Kansas City-based multi-instrumentalist Brody Buster is nominated in the “Best Emerging Artist Album” category for his critically-acclaimed album Redemption, at the 47th Annual Blues Music Awards, taking place May 7, 2026 in Memphis, TN.
“This award is intended for an artist who is up and coming within the blues/music scene and is at the “jumping off” point of his or her career,” writes The Blues Foundation on its website, in explaining an artist’s eligibility. “An artist’s album may not be considered in this category if that artist has already had a professional release of more than three prior albums or EPs. (Albums submitted for this category may also be submitted in other appropriate categories.)”
“I’m honored to be nominated by The Blues Foundation alongside so many great musicians,” says Buster. “Redemption is proof that hard work and dedication pays off. I feel like I truly accomplished something with this album. Redemption put me in a place where I can make music full-time, which is what I was always meant to do.”
Redemption was also nominated in the ‘Blues-Rock Best Album’ category for the 2025 Blues Blast Awards. “I’m super thankful for this (nomination)” said Buster at the time of the Blues Blast nomination. “A lot of hard work went into this. Two years ago I was doing nothing. Then I got off drugs, and on Easter Sunday of this year (2025), I released Redemption. Now, I’m nominated in the Blues-Rock category with some real heavy hitters including Tab Benoit, Albert Castiglia, Ian Siegal, Mike Farris, and Matt ‘The Rattlesnake’ Lesch. I also want to say a huge thank you to some musicians I consider to be true friends that helped me do this: Jackie Myers, Ian Pond, Howard Mahan, Jacque Garoutte, Terry Dry, Danielle Nicole Schnebelen-Miller. Thank you all so much.”
Brody Buster is a lifelong musician who was just seven years of age when he first picked up one of his mothers harmonicas in Paola, Kansas and taught himself to play. He quickly found himself playing alongside legends like B.B. King, Quincy Jones, Chaka Khan, Keb’ Mo’ and many more. At the age of twelve, Buster — managed by his parents — was headlining blues clubs throughout the US, playing harmonica, singing lead, and fronting a tight Los Angeles-based quartet called The Bluesbusters. Brody was featured on numerous high-profile television programs including The Tonight Show and Dateline to name a few. Though not yet even a teenager, Brody was already a bonafide star.
As a result of starting at such a young age, Brody Buster has over thirty years both performing and recording in the music industry and has played many high-profile stages including Montreal Jazz Fest, King Biscuit Blues Festival, Montreux Jazz Festival, Bradenton Blues Fest and the Big Blues Bender. In 2017, feeling the need for something different, the multi-instrumentalist (Brody plays guitar, drums, harp, and bass) began a new journey. Brody Buster’s One- Man Band was just that: Buster in full performance mode, simultaneously performing harmonica, guitar, bass and kick drums. Brody took his One-Man Band to Memphis, to compete in the International Blues Challenge, ending up with a very respectable second-place finish, as well as finishing runner-up in the Best Harmonica Player category. This new-found attention for Brody’s music led to a cross-country tour and a well-received One Man Band album, Damn! I Spilled the Blues.
After a series of poor decisions, Brody found himself deep into the hole of substance abuse and addiction — letting his music career fall to the wayside, and worse yet, being shunned by his music community. After five years of living in the hell he had created for himself, on the brink of death and losing everything, in late 2023, Brody decided it was time. Taking what little he had left, he moved from Kansas to Missouri, starting his road to Redemption. He cleaned himself up and put his all into what matters most: family and music. Brody began righting his wrongs, apologizing and making amends. He began to write again, pouring himself into his music. Redemption was born — nine rockin’ blues-y originals that reaffirm Brody Buster’s status among the finest multi-instrumentalist blues-men on the scene today.
(Memphis TN) – dougdeutschPR