Nominated in 2021 for Soul Blues Artist Female category for a Blues Music Award, this dynamic monster vocalist from Houston, Texas found her powerful voice singing gospel in the church. She honed it during two U.S. Army tours by singing the national anthem and performing with a band to lift the troops’ morale. Annika Chambers’ return to Houston in 2011 brought the creation of The House Rules Band. Audiences loved their combination of blues and soul, and her meteoric rise resulted in a 2015 Blues Music Award for Best New Artist and her sophomore album Wild & Free debuted at #7 on Billboard Blues Chart. She has grown into a national and international touring artist in demand, recently winning a 2019 Soul Blues Music Award. “Annika Chambers’ voice has the righteous power to put her alongside greats like Aretha. Yeah… she’s that good.” –The Rock Doctor John Kareiff. (2021 BMA award winners to be announced virtually on June 6, 2021) 

As an award-winning Blues musician, Héctor Anchondo lives and breathes music. The third time proved the charm for Hector in the 2020 International Blues Challenge when he won the Solo/Duo category and scoredthe Memphis Cigar Box Guitar Award for Best Guitarist in the solo/duo competition. Twice before he competed and made it to the 2015 semifinals and the 2016 finals as The Hector Anchondo Band. This hard-earned acclaim came after 24 years of music making and following his heart to play the blues. With the IBC trophy in hand and 2020 appearances including The Chicago Blues Festival, The Big Blues Bender and the October Legendary Rhythm and Blues Cruise adding to his resume, Anchondo continues to build on a solid foundation of hard work and hard touring. His band’s 2017 release Roll the Dice has a global audience as well as being internationally charted.