26th Annual Maple Blues Awards
Monday January 30th, 2023 7pm
Harbourfront Centre Theatre
231 Queens Quay West, Toronto
CHECK OUT OUR DIGITAL PROGRAM!
2023 PROGRAM
THIS YEARS PROGRAM AND AWARD VISUALS WERE DESIGNED BY
COURTNEY REVIE
Check Out The Photo Gallery Here
NOMINEES AND WINNERS
Congratulations to everyone who won at this year’s Maple Blues Awards! Winner names are highlighted as * WINNER in the nominee list below along with the sponsor.
Entertainer of the Year – TD Kitchener Blues Festival
*Blue Moon Marquee
Bywater Call
Crystal Shawanda
Steve Marriner
Sue Foley
Electric Act of the Year – Music By The Bay Live
Blackburn
*Colin James
HOROJO Trio
Steve Strongman
Sue Foley
Acoustic Act of the Year – Folk Music Ontario
*Blue Moon Marquee
Brandon Isaak
Harrison Kennedy
Matt Andersen
Suzie Vinnick
Male Vocalist of the Year – Blues on the Rideau, The Cove INN, Westport On
Harrison Kennedy
Jeff Rogers
Kevin Harvey
*Matt Andersen
Steve Marriner
Female Vocalist of the Year – Limestone City Blues Festival
Angelique Francis
Crystal Shawanda
Meghan Parnell
Miss Emily
*Suzie Vinnick
New Artist / Group of the Year – Tim Hortons Southside Shuffle Blues and Jazz
*Angelique Francis
Campbell & Johnston
Lyle Odjick
Marcus Trummer
South Island Rhythm Kings
Songwriter of the Year – Socan
*Blue Moon Marquee
Colin James
Colin Linden
Harrison Kennedy
Suzie Vinnick
B.B. King International Artist of the Year
Christone “Kingfish” Ingram
Erja Lyytinen
Ghost Town Blues Band
Larkin Poe
*Mavis Staples
Recording/Producer of the Year – Gypsy Soul Records
Long River
ARTIST: Angelique Francis
PRODUCER: Angelique Francis / Kiran Francis
Midnight Blues
ARTIST: Crystal Shawanda
PRODUCER: Dewayne Strobel
Open Road
ARTIST: Colin James
PRODUCER: Colin James / Dave Mezaros
*Scream Holler & Howl
ARTIST: Blue Moon Marquee
PRODUCER: Blue Moon Marquee, Duke Robillard & Erik Nielsen
Thanks For Tomorrow
ARTIST: Harrison Kennedy
PRODUCER: Harrison Kennedy / Jesse O’Brien
Blues With a Feeling Award
(Lifetime Achievement Award) – Stony Plain Records
Alec Fraser
Bobby Dean Blackburn
Brent Parkin
Dalannah Gail Bowen
Danny Brooks
*Harrison Kennedy
Murray Porter
Tom Lavin
Guitarist of the Year – Long & McQuade Musical Instruments
Colin James
Jack de Keyzer
*Sue Foley
Teddy Leonard
Tony D
Harmonica Player of the Year – Lee Oskar Harmonicas
Guy Bélanger
Paul Reddick
Roly Platt
Shawn Hall
*Steve Marriner
Piano/Keyboard Player of the Year
Ann Vriend
David Vest
Debra Power
*Jesse O’Brien
Kenny “Blues Boss” Wayne
Horn Player of the Year
*Alison Young
Chris Whiteley
Loretta Hale
Pat Carey
Richard Thornton
Drummer of the Year
Chris Nordquist
Cory Blackburn
*Jim Casson
Matt Sobb
Tom Bona
Bassist of the Year
Alec Fraser
*Angelique Francis
Gary Kendall
John Dymond
Russell Jackson
Blues Booster of the Year – Patrick Monaghan
Haliburton resident and Canadian blues promoter/DJ Patrick Monaghan has been named Blues Booster of the Year by the board of directors of Toronto Blues Society. Monaghan, who has for over 40 years immersed himself in the music scene as a fan, researcher, promoter and radio host is well known as one of the biggest supporters of Canadian blues musicians through his travels and on his radio show “The Buckslide Blues Cruise” on Canoe-FM.
Derek Andrews, President of Toronto Blues Society had this to say “A champion enthusiast like few others, Patrick Monaghan is a classic Blues Booster. Canoe FM is lucky to have Patrick as an advocate, as are all blues musicians who benefit from his passion.”
