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Voting for the 2010 Blues Blast Music Awards is now open and continues until August 31st, 2010 on our website at: http://www.TheBluesBlast.com

HOW TO VOTE FOR YOUR FAVORITE ARTISTS
Voting is open to anyone who is a Blues Blast Magazine subscriber. Subscriptions are FREE and sign up is automatic as part of the voting process so anyone with a valid email address is eligible to vote.

After voting, a confirmation email will be sent to your email address with instructions on how to confirm your vote and subscription. (If you do not see the confirmation email, please check your spam or junk mail folder)

ABOUT THE BLUES BLAST MUSIC AWARD NOMINATIONS
In early May, a group of Blues music industry professionals including music writers, managers, musicians, Blues Blast Magazine staff and other industry professionals nominated the best of 2010 Blues music in eight categories.

ABOUT THE BLUES BLAST MUSIC AWARD CEREMONIES
The 2010 Blues Blast Music Awards ceremonies will be held at Buddy Guys’ Legends in Chicago, Illinois, October 28th, 2010. The awards ceremony will feature music by some of the artists nominated. Tickets for the event will go on sale in mid August at http://www.TheBluesBlast.com. The 2010 Blues Blast Music Awards are presented by Blues Blast Magazine.

ABOUT THE BLUES BLAST MAGAZINE
Blues Blast Magazine is the fastest growing FREE weekly internet Blues magazine with over 15,000 Blues fan subscribers located in all 50 states and in more than 70 countries.

LISTEN TO THE NOMINEES MUSIC BEFORE YOU VOTE
Our sponsor public radio station WGLT has set up a web page where you can play music samples of the 2010 Blues Blast Music Award nominees. To hear these great Blues artists on GLT's 2010 Blues Blast Music Awards Listening site visit: http://www.wglt.org/programs/blues/blues_blast/blues_blast.phtml

When you get there, click on one of the nominees links to listen. A complete list of the 2010 Blues Blast Music Award nominees follows:

Best Contemporary Blues CD
• Joe Louis Walker - Between A Rock And the Blues
• Mike Zito - Pearl River
• Nick Moss - Privileged
• Sean Costello - Sean's Blues
• The Holmes Brothers - Feed My Soul
• Tommy Castro - Hard Believer

Best Traditional Blues CD
• Dave Riley & Bob Corritore - Lucky To Be Living
• David Maxwell & Louisiana Red - You Got To Move
• Eddie C. Campbell - Tear This World Up
• Fiona Boyes - Blues Woman
• Kilborn Alley Blues Band - Better Off Now
• Mississippi Heat - Let's Live It Up

Best Blues Song
• Jackie Scott & The Housewreckers - How Much Woman Can You Stand?
• Joe Louis Walker - I'm Tide
• Kilborn Alley Blues Band- Better Off Now
• Mike Zito & Cyril Neville - Pearl River
• Pete Anderson - Still In Love
• Quintus McCormick - Hey Jodie!

Best New Artist Debut Release
• Alabama Mike - Day To Day
• Jackie Scott & The Housewreckers - How Much Woman Can You Stand?
• Marquise Knox - Man Child
• Quintus McCormick - Hey Jodie!
• Shaun Murphy - Livin' The Blues

Best Female Blues Artist
• Candye Kane
• Fiona Boyes
• Janiva Magness
• Ruthie Foster
• Shemekia Copeland
• Zora Young

Best Male Blues Artist
• Bobby Rush
• Joe Bonamassa
• John Németh
• Magic Slim
• Nick Moss
• Tommy Castro

Best Blues Band
• Magic Slim & The Teardrops
• Nick Moss & The Flip Tops
• Rick Estrin & The Night Cats
• The Holmes Brothers
• The Mannish Boys
• Tommy Castro Band

Sean Costello Rising Star Award
• Cash Box Kings
• Damon Fowler
• Jackie Scott & The Housewreckers
• Joanne Shaw Taylor
• Marquise Knox
• The Insomniacs

CHARLIE MUSSELWHITE AND JANIVA MAGNESS RECEIVE BLUES BLAST AWARD NOMINATIONS

Alligator Records' artists Charlie Musselwhile and Janiva Magness received nominations for 2011 Blues Blast Awards.

Musselwhite received two nominations, one for Traditional Blues CD for his Grammy-nominated album, The Well, and one for Song Of The Year for the title track. Magness received a nomination for Best Female Blues Artist. The awards ceremony will be held on October 27, 2011 at Buddy Guy's Legends in Chicago.

BLUES MASTER CHARLIE MUSSELWHITE RETURNS TO ALLIGATOR RECORDS!

NEW CD, THE WELL, SET FOR AUGUST 24 RELEASE

Harmonica master, vocalist, songwriter and guitarist Charlie Musselwhite returns to Alligator Records -- where he recorded three successful albums in the late 1990s -- with The Well, set for an August 24 street date. The album is an authentic slice of Charlie's deep blues roots with musical flavors from Mississippi to Chicago to California, including help on one song from legendary vocalist and friend Mavis Staples. Rolling Stone calls Musselwhite "compelling and original," and says, "His harp playing is superb, exhilarating and forthright. His unabashed excellence sets the standard for blues bands everywhere."

