Detroit native Bettye LaVette, Kingfish Ingram win Blues Music Awards in online show

Memphis, Tenn. — Guitarist Christone “Kingfish” Ingram took home five Blues Music Awards and Detroit's own Bettye LaVette won the award for Soul Blues Female Artist in an online ceremony that featured appearances by Bonnie Raitt, Robert Cray and other musicians.

This is LaVette's third Blues Music Award win that includes "Best Contemporary Female Blues Singer” in 2008 and “Soul Blues Female Artist of the Year” in 2016.

The awards show Sunday was moved online due to the coronanavirus outbreak. The program included performances recorded by nominees at home and flashbacks from past shows, The Blues Foundation said in a news release.

Ingram won awards for best emerging artist album, best contemporary blues album, and album of the year. He also won two performer awards.

The show’s host, singer Shemekia Copeland, won in the contemporary blues female artist category.

Nick Moss and his band, featuring Dennis Gruenling, claimed three awards and songman Sugaray Rayford took home two, including the B.B. King entertainer of the year award.

Blues mainstay Bobby Rush won the soul blues album category. Mavis Staples won the vocalist award.

Steve Miller, Steve Cropper, Dion, Steven Van Zandt, Charlie Musselwhite, Ruthie Foster, and Keb’ Mo’ also made appearances on the program.

The Blues Foundation is based in Memphis.