In addition to his radio programming, Monaghan is the President of the newly formed Highlands Buckslide Blues Society, has volunteered as Artistic Director for the Monarchs & Music Blues Festival in Haliburton, followed by becoming the Assistant Artistic Director for the Stonebridge Wasaga Beach Blues Festival, talent buyer for McKeck’s Tavern in Haliburton, and Mulligan’s in Minden, Ontario.
“I would like to thank the Toronto Blues Society for choosing me for this prestigious award. I am honoured and thrilled to receive the Blues Booster of the Year Award,” said Monaghan. “I would also like to thank my peers, colleagues and the blues community for their support. Many kind and helpful people have helped me along the way. About four years ago, I was diagnosed with a serious illness, again many members of the blues community stepped up to the plate ready to help in any way that they could. I am very grateful for their efforts. I consider my job as “Keeping The Blues Alive” but the last few years the blues have been keeping me alive!”
HOST – QUISHA WINT
Quisha Wint is the co-founder and president of QW Productions whose mission is to provide outstanding and 
professional entertainment in a classy and nostalgic atmosphere, while providing a platform for artists and musicians to showcase their awesome gift in music. She aims to educate both the public and upcoming artists on the importance of keeping the music from the past alive, music that touches our hearts.
Quisha was born to sing and entertain. She grew up in a Jamaican/Canadian home listening to Reggae, Motown, Gospel, R&B, then entered the jazz program at Humber College in the mid ’90s. From there she embarked upon her dream of performing with well-known musicians, which took her to exciting overseas hotel engagements. Since then, Quisha has sung in many parts of Asia, Europe, North America, and Caribbean.
With a bright personality and strong emotive vocal abilities, Quisha is one of Toronto’s most sought-after session vocalists. She also performs regularly at corporate gigs. Currently living in the GTA, Quisha is well established in the tight-knit music industry. She is a phenomenal and expressive vocalist who also inspires others to live out their dreams.
Not only is she an entrepreneur, producer, director, songwriter, arranger, worship director and a mother, Quisha just began her journey into speaking at corporate events to empower and enrich corporation employees.
Quisha released her 1st EP entitled My Life in 2021 with rave reviews. Her 1st single Black Shoes, off her grassroots project recently hit #1 on the Indie Music Artists charts.
Quisha is an inspiration to many, and her hope is to live out her life knowing that many lives have been transformed positively through her works.
PERFORMANCES BY
Meghan Parnell & Dave Barnes (Bywater Call)
Singer Meghan Parnell and slide-guitarist Dave Barnes are the co-leaders and co-writers for Maple Blues and 
International Blues Award Nominated, 7-piece band Bywater Call.
The band released their Sophomore Album “Remain” on September 2, 2022.
With Bywater, Meghan and Dave have toured all over Europe and played on many Canadian Festival Mainstages. In December 2022, the band made their debut in the US with several well-received performances in New York State and New Hampshire. Bywater Call will travel to Athens, Greece in August 2023 to participate in Joe Bonamassa’s Keeping the Blues Alive at Sea III.
Meghan has also performed as a featured vocalists at the Women’s Blues Review at Roy Thompson Hall.
Blue Moon Marquee
Blue Moon Marquee write and perform original compositions influenced by anything that
swings, jumps or grooves. A.W. Cardinal (vocals/guitar) and Jasmine Colette a.k.a. Badlands
Jass (vocals/bass/drums) have played for a vast gamut of crowds at jazz clubs, Lindy Hop
dance halls, folk venues, blues haunts, hospitals, prisons, markets, motorcycle joints, dive bars
and prestigious festival stages.
Colette not only commands the upright bass but also brings the rhythm with her feet on a
custom foot drum kit, all while singing in her signature honey dipped tone. Cardinal’s distinctive
and soulful vocals barrel out like a raging bull while his guitar crackles with the swinging energy
of jazz-tinged blues.
Paul Reddick & Kyle Ferguson
Paul Reddick is a Juno Award winning Singer, Songwriter, Harmonica player.
Kyle Ferguson is a twice Juno Award nominated Guitarist and Songwriter.
Paul and Kyle have been writing and playing music together since 1991 as Co-Founders of the influential Blues Rock band The Sidemen.
They continue to compose and perform their unique style of blues based music in The Paul Reddick Band and will release an album of new material in the spring of 2023.
