But, as is so often the case, the singer/actress didn’t exactly emerge from nowhere. The Sadie character was obviously influenced by Janis Joplin, so it was no big surprise when director Julie Taymor cast Fuchs, who’d performed as Pearl in the off-Broadway show Love, Janis.

The youngest of six children, Fuchs grew up in a small Florida town surrounded by music, whether it was records and radio, her siblings’ garage bands, or singing in the First Baptist Gospel Choir. By age 19, she’d relocated to New York City “to sing the blues,” performing around town with a variety of blues acts before connecting with guitarist Jon Diamond, with whom she formed the Dana Fuchs Band.

Steadily building a growing following, Fuchs at last came to the attention of the Love, Janis producers, singing a few bars of “Piece of My Heart” and nailing the role, which, in turn, helped consolidate her reputation among the city’s music cognoscenti.

With Diamond, Fuchs co-wrote her band’s debut CD, Lonely for a Lifetime (Q&W Music), a 12-song rave-up that reveals her musical debt to the likes of Etta James, Aretha Franklin, the Rolling Stones, and Bob Dylan.

“These tracks are about addiction and religious hypocrisy,” she says, “and, like all of the tracks on the album, deal with subjects that I have a deep personal experience with. It’s crucial to me to have a passionate connection to what I’m delivering in order to create a sincere representation of me, my life and my influences.”

Not that fans of her blistering live shows should fret. “Live performance is the way I get to truly spill my soul and connect with an audience,” she declares. “I love being in the studio creating, but in live performance every second is a new creation.”

The event was held on May 10th at the Cook Convention Center in Memphis, Tennessee before an enthusiastic crowd. In addition to the awards ceremony, more than25 performances by leading blues musicians took place over nearly 8 hours of dynamic entertainment.

The evening’s top winner of the night was Memphis native son and harmonica wizard Charlie Musselwhite. His current release, Delta Hardware, won Album of the Year and Traditional Blues Album of the Year, while the track “Church Is Out” was named Song of the Year; Musselwhite won Best Instrumentalist –Harmonica as well.

Other multiple winners included two Louisiana leading lights: Big Easy vocalist Irma Thomas won Soul Blues Female Artist of the Year and Soul Blues Album of the Year for her current release, After the Rain. Guitarist Tab Benoit took home Contemporary Blues Artist of the Year and B.B. King was named Entertainer of the Year. Both Thomas and Benoit spoke of the on-going need for support of those in their home state, still devastated by the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina.

The complete list of winners follows. For further information on the Blues Music Awards and the Blues Foundation consult http://www.blues.org

2007 Blues Music Awards Recipients

Charlie Musselwhite
Album of the Year: Delta Hardware
Traditional Blues Album of the Year: Delta Hardware
Song of the Year: “Church Is Out”
Instrumentalist: Harmonica

Irma Thomas
Soul Blues Album of the Year: After the Rain
Soul Blues Female Artist of the Year

Tab Benoit
B. B. King Entertainer of the Year
Contemporary Blues Male Artist of the Year

Jerry Lee Lewis
Comeback Album of the Year: Last Man Standing

Robert Lockwood, Jr.
Traditional Blues Male Artist of the Year

Etta James
Traditional Blues Female Artist of the Year

David “Honeyboy” Edwards
Acoustic Blues Artist of the Year

Rory Block
Acoustic Blues Album of the Year: The Lady and Mr. Johnson

Marcia Ball
Pinetop Perkins Piano Player of the Year

Bobby Rush
Soul Blues Male Artist of the Year

John Lee Hooker
Historical Album of the Year: Hooker

Guitar Shorty
Contemporary Blues Album of the Year: We The People

Janiva Magness
Contemporary Blues Female Artist of the Year

Hubert Sumlin
Instrumentalist: Guitar

Willie “Big Eyes” Smith
Instrumentalist: Drums

Eddie Shaw
Instrumentalist – Horn

Robert Randolph
Instrumentalist – Other

Slick Ballinger
Best New Artist Debut Album

Lil’ Ed & the Blues Imperials
Band of the Year

“This is a concept album that follows a bold vision,” she declares. “The touchstones are Billie Holiday, Otis Redding, Etta James and Ella Fitzgerald — what I used to call my ‘fun music’ when I was a little girl.”

