Who’s got WAMI fever? Wednesday morning, the folks behind the Wisconsin Area Music Industry awards unveiled the nominees for their 39th annual shindig, set for Sunday, April 14 at Turner Hall Ballroom. Covering everything from artist/album/song of the year (whole lotta Milwaukee here, including Lex Allen, Field Report, and more) to best polka and tribute act (THE PRINCE EXPERIENCE WITH GABRIEL SANCHEZ), the nominees are sure to delight, entertain, and occasionally confound. It wouldn’t be the WAMIs any other way.
WAMI will host a free party celebrating the nominees on Sunday, March 31 at Brookfield’s Saloon on Calhoun (up for Best Live Club/Venue, as always). Voting for the People’s Choice Awards, meanwhile, is live through the end of the month.
Oh yeah: This year’s WAMI Hall of Fame inductees are Milwaukee musician extraordinaire Paul Cebar (he’s great), 1950s vocal quartet The Chordettes (they sang “Mr. Sandman” and “Lollipop”), and ’80s/’90s heavy metal band Realm (they covered “Eleanor Rigby,” but fast).
Artist of the Year
Lex Allen
Chris Kroeze
Unity The Band
Tigernite
Horseshoes & Hand Grenades
Field Report
Feed The Dog
Dead Horses
Album of the Year
Field Report – Summertime Songs
Horseshoes & Hand Grenades – The Ode
Lorde Fredd33 – Norf: The Legend of Hotboy Ronald
Feed The Dog – Tenderloin
Warrior Songs – Women at War: Warrior Songs Vol. 2
Yipes! – Yipes!!!
Lex Allen – Table 7: Sinners and Saints
Keith Pulvermacher – 45 Story
Song of the Year
Amanda Huff & Peter Thomas – “Only In Dreams”
Reyna – “Heartbeat”
Calliope – “Sea of Red”
Buffalo Gospel – “18 Wheeler”
Trapper Schoepp – “On Wisconsin”
Webster X – “Feels”
Abby Jeanne – “Be In The Sun”
Vinyl Theatre – “Masterpiece”
New Artist of the Year
Krestfall
The Docksiders
The First Wave
Block Party
Tae
Brett and The Dandys
Spirited Strings
Jessie Marie and the Rippers
Male Vocalist of the Year
Rich Hoffman
Steve March-Torme
Chris Hodgson
Andre Beaudot
Julio Reyes
Jeff Taylor
Sean Jones
Eddie Martinez
Female Vocalist of the Year
Kaylee Pecha
Erin Krebs
Jennifer Schafer
Paige Baker
Jackie Brown
B-Free
Michele McCarthy
Anastasia Lee
Singer/Songwriter of the Year
Ben Wagner
Keith Pulvermacher
Kyle Feerick
Laura Petersen
Kurt Gunn
Sammy Ray Marshall
Joe Richter
Alyssia Dominguez
Rising Star of the Year
Figure It Out
Jenna Kopitske
Lilie Fouts
Rewind
Lokke
Parker Collar
Ebony Loren
Sadie Jo Schwefel
Alternative Rock/Rock Artist
Carbellion
Sliver
Amberstein
More Then Merry
Chris Haise Band
Sacred
Pudge
Horace Greene
Bluegrass/Americana Artist
Wise Jennings
Feed The Dog
Horseshoes & Hand Grenades
Mascot Theory
The Fainting Room
Dead Horses
Chicken Wire Empire
Zach Pietrini
Christian/Gospel Artist
Spirited Strings
Koine
Kevin Hayden
Night Divine
Mike Westendorf
WithoutExcuse
Masonic Wonders
Blues Artist
Reverend Raven & The Chain Smokin’ Altar Boys
Altered Five Blues Band
Robert Allen, Jr.
Madtown Mannish Boys
The Blues Disciples
Jay Edward
Tallan Noble Latz
David Miller Band
Country Artist
Grand Union
Driftwood
Rebel Grace
Dexter Road
Buffalo Gospel
Driveway Thriftdwellers
Stetsin & Lace
Madison County
Cover Artist
Panic Station
Star Six Nine
Almighty Vinyl
The Now
The Toys
33 RPM
A-Town Unplugged
Bella Cain
Folk/Celtic Artist
Reilly
The Roving Scallywags
WarPiper
Warrior Songs
Killarney Blarney
Trapper Schoepp
John Stano
Derek Byrne and Paddygrass
Hard Rock Artist
Lords of The Trident
The Homeland Conspiracy
Last Crack
Imperial Fall
Sons of Kong
Cyanide Son
Stone Crow
Killing Rapunzel
Metal Artist
Memories Wither
METAL MEN
Jungle Rot
Conniption
Morta Skuld
Monorail Central
Revolution-X
Thrasher
Punk Artist
BUD
Ratbatspider
Slaughter Party
The Cherrypops
DIRECT HIT!
