Shemekia Copeland Leads Blues Awards Winners’ List With Three Honors

Shemekia Copeland led the list of winners at Sunday’s Blues Music Awards with three honors, including the Blues Foundation’s top prize, the B.B. King Entertainer of the Year award.

Picking up two trophies each in the 42nd annual ceremony were Christone “Kingfish” Ingram, Mike Zito and the
pairing of Elvin Bishop and Charlie Musselwhite.

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Besides winning the marquee entertainer prize, Copeland also won for contemporary blues album, for her “Uncivil War” project, and as contemporary blues female artist, an honor she won for the second year in a row.

The 42nd BMAs marked the second year in a row that the show, usually held as a gala concert and ceremony in Memphis was held virtually. The show is being made available for viewing for 48 hours after its wrap-up Sunday at Mandolin.com.

Among the performers on the webcast was “KIngfish,” who won two awards — contemporary blues male artist and instrumentalist: guitar — after sweeping with five at last year’s ceremony.

Elvin Bishop and Charlie Musselwhite’s joint album, “100 Years of Blues,” was a double winner as well, for album of the year and traditional blues album. Zito won for blues rock artist and also picked up blues rock album for “Mike Zito and Friends – Rock ‘n’ Roll: A Tribute to Chuck Berry.”

Two members of the foundation’s Blues Hall of Fame, Bettye LaVette and Bobby Rush, proved they’re still contenders for the org’s contemporary awards as well. LaVette again triumphed as soul blues female artist, and Rush won acoustic blues album for “Rawer Than Raw.”

Along with Ingram, the show’s performers included past BMA winners Bobby Rush, Watermelon Slim, Southern Avenue, Don Bryant, Shaun Murphy and John Németh & the Blue Dreamers.

The complete list of winners:

B.B. King Entertainer of the Year
Shemekia Copeland

Album of the Year
“100 Years of Blues” – Elvin Bishop and Charlie Musselwhite

Band of the Year
Rick Estrin & The Nightcats

Song of the Year
“All Out of Tears” – written by Walter Trout, Marie Trout, and Teeny Tucker
(performed by Walter Trout)

Best Emerging Artist Album
“Harlem,” King Solomon Hicks

Acoustic Blues Album
“Rawer Than Raw,” Bobby Rush

Blues Rock Album
“Mike Zito and Friends – Rock ‘n’ Roll: A Tribute to Chuck Berry,” Mike Zito

Contemporary Blues Album
“Uncivil War,” Shemekia Copeland

Soul Blues Album
“That’s What I Heard,” Robert Cray Band

Traditional Blues Album
“100 Years of Blues,” Elvin Bishop and Charlie Musselwhite

Acoustic Blues Artist
Keb’ Mo’

Blues Rock Artist
Mike Zito

Contemporary Blues Female Artist
Shemekia Copeland

Contemporary Blues Male Artist
Christone “Kingfish” Ingram

Soul Blues Female Artist
Bettye LaVette

Soul Blues Male Artist
Curtis Salgado

Traditional Blues Female Artist (Koko Taylor Award)
Rory Block

Traditional Blues Male Artist
John Primer

Instrumentalist – Bass
Danielle Nicole

Instrumentalist – Drums
Kenny “Beedy Eyes” Smith

Instrumentalist – Guitar
Christone “Kingfish” Ingram

Instrumentalist – Harmonica
Kim Wilson

Instrumentalist – Horn
Jimmy Carpenter

Instrumentalist – Piano (Pinetop Perkins Piano Player Award)
Anthony Geraci

Instrumentalist – Vocals
Ruthie Foster

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