Steve Marriner Tops Maple Blues Awards Noms
The MonkeyJunk member is the leading nominee, followed by Sue Foley and Samantha Martin & Delta Sugar. The biggest event on the Canadian blues calendar takes place Jan. 31 at Toronto’s Koerner Hall.
By FYI Staff
The nominees for the upcoming 25th annual Maple Blues Awards. the biggest night in Canadian blues, has been announced. Steve Marriner leads the list with seven nominations for his work with MonkeyJunk and David Gogo, and he's followed by Sue Foley, with five, and Samantha Martin and Delta Sugar, with four.
Other multiple nominees include David Gogo, Colin James, Harrison Kennedy, Jack DeKeyzer, Colin Linden, Dawn Tyler Watson, and Rick Fines.
The Maple Blues Award winners will be announced on January 31, 2022, at the Award Show to be held live at Koerner Hall in Toronto. Tickets are on sale now at rcmusic.com/events-and-performances .
Nominees for the Maple Blues Awards are selected by a distinguished panel of some 53 blues experts, including radio hosts, journalists, and festival organizers regionally distributed across Canada. Members of the Nominating Panel are not eligible for any of the awards.
Winners in instrumental categories — guitar, harmonica, piano/keyboards, horn, drum, and bass — will be determined by the Nominating Panel. Winners in all other categories will be selected by blues fans across the country.
Blues fans can cast their votes online now at mapleblues.ca until Dec. 1.
25th Annual Maple Blues Awards Nominees
Entertainer of the Year
David Gogo
Dawn Tyler Watson
Samantha Martin & Delta Sugar
Steve Marriner
Sue Foley
Electric Act of the Year
Colin James
Jack de Keyzer
MonkeyJunk
Samantha Martin & Delta Sugar
Sue Foley
Acoustic Act of the Year
Brandon Isaak
David Gogo & Steve Marriner
Harrison Kennedy
Rick Fines
Rob Lutes
Male Vocalist of the Year
Chuck Jackson
Colin James
Harrison Kennedy
Matt Andersen
Steve Marriner
Female Vocalist of the Year
Crystal Shawanda
Dawn Tyler Watson
Dione Taylor
Miss Emily
Samantha Martin
New Artist of the Year
Beauwater
Broke Fuse
Endrick & The Sandwiches
Lowdown Dirty Mojos
Shakey Trill
B.B. King International Artist of the Year
Bonnie Raitt
Christone “Kingfish” Ingram
Elvin Bishop
Larkin Poe
Tedeschi Trucks Band
Recording/Producer of the Year
Colin Linden – bLOW / Highway 20/Thirty Tigers (Colin Linden)
Jack de Keyzer – Tribute / Blue Star Records (Jack de Keyzer)
Samantha Martin & Delta Sugar - The Reckless One / Gypsy Soul (Darcy Yates, Renan Yildizdogan)
Steve Marriner - Hope Dies Last / Stony Plain (Steve Marriner)
Sue Foley - Pinky’s Blues / Stony Plain (Mike Flanigin)
Songwriter of the Year
Colin Linden
Kat Danser
Rick Fines
Steve Marinner
Sue Foley
Blues with a Feeling Award (Lifetime Achievement Award)
Alec Fraser
Bobby Dean Blackburn
Brent Parkin
Dalannah Gail Bowen
Danny Brooks
Harrison Kennedy
Murray Porter
Shakura S’Aida
Tom Lavin
Guitarist of the Year
David Gogo
Garrett Mason
Jack de Keyzer
Sue Foley
Tony D
Harmonica Player of the Year
David Rotundo
Guy Bélanger
Harpdog Brown
Roly Platt
Steve Marriner
Piano/Keyboard of the Year
David Vest
Duane Blackburn
Jesse O' Brien
Kenny "Blues Boss" Wayne
Lance Anderson
Bassist of the Year
Alan Duffy
Alec Fraser
Alec McElcheran
Gary Kendall
Keith Picot
Drummer of the Year
Tom Bona
Gary Craig
Jim Casson
Lindsay Beaver
Matt Sobb
Horn Player of the Year
Alison Young
Chris Whiteley
Mat 'Moose' Mousseau
Mike Clark
Richard Thornton