Let me start with an apology for calling it the 7th Annual, when in fact it was the 8th Annual "Empire Awards." I won't go into a description of my errors. It's ugly!
It wasn't a dark and stormy night at the Spokane Valley Eagles the night of the 8th Annual "Empire Awards."
It was a great night regardless of the weather (which I can't remember!)
It's easy to talk about supporting the musicians and others who support the blues in our Inland Empire. But it was a real treat to see all the musicians, their families and friends, in addition to the numerous folks who were there for a great blues show.

Blue Tattoo started the show at 7:15, bringin' us a blistering set of blues. The 2001 "Best New Blues Band" gave us a hot set that got the folks up on their feet and dancin' right off the bat!

Blue Tattoo

After Blue Tattoo, hosts Scott Higgin and Deborah Conway jumped right in to give up the awards.

The first category, "Best Writer for Inside Blues" had Craig Heimbigner, Scott Higgin, and Ted Todd nominated. Ted picked up the award, his first win since 1998, saying that as editor, he would like to see more people willing to write articles for "Inside Blues." He also mumbled something about his own "quantity, not quality."

"Best Blues Radio Program" came about next, with The 6 O'clock Blues w/Roger Roberts (KEWU) pitted against The House of Blues (KPND, Sandpoint), versus The Blues Show w/Ted & Dean (KKZX). The Blues Show w/Ted & Dean snagged the award, their first after a three year wait after winning the "Hall of Fame" award in 1998. (Hall of Fame winners are ineligible for three years.) Dean was unable to make the ceremony, so Ted accepted, and mentioned his chagrin at being up at the mic twice in a row! He thanked everyone who voted for the show, mentioning the 10 year anniversary last September, hoping to make another 10 years of a great "Blues Show!"

Ted Todd
"Best Writer for Inside Blues"
"Best Blues Radio Program ~ The Blues Show w/Ted & Dean, KKZX"

Next up, a tight race for this category, the "Best Blues Drummer." John Cage of "Too Slim & the Taildraggers," Zach Cooper of "Aaron Richner & the Blues Drivers," and first time nominee Deyo Hirata of "The Sammy Eubanks Band." John Cage won this category, and the award was accepted on his behalf by Kay Miller.
In 1997, John Cage and Chris "Crash" Klettke (Nothin' Personal) tied to win for this honor, and 2001 Bill Bancroft (Pat Coast & Out of the Blue) and Zach Cooper (The Bone Daddies) tied for a win!

"Best Blues Bassist" nominees Tom Brimm (The Sammy Eubanks Band), Kenny Lawson (many bands!), and Ramiro Vijarro (Doghouse Boys) vied for top honors. Ramiro picked up this category, a first after many nominations. Well deserved!

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 several of the past years! 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 it was Charlie's turn! Congrats!

Jan Danielson, Rory Marrero (Papa Glenn & the Border Run Blues Band), and Dave Winslow (Pat Coast & Out of the Blue) were nominated for "Best Blues Keyboardist", and the winner was Dave Winslow. Of course, Dave wasn't there to accept his award, thinking that if he doesn't come to the ceremony, he wins. This makes two in a row for Dave. Hmmmm. Pat Coast accepted for him.

"Best Blues Harmonica Player" nominees were Dave Allen (D.A. & the Cruisers), Charlie Butts (Charlie Butts & the Filtertips), and Don Millard. Any of these nominees would be a first time winner in this category, and Charlie Butts scores.

Charlie Butts
"Best Blues Instrumentalist (saxophone)"
"Best Blues Harmonica Player"

"Best Female Blues Vocalist" had the possibility for a "Hall of Fame" winner. Nominees included Tina Denning (The Other Band), and first time nominees Rhonda Monge' (Delta 88) and Monica Pabst (The Blue Ribbon Band). Tina Denning takes the "Hall of Fame" award, making her ineligible for the next three years. Tina said she wore here "lucky" dress, and graciously thanked everyone for her win!

Tina Denning
"Hall of Fame ~ Best Female Blues Singer"

Pat Coast (Pat Coast & Out of the Blue), Sammy Eubanks (The Sammy Eubanks Band), Carl Rey (Carl Rey & the Blues Gators) were the nominees for "Best Male Blues Vocalist."
Sammy takes the win, his third win in 4 years. Since they were not consecutive, no "Hall of Fame" for Sammy. He is in Phoenix, and says he'll be back around the first of the year. Ted accepted the award for Sammy, and said he'll put it in the pile of other awards that Sammy hasn't picked up!

