(CelebrityAccess) — Nashville-based Canadian blues artist Colin Linden was named Songwriter of the year at the 24th Maple Blues Awards.
Other winners for 2021 included Toronto’s Steve Marriner, who won the Harmonica Player the Year while Jesse O’Brien won the Maple Blues Award for Piano/Keyboard Player of the Year.
Drummer of the Year went to Toronto’s Gary Craig, who is known for his work with Bruce Cockburn and more recently, serves as part of John McDermott’s band.
The awards, which took place virtually in 2021, was hosted by Dawn Tyler Watson and Ben Racine an featured a performance of “Coal Mining Blues” from soulful singer Matt Andersen from Halifax.
As well, Montreal’s Durham County Poets with their 6-piece band, performed the title track from their recent release “Hand Me Down Blues.”
On Monday, February 22nd Jim Byrnes and Dalannah Gail Bowen will host the MBA’s 4th and final stream from Vancouver’s Blue Frog Studio, with planned performances from Liam Docherty and Lindsay Beaver.
The show will be streamed via the Toronto Blues Society’s YouTube channel and via Facebook starting at 8 PM EST.
