The Blues Music Awards, formerly known as the W. C. Handy Awards (or "The Handys"), are awards presented by the Blues Foundation, a non-profit organization set up to foster blues heritage. The awards were originally named in honor of W. C. Handy, "Father of the Blues". The first award was presented in 1980 and is "universally recognized as the highest accolade afforded musicians and songwriters in blues music". In 2006, the awards were renamed Blues Music Awards in an effort to increase public appreciation of the significance of the awards.
They are presented annually in Memphis, Tennessee, where the Blues Foundation is located, although the 2008 award ceremony was held in Tunica, Mississippi. The 39th Blues Music Awards were held on May 10, 2018, at the Memphis Cook Convention Center. Two new award categories had been announced (Instrumentalist-Vocals and Blues Rock Artist of the Year) bringing the number of awards to be presented up to 26 in total. The 40th Blues Music Awards took place on May 9, 2019, with the Historical Album of the Year category being dropped, reducing the overall number of categories to 25.
The 41st ceremony was scheduled for May 7, 2020, but the live event was cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The 2020 winners were announced at a virtual event. The 42nd ceremony was again presented at a virtual event on June 6, 2021. The 43rd ceremony took place on May 5, 2022, as the first in-person event since 2019. The 44th event was held on May 11, 2023, in Memphis. The 45th event took place on May 8, 2024, in Memphis.
2024
| Category | Winner |
|---|---|
| Acoustic Album of the Year | Raw Blues 1, Doug MacLeod |
| Acoustic Artist of the Year | Keb' Mo' |
| Album of the Year | Live In London, Christone "Kingfish" Ingram |
| B. B. King Entertainer of the Year | Bobby Rush |
| Band of the Year | Nick Moss Band |
| Best Emerging Artist Album | The Right Man, D.K. Harrell |
| Contemporary Blues Album of the Year | Live In London, Christone "Kingfish" Ingram |
| Contemporary Blues Female Artist of the Year | Danielle Nicole |
| Contemporary Blues Male Artist of the Year | Christone "Kingfish" Ingram |
| Instrumentalist – Bass | Bob Stroger |
| Instrumentalist – Drums | Kenny "Beedy Eyes" Smith |
| Instrumentalist – Guitar | Christone "Kingfish" Ingram |
| Instrumentalist – Harmonica | Jason Ricci |
| Instrumentalist – Horn | Vanessa Collier |
| Instrumentalist – Vocals | Ruthie Foster |
| Pinetop Perkins Piano Player | Kenny "Blues Boss" Wayne |
| Koko Taylor Award (Traditional Blues Female) | Sue Foley |
| Blues Rock Album of the Year | Blood Brothers, Mike Zito and Albert Castiglia |
| Blues Rock Artist of the Year | Mike Zito |
| Song of the Year | "What Kind of Fool", written by Ruthie Foster, Hadden Sayers and Scottie Miller |
| Soul Blues Album of the Year | All My Love for You, Bobby Rush |
| Soul Blues Female Artist of the Year | Annika Chambers |
| Soul Blues Male Artist of the Year | John Németh |
| Traditional Blues Album of the Year | Teardrops for Magic Slim: Live at Rosa's Lounge, John Primer |
| Traditional Blues Male Artist of the Year | John Primer |
2023
| Category | Winner |
|---|---|
| Acoustic Album of the Year | Mississippi Son, Charlie Musselwhite |
| Acoustic Artist of the Year | Doug MacLeod |
| Album of the Year | The Blues Don't Lie, Buddy Guy |
