The Inaugural Canadian Blues Music Awards Gala Takes the Stage March 30 at The Phoenix Concert Theatre, Toronto — Nominees Announced Across 16 Categories

Celebrating Excellence in Canadian Blues
Canadian Blues Music Awards Gala
Monday, March 30, 2026
The Phoenix Concert Theatre, Toronto
Gala Tickets Available Now
torontobluessociety.com/canadian-blues-music-awards-2/

TORONTO, ON — The inaugural Canadian Blues Music Awards (CBMA) gala takes place Monday, March 30, 2026 at The Phoenix Concert Theatre in Toronto, bringing together the finest performers in Canadian blues for a landmark national celebration. The evening will feature live performances from nominees and honourees spanning the full breadth of the country’s blues landscape — from roots-drenched acoustic traditions to electrifying contemporary interpretations — with Lifetime Achievement and Industry Person tributes woven throughout the programme. Gala tickets are on sale now at canadianbluesmusicawards.com. Watch the official launch video here.

The Canadian Blues Music Awards is a fully independent, incorporated national not-for-profit organization with an exclusive mandate to govern, develop, and operate Canada’s premier blues recognition programme. The CBMAs are a wholly new creation — not a rebranding or restructuring of any previous programme. The CBMAs operate as a separate entity: the Toronto Blues Society has no role whatsoever in governance, nominations, judging, voting, or any other element of the awards process. The TBS will proudly host the gala ceremony, and that is the full extent of the relationship.

The new programme was built from the ground up. Initially formed in spring 2024 by Brant Zwicker and Cindy McLeod, the CBMA Governing Committee spent more than a year in extensive research, national consultation, and programme development before incorporating as an independent organization. In December 2024, Julie Hill joined the committee, and the completed plan was finalized in May 2025. The result is a programme grounded in transparency, expertise, and coast-to-coast representation: all artist category awards are decided exclusively by a jury panel of industry professionals drawn from a national pool spanning radio, print, labels, engineering, production, promotion, academia, associations, festivals, and venues. Nominees are determined by submission - not nomination - based on qualifying recordings released between September 1, 2023 and September 30, 2025. The sole exception is the Fan Favourite Award, which is open to the public as a write-in vote.

Quisha Wint, Chair of the Toronto Blues Society, has offered her full endorsement of the new programme. “The Canadian Blues Music Awards represents a complete overhaul,” Wint writes. “A whole new programme created to serve the Canadian blues community with greater transparency, fairness, and unity from coast to coast to coast.” With 16 competitive categories recognizing artists, instrumentalists, producers, and industry figures, alongside Lifetime Achievement honours for five foundational contributors to Canadian blues, the CBMAs are positioned to become the gold standard of blues recognition in this country - one that reflects the true depth, diversity, and resilience of the music and the people who make it.

There are many people asking what will the Canadian Blues Music Awards Gala look like this year? Here’s the breakdown: The Gala will be held at The Phoenix Concert Theatre on Monday March 30.2026 7pm start. All 17 Awards will be presented along with six performances sprinkled through the night with an intermission.

This year’s host will be Danny Marks who will also perform a song. Steve Marriner, Crystal Shawanda, Kenny ‘Blues Boss’ Wayne, Brandon Isaak and Dana Wylie (Secondhand Dreamcar) will be the feature performers who will all perform a song each.

The gala backing band ‘Pass the Envelope’ will be run by Manny DeGrandis (MD & Bass) with Quincy Bullen (keyboards), Dave Patel (drums) and new additions Cecile Doo-Kingue (guitar) and Dan Jancar (Sax) Blazing Kitchen will also be in the house serving up tacos during the show There will be an After party but not our typical open jam. We will have Emerging artist nominees Glenn Marais & The Mojo Train, Ollie Owens, JP LeBlanc, plus Secondhand Dreamcar and more to be announced perform a few songs in the main room on the big stage starting immediately after the awards.

“We will be wrapping up at 11pm so everyone can venture off to other Toronto bars and catch more live music or get to bed for work the next day.” Says event producer and TBS Operations Manager, Manny DeGrandis.

Join the celebration on March 30 at The Phoenix and help honour the extraordinary talent that defines Canadian blues. Tickets at https://torontobluessociety.com/canadian-blues-music-awards-2/
 
2026 CANADIAN BLUES MUSIC AWARDS — NOMINEES
Electric Blues Recording of the Year
Angelique Francis: Not Defeated
Brandon Isaak: Walkin’ With The Blues
Crystal Shawanda: Sing Pretty Blues
David Gogo: YEAH!
Steve Marriner: Hear My Heart

Acoustic Blues Recording of the Year
Al Lerman: Country-Fried Blues
Big Dave McLean: This Old Life
Blue Moon Marquee: New Orleans Sessions
David Vest & Terry Robb: CrissCross
Sue Foley: One Guitar Woman, A Tribute to the Female Pioneers of Guitar

Blues Song of the Year
Angelique Francis: “Train Coming” (Not Defeated)
Blue Moon Marquee: “What I Wouldn’t Do” (New Orleans Sessions)
Brandon Isaak: “Walkin’ With The Blues” (Walkin’ With The Blues)
Crystal Shawanda: “Sing Pretty Blues” (Sing Pretty Blues)
Ndidi O: “Working Girl” (Simple Songs For Complicated Times)

Blues Producer of the Year
Blue Moon Marquee (Blue Moon Marquee: New Orleans Sessions)
Brandon Isaak (Brandon Isaak: Walkin’ With The Blues)
Renan Yildizdogan & Ross Hayes Citrullo (Marcus Trummer: From The Start)
Steve Dawson (Ndidi O: Simple Songs For Complicated Times)
Steve Marriner (Steve Marriner: Hear My Heart; Big Dave McLean: This Old Life; David Gogo: YEAH!)

