Memphis, TN  (January 14, 2004) –2004 may be the 50th anniversary of rock, roll and soul, but the Blues is still reveling in the success of last year’s “Year of the Blues” celebration.  Now, the rejuvenated Blues Foundation has turned its attention and spotlight toward the upcoming 25th Anniversary of the W.C. Handy Blues Awards. 

“The 2004 nominees represent the diversity and vitality of the genre, and we are really excited about our new location for what will be a great celebration of the silver anniversary of this event,” said Kevin Kane, Blues Foundation President.  The Handy Awards ceremony and post-event jam session will be held April 29, 2004 at the Cook Convention Center on Main Street in downtown Memphis, the Home of the Blues.   “In addition, we want to recognize the ten years of support Gibson Guitars and Baldwin Pianos have provided to make the event so successful,” added Kane.

Performers, industry representatives and fans from around the globe arrive in Memphis, where W.C. Handy penned the first published Blues song, to celebrate the best in Blues recording and performance from the previous year.  The Handys are universally recognized as the highest honor given to Blues artists. 

The W.C. Handy Blues Awards are produced by the Memphis-based Blues Foundation, a non-profit organization established to "Preserve, Celebrate and Support" Blues history, Blues excellence and Blues education.  The Foundation consists of a worldwide network of 100 affiliated Blues societies, and has individual memberships in more than 20 countries.  In addition to the Handys, the Foundation also produces the Blues Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony, the International Blues Challenge and the Keeping the Blues Alive Awards.  For more information, log onto www.blues.org.

For the latest Handy Awards® news visit www.handyawards.com. 

For more information or to request press credentials contact:  Suzanne Hamm at Suzanne.hamm@email.com.

2004 W.C. Handy Blues Awards

NOMINEES

ACOUSTIC ALBUM

Eric Bibb - Natural  Light - Earthbeat

Rory Block - Last Fair Deal - Telarc Records

Guy Davis - Chocolate to the Bone  - Red House

Buddy Guy - Blues Singer - Silvertone 

Fruteland Jackson - Blues 2.0  - Electro-Fi

Mark Lemhouse - Big Lonesome Radio - Yellow Dog Records

 ACOUSTIC ARTIST

Eric Bibb

Rory Block

Guy Davis

John Hammond

Corey Harris

Alvin Youngblood Hart

BEST NEW ARTIST DEBUT

Renee Austin - Sweet Talk - Blind Pig

Nick Curran and the Nitelifes - Doctor Velvet - Blind Pig

Ellis Hooks - Up Your Mind - Evidence

EG Kight - Southern Comfort - Blue South records

Mark Lemhouse - Big Lonesome Radio - Yellow Dog Records

BLUES ALBUM

Anson Funderburgh and the Rockets - Which Way Is Texas? - Bullseye Blues

Buddy Guy - Blues Singer -Silvertone

Bettye Lavette - A Woman Like Me - Blues Express

Otis Taylor - Truth Is Not Fiction - Telarc Records

Kim Wilson – Lookin’ for Trouble! - MC Records

BLUES BAND

Anson Funderburgh and the Rockets w/Sam Myers

Little Charlie and the Nightcats

Magic Slim Band

Bob Margolin's All Star Blues Band

Rod Piazza Band

Roomful of Blues

ENTERTAINER

Solomon Burke

Shemekia Copeland

BB King

Bobby Rush

Kim Wilson

INSTRUMENTALIST--BASS

Johnny B. Gayden

Calvin Jones

Willie Kent

Bob Stroger

Bill Stuve

INSTRUMENTALIST--DRUMS

Jimi Bott

Sam Carr

Sam Lay

Joe Maher

Willie “Big Eyes” Smith

INSTRUMENTALIST--GUITAR

Michael Burks

Ronnie Earl

Anson Funderburgh

Duke Robillard

Junior Watson

INSTRUMENTALIST--HARMONICA

James Harmon

Charlie Musselwhite

Rod Piazza

Snooky Pryor

Kim Wilson

INSTRUMENTALIST--HORNS

Gordon Beadle - Saxophone

Mark Kazanoff - Saxophone

Calvin Owens -Trumpet

Roomful of Blues - Horns

Eddie Shaw - Saxophone

INSTRUMENTALIST--KEYBOARDS

Marcia Ball

Henry Butler

Dr. John

Honey Piazza

Jay McShann

INSTRUMENTALIST--OTHER

Gatemouth Brown - Fiddle

Andra Faye Mandolin/Violin)

