By TOM D'ANTONI
The Cascade Blues Association's annual awards party.
Last year, Curtis Salgado took the audience to school for ignoring Soul singer Andy Stokes. Tonight at the Melody Ballroom, at the Cascade Blues Association's Muddy Awards, Salgado announced the winner of the Male Vocalist award now named after him. He once again praised Stokes, but this time read off Stokes' name as the winner of the award. It was Stokes first win.
Shortly before that, John Mazzocco who has been nominated many many times without winning and who repeated the words, "thirty-one years, thirty-one years," received the Muddy for best bass player.
The evening's big winner was Rae Gordon, however, who the Duffy Bishop award for best female vocalist, best NW recording for Dirty Flowers, and the Back What You Believe In award.
Here are the winners
Contemporary Blues Act -- Kevin Selfe and the Tornadoes
Horns -- Peter Moss
Regional Blues Act -- Ty Curtis Band
"Lloyd Jones" R&B Act -- Norman Sylvester Band
Bass -- John Mazzocco
Traditional Blues Act -- Ben Rice Trio
"Curtis Salgado" Male Vocalist -- Andy Stokes
National Recording -- Sugaray Rayford Southside
Venue -- Blue Diamond
NW Blues Event -- Bronze, Blues & Brews
Electric Guitar -- Phil "Suburban Slim" Wagner
New Act -- Bottleneck Blues Band
"Jimi Bott" Drums -- Brian Foxworth
"Duffy Bishop" Female Vocalist -- Rae Gordon
"The Hurley Award" -- Steve Gross
Performance of the Year -- Christone "Kingfish" Ingram Waterfront Blues Festival
Harmonica --Mitch Kashmar
Terry Robb Acoustic Guitar -- Alan Hager
Keyboards -- Dover Weinberg
NW Recording -- Rae Gordon Dirty Flowers
Back What You Believe In -- Rae Gordon
Paul deLay Lifetime Achievement -- Linda Hornbuckle
Thanks for the coverage of the Muddys Tom, but you should have also noted that it was the Norman Sylvester Band's first win for R&B act, Brian Foxworth' first Muddy and Rae Gordon also being inducted into the Muddy Awards Hall of Fame. Not sure what John Mazzocco meant by 31 years, unless he was referring to how long he has played in Portland. It can't be for Muddy Awards as the CBA is not even 30 years old yet and the Muddy Awards started a couple years after the organization was founded. A fun night all together and huge congratulations to all the winners.
Dr Kristi
Rae Gordon has it all: inner a d outer beauty, unbelievable talent, and a shining personality! She's destined for the stars, with thousands of fans cheering her on! Once Oregon City's best kept secret, Rae is leaving local and national Blues artists in her dust! She is remarkably humble, and positive. With plans to leave the security of full time employment in two months, to focus on her music and a new consulting venture, Rae Gordon will quickly become a national force to be reckoned with.