Finally, the "2001Empire Awards."
It's easy to talk about supporting the musicians and others who support the blues in our Inland Empire. But it all comes home to you when you see them sitting there, waiting for their special category, the anticipation on their faces. The joy when they find out they've won, the congratulations they hand out to their friends when they win.

Aaron Richner & the Blues Drivers

Aaron Richner & the Blues Drivers started it off with a blistering set of blues, Aaron Richner style. The 2000 Empire Award winner for "Best New Blues Band" and 2001 nominee for "Best New Blues Band" ripped the joint up! ("Best New Blues Band" covers the previous two years.)

Vicky & Jan

After the Blues Drivers, hosts Vicky McCarthy, now Vicky Adams (Treasurer, 9-92 - 5-93; 11-93 - 6-98, and Advertising representative from the beginning through right now!) and Jan Fitzgerald (Vice President 2-93 - 5-93; Secretary 7-94 - 9-98; Board of Directors 6-93 - 5-2000) seemed to have a great time giving out the awards!
The first category, "Best Writer for Inside Blues" had Craig Heimbigner, Scott Higgin, and Tom Marion squared off, and Craig picked up the win. Congratulations Craig, keep writing for Inside Blues! More often!
"Best Blues Radio Program" came about next, with The 6 O'clock Blues w/Roger Roberts (KEWU) against The Blues Review w/Tina Bjorklund (KPBX), versus The Blues Power Hour w/Brother Music (KPND). Tina grabbed her third consecutive win in this category, placing her in both the Hall of Fame and the ineligible for the next three years category! (Hall of Fame winners are ineligible for three years.) Tina thanked everyone for being her friend and voting for her.
Next up, the most hotly contested category this year, the "Best Blues Drummer." Bill Bancroft of Pat Coast & Out of the Blue, Zach Cooper of The Bone Daddies, and Sha Sta Lasso of Carl Rey & the Blues Gators were all nominated for this one, and for the third time in the past seven years, we had a tie!
In 1997, John Cage (Too Slim & the Taildraggers) and Chris "Crash" Klettke (Nothin' Personal) tied for this honor, and this year Bill & Zach tied! Bill bangs into the Hall of Fame with this win. Zach was late, so his mother accepted for him, and Bill was staggered when he received his!
"Best Blues Bassist" nominees Larry Brown (Pat Coast & Out of the Blue), Juel Rowden (Charlie Butts & the Filtertips), and Ramiro Vijarro (Doghouse Boyz) vied for top honors with Larry Brown edging ahead.
The catch-all "Best Blues Instrumentalist (Other)" pulls in musicians who play any instrument that doesn't have it's own category, and this year trumpet and saxophone were top nominees, in addition to the fact that the top three nominees were the same as last year! Charlie Butts (Saxophone, Charlie Butts & the Filtertips), Mike Lenke (Trumpet, Pat Coast & Out of the Blue), and Chuck Swanson (Saxophone, Pat Coast & Out of the Blue) are all previous winners of this category, and Mike Lenke repeated his 1995 win!
Also all previous winners, Steve Lime (Papa Glenn & the Border Run Blues Band), Rory Marrero (Charlie Butts & the Filtertips), and Dave Winslow (Pat Coast & Out of the Blue) were nominated for "Best Blues Keyboardist", and the winner was Dave Winslow. Dave says that if he doesn't come to the ceremony, he wins. Hmmmm. He wasn't there, so Pat Coast accepted for him.

Carl Rey

Another category with the possibility of a Hall of Fame award was "Best Blues Harmonica Player" with nominees Dave Allen of Yo Mo Fo, Don Millard, and Carl Rey of Carl Rey & the Blues Gators. Carl Rey made Hall of Fame, and what a killer "Mississippi Saxophone" player he is!
"Best Female Vocalist" nominees included Jan Danielson, Tina Denning (The Other Band), and Anita Royce (The Highrollers). Reese Hodge, guitarist in The Other Band, accepted the award because Tina was late. When she finally got there, Tina graciously thanked everyone for her second consecutive win!
A win in this category would be the first for any of these nominees. Pat Coast of Pat Coast & Out of the Blue, Erich Munzner of The Bone Daddies, and Carl Rey of the Blues Gators were on top for "Best Male Vocalist," and the award goes to: Carl Rey!
"Best Blues Guitarist" nominees were Pat Coast, Erich Munzner, and Clark Ong of Blue Tattoo. Now a Hall of Fame member, Pat Coast was all smiles!
A fairly new category, "Best Blues Slide Guitarist" Tim "Too Slim" Langford walked away with the first three years, but 2001 nominees Paul Brasch, Pat Coast, and Don Millard held an extremely close race throughout. Paul Brasch gets to place this award next to his many others.

