The Wisconsin Area Music Industry (WAMI) has announced the nominees in the 36 categories for the 27th Annual Awards Ceremony, to be held Monday, April 30, at the Northern Lights Theater at Potawatomi Bingo and Casino, 1721 W. Canal St.
The nominees are:
Group/Artist: Cool Waters; ILL Groove Movement; Geoff Landon and the Wolfpack; Ronnie Nyles; Skillet; and Twang Dragons.
CD/Recording: “Comin Out Swingin” – Boxkar; “The ILLiad” – ILL Groove Movement; “It’s All About The Music” – Jack Grassel & Jill Jensen; “Lucky 13” – Carry Nation; and “Comatose” – Skillet.
Female Vocalist: Adekola Adedapo; Lisa Hannon; Ronnie Nyles; Alaria Taylor; Karen Todryk; and Ellen Winters.
Male Vocalist: Lem Banks; Cory Chisel; Paul Karcz; Geoff Landon; Jon Shoen; and Chris Szabini.
New Group/Artist: Category X; Liam Ford and The Band in Black; Hindsight; Krash; Marcella; and Rabid Aardvarks.
Song: “Synergy” – ILL Groove Movement; “Song For Your Mother” – Jack Grassel & Jill Jensen; Rebirthing” – Skillet; “Level Groove” – Paul Spencer Band; and “Drinkin About You” – Twang Dragons.
Big Band/Swing: All-Star SUPERband; Ladies Must Swing; Mr. Lucky Swing Syndicate; River City’s Jazz; and Swing Nouveau.
Bluegrass/Americana: Andy’s Automatics; The Darkhorse Project; Liam Ford and The Band In Black; Frogwater; Meaghan Owens; and Twang Dragons.
Blues Group/Artist: Roy Edwards Band; Big O and the Shakers; Reverend Raven and the Chain Smokin’ Altar Boys; West Side Andy and Mel Ford; and Alex Wilson.
Classical: Frank Almond; Bel Canto Chorus; Fox Valley Symphony; Kenosha Symphony; and Skylight Opera.
Traditional Jazz Group/Artist: Crawford Jazz Band; Jack Grassel; Steve Lewandowski; Alex Maryani; Paul Spencer; and Sam Steffke.
Contemporary Jazz Group/Artist: Bennet Carl; Chris Crane & Co.; Streetlife; Valley of the Dolls; and Ellen Winters.
Country: Chasin’ Mason; Geoff Landon and the Wolfpack; Madison County; Nashville Pipeline; and Twang Dragons.
Cover: Cherry Pie; Mt. Olive; Sonic Circus; The Toys; and Johnny Wad.
Folk/Acoustic Group/Artist: Bazooka Joe; Julie Moffitt; No Strings Attached; Ronnie Nyles; Stringbenders; and Alaria Taylor.
Gospel/Christian Group/Artist: All Saints Gospel Choir; Rodney Cunningham; J4; and 2 High.
Pop/Adult Contemporary: The Dammitheads; FireSign; The Mahp; Molitor; and Sunspot.
Urban/Hip Hop/Scratch/ Group/Artist: Black Elephant; The Black House Gang; BNC; Cincere; and ILL Groove Movement.
Rock Group/Artist: Analog Machine; Bellevue Suite; Decibully; Fahrenheit 420; and Spiral Trance.
Specialty/Nostalgia Group/Artist: The Boogiemen; 45 RPM; Light Up; Pat McCurdy; and The Tempters.
World Beat: Kojo; Mountain Lion; Nabori; One Drum; and Unity.
R&B/Soul Group/Artist: Eddie Butts; Mary Davis; Rick Holmes and the Stratotones; J4; Soul Treatment; and The Tempters.
Bassist: Andy Holcomb; Rick Holmes; Rick LaJeunesse; Todd Richardson; Dale Shaffer; and Mike Spellman; .
Drummer/Percussionist: Frank Babeck; Tom Capponi; Dave Schoepke; Scott Schroeder; Paul Spencer; and Greg Thiel.
Guitarist: Chris Dame; Tom Dixon; Jack Grassel;Steve Lewandowski; Ron Plevak; and Don Weber.
Keyboardist: Joe Hite; Kostia; Dean Lea; Johnny Palecek; and Sam Steffke.
Reeds/Brass: John Hibler; Lynn Lewandowski; Brett Murphy; Jeff Petrangelo; and Dave Smith.
Specialty Instrumentalist: Geoff Brady – Vibes, Theramin; Ray Fehrenboch – Fiddle; Russ Greely – Violin; Tommy Greywolf – Fiddle; Stas Vanglenski – Baion style.
Band/Artist Website: www.illgroovemovement.com, ILL Groove Movement; www.lwent.com, Geoff Landon & the Wolfpack; www.ronnienyles.com, Ronnie Nyles; www.twangdragons.com, Twang Dragons.
Venue: Caroline’s; High Noon Saloon; Mill Creek; Milwaukee Ale House; Northern Lights Theater – Potawatomi; and Summerfest.
Print Media: Appleton Post-Crescent; Kenosha News; Maximum Ink; Rick’s Café; and Shepherd Express.
Producer: Ben Estes; Marc Golde; Vinny Milevolte; Rick Probst; and Joe Puerta.
Radio Station: WAPL-FM; WHQG-FM (THE HOG); WIIL-FM; WMSE-FM; and WQBW-FM (THE BREW).
Stage Production: Clear Wing Audio; Eliminator Sound; Lighthouse Productions; On Stage Audio; and White Noise.
Studio: The Exchange; Nexxus; Renwood Messenger Studio; Rock Garden; and Smart Studios.
The WAMI Awards also feature a People’s Choice category for Best Band, with winners selected from four regions of Wisconsin. Following are the four regions, which ensure musicians from all areas of the state are recognized:
Southeast: Milwaukee and surrounding counties; north to Sheboygan and Fond du Lac, west to Watertown, and south to the state line.
Southwest: Madison and surrounding area, north to Sauk County, east to Watertown, and south and west to the state line.
Northeast: The Fox Valley, including Appleton, Green Bay, Oshkosh, and Door County.
Northwest: All other areas of the state.
People’s Choice Award nominations can be made in writing and submitted by April 15 to Wisconsin Area Music Industry, PO Box 510826, Milwaukee, WI, 53202-0816. Nominations forms can also be downloaded at www.wamimusic.com.
Born in Brooklyn, N.Y., where he lived until he was 17, Bobby received his BA-Mass Communications from UWM in 1989 and has lived in Walker's Point, Bay View, Enderis Park, South Milwaukee and on the East Side.
He has published three non-fiction books in Italy – including one about an event in Milwaukee history, which was published in the U.S. in autumn 2010. Four more books, all about Milwaukee, have been published by The History Press.
With his most recent band, The Yell Leaders, Bobby released four LPs and had a songs featured in episodes of TV's "Party of Five" and "Dawson's Creek," and films in Japan, South America and the U.S. The Yell Leaders were named the best unsigned band in their region by VH-1 as part of its Rock Across America 1998 Tour. Most recently, the band contributed tracks to a UK vinyl/CD tribute to the Redskins and collaborated on a track with Italian novelist Enrico Remmert.
He's produced three installments of the "OMCD" series of local music compilations for OnMilwaukee.com and in 2007 produced a CD of Italian music and poetry.
In 2005, he was awarded the City of Asti's (Italy) Journalism Prize for his work focusing on that area. He has also won awards from the Milwaukee Press Club.
He has be heard on 88Nine Radio Milwaukee talking about his "Urban Spelunking" series of stories, in that station's most popular podcast.
