Nominees named for 12th annual awards show; voting to begin
Linden, Texas – -- The Academy of Texas Music, Inc. released the list of official nominees for the 12th annual Texas Music AwardsTM in a worldwide Facebook event this week.
Lucky Boyd, President of the Academy of Texas Music, Inc. was given the distinct honor of officially posting the list of nominees to the Texas Music Awards organization page on Facebook on Thursday at 7:00 p.m.
Boyd remarked, "This is such an exciting time for the Texas music-loving public and the musicians who create that music...being able to reach an unlimited number of fans around the globe was quite a thrill, and being able to personally watch the responses from Facebook visitors was exceptional."
Voting will open for the public at http://TexasMusicAwards.org/ on February 1, and will continue until February 9.
The awards show, which will be March 22, 2014 at The Texas Music Barn, the venue inside the World Headquarters of the Academy of Texas Music, Inc., 301 E. Houston St. in Linden, Texas, is presented by MyTexasMusic.com, the retail partner of the Texas Music AwardsTM and the show’s production company, Payline Productions.
The annual event also serves as a fundraiser for the non-profit Academy of Texas Music, Inc. which seeks sponsorships and donations to further its efforts toward music education programs, scholarships, recognition projects, and benevolence programs for musicians in need.
Jinelle Boyd, who is also the Producer of the Texas Music AwardsTM explains how important this process is to the nominees.
”These outstanding artists need something to bring them recognition for their regional success and help them gain the national attention they deserve. Even though some of our nominees are already quite popular in the music world, the Texas Music AwardsTM serve to give many of the newer artists a stepping stone to bigger and better things.”
One recipient in each category will receive the award title for the next year based on a complex voting system. The voting process includes a public involvement component, and interested fans are encouraged to visit the Texas Music AwardsTM website to learn more about the voting process which will open on February 1st and continues through midnight on February 9th. Fans can listen to clips of music by all the nominees and can hear the tracks in their entirety for six Song of the Year nominees, five Record of the Year nominees, and the five Popular Cover Award nominees prior to voting.
“The public vote is important,” says Boyd, “because it proves that the artists have a connection with their fans, but the bulk of the voting is done by the Academy Board of Honorees. This group of past award recipients casts 70% of the ballots which decide who gets the award in the majority of these categories. This year’s recipients will be added to the Board of Honorees. This is how we insure that the awards are more about the music and less of a simple popularity contest.”
Boyd continues, "There is however, a popular element to the Texas Music AwardsTM. A few of the categories are decided by the public vote. The Live Band award and all the radio awards are decided in that fashion, and this year the Popular Cover category will be added. These results will tell fans who really is leading the charge in Texas music."
Sponsorships are available for the 12th annual awards show. Sponsors are important in order to raise the needed funds to fulfill the Academy's mission. It's also "the best marketing opportunity in Texas Music", Jinelle Boyd added.
More than a dozen performers will be showcased at the show between award presentations. Additionally, there will be an after party in Jefferson, location, TBA.
For more information on voting, the awards, or sponsorships, visit www.texasmusicawards.org. Tickets will go on sale soon at the TMA website.
A list of the 2014 nominees appears below:
MALE VOCALIST
Luke Adair for vocal performance on IN HERE ON THE OUTSIDE by Luke Adair & The Big Bills (Giddings, TX)
Mark Allan Atwood for vocal performance on ALIVE AND WELL by Mark Allan Atwood & Brimstone (Burnet, TX)
Jesse Brand for vocal performance on WHEN THE DUST SETTLES by Jesse Brand (Nashville, TN)
Troy Cartwright for vocal performance on BULL RUN by Troy Cartwright (Dallas, TX)
Sammy Fox for vocal performance on THE WAR IS OVER by Sammy Fox (Ft. Worth, Texas)
Sean Franks for vocal performance on THE AWAKENING by Chapter 11 (Sherman, TX)
Junior Gordon for vocal performance on BIG by Junior Gordon (Liverpool, TX)
Jason Helms for vocal performance on (R)EVOLUTION by Jason Helms Band (Hope, AR)
Cameran Nelson for vocal performance on HAPPY TO BEER by Cameran Nelson (Blanco, TX)
Scott Taylor for vocal performance on BEAUTIFUL SIN by Scott Taylor Band (Victoria, TX)
FEMALE VOCALIST
Season Ammons for vocal performance on WILDFIRE by Season Ammons (Houston, TX)
