Winners of 2009 Slim Harpo Awards announced

New Orleans blues pianist Dr. John has been voted as the Blues Legend for this year’s Slim Harpo Awards. The Louisiana Music Hall of Famer has performed and recorded alongside The Rolling Stones, Lou Reed, Aretha Franklin and dozens of Louisiana artists. He’s responsible for the “Love dat chicken from Popeye’s” jingle as well as The City that Care Forgot, his 2008 recordings with Eric Clapton, Willie Nelson, Ani Difranco and Terence Blanchard.

The late clarinetist and Southern University music educator Alvin Batiste earned the Blues Ambassador award, which will be accepted on his behalf by his widow, poet Edith Chatters Batiste.

And Jersey native turned Louisiana bluesman John Lisi earned the Blues Pioneer award.

The Slim Harpo Awards, sponsored by the Baton Rouge Blues Foundation, will be at 7:30 p.m. Saturday, March 28 at the Cypress Ballroom inside the Crown Plaza Hotel on Constitution Avenue. Tickets are $25, or $250 for a table of eight. Details at brbluesfoundation.com