Blues Music Awards: Tommy Castro, Sue Foley, Christone 'Kingfish' Ingram among winners
Bay Area guitarist Tommy Castro was the big winner at the annual Blues Music Awards, held Thursday night in Memphis.
Castro took home three top prizes including the coveted B.B. King Entertainer of the Year Award and Album of the Year honors for his LP “A Bluesman Came to Town.” Castro’s group, The Painkillers, also earned the Band of the Year award.
Presented by the Memphis-based Blues Foundation, the Blues Music Awards recognize the year’s exceptional achievements in blues music recording, performance and songwriting.
This year’s ceremonies — the 43rd edition of the awards — were held at Downtown Memphis’ Renasant Convention Center and marked the return of live ceremonies following two years of virtual awards, due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Newly minted Grammy winner and Clarksdale, Mississippi, native Christone "Kingfish” Ingram also walked away with a pair of awards. The 23-year-old sensation netted wins in the Best Contemporary Blues Album category for his LP, “662,” and as Best Contemporary Blues Artist.
Canadian guitarist Sue Foley also earned a couple wins, taking the trophy for Traditional Blues Album for her LP “Pink’s Blues” and the Koko Taylor Award for the top Traditional Blues Female Artist.
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Other notable winners included genre veterans Taj Mahal (Traditional Blues Male Artist), Keb’ Mo’ (Best Acoustic Blues Artist) and the late Mike Finnigan, who was honored posthumously with the Pinetop Perkins Award as top pianist.
A number of Memphis and Mid-South artists were recognized, with local guitarist Eric Gales winning as the top Guitarist and fellow Bluff City bluesman John Németh taking the best Vocalist honor.
The Best Emerging Artist Album award was given to Memphis blues scion Rodd Bland and the Members Only Band, for his tribute to his father, R&B legend Bobby “Blue" Bland.
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2022 Blues Music Awards Winners
B.B. King Entertainer of the Year: Tommy Castro
Album of the Year: “Tommy Castro Presents: A Bluesman Came To Town,” Tommy Castro
Band of the Year: Tommy Castro & The Painkillers
Song of the Year: “I'd Climb Mountains,” written and performed by Selwyn Birchwood
Best Emerging Artist Album: “Live On Beale Street: A Tribute To Bobby 'Blue' Bland,” Rodd Bland and the Members Only Band
Acoustic Blues Album: “Dear America,” Eric Bibb
Blues Rock Album: “Resurrection,” Mike Zito
Contemporary Blues Album: “662,” Christone “Kingfish” Ingram
Soul Blues Album: “Long As I Got My Guitar,” Zac Harmon
Traditional Blues Album: “Pinky’s Blues,” Sue Foley
Acoustic Blues Artist: Keb’ Mo’
Blues Rock Artist: Albert Castiglia
Contemporary Blues Female Artist: Vanessa Collier
Contemporary Blues Male Artist: Christone "Kingfish" Ingram
Soul Blues Female Artist: Annika Chambers
Soul Blues Male Artist: Curtis Salgado
Traditional Blues Female Artist (Koko Taylor Award): Sue Foley
Traditional Blues Male Artist: Taj Mahal
Instrumentalist – Bass: Danielle Nicole
Instrumentalist — Drums: Tom Hambridge
Instrumentalist — Guitar: Eric Gales
Instrumentalist – Harmonica: Jason Ricci
Instrumentalist -- Horn: Jimmy Carpenter
Instrumentalist - Piano (Pinetop Perkins Piano Player Award): Mike Finnigan
Instrumentalist – Vocals: John Németh
This article originally appeared on Memphis Commercial Appeal: Winners of the Blues Music Awards 2022 ceremony in Memphis