A double album, Basics utilizes an orchestra, choir, string quartet and jazz horns throughout, ranging from a 1920s-style blues feel on “I Got Trouble” to the delicious Andrews Sisters-influenced “Candy Man” and the zoot-suit riot of “Ain’t No Other Man.”

But lest longtime fans fear that Aguilera’s trying to be the next Rosemary Clooney, there are still plenty of modern sounds, from the emotionally naked “Save Me from Myself” to the risqué “Nasty Naughty Boy” and the straight-ahead club track “Still Dirrty” (a reference to her previous ode to raunch, “Dirrty,” from the 2002 album Stripped). It’s been quite a journey from her early days as a member of “The New Mickey Mouse Club” (alongside fellow future stars Justin Timberlake and Britney Spears). Aguilera’s first self-titled album showed off her pipes and pop smarts via such instant hits as “Genie in a Bottle” and “What A Girl Wants,” while 2000’s My Kind of Christmas album was a strong seller.

It was her appearance alongside Pink, Mya and Lil’ Kim on the Moulin Rouge cover of “Lady Marmalade,” however, that brought the former teen queen’s sexuality to the fore, something that was emphasized on Stripped. With Back to Basics, the artist reveals just how mature she’s become.

“When you’re 17-years-old, green and inexperienced, you’re grateful for any guidance and direction you can get,” she recalls. However, within a few years, “I felt trapped. I was under the thumb of people who were mostly interested in keeping me doing exactly the same thing.

“But I’m not blaming anyone,” she quickly adds. “You learn fast in this business and, once I knew where I wanted to go, I didn’t let anyone get in my way.”

The prolonged layoff after Stripped — combined with her 2005 marriage to music executive Jordan Bratman — helped re-energize her. “I needed a break,” she states. “I began realizing that I should be experiencing a bit more of life than TV and recording studios, hotels and green rooms.”

Good thing she caught her breath when she did: On the heels of Basics going straight to No. 1 on the Billboard chart, Aguilera’s currently in the midst of a world tour that will last at least through spring 2007.

“I’m driven,” she understates with a laugh.

Charlie Musselwhite	Nick Moss	Guy Davis

Leading the list of BMI blues giants was harp player Charlie Musselwhite, who took home an impressive five nominations that included Album of the Year and Traditional Blues Album of the Year for his acclaimed Delta Hardware, as well as Song of the Year for "Church Is Out."

Irma Thomas	Big George Brock	Bobby Rush

Guitarist Nick Moss and his band the Flip Flops earned four nods, including Band of the Year and an individual mention for Moss in the instrumentalist catagory. Coming in with three nominations apiece were Guy Davis, Lil' Ed, Janiva Magness, Irma Thomas and Big George Brock, who is up for Traditional Blues Male Artist of the Year.

James Hunter	Marcia Ball	Kim Wilson

Double nominees included acoustic blues artist Rory Block, veteran harpist Bobby Rush, British newcomer James Hunter (PRS), singer/pianist Marcia Ball and harmonica master Kim Wilson.

R&B pioneer Ruth Brown, who died Nov. 17, 2006, was posthumously nominated for Traditional Blues Female Artist of the Year, along with singing legend Etta James and Chicago blues vocalist Zora Young.

BMI's 2007 Blues Music Award Nominees

Acoustic Album of the Year
Bob Brozman - Blues Reflex
Guy Davis - Skunkmello
Rory Block - The Lady and Mr. Johnson

Acoustic Artist of the Year
David "Honeyboy" Edwards
Paul Oscher
Rory Block
Guy Davis

Album of the Year
Charlie - Delta Hardware
Irma Thomas - After the Rain
Janiva Magness - Do I Move You?
Nick Moss & the Flip Tops - Live at Chan's

B.B. King Entertainer of the Year
Bobby Rush
Tab Benoit
Lil' Ed

Band of the Year
Lil' Ed & the Blues Imperials
Nick Moss & the Flip Tops
Magic Slim & the Teardrops

Best New Artist Debut
James Hunter (PRS) - People Gonna Talk
Slick Ballinger - Mississippi Soul

Comeback Album of the Year
Chicago Bob Nelson - Flyin' Too High
Jeremy Spencer - Precious Little
Jerry Lee Lewis - Last Man Standing

