Heather Luckhart starting a new residency: Heather Luckhart’s Blues Experience Series will have a Launch Party Wednesday, June 28 at My House, 7:00 pm, 2882 Dundas St. W in the Junction). Upcoming guests are Eric St-Laurent (July 12), Josh Piché (July 19) and Stu Weinberg (July 26). It starts up with a Jam Night on July 5. Good luck to this entrepreneurienal blueswoman.

Congratulations Patrick Fockler from Newmarket who will be the Grand River Blues Society’s solo representative at the 2024 International Blues Challenge in Memphis. Glenn Marais and The Mojo Train was previously selected in the band competition. A sold out crowd came out to The Front Porch & Southern Kitchen in Langton for the solo showdown.

Awards and Recognition: Raven Kanatakta and ShoShona Kish of Digging Roots were awarded the 2023 CMW Allan Slaight Humanitarian Spirit Award in recognition of their longstanding commitment to charitable initiatives. They accepted the honour during a special presentation at the Westin Harbour Castle hotel, on Toronto’s Waterfront, on June 10, 2023. The CMW Allan Slaight Humanitarian Award is presented annually to a Canadian artist, duo, or group, in recognition of their social activism and benevolent support of humanitarian interests and causes. As recipient of this Award, The Slaight Family Foundation will make a sizable donation towards Digging Roots’s chosen cause, to acquire and donate ground-penetrating radar machines that will allow First Nation communities to survey and find children murdered in their traditional territories when mandated Residential Schools operated across Canada. Says Raven, “We’re in a time of reconciliation, we need to move our allied discussions from conversation to action, and that means we need co-conspirators to get the healing process started. It’s time to learn from the past so we don’t repeat the injustices of yesteryear. The only way forward is to face the truth of this country and implement solutions for peace.”

Dawn Tyler Watson inducted into the London Music Hall of Fame during the Forest City London Music Awards on June 18. Dawn Tyler Watson moved to London from England as a child and competed at local Kiwanis festivals and attended Catholic Central High. She struggled at times, including living on the streets, and worked at various nightclubs before moving to Montreal’s Concordia University to study theatre and jazz. “The blues chose me,” she said, “We all have a path… You need to be true to yourself and always love what you do.”

BluesBlast Awards voting opens: Paul DesLauriers is one of the nominees for Electric Guitarist Of The Year and his wife Annika Chambers DesLauriers is nominated for Female Blues Artist as well as Crystal Shawanda. Annika Chambers & Paul DeLauriers’ Good Trouble is nominated for Soul Blues Album. Other nominees are Russell Jackson for Bass Guitarist Of The Year, Kenny “Blues Boss” Wayne for Keyboard Player Of The Year, Sass Jordan – Bitches Blues for Rock Blues Album and Angelique Francis – Ashamed for Blues Video Of The Year. Voting for the Blues Blast awards continues until August 18, 2023 at www.BluesBlastMagazine.com. Voting is free and open to anyone. For a complete list of the nominees go to www.TheBBMAs.com. The 16th Annual Blues Blast Music Awards ceremonies are on September 23 in Peoria, IL
The Blues Blast awards are selected by blues fans alone whereas other awards programmes have panels, juries and committees. Many awards programmes are criticized by artists who resist the concept of “best” blues and now there’s a new blues programme just announced by bluesandrootsradio.com that is entirely peer-driven – established blues artists will nominate deceased Canadian Bluesmen and Blueswomen based on their musical merit, influence, and impact within the Canadian Blues community. Watch for an announcement of the first group of recipients.