West Coast-based group The Mannish Boys lead the pack this year with six nominations, including band, traditional album, and album of the year, in addition to individual nominations for band members Richard Innes (drums), Kid Ramos (guitar), and Larry Taylor (bass). Tied with four nominations each are slide guitar legend Elvin Bishop, pianist Eden Brent, songstress Janiva Magness, Soul man Curtis Salgado, and Watermelon Slim. Buddy Guy is nominated for three awards and B.B. King for two. The Mississippi-based Homemade Jamz Blues Band are the youngest nominees at 9, 14, and 16 years of age. Sadly, Sean Costello received two posthumous nominations while Jeff Healey received one. Chicago elder statesman and torchbearer Magic Slim earned three nods. Lurrie Bell earned two nominations for an album he made while grieving the loss of his wife and his father, harp man Carrie Bell.

The Blues Foundation has added a Rock Blues category for the first time in 2009, with nominations going to Gary Moore, Jeff Healey, Michael Burks, Smokin' Joe Kubek & Bnois King, Sonny Landreth, and Walter Trout.

The Blues Music Awards Ceremony will be held Thursday, May 7, at the Cook Convention Center in Memphis, Tennessee. For more information and tickets, go to blues.org.

Here is the complete list of nominees:

Acoustic Album of the Year
Eden Brent - Mississippi Number One
Rory Block - Blues Walkin' Like a Man
Paul Rishell & Annie Raines - A Night in Woodstock
Hans Theessink & Terry Evans - Visions
Fiona Boyes, Mookie Brill & Rich Del Grosso - Live from Bluesville

Acoustic Artist of the Year
Doug MacLeod
Rory Block
Otis Taylor
Paul Rishell & Annie Raines
Eden Brent

Album of the Year
The Mannish Boys - Lowdown Feelin'
Curtis Salgado - Clean Getaway
Buddy Guy - Skin Deep
Janiva Magness - What Love Will Do
Elvin Bishop - The Blues Rolls On

B.B. King Entertainer of the Year
Janiva Magness
Watermelon Slim
Bobby Rush
Lil' Ed
Magic Slim

Band of the Year
Magic Slim & the Teardrops
Nick Moss & the Flip Tops
The Mannish Boys
Watermelon Slim & the Workers
Lil' Ed & the Blues Imperials

Best New Artist Debut
Chris James and Patrick Rynn - Stop and Think About It
Delta Highway - The Devil Had a Woman
Cedric Burnside & Lightnin' Malcolm - 2 Man Wrecking Crew
The Homemade Jamz Blues Band - Pay Me No Mind
Eden Brent - Mississippi Number One

Contemporary Blues Album of the Year
Elvin Bishop - The Blues Rolls On
Watermelon Slim & the Workers - No Paid Holidays
Janiva Magness - What Love Will Do
Sean Costello - We Can Get Together
Buddy Guy - Skin Deep

Contemporary Blues Female Artist of the Year
Gaye Adegbalola
Marcia Ball
Robin Rogers
Bettye LaVette
Janiva Magness

Contemporary Blues Male Artist of the Year
Michael Burks
Elvin Bishop
Sean Costello
Watermelon Slim
Buddy Guy

DVD
Broke & Hungry Records, Cathead Blues, and Mudpuppy Recordings - M For Mississippi: A Road Trip Through The Birthplace of the Blues
Eagle Eye Media - Albert Collins Live at Montreux 1992
Eagle Eye Media - Carlos Santana Plays Blues At Montreux 2004
Stony Plain Records - Ronnie Earl & Broadcasters - Hope Radio Sessions
Delmark Records – Little Arthur Duncan Live at Rosa's Blues Lounge

Historical Album of the Year
Eagle Records - Albert Collins Live At Montreux 1992
Jamie Records - Barbara Lynn: The Jamie Singles 1962-1965
Delmark Records - On Highway 80 (Sleepy John Estes)
Ruf Records - Rich Man's War: New Blues & Roots Songs of Peace and Protest (Various Artists, Created and Compiled by Ken Bays)
TopCat Records - Hollywood Fats & The Paladins Live 1985

Instrumentalist-Bass
Bob Stroger
Mookie Brill
Larry Taylor
Bill Stuve
Jeff Turmes

Instrumentalist-Drums
Cedric Burnside
Richard Innes
Jimi Bott
Tony Braunagel
Kenny Smith
Willie “Big Eyes” Smith

Instrumentalist-Guitar
Sonny Landreth
Lurrie Bell
Michael Burks
Kid Ramos
Ronnie Earl

Instrumentalist-Harmonica
Steve Guyger
Billy Gibson
Mark Hummel
Jason Ricci
Rick Estrin
Willie 'Big Eyes' Smith

Instrumentalist-Horn
Deanna Bogart
Kaz Kazanoff
Terry Hanck
Keith Crossan
Doug James

Instrumentalist-Other
Johnny Sansone – Accordion
Bob Brozman - Mandolin, Ukulele
Otis Taylor – Banjo
Rich Del Grosso – Mandolin
Gerry Hundt – Mandolin

Pinetop Perkins Piano Player
Henry Butler
David Maxwell
Eden Brent
Bruce Katz
Marcia Ball

Rock Blues Album of the Year
Jeff Healey - Mess of Blues
Sonny Landreth - From the Reach
Michael Burks - Iron Man
Gary Moore - Bad for You Baby
Smokin' Joe Kubek & Bnois King - Blood Brothers
Walter Trout - The Outsider

Song of the Year
Dave Duncan & Curtis Salgado – “20 Years of B. B. King” (Curtis Salgado)
Kenny Neal – “Let Life Flow” (Kenny Neal)
Elvin Bishop – “The Blues Rolls On” (Elvin Bishop)
Albert Castiglia – “Bad Year Blues” (Albert Castiglia)
Sonny Landreth – “Blue Tarp Blues” (Sonny Landreth)

Soul Blues Album of the Year
Irma Thomas - Simply Grand
Curtis Salgado - Clean Getaway
Jackie Payne Steve Edmonson Band - Overnight Sensation
Clarence Spady - Just Between Us
Johnny Rawls - Red Cadillac

Soul Blues Female Artist of the Year
Sharrie Williams
Irma Thomas
Jean Shy
Etta James
Denise LaSalle

Soul Blues Male Artist of the Year
Tad Robinson
Bobby Rush
Jackie Payne
Johnny Rawls
Curtis Salgado

Traditional Blues Album of the Year
Lil' Ed & the Blues Imperials - Full Tilt
B.B. King - One Kind Favor
Honeyboy Edwards - Roamin' and Ramblin'
Eddy “The Chief” Clearwater - West Side Strut
The Mannish Boys - Lowdown Feelin'

Traditional Blues Female Artist of the Year
Koko Taylor
Maria Muldaur
Nora Jean Bruso
Diunna Greenleaf
Ruthie Foster

Traditional Blues Male Artist of the Year
B.B. King
Lurrie Bell
Magic Slim
Eddy “The Chief” Clearwater
Honeyboy Edwards

Above item courtesy of: The Blues Foundation

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