Contemporary Blues Female Artist of the Year
Marcia Ball
EG Kight
Barbara Blue
Janiva Magness
Shemekia Copeland

Contemporary Blues Album of the Year
Janiva Magness - Do I Move You?
Guitar Shorty - We the People
John Mooney - Big Ol' Fiya

Contemporary Blues Male Artist of the Year
Kim Wilson
Tab Benoit
Guitar Shorty
Ronnie Baker Brooks

Historical Album of the Year
Junior Wells - Live at Theresa's 1975
Hollywood Fats Band - Larger Than Life
Otis Rush - All Your Love I Miss Loving (Live at the Wise Fools Pub
Chicago)
Freddie King - Live at the Electric Ballroom 1974
John Lee Hooker - Hooker

Instrumentalist-Bass
Bob Stroger
Bill Stuve

Instrumentalist-Drums
Willie "Big Eyes" Smith
Richard Innes

Instrumentalist-Guitar
Duke Robillard
Kid Ramos
Lurrie Bell
Nick Moss
Guitar Shorty
Hubert Sumlin

Instrumentalist-Harmonica
Charlie Musselwhite
Kim Wilson
Mark Hummel
Billy Branch
Big George Brock
James Harman
Mitch Kashmar

Instrumentalist-Horn
Deanna Bogart
Kaz Kazanoff
Calvin Owens
Eddie Shaw
Doug James
Greg Piccolo

Instrumentalist-Other
Robert Randolph - Steel Guitar
Otis Taylor - Banjo
Guy Davis - Banjo

Pinetop Perkins Piano Player of the Year
Mitch Woods
Marcia Ball
Floyd Dixon
Henry Butler
Dr. John
Honey Piazza

Song of the Year
"Icicles in My Meat Loaf" - Ed Williams, Lil' Ed & the Blues Imperials
"Church is Out" - Charlie Musselwhite, Charlie Musselwhite
"Baptized in Dirty Water" - Chris Thomas King, Chris Thomas King

Soul Blues Album of the Year
Frankie Lee - Standing at the Crossroads
Irma Thomas - After the Rain
Jackie Payne & Steve Edmonson Band - Master of the Game
Johnny Rawls - Heart & Soul
Calvin Owens Blues Orchestra - I Ain't Gonna Be Your Dog No More
James Hunter (PRS) - People Gonna Talk
Trudy Lynn - I'm Still Here

Soul Blues Female Artist of the Year
Irma Thomas
Trudy Lynn
Sugar Pie DeSanto

Soul Blues Male Artist of the Year
Bobby Rush
Frankie Lee
Mighty Sam McClain
Solomon Burke
Jackie Payne

Traditional Blues Album of the Year
Charlie Musselwhite - Delta Hardware
Nick Moss & the Flip Tops - Live at Chan's
Big George Brock - Round Two

Traditional Blues Female Artist of the Year
Zora Young
Etta James
Ruth Brown

Traditional Blues Male Artist of the Year
Charlie Musselwhite
Robert Lockwood, Jr.
Big George Brock

Blues Hall of Fame inductee Bobby Robinson is congratulated by BMI's David Sanjek

This year's ceremony featured a tribute to the late and beloved Little Milton Campbell, who received four posthumous awards: Album of the Year, Soul Blues Album of the Year, Soul Blues Male Artist of the Year and Song of the Year for the title track of his last recording, Think of Me. His widow, Pat Campbell, truly touched the audience as she accepted her husband's awards.

BMI's David Sanjek joins BMI songwriter Steve Cropper at the awards ceremony

Time-tested musician Paul Oscher, who played harmonica alongside Muddy Waters in the 1960s, picked up two awards and was named Acoustic Artist of the Year, while his Down in the Delta earned the Acoustic Album of the Year nod.

Blues Hall of Fame inductee Joe Bihari and BMI's David Sanjek

First-time honors went to saxophonist Eddie Shaw and legendary songwriter and sideman Al Kooper. The B.B. King Entertainer of the Year Award was awarded to Buddy Guy.