AV (Ann Vriend)
AV (Ann Vriend) is a two-time Maple Blues Award songwriting recipient, a Maple Blues Keyboardist of the Year nominee,
an Edmonton Music Award and Alberta Centennial Award recipient, and has sold nearly 30,000 albums off-the-stage in her under-the-radar yet critically acclaimed international career, where she has had as song in the Top 100 on commercial radio. Her sound is reminiscent of the vintage, rootsy, soul style of Stax Records and Muscle Shoals recordings, while also contemporary and commercially viable. She is also a passionate advocate for empowerment and respect for the members of her inner city neighborhood of McCauley, Edmonton.
Kevin Harvey & Neil Elsmoe (Durham County Poets)
Durham County Poets are a “band” in the truest sense of the word!
It all started in a small café in Ormstown, Quebec, after which the band continued to percolate
and spread onto the Canadian music scene allowing them to tour across Canada and on into
the United States. Each member writes and arranges and brings something unique to the table.
You’ll hear a variety of genres and a broad range of styles. Be it Blues, Soul, Folk, R&B or
Gospel, it all weaves seamlessly together to create a truly authentic contemporary Canadiana sound.
Kevin Harvey & Neil Elsmore have been performing together in one form or another since the mid 90s. Writing songs, creating music is a passion they each share. Friendship, love, shared faith, and respect for one another and for Blues music as an art form has been the glue that has kept them together for over 30 years now! “Blues/Gospel & Roots music in general will always be with us. And we, for one are humbled and overjoyed to be able to be part of this
amazing musical scene.”
Their fourth album “Hand Me Down Blues” would build remain on Roots Music Report’s
top 50 charts in Canada for more than 12 months. And was nominated for a JUNO AWARD for (Best Blues album of the year 2020)
MAPLE BLUES BAND
These incredible blues artists will be supported by the award gala’s house band, The Maple Blues Band, who have been a cornerstone of the annual Maple Blues Awards Ceremony since 1999. The Maple Blues Band features a who’s who of musicians including the ceremony’s musical director and bandleader Gary Kendall on bass, Teddy Leonard on lead guitar, Pat Carey on tenor saxophone, Al Lerman on harmonica & acoustic guitar, Howard Moore on trumpet, Jim Casson on drums, Lance Anderson on piano, organ & accordion, Alison Young on baritone saxophone, Meirion Kelly on trombone and Roshane Wright on percussion.
THANKS TO OUR SPONSORS
The Maple Blues Awards is Canada’s national blues awards program. Its goal is to promote blues music across Canada, and to recognize outstanding achievement in the field. Winners in all categories (excluding the instrumental categories*) are decided by blues fans across Canada. Voting occurs online each November.
Nominating Panel & Steering Committee. The nominees are selected by a distinguished panel of some 53 blues experts who form the MBA Nominating Panel. Co-chaired by the steering committee consisting of Cindy McLeod, Terry Parsons, Yanick Theriault, and Brant Zwicker, the panel includes radio hosts, journalists, and festival organizers regionally distributed across Canada. Members of the Nominating Panel are not eligible for any of the awards.
The Maple Blues Award winners will be announced on January 30, 2023 at the LIVE Maple Blues Award Show to be held at Koerner Hall in Toronto.
*Instrumental Categories. Winners in the guitar, harmonica, piano/keyboards, horn, drum, and bass categories are not open for public vote. Instrumental or “craft” categories are determined by a panel of experts drawn from the nominating panel.
The Maple Blues Awards program is proudly organized by the Toronto Blues Society.
MAPLE BLUES AWARDS CHANGES
Toronto Blues Society has received valuable input from the members of the Canadian blues community regarding the Maple Blues Awards procedures and voting process – and have developed policies and protocol to ensure the Maple Blues Award system is responsive and evolving. Please note the following rules:
- Songwriter Of The Year Category: Changes to this category have been made to ensure that the nominated artist(s) has contributed 50% or more towards the song writing on the recent album to be eligible in this category.
- Social Media Advertising Banned: While getting nominated for a Maple Blues Award is a wonderful achievement and excitement, not all of the nominees are regular users of social media or some may not have the budgets to execute a successful advertising campaign to solicit votes. In the pursuit of fairness for all of the nominees and transparency,
-
PAID social media advertising by the MBA nominees is BANNED during the public voting period. Anyone who breaches this rule will be disqualified!
- Regular “thank-you” posts by the nominees as well as reminders to fans for the voting deadline on social media are all still good and will also help us promote the Maple Blues Awards more! Our aim is to prevent manipulation on public voting through sponsored posts (specifically asking for votes) which may cause an inequity as we realize not all the artists may have the same budget.