The First Rule
Solid Freex!
Fox Face
Jazz Artist
KWT featuring Tom Washatka
The Jazz Orgy
Randi Fay
The Bill Schmidt Jazz Ensemble
Match Stick
Mike Standal Quartet
Jerry Grillo
Meade St. Collective
Polka Artist
Val Sigal
Happy Schnapps Combo
The Squeezettes
Alpine Blast
Tuba Dan Jerabek
The November Criminals
Steve Meisner
Rhythm Playboys
Pop Rock Artist
Doozey
Brett Newski
Xposed 4Heads
Well-Known Strangers
Rocket Cat
Tigernite
Gin, Chocolate & Bottle Rockets
Sunspot
Hip Hop/Rap Artist
IshDarr
Vincent VanGreat
DJ Milo Gambino
Webster X
Zed Kenzo
Shle Berry
Lorde Fredd33
Knowsthetime
R&B/Soul Artist
J-Council
Charles Walker Band
The People Brothers Band
Tweed
Eddie Butts Band
Valerie B. and The Boys
Lex Allen
The Pocket Kings
World/Reggae/Ska/Latin
Luma Knotty
Unity The Band
De La Buena
The Us Project
Salsa Manzana
Sista Sensi & The B Easy Band
Natty Nation
Something To Do
Club/DJ/Dance/Electronic Artist
Kiings
No No Yeah Okay
LUXI
Fortune
DJ Zello
DJ Flux
Horn/Big Band Artist
FBI & The Untouchable Horns
The Jimmys
Extra Crispy Brass Band
Water City Jazz Orchestra
Big Mouth & The Power Tool Horns
Big Style Brass Band
Cold Sweat and The Brew City Horns
Hot and Dirty Brass Band
Tribute Artist
The Prince Experience
Master of Puppets – A Tribute to Metallica
Light Up
Steely Dane
The Rush Tribute Project
Project Pink
Harvest
The Hellion
Bass
Danny Walters
Johnny Washday
Ken Gore
Jim Sorensen
Fred Velpel
Chris Hanaway
Craig Neuser
Mary Farmer
Drummer
Mark Anastasi
Matt Gieseke
Chris DiDomenico
Dean Tassone
Jim Winter
Adam Hatton
Andrew Lynch
Jim Kube
Guitarist
Sean Williamson
Jeff Mitchell
Paris Ortiz
Angie Swan
Kyle Stair
Jay Stulo
Tom Theabo
Miles McConnell
Keyboard
Rebecca Kettler
Noah Harmon
Shawndell Marks
Logan Dier
Jimmy Voegeli
Josh Becker
Theo Merriweather
Sam McClain
Reeds/Brass
John Vollmar
Ross Catterton
Michael Clobes
Jack Naus
Jamie Beckman
Ben Hohenstein
Greg Balfany
Matt Antoniewicz
Strings
Chauntee Ross
Thea Morton Vorass
Kayla Potter
Russ Greeley
Joe Ketchum
Tim McIlree
Monique Ross
Angela Licari
Best Studio Engineer/Producer
Eric LaBrosse
Jeff Hamilton
Marc Golde
Joe Hite
Geoff Wilbourn
Gary Tanin
Michael Mann
Steve Hamilton
Best Recording Studio
Musicmann Studios
Stories Studio
Rock Garden
Cherry Pit Studios
Tanner-Monagle, Inc.
Hi-Five Studio
Renwood Messenger Studio
Makin’ Sausage Music
Best Live Club/Venue
Shank Hall
The Saloon On Calhoun
The Cold Shot
Gibson Music Hall
North Star Casino
Potawatomi Fire Pit Sports Bar
Phatheadz
Dundee’s Roadhouse
Best Live Engineer Sound/Lights
Todd Fink
Cole Grygny
Tom Mussa
Dan Henszey
Jon-Paul LeClair
Craig Vetrone
Steve Fry
Jason Lueck