Bluesfest Makes History With Double Blues Grammy Win

Feb 3

Byron Bay Bluesfest has marked a historic milestone, with two artists appearing at Bluesfest 2026 winning both Blues Grammy Award categories in the same year — an achievement unprecedented for an Australian festival with blues at its core.

At the 68th Annual Grammy Awards in Los Angeles, Bluesfest 2026 artists claimed a clean sweep of the blues categories:

Buddy Guy won Best Traditional Blues Album for Ain’t Done With The Blues, securing his ninth Grammy Award
Robert Randolph won Best Contemporary Blues Album for Preacher Kids, earning his first career Grammy after seven nominations

The result is a rare “double win” that reinforces Bluesfest’s reputation as one of the world’s most respected homes of blues music.

A Defining Moment for Bluesfest

Festival Director Peter Noble OAM described the achievement as a landmark moment in the festival’s history.

“I believe this is the first time Bluesfest artists have won both Blues Grammy categories in the same year, and they will both be performing at Bluesfest this Easter,” Noble said.

“We’ve had years where artists playing Bluesfest have collectively won multiple Grammys across different categories, but this — two out of two Blues Grammys — is something else entirely.”

“It’s unprecedented for an Australian festival that features blues at its core, and it speaks directly to Bluesfest’s role as a true home of the blues.”

Buddy Guy: A Living Legend Still Making History

At 89 years old, Buddy Guy remains one of the most influential figures in blues history — and its most decorated. Born in Lettsworth, Louisiana, Guy’s latest Grammy win adds to an extraordinary career that includes:

Nine Grammy Awards from 16 nominations
A Recording Academy Lifetime Achievement Award
The distinction of being the most honoured artist in the history of the Blues Music Awards

Guy’s catalogue includes defining blues recordings such as Damn Right I’ve Got The Blues, Feels Like Rain and Stone Crazy, while his work as a house guitarist at Chess Records alongside Muddy Waters helped shape the sound of electric Chicago blues.

“I’ve never missed a gig yet,” Guy has said. “Music makes people happy, and that’s why I go on doing it — I like to see everybody smile.”

Buddy Guy will perform at Bluesfest on Friday and Sunday of the Easter long weekend.

Robert Randolph: Contemporary Blues at Its Peak

For Robert Randolph, the Grammy win represents a career-defining moment. After seven nominations, he took home Best Contemporary Blues Album for Preacher Kids, an album produced by Shooter Jennings and released on Sun Records.

Blending blues, rock, gospel and soul, the album has been widely praised, including a 10/10 review from Blues Rock Review. During his acceptance speech, Randolph reflected on the journey: “It’s been a long 20 years.”

Robert Randolph will perform at Bluesfest on Saturday and Sunday.

Where the Blues World Meets

Bluesfest 2026 brings together the full spectrum of blues, from living legends to contemporary innovators. Alongside Buddy Guy and Robert Randolph, the festival’s blues and blues-roots lineup includes Marcus King Band, Kenny Wayne Shepherd Band, Chain, Backsliders, Ray Beadle, Taj Farrant, Angelique Francis, Roshani, Z-Star, 19-Twenty and more.

Also appearing is Jovin Webb, now produced by Tom Hambridge, Buddy Guy’s longtime bandleader and producer of his Grammy-winning album.

“It’s a small world in blues,” Noble said. “And Bluesfest is where those worlds come together.”

Blues Beyond the Stage

Buddy Guy’s influence continues beyond live performance. In the past year, he appeared in the Oscar-nominated film Sinners, with its soundtrack winning Best Compilation Soundtrack for Visual Media and Best Score Soundtrack for Visual Media at the same Grammy Awards — further underscoring the enduring cultural impact of blues music.

The Blues Lives at Bluesfest

Now entering its fourth decade, Byron Bay Bluesfest remains Australia’s most awarded music festival and one of the most respected blues and roots festivals globally.

With Bluesfest 2026 artists winning both Blues Grammy categories, the festival’s standing as a global authority on the genre has never been clearer.

“This is exactly what Bluesfest exists to do,” Noble said. “Celebrate the masters, honour the tradition, and show the world where the blues is alive and thriving.”

Bluesfest 2026 takes place over the Easter long weekend at the Byron Events Farm, Byron Bay.