Born Otha Ellas Bates on December 30, 1928, in McComb, Mississippi, to a 15 or 16 year-old mother, Mr. Diddley was raised by a cousin, Gussie McDaniel. While still a young child, he and his family moved to Chicago, and he officially adopted the surname McDaniel.

In Chicago, Mr. Diddley discovered other delta transplants including Muddy Waters and John Lee Hooker, whom he grew to idolize. His stepsister Lucille gave him a guitar for Christmas in 1940, when he was almost 12 years-old.

As a young man in the early 1950s, he assumed the stage name Bo Diddley, and he proceeded to record more than two dozen albums for the legendary Chess label family. His signature rhythm - often described as "shave and a haircut, two bits" - innovatively bridged deep blues and rhythm and blues, laying the quintessential groundwork for bourgeoning rock 'n' roll. The new sound's eventual icons including the Rolling Stones, the Beatles and Elvis Presley emulated, borrowed from and openly worshipped Diddley's music.

When the Beatles first fielded questions from the media on American soil in 1964, John Lennon proclaimed he was most excited about seeing Bo Diddley in the flesh.

His masterful songs including "Hey, Bo Diddley," "I'm a Man," "Love is Strange," "Bo Diddley (My Story)" and "Before You Accuse Me" traversed raw love, pain and life with singular wit and candor.

In addition to his trendsetting as a songwriter and percussional guitar stylist, Mr. Diddley's incomparable contributions include innovative, homemade amplifiers, experimentation with guitar tone and influential staccato vocal delivery. His enthralling live performances are also legendary.

On June 6, Congress passed a resolution honoring the legendary rock 'n' roll star, "Saluting the life and music of the late Otha Ellas 'Bo Diddley' Bates, guitar virtuoso and rock and roll pioneer, whose music continues to influence generations of musicians."

A longtime BMI songwriter, Bo Diddley has been the recipient of two BMI R&B Awards, a Pop Award and two Million-Air citations. He was named a BMI Icon in May 2002.

Bobby Rush (left) shows off one of his new trophies with BMI's Thomas Cain (right).

Bobby Rush's wins for Acoustic Blues Artist and Album of the Year arrived on the strength of his 2007 release, Raw, while Irma Thomas earned the Soul Blues - Female Artist of the Year crown. Koko Taylor's slew of trophies underscored her continued relevance: Traditional Blues - Female Artist, Blues Song and Traditional Blues Album of the Year all went to the "Queen of the Blues."

BMI's Thomas Cain (far left) snaps a photo with winners The Holmes Brothers.

In addition to a Contemporary Blues Album of the Year win for Painkiller, acclaimed vocalist and guitarman Tommy Castro received the prestigious B.B. King Entertainer of the Year Award, while the coveted Pinetop Perkins Piano Player of the Year Award went to Honey Piazza. The Holmes Brothers' State of Grace also garnered Soul Blues Album of the Year honors for the beloved group, while musicians Robert Randolf, Bob Stroger, Kim Wilson, Bob Margolin and Deanna Bogart all took home awards touting mastery of their respective instruments.

Performer and nominee Ruthie Foster (left) pauses for a shot with BMI's Thomas Cain (right).

The night prior to the Blues Awards event, the Blues Foundation held its induction ceremony for the Blues Hall of Fame, honoring the individual achievements of guitarists Hubert Sumlin and Johnny "Guitar" Watson, pianist Jimmy McCracklin, singer Jimmy Weatherspoon, pre-WWII string band the Mississippi Sheiks, and country blues performer Peetie Wheatstraw.

BMI's Thomas Cain (left) and bassist of the year Bob Stroger (right) smile for the camera.

The Blues Foundation was formed in Memphis in 1980 as a non-profit organization to preserve the rich heritage of the blues and promote excellence in blues music. Consisting of over 160 affiliated organizations worldwide, The Blues Foundations sponsors the annual Blues Music Awards, The International Blues Challenge, and the organization's "Blues In The Schools" educational program. For more information on the foundation's programs and history, please visit www.blues.org.

Pictured are (l to r): the Kilborn Alley Blues Band's Chris Breen, Abraham Johnson, Blues Foundation's Jay Sieleman and BMI's Thomas Cain.

