Carla, Najee, Marvell and Vaneese Thomas
The 13th Annual W.C. Handy Heritage Awards observed the 136th birthday of W.C. Handy “Father of the Blues.” Memphis is internationally known as the “Home of the Blues” partially because of Handy’s musical heritage. The event was held Holiday Inn Airport Hotel. The audience was filled with music lovers and legends of Memphis music.
Veteran jazzartist Dr. Herman Green will receive the Lifetime Music Achievement Award. The category of Lifetime Achievement Award is reserved for an individual who has made an extraordinary impact on the music industry, he is most deserving.
Other awards were presented to the following:
*Emerson Able, Jr – Music Legacy Award
(Stax Records Musician, Member of Isaac Hayes Movement) and retired band director – Manassas High School, mentor of dozens of outstanding Memphis musicians.
*Novella Smith Arnold – Music Business Award
Stax Records – Production Manager, Former Radio Disc Jockey, member of the Smithsonian Black Radio Hall of Fame.
The Climates Perform
Authentic Beale Street Musicians Awards:
*Toni Green – Soul Blues singer
*Otis Clay – Blues recording artist
*Spencer Wiggins – Rhythm & Blues Singer
*Earl “The Pearl” Banks – Blues guitarist/Singer
*The Climates – (Robert T. Chisem, Jr., David Glenn, James Rosser, Sr., Raymond Edwards) Sun Studio Rhythm & Blues recording artists. This is an Old School Rhythm & Blues singing group that recorded with Sun Records in the 1960’s.
