This feature remains one of my favorite projects that I work on each year. It gives me a chance to interact with other like-minded individuals whose love for this music borders on obsession. If anybody reading this knows any of these ten people personally, I’m guessing you will back me up on that assertion. Like me, they don’t think that listening to blues music for hours at a time on any given day of the week is an obsession at all. It is simply doing what one loves to do and any behavior to the contrary would be unimaginable. Thanks again to all of our participants.

Don T-Bone Erickson - Des Moines, Iowa (USA)

Don is a long-time blues journalist. He is the former editor for the Central Iowa Blues Society Newsletter and author of 76 monthly feature articles entitled Legends of the Blues. He was a founding editor of one of the first on-line blues journals entitled Blues Wax. Don is the host of T-Bone's House Rockin' Blues Party and The Groove Zone at KFMG 98.9 FM, Des Moines. His program was featured on the station rated ‘Best Radio Station’ in City View’s ‘Best of Des Moines’ reader's survey for the last seven years. Don also served as the Chairman of the Iowa Blues Hall of Fame for 15 years.

Dusty Dave & The Heart Attacks – One Beer Left

Egidio “Juke” Ingala & The Jacknives – Switcharoo

The Jelly Roll Men – Jelly Roll Shuffle

Kokomo Kings – Too Good To Stay Away From

Peter Parcek – Everybody Wants To Go To Heaven

Larkin Poe – Peach

The Red Devils – The Return of the Red Devils

Dexter Shaw & The Wolftones – Dexin’

Monster Mike Welch & Mike Ledbetter – Right Place, Right Time

Kim Wilson – Blues and Boogie Vol. 1

Charlie Lange - Santa Cruz, California (USA)

Starting in the 1970’s Charlie was doing research for independent boutique blues labels including Specialty Records in the U.S. and Route 66 Records out of Sweden. He has written liner notes for Verve, Rounder and other record labels. Charlie has also done oral histories of Joe Liggins, Ray Agee, Roy Milton, Percy Mayfield, Lowell Fulson, JD Nicholson, George “Harmonica” Smith and others for various labels. In the 1980’s Charlie started his own business called Bon Ton West and for several years booked virtually every blues and zydeco musician out of Texas and Louisiana on their west coast tours. He also booked the famous Antone’s West shows as well as select acts at the Long Beach Blues Festival. During this time he started Bluebeat Music, which is widely considered the largest on-line retailer of blues, jazz, soul and vintage rock&roll in the world. 2017 marked his 42 anniversary of hosting blues radio shows out of Santa Cruz, California. Charlie is an ongoing contributor to BLUES JUNCTION.

Dylan Bishop Band - The Exciting Sounds Of...

The Cash Box Kings - Royal Mint

June Core -  Rhythm & Blues

Eastside Kings - Kings of Austin Blues

Rick Estrin and the Nightcats - Groovin’ In Greaseland

Kokomo Kings - Too Good To Stay Away From

Johnny Nicholas - Too Many Bad Habits

Peacemakers (Self Titled)

Various Artists - Howlin’ At Greaseland  

Wilson Kim- Blues and Boogie Vol. 1

Tommy Lofgren – Stockholm, Sweden

Tommy has been with Jefferson, the world’s oldest blues magazine still in circulation, since 1970. He was editor of this prestigious publication from 1977-1996. He remains a senior contributing writer. Tommy took over Smokestack Blues, a retail and mail order store in Stockholm, in 2000. Between 1972-2016, on 27 separate occasions, Tommy made a pilgrimage to the home of the blues, the United States to explore the landscape of our African-American musical roots. 

Willie Clayton -  Crossroads of the Blues

Rick Estrin & The Nightcats -  Groovin´ In Greaseland

Rhiannon Giddens -  Freedom Highway

Eilen Jewell -  Down Hearted Blues

Stevie J. Blues -  Back 2 Blues

Sweet Angel -  Can´t Walk Away

Otis Taylor -  Fantasizing About Being Black

Nellie “Tiger” Travis -  Mr. Sexy Man

Monster Mike Welch and Mike Ledbetter - Right Place, Right Time

Various Artists - Howlin´ At Greaseland

Sonny Boy Mark – Dallas, Texas (USA)

Born in Chicago and raised in Dallas, Mark fell in love with the blues at a young age. He soon took up the guitar and later switched to the bass. He has backed up a whole host of Dallas/Fort Worth based blues luminaries including, but not limited to, Mike Morgan, Hash Brown, Lucky Peterson, Holland K. Smith, Dylan Bishop, Zac Harmon and Christian Dozzler. He has been a blues DJ for going on 20 years now at the famed KNON 89.3 in Dallas. Sonny Boy Mark can be heard on Tuesdays from 6:00pm – 8:00pm Central Standard Time, as he hosts his own program entitled, Texas Blues Radio on that station.

