2024 JUS' BLUES HONOREES
"NIGHT OF THE LIVING LEGENDS:"
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KoKo Taylor Queen of the Blues Award
Outstanding contribution to preserving traditional Blues Diunna Greenleaf, the leader of Blue Mercy, is a native Texan (Houston) who has a background steeped in gospel music. Influenced by the likes of Koko Taylor, Aretha Franklin, Rosetta Thorpe, Sam Cooke, Charles Brown and her own parents Ben & Mary Ella Greenleaf (Gospel). She has developed "Diunna's style of Blues" in the same tradition as so many other great Texas blues men and women. She combines intricate patches of jazz, gospel and heartfelt soul to create a kind blues that takes one on an emotional roller coaster ride. |
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Jus' Blues Legends Blues Award
Outstanding contribution to preserving traditional Blues Bluesman Jimmy Burns prefers sensitivity over shouting, and since he moved to Chicago from Mississippi in 1955, several sources outside the blues have shaped his fluid guitar tone—including gospel quartets and arena-rock bands. He turns 80 on February 27, and for the occasion he sat for a Reader interview that digs as far back as his childhood and looks forward to his new Live in Copenhagen (to be streamed via Danish music company Krudtmejer Productions). Burns harmonized in the 1950s doo-wop group the Medallionaires and strived for R&B stardom in the ’60s. He also participated in the 1970s folk scene, and from 1989 till the early 2000s he ran a west-side barbecue spot. By the 1990s he’d become a quietly assertive regular on the stages of local blues clubs, and with the help of Chicago label Delmark Records he finally started releasing full-length albums—many of which featured his imaginative compositions, alongside his versions of songs by such former associates as Curtis Mayfield. |
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Willie Mitchell Artist Award
Outstanding accomplishments as an artist in Blues & Soul Zakiya Hooker is quite familiar with the blues. You could even say she had a front-row seat to view the best the genre had to offer, right in her own living room. Her dad was the renowned blues giant John Lee Hooker. To be the daughter of a Living Legend is a major obstacle. To choose to follow in his footsteps is a major undertaking. But rather than relying on her father, Zakiya has pursued life -- and music -- on her own terms overcoming skepticism along the way. But you know what they say, “the fruit never falls too far from the tree”. This certainly rings true with Zakiya, she made her debut performance in 1991 with her dad, John Lee Hooker, at the Kaiser Center Theatre in Oakland, CA |
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King of the Blues Awards - A Tribute to B B King
Young Blues Artist preserving traditional Blues heritage The Stephen Hull Experience gives the blues community exciting evidence that the future of music is in good hands. Born in 1999, a native of Racine, Wisconsin, Stephen Hull started playing blues at age 14 and never stopped, taking cues from Albert King and B.B. King as he developed his sweet, soulful guitar sound. Balancing that with his absolutely stellar lead vocals and infectiously buoyant personality, Stephen has been rising fast in the blues clubs of Chicago and venues across southeastern Wisconsin. Appearing in blues magazines such as Living Blues (U.S.) and Blues & Rhythm: The Gospel Truth (UK), Stephen has been interviewed by a myriad of media including Lake Effect (broadcast on Milwaukee’s NPR). From the Chicago Blues Fest to the Mississippi Valley Blues Fest, The Stephen Hull Experience is making headlines. |
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Benny Latimore "Let's Straighten it out" Award
Outstanding accomplishments preserving Blues & Soul Music Heritage behind the scenes After over 15 years as an MT(ASCP), American Society of Clinical Pathologists certified Medical Technologist, Libby Anthony decided to change professions and join the live entertainment industry. Her first production in Atlanta was a folk arts festival in the West End Park at Lawton and Lucille Avenues in 1976. It featured national folk singers Bessie Jones and the Sea Island Singers, bluesman Buddy Moss, jazz pianist Ojeda Penn among others. The celebratory community gathering - Juba: Festival of Roots - was a model forerunner for the legendary West End Festival and the National Black Arts Festival. In 1990, her company, Independent Productions Inc., developed an entertainment network to encourage talent buyers to work and buy entertainment collectively. Under Anthony’s direction the concept was refined and emerged as the National COPE (Club Owners, Promoters & Entertainment) Conference, Inc. in 1994. |
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Bobby Blue Bland Award
Outstanding Blues Vocal Stylist and performer in the Blues arena Willie Hill, the consummate southern entertainer. His deep, soulful voice and style electrifies audiences everywhere. He has performed with artists such as B.B. King, Bobby Blue Bland, Aretha Franklin, Al Green, and many other legendary artists. Willie’s career was influenced at an early age in Albany, GA by his father Homer Hill, well known gospel pianist/vocalist. He was also greatly influenced by the 1950’s WLAC Memphis, TN AM radio shows who played artists such as those he later performed with. Willie admits, too, “As a child I listened mostly to country radio; that’s all we had – a lot of Hank Williams, Hank Snow.” Willie Hill’s career began to blossom in the mid 60’s when he landed a 3-year tour through Europe with the Sounds of Soul. They backed up and performed with Aretha Franklin, Janis Joplin, Jimi Hendrix, and many more. His first real recording began in Macon, GA at King Studios (James Brown’s first studio). |
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Bobby Rush Blues Entertainers Award
Outstanding Tradition Blues Entertainer Current Clarksdale blues master and showman, Anthony "Big A" Sherrod. “Big A” is a current bluesman that performs regularly in town. His natural showmanship that moves and plays with tremendous fun and passion personifies that one can hear authentic music in Clarksdale today… that is as good as it ever was historically. At present Anthony has a weekly residence at Red’s Lounge, the famous authentic juke joint in Clarksdale’s historic downtown Arts & Culture District. Like his deep delta blues forefathers, young Anthony’s introduction to music was found in the church. His father, E.J. Johnson, was a gospel singer that performed with The Golden Stars gospel group. By age 6, Anthony started playing, and he hasn’t stopped since. |
