The Blues Music Awards, formerly known as the W. C. Handy Awards (or "The Handys"), are awards presented by the Blues Foundation, a non-profit organization set up to foster blues heritage. The awards were originally named in honor of W. C. Handy, "Father of the Blues". The first award was presented in 1980 and is "universally recognized as the highest accolade afforded musicians and songwriters in blues music". In 2006, the awards were renamed Blues Music Awards in an effort to increase public appreciation of the significance of the awards.
They are presented annually in Memphis, Tennessee, where the Blues Foundation is located, although the 2008 award ceremony was held in Tunica, Mississippi. The 39th Blues Music Awards were held on May 10, 2018, at the Memphis Cook Convention Center. Two new award categories had been announced (Instrumentalist-Vocals and Blues Rock Artist of the Year) bringing the number of awards to be presented up to 26 in total. The 40th Blues Music Awards took place on May 9, 2019, with the Historical Album of the Year category being dropped, reducing the overall number of categories to 25.
The 41st ceremony was scheduled for May 7, 2020, but the live event was cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The 2020 winners were announced at a virtual event. The 42nd ceremony was again presented at a virtual event on June 6, 2021. The 43rd ceremony took place on May 5, 2022, as the first in-person event since 2019. The 44th event was held on May 11, 2023, in Memphis. The 45th event took place on May 8, 2024, in Memphis, with the 46th event held on May 9, 2025.
The 47th ceremony took place on May 7, 2026, in Memphis, with the addition of a new category (the 26th) – International Blues Album.
2026 Category WinnerAcoustic Album of the Year Between Somewhere and Goodbye, Doug MacLeodAcoustic Artist of the Year Kevin BurtAlbum of the Year Talkin' Heavy, D.K. HarrellB. B. King Entertainer of the Year Ronnie Baker BrooksBand of the Year Tedeschi Trucks BandBest Emerging Artist Album Have Mercy! by Sean McDonaldContemporary Blues Album of the Year Talkin' Heavy, D.K. HarrellContemporary Blues Female Artist of the Year Danielle NicoleContemporary Blues Male Artist of the Year Christone "Kingfish" Ingram Instrumentalist – Bass Scot Sutherland Instrumentalist – Drums Derrick D'Mar MartinInstrumentalist – Guitar Derek TrucksInstrumentalist – Harmonica Billy BranchInstrumentalist – Horn Trombone ShortyInstrumentalist – Vocals Danielle NicolePinetop Perkins Piano Player Marcia BallKoko Taylor Award (Traditional Blues Female) Eden Brent Blues Rock Album of the Year Help Yourself by Blood Brothers Mike Zito and Albert CastigliaBlues Rock Artist of the Year Tommy CastroSong of the Year "Can't Catch a Break", written by Tommy Castro and Christoffer Andersen Soul Blues Album of the Year Make Them Dance by Johnny RawlsSoul Blues Female Artist of the Year Thornetta DavisSoul Blues Male Artist of the Year Curtis SalgadoTraditional Blues Album of the Year Ain't Done with the Blues, Buddy GuyTraditional Blues Male Artist of the Year John PrimerInternational Blues Album Still Be Friends by J.T. Lauritsen & The Buckshot Hunters
2025 Category WinnerAcoustic Album of the Year One Guitar Woman, Sue FoleyAcoustic Artist of the Year Keb' Mo'Album of the Year Blame it on Eve, Shemekia CopelandB. B. King Entertainer of the Year Mr. SippBand of the Year Rick Estrin & The NightcatsBest Emerging Artist Album Revelation, Piper and the Hard TimesContemporary Blues Album of the Year Blues in My DNA, Ronnie Baker BrooksContemporary Blues Female Artist of the Year Ruthie FosterContemporary Blues Male Artist of the Year Ronnie Baker BrooksInstrumentalist – Bass Bob Stroger Instrumentalist – Drums Kenny "Beedy Eyes" SmithInstrumentalist – Guitar Christone "Kingfish" IngramInstrumentalist – Harmonica Billy BranchInstrumentalist – Horn Vanessa CollierInstrumentalist – Vocals Ruthie FosterPinetop Perkins Piano Player Eden BrentKoko Taylor Award (Traditional Blues Female) Sue Foley Blues Rock Album of the Year Life is Hard, Mike ZitoBlues Rock Artist of the Year Tommy CastroSong of the Year "Blues in My DNA", written by Ronnie Baker BrooksSoul Blues Album of the Year Fine By Me, Curtis SalgadoSoul Blues Female Artist of the Year Thornetta DavisSoul Blues Male Artist of the Year Curtis SalgadoTraditional Blues Album of the Year Crawlin' Kingsnake, John Primer and Bob CorritoreTraditional Blues Male Artist of the Year John Primer
2024 Category WinnerAcoustic Album of the Year Raw Blues 1, Doug MacLeodAcoustic Artist of the Year Keb' Mo'Album of the Year Live In London, Christone "Kingfish" IngramB. B. King Entertainer of the Year Bobby RushBand of the Year Nick Moss BandBest Emerging Artist Album The Right Man, D.K. HarrellContemporary Blues Album of the Year Live In London, Christone "Kingfish" IngramContemporary Blues Female Artist of the Year Danielle NicoleContemporary Blues Male Artist of the Year Christone "Kingfish" IngramInstrumentalist – Bass Bob Stroger Instrumentalist – Drums Kenny "Beedy Eyes" SmithInstrumentalist – Guitar Christone "Kingfish" IngramInstrumentalist – Harmonica Jason RicciInstrumentalist – Horn Vanessa CollierInstrumentalist – Vocals Ruthie FosterPinetop Perkins Piano Player Kenny "Blues Boss" WayneKoko Taylor Award (Traditional Blues Female) Sue Foley Blues Rock Album of the Year Blood Brothers, Mike Zito and Albert CastigliaBlues Rock Artist of the Year Mike ZitoSong of the Year "What Kind of Fool", written by Ruthie Foster, Hadden Sayers and Scottie MillerSoul Blues Album of the Year All My Love for You, Bobby RushSoul Blues Female Artist of the Year Annika ChambersSoul Blues Male Artist of the Year John NémethTraditional Blues Album of the Year Teardrops for Magic Slim: Live at Rosa's Lounge, John PrimerTraditional Blues Male Artist of the Year John Primer
2023 Category WinnerAcoustic Album of the Year Mississippi Son, Charlie MusselwhiteAcoustic Artist of the Year Doug MacLeodAlbum of the Year The Blues Don't Lie, Buddy GuyB. B. King Entertainer of the Year Tommy CastroBand of the Year Tedeschi Trucks BandBest Emerging Artist Album Who Is He?, Dylan TriplettContemporary Blues Album of the Year The Blues Don't Lie, Buddy GuyContemporary Blues Female Artist of the Year Ruthie FosterContemporary Blues Male Artist of the Year Christone "Kingfish" IngramInstrumentalist – Bass Danielle Nicole Instrumentalist – Drums Kenny "Beedy Eyes" SmithInstrumentalist – Guitar Laura ChavezInstrumentalist – Harmonica John NémethInstrumentalist – Horn Deanna BogartInstrumentalist – Vocals Shemekia CopelandPinetop Perkins Piano Player Anthony GeraciKoko Taylor Award (Traditional Blues Female) Sue Foley Blues Rock Album of the Year I Got Love, Albert CastigliaBlues Rock Artist of the Year Albert CastigliaSong of the Year "Blues Don't Lie" (Tom Hambridge), Buddy Guy Soul Blues Album of the Year In Too Deep, Sugaray RayfordSoul Blues Female Artist of the Year Thornetta DavisSoul Blues Male Artist of the Year Curtis SalgadoTraditional Blues Album of the Year May Be the Last Time, John NémethTraditional Blues Male Artist of the Year John Primer