Dylan Bishop -  The Exciting Sounds of…

Chris Cain (Self Titled)

The Cash Box Kings – Royal Mint

Rick Estrin and the Nightcats – Groovin’ In Greaseland

The Kokomo Kings - Too Good to Stay Away From

Doug MacLeod - Break the Chain

The Peacemakers  (Self Titled)

The Red Devils - The Return of…

Jimmie Vaughan Trio featuring Mike Flanigin – Live at C-Boys

Kim Wilson – Blues and Boogie vol. 1

Tom Hyslop - Nauganee, Michigan (USA)

Tom is a contributing editor and senior writer for Blues Music Magazine. He started out writing for Blues Review magazine in 1996. During this time Tom has written features on Magic Slim, Rick Estrin, Nick Curran, Sean Costello, Phillip Walker, Kim Wilson, Duke Robillard, Big Jack Johnson, Nick Moss, Gary Clarke Jr. and others. Tom has written liner notes, biographical pieces and promotional material for numerous artists, record companies and publicists. Most recently, he penned the liner notes for the upcoming Nick Moss album which has a tentative release date of March of 2018.

Don Bryant - Don't Give Up On Love

Johnny Burgin - Neoprene Fedora

Rick Estrin & The Nightcats - Groovin' in Greaseland

Jake La Botz - Sunnyside          

The Love Light Orchestra (featuring John Nemeth) – Self Titled

The Peacemakers (Self Titled)                                                                       

Patrick Recob - Perpetual Luau

The Red Devils – The Return of the Red Devils

Wee Willie Walker & The Anthony Paule Soul Orchestra - After A While

Monster Mike Welch and Mike Ledbetter – Right Place, Right Time

Kim Wilson - Blues and Boogie Vol 1.

Chico Blues - Sao Paulo, Brazil

Chico is the founder and president of Chico Blues Records out of Sao Paulo, Brazil. He is widely recognized as the leading blues authority in South America. His label and extensive roster of artists has continued to produce some of the finest blues recordings in recent years. Some of the most renowned blues musicians in the world have traveled to Sao Paulo to record with the musicians on his label and be backed primarily by the label’s flagship ensemble, The Igor Prado Band. Chico recused himself from selecting any recordings from his own label’s 2017 recordings.

B.B. And The Blues Shacks - Reservation Blues

Rockin' Johnny Burgin - Neoprene Fedora

Chris Cain (Self Titled)

June Core - Rhythm & Blues

Ronnie Earl & The Broadcasters - The Luckiest Man

Eric Johanson - Burn It Down

Lucky Peterson – What Have I Done Wrong: The Best of The JSP Sessions

John Primer & Bob Corritore - Ain’t Nothing You Can Do!

Monster Mike Welch & Mike Ledbetter - Right Place, Right Time

Kim Wilson - Blues and Boogie, Vol. 1

Kevin Johnson - Chicago, Illinois (USA)

Kevin is the owner of a Chicago based enterprise, Proud Papa Promotion & Publicity which specializes in blues radio promotions, press publicity and social media. He is the former director of promotions for Delmark Records where he served in that capacity for twelve years.

R.L. Boyce – Roll and Tumble

Rockin’ Johnny Burgin – Neoprene Fedora

Robert Cray and Hi-Rhythm (Self Titled)

Corey Denison – Night After Night

Ronnie Earl and the Broadcasters -The Luckiest Man

Rick Estrin and the Nightcats – Groovin’ in Greaseland

Billy Flynn – Lonesome Highway

Kilborn Alley – The Tolono Tapes

Kim Wilson – Blues and Boogie Vol. 1

Oscar Wilson – One Room Blues 

Michael Kinsman - San Diego, California (USA)

For over twenty years Michael has written about blues and roots music for the San Diego Tribune, the city's leading daily newspaper. He has written for numerous outlets including Blues Revue Magazine, Blues Music Magazine and VH1.com. Since 1998, Michael has interviewed more than 500 blues and roots artists. He has produced music festivals since 1998, as well. Michael is the founder and producer of the San Diego Blues Festival which has emerged as one of the premier blues festivals in the country. He is the host of the online radio program Hoodoo Ya Ya featured on Blues411.com's radio programming.

