The Inaugural Canadian Blues Music Awards Gala Takes the Stage March 30 at The Phoenix Concert Theatre, Toronto — Nominees Announced Across 16 Categories
The inaugural Canadian Blues Music Awards (CBMA) gala takes place Monday, March 30, 2026 at The Phoenix Concert Theatre in Toronto, bringing together the finest performers in Canadian blues for a landmark national celebration. The evening will feature live performances from nominees and honourees spanning the full breadth of the country’s blues landscape — from roots-drenched acoustic traditions to electrifying contemporary interpretations — with Lifetime Achievement and Industry Person tributes woven throughout the programme. Gala tickets are on sale now at canadianbluesmusicawards.com.
The Canadian Blues Music Awards is a fully independent, incorporated national not-for-profit organization with an exclusive mandate to govern, develop, and operate Canada’s premier blues recognition programme. The CBMAs are a wholly new creation — not a rebranding or restructuring of any previous programme. The CBMAs operate as a separate entity: the Toronto Blues Society has no role whatsoever in governance, nominations, judging, voting, or any other element of the awards process. The TBS will proudly host the gala ceremony, and that is the full extent of the relationship.
The new programme was built from the ground up. Initially formed in spring 2024 by Brant Zwicker and Cindy McLeod, the CBMA Governing Committee spent more than a year in extensive research, national consultation, and programme development before incorporating as an independent organization. In December 2024, Julie Hill joined the committee, and the completed plan was finalized in May 2025. The result is a programme grounded in transparency, expertise, and coast-to-coast representation: all artist category awards are decided exclusively by a jury panel of industry professionals drawn from a national pool spanning radio, print, labels, engineering, production, promotion, academia, associations, festivals, and venues. Nominees are determined by submission – not nomination – based on qualifying recordings released between September 1, 2023 and September 30, 2025. The sole exception is the Fan Favourite Award, which is open to the public as a write-in vote.
Quisha Wint, Chair of the Toronto Blues Society, has offered her full endorsement of the new programme. “The Canadian Blues Music Awards represents a complete overhaul,” Wint writes. “A whole new programme created to serve the Canadian blues community with greater transparency, fairness, and unity from coast to coast to coast.” With 16 competitive categories recognizing artists, instrumentalists, producers, and industry figures, alongside Lifetime Achievement honours for five foundational contributors to Canadian blues, the CBMAs are positioned to become the gold standard of blues recognition in this country – one that reflects the true depth, diversity, and resilience of the music and the people who make it.
There are many people asking what will the Canadian Blues Music Awards Gala look like this year? Here’s the breakdown: The Gala will be held at The Phoenix Concert Theatre on Monday March 30.2026 7pm start. All 17 Awards will be presented along with six performances sprinkled through the night with an intermission.
This year’s host will be Danny Marks who will also perform a song. Steve Marriner, Crystal Shawanda, Kenny ‘Blues Boss’ Wayne, Brandon Isaak and Dana Wylie (Secondhand Dreamcar) will be the feature performers who will all perform a song each.
The gala backing band ‘Pass the Envelope’ will be run by Manny DeGrandis (MD & Bass) with Quincy Bullen (keyboards), Dave Patel (drums) and new additions Cecile Doo-Kingue (guitar) and Dan Jancar (Sax) Blazing Kitchen will also be in the house serving up tacos during the show There will be an After party but not our typical open jam. We will have Emerging artist nominees Glenn Marais & The Mojo Train, Ollie Owens, JP LeBlanc, plus Secondhand Dreamcar and more to be announced perform a few songs in the main room on the big stage starting immediately after the awards.
“We will be wrapping up at 11pm so everyone can venture off to other Toronto bars and catch more live music or get to bed for work the next day.” Says event producer and TBS Operations Manager, Manny DeGrandis.
Join the celebration on March 30 at The Phoenix and help honour the extraordinary talent that defines Canadian blues. Tickets at https://torontobluessociety.com/canadian-blues-music-awards-2/
2026 Canadian Blues Music Awards — Nominees
Electric Blues Recording of the Year
Angelique Francis — Not Defeated
Brandon Isaak — Walkin’ With The Blues
Crystal Shawanda — Sing Pretty Blues
David Gogo — YEAH!