Julia Beers for vocal performance on JULIA BEERS by Julia Beers (Hughes Springs, TX)
Brooke Graham for vocal performance on PEDIGREE by Brooke Graham (Fredericksburg, TX)
Kathryn Legendre for vocal performance on OLD SOUL by Kathryn Legendre (Austin, TX)
Brennen Leigh for vocal performance on BEFORE THE WORLD WAS MADE by Brennen Leigh & Noel McKay (Austin, TX)
Amanda Mora for vocal performance on AWAITING THE SOUND by Amanda Mora (Driftwood, TX)
VOCAL GROUP
Junior Gordon Band for vocal performances on BIG by Junior Gordon (Liverpool, TX)
Luke Adair & The Big Bills for vocal performances on IN HERE ON THE OUTSIDE by Luke Adair & The Big Bills (Giddings, TX)
The Captain Legendary Band for vocal performances on TCLB LIVE by The Captain Legendary Band (Humble, TX)
The Grievous Angels for vocal performances on THE GRIEVOUS ANGELS by The Grievous Angels (Houston, TX)
The Scott Taylor Band for vocal performances on BEAUTIFUL SIN by The Scott Taylor Band (Victoria, TX)
VOCAL DUO
Aubrey Lynn England & Sean Franks for vocal performance on THE AWAKENING by Chapter 11 (Sherman, TX)
Brennen Leigh & Noel McKay for vocal performances on BEFORE THE WORLD WAS MADE by Brennen Leigh & Noel McKay (Austin, TX)
Byrd & Street for vocal performances on WORDS AND MUSIC by Byrd & Street (Austin, TX)
Jim Patton & Sherry Brokus for vocal performances on THE GREAT UNKNOWN by Jim Patton & Sherry Brokus (Austin, TX)
Ordinary Elephant for vocal performances on DUSTY WORDS AND CARDBOARD BOXES by Ordinary Elephant (Houston, TX)
RISING STAR
Julia Beers (Hughes Springs, TX)
Emily Grace Berry (Austin, TX)
Troy Cartwright (Dallas, TX)
Brad Good (McKinney, TX)
Kenny Harrell (Groesbeck, TX)
Cody Joe Hodges (College Station, TX)
Jeremy Phifer (Paris, TX)
Heather Roberts (Ft. Worth, TX)
Wally West & Them Lostbound Souls (Killeen, TX)
Zach Seth Band (Ft. Worth, TX)
SINGER/SONGWRITER
Bob Cheevers (Austin, TX)
Richard Dobson (Diessenhofen, Switzerland)
Danny Everitt (The Woodlands, TX)
Danny Santos (Austin, TX)
Jack Saunders (Houston, TX)
MUSICIAN
Mitch Connell, for his musical performance on ALIVE AND WELL (Mark Allan Atwood & Brimstone)
Mark LaFon, for his musical performance on THE AWAKENING (Chapter 11)
JT Pinkham, for his musical performance on (R)EVOLUTION (Jason Helms Band)
Mark Searcy, for his musical performance on HAZEPIPE (Mark Searcy)
David Stockton, for his performance on BEAUTIFUL SIN (Scott Taylor Band)
PRODUCER
Dustin Hendricks for the album THE AWAKENING (Chapter 11)
John David Kent for the album I'LL BE FINE (Saints Eleven)
Luke Adair & The Big Bills for the album IN HERE ON THE OUTSIDE (Luke Adair & The Big Bills)
Amanda Mora for the album AWAITING THE SOUND (Amanda Mora)
Gus Samuelson for the album AMERICAN SOUL (Gus Samuelson)
LIVE BAND
Ben Morris & The Great American Boxcar Chorus (College Station, TX)
Jason Helms Band (Hope, AR)
Mark Allan Atwood & Brimstone (Burnet, TX)
Push Water Band (Jewett, TX)
Scott Taylor Band (Victoria, TX)
SONG
"Angels & Cigarettes" off LOVE SONGS & OTHER LIES (Push Water Band) Jesse Duke, songwriter
"Chug" off BEAUTIFUL SIN (Scott Taylor Band) Jarrod Birmingham, songwriter
"Great Big Oldsmobile" off BEFORE THE WORLD WAS MADE (Brennen Leigh & Noel McKay) Noel McKay, songwriter
"Mama Came To Texas" off TRY IT, YOU'LL LIKE IT (Bo Porter) Bo Porter, songwriter
"Man In The Water" off I'LL BE FINE (Saints Eleven) Jeff Grossman, songwriter
"Praying For Rain" off WHEN THE DUST SETTLES (Jesse Brand) Jesse Brand, songwriter
RECORD
"Big" Junior Gordon
"Loser" Mark Allan Atwood & Brimstone
"Marlboros & Merle" Scott Taylor Band
"Reckless In Texas" Cameran Nelson
"Whiskey & You" Chapter 11
ENTERTAINER
Joe "King" Carrasco (Austin, TX)
Aubrey Lynn England (McKinney, TX)
Dave Fenley (Fredericksburg, TX)
Freddie Steady Krc (Austin, TX)
Shake Russell (Dripping Springs, TX)
ALBUM
ALIVE AND WELL Mark Allan Atwood & Brimstone
BEAUTIFUL SIN The Scott Taylor Band
I'LL BE FINE Saints Eleven
SMOKE & MIRRORS Bob Cheevers
TCLB LIVE The Captain Legendary Band
DISC JOCKEY
Katie Bartlett KFYN - 104.3 FM (Paris)
Carey Dean KRVF - 106.9 FM (Corsicana)
Justin Frazell KFWR - 95.9 FM (Ft. Worth)
"Super" Dave Millsap KFYN - 104.3 FM (Paris)
Roark Smith KPFT - 90.1 FM (Houston)
BROADCAST RADIO STATION
KFYN - 104.3 FM PARIS, TEXAS
KHYI - 95.3 FM DALLAS, TEXAS
KPFT - 90.1 FM HOUSTON, TEXAS
KRVF - 106.9 FM CORSICANA, TEXAS
KWBY - 98.5 FM STEPHENVILLE, TEXAS
POPULAR COVER
"All Along The Watchtower" off THE COMEBACK KID (Marina Rocks) (made popular by Jimi Hendrix)
"Angel From Montgomery" off THE GRIEVOUS ANGELS (The Grievous Angels) (made popular by Bonnie Raitt)
"Funny How Time Slips Away" off BEAUTIFUL SIN (Scott Taylor Band) (made popular by Willie Nelson)
"Georgia On My Mind" off BLUES FOR LOST DREAMS (Bill Reid) (made popular by Ray Charles)
"Wishing" off CANYON MUSIC (Emily Grace Berry) (made popular by Buddy Holly)