This morning at The Palace Theater in Syracuse, NY, the much anticipated Syracuse Area Music Award Nominees, Hall of Fame Inductees, Music Educator of the Year, and Lifetime Achievement Recipient were announced for 2015. With several new names, a few new categories, and many well deserving recipients being added to the list, the upcoming Hall of Fame Ceremony and Award Ceremonies and bound to sell out.
The most prestigious award, The Lifetime Achievement Award, will this year be given to Syracuse’s own, Jon Fishman. Jon is the drummer/vocalist and one of the founding members of the highly popular band Phish. Often credited as the namesake, after all he is often referred to as “Fish”, Jon has traveled the world for the past thirty plus years with band mates acquiring a cult like following of fans that are often compared to the Grateful Dead’s fans, and lovingly referred to as Phisheads or Phans. This exceptional drummer began honing his skills here locally as a student at Jamesville-Dewitt High School, and Jon was recently featured on the cover of DRUM Magazine this past September.
His musical abilities reach past the drum kit however to a myriad of musical instruments, including the vacuum, yes, the vacuum, but what he’s most passionate about is his tireless efforts and dedicated humanitarian role he has with several organizations, but most specifically he plays a key role in helping to raise money and awareness for the Mimi Fishman Foundation, an organization founded by Jon’s late mother, Mimi Fishman. Mimi believed that through partnerships with bands such as Phish, money could be raised to help bring awareness and assistance to many needed charitable organizations, focusing on the needs of families and children, and specifically those that suffered from visual impairments.
SAMMYS Hall of Fame Inductees
Lifetime Achievement Award
Jon Fishman
Hall of Fame Inductees
Bobby Comstock
Chris Goss
Loren Barrigar
The Works
Music Educator of the Year
David Rezak
SAMMYS Nominees 2015
Best Pop
Ceili Rain
Nick & Noah
Sir Magnus
Best Country
Hattie Lewis Band
Mick Fury & Midnight Moonshine
Jason Kreuger
Megan Lee
Driftwater
Best Jazz
Julia Goodwin
Nick Ziobro
Christiane Page
The Bob Holz Band
Scott Dennis
Best Hip Hop
Oxburg
Nick Case a.k.a. Decoy
Supa Satty
Coke Da Don
Shystee
Best Blues
Tas Cru
Tangled Roots
Funky Blu Roots
Johnny Ray & The Stonethrowers
Castle Creek
Best R&B
Brownskin Band
Shakeif
Best Americana
Jeffrey Pepper Rodgers
The Brothers MacRae
Larry Hoyt & the Good Acoustics
String Bee
Best Alternative
Leah Shenandoah
The Overnighters
Phoenix Eleven
Phantom Chemistry
Joe Valentine
Best Rock
Ben Mauro
The FabCats
The Golden Novak Band
William Gruff
The Unknown Woodsmen
Best Hard Rock
Jeremiah’s Razor
Nineball
How to Disappear Completely
Armed With Valor
Vampire Choir
Best Other Style
Doolin O’Dey
Samba Laranja
Peter LaVine
Best Jam Band
Joe Driscoll & Sekou Kouyate
Liquid Lounge Band
Acadia
Our Friends Band
Count Blastula
Best Singer/Songwriter
Tim Herron
Alanna-Marie Boudreau
Rabbit In The Rye
Kingsley Malcolm
William James Nicholson
Peoples Choice Award
TBD – Voting Ends February 7, 2015
Tickets can be purchased for both the March 5th Hall of Fame Event at the Dinosaur Barb-B-Que, and the March 6th, Awards Ceremony at The Palace Theatre.