Snaring a total of five nominations, Rod Piazza and members of his band the Mighty Flyers combined to lead the field for the 22nd Annual W.C. Handy [ tickets ] Blues Awards. The awards, named for the “Father of the Blues,” are presented by the Blues Foundation.

Shemekia Copeland--the daughter of guitar legend Johnny Copeland--picked up four nominations, including Blues Album of the Year for her 2000 release “Wicked” (Alligator).

Among the other notable nominees were Ruth Brown, Corey Harris and Henry Butler, B.B. King and Eric Clapton, and the North Mississippi AllStars.

The awards will be presented on May 24 at the Orpheum Theatre in Memphis during a ceremony hosted by New Orleans bluesman Dr. John. The event will kick off a two-day music festival on the city’s famous Beale Street.

A complete list of nominees for the 22nd Annual W.C. Handy Award nominees follows: