Ryan McGarvey’s dual award presentation in London

 

Guitarist Ryan McGarvey received 2 European Blues Awards for Best Guitarist 2016 and Best Solo/Acoustic 2017 from Pete Feenstra at London’s Beaverwood Blues Club on Thursday 7th June . Ryan had been unable to tour Europe with his band in 2017 and therefore the 2016 presentation had been delayed. In front of a packed house he accepted both awards and was delighted to be recognised once again by the biggest independent genre vote outside the USA.

photo courtesy of Mark Hughes

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Awards Presentations for 2017 now under way

Beth Hart was presented her European Blues Award for Best Female Vocalist 2017 at the Cheltenham Jazz Festival UK on Saturday of the May Bank Holiday event. Beth won the award in a record vote count and follows up her previous accolade for Best Album with Fire on the Floor in 2016. She was delighted to receive it and thanks all her fans voted in such numbers

         

More awards to be presented soon and hope to have the new website online very soon as well

EBA Team

Blues Matters wins European Blues Award for Best Publication 2017

Winners of the 37th European Blues Awards 2017 were announced at Manchester Blues Festival on Sunday 26th November and again on Monday evening at the #BluesHour forum on Twitter.

We are delighted to say that Blues Matters Magazine are the WINNERS of BEST PUBLICATION 2017

A few words from our Editor-In-Cheif – Alan Pearce (Founder & Sole Owner)

“As Blues Matters! approaches it’s landmark 100th issue and pays respect to its beginnings we learn that we have just won the European Blues Awards as best Blues publication for 2017.

Our sincere thanks to those that saw fit to bestow the honour upon us this year, it is always good to know you are watching to see how we do.

Winners announced in all categories are…

Best Album – Blues Overdrive – Overdrive Live (DEN)

Best Festival – Upton Blues Festival (UK)

Best Female Vocalist – Beth Hart (USA)

Best Male Vocalist – Ian Siegal (UK)

Best Guitarist – Erja Lyytinen (FIN)

Best Radio Show – Paul Jones Radio 2 Blues Show (UK)

Best Publication – Blues Matters Magazine (UK)

Best Solo/Acoustic – Ryan McGarvey (USA)

Best Musician (Performance) – Anthony Gomes (CAN)

Best Band – Thorbjorn Risager and the Black Tornado (DEN)

Lifetime Contribution Award (Awarded by followers of #BluesHour) Walter Trout (USA)

Post reproduced and remains copyright of Blues Matters Magazine December 3 2017 bluesmatters.com

European Blues Awards Winners Announced at Manchester Blues Festival UK 2017

Winners of the 37th European Blues Awards 2017 were announced at Manchester Blues Festival Sunday 26th November and again on #BluesHour forum on Monday 27th. In a record vote where the Best Album category had highest turnout  ever, this year was a great showing for Denmark and Finland. One category was so close it was quite unbelievable and here is the full list of the voted winners.

 

Best Album – Blues Overdrive – Overdrive Live (DEN)

Best Festival – Upton Blues Festival (UK)

Best Female Vocalist – Beth Hart (USA)

Best Male Vocalist – Ian Siegal (UK)

Best Guitarist – Erja Lyytinen (FIN)

Best Radio Show – Paul Jones Radio 2 Blues Show (UK)

Best Publication – Blues Matters (UK)

Best Solo/Acoustic – Ryan McGarvey (USA)

Best Musician (Performance) – Anthony Gomes (CAN)

Best Band – Thorbjorn Risager and the Black Tornado (DEN)

Lifetime Contribution Award (Awarded by followers of #BluesHour this year)

Walter Trout (USA)

 

Awards will be presented between February and August 2018

European Blues Awards Vote 2017

Voting is now closed in 37th European Blues Awards and winners will be announced at Manchester Blues Festival UK on Sunday 26 November before being repeated during a #BluesHour Special on Twitter Monday 27 November 20.00 GMT/21.00 CET/15.00 EST. The Lifetime Contribution Award that this year for the first time has been decided by followers of #BluesHour will also be announced at that time.

 

Here for reference are this years finalists;

Best Band

Thorbjorn Risager and the Black Tornado (DEN) – Catfish (UK) – Kaz Hawkins Band (UK) – Band of Friends (EU)

 

Best Guitarist

Dudley Taft (USA) – Erja Lyytinen (FIN) – Innes Sibun (UK) – Laurence Jones (UK)

 

Best Male Vocalist

Marcus Malone (USA) – Ian Siegal (UK) – Paul Jones (UK)

 

Best Female Vocalist

Sari Schorr (USA) – Beth Hart (USA) – Elles Bailey (UK)

 

Best Solo/Acoustic

Dan Owen (UK) – Bex Marshall (UK) – Gwyn Ashton (UK) – Ryan McGarvey (USA)            Matt Andersen (CAN)

 

Best Publication

Blues News (NO) – Blues Matters (UK) – Blues Magazine (NL)

 

Best Album/Recorded Session

Blues Overdrive – Overdrive Live (DEN) – Marcus Malone – A Better Man  (USA) – Walter Trout – We’re All in This Together (USA) – Selwyn Birchwood – Pick Your Poison (USA) – Starlite Campbell Band – Blueberry Pie (UK)

 

Best Radio Show

Charlie Hussey Blues Train (IRE) – Paul Jones Blues Show (UK) – Blues Moose Radio (NL) Gary Grainger Blues Show (UK)

 

Best Musician (Performance)

Anthony Gomes (CAN) – Paul Lanb (UK) – Katie Bradley (UK)

 

Best Festival/Event

Linton Blues (UK) – R & B Festival Colne (UK) – Ribs en Blues (NL) – Relache Festival (FR) Upton Blues (UK)

Final Award Presentations Before 2017 Vote

          

Last action of this European Blues Awards season has been to present the final awards to winners from 2016. Both Beth Hart (USA) and Layla Zoe (Can) were in Europe on 1st November and received their awards. Beth was presented hers for Best Album 2016 with Fire on the Floor before taking the stage at Forum Bath UK and Layla is seen being given hers by Rob van Elst of Blues Moose Café in the Netherlands (photo courtesy Joachim Brookes, Rock Times). Paul Jones BBC Radio 2 (UK) for Best Radio Show and Julian Sas (NL) for Best Musician (performance) will also be receiving theirs.

Please get ready for this years vote to commence late Saturday 4th November. The voting will end exactly a week later and winners will be announced on Sunday 26th November at Manchester Blues Festival UK who have kindly stepped in at last minute to do it following cancellation of this due to technical reasons at Lucerne. There will also be a European Blues Awards results special #BluesHour via twitter on Monday 27th November.

EBA Team

Pete Feenstra receives a Lifetime Contribution Award in London UK

On Thursday 26th October Pete Feenstra received his 2016 European Blues Lifetime Contribution Award and entered the EBA Hall of Fame. The award was presented at the Beaverwood Blues Club in Chislehurst London by UK events coordinator Bluesman Mike Francis on a European tour date for Carvin Jones Band at the venue. Pete has been instrumental in promoting and playing blues music on the UK scene for many years and is a very worthy recipient of the award.

The award presentation is one of four happening before the public vote begins for European Blues Awards 2017 on Saturday 4th November. Beth Hart is to receive her Best Album Award for 2016 release Fire on the Floor during her European tour three days earlier on Wednesday 1st. Thank again to all the tens of thousands who voted to make this all work and get ready to do it all again very soon.

EBA Team.  Photo courtesy of Phil Honley