The Well is the first full-band recording in Musselwhite's almost 50-year career in which he wrote every track on the album, and it is the most personal and emotionally open cycle of songs he has ever created. The Well was recorded at Los Angeles' legendary Sunset Sound, with guitarist Dave Gonzales (Paladins, Hacienda Brothers), bassist John Bazz (The Blasters) and drummer Stephen Hodges (Tom Waits, Mavis Staples), and was produced by Chris Goldsmith (Ruthie Foster, Grammy-winning Blind Boys Of Alabama). The revealing, autobiographical songs recall specific events and places in Musselwhite's amazingly colorful life. His worldly-wise vocals and masterful harmonica work are perfectly matched with the stories he tells. Simply put, The Well is Charlie Musselwhite at his very best.

According to Alligator president Bruce Iglauer, having Musselwhite back on the label is pure pleasure. "I'm thrilled to welcome Charlie back to the Alligator Records family. He's a true icon of American roots music, a brilliant harmonica player and a true storyteller as a vocalist and songwriter. Charlie's a great guy to work with, a real road warrior who is out there pleasing the fans night after night. We're looking forward to renewing a great relationship." And Musselwhite couldn't agree more, saying, "I don't think anybody is happier than I am being back in the Alligator family. It feels good to be home."

Born into a blue collar family in Kosciusko, Mississippi on January 31, 1944 and raised by a single mother, Musselwhite was surrounded by blues, hillbilly and gospel music on the radio and outside his front door. His family moved to Memphis, where, as a teenager, he worked as a ditch digger, concrete layer and moonshine runner. Fascinated by the blues, Musselwhite began playing guitar and harmonica. He attended parties hosted by Elvis Presley and hobnobbed with many of the local musicians including Johnny Cash and Johnny Burnette, but the celebrities young Charlie sought out were Memphis' veteran bluesmen like Furry Lewis, Will Shade and Gus Cannon.

Following the path of so many, Musselwhite moved to Chicago looking for better paying work. While driving an exterminator truck as a day job, Charlie lived on the South Side and hung out in blues clubs at night, meeting - and developing close friendships with - blues icons Little Walter, Big Walter, Sonny Boy Williamson, Big Joe Williams, Muddy Waters and Howlin' Wolf. Before long, he was sitting in at clubs with Muddy Waters and others, building an impressive word-of-mouth reputation. Soon after, Charlie was being paid to play in the same South Side neighborhood. His first recording, under the name Memphis Charlie, was with Big Walter Horton on the famous Vanguard Records series, Chicago/The Blues/Today!. Signing with Vanguard, Musselwhite (along with Paul Butterfield who was as urban as Charlie was rural) brought the blues to a new audience of young, white rock and rollers, who discovered that Charlie personified the sexy counter-culture icons they found relevant.

With 30 solo albums to his credit, Musselwhite has also appeared on numerous recordings as a featured player with Tom Waits, Eddie Vedder, Ben Harper, John Lee Hooker, Bonnie Raitt, Blind Boys Of Alabama, INXS, and most recently, Cyndi Lauper, and has shared stages with countless blues and rock musicians. He was inducted into the Blues Foundation's Blues Hall Of Fame in 2010, has been nominated for six Grammy Awards and has won 23 Blues Music Awards. DownBeat calls him, "the undisputed champion of the blues harmonica."

With The Well, Charlie Musselwhite returns with the strongest, most intimate album of his career - a powerful, personal collection of songs. Musselwhite's blues, imparting his hard-won knowledge and working class wisdom, are a window into the deep well of his Mississippi soul.

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LIL' ED WILLIAMS JOINS CONAN O'BRIEN ON STAGE

AT THE CHICAGO THEATRE

Chicago slide guitar master Lil' Ed Williams (leader of Lil' Ed and the Blues Imperials) joined Conan O'Brien on stage during his sold-out "Legally Prohibited From Being Funny On Television" performance at the Chicago Theatre on May 20, 2010. Ed, along with the house band led by Jimmy Vivino, performed his original song, Icicles In My Meatloaf.

Conan and Lil' Ed first met back in 2006 when O'Brien brought his Late Night show to Chicago. Ed appeared with O'Brien in a hilarious filmed segment, followed by Ed sliding across the stage of the Chicago Theatre on his knees while playing and then jamming with the Late Night host. The entire Late Night staff was so impressed by Ed's talent and charisma that they invited him and The Blues Imperials back to New York for a full song performance later that year.

ANDERS OSBORNE AND MARCIA BALL PEFORM TO AID OIL SPILL VICTIMS AT GULF AID 2010 CONCERT

On May 16, 2010, Alligator artists Anders Osborne and Marcia Ball joined an all-star group of musicians for WWOZ's Gulf Aid 2010 concert. The event raised funds for victims of the disastrous oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico.

