Samantha Fish Wins Newcomer Of The Year At The 2012 BMAs

Last Thursday night (April 19), the BMA or the Blues Music Awards were held in Memphis.  For those who may not know, the BMA's are the equivalent to the CMA's in Country Music or The Grammys .  It's the biggest night of the year for the Blues.  Just look at this years winners, Tedeschi Trucks band, Tab Benoit, Joe Bonamassa and a host of other big names.  Our area was well represented with 3 nominations for Trampled Under Foot, and although they did not win any this year, they are on their way to major stardom.

Kansas City has always been a Mecca for great blues music and musicians.  Thursday Night the light shined the brightest on Samantha Fish, as she was named the Newcomer of the Year.

I remember the first time I saw Sam. It was at the Lions Club Blues Festival here in Sedalia, she was about 19 and just getting out on her own.  She wasn't very polished at the time, but you could tell she was special.  I have seen her countless times since, and she has been on my blues show.

The last time I saw her was at the Doo on a Thursday night. Not exactly a prime night for night clubs, but she had been on tour in Europe with "The Girls With Guitars Tour," and you have to take her when you can get her.  The place was packed, and she blew the place up, so much so when the show was over the crowd wouldn't leave.  Rick, the owner, went to her offer her more money to stay and play, she said she would play for a half hour more. Well, an hour later, the crowd still wouldn't let her leave.

She told the crowd she was out of music, then commenced to play the best version of Howlin Wolf's Smokestack Lightening I've ever heard..The place went crazy! That nervous 19 year old that I'd seen several years before has grown up and become a star.

The rest of the world is about to find out what we've known around here for a very long time: Samantha Fish is the real deal and this won't be her first award.  Congratulations Sam, you make us all proud, and we will see you back in Sedalia June 1st.

My next blog will be about how there is no better singer on the planet than Danielle Schnebelin, and her awards are coming soon.