All BMI 2008 Blues Awards Winners

Individual Award Winners
Acoustic Blues - Artist of the Year
Bobby Rush

Contemporary Blues - Male Artist of the Year
Tab Benoit

Soul Blues - Male Artist of the Year
Bobby Rush

Soul Blues - Female Artist of the Year
Irma Thomas

Traditional Blues - Female Artist of the Year
Koko Taylor

Traditional Blues - Male Artist of the Year
Hubert Sumlin

Blues Instrumentalists
Best Instrumentalist - Bass
Bob Stroger

Best Instrumentalist - Guitar
Bob Margolin

Best Instrumentalist - Harmonica
Kim Wilson

Best Instrumentalist - Horn
Deanna Bogart

Best Instrumentalist - Pedal Steel
Robert Randolph

Award-Winning Recordings
Acoustic Blues Album of the Year
Bobby Rush - Raw (Deep Rush Records)

Blues Song of the Year
Koko Taylor - "Gonna Buy Me A Mule"

Blues DVD of the Year
Kenny Wayne Shepherd - 10 Days Out: Blues from the Backroads
(Reprise Records)

Contemporary Blues Album of the Year
Tommy Castro - Painkiller (Blind Pig Records)

Historical Album of the Year
Muddy Waters & Johnny Winter - Breakin' It UP, Breakin' it DOWN
(Epic/Legacy Recordings)

Soul Blues Album of the Year
The Holmes Brothers - State of Grace (Alligator Records)

Traditional Blues Album of the Year
Koko Taylor - Old School (Alligator Records)

Special Awards
Pinetop Perkins Piano Player of the Year Award
Honey Piazza

B.B. King Entertainer of the Year Award
Tommy Castro

Her mentor was James Baldwin; he learned the fine points of guitar playing looking over Muddy Waters's shoulder. As a teen in the '80s, she gave up guitar playing soon after she started because it was such a white-guy thing; he encouraged her to go back to playing. She encouraged him to write about his years playing harmonica in Waters band.

She is playwright fellow Suzan-Lori Parks; he is bluesman Paul Oscher, who joined Waters in 1967 and also spent a fair amount the next five years looking over piano player Otis Spann's shoulder. Their mantle boasts her two Obies, a Pulitzer and a MacArthur "Genius" grant alongside his two 2006 Blues Music Awards (previously the W.C. Handy Awards) for Down in the Delta. He was also featured on Hubert Sumlin's 2006 Blues Music Awards' winning album About Them Shoes along with Keith Richards, Eric Clapton and Levon Helm.

"When I was a young man, I played other peoples blues. Now that I'm older, I write and play my own and when I play a blues classic, I put my own stamp on it," Oscher explains about his journey through the deep blues.

His recollections of four decades spent playing with such artists as John Lee Hooker, Earl Hooker, Son House, Fred McDowell, Lightning Hopkins, T-Bone Walker, Albert King, Magic Sam, Johnny Copeland, Victoria Spivey, Big Mama Thornton, Keb Mo' and Mos Def were published in the book that accompanied Martin Scorcese's PBS series, The Blues.

Parks worked with Oprah on Their Eye's Were Watching God, with Spike on Girl 6, with Disney for a project on the Harlem Globe Trotters, and with the producers of Ray for a Broadway version. Her book tour for Getting Mother's Body has been equal parts writing seminar, career counseling and blues performance — she jokes about adding snake-handling.

"I had the brains to marry a guitar player, so he's a big inspiration," Parks explains. "When I wrote the songs to Getting Mother's Body, and I was going on a book tour, he was like, 'Take your guitar, bring the music to the people!' So I started doing it in public."

The perfect couple.]]> 2006-10-17T19:00:01-05:00 http://www.bmi.com/news/entry/334816 Ball, Marcia, Benoit, Tab, Brown, Clarence "Gatemouth", Cropper, Steve, Doggett, Bill, Guy, Buddy, Hooker, John Lee, James, Etta, King, B.B., Little Milton, Magness, Janiva, Milton, Roy, Muddy Waters, Musselwhite, Charlie, Oscher, Paul, Robinson, Bobby, Rush, Bobby, Sanjek, David, Shaw, Eddie, Thornton, Big Mama, Wexler, Jerry, Wilson, Kim, Blues, Blues Music Awards Blues Music Awards, held May 11 in Memphis. Presented by the Blues Foundation and co-sponsored by BMI, the Blues Music Awards, formerly known as the W.C. Handy Awards, celebrate excellence in the performance and recording of the blues, and is the highest honor bestowed upon artists in the genre.

