Photo by Paul Natkin, provided by Alligator Records.
Here’s the Beautiful Lowdown: Nine weeks after quadruple bypass heart surgery, Curtis Salgado won three Blues Music Awards.
The Portland, Oregon, singer won Soul Album Of The Year for “The Beautiful Lowdown,” Soul Blues Artist Of The Year, and Song Of The Year for “Walk A Mile In My Blues” tonight in Memphis at the Blues Foundation’s annual event. “Walk A Mile In My Blues” was written by Salgado, David Duncan and Mike Finigan.
Salgado, 64, suffered a heart attack on March 7 and a cardio catheterization revealed arterial blockage. Three days later, he had quadruple bypass surgery at a Lebanon, New Hampshire, area hospital.
Salgado survived liver cancer in 2006 and lung cancer reappeared in 2012, and part of his lung was taken out.
In 2013, he also won the coveted BMA for B.B. King Entertainer Of The Year — the highest honor the blues world has to offer — and took the statue for Soul Blues Album Of The Year for his Alligator Records debut, “Soul Shot.”
Salgado had been scheduled to perform at the BMAs. Instead, he appeared in a video displayed at the ceremony in the Cook Convention Center, Blues Festival Guide Publisher Kaati Gaffney said. He looked to be in good health and he thanked people who made donations to help pay for his medical expenses.
After his March 7 heart attack, a cardio catheterization revealed arterial blockage. Three days later, he had quadruple bypass surgery at a Lebanon, New Hampshire, area hospital.
Salgado is a native of Eugene, Oregon, where the 1977 movie “Animal House” was filmed. Actor John Belushi saw Salgado perform and befriended him. He later modeled his character Joliet Jake in the movie “The Blues Brothers” after Salgado.
“It’s gonna take a while,” he said on Facebook post on April 8. “It’s gonna take months. And all I want to do is get onstage. That’s where I belong. I am dying to get up and play music and hopefully play for you folks again. Your outpouring of love is unbelievable. It hits me. It’s tough to take because you don’t know how to pay it back.”
Salgado played harmonica on Robert Cray’s first album, “Look Who’s Talkin’,” before becoming the frontman for Roomful of Blues. He then went on to record numerous solo albums.
Locally, Salgado has performed in recent years at the Crystal Bay Casino, Squaw Valley’s Bluesdays and the Coloma Blues Festival.
Salgado reacts to winning three BMAs.
Tahoe Onstage album review of “Beautiful Lowdown”
- 38th Blues Foundation Blues Music Awards
May, 11, 2017
Cook Convention Center, Memphis - Song: “Walk A Mile In My Blues” written by David Duncan, Curtis Salgado & Mike Finnigan and performed by Curtis Salgado on The Beautiful Lowdown
“Blues Immigrant” written by Matthew Skoller & Vincent Bucher and performed by Matthew Skoller on Blues Immigrant
“I Gotta Sang The Blues” written and performed by Thornetta Davis on Honest Woman
“Seeing Is Believing” written by Ray Norcia and performed by Sugar Ray & The Bluetones on Seeing Is Believing
“Walk it Off” written and performed by Toronzo Cannon on The Chicago Way - Band: Tedeschi Trucks Band
Golden State Lone Star Blues Revue
Lil’ Ed & The Blues Imperials
Nick Moss Band
Sugar Ray and the Bluetones - B.B. King Entertainer: Joe Bonamassa
