Eight Alligator Artists Receive 14 Blues Music Award Nominations

On Wednesday, December 09, 2009, the Blues Foundation announced the nominees for the 2010 Blues Music Awards. Eight Alligator recording artists received a total of 14 nominations. Soul and R&B guitarist and vocalist Tommy Castro and harmonica master/songwriter/vocalist Rick Estrin (of Rick Estrin And The Nightcats) each received four nominations, tying for the most nominations given to any artist this year (two other artists also received four nods apiece).

Soul and blues singer Janiva Magness, electric blues guitar master Michael "Iron Man" Burks, Saffire--The Uppity Blues Women, Ann Rabson (of Saffire--The Uppity Blues Women), Buckwheat Zydeco, and Tinsley Ellis each received one nomination. In addition, the DVD, Hot Flash-The Documentary (a film about Saffire--The Uppity Blues Women) also received a nod.

The Blues Music Awards are recognized as the highest honor given to blues artists. The Blues Music Awards ceremony and concert will be held May 6, 2010 at the Cook Convention Center in Memphis. 

Alligator artists and nominations are as follows:

RICK ESTRIN AND THE NIGHTCATS
B.B. King Entertainer Of The Year
Band Of The Year
Contemporary Blues Album Of The Year - Twisted
Instrumentalist Of The Year - Harmonica







TOMMY CASTRO
B.B. King Entertainer Of The Year
Band of the Year
Contemporary Blues Album Of The Year - Hard Believer
Contemporary Blues Male Artist Of The Year







JANIVA MAGNESS
Contemporary Blues Female Artist Of The Year










MICHAEL "IRON MAN" BURKS
Contemporary Blues Male Artist Of The Year







SAFFIRE--THE UPPITY BLUES WOMEN
Acoustic Album Of The Year - Havin' The Last Word

ANN RABSON (of SAFFIRE--THE UPPITY BLUES WOMEN)
Traditional Blues Female Artist Of The Year







BUCKWHEAT ZYDECO
Instrumentalist Of The Year - Other (Accordion)










TINSLEY ELLIS
Rock Blues Album Of The Year - Speak No Evil