Maple Blues Awards - Jeff Healey - 7 awards

[Esau.]

The late Jeff Healey was the big winner at the Maple Blues Awards in Toronto on Monday night.

The Canadian blues guitarist and his band won seven out of 17 awards handed out at the Phoenix Concert Theatre on Monday, including best entertainer, electric artist, guitarist and recording of the year for his posthumous album Mess of Blues.

His accompanists — drummer Al Webster, keyboardist Dave Murphy and bassist Alec Fraser — also won their respective instrument categories.

Healey died in March after a battle with the same cancer that robbed him of his sight when he was a baby.

Other winners

Female vocalist of the year: Saskatchewan native and Toronto-based singer-songwriter Suzie Vinnick.

Songwriter of the year: Toronto's Paul Reddick.

Male vocalist of the year: John Mays, who heads the group Fathead.

Acoustic artist of the year: Harry Manx of Salt Spring Island, B.C.

New artist of the year: Daddy Long Legs of Waterloo, Ont.

International artist of the year: Harlem-born veteran Taj Mahal.

Harmonica player of the year: Ottawa's Steve Marriner.

http://www.cbc.ca/arts/music/story/2009/01/19/blues-awards.html

The Maple Blues Awards is Canada’s national blues awards program. Its goal is to promote blues music across Canada, and to recognize outstanding achievement in the field.

2008 Maple Blues Awards Winners

[Velvet]

Congrats to Steve Marriner. I've known him since he was about fifteen and he's a talented mutha who has been working hard towards his music career for as long as I've known him.

[Esau.]

Very cool & congratulations to him as well. A harp player friend of mine has his CD which I heard for the first time over christmas, excellent stuff, a lot of energy thats for sure.

[Jaimoe]

Paul Reddick is a terrific storyteller. Good for him.