The Syracuse Area Music Awards has announced its new class of inductees for the SAMMY Hall of Fame as well as nominees among 13 categories for the 2019 SAMMY Awards.
The 2019 inductees include ’50s doo-wop band, Little Jan and the Radiants; 95X radio personality and host of the weekly radio program “Locals Only,” Scott Dixon; long-running independent acoustic duo, Karen Savoca and Pete Heitzman; and highly influential drummer and music store owner, Al Falso.
The SAMMYS will also posthumously honor Syracuse University alumnus, Lou Reed with the Lifetime Achievement Award and internationally acclaimed trombonist, Melissa Gardiner as Educator of the Year.
Other honorees this year are well-known street musician, Elijah Harris, Jr., with the Founders Award and a brand new award named in honor of its inaugural recipient, Jack O Bocchino, the Jack O Bocchino Spirit of Syracuse Award.
Now in its 26th year, the Syracuse Area Music Awards seeks to honor musicians, educators, industry professionals and supporters of the Central New York Music scene. This year’s Hall of Fame dinner and awards ceremony will take place March 7 and 8. The Hall of Fame dinner will be held upstairs at the Dinosaur Bar-B-Que on Willow Street while the awards will be presented at Eastwood’s Palace Theater.
Performers at the awards ceremony include a Lou Reed tribute band that features Stuart Heinrich and Ellard “Moose” Bolles of Reed’s late ’70s-early ’80s backing band. Also performing are 2019 inductees, Karen Savoca and Pete Heitzman, past SAMMY recipient, R&B band Stroke, 2018 Best Jamband winner, Barroom Philosophers and Sean McLeod with 2017 Best R&B winner Alani Skye.
Tickets for the Hall of Fame dinner and the awards ceremony are available through the SAMMYS website. Tickets for the dinner are $25 and tickets for the ceremony are $20. The dinner will run from 7:00 p.m. until 10:00 p.m. on Thursday, March 7. The awards ceremony begins at 7:00 p.m.
NewsChannel 9 WSYR’s morning show, Bridge Street is hosting the SAMMY Spotlight Series each Thursday at 10:00 a.m. through March 7. Artists featured on the program include:
Feb 7- Late Earth
Feb 14 – Sera Bullis
Feb 21 – Infinity
Feb 28 – Fritz’s Polka Band
Mar 7 – Bad Mama’s Blues Band
The 2019 SAMMY nominees:
Best Pop
Screen Test, Through the Past Brightly
Forgottensong, Forgottensong Vol 1 and 2
Emma Jude, Pocket Full of Postcards
Best Hip Hop/Rap
G-Netics, Elevated
Big Nate MG, No Hooks Needed x Hook Line
J. R. Lottary, Instant Win
Chris Mac, Go For Broke Project
MLA, Salute Me
Best Americana
Joe Davoli, Golden Rule
Eileen Nicholson Kalfass, Crossing Bridges
Ghost Town Ramblers, Ghost Town Ramblers
Dennis McGuire’s One Man Band, Old Songs Rusty Strings
Best Alternative
Townhouse Warrior, Words, Unsaid
The Amazing Shakes, 10x The Crash
Strange To Look At, Strange To Look At
The Beuchesnes, Twilight Interstate
Late Earth, Late Earth
Sympathy, For Everyone to See
Best Rock
Jukin’ Bone, Unfinished Business
Atkins Riot, Atkins Riot “Iguanas”
Tony Touris, Ghost Town
Climbing Stars, Ascension
The Trend, J Marc Memorial Show
Best Hard Rock
One Step From Falling, Stuck
Amerikan Primitive, Down to the Devil
The Last Divide, The Last Divide
Between Hope & Fear, Between Hope & Fear
Damon Larus, Crusade
Best Other Style
Emedin Rivera, Tropical Tubulence
Samba Laranja: The SU Brazilian Ensemble, Gurana′
Fritz’s Polka Band, Hey!
Best Jam Band
Mike Davis and the Laughing Budda Episodes, Find Yourself – › Caterpillar
Ginbucket, On Ice
Count Blastula, Jive Honey
Sundrop Rise, Family Tree
The Lightkeepers, Talking Man’s Blues
Best Singer/Songwriter
Sydney Irving, The Halfmoon Sessions
Jess Novak, Fear is the Cage. Love is the Key.
Darryl Rahn, Making Strangers
Rhiannon Payne, Folklore
Stephen Douglas Wolfe, Quixotic Symphony
Best Blues
Neil Minet & the Night Flyers, Shades of Blue
Tas Cru, Memphis Song
Steven D Odum, Steve Odum Plays His Blues
Ron Spencer Band, Into the Blue
Cloutier, Thunder N Lightning
Best R & B
The Ripcords, Live at Subcat Studios
Irv Lyons, Jr., Sisters & Brothers
Jaquiel THEVOICE, The Natural Project
Apollo XXIII, Borderline
Best Country
Follow the Muse, American Days
Lonnie Park, Stories of the Lost and Found
Steven Cali, American Farmer
The Moonshine River Band, Bad Habit
Best Jazz
Bob Holz, Silverthorne
Byron ‘Kidd’ Cage, Platinum Healing Glove