W. C. Handy Award
Encyclopedia
The Blues Music Awards are presented by the Blues Foundation
, a non-profit organization set up to foster the blues
and its heritage. The awards were started by the Blues Foundation in 1980
, and are widely regarded as the highest honor for blues artists in the United States
.
The awards were formerly known as the W. C. Handy
Awards (or "The Handys"), however, they were re-named in 2006
in an effort to increase public awareness of the significance of the awards.
The Awards had been presented annually in Memphis, Tennessee
, where the headquarters of the Blues Foundation is located, but it was announced that the 2008
award presenting ceremony would be held in Tunica, Mississippi
.
Blues Foundation
The Blues Foundation is an American nonprofit corporation, headquartered in Memphis, Tennessee, that is affiliated with more than 175 Blues organizations from various parts of the world....
, a non-profit organization set up to foster the blues
Blues
Blues is the name given to both a musical form and a music genre that originated in African-American communities of primarily the "Deep South" of the United States at the end of the 19th century from spirituals, work songs, field hollers, shouts and chants, and rhymed simple narrative ballads...
and its heritage. The awards were started by the Blues Foundation in 1980
1980 in music
This is a list of notable events in music that took place in the year 1980.-January–March:*January 1**Cliff Richard is appointed an MBE by Elizabeth II.**The Zorros audition drummer Greg Pedley....
, and are widely regarded as the highest honor for blues artists in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
.
The awards were formerly known as the W. C. Handy
W. C. Handy
William Christopher Handy was a blues composer and musician. He was widely known as the "Father of the Blues"....
Awards (or "The Handys"), however, they were re-named in 2006
2006 in music
This is a list of notable events in music that took place in the year 2006.-January:*January 10 – Eric Burdon releases his album Soul of a Man and begins touring with a new band....
in an effort to increase public awareness of the significance of the awards.
The Awards had been presented annually in Memphis, Tennessee
Memphis, Tennessee
Memphis is a city in the southwestern corner of the U.S. state of Tennessee, and the county seat of Shelby County. The city is located on the 4th Chickasaw Bluff, south of the confluence of the Wolf and Mississippi rivers....
, where the headquarters of the Blues Foundation is located, but it was announced that the 2008
2008 in music
2008 was a huge year in music history with the emergence of pop superstars Lady Gaga and Katy Perry into the mainstream. Also, this is the year that is widely agreed upon by critics as the start of the fall of hip hop from the mainstream and the rise of Synthpop into the mainstream due to acts such...
award presenting ceremony would be held in Tunica, Mississippi
Tunica, Mississippi
Tunica is a town in Tunica County, Mississippi, United States, located near the Mississippi River. Until the early 1990s the town was one of the most impoverished places in the United States, semi-famous for the particularly deprived neighbourhood known as "Sugar Ditch Alley", named for the open...
.
Historical Album of the Year
- Delta Groove, Harmonica Blues, Bob Corritore & Friends (Koko, Pinetop, Nappy Brown, Willie "Big Eyes" Smith, et. al)
Rock Blues Album of the Year
- Live! In Chicago, Kenny Wayne Shepherd Band featuring Hubert Sumlin, Willie "Big Eyes" Smith, Bryan Lee and Buddy Flett
Traditional Blues Album of the Year
- Joined At the Hip, Pinetop Perkins & Willie 'Big Eyes' Smith