| B. B. King Entertainer of the Year | Tommy Castro |
| Band of the Year | Tedeschi Trucks Band |
| Best Emerging Artist Album | Who Is He?, Dylan Triplett |
| Contemporary Blues Album of the Year | The Blues Don't Lie, Buddy Guy |
| Contemporary Blues Female Artist of the Year | Ruthie Foster |
| Contemporary Blues Male Artist of the Year | Christone "Kingfish" Ingram |
| Instrumentalist – Bass | Danielle Nicole |
| Instrumentalist – Drums | Kenny "Beedy Eyes" Smith |
| Instrumentalist – Guitar | Laura Chavez |
| Instrumentalist – Harmonica | John Németh |
| Instrumentalist – Horn | Deanna Bogart |
| Instrumentalist – Vocals | Shemekia Copeland |
| Pinetop Perkins Piano Player | Anthony Geraci |
| Koko Taylor Award (Traditional Blues Female) | Sue Foley |
| Blues Rock Album of the Year | I Got Love, Albert Castiglia |
| Blues Rock Artist of the Year | Albert Castiglia |
| Song of the Year | "Blues Don't Lie" (Tom Hambridge), Buddy Guy |
| Soul Blues Album of the Year | In Too Deep, Sugaray Rayford |
| Soul Blues Female Artist of the Year | Thornetta Davis |
| Soul Blues Male Artist of the Year | Curtis Salgado |
| Traditional Blues Album of the Year | May Be the Last Time, John Németh |
| Traditional Blues Male Artist of the Year | John Primer |
2022
| Category | Winner |
|---|---|
| Acoustic Album of the Year | Dear America, Eric Bibb |
| Acoustic Artist of the Year | Keb' Mo' |
| Album of the Year | Tommy Castro Presents A Bluesman Came To Town, Tommy Castro |
| B. B. King Entertainer of the Year | Tommy Castro |
| Band of the Year | Tommy Castro & The Painkillers |
| Best Emerging Artist Album | Live On Beale Street: A Tribute To Bobby "Blue" Bland, Rodd Bland and the Members Only Band |
| Contemporary Blues Album of the Year | 662, Christone "Kingfish" Ingram |
| Contemporary Blues Female Artist of the Year | Vanessa Collier |
| Contemporary Blues Male Artist of the Year | Christone "Kingfish" Ingram |
| Instrumentalist – Bass | Danielle Nicole |
| Instrumentalist – Drums | Tom Hambridge |
| Instrumentalist – Guitar | Eric Gales |
| Instrumentalist – Harmonica | Jason Ricci |
| Instrumentalist – Horn | Jimmy Carpenter |
| Instrumentalist – Vocals | John Németh |
| Pinetop Perkins Piano Player | Mike Finnigan |
| Koko Taylor Award (Traditional Blues Female) | Sue Foley |
| Blues Rock Album of the Year | Resurrection, Mike Zito |
| Blues Rock Artist of the Year | Albert Castiglia |
| Song of the Year | "I'd Climb Mountains", Selwyn Birchwood |
| Soul Blues Album of the Year | Long As I Got My Guitar, Zac Harmon |
| Soul Blues Female Artist of the Year | Annika Chambers |
| Soul Blues Male Artist of the Year | Curtis Salgado |
| Traditional Blues Album of the Year | Pinky's Blues, Sue Foley |
| Traditional Blues Male Artist of the Year | Taj Mahal |
2021
| Category | Winner |
|---|---|
| Acoustic Album of the Year | Rawer Than Raw, Bobby Rush |
| Acoustic Artist of the Year | Keb' Mo' |
| Album of the Year | 100 Years of Blues, Elvin Bishop and Charlie Musselwhite |
| B. B. King Entertainer of the Year | Shemekia Copeland |
| Band of the Year | Rick Estrin & The Nightcats |
| Best Emerging Artist Album | Harlem, King Solomon Hicks |
| Contemporary Blues Album of the Year | Uncivil War, Shemekia Copeland |
| Contemporary Blues Female Artist of the Year | Shemekia Copeland |
| Contemporary Blues Male Artist of the Year | Christone "Kingfish" Ingram |