The 2006 inductions into the Blues Hall of Fame were also presented on May 11, with a full slate of individuals, albums, books and songs chosen for the prestigious honor. This year's inductees included many BMI songwriters in the blues community: performers Bobby Rush and Roy Milton; producers Bobby Robinson, the Bihari Brothers and Jerry Wexler; vocalists Etta James and Big Mama Thornton; and instrumentalist Bill Doggett.

A highlight of the ceremony was the appearance of legendary music business entrepreneurs Bobby Robinson and Joe Bihari. Robinson, now in his 80s, still runs a record store on Harlem's 125th Street and manages a number of labels, including the Fire and Fury imprints. He was instrumental in such releases as Elmore James's "The Sky is Crying" and Wilber Harrison's "Kansas City." The Bihari Brothers - Joe, Jules, Lester and Saul - ran the California-based Modern label, whose illustrious roster included B.B. King, Etta James, John Lee Hooker, Ike Turner and many others.

BMI's 2006 Blues Music Award winners:

Acoustic Album of the Year
Paul Oscher
Down in the Delta

Acoustic Artist of the Year
Paul Oscher

Album of the Year
Little Milton
Think of Me

B.B. King Entertainer of the Year
Buddy Guy

Band of the Year
Rod Piazza & the Mighty Flyers

Contemporary Blues Album of the Year
Tab Benoit
Fever for the Bayou

Contemporary Blues Female Artist of the Year
Janiva Magness

Contemporary Blues Male Artist of the Year
Kim Wilson

Historical Album of the Year
Muddy Waters
Hoochie Coochie Man: Complete Chess Recordings, Volume 2,
1952-1958

Instrumentalist - Drums
Willie "Big Eyes" Smith

Instrumentalist - Harmonica
Charlie Musselwhite

Instrumentalist - Horn
Eddie Shaw

Instrumentalist - Other
Clarence "Gatemouth" Brown

Pinetop Perkins Piano Player of the Year
Marcia Ball

Song of the Year
"Think of Me"
Jon Tiven, Milton Campbell, Pete Shoulder

Soul Blues Album of the Year
Little Milton
Think of Me

Soul Blues Male Artist of the Year
Little Milton

Traditional Blues Female Artist of the Year
Etta James

Traditional Blues Male Artist of the Year
B.B. King

BMI's 2006 Hall of Fame inductees:

Performer
Bobby Rush
Roy Milton

Non-Performer
Bobby Robinson
Jerry Wexler
Joe, Jules, Lester and Saul Bihari

Classics of Blues Recordings - Albums
Etta James
Tell Mama (Cadet)

Classics of Blues Recordings - Singles
Big Mama Thornton
"Hound Dog" (Peacock)
Bill Doggett
"Honky Tonk, Parts 1 & 2" (King)

Shown before the ceremony are BMI's Barbara Cane, RockWalk inductee Robert Cray, BMI's Tony George, Tracie Verlinde and Paige Sober, and RockWalk inductee Ike Turner.

Founded in 1985, Hollywood's RockWalk is a sidewalk gallery on Sunset Boulevard that pays homage to those musicians and innovators who have made a significant and lasting impact on rock 'n roll, including such creatively diverse individuals and groups as Isaac Hayes, Holland-Dozier-Holland, Aerosmith, Herbie Hancock, Queen, the Black Crowes, Dick Clark, Willie Dixon, Buddy Guy, Jimi Hendrix, KISS, Les Paul, John Lee Hooker and Smokey Robinson.

Pictured at the RockWalk induction ceremony are (back row) BMI's Barbara Cane, Tracie Verlinde and Paige Sober, ZZ Top's Billy Gibbons, BMI's Tony George, and (front row) RockWalk inductees Robert Cray, Solomon Burke and Ike Turner.

Photos by Ellen Ratner

Kanye West	Ray Charles

Charles, whose Grammy haul now totals 17, also took home the coveted Record of the Year title as well as Best Pop Collaboration with Vocals for "Here We Go Again," featuring pianist/singer Norah Jones. She won three awards herself, two for her duet with Charles and one for Best Female Pop Vocal Performance for the song "Sunrise" from her sophomore release Feels Like Home.

Norah Jones	John Adams	Loretta Lynn

Genius engineer Al Schmitt won four Grammys, including one for Best Engineered Album (non-classical); the album's producer, Don Mizell, also took home a statuette.

