Koko Taylor appears in...
Tommy Castro Leads BMI Wins at 2010 Blues Music Awards

Tommy Castro enjoyed a big night at the 31st Blues Music Awards ceremony, held May 6 at the Cook Convention Center in Memphis. Castro walked away with wins in every category in which he was nominated: Contemporary Blues Album for Hard Believer, Contemporary Blues Male Artist, Band of the Year with the Tommy Castro Band, and the coveted B. B. King Entertainer of the Year crown. Other…
Blues Icon Koko Taylor Dies

Queen of the Blues Koko Taylor has died. She was 80 years-old. A pioneer and consistent force within the blues genre, Taylor was one of a very few females to earn success in the Chicago blues field, which has been traditionally dominated by men including legends Howlin’ Wolf and Muddy Waters. She experienced a jolt of success in 1965 thanks to her smash “Wang…
Buddy Guy Leads BMI Winners at 30th Annual Blues Music Awards

BMI blues legends dominated the 30th Annual Blues Music Awards, held Thursday, May 7 in Memphis, Tennessee. With three trophies, icon Buddy Guy walked away with the most wins, including album and contemporary blues album of the year for Skin Deep, as well as contemporary blues male artist of the year. Acclaimed singer Janiva Magness earned the prestigious B.B. King entertainer…
Bobby Rush, Irma Thomas, Koko Taylor and More Honored at 2008 Blues Awards
BMI songwriters staked a claim to the vast majority of the 2008 Blues Awards handed out in Tunica, Mississippi May 8. The ceremony's inaugural staging in Tunica prompted excitement and sense of expectancy, and was heralded by many as a triumphant return to the cradle of the blues. Legends including Bobby Rush, Irma Thomas and Koko Taylor numbered among the night's…
BMI Songwriters Dominate List of 2008 Blues Music Awards Nominees
Once again, noted BMI songwriters overwhelmingly populate the list of nominees for the upcoming Blues Music Awards. 2008's round of recognition will take place May 8, 2008, at Grand Casino Event Center in Tunica Resorts, Mississippi. In addition to the impressive caliber of 2008's honorees, the ceremony itself boasts historic significance: it will mark the first time the Blues Foundation has ever presented its annual awards in the Mississippi Delta,…
BMI Songwriters Top List of NEA National Heritage Fellows
Since 1982, the National Endowment for the Arts has awarded the National Heritage Fellowships to noted individuals in the folk and traditional arts for "their artistic excellence, cultural authenticity and contributions to their field." Virtually every one of the award winners who writes songs is a member of BMI. Past musical recipients of the National Heritage Fellowships include B.B. King, John Lee Hooker, Doc…
BMI Blues Artists Repeat Near Sweep of Handy Awards
Representing an astounding 98% of the winners, BMI once again proved its dominance in the field of blues at the 26th annual W.C. Handy Awards, held May 5 at the Cook Convention Center in Memphis, Tennessee. Presented by the Blues Foundation and co-sponsored by BMI, the Handy Awards celebrate excellence in the performance and recording of the blues, and is the highest honor bestowed upon artists…
Buddy Guy’s Got the Blues

"I was ignored, but I didn't quit," Buddy Guy told the Washington Post last year, recalling the career lull that preceded his 1991 comeback album Damn Right, I've Got the Blues . "I kept playing even when I wasn't making a nickel, because I love what I'm doing." One of the few living blues icons, and the strongest surviving link to the golden era of…
Holmes Brothers Lead Blues Artists in Handy Nominations
Blues trio the Holmes Brothers lead the list of BMI artists and composers nominated for the 26th Annual W.C. Handy Blues Awards with six, it was announced by the Memphis, Tennessee-based Blues Foundation. Co-sponsored by BMI, a long-time supporter of the non-profit organization, the Handy Awards celebrate excellence in performance and recording of the blues, and is the highest honor bestowed upon artists…
BMI Blues Artists Dominate Handy Awards
BMI blues artists dominated the 25th Annual W.C. Handy Blues Awards, winning all but one of the 25 awards. The silver anniversary was held before a sold-out crowd at the Cannon Center Ballroom in Memphis on April 29. Several nominees performed throughout the evening, which featured a dinner, silent auction and the presentation of the awards.