| Instrumentalist – Bass | Danielle Nicole |
| Instrumentalist – Drums | Kenny "Beedy Eyes" Smith |
| Instrumentalist – Guitar | Christone "Kingfish" Ingram |
| Instrumentalist – Harmonica | Kim Wilson |
| Instrumentalist – Horn | Jimmy Carpenter |
| Instrumentalist – Vocals | Ruthie Foster |
| Pinetop Perkins Piano Player | Anthony Geraci |
| Koko Taylor Award (Traditional Blues Female) | Rory Block |
| Blues Rock Album of the Year | Mike Zito and Friends – Rock 'n' Roll: A Tribute to Chuck Berry, Mike Zito |
| Blues Rock Artist of the Year | Mike Zito |
| Song of the Year | "All Out of Tears" – written by Walter Trout, Marie Trout, and Teeny Tucker (performed by Walter Trout) |
| Soul Blues Album of the Year | That's What I Heard, Robert Cray Band |
| Soul Blues Female Artist of the Year | Bettye LaVette |
| Soul Blues Male Artist of the Year | Curtis Salgado |
| Traditional Blues Album of the Year | 100 Years of Blues, Elvin Bishop and Charlie Musselwhite |
| Traditional Blues Male Artist of the Year | John Primer |
2020
| Category | Winner |
|---|---|
| Acoustic Album of the Year | This Guitar and Tonight, Bob Margolin |
| Acoustic Artist of the Year | Doug MacLeod |
| Album of the Year | Kingfish, Christone "Kingfish" Ingram |
| B. B. King Entertainer of the Year | Sugaray Rayford |
| Band of the Year | The Nick Moss Band featuring Dennis Gruenling |
| Best Emerging Artist Album | Kingfish, Christone "Kingfish" Ingram |
| Contemporary Blues Album of the Year | Kingfish, Christone "Kingfish" Ingram |
| Contemporary Blues Female Artist of the Year | Shemekia Copeland |
| Contemporary Blues Male Artist of the Year | Christone "Kingfish" Ingram |
| Instrumentalist – Bass | Michael "Mudcat" Ward |
| Instrumentalist – Drums | Cedric Burnside |
| Instrumentalist – Guitar | Christone "Kingfish" Ingram |
| Instrumentalist – Harmonica | Rick Estrin |
| Instrumentalist – Horn | Vanessa Collier |
| Instrumentalist – Vocals | Mavis Staples |
| Pinetop Perkins Piano Player | Victor Wainwright |
| Koko Taylor Award (Traditional Blues Female) | Sue Foley |
| Blues Rock Album of the Year | Masterpiece, Albert Castiglia |
| Blues Rock Artist of the Year | Eric Gales |
| Song of the Year | "Lucky Guy", Nick Moss |
| Soul Blues Album of the Year | Sitting on Top of the Blues, Bobby Rush |
| Soul Blues Female Artist of the Year | Bettye LaVette |
| Soul Blues Male Artist of the Year | Sugaray Rayford |
| Traditional Blues Album of the Year | Lucky Guy!, The Nick Moss Band featuring Dennis Gruenling |
| Traditional Blues Male Artist of the Year | Jimmie Vaughan |
2019
| Category | Winner |
|---|---|
| Acoustic Album of the Year | Journeys to the Heart of the Blues, Joe Louis Walker, Bruce Katz, Giles Robson |
| Acoustic Artist of the Year | Rory Block |
| Album of the Year | America's Child, Shemekia Copeland |
| B. B. King Entertainer of the Year | Mike Ledbetter |
| Band of the Year | Welch-Ledbetter Connection |
| Best Emerging Artist Album | Free, Amanda Fish |
| Contemporary Blues Album of the Year | America's Child, Shemekia Copeland |
| Contemporary Blues Female Artist of the Year | Danielle Nicole |
| Contemporary Blues Male Artist of the Year | Kenny Neal |
| Instrumentalist – Bass | Danielle Nicole |
| Instrumentalist – Drums | Cedric Burnside |
| Instrumentalist – Guitar | Monster Mike Welch |
