The 21st Annual W.C. Handy Awards . . .. . . ceremony took place Thursday, May 25, 2000, at the historic Orpheum Theater in Memphis, Tennessee. Presented to the world's greatest bluesmakers, the W.C. Handy Awards have become the industry's equivalent to the Grammy's, with the nominees and recipients determined by the collective membership of The Blues Foundation.
The nominees follow. The recipients are in bold italic. Congratulations, and thank you to the bluesmakers everywhere!
You can see the results of the 2000 W.C. Handy Awards Fans' Choice survey here.
Blues Entertainer of the Year
R.L. Burnside, Shemekia Copeland, Anson Funderburgh with Sam Myers, B.B. King, Rod Piazza, Bobby RushBlues Band of the Year
Johnnie Bassett & the Blues Insurgents, Anson Funderburg & the Rockets with Sam Myers, The Duke Robillard Band, Rod Piazza & the Mighty Flyers, Joe Louis Walker & the BosstalkersContemporary Blues -- Male Artist of the Year
Bernard Allison, Johnnie Bassett, Robert Cray, Larry Garner, Keb’ Mo’, Joe Louis Walker, Lil’ Ed WilliamsContemporary Blues -- Female Artist of the Year
Marcia Ball, Deborah Coleman, Shemekia Copeland, Debbie Davies, Susan TedeschiSoul/Blues -- Male Artist of the Year
Bobby "Blue" Bland, Mighty Sam McClain, Little Milton, Wilson Pickett, Bobby RushSoul/Blues -- Female Artist of the Year
Ruth Brown, Etta James, Denise LaSalle, Trudy Lynn, Irma ThomasTraditional Blues -- Male Artist of the Year
R.L. Burnside, David "Honeyboy" Edwards, Frank Frost, Alvin Youngblood Hart, Louisiana Red, Snooky PryorTraditional Blues -- Female Artist of the Year
Rory Block, Algia Mae Hinton, Odetta, Ann Rabson, Annie Raines, Koko TaylorAcoustic Blues -- Artist of the Year
Cephas and Wiggins, David "Honeyboy" Edwards, Alvin Youngblood Hart, John Jackson, Keb' Mo'Best New Blues Artist
Ronnie Baker Brooks, Michael Burks, Big Bill Morganfield, Kid Ramos, Mighty Mo RodgersBlues Instrumentalist -- Guitar
Deborah Coleman, Anson Funderburgh, Big Jack Johnson, Duke Robillard, Kid Ramos, Joe Louis Walker, Carl WeathersbyBlues Instrumentalist -- Harmonica
Carey Bell, Frank Frost, Charlie Musselwhite, Rod Piazza, Snooky PryorBlues Instrumentalist -- Keyboards
Marcia Ball, Dr. John, Johnnie Johnson, David Maxwell, Pinetop Perkins, Honey PiazzaBlues Instrumentalist -- Bass
Aron Burton, Johnny Gayden, Calvin Jones, Willie Kent, Bill StuveBlues Instrumentalist -- Drums
Ray Allison, Sam Carr, Sam Lay, Chris Layton, Willie "Big Eyes" SmithBlues Instrumentalist -- Other
Howard Armstrong (violin), Clarence Gatemouth Brown (fiddle), Memphis Horns (horn section), Kaz Kazanoff (saxophone), Sonny Rhodes (lap steel), Roomful of Blues (horn section), Othar Turner (fife)Blues Album of the Year
Live In Chicago -- Luther Allison
Lone Star Shootout -- Brooks/Hunter/Walker
Every Road Ends Somewhere -- Jimmy Johnson
In Session -- Albert King/Stevie Ray Vaughan
Millennium Blues -- Louisiana Red
New Blues For Modern Man -- Duke Robillard
Silvertone Blues -- Joe Louis WalkerContemporary Blues Album of the Year
Live In Chicago -- Luther Allison
Lone Star Shootout -- Brooks/Hunter/Walker
In Session -- Albert King/Stevie Ray Vaughan
Continental Drifter -- Charlie Musselwhite
Silvertone Blues -- Joe Louis WalkerSoul/Blues Album of the Year
Memphis Monday Morning -- Bobby "Blue" Bland
A Good Day For The Blues -- Ruth Brown
Talkin Bout Chicago -- Syl Johnson
Welcome To Little Milton -- Little Milton
It’s Harder Now -- Wilson PickettTraditional Blues Album of the Year
Homemade -- Cephas and Wiggins
Millennium Blues -- Louisiana Red
Rockin’ And Shoutin’ The Blues -- Jimmy "T99" Nelson
Moving To The Country -- Paul Rishell and Annie Raines
The Lost Tapes Of Muddy Waters -- Muddy WatersComeback Album of the Year
Front Porch Blues -- John Jackson
All Over You -- Lazy Lester
Rockin’ And Shoutin’ The Blues -- Jimmy "T99" Nelson
Blues Everywhere I Go -- Odetta
It’s Harder Now -- Wilson PickettAcoustic Blues Album of the Year
Railroad Bill -- Etta Baker
Spirit And The Blues -- Eric Bibb
Homemade -- Cephas and Wiggins
Front Porch Blues -- John Jackson
Blues Magician -- Furry Lewis
Moving To The Country -- Paul Rishell and Annie RainesReissue Blues Album of the Year
Okie Dokie Stomp -- Clarence Gatemouth Brown
Early Hour Blues -- Pee Wee Crayton
Simply The Best - The Earl Hooker Collection -- Earl Hooker
Deluxe Edition -- Hound Dog Taylor
Living Country Blues, an Anthology -- VariousBlues Song of the Year
A Good Day For The Blues -- Ruth Brown (A Good Day For The Blues)
Change In My Pocket -- Anson Funderburgh & the Rockets with Sam Myers (Change In My Pocket)
Memphis Monday Morning -- Bobby "Blue" Bland (Memphis Monday Morning)
Orphanage Home Blues -- Louisiana Red (Millennium Blues)
Walk Around Telephone Blues -- Kid Ramos (Kid Ramos)
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