John Nemeth
Lil’ Ed Williams
Sugar Ray Norcia
Sugaray Rayford - Koko Taylor Award (Traditional Blues Female Artist): Diunna Greenleaf
Annika Chambers
Inetta Visor
Shaun Murphy
Trudy Lynn - Traditional Blues Male Artist: Bob Margolin
John Primer
Lil’ Ed Williams
Lurrie Bell
Sugar Ray Norcia - Contemporary Blues Female Artist: Susan Tedeschi
Alexis P Suter
Ana Popovic
Janiva Magness
Shemekia Copeland - Contemporary Blues Male Artist: Kenny Neal
Albert Castiglia
Mike Zito
Sugaray Rayford
Toronzo Cannon - Soul Blues Female Artist: Mavis Staples
Bettye Lavette
Lara Price
Terrie Odabi
Vaneese Thomas - Soul Blues Male Artist: Curtis Salgado
Johnny Rawls
Wee Willie Walker
William Bell - Acoustic Artist: Doug MacLeod
Eric Bibb
Fiona Boyes
Jimmy “Duck” Holmes
Luther Dickinson - Album: Bobby Rush – Porcupine Meat
Kenny Neal – Bloodline
Nick Moss Band – From the Root to the Fruit
Sugar Ray & the Bluetones – Seeing is Believing
Toronzo Cannon – The Chicago Way
William Bell – This Is Where I Live - Contemporary Blues Album: Kenny Neal – Bloodline
Al Basile – Mid Century Modern
Nick Moss Band – From the Root to the Fruit
The Record Company – Give It Back To You
Toronzo Cannon – The Chicago Way - Rock Blues Album: Tedeschi Trucks Band – Let Me Get By
Albert Castiglia – Big Dog
Mike Zito – Keep Coming Back
Moreland & Arbuckle – Promised Land or Bust
Walter Trout – Alive in Amsterdam - Soul Blues Album: Curtis Salgado – The Beautiful Lowdown
Bobby Rush – Porcupine Meat
Johnny Rawls – Tiger in a Cage
Wee Willie Walker – Live! Notodden Blues Festival
William Bell – This Is Where I Live - Traditional Blues Album: Lurrie Bell – Can’t Shake This Feeling
Big Jon Atkinson & Bob Corritore – House Party at Big Jon’s
Bob Margolin – My Road
Golden State Lone Star Blues Revue – Golden State Lone Star Blues Revue
Sugar Ray & the Bluetones – Seeing is Believing - Acoustic Album: Eric Bibb – The Happiest Man in the World
Fiona Boyes – Professin’ the Blues
Jimmy “Duck” Holmes – Live at Briggs Farm
John Long – Stand Your Ground
Luther Dickinson – Blues and Ballads (A Folksinger’s Songbook) Vol I and II - Best Emerging Artist Album: Jonn Del Toro Richardson – Tengo Blues
Corey Dennison Band – Corey Dennison Band
Guy King – Truth
Terrie Odabi – My Blue Soul
Thornetta Davis – Honest Woman - Historical Album: Bobby Rush, Chicken Heads: A 50-Year History of Bobby Rush, Omnivore Recordings
Arthur “Big Boy” Crudup, A Music Man Like Nobody Ever Saw, Bear Family Records
B.B. King, More B.B. King: Here’s One You Haven’t Heard, Ace Records
Doug MacLeod – Live in Europe, Under the Radar and Doug MacLeod
Michael Burks, I’m A Bluesman, Iron Man Records
Pinetop Perkins & Jimmy Rogers, Genuine Blues Legends, Elrob Records - Instrumentalist
Horn: Terry Hanck
Al Basile
Nancy Wright
Sax Gordon Beadle
Vanessa Collier - Bass: Biscuit Miller
Bob Stroger
Michael “Mudcat” Ward
Patrick Rynn
R W Grigsby - Drums: Cedric Burnside
Jimi Bott
June Core
Tom Hambridge
Tony Braunagel - Guitar: Joe Bonamassa
Bob Margolin
Kid Andersen
Monster Mike Welch
Ronnie Earl - Harmonica: Kim Wilson
Dennis Gruenling
Jason Ricci
Mark Hummel
Sugar Ray Norcia - Pinetop Perkins Piano Player: Victor Wainwright
Anthony Geraci
Barrelhouse Chuck
Henry Gray
Jim Pugh
