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Piano great Jon Len (Peter) Chatman was born in Memphis in 1915 and died in Paris, France, in 1988, where he had lived for many years

Born in Arkansas, 84 year old singer Lane has been a staple of the Chicago blues scene for decades and just won Living Blues magazine's Critics' Poll as Comback Artist of the Year; guitar by Chicago's Dave Specter

Fine singer and slide guitarist Shines was born in Tenn. in 1915 and died in 1992; from 1935 to 1937 he toured with Robert Johnson, and for a few years in the 1960s and 1970s with Johnson's common law stepson Robert Lockwood Jr.; Shines spent much of his life working construction and never gained as much renown as his contemporaries; a different Shines album just won the BluesBlast award as Historical Recording of the Year; this song was recorded in 1975

Moss is a standout guitarist based in Chicago; this album was named BluesBlast Traditional Blues Album of the Year

20 year old Ingram just won the BluesBlast awards for Male Blues Artist and Contemporary Blues Album of the Year, and the Living Blues Readers' Poll as Blues Male Artist of the Year; additional guitars by Buddy Guy and Keb' Mo'

A song which, sadly, is far too relevant, from the brand new album by the widely praised "Paris Slim," who now lives in Carpinteria, CA; he is currently playing on alternate Monday evenings in person and online at the Red Piano in downtown Santa Barbara with multi-instrumentalist Jim Calire

Born in MS in 1924 or 1930, Spann replaced Big Maceo Merriweather in Muddy Waters's band in 1952 and stayed with Muddy until 1968; he also recorded his own albums and played with many blues and r-&-b greats

With Joe Louis Walker on guitar and vocal and Van Morrison on vocal; Dion has been a pop star since his days leading the Belmonts in the 1960s, and his voice is still excellent

Brother of the late great guitarist Freddie King, Turner just won the Living Blues Critics' Poll as Bass Player of the Year; song written by Willie Dixon and made famous by Muddy Waters

Born Emmett Ellis Jr. in 1933, Rush has been a dynamic entertainer and star of the "chitlin' circuit" for decades, and is a skilled singer, guitarist, and harmonica player; he just won the Living Blues Critics' Poll award as Male Blues Artist of the Year and Best Live Performer and the BluesBlast award for this album as Soul Blues Album of the Year; many of his shows and songs are raunchy

Based in central Illinois, singer Curry and her band were just awarded the BluesBlast Sean Costello Rising Star Award

Born in Texas in 1922, the wonderful singer and pianist Brown died in Oakland in 1999; he put on a wonderful show at SOhO Restaurant & Club in Santa Barbara in the 1990s with a band led by guitarist Danny Caron; this song was recorded in 1996

Wonderful singer and multi-instrumentalist used to be with the Carolina Chocolate Drops; she just won the Living Blues Critics' Poll as Other Instrumentalist (banjo) Player of the Year; this song was made famous by Sister Rosetta Tharpe

Group led by singer/bass player R.W. Grigsby (usually part of Mark Hummel's band) and his singer wife Beth; the song refers to a prominent contemporary politician who holds a high position

Now 91 years old and still playing, MS native Johnson has been one of Chicago's best (and under-recognized) guitarists for years; two of his brothers, guitarist Syl and bassist Mack, are also well known bluesmen; the most well known version of this song is by Magic Sam from his classic album "West Side Soul"; Johnson won the Living Blues Critics' Poll as Guitarist of the Year

Now 81, and a renowned singer with the Staples Singers and on her own, she just won the Living Blues Critics' Poll as Most Outstanding Blues Singer and its Readers' Poll as Female Blues Artist of the Year

Memphis Slim played a great show at La Casa de la Raza in Santa Barbara in July 1986 for the S.B. Blues Society

BluesBlast just gave the Florida-based guitarist and his band the Live Blues Album of the Year Award; Castiglia played guitar for Junior Wells for several years in the 1990s before Wells's death

Beth Hart just won the BluesBlast Female Blues Artist of the Year award; she has released several albums with guitarist Joe Bonamassa as well as several of her own

B.B.'s still extant band just the BluesBlast Blues Band of the Year award; vocal by Texas singer Diunna Greenleaf

Another song appropriate to our fraught political situation, by guitarist Bishop and harmonica player Musselwhite...who won the Living Blues Critics' Poll as Harmonica Player of the Year; both were stars of the 1960s Chicago blues scene, Bishop with the Paul Butterfield Blues Band; and both have had their own bands for decades

Recording date not noted; Spann was a very good singer as well as a terrific pianist, considered by many to be the best blues pianist ever

Daughter of late Texas bluesman Johnny Copeland, Shemekia has been singing professionally since her teens and has won innumerable awards, including this year's Living Blues Critics' Poll as Female Blues Artist; another song relevant to today's political situation

Born in Texas, Ball has been based in Louisiana for decades and combines New Orleans and Texas styles; she has released many albums and garnered many accolades, includes this year's Living Blues Critics' Poll as Keyboard Player of the Year

Branch, one of the best blues harmonicats of the last few decades, won the Living Blues Critics' Poll as Harmonica Player of the Year

This album by ace guitarist Montoya won the BluesBlast Rock Blues Album of the Year award; Montoya began as a drummer with the great Albert Collins and was guitarist (with Walter Trout) in John Mayall's band for ten years from the mid-1980s until going out on his own; he lives in So. CA

Burnside, a descendant of R.L. Burnside, is a good guitarist as well as outstanding drummer who has won myriad drumming awards, including this year's Living Blues Critics' Poll as Best Drummer

Brown is a member of the Blues and Rock Halls of Fame, and had three Grammy nominations; his most famous song was "Drifting Blues," covered by many performers; after a couple of fallow decades, his career was revitalized in the 1980s with help from Bonnie Raitt; song recorded in 1996 with saxophone by Clifford Solomon