Shemekia nominated for a Maple Blues Award

Shemekia Copeland – photo Mike White

The 2018 nominees for Canada’s 22nd Maple Blues Awards were just announced. Shemekia Copeland is nominated for B.B. King International Artist of the Year.

Canada’s National Blues Awards Program’s purpose is to “promote blues music across Canada”, and to “recognize outstanding achievement in the field.” Nominees for the Maple Blues Awards were selected by a distinguished panel of some 45 blues experts. Co-chaired by the steering committee consisting of John Valenteyn, Yanick Theriault, Terry Parsons, and Brant Zwicker, the panel includes radio hosts, journalists, and festival organizers regionally distributed across Canada.

The winners in instrumental categories (guitar, harmonica, piano/keyboards, horn, drum, and bass) are determined by the Nominating panel. Winners in all other categories, including B.B. King International Artist of the Year, are selected by blues fans across the country –which means you can vote if you live in Canada. Online voting is open from November 1st, 2018 at 12:01 am Newfoundland Daylight Time, through December 1st, 2018 at 11:59 pm Pacific Standard Time.

The winners will be announced at the Annual Maple Blues Awards Gala in Toronto, on February 4, 2019, at Koerner Hall, at the Royal Conservatory of Music.

This very special evening is Canada’s national annual celebration of homegrown blues talent. It’s also a night of great music with performances by some of this year’s nominees backed by the all-star Maple Blues Band and hosted by Raoul Bhaneja.