“Click here to submit your vote before July 15, 2009”
Press Release – June 17, 2009
Leadership Music and Next Big Nashville soliciting submissions for the revived Nashville Music Awards
June 16, 2009 (Nashville, TN): In a partnership with Next Big Nashville (NBN), Leadership Music, Inc. (LM) will be reviving the Nashville Music Awards (NMA), which were produced by LM from 1995 through 2000. The NMAs recognized outstanding contributions in all genres of music, and celebrated the diversity and quality of artists and music professionals who call Nashville their home. Winners will be announced during the NBN festival taking place Wednesday, October 7 through Sunday, October 11, 2009, and are chosen by popular vote via online balloting. Click HERE to submit names/titles before July 15, 2009.
Submissions are being solicited from the public at www.nashvillemusicawards.com in nineteen (19) categories (listed below). Final nominees will be chosen by committees consisting of experts in the various genres/categories. Eligible recordings or projects must have been active in the marketplace between January 1, 2008 and June 30, 2009. Submissions of names and titles may be made via online survey through July 15. Final nominees in each category will be announced and instructions on voting will be publicized in August.
“I am honored and excited to be a part of the revival of the Nashville Music Awards,” says Jason Moon Wilkins, Director and Owner of Next Big Nashville. “I was involved in the nominating process for three of the last four years of the original NMA’s and I remember how integral the NMA’s were in the recognition of the diversity of Nashville’s music community. That musical diversity has grown substantially since then and I look forward to working with Leadership Music in rebuilding the NMA’s and doing our part to highlight the creative depth of Music City.”
The 2009 Nashville Music Award winners will be announced at a reception on the first evening of NBN, Wednesday, October 7 at the Cannery Ballroom (Time TBA) followed by a special NBN Opening Night Showcase. Between 1995 and 2000, the Nashville Music Award shows were held at the Ryman Auditorium and TPAC’s Jackson Hall and featured performances by many of the nominees and winners. For a list of previous winners, visit www.nashvillemusicawards.com.
More details will be announced.
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ELIGIBILITY:
- NMA awards are limited to persons and organizations residing in Davidson County and surrounding counties, including Williamson, Wilson, Rutherford, Sumner, Robertson, Cheatham, Dickson, Maury, Hickman, Bedford and Montgomery counties encompassing such communities as Franklin, Murfreesboro, Lebanon, Dickson, Gallatin, Hendersonville, Goodlettsville, Ashland City, Shelbyville, Columbia and Clarksville, as well as Nashville.
- Honorees must have resided in the NMA area for more than half of the eligibility period. Part-time residents are eligible, but must maintain a Nashville-area profile in the judgment of the nominating committee.
- The nomination period is for projects which were active in the marketplace between January 1, 2008 through June 30, 2009.
NOMINATING / BALLOTING PROCESS:
- Nominees are chosen by a select committee of volunteers, who are chosen for their expertise in the specific musical genres and areas represented. Their work begins in July and ends in August. The nominating committees will be overseen by Jason Moon Wilkins, Tracy Gershon and Robert K. Oermann -- the latter two served in this same capacity during the previous incarnation of the Nashville Music Awards.
- Submissions (names, titles) for all categories may be made at www.nashvillemusicawards.com through July 15, 2009. There is no limit to the number of submissions that may be made, however candidates need only be submitted once. There is no advantage to making multiple submissions.
- Final nominees will be announced in August. Winners are chosen by popular vote with balloting information and links running a number of times in print publication and on numerous websites, including www.nashvillemusicawards.com . Winners will be announced at a reception on Wednesday, October 7, the first evening of the NBN festival at the Cannery Ballroom.
CATEGORIES:
1. Artist of the Year
2. Best New Artist
3. Song of the Year
4. Next Big Nashville Award (for Emerging Independent Artists)
5. Songwriter of the Year
6. Poster / Album Artwork / Packaging of the Year
7. Instrumentalist of the Year
8. Music Video / Film of the Year
9. Made in Music City Award: for a recording made in Nashville by a non-Nashville artist
10. Bluegrass / Old-Time Music Album of the Year
11. Country Album of the Year
12. Folk / Americana Album of the Year
13. Urban Recording of the Year
14. Gospel / Contemporary Christian Album of the Year
15. Jazz / Blues Album of the Year
16. Pop / Rock Album of the Year
The last three categories are not voted on by the public:
17. Heritage Award
18. Brian Williams Ambassador Award (formerly titled the “Bridge Award”)
19. Innovator of the Year: for a Nashville music-related tech innovator
SPONSORSHIPS:
Sponsorships are available for the NMA reception to announce the winners, and for the Next Big Nashville festival. Contact nextbignashville@mac.com.
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About Leadership Music: Leadership Music, Inc. is an educational non-profit 501c3 organization founded in 1989 whose mission is to nurture a knowledgeable, issue-oriented community of music industry professionals through an annual educational program and events. This is accomplished through the identification and exploration of topical issues in an annual series of off-the-record educational seminars (the Program), and continued alumni nurturing and education, including an annual digital music conference; the Leadership Music Digital Summit. Over the past 20 years, Leadership Music has graduated more than 785 music industry leaders. http://www.leadershipmusic.org and http://www.digitalsummit.org.
