The Toronto Blues Society held its 13th annual Maple Blues Awards ceremony on Monday night, January 18th, 2010 at the brand new Koerner Hall at the Royal Conservatory in Toronto, Ontario. The Canadian blues scene is often overshadowed by that of its neighbors to the south, but in truth the country hosts a thriving, vital blues community and this annual event honors excellence among Canadian blues artists.
Maple Blues Awards nominees are chosen by a panel of over 40 blues experts. Co-chaired by the Toronto Blues Society's John Valenteyn and Brent Staeben of the Harvest Jazz and Blues Festival in Fredericton, the panel includes radio hosts, journalists, and festival organizers regionally distributed across Canada.
Winners were chosen by votes placed on the Toronto Blues Society website, and voting was open to all Canadian citizens with a valid email address. Here are the winners and nominees for the 2010 Maple Blues Awards (winners in bold type):
Entertainer of the Year
- Monkey Junk
- Downchild
- Jack de Keyzer
- Little Miss Higgins
- Shakura S’Aida
Electric Act of the Year
- Monkey Junk
- David Gogo
- Garrett Mason
- Jack de Keyzer
- The Twisters
Acoustic Act of the Year
- Harry Manx
- Big Dave McLean
- Braithwaite & Whiteley
- Harrison Kennedy
- Julian Fauth
Male Vocalist of the Year
- Steve Marriner (Monkey Junk)
- Harrison Kennedy
- Jim Byrnes
- John Mays (Fathead, Maple Blues Revue)
- Paul Reddick
Female Vocalist of the Year
- Suzie Vinnick
- Jolene "Little Miss" Higgins
- Roxanne Potvin
- Shakura S'Aida
- Treasa Levasseur
New Artist/Group of the Year
- Blackburn
- Blues Delight
- Clio & The Blues Highway
- Ross Neilsen
- Scott McCord & The Bonafide Truth
B.B. King International Artist of the Year
- Taj Mahal
- John Mayall
- Maria Muldaur
- Tommy Castro
- Watermelon Slim
Recording of the Year
- Jeff Healey - Songs From The Road (Stony Plain)
- The Twisters - Come Out Swingin' (NorthernBlues)
- Harrison Kennedy - One Dog Barkin' (Electro-Fi)
- Paul Reddick - SugarBird (NorthernBlues)
- Monkey Junk - Tiger In Your Tank (Beefy)
Blues With A Feeling Award (Lifetime Achievement Award)
- Chris Whitley
- Alec Fraser
- Danny Brooks
- Ellen McIlwaine
- Joe Murphy
- Ken Whiteley
- Michael Fonfara
- Paul James
- Terry Wilkins
- Tom Lavin
Guitarist of the Year
- Tony D (Monkey Junk)
- Garrett Mason
- Jack de Keyzer
- Steve Dawson (Jim Byrnes)
- Steve Strongman
Harmonica Player of the Year
- Steve Marriner (Monkey Junk)
- Carlos Del Junco
- David Hoerl (The Twisters)
- David Rotundo
- Jerome Godboo
Piano/Keyboard Player of the Year
- Michael Fonfara (Downchild, Maple Blues Revue)
- Bill Stevenson (Easley Stevenson Arsenault)
- Julian Fauth
- Kenny "Blues Boss" Wayne
- Lance Anderson
Horn Player of the Year
- Chris Whiteley (Maple Blues Revue)
- Al Lerman (Fathead, Maple Blues Revue)
- Chris Murphy (Maple Blues Revue)
- Johnny Ferreira
- Pat Carey (Downchild, Maple Blues Revue)
Drummer of the Year
- Bucky Berger (Fathead)
- Al Cross
- Chris Nordquist
- Geoff Arsenault (Easley Stevenson Arsenault)
- Tom Bona (Raoul & The Big Time, Maple Blues Revue)
Bassist of the Year
- Alec Fraser (Broken Joe, Jeff Healey)
- Alan Duffy (Jack de Keyzer)
- Gary Kendall (Downchild, Maple Blues Revue, Gary Kendall Band)
- Keith Picot (The Twisters)
- Tom Easley (Easley Stevenson Arsenault)
Songwriter of the Year
- Chris Whiteley & Diana Braithwaite
- Brandon Isaak (The Twisters)
- Harrison Kennedy
- Paul Reddick
- Treasa Levasseur
