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Foley once again won entertainer of the year, female vocalist of the year and guitarist of the year at Tuesday night's awards ceremony at Toronto's Phoenix Concert Theatre.
Toronto's Paul Reddick and The Sidemen were nominated for nine awards and took home honours for recording of the year (for "Rattlebag"), songwriter of the year, and electric act of the year.
"Rattlebag's" producer, Colin Linden, earned producer of the year honours, a title he also scooped in 2000 for his work on Foley's "Love Comin' Down."
The awards are presented by the Toronto Blues Society. Winners are chosen by votes from the organization's 600 members, in conjunction with members of the Montreal, Ottawa, and Thunder Bay blues societies, the Coastal Jazz And Blues Society of B.C., the CBC radio program "Saturday Night Blues", and the Harvest Jazz And Blues Festival in New Brunswick.
Other winners include Montreal's Michael Jerome Browne for best acoustic act of the year and Toronto-based Fathead singer John Mays, who was named male vocalist of the year.
Downchild Blues Band tenor sax player Pat Carey, Montreal bassist Stephen Barry, harmonica player Tortoise Blue, session drummer Tom Bona, and pianist Richard Bell (formerly of The Band and Janis Joplin sideman) won their respective musical categories.
Montreal's Big Mark And The Blues Express was named top new artist, and the band's leader, Mark Legault, won a $1,000 bursary. International artist of the year was Roomful Of Blues founder Duke Robillard. Guitarist (and blues club owner) Jeff Healey was presented with the Blues With A Feeling award, while Blues Booster of the year went to Fred Litwin, owner of the NorthernBlues label.
Here's a full list of the winners:
Electric Act of the Year: Paul Reddick + The Sidemen
Acoustic Act of the Year: Michael Jerome Browne
Male Vocalist of the Year: John Mays
Female Vocalist of the Year: Sue Foley
New Artist of the Year: Big Mark and the Blues Express
International Artist of the Year: Duke Robillard
Guitarist of the Year: Sue Foley
Harmonica Player of the Year: Tortoise Blue
Piano/Keyboard Player of the Year: Richard Bell
Horn Player of the Year: Pat Carey
Drummer of the Year: Tom Bona
Bassist of the Year: Stephen Barry
SOCAN Songwriter of the Year: Paul Reddick
Recording of the Year: "Rattlebag" (Paul Reddick + The Sidemen)
Producer of the Year: Colin Linden
Entertainer of the Year: Sue Foley
Blues Booster of the Year: Fred Litwin
Blues With a Feeling Award: Jeff Healey