American guitarist Tommy Castro has taken the lead by earning the highest number of nominations in this year’s Blues Music Awards.

According to AP, Castro bagged five nominations for categories, including album of the year, band of the year, B.B. King entertainer of the year, contemporary blues album, and blues rock artist. 

The entertainer of the year award is Castro’s fourth nomination. He previously won the awards in 2008 and 2010.

Sugaray Rayford, Eric Gales, Mr. Sipp, and J.P. Soars were also nominated for the award. 

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Following Castro, Chris Cain and Tom Hambridge came second with four nominations each. 

The youngest nominee of the award show is 18-year-old Veronica Lewis. Lewis is nominated for her 2021 album ‘You Ain’t Unlucky’, for the best emerging artist album. Other nominations of the award include Rodd Bland, Gabe Stillman, Memphissippi Sounds, GA-20, and the Members Only Band.

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The 43rd Blues will be held in Memphis, Tennessee. The list of nominations was released by Blues Foundation on Thursday. Award winners will be announced at a ceremony at Renasant Convention Center in Memphis on May 5, 2022. The tickets for the show range from $150 to $1,800. 

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The award show has also nominated two artists posthumously. Singer Wee Willie Walker was nominated for album of the year and soul blues album for ‘Not In My Lifetime’, a collaborative album by Walker and The Anthony Paule Soul Orchestra. Walker died at the age of 77, shortly after wrapping up the album. 

Keyboardist and singer Mike Finnigan was nominated for the Pinetop Perkins Player Award. He died in August 2021 at the age of 76. 

The complete list of nominees was uploaded on the official website of the Blues. 

The Blues Music Awards are conducted by the Blues Foundation. Founded in 1980, the foundation has over 4,000 members and 173 affiliated societies worldwide.