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