The Grammy Award for Best Blues Album was an award presented at the Grammy Awards, a ceremony that was established in 1958 and originally called the Gramophone Awards, to recording artists for releasing albums in the blues genre. Honors in several categories are presented at the ceremony annually by the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences of the United States to "honor artistic achievement, technical proficiency and overall excellence in the recording industry, without regard to album sales or chart position".
According to the 54th Grammy Awards guideline the category was "for albums containing at least 51% playing time of new vocal or instrumental blues recordings".
This award combined the previous categories for Best Contemporary Blues Album and Best Traditional Blues Album, which both existed between 1983 and 2011. The Recording Academy decided to create this new category for 2012 upon stating there were "challenges in distinguishing between... Contemporary and Traditional Blues".
In 2017, the distinction between contemporary and traditional blues albums was reinstated. Both categories returned, while the Best Blues Album category was discontinued.
Recipients Year Work Artist 2012 Revelator Tedeschi Trucks Band Low Country Blues Gregg Allman Man in Motion Warren Haynes The Reflection Keb' Mo' Roadside Attractions Marcia Ball 2013"Dr. John Wins Grammy Award for Best Blues Album" , Times-Picayune, February 10, 2013. Retrieved February 15, 2016. Locked Down Dr. John 33⅓ Shemekia Copeland And Still I Rise Heritage Blues Orchestra Bring It on Home Joan Osborne Let It Burn Ruthie Foster 2014Appleford, Steve (January 29, 2014). "Ben Harper and Charlie Musselwhite Eager to Record Next Joint Album", Rolling Stone. Retrieved February 15, 2016. Get Up! Ben Harper with Charlie Musselwhite Cotton Mouth Man James Cotton Down in Louisiana Bobby Rush Remembering Little Walter Billy Boy Arnold, Charlie Musselwhite, Mark Hummel, Sugar Ray Norcia and James Harman Seesaw Beth Hart and Joe Bonamassa 2015Tobias, Mike (February 8, 2015). "Winter's Step Back Wins Grammy for Best Blues Album", Beaumont Enterprise. Retrieved February 15, 2016. Step Back Johnny Winter Common Ground: Dave Alvin and Phil Alvin Play and Sing the Songs of Big Bill Broonzy Dave Alvin and Phil Alvin Decisions Bobby Rush with Blinddog Smokin' Juke Joint Chapel Charlie Musselwhite Promise of a Brand New Day Ruthie Foster 2016Brasted, Chelsea (February 15, 2016). "Jon Cleary, Buddy Guy Win at Grammys" , Times-Picayune. Retrieved February 15, 2016. Born to Play Guitar Buddy Guy Descendants of Hill Country Cedric Burnside Project Muddy Waters 100 John Primer and Various Artists Outskirts of Love Shemekia Copeland Worthy Bettye LaVette Each year is linked to the article about the Grammy Awards held that year.
See also List of Grammy Award categories
References
External links Official Site of the Grammy Awards