TUNICA, MS (CelebrityAccess) – The Jus’ Blues Music Foundation is an organization whose mission is to preserve Blues heritage through cultural arts by nurturing the soul of the Blues with educational programming. The Jus’ Blues Foundation honors by giving recognition to some of America’s finest African-American Blues and Soul music talents who are often left out of the more popular mainstream media and awards shows.
The recipient of their Albert King Lifetime Achievement Award, “The Lucy Award” for 2022 is Eric Gales, also known as Raw Dawg. Gales picked up a guitar at age found, taught by his other Eugene, backing him on bass. Although Gales plays a right-handed guitar “upside-down” with the bass E string on the bottom, he is not left-handed. His brother Eugene is left-handed and Gales never second-guessed the untraditional way of playing.
D’Kieran “D.K.” Harrell, born in Ruston, LA in 1998 is this year’s King of the Blues Award honoree. At age 13, he received his first guitar and began to teach himself to sound like his hero, B.B. King. Due to that, he’s known for nailing the tone and licks of the King with incredible accuracy.
Other honorees include Koko Taylor (Queen of the Blues Award), Bobby Patterson (Willie Dixon Lifetime Achievement Writers Award), and Barbara Morrison (Willie Mitchell Lifetime Achievement Artist Award), among many others.
The 2022 honoree ceremony, dubbed “Night of the Living Legends” goes down in the Mississippi Delta August 3 – August 6 at the Horseshoe Hotel and Casino in Tunica, MS. The full list of honorees is below.
The 2022 Jus’ Blues Honorees are:
• Eric Gales: Albert King Lifetime Achievement Award “The Lucy Award” for Being on Fire, Feeling, Funk Blues & Soul
• D’Kieran “D.K.” Harrell: “King Of The Blues” Award “Tribute To B. B. King” for Preserving Traditional Blues Heritage
• Demetria Taylor: Koko Taylor “Queen Of The Blues” Awards for Reserving Traditional Blues Heritage
• Bobby Patterson: Willie Dixon Lifetime Achievement Writers Award For outstanding contributions to Blues & Soul music as a unique Songwriter
• Barbara Morrison: Willie Mitchell Lifetime Achievement Artist Award for outstanding Artistry to Blues & Soul Music
• Terry “Harmonica” Bean: Bobby Rush Lifetime Achievement Blues Entertainers Award for Outstanding Tradition Blues Entertainer
• Tia Carroll: Denise Lasalle Lifetime Achievement Recording Of Excellence Award for Outstanding Recordings Of Excellence
• Mel Harden: Jus` Blues & Soul Lifetime Achievement Legend Award for Outstanding Contributions to Blues & Soul
• Shirley Jones of the Jones Girls: Millie Jackson “Classy & Sassy” Award for Soul/Blues Queens “Keeping it Real”
• Jesse Thompson – Jackson Music Awards: Benny Latimore “Let’s Straighten It Out” Award for Preserving Blues & Soul Heritage Behind the Scenes
• Lee King – Jackson Music Awards: Benny Latimore “Let’s Straighten It Out” Award for Preserving Blues & Soul Heritage Behind the Scenes
• Gregg A Smith: Bobby Blue Bland” Lifetime Achievement Blues Award for Outstanding Blues Vocal Stylist
• James Boogaloo Bolden: Bobby Byrd “Know You Got Soul” Lifetime Achievement Award for Outstanding Bandleader
• Rojene Bailey: Ruben Hughes Lifetime Achievement Blues Radio Personality Award for Preserving Blues Radio Programming
• Alabama Mike: Jus’ Blues “The Muddy” Lifetime Achievement Blues Award for Outstanding Contributions to Blues Music
• R.L. Griffin: Jus’ Blue Juke Joint Award for Preserving & Keeping the traditions of the Chitlin’ Circuit Clubs Alive
