Click Awards To Read the Reviews
Apparently, thirteen must be our lucky number. In addition to 2011 being our thirteenth year together, it was also the most wonderful year that my partner Mary and I have ever had at www.Mary4Music.com. The year started off with the Blues Foundation honoring us by presenting our site with a "Keeping The Blues Alive Award" for the Internet category and after that, it just kept getting better and better.
Each year since 2002, www.Mary4Music.com has been giving out the symbolic, yet very coveted award known as "THE BLEWZZY". This is an award given to the CD and song that I liked best of all the CD's reviewed during the year - simple as that. Back then, when we weren't doing that many reviews, it was quite easy to pick a winner. However, as the site became more well known, and with submissions from BMA, Juno, Maple and Grammy Award winners, it got more difficult to pick a winner, but more exciting as well.
Jumping up from 30 in 2010, the 42 CDs we reviewed in 2011 set a record for our site. As usual, those discs came from a broad spectrum of artists: new artists with a debut release, seasoned veterans with impressive credentials, IBC entrants and winners, BMA nominees, several Grammy nominees and winners and even several past Blewzzy winners.
Now, with no further banter from me, it's time to announce the winners. Since our review policy requires that I must like the CD in order to review it, it's quite obvious that the list of honorable mentions could be lengthy. However, since in the text of my review I did say that these discs were possible candidates, the runners up are: The Bad Influence Band with "Under The Influence"; Franco Paletta And The Stingers with "Can't Kick Love"; Jumpin' Jack Benny with "I'll Be Alright"; Midnight Shift with "Rhythm Rockin Boogie".
I now congratulate The Mighty Mojo Prophets as the 2011 BLEWZZY AWARD winners in the CD category with their self titled disc - "The Mighty Mojo Prophets"
In the Song Of The Year category the runners up are: Gina Sicilia with "As Long As You're Here"; Victor Wainwright with "Pile of Blues".
I now posthumously congratulate the late Burton Gaar as the 2011 BLEWZZY AWARD winner in the Song Of The Year category with his absolutely beautiful "That's All She Wrote".