Maroon5	Tim McGraw

Ten-time nominee Kanye West took home three awards, including Best Rap Song for his hit "Jesus Walks" (co-written with Miri Ben-Ari) from his multiplatinum release The College Dropout, which earned the Best Rap Album title. His Best R&B Song win, also a songwriter award, was shared with BMI co-writer Harold Lilly for the smash "You Don't Know My Name."

Blind Boys of Alabama	Brian Wilson

Pop-rockers Maroon5 took home the prestigious Best New Artist Grammy, a surprise to even the band's own members. When lead singer, Adam Levine, accepted the award, he commented: "Kanye West, I want to thank you so much for being unbelievable."

Miri Ben-Ari	Al Schmitt	Harold Lilly

BMI artists once again dominated the Latin category, winning five of the six awards, including Best Latin Rock/Alternative Album (Street Signs) by multicultural, hip-hop outfit Ozomatli and Best Mexican/Mexican-American Album by Tejano-norte�o fusion band Intocable. Cuban bassist Israel "Cachao" L�pez's �Ahora S�! was named Best Traditional Tropical Latin Album and the Spanish Harlem Orchestra won for Best Salsa/Merengue Album. The Best Tejano Album win went to BMI composers David Lee Garza, Joel Guzman and Sunny Sauceda.

Ozomatli

BMI jazz artists also had a strong showing, winning Grammys in four out of six fields, with the Best Jazz Instrumental Album statuette going to McCoy Tyner, Gary Bartz, Terence Blanchard and Christian McBride for Illuminations. Herbie Hancock picked up his ninth career Grammy for Best Jazz Instrumental Solo, Charlie Haden's release Land of the Sun was named Best Latin Jazz Album and Bill Frisell's Unspeakable earned the Best Contemporary Jazz Album title.

Winning two Grammys each were classical composer John Adams and BMI Icon Loretta Lynn. This is legendary country singer's second Grammy; she won in 1971 for her collaboration with Conway Twitty. Her album, Van Lear Rose, earned her the Best Country Album trophy, which she accepted with the album's producer Jack White of the White Stripes. The pair also won Best Country Collaboration With Vocals for the track "Portland Oregon."

Newcomers Los Lonely Boys opened the Grammy show with their #1 breakthrough smash "Heaven," which earned the Tex-Mex brothers the trophy for Best Pop Performance By A Duo Or Group With Vocal. Hip-hop party band the Black Eyed Peas picked up a Grammy for "Let's Get It Started," named Best Rap Performance By A Duo Or Group, while crunk rapper Lil Jon received a Grammy nod for his collaboration on the Usher hit "Yeah!".

Other BMI winners included Basement Jaxx [PRS] (Best Electronic/Dance Album), Tim McGraw (Best Male Country Vocal Performance), The Blind Boys Of Alabama (Best Traditional Soul Gospel Album), Brave Combo (Best Polka Album), and BMI Icon Brian Wilson, who also earned his very first Grammy. The Beach Boys leader was also honored on February 11 as the Person of the Year at the annual MusiCares dinner, which cited him as "one of the most important songwriters and recording artists of our time."

BMI's 2005 Grammy Award Winners:

Ray Charles
Record Of The Year
"Here We Go Again"
Album Of The Year
Genius Loves Company
Best Pop Collaboration With Vocals
"Here We Go Again"
Best Pop Vocal Album
Genius Loves Company
Best Gospel Performance
"Heaven Help Us All"

Al Schmitt
Record Of The Year
"Here We Go Again"
Album Of The Year
Genius Loves Company
Best Engineered Album, Non-Classical
Genius Loves Company
Best Surround Sound Album
Genius Loves Company

Norah Jones
Record Of The Year
"Here We Go Again"
Best Female Pop Vocal Performance
"Sunrise"
Best Pop Collaboration With Vocals
"Here We Go Again"

Kanye West
Best R&B Song
"You Don't Know My Name"
Best Rap Song
"Jesus Walks"
Best Rap Album
College Dropout

John Adams
Best Classical Album
Adams: On The Transmigration Of Souls
Best Classical Contemporary Composition
Adams: On The Transmigration Of Souls

Loretta Lynn
Best Country Album
Van Lear Rose
Best Country Collaboration With Vocals
Portland Oregon"