About Next Big Nashville: A nationally recognized music festival and conference begun in 2006, NBN serves as an annual destination for artists, innovators and business leaders in the creative community at large and continues to provide a deserving spotlight to the depth and diversity of the music and business “Made in Music City.” NBN 2009 will feature over 200 performers ranging from unsigned singer songwriters to major label artists playing at over a dozen of Nashville’s most prestigious venues. Over 15,000 people attended the festival in 2008 and 2009 is expanding to include even more daytime events, parties, interactivity and exciting opportunities for the participating artists. http://nextbignashville.wordpress.com
Contact: info@nashvillemusicawards.com
Nashville Music Awards
The Nashville Music Awards were produced by Leadership Music, Inc. from 1995 through 2000, and honored the music contributions and achievements of artists and music professionals who chose to call Nashville, Tennessee their home. They celebrated the diversity and quality of music crafted by those who nurture musical ideas from hearts to ears.
The nominees were chosen by a volunteer committee of industry leaders, some expert in specific musical genres and others whose knowledge was broader. The committee included individuals familiar with both the recording and live music scene here.
Winners were chosen by popular vote. Ballots were printed in several Nashville area publications, and ballots were counted and certified by an accounting firm.
The Nashville Music Award trophy was Tennessee born and bred; the hand-sculptured logo – crafted from steel – sat on a base of Tennessee marble. Each one was an original, hand-made by Nashville artists P.J. Maxwell and Don Adams, of Maxwell Metalworks, to reflect the spirit and creativity that the winners represented.
Plans are ongoing to revive the Nashville Music Awards, including a NMA winner tribute concert held in June 2006 during the CMA Music Fest, and plans for an shortened version in the fall of 2009.
For more information, contact: info@NashvilleMusicAwards.com, 615.770.7090.
www.leadershipmusic.org
Leadership Music is a nonprofit 501(c)(3) educational organization established in 1989 to nurture a knowledgeable, issue-oriented community of music industry professionals through programming and events.
NASHVILLE MUSIC AWARDS WINNERS
Americana Album1998: Kim Richey – Bittersweet Bluegrass / Old Time Music Album1995: Alison Krauss & The Cox Famly – I Know Who Holds Tomorrow Blues Album1995: various artists – More Good Whiskey Blues Children’s Music Recording1996: J. Aaron Brown/Dave Lehman (producers) – Sleepy Time Lullabyes Classical Music Recording1996: Mark O’Connor – The Fiddle Concerto Contemporary Christian Album1995: Steven Curtis Chapman – Heaven in the Real World Country Album1995: Patty Loveless – When Fallen Angels Fly Folk Album1995: Johnny Cash – American Recordings Independent Album1996: Webb Wilder – Town and Country Instrumental Album1997: Steve Wariner – No More Mr. Nice Guy Jazz Album1997: Bela Fleck & The Flectones – Live Art Jazz / Instrumental Album (category split in 1997)1995: Chet Atkins – Read My Licks Pop Album1995 Amy Grant – House of Love Rap Recording1996: Count Bass D – Pre Live Crisis Reissue Recording1995: Waylon Jennings – Only Daddy That’ll Walk the Line Rhythm & Blues Album1995: various artists – Rhythm, Country & Blues Rock Album1996: Fleming & John – Delusions of Grandeur Traditional Gospel Album1996: Christ Church Choir – Lift Him Higher Artist Songwriter (discontinued)1995: Rodney Crowell Songwriter / Composer1995: Keith Thomas Male Vocalist1995: Vince Gill Female Vocalist1995: Trisha Yearwood |
Group / Duo1995: The Mavericks Background Vocalist (discontinued)1995: Kathy Chiavola Unsigned Artist1995: Kevin Welch Bassist1995: Michael Rhodes Drummer / Percussionist1995: Eddie Bayers Guitarist1995: Brent Mason Miscellaneous Instrumentalist (split into two categories in 1998)1995: Mark O’Connor (fiddle) Miscellaneous Stringed Instrumentalist1998: Bela Fleck (banjo) Miscellaneous Wind Instrumentalist1998: Jelly Roll Johnson (harmonica) Pianist / Keyboardist1995: Matt Rollings Producer1995: Tony Brown Audio Engineer1995: Lynn Peterzell Song1995: “He Thinks He’ll Keep Her” – Don Schlitz / Mary Chapin Carpenter Video1995: “Independence Day” – Robert Deaton / George Flanigen Album Artwork1995: Patty Loveless When Fallen Angels Fly – Bill Johnson Music Club (discontinued)1995: Bluebird Café Concert Venue (discontinued)1995: Ryman Auditorium Club Act2000: Mike Henderson & The Bluebloods Classical Musician2000: Wilma Jensen Music Writer / Journalist (discontinued)1996: Robert K. Oermann Radio Station (discontinued)1995: WSIX-FM (97.9) Heritage Award1995: The Fairfield Four Bridge Award1995: Dale Franklin, Mayor Phil Bredesen |