| Instrumentalist – Harmonica | Dennis Gruenling |
| Instrumentalist – Horn | Vanessa Collier |
| Instrumentalist – Vocals | Mike Ledbetter |
| Pinetop Perkins Piano Player | Marcia Ball |
| Koko Taylor Award (Traditional Blues Female) | Ruthie Foster |
| Blues Rock Album of the Year | The Big Bad Blues, Billy F Gibbons |
| Blues Rock Artist of the Year | Eric Gales |
| Song of the Year | "No Mercy In This Land", Ben Harper and Charlie Musselwhite |
| Soul Blues Album of the Year | I'm Still Around, Johnny Rawls |
| Soul Blues Female Artist of the Year | Annika Chambers |
| Soul Blues Male Artist of the Year | Sugaray Rayford |
| Traditional Blues Album of the Year | The Blues Is Alive and Well, Buddy Guy |
| Traditional Blues Male Artist of the Year | Nick Moss |
2018
| Category | Winner |
|---|---|
| Acoustic Album of the Year | Break the Chain, Doug MacLeod |
| Acoustic Artist of the Year | Taj Mahal |
| Album of the Year | TajMo, Taj Mahal & Keb' Mo' |
| B. B. King Entertainer of the Year | Taj Mahal |
| Band of the Year | Rick Estrin & The Nightcats |
| Best Emerging Artist Album | Southern Avenue – Southern Avenue |
| Contemporary Blues Album of the Year | TajMo, Taj Mahal & Keb' Mo' |
| Contemporary Blues Female Artist of the Year | Samantha Fish |
| Contemporary Blues Male Artist of the Year | Keb' Mo' |
| Historical Album of the Year | A Legend Never Dies, Essential Recordings 1976-1997 – Luther Allison |
| Instrumentalist – Bass | Michael "Mudcat" Ward |
| Instrumentalist – Drums | Tony Braunagel |
| Instrumentalist – Guitar | Ronnie Earl |
| Instrumentalist – Harmonica | Jason Ricci |
| Instrumentalist – Horn | Trombone Shorty |
| Instrumentalist – Vocals | Beth Hart |
| Pinetop Perkins Piano Player | Victor Wainwright |
| Koko Taylor Award (Traditional Blues Female) | Ruthie Foster |
| Blues Rock Album of the Year | We’re All In This Together, Walter Trout |
| Blues Rock Artist of the Year | Mike Zito |
| Song of the Year | "The Blues Ain’t Going Nowhere", Rick Estrin |
| Soul Blues Album of the Year | Robert Cray & Hi Rhythm – Robert Cray & Hi Rhythm |
| Soul Blues Female Artist of the Year | Mavis Staples |
| Soul Blues Male Artist of the Year | Curtis Salgado |
| Traditional Blues Album of the Year | Right Place, Right Time, Monster Mike Welch and Mike Ledbetter |
| Traditional Blues Male Artist of the Year | Rick Estrin |
2017
| Category | Winner |
|---|---|
| Acoustic Album of the Year | The Happiest Man in the World, Eric Bibb |
| Acoustic Artist of the Year | Doug MacLeod |
| Album of the Year | Porcupine Meat, Bobby Rush |
| B. B. King Entertainer of the Year | Joe Bonamassa |
| Band of the Year | Tedeschi Trucks Band |
| Best Emerging Artist Album | Tengo Blues, Jonn Del Toro Richardson |
| Contemporary Blues Album of the Year | Bloodline, Kenny Neal |
| Contemporary Blues Female Artist of the Year | Susan Tedeschi |
| Contemporary Blues Male Artist of the Year | Kenny Neal |
| Historical Album of the Year | Chicken Heads: A 50-Year History of Bobby Rush, Bobby Rush |
| Instrumentalist – Bass | Biscuit Miller |
| Instrumentalist – Drums | Cedric Burnside |
| Instrumentalist – Guitar | Joe Bonamassa |
| Instrumentalist – Harmonica | Kim Wilson |
| Instrumentalist – Horn | Terry Hanck |
| Pinetop Perkins Piano Player | Victor Wainwright |
| Koko Taylor Award (Traditional Blues Female) | Diunna Greenleaf |
