2027 Honorees

Kiki Wong

Kiki Wong is a guitarist and content creator whose career has taken her from major stages to a global online following and, most recently, to The Smashing Pumpkins, which she joined as guitarist in 2024. A multi-instrumentalist who began studying piano at six and taught herself guitar as a teenager, Wong has performed alongside artists including Taylor Swift, Usher, Bebe Rexha and Lindsey Stirling. She has toured internationally, appeared in national campaigns, and built an audience of more than 2.4 million followers through her high-energy guitar performances, metal covers and unmistakable personality. A graduate of the University of California, Irvine with a degree in Biological Sciences/Pre-Medicine, Wong ultimately chose to pursue music full time. Her combination of musicianship, entrepreneurial drive and ability to connect with a new generation of guitar players has made her an influential voice in today’s guitar community.

Victoria Williams

Born in Shreveport, Louisiana, Victoria Williams is a singular singer-songwriter known for her distinctive voice and deeply personal songwriting. Emerging in the late 1980s, she collaborated with artists including Van Dyke Parks, Lucinda Williams and Randy Newman, and established herself with albums including Happy Come Home and Swing the Statue. In 1992, while touring with Neil Young, Williams was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis. The music community rallied around her, leading to the 1993 tribute album Sweet Relief – A Tribute to Victoria Williams, featuring artists including Pearl Jam and Soul Asylum. The experience inspired Williams to help found the Sweet Relief Musicians Fund, which continues to provide critical assistance to musicians in need. Williams continued recording and performing, releasing several solo albums and recording with The Creekdippers. Today, she continues to create and collaborate while Sweet Relief carries forward the legacy sparked by her experience.

Samantha Fish

Samantha Fish is a two-time GRAMMY-nominated guitarist, singer, and songwriter widely recognized as one of the leading artists in contemporary blues and roots music. A Kansas Music Hall of Fame inductee and multiple Blues Music Awards winner, she is celebrated for her fiery guitar work, powerhouse vocals, and emotionally charged songwriting. With relentless touring and a string of critically acclaimed releases, Fish has built an international audience, with multiple albums reaching No. 1 on the Billboard Blues Albums chart. A commanding live performer, she has toured extensively around the world, appeared at the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival, shared stages with artists including The Rolling Stones and Slash, and performed at Eric Clapton’s Crossroads Guitar Festival. Her latest release, Paper Doll Live, captures the energy and intensity of her acclaimed live show, recorded at the historic Bijou Theatre in Knoxville, Tennessee. Whether on record or onstage, Fish continues to redefine the possibilities of modern blues, combining virtuosic musicianship with fearless performances that resonate with audiences around the world.