Bill Durst Wins 2026 Mel Brown Award

Stratford Bluesman Bill Durst the 2026 winner of the Mel Brown Blues Award. It is named in honour of the late, legendary Kitchener musician.

From the Kitchener Blues Festival Facebook page:

MAY 12TH 2021 – MEL BROWN BLUES AWARD

Bill Durst, our 2026 winner of the Mel Brown Award, and always an audience favourite, is a Canadian Blues- Rock- Roots guitarist, singer, songwriter, entertainer who has written and recorded over 125 songs on 12 albums with 7 national radio chart hits. Bill has opened for or shared the stage with Rush, Aerosmith, BTO, Yardbirds, John Mayall, Savoy Brown, Bobby Rush, Little Feat, George Thorogood, Bad Company, Loverboy, Edgar Winter Group, Jeff Healey, Burton Cummings, Johnny Winter, Rick Derringer, Jack de Keyser, April Wine, L.A. Guns, David Wilcox, Bob Seger, Sly And The Family Stone and more. Mr. Durst has toured across North America and in Europe and tours extensively in Canada.

As a kid growing up in Wingham and then London, Ontario (which is halfway between Toronto and Detroit), Bill was heavily influenced by Motown, R&B, Toronto Psychedelic Soul music as well as the British Blues Invasion and Jimi Hendrix.

Bill’s entrance on the national/international stage was with his classic rock band Thundermug formed from London R&B groups in 1969. By the summer of 1972 the band had a number one hit and a fan following in Eastern Canada. The band went on to record a total of 5 albums, (3 albums in the early/mid 1970s and two CDs in the mid 1990s) releasing records in the US and Europe. Bill put out his first two solo releases in the mid eighties but it wasn’t until the early 2000s that Durst got some real career momentum. In 2004 he proclaimed his intention to start up a “little, fuzzy, psychedelic blues band” and since then Bill and his co-writer Joe DeAngelis have produced 5 full length CDs: The Wharncliffe Sessions (’05), The Great Willy Mammoth (’09), Bill Durst Live (‘12) and Hard And Heavy (’13) Good Good Lovin ('15).

Links: Bill Durst, More Bill Durst Stories, Video above courtesy of Bill Durst - Topic

Previous Years' Winners

• 2025: Bruce Hall (Grand River Blues Society)
• 2024: Rob Barkshire (Kitchener Blues Festival) & Matt Minglewood
• 2023: Donnie Walsh (Downchild)
• 2022: David Wilcox

More Mel Brown Award Stories

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Kitchener's John Lee Wins Mel Brown Blues Award

Kitchener singer/songwriter/keyboardist John Lee is the 2021 winner of the Mel Brown Blues Award. It is named in honour of the late, legendary Kitchener bluesman.

From the Kitchener Blues Festival website:

MAY 12TH 2021 – MEL BROWN BLUES AWARD

The Kitchener Blues Festival Board of Directors is pleased to announce that the 2021 Recipient of the Mel Brown Blues Award is John Lee.

John has had an exemplary career as a blues musician, having been a touring member of The Dutch Mason Blues Band, Matt Minglewood and Mel Brown and the Homewreckers.

John has worked with many other musicians throughout his career and has appeared on many recordings, as both a musician and recording engineer/producer.

John has mentored countless musicians over the years, and is an instructor at the annual Grand River Blues Camp. He is currently working on his own CD that will be available soon as a digital download.

John sings vocals on the song below. 

Links: Pappy Johns Band, More Pappy Johns Band Stories, Video above courtesy of The Pappy Johns Band - Topic

Links: Mel Brown, More Mel Brown Stories, Video above courtesy of johnleekeys

Links: Cheryl Lescom, More Cheryl Lescom Stories, Video above courtesy of Dave Sloane

More John Lee Stories

Previous Years' Winners

• 2020: Mike "Mudfoot" McDonald
• 2019: Dave ‘Daddy Cool’ Booth
• 2018: Holger Petersen

More Mel Brown Award Stories

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CONGRATS! Waterloo's Rob Deyman (Waterstreet, Silvia Dee and the Boyfriend) Wins Mel Brown Award

On August 12, 2017 during the Kitchener Blues Fest, Waterloo's Rob Deyman (of Waterstreet Blues Band plus Silvia Dee and the Boyfriend) received this year's Mel Brown Award.  The prize is named after the late, legendary Kitchener Bluesman.  It's given to individuals who make a difference in the Blues community. Deymen is also the co-founder and recently retired Executive Director of that popular festival.

