These are some of the choices I like:

Blues Album of the Year: A tough choice with Big Jack Johnson, Eddy Clearwater and Son Seals, all first-class in my mind.

Contemporary Male Artist: All of them should win, each is equally deserving, you pick 'em: Carl Weathersby, Eddy Clearwater, James Armstrong, Larry Garner and Roy Gaines.

Acoustic Blues Artist: Two good buddies that I've been fortunate to meet: Guy Davis and Jerry Ricks.

Traditional Male Artist: Mr. Lockwood is the man. Always has been and always will be in my opinion.

Drummer: Howdy-doo, Mr. RJ Spangler. Whatta guy!!

Historical Blues Album: A new category with tough selections: And This Is Maxwell Street, William Clarke and James Harman. Harpmen and Robert Nighthawk!! How can ya go wrong?

Blues Song: I really like the heartfeltness behind Big Jack Johnson's tribute to Frank Frost, but James Armstrong is a class guy who is overlooked too often. Like 'em both, wish they could tie.

What are your choices?

Slim

[ February 06, 2001: Message edited by: Slim Lively ]

quote:

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Originally posted by Slim Lively:
Has anybody taken the time to scan over this year's nominees for the Handy Awards.

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Slim: Do you know whether the Handy Awards are televised, and if so, on what cable or network stations? I think I read that they were webcast one year, but am uncertain about that one.

Also, one thing I reproach about the Handy awards is that they seem to focus mainly on US talent. This may be intentional, but it would be nice to see a recognition mechanism that transcends borders... (and oceans, hehe)

As far as I know the Handy Awards were broadcast on a select few PBS stations during the fall of last year, at least in Memphis anyway. The actual ceremonies for the past three years have been simulcast over the Internet. I have attended the Awards three times, in '95, '98 and '99, but last year I stayed at home and watched them on my computer. Not quite the same as being there in person, but still a lot of fun seeing the rare performances. Groupings that I caught there in the Orpheum Theater were Keb' Mo' and Honeyboy Edwards, Bernard Allison and Deborah Coleman and Joe Louis Walker with Scotty Moore to name but a few.

In regards to nominating acts from abroad, it seems that almost all award ceremonies tend to stick with their own artists. The only real exception I've seen from the Handys of late has been with Eric Clapton, who is nominated once again with BB King for their collaboration. I just saw the winners list for the Maple Leaf Awards in Canada, and for the most part the winners were Canadians such as Colin James and the biggest winner this year Sue Foley.

Who knows, eventually eyes will open to other parts of the world. There's definitely enough talent to found everywhere. The Foundation certainly have made the effort with the International Blues Challenge. This year's runner-ups were from Australia and Austria respectively. And Geoff Achison, another Australian won the Albert King Award for best guitarist during the competition a few years back.