One week it is a detergent, the next week – another product.
Awards can be fickle. Some artists love them, while others despise them. Good for a career? Or bad? For most – if the award is chosen fairly and honestly through contemporaries or fans – it is nice to be acknowledged.
The Maple Blues Awards are The Blues’ version of The Junos. Canada’s trophies for the roots of all music. Monday night in Toronto – it was the 23rd edition of the event. A few surprises and a couple of Montrealers took home awards.
Tow local musicians extraordinaire – Paul DesLauriers and Alec McElcheran, took home guitar player of the year and bass player of the year respectively. A real shout out to band-mates and veterans of the Quebec Blues scene.
Montreal’s Dawn Tyler Watson – or Queen of The Blues as she is known in Quebec – took home Songwriter of the year and Recording / Producer of the Year. Winning the female vocalist of the year is nice (as Dawn can attest) but most artists will say; the songwriting award is a real slap on the back.
The entire list of winners.
MAPLE BLUES AWARDS RECIPIENTS
Entertainer of the Year: Downchild Blues Band
Electric Act of the Year: Colin James
Acoustic Act of the Year: Matt Andersen
Male Vocalist of the Year: Matt Andersen
Female Vocalist of the Year: Miss Emily
New Artist of the Year: Miss Emily
Recording/Producer of the Year: Dawn Tyler Watson
B.B. King International Artist of the Year: Buddy Guy
Songwriter of the Year: Dawn Tyler Watson
Blues with a Feeling Award (Lifetime Achievement Award): Michael Jerome Browne
Guitarist of the Year: Paul Deslauriers
Harmonica Player of the Year: Harpdog Brown and Steve Marriner
Piano/Keyboard of the Year: Kenny (Blues Boss) Wayne
Horn Player of the Year: Chris Whiteley and Mat Mousseau
Drummer of the Year: Tom Bona
Bassist of the Year: Alec McElcheran
Blues Booster of the Year: Brian Blain
Rick Keene Music Scene 