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FYI

Sue Foley, Colin James Head Maple Blues Awards Noms List

Canada's premier blues event places two veteran singers and guitar-slingers at the top of its just-announced nominations. Pictured: Sue Foley. Online voting for the Awards, held on Feb. 4,  is open from Nov. 1.

Sue Foley, Colin James Head Maple Blues Awards Noms List

By FYI Staff

The nominees for the 22nd annual Maple Blues Awards place two veteran Canadian singers and guitar-slingers, Sue Foley and Colin James, at the top of the list with six nominations apiece.


It is a banner year for female artists, for Samantha Martin & Delta Sugar tally four nominations, and Dawn Tyler Watson earns two. 2018 Juno Award winners MonkeyJunk receive four nods.

The Maple Blues Award for Blues Booster of the Year will be selected by the Toronto Blues Society Board of Directors and announced in advance of the Awards gala, which returns to Toronto's Koerner Hall on February 4, 2019.

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The Awards will be hosted by bluesman/actor Raoul Bhaneja. Tickets are available online at rcmusic.com, at the Koerner Hall box office or by phone at (416) 408-0208.

The 22nd Annual Maple Blues Award Nominees

Entertainer of the Year

Colin James

Dawn Tyler Watson

MonkeyJunk

Samantha Martin & Delta Sugar

Sue Foley

Electric Act of the Year

Colin James

JW-Jones

MonkeyJunk

Paul DesLauriers Band

Sue Foley

Acoustic Act of the Year

Big Dave McLean

Earle & Coffin

Michael Jerome Browne

Rob Lutes

Tim Williams

Male Vocalist of the Year

Colin James

Harrison Kennedy

Jon Knight (Soulstack)

Matt Andersen

Rob Lutes

Female Vocalist of the Year

Angel Forrest

Crystal Shawanda

Dawn Tyler Watson

Samantha Martin

Sue Foley

New Artist of the Year

Cootes Paradise

Dan Doiron

Deb Rhymer

Elliott & The Audio Kings

Emily Burgess

Recording/Producer of the Year

Colin James - Miles to Go / True North (Colin James & Dave Meszaros)

Jack de Keyzer - Checkmate / Blue Star (Jack de Keyzer)

Samantha Martin & Delta Sugar - Run to Me / Gypsy Soul (Darcy Yates)

Sue Foley - The Ice Queen / Stony Plain (Mike Flanigan)

Sugar Brown - It's A Blues World / Self (Sugar Brown)

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B.B. King International Artist of the Year

Buddy Guy

Ghost Town Blues Band

Mavis Staples

Rick Estrin & The Nightcats

Shemekia Copeland

Songwriter of the Year

Colin James

David Vest

Ken Kawashima (Sugar Brown)

Samantha Martin / Curtis Chaffey

Sue Foley

Blues with a Feeling Award (Lifetime Achievement Award)

Alec Fraser

Brent Parkin

Danny Brooks

Ellen McIlwaine

Joe Murphy

Ken Whiteley

Michael Fonfara

Michael Jerome Browne

Tom Lavin

Guitarist of the Year

Colin James

Jack de Keyzer

Jack Semple

Steve Hill

Sue Foley

Harmonica Player of the Year

Carlos del Junco

Guy Bélanger

Harpdog Brown

Roly Platt (Matt Minglewood)

Steve Marriner (MonkeyJunk)

Piano/Keyboard Player of the Year

David Vest

Jenie Thai

Jesse O'Brien

Kenny "Blues Boss" Wayne

Michael Kaeshammer

Horn Player of the Year

Chris Whiteley

Jon Wong

Mat “Moose” Mousseau (Ben Racine Band)

Richard Thornton (Jack de Keyzer)

Shirley Jackson

Drummer of the Year

Gary Craig (Colin Linden, Steve Dawson)

Lindsay Beaver

Matt Sobb (MonkeyJunk)

Sam Harrisson (Paul DesLauriers Band)

Tom Bona

Bassist of the Year

Gary Kendall (Downchild & Mighty Duck Blues Band)

Keith Picot (Brandon Isaak)

Laura Greenberg (JW-Jones)

Leigh-Anne Stanton (Wicked Grin)

Russell Jackson (Kenny "Blues Boss" Wayne)

Online voting for the Awards is open from Nov. 1. Canadian blues fans can vote online in the eligible categories until Dec. 1. Register at www.mapleblues.ca.

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New & Upcoming Canadian Albums: Punjabi-Canadian Producer GMINXR Drops 'Hit List' EP on 91 North Records

Also this week, Neil Young puts out the new documentary soundtrack, Coastal, and Tami Neilson has announced the new album, Neon Cowgirl. Check out the full release calendar here.

It's a holiday weekend, but Good Friday hasn't stopped the slew of releases on New Music Friday,.

Heading up notable new releases this week is GMINXR. Fresh from a Juno Awards performance, the internationally renowned Punjabi-Canadian producer now has his own release, Hit List, featuring Tegi Pannu and Zehr Vibe. It's out on 91 North Records, the label collaboration between Warner Music India and Warner Music Canada. The five-song EP is inspired by both golden era hip-hop and Punjabi folk music, and infused with GMINXR's trademark trap beats.

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