| Rock Blues Album of the Year | Let Me Get By, Tedeschi Trucks Band |
| Song of the Year | "Walk A Mile In My Blues", Curtis Salgado |
| Soul Blues Album of the Year | The Beautiful Lowdown, Curtis Salgado |
| Soul Blues Female Artist of the Year | Mavis Staples |
| Soul Blues Male Artist of the Year | Curtis Salgado |
| Traditional Blues Album of the Year | Can't Shake This Feeling, Lurrie Bell |
| Traditional Blues Male Artist of the Year | Bob Margolin |
2016
| Category | Winner |
|---|---|
| Acoustic Album of the Year | The Acoustic Blues & Roots of Duke Robillard, Duke Robillard |
| Acoustic Artist of the Year | Doug MacLeod |
| Album of the Year | Born to Play Guitar, Buddy Guy |
| B. B. King Entertainer of the Year | Victor Wainwright |
| Band of the Year | Victor Wainwright & the WildRoots |
| Best New Artist Debut | The Mississippi Blues Child, Mr. Sipp |
| Contemporary Blues Album of the Year | Born to Play Guitar, Buddy Guy |
| Contemporary Blues Female Artist of the Year | Shemekia Copeland |
| Contemporary Blues Male Artist of the Year | Joe Louis Walker |
| Historical Album of the Year | Buzzin’ the Blues, Slim Harpo |
| Instrumentalist – Bass | Lisa Mann |
| Instrumentalist – Drums | Cedric Burnside |
| Instrumentalist – Guitar | Sonny Landreth |
| Instrumentalist – Harmonica | Kim Wilson |
| Instrumentalist – Horn | Terry Hanck |
| Pinetop Perkins Piano Player | Allen Toussaint |
| Koko Taylor Award (Traditional Blues Female) | Ruthie Foster |
| Rock Blues Album of the Year | Battle Scars, Walter Trout |
| Song of the Year | "Gonna Live Again", Walter Trout |
| Soul Blues Album of the Year | This Time for Real, Billy Price and Otis Clay |
| Soul Blues Female Artist of the Year | Bettye LaVette |
| Soul Blues Male Artist of the Year | Otis Clay |
| Traditional Blues Album of the Year | Descendants of Hill Country, Cedric Burnside Project |
| Traditional Blues Male Artist of the Year | John Primer |
2015
| Category | Winner |
|---|---|
| Acoustic Album of the Year | Timeless, John Hammond |
| Acoustic Artist of the Year | John Hammond |
| Album of the Year | Can't Even Do Wrong Right, Elvin Bishop |
| B. B. King Entertainer of the Year | Bobby Rush |
| Band of the Year | Elvin Bishop Band |
| Best New Artist Debut | Don't Call No Ambulance, Selwyn Birchwood |
| Contemporary Blues Album of the Year | BLUESAmericana, Keb' Mo' |
| Contemporary Blues Female Artist of the Year | Janiva Magness |
| Contemporary Blues Male Artist of the Year | Gary Clark, Jr. |
| Historical Album of the Year | Soul & Swagger: The Complete “5” Royales 1951-1967 – The "5" Royales |
| Instrumentalist – Bass | Lisa Mann |
| Instrumentalist – Drums | Jimi Bott |
| Instrumentalist – Guitar | Joe Bonamassa |
| Instrumentalist – Harmonica | Charlie Musselwhite |
| Instrumentalist – Horn | Deanna Bogart |
| Pinetop Perkins Piano Player | Marcia Ball |
| Koko Taylor Award (Traditional Blues Female) | Ruthie Foster |
| Rock Blues Album of the Year | Step Back, Johnny Winter |
| Song of the Year | "Can't Even Do Wrong Right", Elvin Bishop |
| Soul Blues Album of the Year | Memphis Grease, John Németh |
| Soul Blues Female Artist of the Year | Sista Monica |
| Soul Blues Male Artist of the Year | Bobby Rush |
| Traditional Blues Album of the Year | For Pops (A Tribute to Muddy Waters), Mud Morganfield, Kim Wilson |
| Traditional Blues Male Artist of the Year | Lurrie Bell |