Steve Marriner — Hear My Heart
Acoustic Blues Recording of the Year
Al Lerman — Country-Fried Blues
Big Dave McLean — This Old Life
Blue Moon Marquee — New Orleans Sessions
David Vest & Terry Robb — CrissCross
Sue Foley — One Guitar Woman: A Tribute to the Female Pioneers of Guitar
Blues Song of the Year
Angelique Francis — “Train Coming” (Not Defeated)
Blue Moon Marquee — “What I Wouldn’t Do” (New Orleans Sessions)
Brandon Isaak — “Walkin’ With The Blues” (Walkin’ With The Blues)
Crystal Shawanda — “Sing Pretty Blues” (Sing Pretty Blues)
Ndidi O — “Working Girl” (Simple Songs For Complicated Times)
Blues Producer of the Year
Blue Moon Marquee — New Orleans Sessions
Brandon Isaak — Walkin’ With The Blues
Renan Yildizdogan & Ross Hayes Citrullo — Marcus Trummer: From The Start
Steve Dawson — Ndidi O: Simple Songs For Complicated Times
Steve Marriner — Hear My Heart; This Old Life; YEAH!
Emerging Blues Artist or Group of the Year
Glenn Marais & The Mojo Train — Red Hot and Blue
Jeff Rogers — Dream Job
JP LeBlanc — All In My Blood / Je l’ai dans l’sang
Ollee Owens — Nowhere to Hide
Paul Black — Beautiful Sin
Blues Video of the Year
Blue Moon Marquee — “Come On Down” (New Orleans Sessions)
Angelique Francis — “Train Coming” (Not Defeated)
The Harpoonist — “Show Me The Green” (Did We Come Here To Dance)
Bywater Call — “Colours” (Shepherd)
André Bisson — “Latchford” (Latchford)
Ray Lemelin & Steve Hill — “Walk On” / “Ain’t No Use In Worryin’” (Stirring the Pot)
JP LeBlanc — “All On Your Own” (All In My Blood / Je l’ai dans l’sang)
Female Blues Vocalist of the Year
Angelique Francis — Not Defeated
Crystal Shawanda — Sing Pretty Blues
Dana Wylie — Secondhand Dreamcar: Answer the Call
Ndidi O — Simple Songs For Complicated Times
Samantha King — The Midnight Outfit
Male Blues Vocalist of the Year
Big Dave McLean — This Old Life
Brandon Isaak — Walkin’ With The Blues
Jeff Rogers — Dream Job
Marcus Trummer — From The Start
Wayne Nicholson — Gin House
Blues Guitarist of the Year
Brandon Isaak — Walkin’ With The Blues
David Gogo — YEAH!
Paul DesLauriers — Our Time To Ride
Sue Foley — One Guitar Woman: A Tribute to the Female Pioneers of Guitar
Tony D — Electric Delta
Blues Keyboard Player of the Year
David Vest — CrissCross
Jeff Rogers — Dream Job
Kenny “Blues Boss” Wayne — Ooh, Yeah!
Miles Evans-Branagh — From The Start; A Sound In The Dark
Rooster Davis — Answer the Call
Blues Harmonica Player of the Year
Al Lerman — Country-Fried Blues
Guy Bélanger — Postcards from London
Shawn Hall — Did We Come Here To Dance
Steve Grant (“Cabbagetown Steve”) — Live At The Rivoli
Steve Marriner — Hear My Heart; This Old Life; YEAH!
Blues Horn Player of the Year
Jerry Cook — All Fired Up
Julian Nalli — Shepherd
Kharincia Francis — Not Defeated
Kira Francis — Not Defeated
Loretta Hale — Latchford
Blues Bassist of the Year
Angelique Francis — Not Defeated
Harry Gregg — Answer the Call
Jack Lavin — All Fired Up
Jasmine Colette — New Orleans Sessions
Mike Meusel — Shepherd
Blues Drummer of the Year
Bruce McCarthy — Shepherd
Jim Casson — Canboro Canborough
Kiran Francis — Not Defeated
Sandro Dominelli — The Midnight Outfit
Sylvain “Sly” Coulombe — Our Time To Ride
Blues Industry Person of the Year
Bruce Morel — Morel Music International
Ken Simms — Think Tank Music Network
Ken Wallis — Blues Source Entertainment
Lori & Paul Murray — Music By The Bay Live
Ron Simmonds — Blues In The Dark
Lifetime Achievement Award
Amos Garrett
Bobby Dean Blackburn
Kenny “Blues Boss” Wayne
Russell Jackson
Tim Williams
Hi, Manny! Good to meet you! Care to introduce yourself to the readers for those not familiar with you?