Don Millard

Jeff Aker, the Doghouse Boyz, and Don Millard all worked hard for the "Best Acoustic Blues Act" award, and Don Millard duplicated his 1997 effort with this win. Don thanked Paul Brasch for making it possible for other acoustic blues acts to play in our area. Congratulations Don!

Blue Tattoo

"Best New Blues Band or Artist (2 years or less)" is a tough category for me. All of these bands are great: Blue Tattoo, Aaron Richner & the Blues Drivers, and Yo Mo Fo. Blue Tattoo gets the win, following 2000 winner Aaron Richner & the Blues Drivers, the Bone Daddies (99), DC Black & the Healers (98), The Crawdaddies (97), The DeSotos (96), and Paul Brasch (95).
The Bone Daddies, Pat Coast & Out of the Blue, and Carl Rey & the Blues Gators are all well known bands around the Inland Empire. And, they're all nominees for "Best Blues Band." During the voting process, these bands seesawed back and forth, first one, then another, then the other being in the lead. Votes had to be counted several times to be sure! Time ran out, and Pat Coast & Out of the Blue reprised their role of last year as "Best Blues Band."

Out of the Blue

"Best Blues Album (N.W. Region)" means that albums (cds) from all over the northwest are eligible. It's great how these nominees are all from our area! Black Sun Rising ~ The Bone Daddies, Bootleg ~ Too Slim & the Taildraggers, and Live ~ Pat Coast & Out of the Blue are all excellent releases. Pat Coast and Out of the Blue grab a solo win this year, after a tie for first in 2000 with Too Slim & the Taildraggers.
That was the end of the musician awards, and the beginning of the awards for the "other than musicians."
The I.E.B.S. is extremely proud to have Axe Attack nominated for "Best Blues Event (Inland Empire)" along with the 6th Annual Bronze, Blues & Brews in Joseph, Oregon, and the 14th Annual Winthrop Rhythm & Blues Festival. The first ever win for the Bronze, Blues & Brews! It was a superb festival!
"Best Blues Club/Venue" nominees were Beachcombers (Coeur d'Alene), Capone's (Coeur d'Alene), and Mootsy's (Spokane). Tom Capone knows what he's doing, winning this award two years in a row! Tom was sick, so Greg Hales accepted the award.
Individuals who display exceptional achievements or involvement with the blues is how we describe the "Keeping the Blues Alive" award. Tom Capone, Craig Heimbigner, and Scott Higgin were the people that our member's felt deserved this nomination, and for the second year in a row, Scott Higgin humbly accepts the award. Congratulations Scott!
The last two awards were the "Andy Wavada Memorial Award for Exceptional Effort" awards. This award is dedicated to Andy Wavada, "Inside Blues" editor from August of 1994 to December of 1995, and also the driving force behind the first "Empire Awards" ceremony, held in September of 1995. Andy made it happen, and put forth exceptional effort! Andy passed away May 26 of 1998. Each year we remember Andy with this award, and his love of the blues.

Len Volpe

This award is a Board of Directors award. Its recipients are determined by the Board of Directors, and their feelings about who is deserving for their special efforts towards the blues. This year, it was decided that Len Volpe, of Replay Music (107 E. 3rd Ave., 509-458-6000) is deserving for his years of support of the blues, and musicians in general. Len is a huge supporter of Blues Cats For Kids, and in fact built and donated the gorgeous guitar that we are currently raffling off. Congratulations to Len, and keep it up!
Our last "Andy" went to a very deserving lady, Marva Ulleland of The Ritzville Blues Festival. Marva has put together this incredible festival for eight years! No matter the personal, work, or festival problems, Marva overcomes them, and the Ritzville festival is a "Hall of Fame" winner for "Best Blues Event" to prove it. Marva, you're the best! DON'T STOP!

DX Biscuit: Arthur Dunn, Shawn Irelan, Bert Baker, Bruce Guy, and Robert Sandidge

That finished the awards, and then it was time for DX Biscuit, formerly the "King Biscuit Blues Band!"
It was easy to see why this band was voted Central Washington's "Best Band" and "Best Rhythm & Blues Band" in 1999, 2000, and 2001. They started out with high energy, and took it right to the top, hot, sweaty, dancin' music! And the dancers filled the floor and stayed there until the end!
It was a great evening for the blues. Wish you had been there!