. . . ceremony took place Thursday, May 25, 2000, at the historic Orpheum Theater in Memphis, Tennessee. The nominees and recipients were determined by the collective membership of The Blues Foundation.
But you had a chance to cast your own votes in the 2000 W.C. Handy Awards Fans' Choice survey.
Your votes have been tabulated and the first- and second-place winners in each category are indicated below.
The Blues Foundation's official winners are indicated in bold italic.
Thanks for playing!
Blues Entertainer of the Year
(81) B.B. King
(30) R.L. Burnside
Shemekia Copeland
Anson Funderburgh with Sam Myers
Rod Piazza
Bobby Rush
Blues Band of the Year
(64) Joe Louis Walker & the Bosstalkers
(39) The Duke Robillard Band
Johnnie Bassett & the Blues Insurgents
Anson Funderburgh & the Rockets with Sam Myers
Rod Piazza & the Mighty Flyers
Contemporary Blues -- Male Artist of the Year
(58) Keb’ Mo’
(41) Robert Cray
Bernard Allison
Johnnie Bassett
Larry Garner
Joe Louis Walker
Lil’ Ed Williams
Contemporary Blues -- Female Artist of the Year
(54) Shemekia Copeland
(52) Susan Tedeschi
Marcia Ball
Deborah Coleman
Debbie Davies
Soul/Blues -- Male Artist of the Year
(58) Bobby "Blue" Bland
(43) Little Milton
Mighty Sam McClain
Wilson Pickett
Bobby Rush
Soul/Blues -- Female Artist of the Year
(78) Etta James
(54) Ruth Brown
Denise LaSalle
Trudy Lynn
Irma Thomas
Traditional Blues -- Male Artist of the Year
(43) R.L. Burnside
(36) Snooky Pryor
David "Honeyboy" Edwards
Frank Frost
Alvin Youngblood Hart
Louisiana Red
Traditional Blues -- Female Artist of the Year
(104) Koko Taylor
(25) Rory Block
Algia Mae Hinton
Odetta
Ann Rabson
Annie Raines
Acoustic Blues -- Artist of the Year
(87) Keb' Mo'
(33) David "Honeyboy" Edwards
Cephas and Wiggins
Alvin Youngblood Hart
John Jackson
Best New Blues Artist
(87) Big Bill Morganfield
(39) Kid Ramos
Ronnie Baker Brooks
Michael Burks
Mighty Mo Rodgers
Blues Instrumentalist -- Guitar
(41) Duke Robillard
(39) Joe Louis Walker
Deborah Coleman
Anson Funderburgh
Big Jack Johnson
Kid Ramos
Carl Weathersby
Blues Instrumentalist -- Harmonica
(65) Charlie Musselwhite
(50) Carey Bell
Frank Frost
Rod Piazza
Snooky Pryor
Blues Instrumentalist -- Keyboards
(58) Pinetop Perkins
(44) Dr. John
Marcia Ball
Johnnie Johnson
David Maxwell
Honey Piazza
Blues Instrumentalist -- Bass
(55) Willie Kent
(42) Calvin Jones
Aron Burton
Johnny Gayden
Bill Stuve
Blues Instrumentalist -- Drums
(52) Willie "Big Eyes" Smith
(41) Chris Layton
Ray Allison
Sam Carr
Sam Lay
Blues Instrumentalist -- Other
(58) Clarence Gatemouth Brown (fiddle)
(33) Roomful of Blues (horn section)
Howard Armstrong (violin)
Kaz Kazanoff (saxophone)
Memphis Horns (horn section)
Othar Turner (fife)
Blues Album of the Year
(62) In Session -- Albert King/Stevie Ray Vaughan
(52) Live In Chicago -- Luther Allison
Lone Star Shootout -- Brooks/Hunter/Walker
Every Road Ends Somewhere -- Jimmy Johnson
Millennium Blues -- Louisiana Red
New Blues For Modern Man -- Duke Robillard
Silvertone Blues -- Joe Louis Walker
Contemporary Blues Album of the Year
(61) In Session -- Albert King/Stevie Ray Vaughan
(45) Live In Chicago -- Luther Allison
Lone Star Shootout -- Brooks/Hunter/Walker
Continental Drifter -- Charlie Musselwhite
Silvertone Blues -- Joe Louis Walker
Soul/Blues Album of the Year
(48) Memphis Monday Morning -- Bobby "Blue" Bland
(39) A Good Day For The Blues -- Ruth Brown
(39) It’s Harder Now -- Wilson Pickett
Talkin Bout Chicago -- Syl Johnson
Welcome To Little Milton -- Little Milton
Traditional Blues Album of the Year
(94) The Lost Tapes Of Muddy Waters -- Muddy Waters
(24) Homemade -- Cephas and Wiggins
(24) Moving To The Country -- Paul Rishell and Annie Raines
Millennium Blues -- Louisiana Red
Rockin’ And Shoutin’ The Blues -- Jimmy "T99" Nelson
Comeback Album of the Year
(64) It’s Harder Now -- Wilson Pickett
(34) Front Porch Blues -- John Jackson
All Over You -- Lazy Lester
Rockin’ And Shoutin’ The Blues -- Jimmy "T99" Nelson
Blues Everywhere I Go -- Odetta
Acoustic Blues Album of the Year
(39) Homemade -- Cephas and Wiggins
(36) Front Porch Blues -- John Jackson
Railroad Bill -- Etta Baker
Spirit And The Blues -- Eric Bibb
Blues Magician -- Furry Lewis
Moving To The Country -- Paul Rishell and Annie Raines
Reissue Blues Album of the Year
(52) Deluxe Edition -- Hound Dog Taylor
(46) Okie Dokie Stomp -- Clarence Gatemouth Brown
Early Hour Blues -- Pee Wee Crayton
Simply The Best - The Earl Hooker Collection -- Earl Hooker
Living Country Blues, An Anthology -- Various
Blues Song of the Year
(51) A Good Day For The Blues -- Ruth Brown (A Good Day For The Blues)
(43) 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)