CONGRATS ROB!

Click here for the Waterloo Record Story



Links: Waterstreet Blues Band, More Waterstreet Stories





Links: Silvia Dee and the Boyfriend, More Silvia Dee Stories, Videos above courtesy of waterstreetband, More Mel Brown Award Stories

Blast from the Past: Last Year's Winner

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CONGRATS! Drummer Jimmy Boudreau to Receive Mel Brown Award!

Photo courtesy of Jimmy's site.

Drummer Jimmy Boudreau will be the recipient of the 2016 Mel Brown Award, a prize named after his former band leader.  The one time member of Mel's Homewreckers will get the accolade as part of this year's Kitchener Blues Fest.

His impressive careers includes work with an array of superstars like Snooky Pryor, Sam Moore, Peter Noone (Herman's Hermits), The Mamas and the Papas, The Western Swing Authority and Jason McCoy.

Click here for the Waterloo Region Record Story.

CONGRATS!



Video above courtesy of SonorCanadaTube



Video above courtesy of Jonathan Knight



Links: Shawn Kellerman, More Shawn Kellerman Stories, Video above courtesy of Dave Sloane, More Mel Brown Award Stories

Blast from the Past: Charity Brown Wins 2015 Mel Brown Award

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CONGRATS! Kitchener's Charity Brown Earns 2015 Mel Brown Award

2015's recipient of the Mel Brown Award is Kitchener music veteran, Charity Brown.  The honour (named after the late, legendary Blues musician Mel Brown) is bestowed upon  those who make an important contribution to the Blues.  Charity has been performing music for over 50 years.

The former Juno nominee remembers Mel fondly.  She told the Kitchener Record: "When I first heard him play, I said to myself, 'I want to sing with this guy'. I sang with him a lot."

She joins a very illustrious list of winners:

2003 Mel Brown
2004 Glenn Smith (Ethyl's Lounge)
2005 Jackie Washington
2006 Cheryl Lescom
2007 Shawn Kellerman
2008 Andrew Galloway (Electro-Fi Records)
2009 Steve Strongman
2010 Bruce Iglauer (Alligator Records)
2011 Jimmie Vaughan
2012 John McKinley
2013 Bobby Blue Bland
2014 Buddy Guy
2015 Charity Brown

CONGRATULATIONS!

Click here for the Kitchener Record story.


Video above courtesy of N Gamble



Video above courtesy of Nancy Alaimo



Links: Miss Angel, Video above courtesy of Dave Sloane

Blast from the Past: Buddy Guy Wins 2014 Mel Brown Award

Links: Charity Brown, More Mel Brown Award Stories

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The Legendary Buddy Guy Wins 2014 Mel Brown Award

When Blues superstar Buddy Guy performed at the 2014 Kitchener Blues Festival fundraiser concert, he also received the prestigious Mel Brown Award.  Named after the late, great blues master who made Kitchener, Ontario his adopted home, the award is given to individuals who make significant contribution to the Blues.

"Mel was one of the greatest guitar players ever. He was also a mean piano player.", Buddy told the Kitchener Record, "It's an honour to win an award named after someone as great as Mel Brown."

Buddy was a friend and contemporary of Mel and the two performed together on many occcasions. He also played in the region quite a few times over the years.

Congratulations

Click here for the Kitchener Record story.



Video above courtesy of Philip Blast



Video above courtesy of Pavel Kalinchev

Blast from the Past: John McKinley Wins the 2013 Mel Brown Award

Links: Buddy Guy, More Buddy Guy Stories

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John McKinley Receives Mel Brown Award

Waterloo blues master John McKinley received the prestigious Mel Brown award at the 2013 Kitchener Blues Festival.

John is a veteran performer who has worked as a sought-after session player and an inspirational teacher.  He has encouraged countless young musicians in their artistry. His successful students include Matt Weidinger, Conor Gains, Alex Tintinelli, and many others.

The distinction is named after the late blues legend Mel Brown, who called Kitchener home. It's given to individuals who make significant contribution to the local blues scene.  John definitely sets a great example.

Previous winners include Jackie Washington, Steve Strongman, Cheryl Lescom, Shawn Kellerman, Jimmy Vaughan, Bobby "Blue" Bland and others.

Click here for the Kitchener record story.

The video below courtesy of Rebecca Rayless



The video below courtesy of John McKinley Band



Link: John McKinley

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