Charlie Musselwhite and John Hammond Top Blues Matters International Writer's Poll - Jon Cleary and Tommy Castro Score Among The Best

Blues legend Charlie Musselwhite was named Best Harmonica Player in this year's Blues Matters (UK) International Writer's Poll. In Search of Robert Johnson (2000/US Release, 2006/UK Release), hosted by and starring John Hammond, was selected as one of the Best Blues DVDs. Jon Cleary and The Tommy Castro Band were also named among the best in the Best Keyboards and Best Band categories, respectively.

Musselwhite's latest CD, The Well, received a 2011 Grammy nomination, the 7th overall for Charlie. A 26-time Blues Music Award (BMA) Winner and Blues Hall of Fame Inductee, Charlie is also featured on Cyndi Lauper's latest, Memphis Blues, a 2011 Grammy Nominee as well. Charlie can also be heard on five tracks of the new Tom Waits CD, Bad As Me.

John Hammond is an eight-time BMA winner and 2011 inductee into the Blues Hall of Fame. Hammond also received a 2010 Grammy Nomination - his seventh as well - for Rough & Tough (Best Traditional Blues Album). Hammond won a GRAMMY in 1985 for his performance on Blues Explosion, a compilation from the Montreux Jazz Festival also featuring Stevie Ray Vaughan, Koko Taylor and others.

With four BMA wins in 2010 (including Band of the Year), Castro's Hard Believer album (produced by John Porter (B.B. King, Elvis Costello, Buddy Guy, Keb' Mo', The Smiths, Roxy Music)) received the Living Blues Awards Readers' Poll Award for Best Blues Album of 2009.

Jon Cleary was born in the UK but has now established himself as one of the top artists in New Orleans where he was nominated in Offbeat Magazine's 2011 Best of the Beat Awards for Best Piano/Keyboardist. Cleary has worked with the likes of Bonnie Raitt, John Scofield, Taj Mahal, Keb Mo, India Arie, and Ryan Adams among others. Jon has made several appearances on the hit HBO series, Treme, playing himself.

Congratulations to Charlie, John, Tommy and Jon. Catch all of these artists live on a stage near you, please see Tour Dates >>

Mavis Staples To Perform On VH1 Divas Celebrates Soul Premiering December 19, 2011 - Honoring The Great Cities Of Soul Music

Mavis Staples will perform on VH1's Divas Celebrate Soul at New York City's Hammerstein Ballroom to pay tribute to the great cities of soul music - Chicago, Detroit, London, Memphis and Philadelphia. VH1's Divas Celebrate Soul premieres Monday, December 19 at 9 PM/8c on VH1. Joining Mavis on the show are Chaka Khan, Erykah Badu, Sharon Jones & the Dap-Kings, Boyz II Men, Estelle and Travie McCoy.

"Celebrating the soul music borne out of some of the world's greatest cities being performed by today's top artists with the iconic legends that put soul music on the map prove this year's 'Divas' will be a must-see event," said Lee Rolontz, EVP, Original Music Production & Development, VH1 and VH1 Classic.

Accompanied by one of the most exciting groups of modern soul, The Roots, with Questlove as musical director, each diva will pay tribute through not only their own soul-inspired songs, but some of the greatest classics that have shaped a genre.

Originally from Chicago, Illinois, Mavis was included on VH1's list of 100 Greatest Women of Rock and Roll and on Rolling Stone's 100 Greatest Singers of All Time. A Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame Inductee with The Staple Singers (1999), and a Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award Winner (2005), Staples recently won a Grammy in 2011 for You Are Not Alone (produced by Jeff Tweedy) for Best Americana Album.

As in previous years, this edition of VH1's Divas will benefit VH1 Save The Music Foundation and its programs to restore music education in public schools.  For more information, please visit vh1savethemusic.org.

Check out Mavis performing live on a stage near you, please see Tour Dates >>

Charlie Musselwhite and Allen Toussaint recently joined Cyndi Lauper on The Rosie Show (hosted by Rosie O'Donnell) which airs on the Oprah Winfrey Network. The trio performed "Shattered Dreams," the first song from Cyndi's recently released DVD/CD, To Memphis, With Love. Check out The Rosie Show clip here >>

Charlie and Allen are also both featured guests on Cyndi's new DVD/CD, recorded at a concert earlier this year in Memphis. It draws on material from Cyndi's GRAMMY nominated 2010 album Memphis Blues, on which Charlie and Allen are also featured guests. Charlie has been touring extensively as a featured performer in Cyndi's band.

Catch Charlie and Allen performing individually live on stage, please see Tour Dates >>

Rosebud Artists Score DownBeat Readers Poll Honors Once Again

Rosebud Artists once again were honored by fans in this year's DownBeat magazine Readers Poll (December issue), with Bill Frisell, Trombone Shorty (who's also featured in this issue's cover story), Allen Toussaint, Dr. John (who Rosebud represents for International booking outside the U.S. and Canada), Bettye LaVette, Charlie Musselwhite and Mavis Staples all placing high in a number of categories.

Bill Frisell scored high in three categories, placing in the top 10 Jazz Albums of the Year for Beautiful Dreamers, in the top 5 for Best Guitarist (a category he has won 3 times in the past) and among the Best Beyond Albums for his collaboration with Vinicius Cantuária, Lagrimas Mexicanas.

