Best Blues Artist (Male):
Willie King
Best Blues Artist (Female):
Shemekia Copeland
Best Musician (Guitar):
Jody Williams
Best Musician (Keyboards):
Pinetop Perkins
Best Musician (Harmonica):
Snooky Pryor
Best Live Performer:
Solomon Burke
Most Outstanding Blues Singer:
Solomon Burke
Best Historical Album:
B.B. King, The Vintage Years. Ace Records
Best New Album:
Precious Bryant, Fool Me Good, Terminus Records
Critics Awards:
Best Blues Artist (Male):
Willie King
Best Blues Artist (Female):
Precious Bryant
Most Outstanding Musician:
Jody Williams (Guitar)
Solomon Burke (Vocals)
Bob Stroger (Bass)
Lazy Lester (Harmonica)
Sam Carr (Drums)
Calvin Owens (Horns)
Henry Gray (Keyboards)
Robert Randolph—other instrument (Pedal steel)
Best Live Performer:
Bobby Rush
Comeback Artist:
Jody Williams
Artist Deserving More Attention:
Bettye Lavette
Best Blues Albums of 2002:
Historical Reissue/ Pre-War:
Various Artists,
When the Sun Goes Down—The Secret History of Rock & Roll,
Bluebird
New Recordings/ Soul-Blues:
Tommy Thomas,
You Put that Dog Ahead of Me,
Rock House Records
New Recordings/ Best Debut:
Precious Bryant,
Fool Me Good, Terminus Records
New Recordings/Contemporary Blues:
Corey Harris,
Downhome Sophisticate, Rounder
New Recordings/ Traditional & Acoustic:
Precious Bryant,
Fool Me Good, Terminus Records
Album of the Year:
Solomon Burke,
Don’t Give Up On Me, Fat Possum
Producer of the Year:
Historical/ Reissue:
Barry Feldman and Colin Escott with David Evans,
When the Sun Goes Down—The Secret History of Rock & Roll, Bluebird
New Recording:
Roy Roberts, Rockhouse Records
Best Liner Notes:
Colin Escott and John Broven,
B.B. King, The Vintage Years, Ace Records
Best Cover Art:
Willie King, Living in a New World, Rooster, Photo by Bill Steber
Best Song (original composition, released in 2002):
Terrorized, Willie King, Living in a New World, Rooster