MAPLE BLUES AWARDS APPLICATION PROCESS
There is no application process for the Maple Blues Awards. Nominations are drawn from the expertise of the MBA Nominating Panel. Members of the nominating panel are required to be familiar with Canadian blues artist activity and CD releases. Artists are encouraged to service new releases to all blues radio DJs, journalists and industry professionals across Canada to increase their national profile. The list of the Panel members can be found on our website (bottom of this page) with a link to their organizations.
Recording/Producer Of The Year. Nominated recordings in this category must be released during the eligibility period: September 1, 2021 to September 30, 2022.
New Artist Or Group Of The Year. Group or individual, new to the national blues scene, who has made considerable advances artistically and/or commercially over the previous year. The nominee should be performing under its/his/her name on a regular basis and must not have been nominated in any Maple Blues Awards category previously. The award recognizes the group or individual.
MAPLES BLUES AWARDS NOMINATING PANEL
The Nominating Panel consists of industry professionals from across Canada who volunteer their time to participate.
Click here to download the communication sheet for the Panel.
| First Name | Last Name | Organization | Town | Prov |
| Al | Forrie | Hornby Island Blues Society | Hornby Island | BC |
| Brant | Zwicker* | At the Crossroads, syndicated | Kamloops | BC |
| Brent | Morrison | Rockin’ Blues, CJSF | Vancouver | BC |
| Grant | Payne | CHLY | Nanaimo | BC |
| Paul | Norton | One O’Clock Jump, CFRO | Code Blue, CiTR | Vancouver | BC |
| Rod | Dranfield | White Rock Blues Society | Surrey | BC |
| Vince | Almond | CFBX | Kamloops | BC |
| Cora | Price | Fraser Valley Blues Society | Chilliwack | BC |
| Deb | Rhymer | Victoria Blues Society | Victoria Island | BC |
| Chris | Martin | CBC Saturday Night Blues | Edmonton | AB |
| Cindy | McLeod | Calgary Blues Music Association | Calgary | AB |
| Holger | Petersen | CBC Saturday Night Blues, CKUA | Edmonton | AB |
| Cam | Hayden | CKUA | Edmonton | AB |
| Al | Wood | Saskatoon Blues Society | Saskatoon | SK |
| Andrew | Galloway | Electro-Fi Records | Toronto | ON |
| Bruce | Hall | Grand River Blues Society | Kitchener | ON |
| Claude | Cloutier | Kitchener Blues Festival | Kitchener | ON |
| Deborah | Cartmer | CFBU | St. Catharines | ON |
| Eric | Thom | Freelance Music Writer | Toronto | ON |
| Jan | MacDonald | Downtown Kingston Limestone City Blues Festival | Kingston | ON |
| John | Emms | Freelance Music Writer | Timmins | ON |
| Julie | Hill | Calling All Blues, CIUT FM | Toronto | ON |
| Ken | Wallis | Blues Source Canada, The Hawk | Hamilton | ON |
| Lee | Evans | Blueswater Blues Show, 91.3 FM | Hanover | ON |
| Liz | Sykes | Ottawa Blues Society | Ottawa | ON |
| Lori | Murray | Music By The Bay Live | Uxbridge | ON |
| Nick | Harding | Photographer | Wasaga Beach | ON |
| Paul | Panchezak | Breakfast of Champions, CFMU McMaster Radio | Hamiton | ON |
| Rick | Clarke | Bruce County Blues Society/Lighthouse Blues Festival | Kincardine | ON |
| Stevie | Connor | The Sound Cafe Magazine | Blues & Roots Radio | Mississauga | ON |
| Daisy | Hanna | Montreal Blues Society | Montreal | QC |
| Dave | Brennan | Ottawa Blues Society | Gatineau | QC |
| David | McCabe | Montreal Blues Society | St-Urbain Premier | QC |
| Debra | Thornington | Ottawa Blues Society | Gatineau | QC |
| John | Detcheverry | Cha Cha Cha In Blue, CKUT | Montreal | QC |
| Louis | Brunet | CKMN-FM 96,5 | Rimouski | QC |
| Yannick | Lambert | Donnacona Blues Festival | Donnacona | QC |
| Yanick | Theriault* | Plus 90.7 FM (cfbo rebrand ) | New Brunswick | NB |
| Terry | Parsons* | Blind Lemon Radio, CHMR | St. John’s | NFLD |
| Bruce | Morel | Music Marketing International Inc. | Dartmouth | NS |
| Cathy | Prothro | East Coast Blues Society | Dartmouth | NS |
*The panel is led by a steering committee consisting of Cindy McLeod, Brant Zwicker, Yanick Theriault and Terry Parsons.
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