New national awards programme launches March 30 at Toronto’s Phoenix Concert Theatre

Canada’s blues community will gather for a historic moment this spring. The inaugural Canadian Blues Music Awards (CBMA) Gala takes place March 30, 2026, at The Phoenix Concert Theatre in Toronto.

The event will bring together many of the country’s leading blues artists, industry figures, and emerging performers. More importantly, it marks the launch of a new national awards programme dedicated entirely to Canadian blues music.

Throughout the evening, nominees and special guests will perform live while 17 awards are presented across the country’s blues community.

A new independent national programme

The Canadian Blues Music Awards is a newly created national organization. It operates as an independent, incorporated not-for-profit with a single mission: recognizing excellence in Canadian blues.

Importantly, the programme is not a rebrand of an existing awards show. Instead, organizers built the CBMAs entirely from the ground up.

The initiative began in spring 2024, when Brant Zwicker and Cindy McLeod formed the original governing committee. Over the next year, the team conducted extensive research and consultation across Canada’s blues community.

Later, Julie Hill joined the committee, helping finalize the programme structure in May 2025.

As a result, the CBMAs now operate with a national perspective and clear governance.

A transparent national jury process

The awards also emphasize transparency and professional expertise.

All artist category winners will be selected by a jury of industry professionals drawn from across Canada. These jurors represent radio, print media, record labels, engineering, production, promotion, academia, festivals, venues, and artist organizations.

In addition, nominees were determined through recording submissions rather than nominations.

Eligible releases include recordings issued between September 1, 2023 and September 30, 2025.

However, one award will involve the public directly. The Fan Favourite Award will be decided through a public write-in vote.

Toronto Blues Society supports the new programme

While the Toronto Blues Society will host the gala ceremony, the awards programme itself operates independently.

The organization does not participate in governance, nominations, judging, or voting.

Nevertheless, Toronto Blues Society Chair Quisha Wint has expressed strong support for the initiative.

“The Canadian Blues Music Awards represents a complete overhaul. It is a whole new programme created to serve the Canadian blues community with greater transparency, fairness, and unity from coast to coast to coast.”

What to expect at the inaugural gala

The Canadian Blues Music Awards Gala begins at 7:00 PM on March 30 at The Phoenix Concert Theatre.

During the evening:

• 17 awards will be presented

• Six live performances will take place

• An intermission will break up the programme

Canadian blues veteran Danny Marks will host the gala and perform during the show.

Featured performers include:

• Steve Marriner

• Crystal Shawanda

• Kenny “Blues Boss” Wayne

• Brandon Isaak

• Dana Wylie (Secondhand Dreamcar)

Meanwhile, the gala house band Pass the Envelope will back performers throughout the evening.

The band includes:

• Manny DeGrandis (musical director & bass)

• Quincy Bullen (keyboards)

• Dave Patel (drums)

• Cecile Doo-Kingue (guitar)

• Dan Jancar (saxophone)

Food vendor Blazing Kitchen will also be on site serving tacos during the event.

After-party performances spotlight emerging artists

The celebration will continue after the awards presentation.

Instead of a traditional open jam, the gala will feature short performances from emerging blues nominees.

Artists scheduled to perform include:

• Glenn Marais & The Mojo Train

• Ollie Owens

• JP LeBlanc

• Secondhand Dreamcar

Additional performers will be announced.

The event is expected to wrap up around 11:00 PM, allowing guests to continue the night across Toronto’s vibrant live music scene.

Event producer and Toronto Blues Society Operations Manager Manny DeGrandis explains:

“We’ll wrap up at 11pm so everyone can venture off to other Toronto bars and catch more live music or get to bed for work the next day.”

Celebrating the future of Canadian blues

Ultimately, the Canadian Blues Music Awards aims to become the gold standard of blues recognition in Canada.

By combining national representation, professional juries, and transparent processes, the programme hopes to celebrate the depth, diversity, and resilience of Canada’s blues community.

The inaugural gala on March 30 marks the beginning of that journey.

Tickets:

https://torontobluessociety.com/canadian-blues-music-awards-2/

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