Dr. John, Bettye LaVette and Charlie Musselwhite were honored in two categories each. They were all voted among the top Best Blues Artists. In addition, Dr. John was among the Best Beyond Artists, Bettye's Interpretations - The British Rock Songbook was among the Best Beyond Albums and Charlie's The Well was voted among the Best Blues Albums.

Trombone Shorty moved into the top 5 Best Trombone players list and Allen Toussaint was honored among the Best Arrangers. Mavis Staples' You Are Not Alone was also named in the top 5 Best Beyond Albums.

Congratulations to all! Catch all of these artists individually live on stage, please see Tour Dates >>

Johnny A. and Duke Robillard Nominated for Boston Music Awards' 2011 Blues Artist of The Year

Rosebud artists Johnny A. and Duke Robillard were both nominated for 2011 Blues Artist of the Year by the Boston Music Awards. Johnny A. won this category in last year's awards. Now in its 24th year, the Boston Music Awards brings together the music community of New England to honor its best and brightest performers while raising funds to benefit the Music Drives Us Foundation.

Known as sideman to artists such as Bobby Whitlock and J. Geils frontman Peter Wolf, Johnny has shared stages with B.B. King, Les Paul, Jeff Beck, JJ Cale, Etta James, Dr. John, and Eric Johnson among others and has performed at such prestigious festivals as Eric Clapton's Crossroads and the Montreal Jazz Festival. Johnny A.'s rendition of "Walk Away Renee" (originally by The Left Banke) was selected by Gibson Guitars as the #4 Greatest Valentine's Day Instrumental. The song concludes Johnny's latest live double disc DVD/CD set, One November Night.

Duke Robillard's latest CD, Low Down and Tore Up, just spent several weeks in the #1 spot on Roots Music Report's TOP 50 Blues Chart. Duke's most recent album, Passport to the Blues, was nominated for the 2011 Blues Music Award for Traditional Blues Album of the Year. Duke is also a four-time Best Blues Guitarist Winner at the Blues Music Awards (and a nominee in this category again in 2011) and a two-time GRAMMY Award Nominee. His past collaborations include Bob Dylan, Tom Waits, Maria Muldaur, Dr. John, and John Hammond among others.

Cast your votes at bostonmusicawards2011.com and Congratulations and best of luck to Johnny and Duke. Catch each of these artists performing live on stage, please see Tour Dates >>

Ruthie Foster will release her new album, Let It Burn, on January 31, 2012. The CD features special guests The Blind Boys of Alabama, soul legend William Bell, and the rhythm section of The Funky Meters (bassist George Porter Jr. and drummer Russell Batiste). Recorded in New Orleans with producer John Chelew (The Blind Boys of Alabama, John Hiatt, Richard Thompson), Let It Burn also includes New Orleans-bred guitarist Dave Easley, renowned saxophonist James Rivers and Ike Stubblefield (Curtis Mayfield, Marvin Gaye, and Eric Clapton) on organ.

In addition to two new tracks from Foster, "Lord Remember Me" and "Aim for the Heart," Ruthie adds her signature sound to songs by Adele, Black Keys, Los Lobos, Johnny Cash, The Band, Pete Seeger, Crosby, Stills & Nash and more. Let It Burn is also Ruthie's first album where she does not play an instrument. Foster explains, "It gave me a lot more freedom vocally. Without a guitar, all I did was concentrate on singing."

Ruthie recently won the 2011 Koko Taylor Blues Music Award for Traditional Blues Female Artist of the Year. This is her second consecutive Blues Music Award, following a win in 2010 for Contemporary Blues Female Artist of the Year. She followed up her 2010 GRAMMY nominated The Truth According To Ruthie Foster (Best Contemporary Blues Album) with her first live concert DVD, and accompanying bonus CD, Live At Antone's, taped live at the legendary venue in her hometown of Austin, Texas.

In addition to touring with her own band around the world, Foster has also collaborated with a diverse list of artists including Warren Haynes, Big Head Todd, Bonnie Raitt, Eric Bibb and Paul Thorn. She's a regular favorite at an equally diverse list of festivals such as the New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival, the Monterey Blues Festival, Merlefest and the Kate Wolf Festival.

Catch Ruthie performing live on stage, please see Tour Dates >>

Charlie Musselwhite appears on five tracks on the new Tom Waits CD, Bad As Me, which enters the Billboard Top 200 Album Chart at #6. In addition to the album's title track, Charlie appears on "Chicago", "Raised Right Men", "Satisfied", and "Hell Broke Luce." Charlie first recorded with Waits on his 1999 GRAMMY Award winning Mule Variations (Best Contemporary Folk Album).

Joining Charlie on Bad as Me are other high-profile guests such as guitarist and Waits' longtime collaborator Marc Ribot, Keith Richards (Rolling Stones), David Hidalgo (Los Lobos), and Flea (Red Hot Chili Peppers). Clint Maedgen and Ben Jaffe, reed and brass players from New Orleans' Preservation Hall Jazz Band, also appear on many of the tracks.

A 7-Time GRAMMY Nominee (including a 2011 nomination for Best Traditional Blues Album for The Well), Charlie is also a 26-Time Blues Music Award Winner, including 2011 Blues Music Awards for Best Instrumentalist (Harmonica) and for Traditional Blues Male Artist of the Year. Charlie's The Well was also nominated for Album of the Year. In addition, Charlie is featured on Cyndi Lauper's 2011 GRAMMY nominated Memphis Blues. DownBeat also chose The Well in their Best CDs of 2010, receiving a 4-star rating.

Catch Charlie playing live on stage. For more details, please see Tour Dates >>