2007 Maple Blues Awards

Nominees and Winners

Congratulations to everyone who won at this year’s Maple Blues Awards! Winner names are highlighted in *BOLD in the nominee list below.

ENTERTAINER OF THE YEAR

Jim Byrnes
Jack de Keyzer
Downchild
*Colin James
Shakura S’Aida

ELECTRIC ACT OF THE YEAR

Downchild
Sue Foley/Deborah Coleman/Roxanne Potvin
*Colin James & the Little Big Band
Garrett Mason
Johnny Max Band

ACOUSTIC ACT OF THE YEAR

Diana Braithwaite & Chris Whiteley
Michael Jerome Browne
*Harry Manx & Kevin Breit
Big Dave McLean
Dawn Tyler Watson & Paul Deslauriers

MALE VOCALIST OF THE YEAR

Danny Brooks
Jim Byrnes
*Chuck Jackson (Downchild)
Harrison Kennedy
John Mays (Fathead)

FEMALE VOCALIST OF THE YEAR

Ndidi Onukwulu
Roxanne Potvin
Shakura S’Aida
Suzie Vinnick
*Dawn Tyler Watson

NEW ARTIST/GROUP OF THE YEAR

Little Miss Higgins
Steve Marriner
Son Roberts Band
Steve Strongman
*Thom Swift

B.B. KING INTERNATIONAL ARTIST

James Hunter
Bettye LaVette
Duke Robillard
Bobby Rush
*Watermelon Slim and the Workers

RECORDING OF THE YEAR

No Easy Way Out (Rockin’ Camel), Danny Brooks, Producer: Johnny Sandlin
Live at the Palais Royale (Linus), Downchild, Producer: Donnie Walsh
*Colin James & The Little Big Band: 3, Colin James (MapleMusic), Producers: Colin Linden
In Good We Trust (Stony Plain), Harry Manx & Kevin Breit, Producers: Kevin Breit & Harry Manx
A Lesson I’ve Learned (Pour Soul), Johnny Max Band, Producers: Martin Alex Aucoin & Johnny Max

GUITARIST OF THE YEAR

Kevin Breit
Mel Brown
*Jack de Keyzer
Shawn Kellerman
Garrett Mason

HARMONICA PLAYER OF THE YEAR

Dave Hoerl (The Twisters)
Steve Marriner
Michael Pickett
Paul Reddick
*David Rotundo

KEYBOARD/PIANO PLAYER OF THE YEAR

Lance Anderson
Richard Bell
*Michael Fonfara (Downchild)
Bill King
Kenny “Blues Boss” Wayne

HORN PLAYER OF THE YEAR

*Pat Carey (Downchild)
Johnny Ferreira
Al Lerman (Fathead)
Chris Murphy
Chris Whiteley

DRUMMER OF THE YEAR

Geoff Arsenault (Morgan Davis/Hot Toddy)
Bucky Berger (Fathead)
Al Cross
*Mike Fitzpatrick (Downchild)
Mike Sloski

BASS PLAYER OF THE YEAR

Tom Easley (Hot Toddy)
Alec Fraser
Russell Jackson
*Gary Kendall (Downchild)
Suzie Vinnick

SONGWRITER OF THE YEAR AWARD

Martin Alex Aucoin & Johnny Max
Danny Brooks
Jim Byrnes
*Harry Manx
Paul Reddick

BLUES WITH A FEELING (Lifetime Achievement Award)

Danny Brooks
Michael Fonfara
Alec Fraser
Amos Garrett
Tom Lavin
*Big Dave McLean
Ellen McIlwaine
Joe Murphy
Chris Whiteley
Ken Whiteley
Terry Wilkins

BLUES BOOSTER OF THE YEAR

*Brad Wheeler