Jus' Blues William Bell Blues & Soul Award

Unique Writer, Producer, Arranger & Vocalist

William Bell

William Bell Yarbrough; born a singer and songwriter. Bell was born in Memphis, Tennessee. He took the last name "Bell" as a stage name in honor of his grandmother, whose first name was Belle. Bell was the first male solo act to be signed to Stax Records and he was able to release several singles before joining the military. He continued to record singles while on break from deployment, including the song "Marching Off to War".

As a songwriter, Bell co-authored the Chuck Jackson hit "Any Other Way" (which was a cover since Bell issued it first) as a follow-up to "You Don't Miss Your Water" The man who co-wrote one of the most covered songs in blues/rock music history is also an original “soul man” - and he’s still going strong! William Bell,  wrote “Born Under a Bad Sign

Albert King Lifetime  Achievement​ Award “The Lucy Award”

Being on Fire, Feeling, Funk Blues & Soul

James "Super Chikan" Johnson

James "Super Chikan" Johnson is an American blues musician , based in Clarksdale, Mississippi. He is the nephew of fellow blues musician Big Jack Johnson .  As an adult, Super Chikan began driving a truck for a living. During the long stretches on the road, he began composing his own songs. When he showed some of the songs to his friends, they convinced him to go to a recording studio and record them. He then started playing with some renowned local musicians, but he decided he would rather perform on his own than try to conform his style to that of his bandmates. He did so, and in 1997 he released his debut album, Blues Come Home to Roost.   Now called a "present-day exponents of an edgier, electrified version of the raw, uncut Delta blues sound."

"King Of The Blues" Award  "Tribute to B. B. King"

​Preserving Traditional Blues Heritage

RaShad The Blues Kid

Born Larry Ra’Shad Lavar McGill and raised in the sleepy town of Laurel, young Ra’Shad was recognized as a unique individual at an early age. The youngest of five children, he was born hearing impaired with a myriad of other health issues from asthma to allergies. Despite the many medical conditions, though, he immersed himself into his two first loves: music and football. In church, he first discovered a love of music from watching the guitarist and keyboard players command the congregation with their every note. The church guitarist, Billy Evans, would allow him to sit with him as he played, and the youngster soaked up each lesson like a sponge.

KoKo Taylor “Queen of the Blues” Awards

Preserving Traditional Blues Heritage

Nora Jean Wallace

Nora Jean Wallace (formerly Nora Jean Bruso) is a Chicago Blues singer with deep Delta roots. Like so many blues greats that hail from the Delta of Mississippi, Nora Jean Bruso was born and raised in Greenwood, a town in the heart of this blues-rich region. From birth her father, Bobby Lee Wallace, a professional blues singer and sharecropper, and her Uncle, Henry “Son” Wallace, a blues singer and guitar player, infused the blues in her soul. Also contributing to her musical education was her mother, Ida Lee Wallace, a gospel singer, and her grandmother, Mary, who ran a juke house.

Willie Dixon Lifetime Achievement WRITERS  Award

For outstanding contributions to Blues & Soul music as a unique Songwriter

Corey Harris

Corey Harris, is a guitarist, vocalist, songwriter and band leader who has carved out his own niche in blues. A powerful singer and accomplished guitarist, 
He has appeared at venues throughout North America, Europe, Brazil, the Caribbean, West Africa, Asia, Australia and New Zealand.  He has performed, recorded, and toured with many of the top names in music such as BB King, Taj Mahal, Buddy Guy, R.L.Burnside, Ali Farka Toure, Dave Matthews Band, Tracy Chapman, Olu Dara, Wilco, and others. His additional recordings include Fish Ain’t Bitin’ (1996), Vu-Du Menz (with Henry Butler, 2000), Downhome Sophisticate (2002), Zion Crossroads (2007), and blu black (2010).

Willie Mitchell Lifetime Achievement Artist Award

​Outstanding Artistry to Blues & Soul ​Music

Oona Mitchell

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Lawerence "Boo" Mitchell

Oona (“A h-Na”) Mitchell Bean is the co-owner of Royal Recording Studios. Created by the legendary Willie Mitchell, along with her brother Lawrence “Boo” Mitchell, her valuable everyday input to studio continues the family’s third generation as influential music makers and producers.
Oona wears many hats as the daily administrative manager of the studio. She handles bookings and schedules maintenance, while at the same time successfully helping to modernize Royal’s market, evidenced by the studio’s inclusion as a key component of Mark Ronson & Bruno Mars collaboration 2016 Grammy winner “Uptown Funk.” That her brother Boo Mitchell won a Grammy for.