Maroon5
Best New Artist

Don Mizell
Album Of The Year
Genius Loves Company

Los Lonely Boys
Best Pop Performance By A Duo Or Group With Vocal
"Heaven"

Britney Spears
Best Dance Recording
"Toxic"

Basement Jaxx (PRS)
Best Electronic/Dance Album
Kish Kash

Mot�rhead (PRS)
Best Metal Performance
"Whiplash"

Brian Wilson
Best Rock Instrumental Performance
"Mrs. O'Leary's Cow"

Wilco
Best Alternative Music Album
A Ghost Is Born

Harold Lilly
Best R&B Song
"You Don't Know My Name"

The Black Eyed Peas
Best Rap Performance By A Duo Or Group
"Let's Get It Started"

Lil Jon
Best Rap/Sung Collaboration
"Yeah!"

Miri Ben Ari
Best Rap Song
"Jesus Walks"

Tim McGraw
Best Male Country Vocal Performance
"Live Like You Were Dying"

Dixie Chicks
Best Country Performance By A Duo Or Group With Vocal
"Top Of The World"

Jack White
Best Country Collaboration With Vocals
"Portland Oregon"

Nitty Gritty Dirt Band
Best Country Instrumental Performance
"Earl's Breakdown"

Earl Scruggs
Best Country Instrumental Performance
"Earl's Breakdown"

Randy Scruggs
Best Country Instrumental Performance
"Earl's Breakdown"

Jerry Douglas
Best Country Instrumental Performance
"Earl's Breakdown"

Tim Nichols
Best Country Song
"Live Like You Were Dying"

Will Ackerman
Best New Age Album
Returning

Bill Frisell
Best Contemporary Jazz Album
Unspeakable

Herbie Hancock
Best Jazz Instrumental Solo
"Speak Like A Child"

McCoy Tyner
Best Jazz Instrumental Album, Individual or Group
Illuminations

Gary Bartz
Best Jazz Instrumental Album, Individual or Group
Illuminations

Terence Blanchard
Best Jazz Instrumental Album, Individual or Group
Illuminations

Christian McBride
Best Jazz Instrumental Album, Individual or Group
Illuminations

Charlie Haden
Best Latin Jazz Album
Land Of The Sun

Steven Curtis Chapman
Best Pop/Contemporary Gospel Album
All Things New

The Blind Boys Of Alabama
Best Traditional Soul Gospel Album
There Will Be A Light

Ozomatli
Best Latin Rock/Alternative Album
Street Signs

Israel L�pez "Cachao"
Best Traditional Tropical Latin Album
�Ahora S�!

Spanish Harlem Orchestra
Best Salsa/Merengue Album
Across 110th Street

Intocable
Best Mexican/Mexican-American Album
Intimamente

David Lee Garza
Best Tejano Album
Polkas, Gritos y Acorde�nes

Joel Guzman
Best Tejano Album
Polkas, Gritos y Acorde�nes

Sunny Sauceda
Best Tejano Album
Polkas, Gritos y Acorde�nes

Etta James
Best Traditional Blues Album
Blues To The Bone

Keb' Mo'
Best Contemporary Blues Album
Keep It Simple

Bill Miller
Best Native American Music Album
Cedar Dream Songs

Toots & The Maytals
Best Reggae Album
True Love

Brave Combo
Best Polka Album
Let's Kiss: 25th Anniversary Album

Paquito D'Rivera
Best Instrumental Composition
"Merengue"

Slide Hampton (SACEM)
Best Instrumental Arrangement
"Past Present & Future"

Ray Cooper (PRS)
Best Long Form Music Video
Concert For George

Los Angeles Guitar Quartet
Best Classical Crossover Album
LAGQ's Guitar Heroes

Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award winners:
Eddy Arnold
Art Blakey
The Carter Family
Jerry Lee Lewis
Pinetop Perkins
The Staple Singers

Holmes Brothers	Paul Oscher	Charlie Musselwhite

BMI writers continued their domination in the blues field, once again garnering every nomination in seven of the 25 categories, including Blues Entertainer of the Year, Blues Band of the Year and Contemporary Artist of the Year, both male and female.

