Shemekia Copeland, Toronzo Cannon And Bruce Iglauer Win Living Blues Awards

Shemekia Copeland Named Blues Artist Of The Year (Female) 

Also Wins Album Of The Year For Outskirts Of Love

Chicago Bluesman Toronzo Cannon And Alligator President Bruce Iglauer Win Producer Of The Year For The Chicago Way

Living Blues magazine has announced the winners for the 2016 Living Blues Readers' and Critics' Awards. Shemekia Copeland was named Blues Artist Of The Year (Female) in both the Readers' and Critics' Polls. Her 2015 CD, Outskirts Of Love, won the Critics' Poll for Album Of The Year. Copeland has received seven previous Living Blues Awards. Chicago bluesman Toronzo Cannon, along with Alligator Records president Bruce Iglauer, won the prestigious Critics' Poll for Producer Of The Year--New Recording for Cannon's label debut, The Chicago Way.

Copeland'sOutskirts Of Love received a Grammy Award nomination in the Best Blues Album category. The prestigious United Kingdom publication, The Blues magazine, named the CD the 2015 Album Of The Year. In the magazine's review of the record, writer Rev. Keith Gordon says, "Shemekia Copeland is one of the best singers performing today. A rich blend of blues, soul and roots-rock that will astound the casual listener while rewarding Copeland's longtime fans. Pure joy." Editor Ed Mitchell calls it "a mature masterpiece of modern blues."

The Chicago Way is comprised of all self-penned songs, inspired by Cannon's deep, homegrown Chicago roots and powered by his blistering guitar playing and soul-baring vocals. Cannon’s songs – from searing blues anthems to swinging shuffles to soulful ballads to roof-raising rockers – tell timeless stories of common experiences in uncommon ways. Living Blues writer David Whiteis says, "He bursts with youthful fire in his guitar work and his tough and deep vocals. This is a first-rate, major label debut from an artist whose long-endured “well-kept secret” status should now be a thing of the past."

Cannon has played the Chicago Blues Festival on ten separate occasions, either as a sideman, a special guest or, most recently in June as a main stage headliner. He's been featured on Chicago's WGN-TV and WTTW-TV. When he’s home, Cannon drives a Chicago Transit Authority bus by day and performs by night. It isn't easy, but, like all of the Chicago greats who have come before him, blues is his calling. "I am proud to be part of a movement,” he says, anxious to hit the road and bring his music to new fans in new places. “I’m proud to be standing on the shoulders of every great Chicago blues musician who came before me."