I’m Manny DeGrandis, and I’ve been a professional bass player for a long time, playing both upright and electric across all musical styles. Currently, I play with Glenn Marais & The Mojo Train (CBMA nominee for Emerging Artist of the Year), and I’m returning for my second year as the bassist and Musical Director for the Canadian Blues Music Awards Gala backing band.
I also perform with several other acts, including Ainsworth DeGrandis, Jesse Karwat & The Coin Collection, Madison Galloway, and Daniel Panetta and The Midnight Company Motown Show, plus I sub for various other groups. In addition to performing, I am the Administrator for the Toronto Blues Society. I started with the TBS as an Events and Social Media Manager during COVID and have taken on more responsibilities over time. It’s a rewarding role that keeps me deeply connected to the blues community, which is easily one of the best music communities out there
The Canadian Blues Music Awards are brand new. What was the moment when you realized the blues community was ready for a completely fresh national awards program?
The Toronto Blues Society board thought it was time to change The Maple Blues Awards the existing blues awards program for 27 years. The board wanted to hand off the voting and backend to another organization separate from TBS. Now there is The Canadian Blues Music Awards, a fully independent, incorporated national not-for-profit organization running the back end and TBS is throwing the awards gala at The Phoenix Concert Theatre on Monday March 30. As the CBMA starts to build we hope the gala can move around Canada like the Junos do.
With performers like Steve Marriner, Crystal Shawanda, and Kenny “Blues Boss” Wayne on the lineup, what moment in the show are you personally most excited to watch from the side of the stage?
Lucky for me I’m the bass player for the backing band “Pass The Envelope” so I get to join them all on stage unless they play a solo song. So I’m excited for all of them!! This is a very diverse group of performers. They will all bring something different yet amazing to the show. Kenny “Blues Boss” Wayne and Danny Marks are legends. They are going to do what they do and show us why they are sill relevant after all these years. Expect nothing less than a powerful vocal display from Crystal Shawanda. Brandon Isaak is a total blast to watch as he absolutely commands the guitar. Dana Wylie is the only one I have never seen or performed with before. She’s set to perform a Secondhand Dreamcar original that’s guaranteed to blow the roof off. Not sure what Steve Marriner will be performing yet but we all know it’s going to be great.
The after party features emerging nominees like Glenn Marais & The Mojo Train and JP LeBlanc. Why was it important to spotlight the next generation of blues artists?
The TBS Board wanted to have all emerging artists be part of the show somehow. Generally, the featured performers are ‘bigger’ names so we came up with the idea to have the emerging acts perform at ‘The After Glow Party” which happens after the show on the main stage. This way everyone can stay and watch them perform live. We approached all 5 emerging acts to perform. The after party was always an open jam for the quests. Newer unknown acts may not have gotten the chance to get up and jam because they may have been too shy to approach or got pushed aside for more known artists. Now they will have a chance to do their thing and show everyone what the future of blues will look like.
When the first winner walks up to accept a Canadian Blues Music Award, what do you hope that moment represents for the future of blues in Canada?
We are actually moving away from the word ‘winner’ and choosing to use ‘recipient’ instead. In the blues community, being nominated is a win in itself. We have five nominees per category, and while only one takes home the physical award, the nomination is a massive achievement. I know that when the first recipient is called, everyone in the crowd will cheer and be genuinely happy that the awards are back.
The blues community is a tight-knit one; we all help each other out and truly enjoy each other’s company. The Awards Gala, Blues Summit, and various blues festivals are the best ‘hangs’—it’s where musicians and fans from across the country get together to celebrate the genre. There is an incredible amount of mutual support, and you will definitely feel that energy at The Phoenix on Monday, March 30th.
Celebrating Excellence in Canadian Blues
Canadian Blues Music Awards Gala
Monday, March 30, 2026
The Phoenix Concert Theatre, Toronto
Gala Tickets Available Now
https://torontobluessociety.com/canadian-blues-music-awards-2/