We are very excited to announce our drummer Jimi Bott, has been nominated for his 14th 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 14th nomination, Jimi has YET to bring home the award. That is 14 nominations in the 18 years there has been a drummer category, and 12 in a row. His 14 nominations now make him the MOST nominated drummer in the history of the awards! That is more nominations than legendary drummers, Willie “Big Eyes’ Smith (Muddy Waters) and Sam Lay (Howlin Wolf, Little Walter, Muddy Waters). But yet a lot of people still 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 over 70 recordings to his credit including William Clarke, Billy Boy Arnold, and James Harman.
But this is not about his past resume…this is about what Jimi has done just THIS year. He recorded on numerous CD’s including The Mannish Boys “Double Dynamite” which is nominated for three 2013 Blues Music Awards, and Smokin Joe Kubek and B’Nois King’s “Close To The Bone”. In 2012 he performed over 150 shows in the U.S. and Europe, including the 2012 Blues Music Awards Ceremony (Memphis, TN), Notodden Blues Festival (Norway), Zouk Mikael International Music Festival (Lebanon), Cazorla Blues Festival (Spain), Simi Valley Cajun and Blues Festival (Simi Valley, CA), and The Waterfront Blues Festival (Portland, OR).
To hear a sample of Jimi’s recording with 2013 BMA Nominee The Mannish Boys, visit
http://www.deltagrooveproductions.com/music/releases/doubledynamite/audio.html
A few youtube videos
Muddy Waters Tribute with Mud Morganfield, James Cotton, and Bob Margolin at the Simi Valley Cajun and Blues Festival, May 2012
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lIgfpySgKUc
With Kevin Selfe and The Tornadoes, at the Alberta Rose Theater, Portland, OR, May 2012
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YkNmNmRb89c
With the Mannish Boys, Nottoden Blues Festival, Norway, August 2012
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rcP1JKr5klc
With Honey Piazza at the Simi Valley Cajun and Blues Festival, May 2012
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NASw64i78n0
With Janiva Magness and The Mannish Boys at the Simi Valley Cajun and Blues Festival, May 2012
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MlSgZSefG00
Jimi Bott’s interview at The Simi Valley Cajun and Blues Festival
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T76BZ41wSPo
Here is a list of all the people Jimi has performed or recorded with…just THIS year. Names in bold are 2013 BMA Nominees:
The Mannish Boys
Bob Margolin
Bob Corritore
Diunna Greenleaf
Shakura S’Aida
John Primer
Nick Moss
Doug MacLeod
Bill Stuve
Willie J Campbell
Maria Muldaur
Janiva Magness
Mike Finnigan
Mud Morganfield
Mark Hummel
Elvin Bishop
Mary Bridget Davies
Billy Boy Arnold
David Maxwell
Tracy Nelson
Curtis Salgado
Kid Ramos
Rob Rio
Jackie Payne
Sugar Ray Rayford
Finis Tasby
Randy Chortkoff
Kirk “Eli” Fletcher
Franck “Paris Slim” Goldwasser
Smokin Joe Kubek
B’Nois King
Lazy Lester
Rod Piazza
Mitch Kashmar
Big Pete
Billy Flynn
Michael Frank
Chris James
Rob Stone
Rich Del Grosso
James Harman
Jason Ricci
Fred Kaplan
Jonn Del Toro Richardson
Jostein Forsberg
Morten Omlid
Marquise Knox
Matt Hill
Richard Rosenblatt
Michael Frank
Guitar Mikey
JW Jones
Zac Harmon
Barbara Blue
Bill Sims
Mark Lavoie
RB Stone
Enrico Crivellaro
Gina Sicilia
Dave Gross
Bobby Tsukamoto
James Cotton
Junior Watson
Nathan James
Rich Wenzel
Cynthia Manely
Monster Mike Welch
Kennan Shaw
Reba Russell
Alex Schultz
Erkan Ozdemir Gaperon
Kevin Selfe
Allen Markel
Peter Moss
Ken Brewer
Joe McCarthy
Chris Mercer
Brad Ulrich
Steve Kerin
Jim Wallace
Dave Kahl
Chris Carlson
AC Porter
Lisa Mann
Dover Weinberg
Phil ” Suburban Slim” Wagner
John Neish
Chris Alexander
and many, many, more…
And, on top of this, he runs his studio in Portland, OR, Roseleaf Recording, and is a full time daddy to three lovely children under 6 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!
Thank you so much for your time and consideration,
Kevin Selfe