Robert Randolph - Pedal Steel

Sonny Rhodes - Lap Steel

Otis Taylor - Banjo

SONG

"Foreclose on the House of Love" - writer, John Lee Sanders - So Many Rivers/Marcia Ball

"Hard Times Won" - writers, Barry Levenson/Johnny Dyer - Hard Times Won/Johnny Dyer

"I Smell Smoke" - writers, Jon Tiven, Susan Tiven and Roger Reale - I Smell Smoke/Michael Burks

"Lookin’ for Trouble" - writers, Kim Wilson/Amanda Taylor – Lookin’ For Trouble!/Kim Wilson

"Southern Comfort" - writers, EG Kight/Tom Horner - Southern Comfort/EG Kight

COMEBACK ALBUM

Mickey Champion - What You Want - Tonedef

Jim Dickinson - Free Beer Tomorrow - Artemis Records

Bettye Lavette - A Woman Like Me - Blues Express

Deacon John Moore - Deacon John's Jump Blues - Vetter Communications

Howard Tate - Rediscovered - Private Music

CONTEMPORARY ALBUM

Marcia Ball - So Many Rivers - Alligator

Michael Burks - I Smell Smoke - Alligator

Nick Moss & the Flip Tops – Count Your Blessings - Blue Bella

Otis Taylor - Truth Is Not Fiction - Telarc Records

Kim Wilson – Lookin’ for Trouble! - MC Records

CONTEMPORARY FEMALE

Marcia Ball

Deborah Coleman

Shemekia Copeland

EG Kight

Janiva Magness

CONTEMPORARY MALE

Buddy Guy

Taj Mahal

Otis Taylor

Joe Louis Walker

Kim Wilson

HISTORICAL ALBUM

Slim Harpo - Complete Excello Singles - Hip-O

Sister Rosetta Tharpe - The Gospel of the Blues - MCA/Decca

Muddy Waters - Muddy "Mississippi" Waters Live -  Legacy Edition

Howlin' Wolf  - The London Sessions (Deluxe Edition) - MCA/Chess

Various Artists - 50 Years of Jazz and Blues -Blues- Delmark

SOUL BLUES ABLUM

Bobby Blue Bland - Blues At Midnight - Malaco Records

Etta James - Let's Roll - RCA/Private

Bettye Lavette - A Woman Like Me - Blues Express

Mighty Sam McClain - One More Bridge to Cross - Mighty Music

Howard Tate - Rediscovered - Private Music

SOUL FEMALE ARTIST

Etta James

Bettye Lavette

E.C. Scott

Toni Lynn Washington

Lavelle White

SOUL MALE ARTIST

Solomon Burke

W.C. Clark

Mighty Sam McClain

Bobby Rush

Howard Tate

TRADITIONAL ALBUM

Jimmy Burns - Back To The Delta - Delmark

Anson Funderburgh and the Rockets - Which Way Is Texas? - Bullseye Blues

Bob Margolin - All Star Blues Jam - Telarc Records

Johnny B. Moore - Rockin' In The Same Old Boat - Delmark

Various – Shout, Sister, Shout! – A Tribute to Sister Rosetta Tharpe - MC Records

TRADITIONAL FEMALE ARTIST

Alberta Adams

Precious Bryant

Mickey Champion

Maria Muldaur

Odetta

Koko Taylor

TRADITIONAL MALE ARTIST

Willie King

Robert Lockwood, Jr.

Magic Slim

Pinetop Perkins

Otis Rush