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Denise LaSalle Recordings Of Excellence Award
Unique Style & Sound Quality Producing Blues & Soul Music Sheryl Youngblood, growing up in a musically inclined family with her mother having her own female group “The Royal Harmonetts” and being a pianist and vocalist in the church, Sheryl was born into music. 2015 Chicago Blues Hall Of Fame Inductee. Sheryl began singing and playing various instruments in the church, in her teen years Sheryl began her own female group in her church (Mt. Zion Baptist Church) called “Sisters” in which she wrote several of their songs and also wrote songs for the National Baptist State Convention, (unfortunately those songs were not recorded) soon after Sheryl auditioned for and was immediately excepted into the world renowned gospel recording group “Rev. Milton Brunson and the Thompson Community Singers of Chicago” affectionately called “The Tommies” while singing with “The Tommies” the group became a Grammy and Stella Award winning group |
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Millie Jackson Classy & Sassy Award
Outstanding Female Artistary & Style that keeps it Real in Blues & Soul Music Mizz Lowe was born Loretta Harris in Holmes County, Mississippi. Growing up in Greenwood, Mississippi, Mizz Lowe grew up singing in her church and school. Mizz Lowe was very active in her school, singing, a member of the school band (playing the flute), on the dance team and a majorette. Mizz Lowe remembers walking through the house in her mother’s heels singing and dancing at the tender age of six (6). Mizz Lowe contributes her love for Blues music to her father, who owned a café when she was growing up. She remembers hearing on the jukebox BB King, Denise LaSalle, Little Milton, Tyrone Davis, Johnnie Taylor, Fat Dominos and Bobby Rush who she now tour with as his Personal Assistant and Lead Dancer to name a few. Mizz Lowe is widely known for her character she play as the ‘Young Hen’ for the King of the Chittlin’ Circuit – Bobby Rush. |
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"The Muddy Award" Tribute to Muddy Waters
Outstanding Music Contributions to the Blues Leon Atkins, better known as Lil’ Jimmy Reed, is the real deal, as will be attested to by anyone who has been privileged to hear his stinging guitar work, gritty vocals and haunting harmonica. A tall charismatic figure, Lil’ Jimmy classic Louisiana down-home blues tradition. Born in the late nineteen-thirties in a shot-gun shack in Hardwood, LA, a small cotton and sawmill town on the Mississippi River, Leon grew up near a club where every night he absorbed the wail of the blues from across the street. At six he had his own guitar, made from a cigar box. The blues was born in the deep South, a wild outcry against segregation, poverty and hard, back-breaking work. Sadly most of the great musicians who created this vibrant, influential music have passed on, leaving only their recordings to testify to their genius. |
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The "Lucy Award" Tribute to Albert King
Being on Fire, Feeling, Funk Blues & Soul Arthur Adams was born in a small town in Medon, Tennessee; twelve miles from Jackson, Tennessee. Jackson is eighty-four miles north of Memphis, Tennessee. Arthur attended Tennessee State University for one year, then, joined Jimmy Beck's Band in the early sixties. He traveled throughout the south and moved to Los Angeles, California in the late sixties where he began his recording and writing career. His first album "It's Private Tonight" is on Blue Thumb records. "Home Brew" and "Midnight Serenade" are both on Fantasy records. "Back on Track" is on Blind Pig records, and "Soul of the Blues" is on PMRC records. Arthur has played some of the top blues and jazz festivals in the world. Central Jazz & Blues Festival in Los Angeles, Long Beach Blues Festival, Chicago Blues Festival, Pocono Blues Festival, Biscuit & Blues club in San Francisco, B.B. King's Blues clubs in both Hollywood and Memphis, Le Meridian Hotel - Lionel Hampton Jazz Club in Paris, Ritz Carlton Hotels in Los Angeles and Pasadena, Muddy's Club in Germany, and Buddy Guy's in Chicago. |
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Ruben Hughes Radio Personality Award
Preserving Blues & Soul Radio Programming on Syndicated Radio “Jazzii” has been in show business for the last 40+ years, starting at the young and tender age of 16 with Gospel Promotions. In 1975 “Jazzii” started promoting Gospel Concerts at various Churches and other Venues. In 1985 she started doing larger concerts to include working with Gospel Giants such as: Ranz Allen, The Clark Sisters, Willie Neal Johnson & the Gospel Keynotes, The Williams Brothers, Take6 and others. In 1989 “Jazzii” decided to broaden her realm in the business and start working with Jazz. “Jazzii” became a member of the Tidewater Jazz Society in 1990 and in 1991 became a board member. There she was responsible for booking Jazz Acts. “Jazzii” has worked with such Jazz Artists as: Dr. Leo Casino (The 1st Jazz Major in the USA), Richard Ellis, Yellow Jackets, Miles Jaye, Christen McBride, Noel Pointer and Hiroshima. |
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William Bell Soul & Blues Award
Outstanding accomplishments as an Artist, arranger, writer & producer Born in Jackson, Mississippi; a city known as a breeding ground for some of the hottest Soul, Blues and Gospel talents in the history of music. At the age 15 years old, Vick Allen produced and recorded his first CD; the CD was recorded in Jackson, Mississippi and served its purpose of getting his music and his name circulating in the Jackson music community. After graduating from high school, Vick started singing professionally with the popular gospel group “The Canton Spirituals.” Vick later ventured out on his own as a soul singer sharing the stage with such artists as Bobby “Blue” Bland, and Willie Clayton. Vick Allen is a well-known singer, producer, performer, and musician in both the Gospel, R&B and Blues genres. |
