. . . 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 Rush
Blues 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 Bosstalkers
Contemporary Blues -- Male Artist of the Year
Bernard Allison, Johnnie Bassett, Robert Cray, Larry Garner, Keb’ Mo’, Joe Louis Walker, Lil’ Ed Williams
Contemporary Blues -- Female Artist of the Year
Marcia Ball, Deborah Coleman, Shemekia Copeland, Debbie Davies, Susan Tedeschi
Soul/Blues -- Male Artist of the Year
Bobby "Blue" Bland, Mighty Sam McClain, Little Milton, Wilson Pickett, Bobby Rush
Soul/Blues -- Female Artist of the Year
Ruth Brown, Etta James, Denise LaSalle, Trudy Lynn, Irma Thomas
Traditional Blues -- Male Artist of the Year
R.L. Burnside, David "Honeyboy" Edwards, Frank Frost, Alvin Youngblood Hart, Louisiana Red, Snooky Pryor
Traditional Blues -- Female Artist of the Year
Rory Block, Algia Mae Hinton, Odetta, Ann Rabson, Annie Raines, Koko Taylor
Acoustic 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 Rodgers
Blues Instrumentalist -- Guitar
Deborah Coleman, Anson Funderburgh, Big Jack Johnson, Duke Robillard, Kid Ramos, Joe Louis Walker, Carl Weathersby
Blues Instrumentalist -- Harmonica
Carey Bell, Frank Frost, Charlie Musselwhite, Rod Piazza, Snooky Pryor
Blues Instrumentalist -- Keyboards
Marcia Ball, Dr. John, Johnnie Johnson, David Maxwell, Pinetop Perkins, Honey Piazza
Blues Instrumentalist -- Bass
Aron Burton, Johnny Gayden, Calvin Jones, Willie Kent, Bill Stuve
Blues Instrumentalist -- Drums
Ray Allison, Sam Carr, Sam Lay, Chris Layton, Willie "Big Eyes" Smith
Blues 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 Walker
Contemporary 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 Walker
Soul/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 Pickett
Traditional 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 Waters
Comeback 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 Pickett
Acoustic 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 Raines
Reissue 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 -- Various
Blues 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)
