1998 Maple Blues Awards

Nominees and Winners Photo Gallery

Nominees and Winners

(winners’ names are *bolded)

ENTERTAINER OF THE YEAR

Long John Baldry
Fathead
*Colin James
Rockin’ Highliners
Vann “Piano Man” Walls

ACOUSTIC ACT OF THE YEAR

Ray Bonneville
*Rick Fines
Ken Hamm
Big Dave McLean
Tim Williams

ELECTRIC ACT OF THE YEAR

Downchild Blues Band
Stephen Barry Band
Fathead
*Colin James and the Little Big Band
Rockin’ Highliners

MALE VOCALIST OF THE YEAR

Jim Byrnes
*Colin James
Don Johnson
John Mays
Robert Tycholis

FEMALE VOCALIST OF THE YEAR

Robin Banks
*Rita Chiarelli
Georgette Fry
Theresa Malenfant
Dawn Tyler Watson

INTERNATIONAL ARTIST OF THE YEAR

Buddy Guy
*B.B. King
Keb ‘Mo’
Duke Robillard
Kim Wilson

PRODUCER OF THE YEAR

Andrew Galloway
*Colin James
Colin Linden
Ken Whiteley

NEW ARTIST OF THE YEAR

Trevor Finlay Band
Steve Hill
Jake and the Blue Midnights
Dawn Tyler Watson
*Tyler Yarema and his Rhythm

GUITARIST OF THE YEAR

John Campbelljohn
Tony D.
Morgan Davis
*Colin James
Teddy Leonard
Colin Linden

HARMONICA PLAYER OF THE YEAR

Dave “Hurricane” Hoerl
Rick Jefferey
*Carlos del Junco
Al Lerman
Michael Pickett

PIANO/KEYBOARD PLAYER OF THE YEAR

Curley Bridges
*Van “Piano Man” Walls
Kenny “Blues Boss” Wayne
Eric Webster
Tyler Yarema

HORN PLAYER OF THE YEAR

Pat Carey
Johnny Ferreira
Jody Golick
Al Lerman
*Chris Whiteley

DRUMMER OF THE YEAR

Bucky Berger
*Maureen Brown
John McColgan
Ken McMahon
Chris Norquist

BASSIST OF THE YEAR

Stephen Barry
Victor Bateman
Ryan Menard
Jon Penner
Bob “Omar” Tunnoch
*Terry Wilkins

SOCAN SONGWRITER OF THE YEAR

Ray Bonneville
John Campbelljohn
Rick Fines
*Colin Linden
Michael Pickett

RECORDING OF THE YEAR

Fathead: Blues Weather (Electro-fi)

Ken Hamm: Galvanized! (Independent)

Colin James: Colin James and the Little Big Band II (WEA)

Rockin’ Highliners: What Were You Thinking? (Square Dog)

Kenny “Blues Boss” Wayne: Blues Boss Boogie (Real Blues)

BLUES BOOSTER OF THE YEAR

*Mark Monahan (organizer of the Ottawa Blues Festival)

BLUES WITH A FEELING AWARD

(Lifetime Achievement Award )
*Jackie Washington

PHOTO GALLERY

: TBS exec director Barbara Isherwood (aka Vanna White) (L) and Producer and Songwriter of the Year, Colin Linden.

: Female Vocalist of the Year Rita Chiarelli (L) shares a laugh at the podium with presenter Molly Johnson.

: Mark Monahan, organizer of the Ottawa Blues Festival accepts this year’s Toronto Blues Society Blues Booster of the Year Award.

: Drummer of the Year Maureen Brown (L) is congratulated by emcee John Northcott.

: Acoustic Act of the Year: Rick Fines

: Multi MBA winner Colin James (L) accepts the Music Manufacturing Services Recording of the Year award. He is joined by Lindsay Gillespie of MMS, and presenter Murray McLauchlan.