1997 Maple Blues Awards

Winners and Nominees

(winners’ names are *bolded)

ENTERTAINER OF THE YEAR

Long John Baldry
Rita Chiarelli
Downchild
Fathead
*Colin James
Johnny V

ACOUSTIC ACT OF THE YEAR

Bill Bourne
Rick Fines
Ken Hamm
*Colin James
Whiteley Brothers

ELECTRIC ACT OF THE YEAR

Tony D
Downchild
*Fathead
Morgan Davis
The Sidemen

NEW ARTIST OF THE YEAR

Robin Bank$ Blues Band
Boppin’ Blues Band
Chris Chown
Rockin’ Highliners
The Twisters

MALE VOCALIST OF THE YEAR

Long John Baldry
John Ellison
*Colin James
Chuck Jackson
John Mays

FEMALE VOCALIST OF THE YEAR

Maureen Brown
*Rita Chiarelli
Georgette Fry
Theresa Malenfant
Suzie Vinnick

INTERNATIONAL ARTIST OF THE YEAR

Robert Cray
Ronnie Earl
Etta James
*B.B. King
Duke Robillard

PRODUCER OF THE YEAR

Rick Fenton
*Colin Linden
Andreas Schuld
John Switzer
Ken Whiteley

SOCAN SONGWRITER OF THE YEAR

Ray Bonneville
Rita Chiarelli
Don Walsh
Kenny “Blues Boss” Wayne
*Chris Whiteley

GUITARIST OF THE YEAR

Morgan Davis
Amos Garrett
*Colin James
Teddy Leonard
Johnny V

HARMONICA PLAYER OF THE YEAR

King Biscuit Boy
Jerome
Godboo
Dave “Hurricane” Hoerl
*Carlos del Junco
Al Lerman
Don Walsh

PIANO/KEYBOARD PLAYER OF THE YEAR

Scott “Professor Piano” Cushnie
Will MacCalder
Doug Riley
*Van “Piano Man” Walls
Kenny “Blues Boss” Wayne
Tyler Yarema

HORN PLAYER OF THE YEAR

Pat Carey
*Johnny Ferriera
Al Lerman
Sarah McElcheran
Dave Woodward

DRUMMER OF THE YEAR

Geoff Arsenault
*Maureen Brown
Bohdan Hluszko
Don Johnson
Chris Norquist

BASSIST OF THE YEAR

Stephen Barry
Victor Bateman
Al Duffy
*Gary Kendall
Terry Wilkins

RECORDING OF THE YEAR

Rita Chiarelli, What A Night Live! Stony Plain

Downchild, Lucky 13 Downchild Music

Sue Foley, Walk In The Sun Antone’s/Discovery/Warner

*Colin James, National Steel WEA

Vann “Piano Man” Walls and The Stephen Barry Band, In The Evening Disques BROS

MEDIA PERSON OF THE YEAR

Ian Angus
Storman Norman Casler
Andy Grigg
Big John Small
*Holger Petersen
John Valenteyn

BLUES WITH A FEELING AWARD

*Long John Baldry
Jack de Keyzer
Danny Marks
Brent Parkin
Vann “Piano Man” Walls