Critics’ Poll
Blues Artist of the Year (Male)
Christone “Kingfish” Ingram
Blues Artist of the Year (Female)
Shemekia Copeland
Most Outstanding Blues Singer
Shemekia Copeland
Most Outstanding Musician (Guitar)
Christone “Kingfish” Ingram
Most Outstanding Musician (Harmonica)
Charlie Musselwhite
Most Outstanding Musician (Keyboard)
Kenny “Blues Boss” Wayne
Most Outstanding Musician (Bass)
Jerry Jemmott
Most Outstanding Musician (Drums)
Kenny “Beedy Eyes” Smith
Most Outstanding Musician (Horns)
The Texas Horns
Most Outstanding Musician (Other)
Anne Harris (violin)
Best Live Performer
Bobby Rush
Comeback Artist of the Year
Arthur Adams
Artist Deserving More Attention
D.K. Harrell
Best Blues Albums of 2023
Album of the Year
Taj Mahal – Savoy – Stony Plain
Best New Recording / Contemporary Blues
Christone “Kingfish” Ingram – Live in London – Alligator
Best New Recording / Traditional or Acoustic Blues
Eric Bibb – Ridin’ – Stony Plain
Best New Recording / Soul Blues
Johnny Rawls – Walking Heart Attack – Catfood
Best New Recording / Best Debut Release
D.K. Harrell – The Right Man – Little Village Foundation
Best Historical Release / Pre-war
Various Artists – Memphis Blues Box: Original Recordings 1914–1969 – Bear Family
Best Historical Reissue / Postwar
Various Artists – Down Home Blues: Chicago, Vol. 3 – The Special Stuff – Wienerworld
Best Blues Book of 2023
Biography of a Phantom: A Robert Johnson Blues Odyssey
By Robert “Mack” McCormick and John Troutman
Smithsonian Books
Producer of the Year / New Recording
Kid Andersen – (Alabama Mike – Stuff I’ve Been Through) – Little Village Foundation
Producer of the Year / Historical Reissue
Jeff Place and John W. Troutman – (Various Artists – Playing for the Man at the Door: Field Recordings from the Collection of Mack McCormick 1958–1971) – Smithsonian Folkways
Readers’ Poll
Blues Artist of the Year (Male)
Christone “Kingfish” Ingram
Blues Artist of the Year (Female)
Shemekia Copeland
Most Outstanding Musician (Guitar)
Buddy Guy
Most Outstanding Musician (Harmonica)
Charlie Musselwhite
Most Outstanding Musician (Keyboard)
Marcia Ball
Best Live Performer
Buddy Guy
Most Outstanding Blues Singer
Shemekia Copeland
Best Blues Album of 2023 (New Release)
Taj Mahal – Savoy – Stony Plain
Best Blues Album of 2023 (Historical Recording)
Ike & Tina Turner – River Deep – Mountain High – Elemental Records
Best Blues Book of 2023
Tell It Like It Is: My Story – Aaron Neville – Hachette Books