The concert raised money and awareness of the ongoing problems. To donate, people may go to http://www.gulfaid.org/ or they can text "GULFAID 10" to 27138 to donate $10 to Gulf Aid. Replace "10" with the number of US dollars (no $ sign) donors would like to pledge. Donors will receive an automated call the next day to fulfill their pledge over the phone via credit card.

Or contributions may be mailed to: Gulf Relief Foundation, P.O. Box 6917, Metairie, LA 70009.

BEST OF MICHAEL "IRON MAN" BURKS SET FOR DIGITAL-ONLY RELEASE

Alligator Records has set a May 25 release date for the digital-only album, The Best Of Michael "Iron Man" Burks. This is the first digital-only release in Alligator's history. It will be available at iTunes, Amazon.com, and almost all the other major download services.

THE BEST OF MICHAEL "IRON MAN" BURKS features tracks from all three of Burks' Alligator releases and is an electrifying set of his emotional, rocked-out blues. Burks' fiery fretwork, gruff, fervent vocals and overwhelming intensity are here on full display. The songs on the album feature some of the hottest guitar playing and most soulful singing Burks has ever recorded.

The music on the THE BEST OF MICHAEL "IRON MAN" BURKS -- forged by his unquestionable talent and fueled by the experience of years on the road -- proves that electric guitar blues is alive and well in the skillful hands of the Iron Man, Michael Burks.

 

 

 SATURDAY, JUNE 12 AT 5 PM 

 

 

 

 

 

 

            

TOMMMY CASTRO BIG WINNER AT 
BLUES MUSIC AWARDS

BUCKWHEAT ZYDECO ALSO SCORES

On Thursday, May 7 the Blues Foundation awarded Alligator recording artist Tommy Castro four 2010 Blues Music Awards, including the coveted B.B. King Entertainer Of The Year Award. With his four wins, guitarist/vocalist/songwriter Castro took home more awards than any other artist at the 31st Annual Blues Music Awards ceremony held in Memphis at The Cook Convention Center. He also won the award for Band Of The Year, Contemporary Blues Album Of The Year (for his Alligator debut CD, Hard Believer), and for Contemporary Blues Male Artist Of The Year.

Labelmate Stanley "Buckwheat" Dural, Jr. (of Buckwheat Zydeco) won the award for Best Instrumentalist - Accordion. The band recently won the Grammy Award in the Zydeco category for its Alligator debut, Lay Your Burden Down.

The Blues Music Awards are recognized as the highest honor given to blues artists.

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

 

 

 

 

BUCKWHEAT ZYDECO
Instrumentalist Of The Year - Other (Accordion)

 

 

 

 

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AWARD-WINNING BLUES ARTIST JANIVA MAGNESS NAMED AMBASSADOR OF FOSTER CARE ALUMNI

Foster Care Alumni of America has named award-winning Alligator Records Recording Artist Janiva Magness Ambassador of Foster Care Alumni. In this capacity, Magness will serve as an advocate for children and adults who share the foster care experience, raising awareness and sharing her message of hope.

Nathan Monell, CEO of Foster Care Alumni of America, says, "Janiva's story of how blues brought power and hope to her world as an isolated and struggling youth in foster care reminds us that all 500,000 foster children and youth in care need what she found -- a place to belong and a purpose to engage within the world. We are proud to partner with her as FCAA's ambassador."

On any given day, there are more than 500,000 children in foster care -- and there are millions of adults in this country who were in the foster care system. Janiva is one of these alumni of the foster care system. She says, "Someone was brave enough to stand up for me when I was young and in foster care. Foster Care Alumni of America is standing up for people in and from the system every day, and I am so honored to have the opportunity to raise awareness and help make a difference in the lifetimes of children."

Magness' new CD, The Devil Is An Angel Too, debuted at #1 on the iTunes Blues chart and #3 on the Billboard Blues Chart. The Blues Foundation of Memphis, TN honored Janiva in 2009 as the recipient of the highly coveted B.B. King Entertainer of the Year Award, as well as the Contemporary Blues Female Artist of the Year, an award she has been nominated for again in 2010. In the last four years, she has been nominated 11 times and won four awards.

Although Janiva is now an international Blues star, her rise to the top was far from easy. Born in Detroit, Janiva was inspired by the blues and country she heard listening to her father's record collection, and by the vibrant music of the city's classic Motown sound. By her teenage years, though, her life was in chaos. She lost both parents to suicide by the age of 16 and lived on the streets, bouncing from one foster home to another. One night in Minneapolis, an underage Magness sneaked into a club to see blues great Otis Rush, and it was there that she found her salvation and realized that the Blues was her calling.

Janiva is currently touring internationally in support of her new release. In addition, she will be meeting with foster care alumni and foster parents and sharing her story about ways to make a difference in the lives of young people.

Foster Care Alumni of America is a national non-profit founded and led by alumni of the foster care system. Its mission is to connect the alumni community and to transform foster care policy and practice, ensuring opportunity for people in and from foster care.

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