This year’s Blues Music Awards (BMAs) saw a powerful showing from Chicago’s blues elite, with several hometown heroes taking home top honours. Held in Memphis, the prestigious ceremony brought together blues artists from across the globe — but it was Chicago that truly stole the spotlight.
Ronnie Baker Brooks led the night with a remarkable three awards, including Contemporary Blues Album and Contemporary Blues Male Artist, alongside Song of the Year for his powerful track “Blues In My DNA.” That same song also gave Chicago another reason to celebrate, with its deeply personal lyrics and gripping performance resonating across the blues world.
Fellow Chicago greats John Primer and Billy Branch were also honoured. Primer earned two awards, including Traditional Blues Male Artist and Traditional Blues Album for Crawlin’ ’Kingsnake (with Bob Corritore), while Branch took home the award for Instrumentalist – Harmonica.
Shemekia Copeland added to the city’s winning tally, taking Album of the Year with her acclaimed release Blame It On Eve — a bold and soulful record that continues her reign as one of the genre’s most vital voices.
IMAGES BY LAURA CARBONE
Full List of Major Winners:
- BB King Entertainer of the Year: Mr. Sipp (Castro Coleman)
- Album of the Year: Blame It On Eve, Shemekia Copeland
- Band of the Year: Rick Estrin and the Nightcats
- Song of the Year: Blues In My DNA, Ronnie Baker Brooks
- Best Emerging Artist Album: Revelation, Piper & The Hard Times
- Acoustic Blues Album: One Guitar Woman, Sue Foley
- Blues Rock Album: Life is Hard, Mike Zito
- Contemporary Blues Album: Blues In My DNA, Ronnie Baker Brooks
- Soul Blues Album: Fine By Me, Curtis Salgado
- Traditional Blues Album: Crawlin’ ’Kingsnake, John Primer & Bob Corritore
Top Instrumentalists & Artists:
- Acoustic Blues Artist: Keb’ Mo’
- Blues Rock Artist: Tommy Castro
- Contemporary Blues Female Artist: Ruthie Foster
- Contemporary Blues Male Artist: Ronnie Baker Brooks
- Soul Blues Female Artist: Thornetta Davis
- Soul Blues Male Artist: Curtis Salgado
- Traditional Blues Female Artist (Koko Taylor Award): Sue Foley
- Traditional Blues Male Artist: John Primer
Instrumental Awards:
- Bass: Bob Stroger
- Drums: Kenny “Beedy Eyes” Smith
- Guitar: Christone “Kingfish” Ingram
- Harmonica: Billy Branch
- Horn: Vanessa Collier
- Piano (Pinetop Perkins Award): Eden Brent
- Vocals: Ruthie Foster
