Nine Alligator Artists Receive 17 Blues Music Award Nominations!

Chicago, IL (Alligator Records) - The Blues Foundation announced the nominees for the 2006 Blues Music Awards. Nine Alligator recording artists received a total of 17 nominations. Austin-based singer/songwriter/pianist Marcia Ball (who was recently nominated for a Grammy� Award) led the pack, receiving four nominations. Singing sensation Shemekia Copeland followed with three nominations. Little Charlie and the Nightcats received one, with Rick Estrin and Little Charlie Baty each receiving an individual nod. Likewise, the Holmes Brothers received one, with drummer Popsy Dixon receiving an individual nomination. Carey Bell, The Siegel-Schwall Band, Mavis Staples, Ann Rabson (of Saffire-The Uppity Blues Women) and Koko Taylor each received one nomination. The Blues Music Awards (formally known as the W.C. Handy Awards ceremony and concert will be held May 11, 2006 at the Cook Convention Center in downtown Memphis.

Alligator artists and nominations are as follows:

MARCIA BALL
B.B. King Entertainer of the Year
Contemporary Blues Album Of The Year - "Live! Down The Road"
Contemporary Female Blues Artist of the Year
Pinetop Perkins Piano Player of the Year

SHEMEKIA COPELAND
Contemporary Blues Album Of The Year - "The Soul Truth"
Contemporary Female Blues Artist of the Year
Song Of The Year ˆ "Who Stole My Radio?" written by John Hahn and Joe Hudson, performed by Shemekia Copeland, "The Soul Truth"

LITTLE CHARLIE AND THE NIGHTCATS
Band of the Year
Instrumentalist ˆ Guitar (Little Charlie Baty)
Instrumentalist ˆ Harmonica (Rick Estrin)

HOLMES BROTHERS
Band of the Year
Instrumentalist ˆ Drums (Popsy Dixon)

KOKO TAYLOR
Traditional Female Blues Artist of the Year

MAVIS STAPLES
Soul Blues Female Artist of the Year

SIEGEL SCHWALL BAND
Comeback Album of the Year ˆ "Flash Forward"

CAREY BELL
Instrumentalist - Harmonica

ANN RABSON (of SAFFIRE-THE UPPITY BLUES WOMEN)
Traditional Blues Female Artist of the Year