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)

The dawn of the new millennium saw Rockwilder venturing out of his musical comfort zone. He lightened his tone considerably by working on Janet Jackson‘s All For You and with the help of Missy Elliott, he turned the remake of LaBelle’s “Lady Marmalade” (by Christina Aguilera, Pink, Mya and L'il Kim) into a saucy hit. That song, from the soundtrack to the film Moulin Rouge , got him in the business of creating top-notch movie soundtracks; he went on to make a veritable cottage industry of producing music for films, including Legally Blond, Scooby-Doo 2,Training Day and Friday After Next .

He has continued to diversify his repertoire since his original rap days. Now, his impressive series of collaborations includes r&b artists like Maxwell, Kelis, Me’Shell NdegeOcello and Destiny’s Child, who tapped him for a smooth, tingly re-mix of their hit “Bootylicious.” He’s even created beats for crossover sensations like JC Chasez and Pink.

Rockwilder, born Dana Stinson, has strayed from the hip-hop artist’s traditional trajectory. Urban enough to produce for Mobb Deep but upbeat enough to make Mya’s pop tunes, Rockwilder is proving to be an adept, versatile and creative musician who keeps breaking the mold.]]> 2005-08-02T18:00:00-05:00 http://www.bmi.com/news/entry/234434 Artists, Copeland, Shemekia, Guy, Buddy, Holmes Brothers, The, Hooker, John Lee, King, B.B., Little Milton, Muddy Waters, Sanjek, David, Taylor, Koko, Awards, Industry Awards, Blues Music Awards, Musical Styles, Blues, R&B 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 in the genre.

BMI's Thomas Cain, Handy winner David "Honeyboy" Edwards and BMI's David Sanjek

Leading the list of award-winning BMI songwriters were harmonica virtuoso Charles Musselwhite and legendary R&B singer Mavis Staples, who took home three Handys each. Musselwhite's wins included Best Contemporary Blues Artist, Best Contemporary Blues Album for his release Sanctuary, and Best Blues Harmonica, while Staples earned trophies for Soul Blues Artist, Soul Blues Album and Blues Album of the Year for Have a Little Faith. The album's title track was named Best Blues Song for BMI co-writer Jim Tullio.

BMI's Thomas Cain, Handy winner Paul Oscher and BMI's David Sanjek

In addition to receiving a Lifetime Achievement Award, 91-year-old keyboard maestro Pinetop Perkins picked up two awards: Best Traditional Blues Album for his new release Ladies Man and Traditional Blues Artist. Other winners included such legendary BMI blues artists as B.B. King (Blues Entertainer), Koko Taylor (Traditional Blues Artist), Dave "Honeyboy" Edwards (Acoustic Blues Artist) and the Holmes Brothers (Blues Band).

BMI's Thomas Cain, Handy winner Kenny Neal and BMI's David Sanjek

Among the presenters was BMI's Thomas Cain, who along with keyboard player Ann Rabson, handed out several awards and made the following comments about BMI and the blues: "You know BMI has been a friend of the blues for 65 years now, since we opened our doors in 1940. Over 90% of the Blues Hall of Fame inductees are BMI songwriters, and every year at the Handys, virtually every award is won by a BMI writer. We are so proud to have this long-term relationship with such great individuals as Muddy Waters, Howlin' Wolf, Little Walter, B.B. King, Buddy Guy and countless others. We like to think of BMI as the other home of the blues."

BMI's David Sanjek, Handy winner Gary U.S. Bonds and BMI's Thomas Cain

BMI's 2005 Handy Award winners:

Acoustic Blues Album
Kenny Neal & Billy Branch
Double Take

Acoustic Blues Artist
Dave "Honeyboy" Edwards

New Artist Debut
John Lee Hooker Jr.
Blues With A Vengeance

Handy winner Marcia Ball, presenter Ann Rabson, Handy winner Bob Margolin and BMI's Thomas Cain

Blues Album
Mavis Staples
Have A Little Faith

Blues Band
The Holmes Brothers

Blues Bass
Willie Kent

3-time Handy winner Charlie Musselwhite

Blues Drums
Willie "Big Eyes" Smith

Blues Entertainer
B.B. King

Blues Guitar
Bob Margolin

Robert Lockwood Jr. performs

Blues Harmonica
Charlie Musselwhite

Blues Horns
Roomful of Blues

Blues Instrumentalist
Robert Randolph

Gary U.S. Bonds performs

Blues Keyboards
Marcia Ball

Blues Song
Jim Tullio
"Have A Little Faith"