The Holmes Brothers' six nods include Band of the Year, Blues Album and Contemporary Blues Album for their Simple Truths, as well as three individual nominations for members Wendall Holmes (Song of the Year for "Run Myself Out of Town"), Sherman Holmes (Best Instrumentalist-Bass) and Popsy Dixon (Best Instrumentalist-Drums).

Pinetop Perkins	Kim Wilson	Muddy Waters

Other multiple nominees include harp player Paul Oscher, who received four mentions, among them Acoustic Artist of the Year and Song of the Year for "Alone With the Blues." Perennial favorites W.C. Clark, James Harman, Charlie Musselwhite, Pinetop Perkins, Rod Piazza, Bobby Rush and Kim Wilson each earned three, while double nominations went to Corey Harris, Paul Rishell & Annie Raines, EG Knight and Muddy Waters, who will compete against himself in the Historical Blues Album category.

Named after the "Father of the Blues," the 2005 W.C. Handy Blues Awards will take place on Thursday, May 5 at the Memphis Cook Convention Center. The awards ceremony is the traditional opener to the Handy Weekend, a series of events for blues musicians, industry members, and fans alike. Events include the Blues Hall of Fame induction ceremony, a Blues Symposium with workshops, the Handy Awards Music Festival, a blues film fest and the Handy Awards Children's Festival.

BMI's 2005 Handy Awards nominees:

Acoustic Blues Album of the Year
Paul Oscher
Alone With The Blues
Billy Branch
Double Take
Corey Harris
Mississippi To Mali
Paul Rishell & Annie Raines
Goin' Home
Carey & Lurrie Bell
Second Nature

Acoustic Blues-Artist of the Year
Paul Oscher
Corey Harris
David "Honeyboy" Edwards
Paul Rishell & Annie Raines

Blues Album of the Year
W.C. Clark
Deep In The Heart
The Holmes Brothers
Simple Truths
Guitar Shorty
Watch Your Back
Rod Piazza and the Mighty Flyers
Keepin' It Real

Blues Band of the Year
Little Charlie & The Nightcats
Smokin' Joe Kubek Band
Rod Piazza & The Mighty Flyers
Magic Slim & The Teardrops
Anson Funderburgh & The Rockets
The Holmes Brothers

Blues Entertainer of the Year
Bobby Rush
Kim Wilson
B.B. King
Pinetop Perkins
Solomon Burke

Blues Song of the Year
"Alone With The Blues"
Written and performed by Paul Oscher
"Run Myself Out Of Town"
Written by Wendell Holmes, performed by The Holmes Brothers
"Piecework Politicians"
Written and performed by James Harman
"Nothin' Ever Hurt Me"
Written and performed by EG Kight

Comeback Blues Album of the Year
Gary U.S. Bonds
Back In 20

Contemporary Blues Album of the Year
Charlie Musselwhite
Sanctuary
The Holmes Brothers
Simple Truths
Ronnie Earl & The Broadcasters
Now My Soul
Guitar Shorty
Watch Your Back

Contemporary Blues-Female Artist of the Year
Janiva Magness
Marcia Ball
Shemekia Copeland
EG Kight
Deborah Coleman

Contemporary Blues-Male Artist of the Year
Kim Wilson
Chris Thomas King
Charlie Musselwhite
James Harman
Robert Randolph

Historical Blues Album of the Year
Hound Dog Taylor
Release The Hound (Alligator Records)
Charles Brown
A Life In The Blues (Rounder Records)
Muddy Waters
Hard Again (Epic/Legacy)
Johnny Winter
Second Winter (Columbia/Legacy)
Muddy Waters
I'm Ready (Epic/Legacy)

Instrumentalist-Bass
Willie Kent
Bill Stuve
Sherman Holmes

Instrumentalist-Drums
Popsy Dixon
Willie "Big Eyes" Smith

Instrumentalist-Guitar
Ronnie Earl
Duke Robillard
Bob Margolin
Roy Rogers

Instrumentalist-Harmonica
Kim Wilson
Charlie Musselwhite
Rod Piazza
James Harman
Paul Oscher

Instrumentalist-Horns
Calvin Owens - Trumpet
Mark Kazanoff - Saxophone
Roomful of Blues - Horns
Greg Piccolo - Saxophone
Sax Gordon - Saxophone

