ALLIGATOR RECORDS ARTISTS RECEIVE 16 LIVING BLUES AWARD NOMINATIONS
Shemekia Copeland, Tommy Castro And Southern Avenue Receive Three Nominations Each
Ronnie Baker Brooks Receives Two Nominations
Marcia Ball, D.K. Harrell, Rick Estrin, Kid Andersen (Of Rick Estrin & The Nightcats) And Oscar Wilson (Of The Cash Box Kings) Each Receive One Nomination
Living Blues magazine, in its just-released issue #302, announced the nominees for the 2026 Living Blues Awards. This year, Alligator Records' artists received a total of 16 nominations. GRAMMY-nominated artists Shemekia Copeland and Southern Avenue received three nominations apiece, as did guitarist/vocalist/songwriter Tommy Castro. Guitarist/vocalist/songwriter Ronnie Baker Brooks received two.
Marcia Ball, D.K. Harrell, Rick Estrin and Kid Andersen (both of Rick Estrin & The Nightcats) and Oscar Wilson (of The Cash Box Kings) each received one nomination.
Copeland, Castro and Baker Brooks are all nominated for Blues Artist Of The Year. Southern Avenue's nominations include Band Of The Year.
Additionally, Castro, Harrell and Southern Avenue all received nominations for Album Of The Year.
Living Blues fans may vote with the Readers' Ballot, available at livingblues.com, by June 15, 2026. Alligator artists and their nominations follow:
Shemekia Copeland
Blues Artist Of The Year (Female)
Best Live Performer
Most Outstanding Blues Singer
Southern Avenue
Band Of The Year
Best Live Performer
Best Blues Album of 2025: Family
Tommy Castro & The Painkillers
Blues Artist Of The Year (Male)
Most Outstanding Musician (Guitar)
Best Blues Album Of 2025: Closer To The Bone
Ronnie Baker Brooks
Blues Artist Of The Year (Male)
Best Live Performer
D.K. Harrell
Best Blues Album Of 2025: Talkin' Heavy
Rick Estrin & The Nightcats
Rick Estrin - Most Outstanding Musician (Harmonica)
Kid Andersen - Most Outstanding Musician (Guitar)
Marcia Ball
Most Outstanding Musician (Keyboards)
The Cash Box Kings
Oscar Wilson - Most Outstanding Blues Singer