Lawrence "Boo" Mitchell is a GRAMMY Award-winning engineer, producer, composer, award-winning movie producer, and co-owner of Royal Studios in Memphis, TN.  Born in 1971, Boo is the son of legendary Hi Records and Al Green producer, Willie Mitchell. Boo began his storied musical career in 1987 at the young age of 16 honing his chops songwriting and playing keyboards.
For more than a decade, Boo has worked in the studio and on stage with a who’s who of phenomenal artists such as, Al Green, Buddy Guy, Keith Richards, Boz Scaggs, John Mayer, Trombone Shorty, U2, Elton John, Bobby "Blue” Bland,  Just to name a few.

Bobby Rush Lifetime Achievement Blues Entertainers Award

​Outstanding Tradition Blues Entertainer

Dennis Jones

Dennis Jones, born 1958, Baltimore, Maryland, USA. While still a young teenager, Jones played guitar in various blues bands in his home state. A little while later he spent some time living in Europe, developing his skills and building an admiring audience. In the mid-80s he relocated to Los Angeles, California, where he greatly expanded his audience, offering a potent mix of classic urban blues songs alongside his own compositions, which maintain the mood although dressed in powerful rock-influenced concepts. He played with guitarist Zac Harmon’s band and others before forming his own group in the mid-90s. This blending of musical genres is reflected in the name of his company, Blue Rock Records, for which he began recording in the early 00s. Included in his band for his second album, 2005’s Passion For The Blues, were Kenny ‘Boudro’ Gray (bass) and Michael Turner (drums), while among the guests were Jimmy ‘Z’ Zavala (blues harp/saxophone), Marshall Thompson (keyboards) and Harmon. 

Denise LaSalle Lifetime Achievement  Award

​​RECORDING OF EXCELLENCE

Vickie Baker

​Vickie Baker was born on October 3, 1961 in Shreveport, Louisiana, Vickie grew up in a musical family, traveling and singing gospel with her father, the late Mr. L.B. Baker Sr. Vickie’s mother, Mrs. Lessie Baker, insisted that she take private music lessons. She participated in the North Caddo High School Band as baritone section leader and drum majorette. She continued to pursue a career in music, receiving a scholarship in music to Mississippi Valley State University and graduated with a Bachelor of Music Education. She furthered her career at the University of Mississippi and received a Masters of Music Education degree. She is currently a Band and Choral Music director at Vicksburg Catholic School in Vicksburg, Mississippi. Vickie Baker is a self-described North Louisiana country girl who broke into the Southern Soul scene touring with Ernie Johnson and Willie Clayton in the 90's.

Jus` Blues LIVING Legend Award

Outstanding Contributions to Blues & Soul

BOB STROGER

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​Bob Stroger ​(born December 27, 1930) is an American electric blues bass guitarist, singer and songwriter. Stroger’s life story, like much of the blues, corresponds to the Great Migration. He was born in Hayti, Missouri, and his father was a sharecropper who moonlighted as a guitarist. Bob left Missouri for Chicago for the first time in 1947, when his father had a job on the Wabash Railroad; he returned to Chicago permanently in his early 20s, living with his older brother, John. “When I was down South, I didn’t see nothing but multiple cotton fields,” Stroger says. “When I first came here, we moved to the West Side. I used to get on the streetcars and ride from one end to the other. Every place I looked up was tall buildings. I had moved to another world.”

Millie Jackson “Classy & Sassy” Award

 "Keeping it Real"

Dedra Ruff

​DieDra, The Alabama Blues Queen DieDra is a 15 times Blues Award Winning and Nominated International Artist. Her husband is lead guitar player Keithen Ruff. Both Husbnad and wife are inducted into "The Alabama Blues Hall of Fame". "DieDra and the Ruff Pro Band" was created but Keithen in 2009. DieDra's first CD was finally released called "Overcoming Hurdles". Since then, DieDra has had the opportunity to open up for Betty Wright, Bobby Brown, Candi Staton, Frankie Beverly and Maze, Bar-Kays, Glenn Jones, Denise LaSalle, Al Green, Avant, Carl Thomas, Sunshine Anderson, and Bobby Rush.

Benny Latimore “Let's Straighten It Out” Award 

Preserving Blues & Soul Heritage Behind the Scenes   

Morgan Freeman

Morgan Freeman (born June 1, 1937) was raised in Mississippi where he began acting in school plays. He studied theater arts in Los Angeles and appeared in stage productions in his early career. Ground Zero Blues Club® opened in 2001. Owned by Morgan Freeman is in Clarksdale, Mississippi which has long been described as "Ground Zero" for blues aficionados from around the globe. It all started here. The town has been home to musicians that changed the world including: Muddy Waters, John Lee Hooker, Sam Cooke, Charlie Patton, Robert Johnson, WC Handy, Ike Turner, Charlie Musselwhite, Christone 'Kingfish' Ingram , Lucious Spiller, and Anthony 'Big A' Sherrod to name a few. Mr Freeman says "That's why we created Ground Zero Blues Club® — to celebrate the area's rich blues heritage and to provide a venue in which it can continue".

