Readers’ Awards:

Blues Artist of the Year (Male)
Lil’ Ed Williams

Blues Artist of the Year (Female)
Koko Taylor

Best Blues Album of 2006 (New Release)
Junior Wells
Live At Theresa’s 1975
Delmark

Best Blues Album of 2006 (Historical Recording)
John Lee Hooker
Hooker
Shout! Factory

Best Blues DVD of 2006
Mel Brown
Mel Brown: The DVD
Electro-Fi

Most Outstanding Musician (Guitar)
Mel Brown

Most Outstanding Musician (Harmonica)
Charlie Musselwhite

Most Outstanding Musician (Keyboard)
Marcia Ball

Best Live Performer
Bobby Rush

Most Outstanding Blues Singer
Bobby “Blue” Bland

Critics’ Awards

Blues Artist of the Year (Male) 
Lil’ Ed Williams

Blues Artist of the Year (Female)
Bettye LaVette

Most Outstanding Blues Singer
Bettye LaVette

Most Outstanding Musician (Guitar)
Lurrie Bell

Most Outstanding Musician (Harmonica) 
Carey Bell

Most Outstanding Musician (Keyboard) 
Henry Gray

Most Outstanding Musician (Bass) 
Bob Stroger

Most Outstanding Musician (Drums) 
Willie “Big Eyes” Smith

Most Outstanding Musician (Horns) 
Big James Montgomery

Most Outstanding Musician (Other) 
Stanley Dural a.k.a. Buckwheat Zydeco - Accordion

Best Live Performer
Bobby Rush

Comeback Artist of the Year
Jackie Payne

Artist Deserving More Attention
Lee Gates

Best Blues Albums of 2006:

Album of the Year
Junior Wells – Live At Theresa’s 1975 - Delmark

New Recordings/ Southern Soul
Mel Waiters – Throw Back Days – Malaco/Waldoxy

New Recordings/ Best debut
Jimmy “Duck” Holmes - Back To Bentonia – Broke & Hungry

New Recordings/ Contemporary blues
Irma Thomas – After The Rain - Rounder

New Recordings/ Traditional & acoustic
Jimmy “Duck” Holmes – Back To Bentonia – Broke & Hungry

Historical Reissue/ Pre-war
Various Artists – The Stuff That Dreams Are Made Of – Yazoo

Historical Reissue/ Post-war 
John Lee Hooker – Hooker – Shout! Factory

DVD
Antone’s Home Of The Blues: A Legend Every Night – Koch Vision

Producer of the Year - New recording
Jeff Konkel – Broke & Hungry Records

Producer of the Year - Historical/ Reissue
Richard Nevins – Yazoo Records