2014
| Category | Winner |
|---|---|
| Acoustic Album of the Year | There's A Time, Doug MacLeod |
| Acoustic Artist of the Year | Doug MacLeod |
| Album of the Year | Remembering Little Walter, Billy Boy Arnold, Charlie Musselwhite, Mark Hummel, Sugar Ray Norcia and James Harman |
| B. B. King Entertainer of the Year | Buddy Guy |
| Band of the Year | Tedeschi Trucks Band |
| Best New Artist Debut | Daddy Told Me, Shawn Holt & the Teardrops |
| Contemporary Blues Album of the Year | Badlands, Trampled Under Foot |
| Contemporary Blues Female Artist of the Year | Susan Tedeschi |
| Contemporary Blues Male Artist of the Year | Gary Clark, Jr. |
| DVD | Songs From The Road, Royal Southern Brotherhood |
| Historical Album of the Year | The Sun Blues Box, Various artists |
| Instrumentalist – Bass | Danielle Schnebelen |
| Instrumentalist – Drums | Cedric Burnside |
| Instrumentalist – Guitar | Ronnie Earl |
| Instrumentalist – Harmonica | Charlie Musselwhite |
| Instrumentalist – Horn | Eddie Shaw |
| Pinetop Perkins Piano Player | Victor Wainwright |
| Koko Taylor Award (Traditional Blues Female) | Diunna Greenleaf |
| Rock Blues Album of the Year | Made Up Mind, Tedeschi Trucks Band |
| Song of the Year | "Blues in My Soul", Lurrie Bell |
| Soul Blues Album of the Year | Down in Louisiana, Bobby Rush |
| Soul Blues Female Artist of the Year | Irma Thomas |
| Soul Blues Male Artist of the Year | John Németh |
| Traditional Blues Album of the Year | Remembering Little Walter, Billy Boy Arnold, Charlie Musselwhite, Mark Hummel, Sugar Ray Norcia and James Harman |
| Traditional Blues Male Artist of the Year | James Cotton |
2011
| Category | Winner |
|---|---|
| Acoustic Album of the Year | Last Train to Bluesville, The Nighthawks |
| Acoustic Artist of the Year | John Hammond |
| Album of the Year | Living Proof, Buddy Guy |
| B. B. King Entertainer of the Year | Buddy Guy |
| Band of the Year | The Derek Trucks Band |
| Best New Artist Debut | On the Floor, Matt Hill |
| Contemporary Blues Album of the Year | Living Proof, Buddy Guy |
| Contemporary Blues Female Artist of the Year | Robin Rogers |
| Contemporary Blues Male Artist of the Year | Buddy Guy |
| DVD | Ruf, Songs From The Road, Luther Allison |
| Historical Album of the Year | Harmonica Blues, Bob Corritore and Friends |
| Instrumentalist – Bass | Bob Stroger |
| Instrumentalist – Drums | Cedric Burnside |
| Instrumentalist – Guitar | Derek Trucks |
| Instrumentalist – Harmonica | Charlie Musselwhite |
| Instrumentalist – Horn | Eddie Shaw |
| Instrumentalist – Other | Sonny Rhodes, Lap steel guitar |
| Koko Taylor Award (Traditional Blues Female) | Ruthie Foster |
| Pinetop Perkins Piano Player | Dr. John |
| Rock Blues Album of the Year | Live! In Chicago, Kenny Wayne Shepherd Band featuring Hubert Sumlin, Willie "Big Eyes" Smith, Bryan Lee and Buddy Flett |
| Song of the Year | "Living Proof", (Tom Hambridge / Buddy Guy), Living Proof, Buddy Guy |
| Soul Blues Album of the Year | Nothing's Impossible, Solomon Burke |
| Soul Blues Female Artist of the Year | Irma Thomas |
| Soul Blues Male Artist of the Year | Solomon Burke |
| Traditional Blues Album of the Year | Joined At the Hip, Pinetop Perkins and Willie "Big Eyes" Smith |
| Traditional Blues Male Artist of the Year | Charlie Musselwhite |
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