Held in Toronto on March 30, The CBMAs replace the Maple Blues Awards as the only national awards show for this genre. The decision was made after the former awards were criticized for lack of representation for Black artists.
Last night (March 30), the first edition of the Canadian Blues Music Awards (CBMAs) was held at the Phoenix Concert Theatre in Toronto. The big winner on the night was the Vancouver Island-based Brandon Isaak, who earned three awards – for blues song ("Walkin’ With The Blues"), electric blues recording (Walkin’ With The Blues) and blues guitarist of the year.
Another multiple winner was Steve Marriner, for blues producer of the year and harmonica player of the year (tied with Guy Bélanger in that category). On Saturday (March 28) in Hamilton, Marriner also won his first Juno, for blues album of the year (for Hear My Heart),
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Marriner and Isaak both performed at the event, as did fellow winners Crystal Shawanda (female blues vocalist of the year), Kenny ‘Blues Boss’ Wayne (blues keyboard player of the Year) and nominee Dana Wylie. Supporting all of the live performances were the gala backing band "Pass the Envelope," featuring musical director Manny DeGrandis, Quincy Bullen, Dave Patel, Cecile Doo-Kingue and Dan Jancar. Blues artist and radio personality Danny Marks took on the hosting duties.
The CBMAs replaced the previous national awards show for Canadian blues, The Maple Blues Awards, which were produced by the Toronto Blues Society and launched in 1997. The 2024 Maple Blues Awards faced heavy criticism for the makeup of its winner list, especially a lack of Black artists in a genre that was pioneered by Black musicians. After extensive deliberations, the decision was made to institute a new and more diverse awards show.
A press release notes that "The Canadian Blues Music Awards is a fully independent, incorporated national not-for-profit organization built from the ground up with a mandate to govern, develop, and operate Canada's premier blues recognition programme. Initially formed in spring 2024 by Brant Zwicker and Cindy McLeod, the CBMA Governing Committee spent more than a year in extensive research, national consultation, and programme development before incorporating as an independent organization."
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"The Canadian Blues Music Awards represents a complete overhaul," said Quisha Wint, Chair of the Toronto Blues Society (TBS). "It is a whole new programme created to serve the Canadian blues community with greater transparency, fairness, and unity from coast to coast to coast."
The CBMAs operate as a separate entity: the Toronto Blues Society has no role whatsoever in governance, nominations, judging, voting, or any other element of the awards process. The TBS hosted the gala ceremony this year, but there will be new hosts each year.
A preliminary look at the winners list from last night reveals some increased diversity in the form of Indigenous singer/songwriter Crystal Shawanda and veteran American-born Black artist Kenny 'Blues Boss' Wayne, who was also one of five lifetime achievement nominees this year. Joining him on that list were Bobby Dean Blackburn, considered a patriarch of Black Toronto blues artists, Memphis-born bassist Russell Jackson (B.B. King, Otis Clay), guitar ace Amos Garrett and Tim Williams.
The posthumous winner of the award, blues and roots singer-songwriter, guitarist and producer Tim Williams, passed away last November, at age 77. Read a Billboard Canada obituary here.
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Of note: an Indigenous artist of the year category launched at the 2024 Maple Blues Awards and won by Crystal Shawanda (the only non-white victor that year), is not one of the listed categories for the new Canadian Blues Music Awards.
2026 CANADIAN BLUES MUSIC AWARDS WINNERS
EMERGING BLUES ARTIST OR GROUP OF THE YEAR
Ollee Owens (Ollee Owens: Nowhere to Hide)
BLUES SONG OF THE YEAR
Brandon Isaak: Walkin’ With The Blues (Walkin’ With The Blues)
ACOUSTIC BLUES RECORDING OF THE YEAR
Sue Foley: One Guitar Woman, A Tribute to the Female Pioneers of Guitar
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ELECTRIC BLUES RECORDING OF THE YEAR
Brandon Isaak: Walkin’ With The Blues
BLUES PRODUCER OF THE YEAR
Steve Marriner (Steve Marriner: Hear My Heart; Big Dave McLean: This Old Life; David
Gogo: YEAH!)
FEMALE BLUES VOCALIST OF THE YEAR
Crystal Shawanda (Crystal Shawanda: Sing Pretty Blues)
MALE BLUES VOCALIST OF THE YEAR
Marcus Trummer (Marcus Trummer: From The Start)
BLUES GUITARIST OF THE YEAR
Brandon Isaak (Brandon Isaak: Walkin’ With The Blues)
BLUES KEYBOARD PLAYER OF THE YEAR
Kenny “Blues Boss” Wayne (Kenny “Blues Boss” Wayne: Ooh, Yeah!)
BLUES HARMONICA PLAYER OF THE YEAR TIE:
Guy Bélanger (Guy Bélanger: Postcards from London)
Steve Marriner (Steve Marriner: Hear My Heart; Big Dave McLean: This Old Life; David Gogo: YEAH!)
BLUES HORN PLAYER OF THE YEAR
Jerry Cook (Wailin’ Walker: All Fired Up)
BLUES DRUMMER OF THE YEAR TIE:
Jim Casson (Davis Hall & The Green Lanterns: Canboro Canborough)
Sylvain “Sly” Coulombe (Chambers DesLauriers: Our Time To Ride)
BLUES BASSIST OF THE YEAR
Jasmine Colette (Blue Moon Marquee: New Orleans Sessions)
BLUES VIDEO OF THE YEAR
The Harpoonist: “Show Me The Green” (Did We Come Here To Dance)
BLUES INDUSTRY PERSON OF THE YEAR TIE:
Bruce Morel (Morel Music International)
Ken Simms (Think Tank Music Network)
LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT AWARD
Tim Williams
FAN FAVOURITE AWARD FOR BLUES ARTIST OR GROUP OF THE YEAR