2022 Category WinnerAcoustic Album of the Year Dear America, Eric Bibb Acoustic Artist of the Year Keb' Mo'Album of the Year Tommy Castro Presents A Bluesman Came To Town, Tommy CastroB. B. King Entertainer of the Year Tommy Castro Band of the Year Tommy Castro & The PainkillersBest Emerging Artist Album Live On Beale Street: A Tribute To Bobby "Blue" Bland, Rodd Bland and the Members Only BandContemporary Blues Album of the Year 662, Christone "Kingfish" IngramContemporary Blues Female Artist of the Year Vanessa CollierContemporary Blues Male Artist of the Year Christone "Kingfish" IngramInstrumentalist – Bass Danielle NicoleInstrumentalist – Drums Tom HambridgeInstrumentalist – Guitar Eric GalesInstrumentalist – Harmonica Jason RicciInstrumentalist – Horn Jimmy CarpenterInstrumentalist – Vocals John NémethPinetop Perkins Piano Player Mike FinniganKoko Taylor Award (Traditional Blues Female) Sue FoleyBlues Rock Album of the Year Resurrection, Mike ZitoBlues Rock Artist of the Year Albert CastigliaSong of the Year "I'd Climb Mountains", Selwyn BirchwoodSoul Blues Album of the Year Long As I Got My Guitar, Zac HarmonSoul Blues Female Artist of the Year Annika ChambersSoul Blues Male Artist of the Year Curtis SalgadoTraditional Blues Album of the Year Pinky's Blues, Sue FoleyTraditional Blues Male Artist of the Year Taj Mahal
2021 Category WinnerAcoustic Album of the Year Rawer Than Raw, Bobby Rush Acoustic Artist of the Year Keb' Mo'Album of the Year 100 Years of Blues, Elvin Bishop and Charlie MusselwhiteB. B. King Entertainer of the Year Shemekia Copeland Band of the Year Rick Estrin & The NightcatsBest Emerging Artist Album Harlem, King Solomon HicksContemporary Blues Album of the Year Uncivil War, Shemekia CopelandContemporary Blues Female Artist of the Year Shemekia CopelandContemporary Blues Male Artist of the Year Christone "Kingfish" IngramInstrumentalist – Bass Danielle NicoleInstrumentalist – Drums Kenny "Beedy Eyes" SmithInstrumentalist – Guitar Christone "Kingfish" IngramInstrumentalist – Harmonica Kim WilsonInstrumentalist – Horn Jimmy CarpenterInstrumentalist – Vocals Ruthie FosterPinetop Perkins Piano Player Anthony GeraciKoko Taylor Award (Traditional Blues Female) Rory BlockBlues Rock Album of the Year Mike Zito and Friends – Rock 'n' Roll: A Tribute to Chuck Berry, Mike ZitoBlues Rock Artist of the Year Mike ZitoSong of the Year "All Out of Tears" – written by Walter Trout, Marie Trout, and Teeny Tucker (performed by Walter Trout)Soul Blues Album of the Year That's What I Heard, Robert Cray BandSoul Blues Female Artist of the Year Bettye LaVetteSoul Blues Male Artist of the Year Curtis SalgadoTraditional Blues Album of the Year 100 Years of Blues, Elvin Bishop and Charlie MusselwhiteTraditional Blues Male Artist of the Year John Primer
2020 Category WinnerAcoustic Album of the Year This Guitar and Tonight, Bob MargolinAcoustic Artist of the Year Doug MacLeodAlbum of the Year Kingfish, Christone "Kingfish" Ingram B. B. King Entertainer of the Year Sugaray RayfordBand of the Year The Nick Moss Band featuring Dennis GruenlingBest Emerging Artist Album Kingfish, Christone "Kingfish" IngramContemporary Blues Album of the Year Kingfish, Christone "Kingfish" Ingram Contemporary Blues Female Artist of the Year Shemekia CopelandContemporary Blues Male Artist of the Year Christone "Kingfish" IngramInstrumentalist – Bass Michael "Mudcat" WardInstrumentalist – Drums Cedric BurnsideInstrumentalist – Guitar Christone "Kingfish" IngramInstrumentalist – Harmonica Rick EstrinInstrumentalist – Horn Vanessa CollierInstrumentalist – Vocals Mavis StaplesPinetop Perkins Piano Player Victor WainwrightKoko Taylor Award (Traditional Blues Female) Sue FoleyBlues Rock Album of the Year Masterpiece, Albert Castiglia Blues Rock Artist of the Year Eric GalesSong of the Year "Lucky Guy", Nick MossSoul Blues Album of the Year Sitting on Top of the Blues, Bobby RushSoul Blues Female Artist of the Year Bettye LaVetteSoul Blues Male Artist of the Year Sugaray RayfordTraditional Blues Album of the Year Lucky Guy!, The Nick Moss Band featuring Dennis GruenlingTraditional Blues Male Artist of the Year Jimmie Vaughan
2019