​Bobby Blue Bland” Lifetime Achievement  Blues Award

Outstanding Blues Vocal Stylist

KENNY WAYNE

Kenny "Blues Boss" Wayne (born Kenneth Wayne Spruell, November 13, 1944) is a Blues Boogie Woogie  and Jazz Pianist , singer and songwriter.  "There's no boogie-woogie-blues piano man out there today who pounds the 88's with the conviction of Kenny "Blues Boss" Wayne. 

Born   in Spokane Washington , but he relocated with his family to San Francisco, California at an early age. His parents alternatively advised for and against the blues, but his mother's influence led Wayne to be influenced early by Nate King Cole , Little Willie John , and Fats Domino . The family moved in turn to New Orleans , Los Angeles and Compton California. While he was growing up, Wayne drew further inspiration from The Three Sounds , Geoerge Shearing , Erroll Gardner , Cal Tjader , Mongo Santamaria , Ray Charles , Charles Brown , Floyd Dixon , Big Joe Turner and Willie Dixon.

​​LITTLE MILTON CAMPBELL BLUES  AWARD

Soulful Blues sound & style - Tribute to legendary Blues singer & guitarist Little Milton Campbell

Wayne Baker Brooks

​​Wayne Baker Brooks is considered one of todays top guitarists who's signature style combines powerful vocals with liquid fire guitar playing that honors his rich blues heritage yet effortlessly expands the boundaries of the genre. Born and raised in Chicago, IL amongst the most prolific blues legends and blues masters in the world, Wayne Baker Brook's blues roots may run deeper and wider than the Great Lakes themselves.  Chicago Blues laid the foundation to Wayne's innovative style. Growing up Brooks was a regular visitor to such historic places as Chess Studios, Checkerboard Lounge, Wisefools, and many other blues landmarks at which he witnessed many live performances by blues masters like Buddy Guy, Jr. Wells, Luther Allison, KoKo Taylor, the great Muddy Waters. He is the youngest son of blues master Lonnie Brooks - Wayne Baker Brooks was literally born into the blues!  

Ruben Hughes Lifetime Achievement Blues Radio Personality Award 

​Preserving Blues Radio Programming

Jerry "Boogie" Mason

Jerry Mason based known as Boogie. Following his 22-year-long career in traditional radio, Jackson, Mississippi-based entrepreneur and promoter Jerry “Boogie” Mason built a network of traditional and new media connections via e-mail, print advertising, and social media, to promote blues, Southern soul, and other genres of music rooted in communities of color. His email blast, The Boogie Report, continues to alert the world’s blues communities with up-to-date information on the latest recordings, tours, emerging artists, and cultural opportunities amidst the COVID-19 pandemic. Through Mason Media Services, Jerry aggregates relevant material from various social media and local community websites to provide a forum for readers to exchange ideas, share information, and remain connected to the arts community at large. ​

​JUS' BLUES "THE MUDDY"  LIFETIME Achievement BLUES AWARD

​Outstanding Contributions to Blues Music

Jesse Robinson

Jesse Robinson was born in Benton, Mississippi, in May 1944 and was raised in Mileston (an unincorporated community 6 miles south of Tchula). He began playing guitar at the age of 6 and played in the church where his father was a preacher.  Robinson moved to Chicago in 1965 where he worked in a television factory. While in Chicago, Robinson continued playing music and worked with local musicians including Buddy Guy, Junior Wells, Freddie King, and Magic Sam. Robinson returned to Jackson, MS in 1971 where he continues to reside. In his early time in Jackson, he and his band played every night at the Avalon Court on Highway 49. He also established Blue Mondays at Dorsey’s in 1978, which featured blues musicians and blues music. Robinson played with Little Milton Campbell from 1979 to 1981 and then led the band for Bobby Rush from 1981 to 1986. In 1987, Robinson began playing at the Subway Lounge with his Knee Deep Band. In 1994, Robinson brought his Blue Mondays series to the Fields Cafe.

JUS' Blue JUKE JOINT Award 

​Preserving & Keeping the traditions of the Chitlin' Circuit Clubs Alive

Sharon Lewis

Sharon Lewis Except for the particular world a musician travels in, they at times can be left off the radar of the mainstream industry. So many go for years, and while you might find a photo or a small write-up in a magazine dedicated to that style, there might not be much else.
One person who broke up and out of that long ago is Sharon Lewis. Speaking with her from her Chicago home, Lewis is humorous, forthright, outspoken, and unafraid to say what she thinks about any subject, music or otherwise.