AND THE BLUES HONDARRIBIA AWARD GOES TO… LARRY TAYLOR Y FITO DE LA PARRA

On this occasion, the Hondarribia Blues prize will be double and will go to the two original members who are still part of the Canned Heat: the New York bassist Larry Taylor and the Mexican-born drummer Adolfo "Fito" de la Parra. Both created, along with other musicians, in 1967 this successful blues band.

Canned Heat is the only band that has won three world number one albums and the blues band that has sold the most albums in the history of music. The band was formed in 1965 in Los Angeles, California, and their style has always been between blues rock and boogie rock. But it was not until his appearance at the mythical festivals of Monterey and Woodstock in the late 60s when the band became famous worldwide.

2017 CHARLIE BATY

The txapela embroidered was this year for the North American Charlie Baty, a legend in the world of blues and one of the best blues guitarists of his generation, founder, in 1976, of the band "Little Charlie & The Nightcats".

2016 HENRY GRAY

The musician Henry Gray received from the cook David de Jorge the beret credited as winner of the 2016 edition of Bluesaldia.

Gray started to play the piano with 8 years and after take part as a musician in the local church, soon began dating his first concerts.

Then had to go to Second World War. When he returned, Henry moved to Chicago where he could play as a studio musician at Chess Records for all Chicago Blues greats.

In 1968 he returned to Lousiana where stayed, definitely, until today. During the last 70 years, Henry Gray has been able to accompany artists of the likes of the Muddy Waters, Howlin 'Wolf, Billy Boy Arnold and even the Rolling Stones with his piano.  

BOB STROGER

No one could argue that Bob Stroger is clearly deserving of this award. Since the moment this bluesman from Missouri returned to Chicago in 1955, he has dedicated his entire life to blues. His first years there he lived in the back of a club where usually played people like Howlin' Wolf and Muddy Waters. And it was then when the mojo took control of him and since then it has dedicated body and soul to blues.
First with his own band, later playing with greats such as Eddie King and then with people like Otis Rush among others. Nowadays Bob Stroger is a legend and a highly prized bassist.

After a successful stint in 2010 festival, he returns to Hondarribia to celebrate the Muddy Waters’ 100th anniversary, the 10th anniversary of the festival and to receive the Hondarribia Blues Award 2015.

2014 TAJ MAHAL

The musician Taj Mahal was the award winning of the distinguishing beret in the 9th Hondarribia Bluesaldia edition.

It was a pleasure for us because we had been trying for several years Taj Mahal to take part in the festival and it was finally possible in the 2014 edition. It should be pointed out that Taj, since he recorded his first album in 1967, has been always concerned about promoting American roots music such as blues and zydeco, among others, in addition in his solo career he has cooperated with other bands like Jefferson Airplane, Grateful Dead or Rolling Stones.

Taj Mahal performed on the Benta stage on Saturday, 12th July 2014.

We have to remember that the Hondarribia Blues award was created at the same time as the festival itself, with the aim of rewarding the artistic career of these blues living legends that perhaps, in our country are not as recognized as they should. To date, it has been received by musicians of the stature of Bob Margolin (2006), Hubert Sumlin (2007), James Cotton (2008), John Mayall (2009), Pinetop Perkins (2010), Johnny Winter (2011),Tail Dragger (2012), Eric Burdon (2013) and Taj Mahal (2014).

2013 ERIC BURDON

Undoubtedly, Eric Burdon was the star of the 2013 edition, or at least, one of the most anticipated artists. His performance on Sunday July 14 at the Benta stage will be remember for a long time. And it is not surprising if we consider that Burdon was the voice of The Animals and he was here, with us, in Hondarribia.

This trajectory we spoke next to The Animals was the reason that the Festival decided to award the 2013 Prize Hondarribia Blues. It was pretty and exciting to see the legendary singer of songs like "The House of the Rising Sun" wear the traditional "txapela" and receive the "Baluarte de la Reina" credited as worthy of this award.

2012 TAIL DRAGGER

James Yancey Jones (Arkansas 1940) known, as TAIL DRAGGER is the showman who has one of the most authentic blues voices no one has ever heard in Chicago.
His deep and gruff voice is a sign of the Tai Dragger's most obvious influence, Chester Burnett, known as Howlin' Wolf. In fact, Howlin was who started calling him Tail Dragger because Jones often showed up late for gigs

His songs blend aspects of both tragic and comic forms but nobody is indifferent to his capacity of transporting the cotton fields of his youth to the public or the Chicago dark slum nightclubs where he is still singing nowadays. His brilliant career as well as his mise-en-scène is the reason wherefore he earned the 2012 Blues Hondarribia Award.

2012 Blues Hondarribia Honorary award

This year, for the first time, the Hondarribia Blues Musical Association will present an honorary award. The reason for this is the decease of one of the greatest blues drums legends: Willie " Big Eyes" Smith. Willie had already visit us twice but never before had an award because of the reason we were convinced that he would visit us many more. His sudden death last year make us decide to give this award for the first time in seven years of the festival's history.

Willie "Big Eyes" Smith was born in Helena, AR (USA) in 1936. At the age of 17 he ventured to Chicago where he heard Muddy Waters for the first time. Immediately Willie was hooked on the blues and the attraction to the music persuaded him to stay in there.

In 1954 Willie, playing harmonica, formed a trio. The trio built a following in Chicago and gigged around the area for a few years.  During this same time, Willie played harmonica with several other bluesmen including Bo Diddley, Arthur "Big Boy" Spires.  In 1957 Willie joined Little Hudson's Red Devil Trio and switched to playing drums.  After gigs or between sets, Willie started sitting in on drums with Muddy Waters' band.  Muddy liked what he heard, and invited Willie to play drums on recording sessions. In 1961, he replaced Clay in Muddy's band till mid-1964.

The '60s were lean times for the blues so Willie packed up his drum kit and found himself doing odd jobs including driving a cab.  In 1968 Willie decided to listen to Muddy rediscovering his desire to play, he asked Waters to start playing again
uddy Guy, Junior Wells,Portnoy, theyngagain. The next day Muddy asked Willie to rejoin the band till 1980.

After performing with Muddy Waters, Smith established by co-founding the Legendary Blues Band with Pinetop Perkins, Louis Myers, Calvin Jones, and Jerry Portnoy, they played with Bob Dylan, Howlin'Wolf, Buddy Guy, Junior Wells, the Rolling Stones and Eric Clapton.

His last album, " Way Black ", brought out in 2010are, finds Willie holding on his first instrument, the harmonica.

Willie died last 16th September 2011 R.I.P.

2011 JOHNNY WINTER

John Dawson "Johnny Winter" (Beaumont, February the 23rd, 1944) became a star of the electric blues guitar at the end of the sixties; he was already a legend when he played at Woodstock Festival. And he also produced the last three CDs of Muddy Waters at the end of Muddy's career. Johnny Winter is now coming to Hondarribia not only to introduce us his last album but also to receive the 2011 Blues Hondarribia Award

2010. PINETOP PERKINS

Pinetop Perkins, one of the biggest bluesmen from Mississipi, gave one of his last concerts in Hondarribia along with some other big legends of the blues as Willie "Big Eyes" Smith, Bob Margolin, Sugar Blue and Bob Stronger. He was 97 years old. He started playing blues around 1927 and had been considered as one of the best blues piano players untill his very end. Perkins created his own style and had been a source of inspiration for three generations of blues piano players and is still considered a huge master and a model for blues piano players.