"Best Blues Guitarist" nominees were Steve Brody (Carl Rey & the Blues Gators), Sammy Eubanks (The Sammy Eubanks Band), and Tim Langford (Too Slim & the Taildraggers). Too Slim takes the win, his first since 1998. The Taildraggers were in the studio working on their new release, so Ted's takin' it home until he can catch up with Tim.

A fairly new category, "Best Blues Slide Guitarist" Tim "Too Slim" Langford walked away with the first three years, but Paul Brasch took the 2001 win, and nominees Jeff Aker, Pat Coast, and Don Millard were waitin' to hear the winner for 2002. Pat Coast will have to build an addition to his house to store this award with his many others.

Pat Coast
"Best Blues Slide Guitarist"

Jeff Aker, Tim Langford, and Don Millard all worked hard for the "Best Acoustic Blues Act" award. This category has been dominated by Paul Brasch & Don Millard since it's inception, and Tim picked up his first award for this category. He's been doin' acoustic sets around town, worth checkin' out!

"Best New Blues Band or Artist (2 years or less)" is a tough category. All of these bands are great: Delta 88, The Longnecks, and Yo Mo Fo were the nominees, and Delta 88 wins! Rhonda Monge', "Best Female Blues Vocalist" nominee, and singer for Delta 88, graciously accepts the award on behalf of the band.

Rhonda Monge'
Delta 88
"Best New Blues Band"

Blue Tattoo, Pat Coast & Out of the Blue, and DXB (formerly DX Biscuit, headliner at the 2001 "Empire Awards") are all well known bands around the Inland Empire. And, they're all nominees for "Best Blues Band." Pat Coast & Out of the Blue became "Hall of Fame" winners, making them ineligible for three years.

"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! Bad Breaks ~ DX Biscuit; Goin' Public ~ Tim "Too Slim" Langford; and Rain Came Down ~ Aaron Richner & the Blues Drivers are all excellent releases. This is the 4th time Too Slim has put a win in this column. 1995 - Wanted Live; 1996 - Swamp Opera; 2000 - King Size Troublemakers; 2002 - Goin' Public.

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 HarpAttack 5 nominated for "Best Blues Event (Inland Empire)" along with the 7th Annual Bronze, Blues & Brews in Joseph, Oregon, and the 15th Annual Winthrop Rhythm & Blues Festival. This was the second win for the Winthrop R&B Fest, and what a great festival it was!

"Best Blues Club/Venue" nominees this year were The Bronco Inn (Spokane), Capone's (Coeur d'Alene), and The Wine Cellar (Coeur d'Alene). Tom Capone made the "Hall of Fame" by winning this award this year!

Deborah Conway
"Andy Wavada Memorial Award for Exceptional Effort"

Individuals who display exceptional achievements or involvement with the blues is how we describe the "Keeping the Blues Alive" award. Craig Heimbigner (1999 winner), Scott Higgin (2000 & 2001 winner), and Ted Todd (Hall of Fame 1998) were the people that our member's felt deserved this nomination, and, eligible for the first time since his 1998 Hall of Fame award, Ted Todd accepts the award. Craig, Scott, & Ted are the only nominees to ever win this award.

The last award was the "Andy Wavada Memorial Award for Exceptional Effort" award. 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.
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 Deborah Conway of The Bronco Inn (8714 E Sprague Ave., 509-927-0966) was deserving for her constant support of the blues and the Blues Society. Always willing to turn her club over to the Blues Society for events, hosting our monthly membership meeting, volunteering for events, her support goes on and on. This was just our way of showing Deborah how much we appreciate her support!

Zach Cooper
2001 "Best Blues Drummer"
2002 nominee "Best Blues Drummer"
picks up award for Capone's

That finished the awards, and then it was time for The Jude Bowerman Band from Olympia, Washington.

The band includes Darin Watkins on drums (formerly of crazy blues/swamp band Junkyard Jane), Alex Veley on keys (formerly of Seattle super group Maktub) and Derek Brown on electric and upright bass, and Jude Bowerman on guitar and vocals.

They started out with high energy, and took it right to the top with hot, sweaty, dancin' music! And the dancers filled the floor and stayed there until the end! Jude plays some pretty tasty licks, and his band is as tight as it gets!

It was a great evening for the blues. See you next year!