Instrumentalist-Keyboards
Honey Piazza
Dave Maxwell
Marcia Ball
Jon Cleary

Instrumentalist-Other
Robert Randolph - Pedal Steel Guitar
Clarence "Gatemouth" Brown - Fiddle
Otis Taylor - Banjo

Soul/Blues Album of the Year
Bobby Rush
Folk Funk
W.C. Clark
Deep In The Heart

Soul/Blues-Female Artist of the Year
Etta James
Barbara Lynn

Soul/Blues-Male Artist of the Year
Bobby Rush
Little Milton
Solomon Burke
W.C. Clark

Traditional Blues Album of the Year
Jody Williams
You Left Me In The Dark
Duke Robillard
Blue Mood: The Songs Of T-Bone Walker
Pinetop Perkins
Ladies Man
Sam Myers
Coming From The Old School

Traditional Blues-Female Artist of the Year
Ruth Brown
Koko Taylor

Traditional Blues-Male Artist of the Year
Robert Lockwood Jr.
Jody Williams
Sam Myers
Pinetop Perkins

Buddy Guy	B.B. King	Etta James

Leading the list of BMI winners was legendary blues guitarist Buddy Guy, who took home three trophies including Contemporary Blues Male Artist of the Year. His latest release, Blues Singer, won Blues Album of the Year and Acoustic Blues Album. Other multiple winners were singer/pianist Marcia Ball, soul singer Etta James, and jump blues/swing band Roomful of Blues with two awards each. World-renowned BMI artist B.B. King repeated as Blues Entertainer of the Year.

Marcia Ball	Bo Diddley	Slim Harpo

For the past 25 years, the Handy Awards have celebrated excellence in performance and recording of the blues and is the highest honor bestowed upon artists in the blues industry. The United States Senate passed a resolution last year declaring 2003 "The Year of the Blues" in commemoration of the 100th anniversary of when W. C. Handy first heard the blues in a train depot in Mississippi. Named for the "Father of the Blues," the W.C. Handy Blues Awards are produced by the Memphis-based Blues Foundation, a non-profit organization established to "preserve, celebrate and support" the blues. BMI is a long-time supporter of the Blues Foundation.

Roomful of Blues

The awards ceremony is the traditional opener to the Handy Weekend, a series of events for blues musicians, industry members, and fans. Handy Weekend events include a Blues Symposium with workshops, the Handy Awards Music Festival, a blues film fest, the Handy Awards Children's Festival and the annual induction of the Blues Hall of Fame. This year's inductees included BMI Icon Bo Diddley, harp master Slim Harpo and Chicago bluesman Jimmy Reed. To date, 96% of the performers in the Blues Hall of Fame are BMI songwriters.

BMI's 2004 W.C. Handy Blues Awards Winners:

Buddy Guy
Contemporary Blues Male Artist of the Year
Blues Album of the Year: Blues Singer
Acoustic Blues Album of the Year: Blues Singer

Marcia Ball
Contemporary Blues Female Artist of the Year
Contemporary Blues Album of the Year: So Many Rivers

Etta James
Soul Blues Female Artist of the Year
Soul Blues Album of the Year: Let's Roll

Roomful of Blues
Blues Band of the Year
Blues Instrumentalist, Horns

B.B. King
Blues Entertainer of the Year

Nick Curran
Best New Artist

Pinetop Perkins
Traditional Blues Male Artist of the Year

Koko Taylor
Traditional Blues Female Artist of the Year

Solomon Burke
Soul Blues Male Artist of the Year

John Hammond
Acoustic Blues Artist of the Year

Duke Robillard
Blues Instrumentalist, Guitar

Dr. John
Blues Instrumentalist, Keyboards

Charlie Musselwhite
Blues Instrumentalist, Harmonica

Willie Kent
Blues Instrumentalist, Bass:

Willie "Big Eyes" Smith
Blues Instrumentalist, Drums

Clarence "Gatemouth" Brown
Blues Instrumentalist, Other (Fiddle)

Anson Funderburgh and the Rockets
Traditional Blues Album of the Year: Which Way Is Texas?

Muddy Waters
Historical Blues Album of the Year: Muddy 'Mississippi' Waters Live

Kim Wilson and Amanda Taylor
Blues Song of the Year: "Looking For Trouble"