Emerging Blues Artist or Group of the Year
Glenn Marais & the Mojo Train (Glenn Marais & the Mojo Train: Red Hot and Blue)
Jeff Rogers (Jeff Rogers: Dream Job)
JP LeBlanc (JP LeBlanc: All In My Blood/Je l’ai dans l’sang)
Ollee Owens (Ollee Owens: Nowhere to Hide)
Paul Black (Paul Black: Beautiful Sin)

Blues Video of the Year
Blue Moon Marquee: “Come On Down” (New Orleans Sessions)
Angelique Francis: “Train Coming” (Not Defeated)
The Harpoonist: “Show Me The Green” (Did We Come Here To Dance)
Bywater Call: “Colours” (Shepherd)
André Bisson: “Latchford” (Latchford)
Ray Lemelin & Steve Hill: “Walk On”/“Ain’t No Use In Worryin’” (Brother Ray Lemelin & The Matinee Kings: Stirring the Pot)
JP LeBlanc: “All On Your Own” (All In My Blood/Je l’ai dans l’sang)

Female Blues Vocalist of the Year
Angelique Francis (Angelique Francis: Not Defeated)
Crystal Shawanda (Crystal Shawanda: Sing Pretty Blues)
Dana Wylie (Secondhand Dreamcar: Answer the Call)
Ndidi O (Ndidi O: Simple Songs For Complicated Times)
Samantha King (Samantha King and the Midnight Outfit)

Male Blues Vocalist of the Year
Big Dave McLean (This Old Life)
Brandon Isaak (Walkin’ With The Blues)
Jeff Rogers (Dream Job)
Marcus Trummer (From The Start)
Wayne Nicholson (Gin House)

Blues Guitarist of the Year
Brandon Isaak (Brandon Isaak: Walkin’ With The Blues)
David Gogo (David Gogo: YEAH!)
Paul DesLauriers (Chambers DesLauriers: Our Time To Ride)
Sue Foley (Sue Foley: One Guitar Woman, A Tribute to the Female Pioneers of Guitar)
Tony D (Tony D: Electric Delta)

Blues Keyboard Player of the Year
David Vest (David Vest & Terry Robb: CrissCross)
Jeff Rogers (Jeff Rogers: Dream Job)
Kenny “Blues Boss” Wayne (Kenny “Blues Boss” Wayne: Ooh, Yeah!)
Miles Evans-Branagh (Marcus Trummer: From The Start; Sandra Bouza: A Sound In The Dark)
Rooster Davis (Secondhand Dreamcar: Answer the Call)

Blues Harmonica Player of the Year
Al Lerman (Al Lerman: Country-Fried Blues)
Guy Bélanger (Guy Bélanger: Postcards from London)
Shawn Hall (The Harpoonist: Did We Come Here To Dance)
Steve Grant “Cabbagetown Steve” (Little Magic Sam: Live At The Rivoli)
Steve Marriner (Steve Marriner: Hear My Heart; Big Dave McLean: This Old Life; David Gogo: YEAH!)

Blues Horn Player of the Year
Jerry Cook (Wailin’ Walker: All Fired Up)
Julian Nalli (Bywater Call: Shepherd)
Kharincia Francis (Angelique Francis: Not Defeated)
Kira Francis (Angelique Francis: Not Defeated)
Loretta Hale (André Bisson: Latchford)

Blues Bassist of the Year
Angelique Francis (Angelique Francis: Not Defeated)
Harry Gregg (Secondhand Dreamcar: Answer the Call)
Jack Lavin (Wailin’ Walker: All Fired Up)
Jasmine Colette (Blue Moon Marquee: New Orleans Sessions)
Mike Meusel (Bywater Call: Shepherd)

Blues Drummer of the Year
Bruce McCarthy (Bywater Call: Shepherd)
Jim Casson (Davis Hall & The Green Lanterns: Canboro Canborough)
Kiran Francis (Angelique Francis: Not Defeated)
Sandro Dominelli (Samantha King and the Midnight Outfit)
Sylvain “Sly” Coulombe (Chambers DesLauriers: Our Time To Ride)

Blues Industry Person of the Year
Bruce Morel (Morel Music International)
Ken Simms (Think Tank Music Network)
Ken Wallis (Blues Source Entertainment)
Lori & Paul Murray (Music By The Bay Live)
Ron Simmonds (Blues In The Dark)

Lifetime Achievement Award
Amos Garrett
Bobby Dean Blackburn
Kenny “Blues Boss” Wayne
Russell Jackson
Tim Williams