Steve Marriner Tops Maple Blues Awards Noms

By FYI Staff

The nominees for the upcoming 25th annual Maple Blues Awards. the biggest night in Canadian blues, has been announced. Steve Marriner leads the list with seven nominations for his work with MonkeyJunk and David Gogo, and he's followed by Sue Foley, with five, and Samantha Martin and Delta Sugar, with four.

Other multiple nominees include David Gogo, Colin James, Harrison Kennedy, Jack DeKeyzer, Colin Linden, Dawn Tyler Watson, and Rick Fines.

The Maple Blues Award winners will be announced on January 31, 2022, at the Award Show to be held live at Koerner Hall in Toronto. Tickets are on sale now at rcmusic.com/events-and-performances .

Nominees for the Maple Blues Awards are selected by a distinguished panel of some 53 blues experts, including radio hosts, journalists, and festival organizers regionally distributed across Canada. Members of the Nominating Panel are not eligible for any of the awards.

Winners in instrumental categories — guitar, harmonica, piano/keyboards, horn, drum, and bass — will be determined by the Nominating Panel. Winners in all other categories will be selected by blues fans across the country.

Blues fans can cast their votes online now at mapleblues.ca until Dec. 1.

25th Annual Maple Blues Awards Nominees

Entertainer of the Year

David Gogo

Dawn Tyler Watson

Samantha Martin & Delta Sugar

Steve Marriner

Sue Foley

Electric Act of the Year

Colin James

Jack de Keyzer

MonkeyJunk

Samantha Martin & Delta Sugar

Sue Foley

Acoustic Act of the Year 

Brandon Isaak

David Gogo & Steve Marriner

Harrison Kennedy

Rick Fines

Rob Lutes

Male Vocalist of the Year

Chuck Jackson

Colin James

Harrison Kennedy

Matt Andersen

Steve Marriner

Female Vocalist of the Year

Crystal Shawanda

Dawn Tyler Watson

Dione Taylor

Miss Emily

Samantha Martin

New Artist of the Year

Beauwater

Broke Fuse

Endrick & The Sandwiches

Lowdown Dirty Mojos

Shakey Trill

B.B. King International Artist of the Year

Bonnie Raitt

Christone “Kingfish” Ingram

Elvin Bishop

Larkin Poe

Tedeschi Trucks Band

Recording/Producer of the Year

Colin Linden – bLOW / Highway 20/Thirty Tigers (Colin Linden)

Jack de Keyzer – Tribute / Blue Star Records (Jack de Keyzer)

Samantha Martin & Delta Sugar - The Reckless One / Gypsy Soul (Darcy Yates, Renan Yildizdogan)

Steve Marriner - Hope Dies Last / Stony Plain (Steve Marriner)

Sue Foley - Pinky’s Blues / Stony Plain (Mike Flanigin)

Songwriter of the Year

Colin Linden

Kat Danser

Rick Fines

Steve Marinner

Sue Foley

Blues with a Feeling Award (Lifetime Achievement Award)

Alec Fraser

Bobby Dean Blackburn

Brent Parkin

Dalannah Gail Bowen

Danny Brooks

Harrison Kennedy

Murray Porter

Shakura S’Aida

Tom Lavin   

Guitarist of the Year

David Gogo

Garrett Mason

Jack de Keyzer

Sue Foley

Tony D

Harmonica Player of the Year

David Rotundo

Guy Bélanger

Harpdog Brown

Roly Platt

Steve Marriner

Piano/Keyboard of the Year

David Vest

Duane Blackburn

Jesse O' Brien

Kenny "Blues Boss" Wayne

Lance Anderson

Bassist of the Year

Alan Duffy

Alec Fraser

Alec McElcheran

Gary Kendall

Keith Picot

Drummer of the Year

Tom Bona

Gary Craig

Jim Casson

Lindsay Beaver

Matt Sobb

Horn Player of the Year

Alison Young

Chris Whiteley

Mat 'Moose' Mousseau

Mike Clark

Richard Thornton