2022 Blues Music Award Nominees

Following Wolf Records Artists are nominated

• Band of the Year: Lil Ed & The Blues Imperials

“Lil’ Ed & The Blues Imperials are the hottest purveyors of bottleneck boogie to come out
of Chicago since Hound Dog Taylor.”
– The Chicago Sun-Times

• Instrumentalist – Harmonica: Billy Branch

In the ’70s, harmonica man Billy Branch was one of the young upstarts helping to keep the Chicago blues sound alive; in the 21st century, he’s matured into one of the Windy City’s most venerable blues talents..

• Traditional Male Blues Artists: Super Chikan

Super Chikan, born James Louis Johnson, was one of the more acclaimed emerging blues performers of the late ’90s. His small-combo, good-humored blues has a funky touch. As an instrumentalist, he’s distinguished not so much by his style as his equipment: his “Chicantars” are constructed with flattened gas can bodies. Super Chikan worked as a cab driver, truck driver, and tractor driver until becoming a full-time musician in his forties, basing himself in Clarksdale, MS.