We are very excited to announce our drummer Jimi Bott, has been nominated for his 13th Blues Music Award by the Blues Foundation in Memphis, TN! For those of you who don’t know, The Blues Music Awards (once called the Handy’s) are universally recognized as the highest accolade afforded musicians and songwriters in Blues music. Voting is open to all members of the Blues Foundation, and if you are not already a member, please consider joining The Blues Foundation by going to www.blues.org. Membership is only $25 a year, and it goes a long ways towards helping keep the blues alive.
Although this is his 13th nomination, Jimi has yet to bring home the award. That is 13 nominations in the 17 years there has been a drummer category, and 11 ina row. His 13 nominations now make him tied with Willie “Big Eyes’ Smith and Sam Lay for the most by any drummer. But yet a lot of people do not know who he is. My purpose of this is not necessarily to get you to vote for him, even though he truly is one of the most talented, deserving, and humble musicians around. It is to bring awareness of who he is and what he has done, for those of you who might not be familiar with him, so you can make an educated choice when it does come time to vote.
Jimi has one of the most impressive resumes around as he has spent nearly three decades touring the world with The Fabulous Thunderbirds, The Mannish Boys, Rod Piazza, and Mark Hummel. He has nearly 70 recordings to his credit (including William Clarke, Billy Boy Arnold, and James Harman) and his latest with The Mannish Boys earned three 2011 Blues Music Award Nominations.
But this is not about his past resume…this is about what Jimi has done just THIS year. In 2011 he has performed over 150 shows in the U.S., Canada, and Europe, including the 2011 Blues Music Awards Ceremony, Lucerne Blues Festival, The Simi Valley Blues Festival, Labatt Blues Festival, and The Waterfront Blues Festival.
To hear a sample of Jimi’s recording with 2012 BMA Nominee and Delta Groove Recording artist Big Pete, visit
http://deltagrooveproductions.com/music/releases/choicecuts/main.html
A few youtube videos
With Big Pete, Kirk Fletcher, Willie J Campbell in Basel, Switzerland at the Blues Now! Festival 2011
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aYbxS-KOBNw
With Shawn Pittman and Willie J Cambell at 2011 Simi Valley Blues Festival
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GO-CkKiNgew
With Kevin Selfe and The Tornadoes at 2011 Waterfront Blues Festival
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hiv0XF_QHXU
Here is a list of all the people Jimi has performed or recorded with…just THIS year. Names in bold are 2012 BMA Nominees:
The Mannish Boys
Delta Groove Harp Blast
Finis Tasby
Shawn Pittman
Big Pete
Kirk Fletcher
Rob Rio
Kim Wilson
Willie J Campbell
Rusty Zinn
Kid Ramos
Rod Piazza
Miss Honey
Mark Hummel
Alex Schultz
Al Blake
Gene Taylor
Doug James
Paul Oscher
Fiona Boyes
Doug MacLeod
Kevin Selfe and the Tornadoes
Allen Markel
John Neish
David Vest
Mary Flower
Nick Moss
Curtis Salgado
Victor Wainwright
Bob Corritore
Mitch Kashmar
Randy Chortkoff
Little Charlie Baty
Magic Dick
Eden Brent
Duffy Bishop
Chris Carlson
Franck “Paris Slim” Goldwasser
Dave Kahl
Suburban Slim
Jim Wallace
Lloyd Jones
Dover Weinberg
Janice Scroggins
DK Stewart
Rich Del Grosso
Karen Lovely
John Del Toro Richardson
Ellen White
Brad Ulrich
Dean Muller
Chris Alexander
Smokin Joe Kubek
B’nois King
John Mazzocco
Peter Moss
Lisa Mann
Joe McCarthy
Chris Mercer
Thad Beckmann
Willie “Big Eyes” Smith
Patrick Rynn
Chris James
Tail Dragger
David Maxwell
Terry Hanck
Tracy Nelson
Peter Dammann
Hawkeye Herman
Cliff Ashmon
and many, many, more…
And, on top of this, he runs his studio inPortland,OR, Roseleaf Studios, and is a full time daddy to three lovely children under 5 years old!
So, if you have a moment and are a Blues Foundation member, please take the time to consider Jimi for your vote. If you are not a member yet, please consider joining the Blues Foundation by visiting www.blues.org Your membership really does a lot to keep the blues alive!