The Fifteenth Annual Maple Blues Awards

About the MBAs

The Maple Blues Awards is Canada’s national blues awards program. Its goal is to promote blues music across Canada, and to recognize outstanding achievement in the field.

The nominees are selected by a distinguished panel of some 50+ blues experts. Co-Chaired by John Valenteyn, long-time member of the TBS, and Brent Staeben of the Harvest Jazz and Blues Festival in Fredericton, the panel includes radio hosts, journalists, and festival organizers regionally distributed across Canada. Members of the Nominating Panel are not eligible for any of the awards.

The voting will be handled slightly differently this year. For most of the ballot, the winners will be selected by blues fans from across the country.

The Instrument categories, guitar, harmonica, piano/keyboards, horn, drums & bass, will be voted on by the Nominating Panel.

The winners of the Fifteenth Annual Maple Blues Awards will be announced at the Annual Maple Blues Awards Gala in Toronto, on Monday, January 16, 2012. This very special evening is Canada's national annual celebration of homegrown blues talent. It's also a night of great music by the Maple Blues Band, comprised entirely of Maple Blues Awards winners and nominees.

Voting is open from Midnight Newfoundland Daylight Time October 28th, 2011, through Midnight Pacific Standard Time December 10th, 2011.