Virtual Maple Blues Award Winners: Toronto Edition

Halifax and Hamilton Artists Claim Trophies!

Hosted by Toronto’s Alana Bridgewater and Johnny Max, the half-hour stream announced five MBA winners including Halifax-based Garrett Mason as the winner of the Guitarist of the Year award, Toronto’s Jack de Keyzer for Electric Act of the Year, Matt Andersen for Acoustic Act of the Year, Memphis-based The Ghost Town Blues Band for the B.B. King International Artist of the Year, and Hamilton’s Smoke Wagon Blues Band as the Recording/Producer of the Year for their recent release The Ballad of Albert Johnson.

The event also included a searing performance from Toronto’s Dione Taylor, who performed her soulful song “One More Shot” and an ingenious performance of the song “Coming Up” by Jack de Keyzer.

Among the excitement of the awards and performances there was also a sombre, yet beautiful tribute to the late John Valenteyn, co-founder of the Toronto Blues Society, radio DJ and long-time volunteer.

On Monday, February 8th Angelique Francis and Matt Sobb (MonkeyJunk) will be hosting the second stream from Ottawa, sponsored by Clyde River Productions, and the evening will feature a performance from Ottawa’s JW-Jones and Nashville-based Indigenous artist Crystal Shawanda (originally from Wiikwemkoong First Nation on Manitoulin Island).

The 24th Annual Maple Blues Awards sessions are being streamed at 8:00 PM Eastern via Facebook here and on Toronto Blues Society's YouTube channel here.

Download the Maple Blues Awards program PDF here