Selwyn Birchwood - Pick Your Poison

Don Bryant – Don’t Give up On Love                                                    

Tommy Castro & the Painkillers – Stomping Ground

Rick Estrin & the Nightcats - Groovin’ in Greaseland

The Love Light Orchestra featuring John Nemeth (Self-Titled)

Peter Parcek - Everybody Wants to Go to Heaven

Southern Avenue  (Self Titled)  

Wee Willie Walker & the Anthony Paule Soul Orchestra – After a While

Monster Mike Welch And Mike Ledbetter – Right, Right Time

Kim Wilson - Blues and Boogie, Vol. 1                                                                                   

Mark Thompson - Bradenton, Florida (USA)

Mark has been listening to blues music for more than fifty years. Growing up in the Chicago area, he got to experience many of the legendary blues musicians live in-person. He served for twelve years as the president of the Crossroads Blues Society, based in Rockford, Illinois. After relocating to Florida in 2016 Mark served as the president of the Sun Coast Blues Society, based in Tampa, Florida.  Mark writes for Blues Blast and Blues Music Magazines as well as the Chicago Blues Guide website.

Chris Cain (Self-Titled)

The Kokomo Kings -  Too Good To Stay Away From

Ben Levin - Ben's Blues

The Peacemakers (Self-Titled)

John Primer & Bob Corritore - Ain't Nothing You Can Do!  

Various Artists -  Howlin' At Greaseland

Wee Willie Walker & the Anthony Paule Soul Orchestra - After A While

Monster Mike Welch And Mike Ledbetter - Right Place, Right Time

Kim Wilson -Blues and& Boogie Vol.1                                                                                           

Oscar Wilson -  One Room Blues



Jeff Scott Fleenor - Garden Grove, California (USA)

Jeff is a blues historian and archivist of the highest order. He is the universally recognized leading authority on the international blues scene. He had been the Southern California Regional Specialty Music Buyer for Virgin Mega Stores. He has written liner notes for over two dozen albums. He had also been the co-producer and talent buyer for the prestigious Blues on the Bay festival in Newport Beach. For the past 16 years Jeff has been the International Talent Coordinator for the Doheny Blues Festival. He was also the host of a Southern California based radio show called The Blues Disease. In addition to that, he has produced numerous albums for Delta Groove Music. Jeff remains in the employ of Delta Groove Music and recused himself from listing any albums that were produced by that label in 2017.

B.B. & the Blues Shacks - Reservation Blues

Big Creek Slim - Good Mill Blues: Greasy Chicken Sessions, Vol. 1

Chris Cain (Self Titled)

Chris Corcoran Band - Blues Guitar Grooves

Little Roger & the Houserockers - Good Rockin’ House Party

The Peacemakers (Self Titled)

Dexter Shaw & the Wolf Tones - Dexin’

Jimmie Vaughan Trio featuring Mike Flanigin - Live at C-Boy’s

Kim Wilson - Blues and Boogie, Vol. 1 

Oscar Wilson - One Room Blues

The Consensus:

From this esteemed group of ten blues fans, music lovers, record collectors and all around practiced listeners with some very big ears, a full twenty different releases appeared on more than one ballot.

However, the clear-cut consensus winner this year was the new release by Kim Wilson. His Blues and Boogie Vol. 1. appeared on nine out of the ten lists this year. Never has there been this kind of near unanimous love for one release in the many years that we have been “publishing” this annual feature.  This knowledgeable, highly opinionated and independent thinking group of blues-o-files happen to agree with me this year. Kim’s return to his beloved blues was one of the great stories to emerge from the blues world in 2017. Blues and Boogie Vol. 1 represents the best album he has made since 1997s My Blues.

Kim Wilson – Blues and Boogie vol. 1 (9)

Monster Mike Welch And Mike Ledbetter – Right Place, Right Time (6)

Rick Estrin and the Nightcats – Groovin' in Greaseland (5)

The Peacemakers (Self-Titled) (5)

The Kokomo Kings - Too Good To Stay Away From (4)

Rockin’ Johnny Burgin - Neoprene Fedora (3)

Chris Cain (Self-Titled) (3)

Wee Willie Walker & the Anthony Paule Soul Orchestra - After A While (3)

Various Artists – Howlin’ at Greaseland (3)

The Red Devils - The Return of… (3)

Oscar Wilson - One Room Blues (3)

B.B. and the Blues Shacks - Reservation Blues (2)

The Cash Box Kings – Royal Mint (2) 

The Dylan Bishop Band – The Exciting Sounds of… (2)

Don Bryant – Don’t Give Up On Love (2)

The Lovelight Orchestra featuring John Nemeth (Self-Titled) (2)

Peter Parcek – Everybody Wants to Go to Heaven (2)

John Primer & Bob Corritore  - Ain't Nothing You Can Do!(2)

Dexter Shaw & the Wolftones – Dexin’ (2)

Jimmie Vaughan Trio featuring Mike Flanigin -  Live at C-Boys (2)