 |
 
|
|
 Luther Allison sweeps W.C. Handy Awards. Robert Cray co-hosts The late Luther Allison once again swept the W. C. Handy Blues Awards winning in five major categories including Blues Band of the Year for his band with Jim Solberg, Blues Entertainer of the Year, Contemporary Blues Album of the Year, Contemporary Blues Male Artist of the Year and Best Guitar. Multiple Handy Winners Robert Cray and Ruth Brown co-hosted the event. John Lee Hooker honored with George and Ira Gershwin Lifetime Achievement Award and Panga Pamodzi Award for Musical Achievement John Lee Hooker was awarded The George & Ira Gershwin Award for Musical Achievement at UCLA on May 1. Mick Fleetwood made the presentation to Mr. Hooker, citing Hooker's massive influence on bands like the early Fleetwood Mac, The Rolling Stones, The Yardbirds, John Mayall's Bluesbreakers with Eric Clapton and more. The next night Mr. Hooker was honored in Oslo, Norway (he didn't attend the event) with a Panga Pamodzi Award for Musical Achievement. Beausoleil Avec Michael Doucet - Now Nine time winners for Best Cajun Band in New Orleans' Big Easy Awards BeauSoleil avec Michael Doucet were honored for the ninth time in ten years as Cajun Band of the year in New Orleans' Big Easy Awards. They missed a year only because the rules don't allow anyone to win more than five consecutive times. Loudon Wainwright III featured on ABC's Nightline Loudon Wainwright III was featured on ABC's Nightline performing a song he'd written specifically for the program about the declining birth rate entitled "Brand New Braver World". Loudon has previously supplied Nightline with the songs "Tonya's Twirls" about Olympic skater Tonya Harding and "Talkin' Woodstock '94", a satire on the 25th anniversary version of Woodstock. Luther Allison wins big in the Living Blues Readers' Awards The late Luther Allison continues to score with his legion of fans. Living Blues Readers named Luther Best Blues Artist of the Year, Most Outstanding Blues Musician, Guitar and named his latest CD, Reckless, Best Blues Album of 1997. The awards were announced May 4, 1998. The Robert Cray Band wins Best Blues Song of 1997 in Living Blues Readers' Awards The Robert Cray Band's "The One in the Middle" won Best Blues Song of 1997 in Living Blues Readers' Awards. The song is featured on their latest CD, Sweet Potato Pie, written by longtime Cray keyboardist Jim Pugh. The Living Blues Readers' Awards were announced May 4, 1998. |