Comeback Blues Album
Gary U.S. Bonds
Back in 20

BMI's Thomas Cain, Handy winner Bobby Rush, Gibson Guitars' Henry Juskiewicz and BMI's David Sanjek

Contemporary Blues Album
Charlie Musselwhite
Sanctuary

Contemporary Blues Artist - Male
Charlie Musselwhite

Contemporary Blues Artist - Female
Shemekia Copeland

BMI's Thomas Cain, Handy winner Little Milton and BMI's David Sanjek

Historical Blues Album
Hound Dog Taylor
Release the Hound

Soul Blues Album
Mavis Staples
Have A Little Faith

Soul Blues Artist - Female
Mavis Staples

BMI's David Sanjek and Thomas Cain, Alligator Records' Bruce Iglauer and attorney Howell Beagle

Soul Blues Artist - Male
Bobby Rush

Traditional Blues Album
Pinetop Perkins
Ladies Man

Traditional Blues Artist - Female
Koko Taylor

Traditional Blues Artist - Male
Pinetop Perkins

BMI's David Sanjek, Handy winner Charlie Musselwhite and BMI's Thomas Cain

BMI's David Sanjek, Handy winner Pinetop Perkins and BMI's Thomas Cain

Photos by Don Putnam]]> 2005-05-10T18:00:00-05:00 http://www.bmi.com/musicworld/entry/234415 Artists, Clapton, Eric, Guy, Buddy, King, B.B., Muddy Waters, Taylor, Koko, Musical Styles, Blues, Rock, Musicworld, Feature "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 Chicago electric blues, the seminal guitarist — and 2005 Rock & Roll Hall of Fame inductee — continues to reap the dividends of a remarkable career renaissance. For the past decade and a half, the five-time Grammy winner has achieved late-blooming mainstream stardom, thanks to the same incendiary guitar work that made him a cult legend decades ago.

Born George Guy in rural Lettsworth, Louisiana on July 30, 1936, Buddy moved to Chicago in 1957, and eventually established himself as a force on the thriving local music scene. He built his reputation playing on sessions for the fabled Chess label, backing up such artists as Muddy Waters, Howlin' Wolf and Koko Taylor, while stepping out front on such now-classic singles as "First Time I Met the Blues" and "Broken Hearted Blues."

Guy's fiery, self-taught guitar work proved inspirational to such budding axemen as Jeff Beck, Eric Clapton and Keith Richards, all of whom have enthusiastically sung his praises in the years since. Guy also earned a reputation for his flamboyant onstage showmanship, which he continued to hone through a long-running collaboration with harmonica player Junior Wells.

But Guy's recording career eventually drifted into rocky waters. He hadn't had a domestic album release in nearly a decade when he signed with the Silvertone label and released Damn Right, I've Got the Blues . The album — which featured guest appearances from by Beck, Clapton and Mark Knopfler — introduced Guy to an enthusiastic new audience, and eventually earned a Grammy as Best Contemporary Blues Album.

The commercially savvy crossover sound of Damn Right, I've Got the Blues and its followups Feels Like Rain and Heavy Love gave way to a more primitive, rural approach on 2001's acclaimed Sweet Tea , which was followed by 2003's stripped-down Blues Singer , which emphasized Guy's vocals and acoustic picking.

While those projects exposed lesser-known aspects of Guy's talents, the landmark Damn Right, I've Got the Blues continues to hold a special place in the hearts of the artist and his fans. That's evident from Silvertone's March release of a newly expanded edition of the album, which augments the original disc with a pair of U.K. b-sides. Silvertone has also released an exclusive "digital box set" — dubbed Best of the Silvertone Years 1991-2005 and featuring a trio of previously unreleased tracks — through iTunes' online download service.

The release of the retooled Damn Right, I've Got the Blues coincides with Guy's recent election to the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, for which he was inducted by his contemporary B.B. King and his acolyte Eric Clapton. Despite that honor, Guy isn't coasting on his reputation. The 68-year-old artist maintains a busy touring schedule and still delivers decidedly high-energy live shows . He also continues to run his Chicago nightclub, Buddy Guy's Legends, and is currently working on a new album with producer/musician Steve Jordan.

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

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"