livingblues.com

2001 Readers’ Awards

Best Blues Artist (Male):
Willie King

Artist of the Year (Female):
Shemekia Copeland

Artist of the Year (Male):
R.L. Burnside

Best Musicain/Guitar (tie):
Alvin Youngblood Hart
Big Jack Johnson

Best Musician/Keyboards:
Pinetop Perkins

Best Musician/Harmonica:
Snooky Pryor

Best Live Performer:
Bobby Rush

Best New Album:
R.L. Burnside, Wish I Was In Heaven Sitting Down, Fat Possum

Best Historical Album:
Various Artists, And This is Maxwell Street, Rooster Blues

Best Blues Singer (tie):
Etta James and Little Milton

Critic’s Awards

Best Blues Album of 2000 – New Recording:
Willie King, Freedom Creek, Rooster Blues

Best Blues Album of 2000 – Contemporary Blues:
Willie King, Freedom Creek, Rooster Blues

Most Outstanding Blues Singer New Recordings- All Types:
Mighty Sam McClain

Best Live Performer:
Bobby Rush

Most Outstanding Blues Musician (Guitar):
Roy Gaines

Most Outstanding Blues Musician –(Horns):
Calvin Owens

Most Outstanding Blues Musician (Keyboards):
Henry Butler

Most Outstanding Blues Musician (Drums):
Sam Carr

Most Outstanding Blues Musician (Bass):
Bob Stroger

Best Blues Artist (Female):
Shemekia Copeland

Most Outstanding Blues Musician Other Instrument:
Otha Turner (Fife)

Best Blues Albums of 2000 New Recordings-Soul/Blues:
Mosley and Johnson, Juke Joint, Malaco Records

Best Blues Albums of 2000 New Recordings-Traditional & Acoustic:
Corey Harris & Henry Butler , Vu-du menz, Alligator Records

Best Blues Albums of 2000 Best Debut Album:
North Mississippi Allstars, Shake Hands with Shorty, Tone-Cool Records

Comeback Artist of the Year:
Jerry McCain

Most Outstanding Blues Musician Harmonica: (tie)
Snooky Pryor & Jerry McCain

Artist Most Deserving of Wider Recognition:
Johnny Rawls

Best Cover Art/Photo 2000 Blues Release:
Lonnie Shields, Midnight Delight, Rooster Blues

Best Blues Albums of 2000 (Historical/Reissue-Postwar):
Various Artists, And This is Maxwell Street, Rooster Blues

Best Blues Song of 2000:
Hole in the Wall (Mel Waiters)

Best Blues Albums of 2000 (Historical/Reissue-Prewar):
Various Artists, Juke Joint Saturday Night, Yazoo Records

Producer of the Year (New Recordings):
Jim O’Neal

Producer of the Year (Historical/Reissue-Prewar):
Don Kent

Best Liner Notes 2000 Release:
Colin Talcroft, And This Is Maxwell Street, Rooster Blues

 

Best Blues Artist (Male):
R.L. Burnside

Best Blues Artist (Female):
Myra Taylor

Most Outstanding Blues Musician (other instrument):
Sonny Rhodes, (lap steel)

Best Blues Albums of 2001 (historical/ reissue pre-war):
Charley Patton, Screamin’ and Hollerin’ The Blues:
The Worlds of Charley Patton, Revenant Records

Artist Deserving of More Attention:
Roy Roberts

Producer of the Year (new recordings):
Roy Roberts, Rock House Records

Best Blues Albums of 2001 (new recordings: soul/blues):
Chick Willis, From the Heart and Soul, Rock House

Best Blues Albums of 2001 (historical/reissue post-war):
Various Artists, A Shot in the Dark: Nashville Jumps, Bear Family Records

Best Blues Albums of 2001 (best debut album):
Craig Horton, In My Spirit, Bad Daddy Records

Best Blues Albums of 2001 (new recordings—contemporary blues):
James “Blood” Ulmer, Memphis Blood: The Sun Sessions, Hyena

Best Blues Song of 2001 (first release of an original composition):
S.U.V., Mem Shannon

Most Outstanding Blues Musician:
Sam Carr (drums)
Henry Gray (keyboards)
Calvin Owens (sax, trumpet, or horn section)
Snooky Pryor (harmonica)
Willie Kent (bass)
Jody Williams (guitar)

Most Outstanding Blues Singer:
B.B. King

Best Blues Albums of 2001
(new recordings—traditional and acoustic):
George Higgs, Tarboro Blues, Music Maker

Producer of the Year (historical/reissue recordings):
Dean Blackwood, Revenant Records

Best Cover Art/Photo:
Charley Patton, Screamin’ and Hollerin’ The Blues: The Worlds of Charley Patton, Revenant Records

Best Blues Album of 2001 (all types):
Buddy Guy, Sweet Tea, Silvertone

Best Live Performer:
Bobby Rush

Best Liner Notes: 2001 Release:
Barry Lee Pearson: Archie Edwards, The Toronto Sessions, Northern Blues

Comeback Artist of the Year (tie):
Myra Taylor and Ike Turner

 

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