In Memphis in early August, the 9th annual Jus' Blues Music Awards show was held at the history Daisy Theater on Beale Street, the birthplace of rock & roll and the home of the blues. Sponsored by the Jus' Blues Music Foundation, the awards show was just part of a week of events that saw lots of live music and more than a little great food.

The week began on Wednesday, August 6th, 2008 with "The Night Of The Living Legends," an all-star event that included dinner and live music honoring the organization's Blues Music Award winners, including Lifetime Achievement Award honoree Joe Simon.

Millie Jackson, Latimore and Denise LaSalle were among the other R&B artists honored during the night.

Thursday night held the 2008 Jus' Blues Music Awards festivities, including live performances by Latimore, Kenny Neal, Floyd Taylor (son of R&B great Johnnie Taylor), Trudy Lynn, Zakira Hooker (daughter of blues legend John Lee Hooker), and many others. Lil' Ray Neal put together a tribute to R&B crooner "Little" Milton Campbell that thrilled the audience.

R&B legend Joe Simon won the Jus' Blues Music Lifetime Achievement Award for outstanding lifetime achievements in the African-American community and in blues and soul music. The Grammy Award winning singer was honored with the placement of a "Music Note" on the Beale Street Walk of Fame in front of the Daisy Theater. Theodis Ealey was honored with the Lowell Fulson Lifetime Achievement Award for outstanding career achievements over 20+ years. Other Jus' Blues Music Award winners:

Jus' Blues Music Lifetime Achievement Award
Joe Simon

Lowell Fulson Lifetime Achievement Award
Theodis Ealey

Denise LaSalle Award for Recording Excellence
(Outstanding Recording Excellence Award)
Roy C

Percy Mayfield Award for Writing Excellence
(Outstanding Written Compositions in Blues and Soul Music)
Latimore

Jack "The Rapper" Gibson Radio Pioneer Award
(Outstanding Contributions to Blues and Soul Music in the Radio Industry)
James Wolfe

James Brown Heritage Award
(Outstanding Blues and Soul Music Live Performer)
Mel Waiters

Johnnie Taylor Newcomer Award
(Outstanding New Blues and Soul Music Artist or Group)
Floyd Taylor

Willie Mitchell Producer's Award
(Outstanding Blues and Soul Music Productions)
Leon Haywood

Jus' Blues Music Legends Award
(Outstanding Contributions to Blues and Soul Music)
Millie Jackson

Jus' Blues Music President's Award
(Outstanding Contributions to the Business of Blues and Soul Music)
Al Bell, Alpine Records

Aaron T-Bone Walker Award
(Outstanding Guitar Musicianship in Blues and Soul Music)
Preston Shannon

Previous to the awards show, blues and soul music fans were asked to log onto the Jus' Blues Music website and vote for their favorite artists in a number of categories like "Best Traditional Blues Man" and "Best Blues and Soul Internet Show." Thousands of people voted and while some of the fan's choices could be expected, some are quite surprising; here's the complete list of award winners:

Best Traditional Blues Man
Eddie Cotton

Best Traditional Blues Woman
Tia Carroll

Traditional Blues Song Of The Year - Male
Bobby Rush - "What's Going On"

Traditional Blues Song Of The Year - Female
Trudy Lynn - "Everybody Got A Blues Song To Sing"

Best Blues and Soul Radio Show
(Radio Personality Award)
Rojene Bailey, WALR-FM, Atlanta

Best Blues and Soul Internet Show
http://www.chittlincircuitradio.com

"Little Milton" Campbell Guitar Award
(Outstanding Guitar Player)
Lil' Ray Neal

Junior Wells Harp Award
(Outstanding Blues Harmonica Performer)
Kenny Neal

Best Juke Joint Award
(Best Blues and Soul Club)
Velma's Place, San Francisco CA

Best Blues and Soul Song Of The Year - Male
Latimore - "My Give A Damn"

Best Blues and Soul Song Of The Year - Woman
Denise LaSalle - "Mississippi Woman"

Blues and Soul Man Of The Year
Marvin Sease

Blues and Soul Woman Of The Year
Shirley Brown

Best Blues and Soul Label Award Of The Year
Wilbe Records

Jus' Blues Music All Star Award - Male
Willie Hill

Jus' Blues Music All Star Award - Female
B. B. Queen

Jus' Blues Music Artist Of The Year Award
Bobby "Blue" Bland

Best New Southern Soul Artist Of The Year - Male
Fred Bolton - "Must Be Jelly"

Best New Southern Soul Artist Of The Year - Female
Sweet Angel - "Another Man's Meat On My Plate"

On Friday, August 8th a "Blues Club Crawl" was held, with performances by artists like Kenny Neal and Trudy Lynn, while on Saturday a Backyard BBQ was held in Handy Park, featuring a dance contest and chitlin' cook-off.

In the press release announcing the award winners, Jus' Blues Music Foundation founder and President Charles Mitchell says, "this year's event was extraordinary! As a result of working closer with the Beale Street Development Corporation, the Beale Street Merchants Association and the Memphis Music Commission, we were able to expand our event and outreach from one evening to four days. We appreciate the support of our sponsors, new foundation members and all the Blues and Soul music fans that attended any of the events. We look forward to doing it again next year, even bigger and better!"

Check with the Jus' Blues Music Foundation for more information on the organization and on next year's awards program.